The 2016 NBA Summer League has been fun to cover but Pokémon Go has stolen the show in Las Vegas.
It’s fun to watch the future NBA stars as rookies and sophomores, but this new phenomenon has captured the attention of the vast majority of the world.
I am guilty of playing the game for the first time yesterday and I can see how it became so popular. But enough of Pokémon talk — the Kings are playing in this year’s Summer League.
Well, I think they are….. I’m just kidding!
Today they lost their fourth consecutive but we had a chance to finally watch Isaiah Cousins run the team.
My Initial Thoughts:
1: Quick crossover
It creates space for him when blowing by the person guarding him or when making a pass to a teammate. He dribbles low, which is impressive because he’s taller than most point guards. That will help him not get his pocket picked on most nights. I believe my good friend Sean Cunningham from News 10 caught some good B-Roll of the intangibles I am referring to, so stay tuned for their next telecast.
2: Size
Cousins legitimately stands at 6-foot-5 as a point guard, which gives him a huge advantage when shooting or passing the ball. He was 1-of-8 from the field but even his missed shots looked smooth.
As he gets more comfortable with his teammates and a little healthier, his shot will start to fall. He’s definitely not Seth Curry shooting wise but his size matches with what Dave Joerger wants to do defensively. Length on the perimeter will be key next season and the Kings added a lot of depth by signing guys such as Arron Afflalo, Garrett Temple and Matt Barnes.
3: Vocal leadership
On multiple occasions, his teammates were not in good spots on the floor and he would direct them to the right places but as many who watched the game, it didn’t always work.
The spacing was bad for many stretches but as he gets comfortable with the offense, his leadership will begin to shine as his teammates will understand when to move out of his way or when to go to a certain spot on the floor where Cousins can find them for an open jump shot. He is a very confident player, which will bode well with any of the four guys he plays with on any given night.
// The Kings will try to end on a good note Friday afternoon at 1 p.m. against the San Antonio Spurs and break the cold streak. I expect Cousins to have a much better game and should surpass his two points and six assists from today.
Here are Cousins’ thoughts after the game:
//
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