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Most of the attention at NBA Summer League is naturally lavished on the top picks heading into their rookie seasons or returning second-year players who quickly establish that theyāve taken a leap and are far too good to belong at this level of competition anymore.
But between those tiers and the interesting characters simply fighting for an NBA roster spot or a two-way contract there are several players who havenāt yet established themselves in an NBA rotation but appear ready to do so, even if they arenāt on the track to stardom. Here are three NBA Summer League standouts who could be regular rotation players for their teams this season.
NBA Summer League sleepers who are ready to shine:
DayāRon Sharpe, Big, Brooklyn Nets
Sharpe played just 391 minutes last season as a rookie on a veteran-heavy Brooklyn Nets squad with championship aspirations. We still have no idea what will happen with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving but thereās a good chance the Nets are shifting their focus towards the future and there is an opportunity for Sharpe to a player a bigger role this season, even with 23-year-old big Nicolas Claxton signing a new two-year deal and likely taking more responsibility as well.
Sharpeās pre-draft profile focused on his defensive versatility, and his passing and awareness, with questions about his shooting range and lack of elite athleticism. But even in limited minutes last season, we saw his skill level and basketball IQ translate to multi-faceted production. He averaged 18.2 points, 14.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.4 blocks per 36 minutes on a 59.3 true shooting percentage. In 10 G League games with the Long Island Nets, he was even more productive (21.2 points, 14.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.0 steals, 2.1 blocks per 36) in a role with more offensive and defensive primacy.
Sharpe has been overshadowed a bit by Cam Thomas, who has put up 57 points in the Netsā two Summer League games. But he also created one of the best highlights from Summer League thus far with this monstrous poster dunk:
https://twitter.com/BrooklynNets/status/1546239575709732864
In general, Sharpe has looked slimmer, more mobile and a bit more explosive, all of which bodes well for his ability to translate production in a larger role against better players. In two Summer League games, heās put up 21 points, 21 rebounds, 5 assists, 6 steals and 3 blocks, shooting 50.0 percent from the field. Heās done a nice job creating space for himself around the basket and he looks comfortable making reads from the elbow and the top of the key, sliding between dribble hand-offs, into screens and rolls to the basket.
Again, the role Sharpe plays this year may be largely dictated by what happens with Durant and Irving. But itās clear heās ready for more if the Nets need it from him.
Neemias Queta, Big, Sacramento Kings
Queta is another big man who played incredibly sparingly as a rookie (just 120 minutes across 14 games) but has looked much more polished and advanced in Summer League. He was an older rookie, spending three years at Utah State before being selected by the Kings in the second round last year. He spent most of his first season in the G League, where he appeared in 14 games and averaged 16.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.8 blocks per game, shooting 63.3 percent from the field.
Queta is a more traditional big man who doesnāt have the explosive run-jump athleticism many teams are looking for in a rim-protector and vertical spacer. However, like Sharpe, heās looked more mobile and a bit quicker on his feet so far in Summer League and more comfortable with the occasional perimeter responsibilities that come with being an NBA big man, as opposed to a back-the-basket college threat.
The Kings have a crowded frontcourt right now, with Domantas Sabonis, Richaun Holmes, Alex Len, Keegan Murray and Chimezie Metu but itās possible Queta could be playing his way into a deal somewhere else. He spent last year on a two-way contract and the Kings have offered him a two-way qualifying offer for this season. Right now he can choose between spending another season on a two-way contract with the Kings or chasing a standard contract in free agency (which the Kings can match).
Heās averaged 14.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.8 blocks per game, shooting 60.4 percent from the field, across five Summer League games. For any other rebuilding team looking for an inexpensive, young back-up big man, he might be worth a look.
[Ed. Note ā Neemias Queta has already signed his second two-way contract with the Kings]
Isaiah Joe, Wing, Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ersā search for perimeter shooting has felt like a neverending quest but this season Isaiah Joe may finally be ready to help. The 76ersā took the Arkansas sharpshooter in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft and heās played just under 1,000 minutes over 96 games the past two seasons.
Outside shooting is Joeās most identifiable skill but he made just 34.9 percent of 241 attempts across those first two seasons and didnāt really have the developed versatility to contribute in other ways. Thatās one of the reasons he hasnāt been able to stick in Philadelphiaās rotation consistently. So far in Summer League, heās looked unbelievably confident, knocking down 16-of-29 3-pointers across four games.
You can see from the video above, heās hitting shots in a variety of scenarios ā relocations, coming off screens, pull-ups, straight spot-ups. This looks like the fully realized version of Joe as a shooter, something draft scouts saw as a possibility in his pre-draft profile which is now coming to life. Heās also looked much more confident and under control creating off the dribble ā¦
⦠and finding other ways to leverage open space besides just hunting for jumpers.
Across these four games, Joe has assisted on 17.4 percent of his teammatesā baskets, well above his assist percentage in college, G League or NBA minutes. If he can offer more than just shooting ā the ability to attack a closeout, run a weakside pick-and-roll or exploit a defensive switch ā it makes it much easier for Philadelphia to find space for him in the lineup.
The 76ersā backcourt is crowded, with Tyrese Maxey and James Harden entrenched as starters and DeāAnthony Melton, Furkan Korkmaz, Jaden Springer, Matisse Thybulle and Shake Milton all battling for minutes, not to mention the teamās rumored pursuit of Eric Gordon. But Joe looks like someone who is ready for a bigger role and potential trades ā either moving players in front of him or leveraging Joeās increased value and sending him elsewhere could create the opportunity.
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On Friday, WNBA superstar Brittney Griner pled guilty to drug charges that could imprison her in Russia for up to 10 years. Hereās what that means for Griner and her cause.
The Pistons got quite the scare when rookie Jaden Ivey went down with injury during a Summer League game but the guard says heās okay.
Can we just get this Nets-Lakers situation resolved so we can focus on the fun stuff again?