Summer Standouts, July 6
A look at top performers from the first day of action at the MGM Resorts NBA Summer League:
Trevon Bluiett, New Orleans Pelicans
The undrafted rookie free agent out of Xavier led all scorers with 24 points as the Pelicans clobbered the Raptors in the first game at Thomas & Mack Center. Eighteen of his 24 points came from beyond the arc as the 6-foot-5 shooting guard shot 6-for-8 from deep, banking one in from the right corner at the first quarter buzzer.
Aaron Holiday, Indiana Pacers
The No. 23 pick (and brother of Jrue and Justin) scored eight points in the first three minutes of his team’s loss to the Houston Rockets at Cox Pavilion. He finished with 23 points on 9-for-15 shooting, hitting three of his six 3-point attempts. The 6-1 point guard was the smallest guy on the floor, but was able to get to the basket in both transition and the Pacers’ half-court offense.
Furkan Korkmaz, Philadelphia 76ers
The second-year, 6-7 wing from Turkey had himself a night, scoring 40 points in the Sixers’ loss to the Celtics at the Thomas & Mack Center. Korkmaz was a first round pick in 2016, but couldn’t crack the Philly rotation as a rookie last season. He could get another shot with a healthy and productive summer and not only shot 8-for-14 from 3-point range (with an impressive step-back heat check in the fourth quarter), but got to the line 15 times.
Malik Monk, Charlotte Hornets
The No. 11 pick of the 2017 Draft had an up-and-down rookie season, but will have a clean slate with a new coach – James Borrego – in Charlotte. His Summer League got off to a solid start on Friday, with 23 points on 9-for-16 shooting in the Hornets’ win over Oklahoma City. Monk still has to work on his playmaking skills, but he shot 4-for-9 from 3-point range and was a plus-13 in a one-point win.
Ante Zizic, Cleveland Cavaliers
While No. 8 pick Collin Sexton had a solid debut (15 points, seven rebounds, zero assists), the other piece that the Cavs still have from the Kyrie Irving trade was a force inside. Zizic, a second-year, 6-11 center, finished with 16 points, 15 rebounds and five assists in Cleveland’s win over Washington at Cox Pavilion.
