Every single year, the NBA Summer League provides a first look at some of the league’s top picks and a showcase for developing players to prove what they can contribute to NBA management.
That’s why it’s no surprise that a handful of players have taken advantage of the platform as a chance to break through as potential stars. While everybody expects big things from Karl-Anthony Towns, Jahlil Okafor and D’Angelo Russell, there are definitely some other intriguing and somewhat underrated players that could shine as well. Here is a quick look at four potential NBA Summer League breakout stars.
Seth Curry, New Orleans Pelicans (Las Vegas)
Anybody that has followed the Curry brothers closely will be able to tell you that Stephen is one of the best players in the NBA and a champion and while Seth isn’t likely to ever make it to that level, there is still reason to think he will be a serviceable player. Seth Curry has played sparingly in the big leagues over the last couple of years but he showed noticeable improvement in the D-League last season with the Erie Bayhawks when his field goal shooting percentage jumped from 43% to% 48 and his three-point shooting percentage from 37% to 46%.
Overall, he averaged 23.8 points and 4.2 assists per game. He will almost certainly never live up to his brother’s standard but Seth Curry is worth keeping an eye on as a potential breakout star in the NBA Summer League. The family pedigree should help him land a contract.
Frank Kaminsky, Charlotte Hornets (Orlando)
Towns and Okafor are projected to have the higher ceilings but the consensus among pro scouts is that Kaminsky is more skilled than both of them at this point and therefore much more ready to be a breakout star in this year’s Summer League action. Kaminsky’s biggest strength is his ability to stretch the floor with his shot, which is a rare commodity for a seven-foot big man.
Kaminsky shot 70% at the rim, 45.5% on jumpers and 41.6% on threes in his final college season. The Hornets are thin in the frontcourt as they’ve had a tough time finding someone to play alongside Al Jefferson. Kaminsky could emerge as that guy if he keeps playing like this in Summer League. In the Hornets latest outing (a loss on Sunday), Kaminsky had 14 points on six-of-eight shooting with eight rebounds, two blocks, two threes and a steal in 33 minutes of action.
Bobby Portis, Chicago Bulls (Las Vegas)
New head coach Fred Hoiberg has preached offense and pace, and it won’t be long before the rest of the league realizes the Bulls drafted an absolute gem in Bobby Portis. The 6’11’’ forward fell all the way to No. 22 in this year’s NBA Draft and it was a no-brainer for Hoiberg and his staff to select him. The 2015 SEC Player of the Year is a hard worker with enough skill to contribute right away and while it will take some time for him to reach his potential in Chicago, there is no doubt his ability at both ends of the floor make him a prime candidate to break out as a key contributor in the NBA Summer League. The Bulls will be keeping a close eye on his development as they could opt to trade Taj Gibson if Portis looks like the real deal.
Brady Heslip, Minnesota Timberwolves (Las Vegas)
Heslip didn’t last long with the Timberwolves after averaging just over 13 minutes per game during the 2014 Summer League but he was an absolute stud for the Reno Bighorns in the D-League where he earned MVP honors in the 2015 Bosnian Cup Grand Prix Final. Heslip’s biggest strength is his ability to stretch the floor with his three-point shooting and if he can play at a high level in this year’s Summer League, he will more than likely get another shot at the NBA.
Look for Heslip to get a contract if he has a reasonable Summer League. Three-point specialists are all the rage right now in the NBA and Heslip is the type of guy who can hit a three from almost anywhere if you give him an inch of space to shoot.
