Initial Summer League Reaction

On this episode of This League, we're talking about Summer League. It's basically the only thing popping right now. Free agency has come to a close. Dennis Shruder has finally been signed for absolutely no money five point nine million dollars, like less than the Celtics.

Even had to spend.

They could have spent nine points something and they were like, no, we don't think so. So shout out to the Celtics for making the one great move in the last like five years, like a great great move for Brad Stevens as a gm uh Klay Thompson is also giving us in incredible boat content happening right now.

But really the main course is summer leak.

Let's get into some of our first impressions into what is happening in Vegas.

Let's drop the beat.

Take care.

You'll be waiting for Area's plan of a goal stop. Got the quannine go, Let me go the gaody.

Okay, So if you bet summer league games, are you a passionate or a degenerate gambler?

Depends on how you look at it.

I saw Summer League lines and I was like, yes, I don't know why, I don't know how, but I saw them, and I loved them.

Uh And I don't know.

If you know this about me, but if I had to choose one sports event to attend, like doesn't matter, could be World Series, could be super Bowl, Olympics, you know whatever, Like Summer League is the event I choose. Really, that's the event I choose.

I want to go really bad that. I don't know if I can put it over those.

That's interesting, I'm telling you.

So the reason that I think it's so good all the other events that you go to, for example, why does super Bowl suck to cover? Why does it suck to go as a fan?

One?

It's usually pretty damn cold.

It's not always it's not always in a warm place. For example, Minneapolis hosted the super Bowl a few years ago, and I'm telling you it was brutal. Yeah, NFL arenas are terrible. You're never gonna get close. Even when you're media, you don't have a place really to sit. Like covering the you're covering two football teams sucks, like it's just it's not it like doesn't really matter. You can't really get that personal. No one really even tells you anything.

I went to multiple Olympic events.

Can't even remember which events they were. That's how not memorable it was. Let's look at some other words. World Series cool, like baseball park's great, they're really serious about the national anthem, Like people frozen time at the World Series for baseball. I didn't know how serious the national anthem was at And I don't really like the food at baseball parks. Like they're okay, Like it's it's just a thing. It's just a long process, a lot of travel.

Amongst the people.

You can walk up to Eric Spolstra and just be like, hey, what's up.

I'm Trista, Like how are you, and then you can just strike up.

I mean, the level of access is unmatched. Like I sat next to Jerry west at Summer League and had a full conversation with him, and like we became cool after that. Like I like hung out with like Danny Ainge and we talked about golf in Oregon since he's got Oregon connections. Like the level of players to gms,

And he's like very shaky on it.

You know, you didn't want to And Warren Legarry, who's the head of the Summer League, is the guy that is the main agent for all of the gms and coaches in the NBA. So he's walking around glad handing he's talking to everybody who's like in that inner circle of media and like press and players and all that stuff. And he comes around and he's like, yep, he tells me, Trista D'antoni's fucking gone after this year.

No way, he stays.

He's like, not enough balls to go around, Like this is never gonna work. I know what everybody says, it's never gonna work. And d'An Toni's like, we're gonna We're running the championship and he's like, no, you're not happy. I know you're not happy, because I know your agent's not happy, right, But that's the level of access you get. And on top of that, you're in fucking Vegas. So then you go out at night and then it's like not only is it NBA players out, NFL players are there.

Like the level, and like you go out.

To clubs and dinners and like everybody's there. I was there during the Quai trade like at Tow with a bunch of mainy people and everybody's blown away.

So you're there amongst.

History and like the level of access you just will never ever, ever ever get anywhere else.

Yeah, and it's just a fun time. It's a fun part of the season. I mean, the NBA is like a year long sport now obviously, and that's just that's a fun part. Like there's so much hope in the air. You're seeing your draft picks play for the first time. It's just fun in the It's.

Usually right in the middle of free agency, Like this one was a little bit late, but like usually it's.

Right when free agency starts.

Yeah, because the NBA fans, you know, we're all really into team building and like, oh what would what would this happen? And this is the first time you get to like see these Yeah, it's literally Christmas.

You have to wait for like what a week or so for your toys to be able to get played with.

Like you got all.

These presents underneath the Christmas tree, and it's like, I want to go. It's like getting the Xbox and no games, Like you want to use this Xbox and you can't do it, and you can't see who these players are until Summer League and then it's like Daveyon Mitchell, Hell yeah, I'll bring Shane Goun Oh my god, Like could my team be good?

Yeah?

I mean I used to like, I mean this used to be what I look forward to all the time. Like, oh, Jackson player Dragon Dragon Bender looked awesome in the Summer League.

He was the Summer League legend.

Yeah, no, I will admit this is uh, this is this Summer League is a different vibe coming off of coming off of a finals loss, a little bit of.

A different and like just COVID, Like I didn't go because I've I found out it was going to be a mask mandate even with vaccination. Yea.

The thing that was interesting is that you have to be vaccinated to get to Summer League, have to.

Really it's completely mandatory, which I thought was interesting, like smart, but also a mask mandate in there, so everybody really hard to get close to someone and have a conversation. And apparently now you don't have access to players or coaches or gms like because of the COVID.

H So all of the benefits in the in the.

Beauty of Summer League, well not all of it, but like you're still at a casino, like people are still I ran in a Nick nurse up the craps table like you're just it's just chill, like you just can see anyone and everyone and there's just so much fun in the air, you know. So I have some standouts

I just know that's a guy I'm going to be a fan of instantly. He's gonna be like my new like jaw yes, because he's just.

So fun Like his mannerisms, I'm not gonna like, how do I say this in a way that's not seemingly like problematic.

I just love his hair, I just mush.

I just like his look. I like his swag. I like he rolls his shorts up. I just like him. He's just a likeable.

He's the new Edwards to a degree, like just fonn funny, swaggy has a ton of personality out on the floor, even when he doesn't have the ball, he's just like you can just your.

Eye immediately goes to him immediately.

Josh Christopher from Arizona State looking like a fantastic pick.

Yeah, I mean, I mean Summer League kind of tends itself to like small guards like that.

So but yeah, no, he looked good.

How do I know my team is trash? My team, the Portland Trailblazers are favored to win Summer League. They have the worst odds to win Summer League. So that's how I know that your team, That's how anyone knows your team is absolute garbage.

Because what we got? We got Michael Beasley on the floor.

What yeah, we got we got uh Kenneth for Reid out there?

Yeah, where did that come from?

I didn't even know he was still playing basketball, honestly. I was like, And also, how come how come he's not?

Yeah he was good. You forgot my LSU guys Antonio Blakeney right and Tony blake Yes.

There, so we've got like plus four hundred to win the Summer League. And I'm like, oh, I remember we won the Summer League twenty eighteen tis tisk. I think they actually actually went to the Western Conference finals that year, So maybe that's not entirely true.

Maybe that's not And that was when Gary Trent Junior.

Was ballin' in the Summer League ballin' and uh, Anthony Simon's ballin' in the summer league. Yeah, but I love what Houston has done. I know they're not going to be good, but they are gonna be a We'll say this. They are contending for the title of NBA League Past.

Team of the Year, their league Past team.

League Past Team of the Year, and the Hornets obviously as well.

So I'm excited for the Cavs too. I know you probably won't agree with me, but I just yeah, no, I'm excited to see.

My He just has not looked good.

I'm just I'm excited to see what he does.

He just does not look good. I just do not. I just do not like. I just I am out on him. Maybe it's just a personal thing.

I'm out on Cade still, like not completely out obviously, but like, let's temper our.

Expectations of CAID.

Let's temper them fair.

A lot of turnovers for CAID, A lot of turnovers let's go with who are your teams and players that you like seeing so far?

Uh?

I thought Trey Murphy looked really really good. I mean it is and skills that translated. I mean, if you can shoot, you can shoot. And he made what he made six threes in the ASCAM. I think there's a decent chance he starts for the Pelicans.

Desmond Bane six three pointers made.

I think Memphis looks good, Pelicans look good, Detroit looks interesting. Luca Garza, fam fam fam. I am a Luca Garza. I am going to build a Luca Garza stand account just because I feel he's being disrespected. I just feel that the world, maybe the world is hating on him unnecessarily. Like NCAA Player of the Year, fifty second overall draft pick. The expectations are not high, but everybody's like he's gonna be garbage. He's gonna be trash. He's not even gonna

You know, that's what you want to see in Summer League. You are out on Luca Garza. I mean you were out on him.

I just, I just I've seen so many guys play well in the Summer League and did never translate the Summer League is basically it's super fun.

It's like a little.

Better competition that he's been playing and like just worse coaching, and like guys that are like fundamental like that they can take advantage of it.

That's true.

That's true. He is a big fundamental. He's a big fundamental. Who else did I like?

You know, I think Memphis as a as a team, they're obviously they're obviously, you know, one of those teams that is going to be favored to win every single game in the Summer League because they have NBA players that are playing in it. But Desmond Bain is going to take another step. He is killing is a He's

He's got like he's shooting. I think he had six three pointers as well. Dasmond Bane and Killian Tilly.

Dude between two guys twelve threes, twelve threes, Zion Williams killing super efficient.

I don't know. I kind of like what they're doing over there in Memphis.

Yeah, I like it.

I kind of like it. How do you feel about Jonathan Kaminga?

Uh?

What are you seeing from him?

About what I expected?

Like he is gonna have spots where he looks really good, and he's gonna have spots where he looks really bad, and like in amongst summer league competition, I don't know.

Against summer league competition, that's the key piece. No, for sure, this is going to be a slog. This is more of the same from me, more of the same bullshit that the Warriors are trying to tell us that they're still contenders, and they are not because Kaminga is not going to come in and do much. And you know, as bad or as inconsistent and spotty as Kaminga looks, I have to say, Moses Moody looks even worse. Twenty five percent from the field, boy, that's not what you

Dunk you shouldn't be able to do. That jalen. Sucks you should not be able to just you should not be able to see.

Right in their. Lap, YEAH i mean The Summer.

LEAGUE i, MEAN i feel Like i've already said this, before but it lends itself to like point guards that are like, speedy an, athletic and like when you add like a guy that's that, polished, like, yeah they're gonna perform well or they should perform, well yeah.

They, should they.

Should. Uh you know WHO i think is another player that is going to take another step that nobody is talking about Is Jordan. Nowara, Yeah jordan No wara is leading The Summer league in points this.

Year he is playing for The Milwaukee. Bucks this is his second.

Year he was a second rounder and The bucks do not have any need for him.

WHATSOEVER i think he will contribute next?

Year is he a two way?

Guy? Yeah And louisville, guy second round, pick forty fifth pick, overall and he's putting up twenty six seven and three fucking leading The Summer league and scoring and it's like who is? You and like plenty big wing long, nobody nobody wants The bucks to have another versatile scoring.

Wing don't need? That do not need? That what do you think about?

This Max struce Guy Max strus from The, heat undrafted player played for The, bulls blew out HIS acl in THE G league and came back with The heat last. Year scored twenty one in a game against The. Rockets he signed a two, year three and a half million dollar contract with The. Heat but, goodness, Gracious heat hit the game winner was putting up.

Buckets he's a fit boy. Too, yeah what do you think about?

HIM i, mean like, AGAIN i saw the. SHOT i didn't watch a whole lot of that. Game the numbers are, impressive the, Numbers the numbers are.

Impressive is there anybody that you've seen that you're saying to, yourself this convinces, me or this convinces me, no or this convinces me.

Yes, well there's always guys that come in and you can tell right away, Like, okay they don't belong here. Anymore and for, me the first ones that SAW i watched one of The pion's game And sadik bay is just he's too good for Summer.

League he's a very good. Player emmanuel quickly he's. Sick, yeah it's.

Just like we just you shouldn't be here.

Anymore like there was one GAME i, REMEMBER i don't remember if it Was booker's second year or his third, year but he played basically like the first half of the first game and had like twenty five and they just like.

Playing they're like, okay you're and they're, like, okay you're done for the rest of. Summer that it's Like Trey. Murphy that's Like Trey, murph you don't need to be here.

Anymore you, know you've Got.

I've kind of turned heel on The. PELICANS i think they had a sneaky good. OFFSEASON i think.

They did, Too like it just all of a, sudden you're, like, huh one of these one of these draft, picks seems like it's going to work.

Out but Remember Nikaile Alexander walker looked.

Phenomenal him And Jackson hayes a couple of years ago.

Looked phenomenal At Summer. League and remember Also Terrence, man same. Situation he did not look.

Great it's, like, okay like eight points a game At Summer, league and then you, know we see what he.

IS i, mean there's the list is long of guys that played well In Summer league and did nothing in the.

League.

Correct right, now we've got odds On rookie of The, year and you're gonna choose A rookie of the year right now based On Summer league.

Play it will change over.

Time, obviously but right now you've Got caid cutting him at plus two hundred to Win rookie of The. Year you've Got Jalen green plus two fifty to Win rookie of The. Year you've Got Jalen suggs plus five hundred to Win rookie of The. Year you've Got Evan mobley at plus seven. Hundred you've Got Scottie barnes at plus one, thousand and you've Got James booknight at plus fifteen.

Hundred which what is your?

Bet So suggs is plus five hundred correct And green is plus two.

Fifty, Correct i'd like that to be a little. Better probably.

Green i'm going to. Take i'm gonna take. Sugs. YEAH i like the book, Time, Sure i'm tempted by five.

Hundred i'm also tempted by the Book night fifteen, hundred just given how exciting they. Are the, ball he's gonna have the ball too, much, Right, YEAH i Like Jalen. Suggs he's gonna have a lot of. Minutes plus five hundred is great. Value might just do that right, Now might just do.

That might just do that right? Now plus five.

Hundred, Okay, well that's all the time that we have for this league. Podcast Regarding Summer, Leak please check the feed for more takes and social clips as we move forward for the rest of the.

Week there's not a lot to.

Say it's a dry part of the. Summer i'm not At Summer, leak SO i can't give you any. Stories it looks like players are having. Fun Steph curry, is LIKE i, said lying to the world still about.

The warriors being back and being the same.

Team i'm going to put my flag in the anti poor of that take and say they are not, back and a big reason for that is their rookies look in limited play with limited.

Competition like limited.

Players, uh we will see You monday afternoon for the next.

Episode so think of the column holiday.

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