We started today with the California classic. first game no one really stood out to me. Jovic stood out as pretty bad in the limited amount. I watched. caught the first quarter of the Kings-Warriors game so far and Keegan Murray is as advertised. He should be a pro a long time.
Pelicans signed my fav undrsfted prospect John Butler Jr. Their scouting dept has been killing it in the lower parts of the draft with Alvarado and Herb Jones so I am positive they got another steal and the Rox missed out on a talented player and a rookie version of CWood.
If he's the rookie version of CWood, then he won't be **** for about 6-7 years. We can get him at a later date, or take some other tall, skinny kid over the next few years.
Keon Ellis dominated for the Kings on the defensive end in the first game (3 steals, 1 block, hounded opposing guards), now he followed that performance as their top scorer in the second win (17 points on 6-8 shooting). The guy went undrafted, but I really wished the Rockets bought a late 2nd rounder to take a flyer on him. He was consistently projected as a late 1st / early 2nd until his "anonymous" showing at the draft combine - had a few games where he scored like 5 points in total and played good defense. Yeah, no **** he was anonymous, he's a 3&D wing, his effort doesn't necessarily show up on the stat sheet. As proof...
6'5 hustling defensive dude we already got a lot of those starting with Tate and Nwaba. We got Tari Eason who is 6'7 as our 3nD guy of the future. Dudes I wanted in the 2nd round are EJ Liddell and Jaden Hardy. Both those kids straight up didnt belong in the 2nd round imo.
Ellis would be more of a Mathews replacement. His natural position is that of a shooter, he can guard 1-3 and get really hot from the 3pt range. Hardy reminds me of Dennis Smith Jr. Hope Liddell makes some noise with the Pelicans, all-around good player and a high character guy. I guess teams were concerned about his height, but I also feel many of them will regret passing on him.
This 3 summer leagues stuff is killing my boner Do 1 big with all the team playing more games, the young guys can use the run.
