You know what Summer League is, as do I. It’s a proving ground for players whose names you’ll know for a week and a half before they disappear into the developmental highway, trying to carve out some semblance of a professional career in this beautiful sport we call basketball. As a result, there’s typically a lack of cohesion on both offense and defense. These players have only been together for a couple of weeks, so chemistry is limited, execution is inconsistent, and quality basketball can be hard
to find.
For the second consecutive game, the Phoenix Suns struggled in the opening quarter of Summer League basketball. After scoring only 10 points against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night, they mustered 12 points in the first quarter on Sunday afternoon against the New Orleans Pelicans. This time, there was no second-half comeback. The Pelicans led from wire to wire, never allowing Phoenix to take control of the game before ultimately handing the Suns their first Summer League loss, 81-75.
So what, if anything, can you take away from a game like this?
For me, it was a continuation of what I saw in the first game, which itself was a continuation of what we saw from the Phoenix Suns a season ago. This team is going to play physical, they’re going to play aggressively, and they’re going to make you earn your points. That’s what we’ve seen through two games, and to me, that’s the definition of a cultural focus on executing a specific style of basketball.
How did the Pelicans beat the Suns in a game that didn’t count? They shot the three ball better. New Orleans was +15 from beyond the arc. So what, am I right? Well, here is why I find that important. The reason they were taking so many threes is that the interior became a place the Pelicans didn’t want to live. If they ventured inside, they had to deal with the toughness and physicality Phoenix was dishing out.
The Suns finished with 22 fouls. For the second consecutive game, rookie Koa Peat went over the legal limit, this time committing seven. He now has 15 fouls in two games in Vegas, and that doesn’t concern me. In an environment that allows you to be physical, he’s taking that physicality directly to the opposition. Rasheer Fleming and Khaman Maluach combined for 4 blocks and 2 steals. They also combined for 8 fouls. This is a team that had issues defending the interior last season, and now there are young players in the developmental pipeline who are focused on doing exactly that.
That’s what I take away from this game. The Suns have size on the interior developing within the organization, and eventually, that could change the way Phoenix Suns basketball is played night in and night out. The gritty persona is beginning to combine with a physical presence.
Summer League won’t tell us whether these players will become meaningful NBA contributors, but it can show us what the organization is trying to build. Through two games, that vision is becoming clearer. Phoenix wants length, physicality, and players who make opponents uncomfortable. The results in Vegas will be forgotten by August. The habits being established, and the identity behind them, could stick around much longer.
Summer Bright Side Baller Standings
The 19 and 11 dropped by Khaman Maluach in Game 1 against the Portland Trail Blazers were easily enough for him to earn the first Bright Side Baller of the Summer League.
Summer Bright Side Baller Nominees
Game 2 against the Pelicans. Here are your nominees:
Khaman Maluach
19 points (7-of-15, 3-of-7 3PT), 11 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block, 7 turnovers, +6 +/-
Javonte Cooke
21 points (7-of-12, 5-of-8 3PT), 1 rebound, 0 turnovers, +6 +/-
Koa Peat
17 points (6-of-11, 0-of-0 3PT), 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block, 3 turnovers, -2 +/-
Rasheer Fleming
6 points (3-of-9, 0-of-4 3PT), 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 2 turnovers, -4 +/-
Jameer Nelson Jr.
4 points (0-of-7, 0-of-1 3PT), 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, 3 turnovers, +5 +/-
Darius Brown II
5 points (1-of-6, 0-of-3 3PT), 3 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, -2 +/-
Vote away!
