Each year fans get excited about seeing their favorite team's young players in the NBA summer leagues. Summer leagues are a great idea; they offer young players an outlet to transition from college basketball to the NBA and a showcase for players who are trying to find a spot in the NBA. But what can we really learn about players or a team from the summer leagues?
Each summer league team is made up of four types of players: 1) the team's newest draft picks 2) a couple of second and third year players looking to step up to a major role 3) a few players looking to solidify their spot at the end of the roster, possibly crack the rotation and 4) players looking to make any NBA roster. This roster make-up combined with only a few days of practice time makes any team success or failure moot. Since only a handful of the players on any given roster will actually be on the roster come training camp, time is not wasted on teaching the fringe players anything but the basic system. The New York Knicks went undefeated through the Las Vegas Summer League last summer (2007) and finished tied for the fifth worst record in the NBA. Championship contending teams have full rosters, so even a smaller percentage of players will stick with them after the summer league.
Individual player success can also be difficult to track. Past summer league stars have achieved various levels of success in the NBA. Lonnie Baxter from the University of Maryland was a summer league MVP in 2003 yet has struggled to find even a roster spot in the NBA. During the summer of 2006 Randy Foye (guard-Minnesota), Brandon Roy (guard-Portland) and Antoine Wright (guard-New Jersey) each experienced success, averaging 24.8, 19 and 17 points per game, respectively. Foye has become a solid part of the Timberwolves rotation, improving his numbers each of his two seasons to the 2007-08 totals of 13.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists. Brandon Roy has instantly become the Trailblazers' best player, being named to the 2007-08 All-Star game while averaging a team leading 19.1 points and 4.2 assists along with 2.9 rebounds. Antoine Wright has fallen out of the Nets' rotation; his point totals over his first two seasons do not even combine to match that of his summer league season. Summer league success in no way guarantees anything in the NBA.
Players, who explode during summer league, will obviously be facing tougher defenses during the season. The same goes for players who excel on defense; success against a young star could translate to the season. Players must be judged on a case-by-case basis. You must examine the player's skills and expected role on the team, then examine the games to see how he performs these roles. When judging a point guard, for example, ask does he lead the team? Does he initiate the offense and find the open man? Does he score when given the opportunity? Watch how he reacts during intense game situations i.e. deficits, end of game.
So, to all you fans out there when next summer rolls around just sit back, turn on the summer league games and enjoy watching basketball during July. Since the outcomes of the games do not matter, there is no stress about losing. Just have fun watching your team's young players' progress.
