Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving fully overshadowed all the opposite actions occurring in Las Vegas, however with summer time league now within the rearview mirror, after the Nets posted a 3-2 mark, it’s an applicable time to return and assessment the storylines that bought pushed to the again burner for Brooklyn.
Can Cam Thomas’ summer time league enchancment carry over?
No, we don’t imply him bumping up his common by a couple of tenths of some extent. His scoring has by no means been in query, and he adopted up his summer time league-best 27.0 factors per sport common from final 12 months with a 27.4 encore. The extra vital numbers for Thomas’ progress are his playmaking. He greater than doubled his assists from a paltry 2.0 to 4.2 and practically halved his turnovers from 3.8 to a extra manageable 2.0.
Thomas will all the time be a score-first guard, and — presuming Durant and Irving are again — he gained’t have the form of utilization price or management over the offense this season as he did in Las Vegas. However his enjoying time was slashed down the stretch final season, so if Thomas desires an elevated function, he should proceed to enhance his playmaking and not less than try to shore up his sieve-like protection.
Alondes Williams, however, is nowhere close to prepared
In equity, it was by no means honest to count on him to be. Certain, he’s the highest-rated of the Nets’ rookies, they usually considerably surprisingly handed him a two-way contract. However the truth is, he went undrafted, and simply because the Nets may have a dire want of a backup level guard — if Irving will get traded — doesn’t imply Williams will likely be prepared for that function as a result of he’s clearly not.
Although Williams has an NBA-ready body as a giant guard and has some passing expertise, he completed summer time league averaging 4.6 factors, 2.6 assists and a couple of.2 turnovers. His lack of a jumper let defenders sag off him, and the end result was Williams shot simply 32 % total and went 0-for-7 from 3-point vary, lifeless final on the Nets in offensive score and PER.
If the summer time league confirmed something, it’s that if Irving is dealt, Ben Simmons must be purely some extent guard and in determined want of backup assist.
David Duke Jr. leveled up within the offseason
After Duke made the crew as an undrafted rookie final 12 months, the combo guard made strides this summer time league. Thomas, Kessler Edwards, Day’Ron Sharpe and Duke all got here to Las Vegas for an encore, and Duke had essentially the most on the road. After rejecting the Nets’ two-way contract supply within the hope of a regular deal, Duke was banking on proving himself together with his play.
Duke Jr. averaged 19 factors, 4.6 rebounds, 4 assists and 1.4 steals, all of these, aside from the boards, second on the Nets’ summer time league squad. It confirmed his strides in working with the Nets’ assistant coaches and participant growth employees. The one obvious factor lacking was a jumper, which continues to be a piece in progress.
Contemplating the uncertainty with the remainder of the roster, he nonetheless appears sure for a two-way deal that may very well be transformed later as wanted.
Different takeaways
Sharpe was stable in Las Vegas aside from within the opening loss when the offense was so discombobulated that he by no means bought the ball. However he was hardly dominant, which is a priority. With Nic Claxton the nominal starter, Andre Drummond headed to Chicago on a two-year, $6.6 million deal, and each LaMarcus Aldridge and Blake Griffin seemingly gone as effectively, one would count on a rotation participant to dominate summer time league, and Sharpe didn’t try this.
Wing Donovan Williams, often known as “Stretch” for his 7-foot wingspan, carried out effectively enjoying at his previous UNLV house. He confirmed vary (3-for-4 from 3) and athleticism (an acrobatic open-court lob from Thomas). He’s unlikely to get a two-way, however he may stick in Lengthy Island or get an Exhibit 10 invite to camp.
Kyle Korver, who spent final season as a participant growth coach — is finalizing a take care of Atlanta for a entrance workplace function, in response to The Athletic. Korver, initially drafted by the Nets in 2003, performed for the Hawks from 2012-17, and made the 2015 All-Star sport.
The Nets’ preseason slate is out. They’ll host Philadelphia (Oct. 3) and Miami (Oct. 6), earlier than occurring the street high face Milwaukee and Minnesota.
The Hulu comedy starring Ronny Chieng because the newly-hired Nets GM is predicted to begin capturing Wednesday. Not one of the manufacturing will really be on the crew’s facility, and there aren't any phrases on cameos.
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