NBA Summer League Recap: 5 Guys That Could Surprise in 2014

By Justin Becker | Jul 26, 2014

The 2014 NBA Summer League is in the bag, with many rookies and young veterans stepping up with some huge performances.

This ‘fro, dunking soon on a court near you! Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

The key for fantasy basketball owners isn’t to just be impressed with big names, or some cool dunks, or what young guys scored a lot of points. Instead, it’s important to dig deeper in what we can come away with from the two NBA summer leagues and decide if any of this young talent can make a huge impact for the upcoming fantasy basketball season.

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There’s never any guarantee that a young guy will crush it early on, but we can at least get a pretty good idea of who would have a chance at busting out if they get a great opportunity.

We all know by now that guys like Nerlens Noel and Giannis Antetokounmpo are set to bust out in 2014, but there were some solid performances in between the cracks that we shouldn’t overlook.

Let’s take a look five sleepers from the summer league action that could end up having an impact on the 2014-15 NBA fantasy basketball season:

Payton could have a huge rookie season. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Nick Johnson, G, Houston Rockets

One of two Rockets to make this list, the electric Johnson brings a silky jumper, elite athleticism, and a solid overall skill-set to a team that just traded away Jeremy Lin. Basically Lin with the acceptance that he’s not a point guard and more of a combo guard, Johnson can potentially fulfill that same role and possibly be even more efficient.

Johnson is a rookie so that could complicate things, but he’s more talented than any other Houston guards not named Patrick Beverly and James Harden and the team isn’t going to shy away from shooting help. Johnson faces more of an uphill battle than some of these other guys on this list, but he’s someone to monitor.

Elfrid Payton, PG, Orlando Magic

Payton had a successful summer league, displaying lead point guard ability and offering stat-filling potential for fantasy basketball managers. Payton may have some work to do in the turnover and shooting department, but with just Luke Ridnour as his main competition, he’s probably still in for the lion’s share of minutes at the point.

He won’t always be the most efficient option, but he’s probably one of the top rookies to own right now due to his role and immense ability.

If the Bulls decide they need some Love, Snell could be in line for a huge jump In minutes. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Donatas Motiejunas, F, Houston Rockets

Omer Asik is gone and Terrence Jones still can’t defend, so there’s a chance we could see more and more of Motiejunas going forward. That’s a good thing, as he continued his steady development with a strong summer league.

Motiejunas isn’t a great defender either, but he’s shown a versatile offensive game and a solid effort on the glass. He’ll get some minutes backing up Dwight Howard, but his real shot might be overtaking Jones at the four spot. Entering his third NBA season, now could be the time to invest in some Motiejunas stock.

Tony Snell, F, Chicago Bulls

If the rumored trade to land Kevin Love in Chicago ends up coming to fruition, Snell could potentially give fantasy owners a ton of value. Snell showed vast improvement as a shooter and scorer during summer league, as he averaged over 20 points per game and hit his three’s at a 50% clip.

Trade rumors suggest Love would require some kind of combination of draft picks, as well as Taj Gibson, Jimmy Butler and rookie sharpshooter Doug McDermott. If McDermott and Butler are both indeed traded away, a need for shooting and scoring would open up on the wings. Snell would suddenly have a legit role.

Tim Hardaway Jr., G/F, New York Knicks

There’s absolutely no doubt Hardaway Jr. can shoot the ball. He paced the entire summer league in points per game and seems to be evolving as a more complete scorer as well. Fantasy owners won’t love his production on the boards or in the passing game, but he’s headed for a bigger role next year. J.R. Smith is seemingly on the trading block again, putting Hardaway in the direct path to a starting gig. At the very worst, he should get even more minutes as a gunner off the bench.

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