Celtics' Summer League Power Rankings: Rozier Stands Out, Nader Knocks Down Shots
BOSTON – NBA Summer League came to a dramatic end earlier this week in Las Vegas, officially wrapping up a busy two weeks of action for the Celtics in Salt Lake City and Nevada.
Most years, summer league is merely an afterthought to franchises as they look to get reps in for a couple rookies and potentially find another player or two to fill out the roster. That was far from the case for the Celtics this summer however, as the team had a whopping 10 draft picks and at least five roster players suit up for eight games. With rotation and roster spots up for grabs following the departures of Evan Turner and Jared Sullinger, here's a closer look at how the youngsters impacted their status for next season.
1. Terry Rozier – You couldn't have asked for a better summer league from the second-year guard. He was Boston's best scorer most nights and got into the lane at will against opposing defenses, finishing well after adding an effective floater to his arsenal. Like Marcus Smart last summer, Rozier seems to be in much more control of his game now and has the athleticism that makes him a factor when he's on the floor. His overall performance all but sews up a rotation spot for him next season and also improves his value via trade.
2. Jaylen Brown – The rookie came as advertised from his college scouting report. Plenty of attacking of the rim (10FTA's per game) and highlight reel potential to go along with his overall shooting struggles (32 percent from the field). His defense isn't quite on the same level as Marcus Smart out of school, as assistant coach Jamie Young emphasized how Boston's coaching staff wanted Brown to get into defenders more throughout the week. Overall, Brown made a strong enough case to show he's a viable option behind Jae Crowder at the wing out of the gate.
3. Abdel Nader – The little known wing out of Iowa State emerged above a pack of second round picks in 2016 to stand out as one of the team's most consistent contributors. At 6-foot-6, he had the size and strength to hold his own against most wings, and he ranked third on the team in Las Vegas by averaging 12.8 points per game. The team's roster crunch limit Nader's odds of making the team, but his future looks brighter than fellow swingman James Young at this point.
4. Jordan Mickey – A little bit disappointing to see Mickey this low on the list, but a shoulder injury sidelined him for the entirety of Boston's stint in Salt Lake City. While he claimed to be feeling good in Las Vegas, Mickey looked limited on the offensive end, attempting only six shots per game. He struggled from the free throw line (54.5 percent) as well, causing him to fail to stand out from the pack like Rozier did. Mickey did bulk up a bit, but that did not help him much on the rebounding front either (six per game) as the Celtics regularly were beat up on the defensive glass.
5. Guerschon Yabusele – The Frenchman is headed to China next season, but he showed enough promise this summer to make Boston fans optimistic about his potential. He moves well for his size as seen in plays like this:
His outside shoot and defense still need work though and he'll get that seasoning with the Shanghai Sharks next season before getting another chance in Boston in 2017.
6. R.J. Hunter – Like Mickey, the second-year shooting guard was limited by injury (sore wrist) this month. That did not show with his 3-point shooting (45.8 percent) but Hunter was really limited in other aspects of his game. His rebounding was non-existent, he lacked the strength to guard more experienced players like Devin Booker effectively and all of those issues are what kept him out of the rotation for much of last season. Hunter needs to address his ability in these areas if he wants to be a factor for Brad Stevens next season.
7. James Young – First, the good news: For the first time in his pro career, Young saw sustained success in his 3-point shooting (52.9 percent) in summer league. The bad news? Young struggled enough on defense to keep him on the bench for most of his stint in Las Vegas. His roster spot for next season is in question now more than ever.
8. Demetrius Jackson – The Notre Dame's guard stock dropped more than most expected in the 2016 NBA Draft when the Celtics scooped him up at No. 45. He was adequate at the point for Boston in limited stints, but he's buried too far down the depth chart to be around in 2016.
9. Ben Bentil – A strong showing in Salt Lake City was encouraging with Mickey sidelined, but Bentil's defensive flaws were slowly exposed in Las Vegas, cutting into his playing time. He'll likely be playing overseas somewhere next year, but at least he'll always have this dunk.
10. Marcus Thornton – Just doesn't look like an NBA player at this juncture, even tough he'll make some good money overseas as a guard who can create his own shot.
Brian Robb covers the Celtics for CBS Boston and contributes to NBA.com, among other media outlets. You can follow him on Twitter @CelticsHub.
