The Atlanta Hawks are keeping a close eye on two players in particular in the Las Vegas Summer League: Edy Tavares and Mike Muscala.
However, it was 2014 second round draft acquisition Lamar Patterson and undrafted Pac 12 MVP Brandon Ashley who shined brightest for Atlanta in their opening game against Denver.
Patterson, playing with the Hawks for the second consecutive summer, led the team with 16 points on 5-7 shooting. He also grabbed 4 rebounds and dished out 3 assists. Overall, he looked comfortable on the floor, slowing things down for himself and proving he can be a valuable shooting weapon.
Ashley scored 15 points off the bench, going an efficient 7-12 from the field. He's a free agent who went undrafted, but the Hawks are giving him a look as they fill out their Summer League roster. Ashley's ability to hit mid-range shots as well as attack the basket make him valuable, and he finishes well around the recap.
The Hawks own the rights to Patterson via the 2014 draft, but not the rights to Ashley. Nevertheless, both players will be on their radar as the week continues.
As far as Tavares and Muscala, both held their own. Tavares struggled at times to hold his ground in the paint, and he still needs to work on his timing, but he showed flashes of being the dominant big man the Hawks hope he'll eventually become.
Muscala started off terrific, scoring 6 points in the first quarter on 2-2 shooting. He went just 1-10 after that, though most of his shots were good ones.
While the final scores in Summer League don't mean much, Hawks players and coaches acknowledged afterwards that they have plenty to work on as the week progresses.
Story by Jaryd Wilson