Summer League Review

The Los Angeles Clippers might have only gone 1-4 in Summer League play in Las Vegas last week, but the team's record doesn't accurately reflect the development of the players that this tournament is designed to facilitate. For the rookies, the improvement came via their first extended exposure to the NBA game and pace. For the others, it was a chance to display their talents against slightly more balanced talent in low-stress games.

Now that the week is over and we've seen what all the players can do, here's a player-by-player review of the prominent members of the Clippers' roster:

The Rookies

SF Al-Farouq Aminu — When Aminu stuck with his strengths during Summer League, he looked like someone who will be a notable contributor in the NBA right away. Aminu was solid all week on the defensive end, limiting his matchups to very few opportunities to score using his absurd length and quickness. On offense, he looked comfortable handling the ball and running the break, and when he drove to the basket, he was a solid scoring option. When he attacked, he either converted the shots or got to the free-throw line, where he made most of his attempts. At times, though, Aminu stood by on offense rather passively and didn't look for his opportunities. Instead, he'd wait on the weak side on the wing or in the corner and fire up a long jumper no matter how contested it was. He showed that his perimeter shot can be a weapon down the road, but he needs to hone his shot selection and take only open looks from that distance.

PG Eric Bledsoe — Bledsoe struck all his observers in the Clippers' first Summer League game as he went back and forth in challenging his former college teammate John Wall for the first time. He showed off blazing speed and an uncanny ability to get to the rim despite his rather short stature. His play made him look like a steal at the 18th overall pick in the draft. That said, over the course of the whole week, he showed that there are many parts of his game that he needs to work on. For one, he could stand to improve his shooting. Bledsoe seemed hesitant to take any long-range shots, and he'll need to get adjusted to NBA range before he's a threat shooting from the perimeter. In addition, he looked out of control on many offensive possessions, resulting in way too many turnovers. Moving forward, he needs to work on staying within himself, not playing faster than he can handle, and improving on his pass recognition to reduce the number of giveaways.

Check out these videos showing some nice plays as well as an interview with Bledsoe:      

PG/SG Willie Warren — Of the three rookies, Warren was the least featured on offense. With Bledsoe at the point, Warren almost exclusively slotted in at the 2-guard for the Summer League games. In that slot, Warren demonstrated that he is the most consistent three-point shooter of the bunch, as he hit from beyond the arc with regularity. Still, even if he was playing off the ball, it would have been nice to see Warren try to make more offensive plays for himself by driving occassionally and taking the ball up court on some possessions. Even so, his shooting will be a valuable asset for the Clippers.

The Rest

C DeAndre Jordan — Jordan was a pleasant surprise throughout Summer League, and he established himself as the team's most consistent overall contributor. DJ was a beast on defense, shutting down every opposing center he matched up with, and he added his fair share of blocks as a help defender. In addition, he excelled on the boards on both ends, limiting second-chance opportunities for opposing teams and creating them for his own. Defense and rebounding are Jordan's two primary calling cards, but by the end of the week, he showed that he has some offensive skill, too. In Game 4 against San Antonio, Jordan was the team's primary option on offense, as he was often isolated on the low block. He responded by converting several of his post attempts and kicking the ball out to open shooters when he was double teamed. In fact, the team looked lost on offense when he left the game. He may not be asked to contribute regularly on that end in the future, but it is a nice bonus for him.

SF/PF Marqus Blakely — Blakely, like Johnson, started Games 2 through 5 of the tournament, filling valuable minutes as a role player. Blakely was a very efficient scorer, taking most of his attempts near the basket for easy shots. In fact, he was fantastic on the offensive boards, getting many of his baskets on tip-ins and other second-chance buckets. He was also a solid defender, disrupting passing lanes and picking up steals, and he nearly sealed the win for the Clippers against the D-League Select with a key strip in the final seconds.

Video highlights featuring DeAndre Jordan and Marqus Blakely:      

SG Trey Johnson — Johnson emerged as the starter in the backcourt alongside Bledsoe after Game 1. He was a good offensive spark, working very well in tandem with Marqus Blakely, providing reliable shooting and plus passing. He might not be with the team come November, but his play in Summer League did nothing but help his case.

C Sofoklis Schortsanitis — Schortsanitis was impressive in fairly limited minutes in Summer League, and his play garnered the nickname Summer Shaq from former NBA great Chris Webber. While Schortsanitis wasn't a feature on offense, he did his best to create chances for himself on offensive boards. More importantly, he overcame his physical limitations on defense, making several key plays on that end. In fact, he had two of the most shocking plays of the week with a pair of dunk-denying rejections in the post.

Videos of both of his huge blocks: