Adventures in Summer Leaguing, Volume III

Posted by Rob Mahoney on July 14, 2010 under xOther | 7 Comments to Read

  • Mouhammad Faye continues to impress me. He seems a very likely candidate to end up in Frisco next season, and Faye could conceivably grow into a defensive-minded, reserve 3 for the Mavs down the line. His length is already paying dividends, but for now he’s far too lean to be an effective defender against NBA forwards.
  • Moussa Seck has officially developed a cult following. His status as a Summer League novelty was cemented by his string of impact plays in the first half against the Bucks, and the good news is that all of his plays should be replicable. He didn’t luck into a few skyhooks, he simply contested shots on defense, ran at the rim while looking for the feed on offense, and worked hard to rebound. Nothing special, but good progress for Seck.
  • Amara Sy hit a step-back 20-footer. What?
  • Not only does Seck have roughly the same waist size as Rodrigue Beaubois, but he’s also by far the slowest player on the team. To call him ‘lumbering’ doesn’t say the half of it. He’s also not very quick off his feet, which makes him pretty vulnerable defensively, even with his absurd height and length.
  • Jeremy Lin hasn’t demonstrated an ability to execute more difficult drives, but he can definitely finish after contact. Lin had one of the most impressive finishes of the Summer League thus far on an and one over first rounder Larry Sanders.
  • Omar Samhan has had some strong showings, but he’s not great at protecting the rim. Just doesn’t have the athleticism for it. He’s a pretty decent post defender though, and that’s where his size and strength really give him an edge.
  • Good for North Texas product Eric Tramiel, who was able to make the Mavs’ Summer League roster. Unfortunately, this is where the road ends for him. Just doesn’t look the part of an NBA player. Tramiel holds his own on the defensive end, but he’s definitely a limited offensive player, even at this level.
  • Clarification: Dominique Jones’ jumper is shaky, but it’s actually not too shabby within the free throw line extended. It’s when Jones steps outside that his touch starts to go.
  • Rodrigue Beaubois has been picking up a ton of fouls, but he did make up for a pretty inconsistent game by nailing a game-winner in overtime. All’s well that ends well?

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  • Wacc_attack

    Loving that Faye is holding his own, but how big a factor his being 25 already is? Not like he’s a 19 year old young chap anymore

  • Kirk Henderson

    Question – from watching Roddy get a lot more burn in Summer league is it fair to say that right now he’s much more instinctive as a basketball player than he is smart? I don’t think its fair to call him dumb, but he always seems to have this vacant expression on his face and that worries me a tad.

    Granted, his athleticism and skill level make up for most mental mistakes at this point in his career arc, I’d just like to see him gain a little more savvy, because he’s going to get burned this year unless he wises up.

  • David

    In the game against the Bucks, I saw Lin display a solid all-around game. Every time he touched the ball, he was looking to make a positive play for the team. He made good passes and attacked the rim hard. He also had great timing on his 2 steals. He also showed range on his deep 3-pt shot. He dribbles in straight lines but I don’t consider that a big weakness.

    I think he’s answered any questions about whether he is athletic enough for the NBA. IMO, I think he could add more value to the Mavs than Barea. He could provide Barea’s offense but also play better defense and be less of a liability.

    And if for some reason he doesn’t make the Mavs, I bet the Heat, Lakers, and Knicks would all be willing to take a look at him as a 3rd pg.

    • http://www.thetwomangame.com Rob Mahoney

      @David: I do like Lin as a prospect, but I think you’re selling Barea short. J.J.’s a much quicker player and able to do more on drives to the basket, even if his height limits his finishing abilities. Plus, J.J. would routinely tear it up against Summer League and D-League competition. Lin isn’t quite there. He’s definitely a good point guard prospect, but for now I don’t think he’d be immediately competing for Barea’s spot in the rotation.

  • David

    @Rob Barea is probably quicker but by how much? What’s the trade-off? You get a marginally quicker player in Barea but I remember him not finishing a lot of layups late in the regular season because he had to loft them so high as to not get blocked. He tends to shy away from contact. I also think it’s also fair to say he’s a liability on defense due to his size. But you can’t take away that he’s proven himself to be a steady scorer in the NBA.

    With Lin, you have a guy who may be less quick but is a lot more athletic than Barea. We’ve seen in 3 games so far that Lin is not lofting any layups. He is aggressively attacking the rim, drawing contact, and finishing his and1′s. And even though he is less quick than Barea, he hasn’t had any problems getting by his man and into the open lane. And then on defense, Lin has really established himself. At 6’4″ he’s bigger than most pg’s in the league. He’s barely shorter than Kidd. You can see he’s actively trying to create turnovers, which he had a lot of success doing in college, and then I’m sure you saw his two blocks on Draper against the Nuggets.

    Barea has been an asset to the Mavs over the last few years but if I’m looking towards the next 3 or 4 years, I would take Lin over Barea. Lin’s offense will need time to be as effective as Barea, but Lin’s size, unselfishness, aggressiveness, and defensive iq make him a better long-term contributor to the Mavs.

  • http://www.thetwomangame.com Rob Mahoney

    @David: Lin is obviously taller, but I see Barea as an unquestionably better athlete. J.J. is incredibly quick, even by NBA standards, whereas Jeremy really doesn’t have any standout athletic attributes.

    He’s a stronger finisher, sure. But his straight-line drives aren’t going to be as effective against NBA defenses. Barea’s ability to adjust and change directions against pro defenders is what makes him so effective, and I haven’t seen that from Lin yet.

    Defensively, it’s tough to say. Lin is definitely playing some quality defense in Summer League, but I think it’s tough to say just how well that will translate. Once the speed and strength of his opponents are dialed up a few notches, Lin could hold his ground or he could drop off a bit.

    You could be right — in three or four years, Jeremy might be the better player. I think he’s definitely worth stashing in Frisco for a year if he’s willing. I just wouldn’t discount Barea’s production.

  • David

    @Rob I don’t know if you saw the game, but Lin proved his worth tonight even though we lost.

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