The Jazz (2-1) have had periods of dominance through three games at Las Vegas Summer League.
The Jazz are one of the stronger summer league teams with a roster full of high draft picks who will see starter or rotation minutes this season. Aside from a close loss to the 76ers, the Jazz have been dominant, thanks in large part to the following players:
Dante Exum
Stats vs. Philadelphia: 10 points (4-10), 3 assists, 3 rebounds
Stats vs. Milwaukee: 6 points (2-6), 3 assists, 2 rebounds
Stats vs. Denver: 6 points (2-4), 3 assists, 3 rebounds
Exum’s stats don’t tell the full story. He hasn’t put up eye-popping numbers, but what I’ve been most impressed with is his court vision. He’s always looking to drive and dish, and his ability to penetrate often leads to finding an open man. He’s looked poised and confident, and most importantly, he’s been effective playing next to Trey Burke. His jump shot is a bit of a weakness, but he has hit open shots, and against Milwaukee, scored off a nice dribble pull up from just inside the arc. He’s showing a well-rounded game, and Jazz fans should feel good about his selection.
Trey Burke
Stats vs. Philadelphia: 11 points (4-12), 4 assists, 4 rebounds
Stats vs. Milwaukee: 2 points (0-6), 6 assists, 6 rebounds
Stats vs. Denver: 11 points (5-10), 6 assists, 6 rebounds
Burke has been streaky from a scoring standpoint, as the stats show. What I’ve liked from him, however, has been his ability to contribute in other areas. He’s shown an ability to distribute to other teammates and create scoring chances. His shots may not be falling, but I’m not too concerned about shooting percentages in summer league. Burke is one of the better (if not the best) scoring option on the Jazz, so it makes sense for him to shoot aggressively.
Rodney Hood
Stats vs. Philadelphia: 9 points (3-13, 1-10 from 3-point), 8 rebounds, 1 assist
Stats vs. Milwaukee: 29 points (11-16, 7-10 from 3-point), 3 rebounds, 5 assists
Stats vs Denver: 3 points (1-9, 0-2 from 3-point), 3 rebounds, 2 assists
Hood has been the epitome of streaky. Had it not been for his 29-point outing against the Bucks, he would be having an awful summer league. Brought in to be a 3-point threat, he got hot for one quarter against Milwaukee. Again, I’m not too concerned about shooting percentages; it’s clear Hood was given the green light based on the shots he’s been taking, and he’s taking shots almost any chance he gets. A little more consistency would be nice, but his seven made 3-pointers against the Bucks show he is capable of getting (and staying) hot.
Rudy Gobert
Stats vs. Philadelphia: 11 points (4-5), 9 rebounds, 2 blocks
Stats vs. Milwaukee: 13 points (6-6), 9 rebounds, 5 blocks
Stats vs. Denver: DNP (shoulder injury)
Gobert has been a monster defensively and on the boards. He’s using his size to his advantage, blocking or altering shots on many occasions, and being aggressive on the boards. What I’ve been most impressed with is his ability to finish underneath the basket. Gobert is a project, but this summer has showed an increased ability to score underneath. I’m not calling him an offensive threat, but he has shown clear improvement on that end. If he continues this strong play the rest of summer league, he could find himself a rotation player in the Jazz frontcourt.
Malcolm Thomas
Stats vs. Philadelphia: 13 points (5-10), 8 rebounds
Stats vs. Milwaukee: 7 points (3-6), 5 rebounds
Stats vs. Denver: 14 points (7-11), 10 rebounds, 3 assists
Thomas, who has played for a ton of teams since going undrafted in 2011, has been up and down offensively but has shown off his strong athleticism. His double-double against Denver caps off his best performance of the summer league thus far. He’s a kind of jack of all trades who relies on his athleticism, but if he continues to play well he could earn himself a training-camp invite with the Jazz, which could be a good fit considering the team is currently rebuilding.
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