5 NBA players who underperformed in summer league this season

Summer League is the first experience for rookies. NBA Some players will work harder, others will work harder. Many of the young players who return will use it as an opportunity to hone their skills, others as a form of rehab. But some of these players are just too good to play alongside less experienced peers, and some have already proven themselves at the NBA level.

Here are the top five players who clearly showed this season that they no longer belong in Summer League.

Five Neemias Keta – Boston Celtics

The Portuguese center was named to the 2024 championship roster.

Neemias Keta He was drafted in the second round in 2021. Sacramento Kings This is his fourth year in the summer league and he has played in two games so far. Boston Celtics However, he has already established himself as too strong for this level.

In the first game against the Celtics Miami Heat Queta finished with 20 points, shooting 9-of-15 from the field and being unstoppable in the paint, while also hauling in 9 rebounds (6 offensive), 1 steal and 1 block in just 23 minutes.

Keta played in the second game, but LA Lakers He had another great performance, scoring 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting and making 8-of-9 free throws, blocking a shot from the opposing center, and recording 8 rebounds and 3 blocks. Colin Castleton Both teams put in some great performances to bring the score down to just eight points.

Queta began the 2023-24 season on a two-way contract with the Celtics. He played a few games with them after a dominant performance in the G League last season. The Portuguese big man appeared in 28 games for the Celtics last season, averaging 5.5 points in about 12 minutes per game. In his limited playing time, Queta impressed the front office and signed a three-year, $7 million contract with the Celtics.

Seven-footers may not be at the top of the pecking order, but Kristaps Porzingis The Celtics are set to miss the start of the season, but the 38-year-old Al Horford , Luke Cornet and Xavier Tillman Sr. As a big man option, Keta should be able to get some minutes.

Four GG Jackson II – Memphis Grizzlies

Last season's youngest players look like veterans in Las Vegas

GG Jackson II He began the 2023-24 G League season as a second-round pick. Memphis Grizzlies As the youngest player in the league, he needed more time to develop before he could lock himself into the rotation, but with the team in the midst of an injury crisis, he was called up and has since established himself as a part of the team.

Now, in summer league, Jackson II may be younger than many of the Las Vegas rookies, but he has plenty of experience. His performance was skewed by a 6-for-20 field goal and 0-for-10 3-pointer misstep in his first game after a long break, but he's found his groove and is thriving in Memphis.

In recent matches Orlando Magic Jackson II had a great game, scoring a game-high 27 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. He looked like a true three-level scorer and finished at the rim at will. His only flaw was poor free throw shooting, making only 4 of 9 free throws, but this is an exception for him.

Jackson, who signed a four-year, $8.5 million contract last year, will likely fall down the pecking order with the returning players, but he will be hard for the Grizzlies coaching staff to ignore after his impressive performance last season, which included a record-breaking 44 points against a full Denver Nuggets lineup.

3 Keon Ellis – Sacramento Kings

The 24-year-old became a starter late last season.

Keon Ellis It has started Sacramento Kings After playing in just one play-in game last season, he has played in every Summer League game this year, every game in the California Classic tournament and is now with the Las Vegas team, excelling in both games.

Ellis averaged 20.3 points and shot 52 percent from the field during the tournament in California, finishing with a 30-point masterclass. Golden State Warriors .

Ellis got off to a somewhat slow start in Las Vegas, but his defense and leadership were evident even when he struggled to make shots in his first two games. New York Knicks He bounced back and had a strong performance with a game-high 29 points, six assists and four blocks, making 10 of 18 field goals and 5 of 10 three-pointers in a one-point loss.

The former University of Alabama guard joined the Kings as an undrafted free agent ahead of the 2022-23 season. It was a two-way contract that allowed him to develop and work on his game in the G League with the Stockton Kings, where he excelled and was promoted to the rotation for the 2023-24 season. His defensive prowess earned him a spot as a starter in March and he remained there until the end of the season.

in spite of Malik Monk If Ellis stays, he will likely continue to be Sacramento's starting shooting guard, as the team needs him as a key defender on offense and as a shooter. The three-year, $5 million contract he signed in February could be one of the best bargains available if he continues to develop.

2 Brandin Podziemski – Golden State Warriors

The San Francisco native is the manliest of the boys in the summer league.

of Golden State Warriors I've been stuck in cap hell for the past few years, but I found this by chance. Brandin Podziemski Podziemski is the 19th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He started 28 of 74 games last season and was a dominant force in the Las Vegas Summer League this year.

He played one game at the California Classic where he struggled with his shot, but in the two games since then in Las Vegas he averaged nearly a double-double on 50 percent field goal shooting and looked to be a step ahead of the competition.

Against Phoenix Suns In the next game, he scored 16 points on just four shots, along with seven rebounds and six assists. Chicago Bulls He was in complete control and led the Warriors to victory, finishing with 21 points, 12 rebounds (three of which were offensive) and seven assists.

The Warriors front office must have had enough, because they announced he won't be playing in Las Vegas this summer, especially since he just returned from playing for the U.S. Men's National Team. Or maybe a trade is in the works and he might end up somewhere else. Maybe Utah?

General manager Joe Lacob has high praise for Poziemski, who was an All-Rookie First Team member last season, and he would certainly be a great role player for the Warriors if they keep him, and they have two years left on his rookie deal.

1 Jaime Jaquez Jr. – Miami Heat

I feel it's unfair that a rookie has to play against him in Las Vegas.

The league is just Jaime Jaquez Jr. Falling all the way Miami Heat Last year, he was selected 18th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft. He performed well in his first year, was named to the All-Rookie First Team and was called up to the U.S. Men's All-Star Team. He continued to be busy this summer, playing in several games at the Las Vegas Summer League and showing impressive performances.

In the first game against the Celtics, Jaquez Jr. recorded 29 points and 11 rebounds, both game highs, and also dished out five assists. He missed both of his three-point attempts, but he made 9 of 11 free throws, and his aggressiveness should have pleased the coaching staff.

Jaquez Jr. Oklahoma City Thunder In just 25 minutes in his second and final game, he recorded 23 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists while shooting a very efficient 8-of-13 from the field. He also made 3-of-5 three-pointers, showing he's committed to improving his 3-point shooting after missing it in his last game. The Heat will be pleased to see him continue to work on his shot after averaging 32 percent from three-point range last season.

It may have been a long summer, but Jaquez Jr. was happy to be able to take part in the games in Las Vegas. “There's nothing better than going to a game. Nothing beats it,” Jaquez said, according to The Athletic's William Guillory. “Here (Summer League), that's what it's about. I was happy to do it, I was grateful.”

The 23-year-old started four of the Heat's five playoff games last season and could potentially join the Heat on a permanent basis after no notable moves were made over the summer.

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