It is still early in the NBA Summer League period but there have already been some surprising performances that fantasy general managers need to take note of. The expectations are obviously high for the top NBA Draft picks but there are other players that have really stepped up and put themselves on the radar with their strong play. Here is a look at the four biggest surprises from what we’ve seen in Orlando so far.
Myles Turner, Indiana Pacers
The Pacers needed to address their center position at the NBA Draft and they did so when they selected Turner with the No. 11 pick. The hope was that he could be the dominant rim protector and offensive threat they once seemed to have in Roy Hibbert. Turner averaged an impressive 4.7 blocks per 40 minutes at Texas and he has somehow improved on that mark in the summer league where he has averaged 5.9 blocks per 40 minutes while doing a much better job of picking his spots and avoiding fouls. He’s also flashed his offensive touch, averaging 16.5 points on 63.6% shooting through the first two games.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C74cReElILc
Turner is 7’0’’ and 243 pounds and while his quick transition to the pro level has been a surprise, it won’t be a surprise when Frank Vogel includes him in the mix among the Pacers big men this coming season. With a clear path to minutes thanks to the departure of Hibbert, Luis Scola and David West, Turner could be an important contributor right off the bat.
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Keith Appling, Orlando Magic
The former Michigan State point guard enjoyed a solid year in the D-League after going undrafted last season. A brilliant start to the Orlando Summer League could lead to an opportunity with the Magic this season. Appling has averaged 15.8 points and 2.3 assists in just over 23 minutes per game this summer and his ability to run the offense has been talked about a lot. Orlando needs an intelligent point guard that can thrive as a playmaker and really push the pace of their offense. There is room behind Payton for Appling to fill in some minutes as the team traded point guard Kyle O’Quinn, so we’ll see if he can soak them up.
Willie Reed, Brooklyn Nets
Reed has been a journeyman in the four years since he went undrafted in 2011 but he has progressed with every passing season. This year, he has thrived with Miami’s summer league team. You don’t have to look back very far to find a journeyman center that burst onto the scene with the Heat in Hassan Whiteside and while he might never live up to what Whiteside did for Miami this past season, there are some similar parallels between the two physically – not to mention they both took the path of slow development and had different stops around the world. Reed has averaged 13.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in close to 29 minutes per game in the Summer League and his surprising play could earn him a chance with an NBA team four years after he left college.
Russ Smith, Memphis Grizzlies
The 76ers drafted Smith in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft and could regret giving up on him after watching his performance for the Grizzlies in this year’s Summer League action. Smith has been a star for Memphis averaging 5.5 assists while hitting 55% of his shots from the field. He has done an excellent job of understanding when to attack the rim and when to defer to the open man. His improved decision-making and shooting ability are the two biggest factors in his overall improvement on the floor and while his development has been a surprise to some, it certainly won’t be a shock to see him on the floor for an NBA team this coming season.
