Report from the Vegas Summer League
July 8th, 2006by John
I’m in Las Vegas this week and attending the Vegas Summer League where 16 NBA teams, including the Rockets, are playing their rookie draft picks and invited free agents to decide who they will invite to training camp later this fall.
Yesterday morning (Friday), I met Daryl Morey, the new GM-to-be for the Rockets starting with the 2007-08 season after current GM Carroll Dawson retires after next season. I also met a colleague of Daryl’s named Sam (I won’t try to spell his last name) who works with Daryl in the front office. Daryl and Sam were great guys, and sharp, too (as you would expect).
During my visit with them and some of my colleagues, a very relaxed, courteous, and pleasant Jeff Van Gundy dropped by to say hello to us. JVG was relaxed wearing a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, had his two small daughters with him, and they all looked like they were having a good time in Vegas. As you know, Van Gundy puts a lot of pressure on himself, and although he is probably here in Vegas mostly on business, it’s nice to see him without the stress of the regular season on his shoulders.
Later in the day, I introduced myself to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, who covers the Rockets and whose columns I’ve been reading (and linking to from YaoMania!) for years. Feigen was a nice guy, too. Jonathan reported on Friday that Mike James had whittled down his list of teams to three — the Rockets, Minnesota, and Dallas — and James will decide on Monday where he’s going to sign. Even if James surprises everyone and doesn’t choose the Rockets (after being very vocal that he would like to come back to Houston), it’s good to see the Rockets made a very strong run at signing James.
During summer league play, which started Thursday, three players have stood out for the Rockets. John Lucas IIIhas been looking great over the two games already played, averaging 25.5 points per game, making 61.8% of his shots and hitting 3-of-6 three-pointers. Lucas, who played briefly for the Rockets last season, is showing in Vegas that he can get to the hole quickly, has displayed a nice teardrop runner in the lane, a sweet fadeaway from the free throw line area, and has been doling out some nice, crisp assists (6.5 per game). The way Lucas is playing, he’ll definitely be invited to training camp and will most make the team as a backup. Feigen has a good story about him in the Saturday edition of the Chronicle.
Also impressive has been second round pick Steve Novak from Marquette, whose 3-point shooting is as good as advertised (better shooting % than J.J. Redick last year), hitting 9-of-15 (60%) from behind the arc, 15-27 overall (56%), and averaging 21 points for the first two games.
A bonus surprise has been Pat Carroll from St. Joseph’s. Although his name is plain, his shooting isn’t. He has been hitting everything, averaging 23 points and making 62% from the field, and 5-of-9 from three-point land.
If things keep going as they are, who would have thought the Rockets would have this kind of selection to choose from to bolster their bench scoring.
Chuck Hayes has been solid (see another Feigen article by clicking here), as always, from a rebounding perspective (7.5 per game) and 7-of-9 from the field (mostly down low), but his free throw form is worse than Shaq’s, having a hitch at the top of his release while also leaning forward. There was one free throw attempt where he crossed over the line before releasing the ball, committing his own lane violation. On the next attempt, he didn’t cross over the line, but the other players standing along side the lane did, committing a lane violation. I have a feeling that will happen a lot more this season.