NBA Summer League: Which second and third-year players have something to prove?
The Las Vegas NBA Summer League starts on Friday and I can't wait to see many of the top draft picks of the 2023 class play meaningful minutes in their first taste of the league. While most eyes will be on Victor Wembanyama, who already has plenty of hype, I'll be paying close attention to these second and third-year players.
Chet Holmgren: PF/C, Oklahoma City Thunder
The second-year forward missed the entirety of the '22-23 season after suffering a Lisfranc injury in a pro-am game last summer. The number two overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft had plenty of time to rehab and bulk up, and he will give Wemby a run for his money for Rookie of the Year honors.
In his first game in over a year, Holmgren delivered 15 points (6-14 FG, 0-1 3PT, 3-6 FT) with nine rebounds, two assists and four blocks across 29 minutes in a 95-85 win over the Jazz.
He followed that performance up with 10 points, 11 rebounds, one assist, three blocks and two steals in 31 minutes in a 94-86 loss to the Grizzlies on Wednesday. These two matchups in the Utah Summer League were a helpful glimpse into how Holmgren's style of play can translate to fantasy.
Three things that stood out to me were: He's not afraid to contest shots at the rim, can easily manufacture his own shot (off the dribble, too) and uses his length well in the post. His offensive skillset and ability to rebound and block shots at a high rate make him an exciting mid-round pick in fantasy this season. He's a player I'll be watching closely in Summer League, but if Salt Lake City is any indication, he'll be one of the best players in attendance.
Tari Eason: SF/PF, Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets made Eason's immediate future a bit murky after signing forward Dillon Brooks to a four-year, $80M contract in free agency this summer. However, Eason's ability to play both forward spots should make him a part of the Rockets rotation again this season. Of course, that's assuming he's improved from last year.
Eason earned NBA 2K23 All-Summer League First Team honors last year, averaging 17.2 points and 10.8 rebounds with 1.8 steals and a block in five games. He outplayed his teammate and 2022 third-overall pick Jabari Smith Jr., but Smith ended up starting all 79 games for the Rockets.
This is another example of why Summer League play does not indicate success in the NBA.
Eason is a hustle-and-energy player who needs to improve his shot creation and ball handling. If he can make strides in those areas with a sprinkle of more playmaking, the path to minutes is there — especially with KJ Martin gone. He'll need to play better than rookie Cam Whitmore too, because there are roughly 25+ bench minutes between small and power forward available in the Rockets rotation. I'll be paying close attention to Eason's performance because, with minutes, his defensive upside could make him a late-round pick instead of a fringe waiver add as the season approaches.
Bennedict Mathurin: SG/SF, Indiana Pacers
Mathurin is already one of the best scorers off the bench in the NBA. He ended his rookie season averaging 16.7 points per game, the second-highest in the league. He easily gets to the rim (and free-throw line), so this summer will be a test to see if he can expand his game beyond scoring.
According to Pacers assistant coach Jannero Pargo, "They're [Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard and Isaiah Jackson] going to be veterans at this thing … They're going to be comfortable. I'm expecting those guys to lead both on and off the floor."
The Pacers came out of nowhere to sign G/F Bruce Brown to a two-year deal, making me wonder how that decision will affect Mathurin. There's a bit of a logjam with Brown, Mathurin, Nembhard and Buddy Hield. Still, I'm confident that Mathurin can earn a spot with the starters if he plays better defense and emerges from Summer League with more leadership experience.
Beyond defense and leadership, Mathurin's fantasy value took a hit in his rookie season due to his field goal percentage (43%), poor assist-to-turnover ratio and lack of stats outside of scoring and a little rebounding (4.1 RPG). He finished 241st in per-game value, so he'll have to make substantial improvements across the board to be a true fantasy asset this season. It can happen though, and a strong showing in Vegas could alleviate those other areas of concern from a fantasy perspective.
Jaden Springer: SG/SF, Philadelphia 76ers
Springer enters his third NBA season and has yet to make any substantive impact in Philadelphia. He was selected as the 28th pick of the 2021 NBA Draft but has spent most of his time with the Sixers G-League affiliate. I'm keeping tabs on Springer because there's a chance that a particular perennial All-Star point guard gets traded by the start of the '23-24 season. It has yet to happen, but Springer has an opportunity to move up the depth chart with a strong performance at Summer League.
The Salt Lake City Summer League was a good start for Springer. He rebounded from a subpar outing versus the Grizzlies to drop 18 points (4-12 FG, 9-10 FT, 1-3 3PT), three assists, two rebounds and six steals in his second game against the Jazz.
He stands at 6-foot-4 but plays much bigger, finding much of his success on dribble drives, penetration and hard-nosed defense. His shooting is undoubtedly an area for improvement, but with a new coach in Philly, Springer's athleticism and grit could be a much-needed change of pace off the bench. Still, it has to translate on a bigger scale and proving he can stand out in year three at Summer League would increase his chances of finally cracking the Sixers rotation.
