summer league 2017

Joey Ramirez

The Lakers caught fire in Las Vegas, winning all of their last six games to capture the 2017 Summer League championship.

While Summer League might only be a taste of actual NBA regular-season play, there is still plenty to take away from how the Lakers’ squad performed among some of the league’s best young players.

Lonzo Ball looks like the real deal
When Lonzo Ball took the court in Las Vegas, he did so saddled with perhaps the highest expectations at Summer League since a rookie LeBron James in 2003.

Ball’s first game was candy for his detractors, as he shot just 2-of-15 from the field and 1-of-11 on 3-pointers, finishing with five points in a Lakers loss.

But Ball promised to bounce back, and he did so in a huge way. The next game was Summer League’s first triple-double in 10 years. After that was a 36-point performance. Then came yet another triple-double.

Lonzo finished his time in Vegas as the Summer League MVP after putting up 16.3 points, an event-record 9.3 assists, 7.7 rebounds and 2.5 steals.

Even more impressive than his grandiose stats was the way that he compiled them.

Ball was in his element pushing the pace for the Lakers, showing off his world-class passing ability that general manager Rob Pelinka has repeatedly called “transcendent.”

Ball sailed full-court outlet passes into the waiting arms of teammates. He found shooters on drive-and-kicks. He made simple passes that paid off down the line as they set off chains of ball movement.

If anything, Ball was too unselfish, at times passing up open layups to try to get a teammate in the scoring column. This contributed to his 3.8 turnovers per game, which frankly should be expected from a 19-year-old handling the ball on every possession of a hyper-paced offense.

Other than turnovers, the one flaw in Ball’s Summer League was his off-the-mark shooting. He hit just 38.2 percent of his attempts, including 23.8 from 3-point range.

However, while his aim was untrue from deep, he was effective getting into the paint. As Summer League continued on, he found a knack for driving in for layups and even finishing with his left hand if need be.

He shot 53.3 percent on two-pointers, and it will be interesting to see if that can be sustained when guarded by NBA-level defenders come October.

Kyle Kuzma stole the show
When Ball missed the Summer League championship game with a mild calf strain, the Lakers knew exactly who to turn to: 27th-overall pick Kyle Kuzma.

He had already been hot at that point — having finished Summer League on a four-game streak of 20-plus points — but completely took over the game with the title on the line, scoring 30 points with 10 rebounds and six 3-pointers.

Kuzma looked like the perfect pairing for Ball, providing the point guard with a transition floor-runner and a spot-up 3-point shooter.

Other power forwards couldn’t keep up with Kuzma on the fast-break, and he was a more-than-reliable spot-up shooter, hitting a scorching 24-of-50 on 3-pointers.

Obviously that kind of 3-point clip is unreasonable to expect from Kuzma in the regular season, but the championship game MVP did have a clean, quick release that points positively toward his ability to adjust to NBA range.

It was an odd fortnight for the sophomores
Brandon Ingram was excellent in game one, scoring 26 points with the game-tying layup off of a slick crossover.

However, cramping in his leg kept him from playing again at Summer League, and the rest was a mixed bag for the Lakers’ sophomore class.

Defensive ace David Nwaba was solid, averaging 9.7 points and 6.3 rebounds before being waived mid-Summer League after the Lakers signed free agent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

Meanwhile, Ivica Zubac surprisingly struggled through much of the event, putting up 10.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 1.1 blocks.

He had his bright moments like a 21-point outing versus Philadelphia and double-double against Cleveland, but the sum of his experience was more underwhelming.

At 7-foot-1 and 265 pounds, he had trouble keeping up with the lightning pace of Summer League, as teams like Brooklyn even put out all-guard lineups, which limited Zubac’s effectiveness. He also missed both of his 3-point shots after showing promise from deep last year in the NBA G League.

The rookies looked solid as a whole
With Ball and Kuzma leading the way, it was a stellar debut for the Lakers’ 2017 draft class. At the same time, Thomas Bryant and Josh Hart held their own in limited playing time.

Bryant put up 5.1 points and 3.3 rebounds in 13.4 minutes, making a quick acquaintance of Ball, who set up many of his looks. He was also incredibly efficient, shooting 14-of-18 on two-pointers. Billed as a potential stretch-five, he also stepped out and hit a pair of 3-pointers on six tries.

Unfortunately for Hart, an ankle sprain limited him to just two games at Summer League. The reigning First Team All-American played well, averaging 10.0 points and 4.0 rebounds. But the Lakers’ first true look at him will have to wait till training camp.

The Summer League squad featured a lot of gems
For as much as Ball and Kuzma took over, the Lakers couldn’t have taken home the trophy without their role players also rising up.

Reigning NBA G League MVP Vander Blue was at the forefront of this, using his trademark slashing to average 20.7 points over the Lakers’ final three games.

Meanwhile, undrafted wing Matt Thomas was a flamethrower after starting Summer League just 3-of-12 from 3-point range. From that point forward the sharpshooter hit an absurd 14-of-16 on triples over L.A.’s final three games.

While those two could find themselves playing for the South Bay Lakers next season, point guard Alex Caruso certainly will after impressing the Lakers enough to warrant a two-way contract.

Caruso took over in the two games that Ball had to sit out due to injury, as the 6-foot-5 G League veteran put up 18 points, nine assists and four steals against Sacramento, then dropped 15 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in the championship game.

With Caruso potentially being joined by Blue, Thomas and Travis Wear (7.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg), South Bay’s first season at the UCLA Health Training Center is already shaping up to be a promising one.

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What We Learned from Summer League

The Lakers dominated Summer League, winning six straight games to capture the 2017 title. Led by event MVP Lonzo Ball and championship game MVP Kyle Kuzma, the Lakers made sure to sweep the hardware in Vegas.

Lakers.com’s Joey Ramirez and Rodrigo Azurmendi broke down the Lakers’ run — from Ball and Kuzma’s big play to Brandon Ingram’s lone game and the unsung heroes who stepped up.

Plus, they chat about how new shooting guard Kentavoius Caldwell-Pope fits on the roster.

You can also subscribe to the Popcorn Machine via iTunes.

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Popcorn Machine: Biggest Takeaways From Summer League

Kyle Kuzma didn’t care about being snubbed from the All-Summer League First Team. He wasn’t fuming over not being drafted in the lottery. He just wanted to win.

He personally made sure that happened, earning championship game MVP honors in the Lakers’ 110-98 victory over Portland in the Summer League title game.

“You’re going to have people that are high on you one day and low on you the next,” Kuzma said. “For me, it’s just to stay levelheaded and stay working.”

Kuzma was red-hot all night long, scoring 30 points — just three shy of the championship record — while shooting 11-of-16 from the field and 6-of-10 on 3-pointers.

He also found time to make it a double-double with 10 rebounds, all while battling on both ends of the floor with the Trail Blazers’ 250-pound behemoth, Caleb Swanigan.

Kuzma’s biggest moment came at the end of the third quarter, when he received an inbounds pass with two seconds left.

He rose up from three feet beyond the 3-point line and cashed a buzzer-beating triple that sparked a 13-0 run to bury the Blazers.

Kuzma’s boiling 3-point shooting set himself up for effective drives to the hoop. His 30-point night was far from surprising to teammate Lonzo Ball, who sat out due to a mild calf strain.

“Nothing new for him,” Ball said. “He already had one (30-point game), got another one. He just did what Kyle does out there.”

With Ball sidelined, Kuzma had to step up for a Lakers squad that had already lost Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart to injuries.

But Kuzma had spent the entire Summer League proving that he could carry the offense, as he went from having nine points in the opener to finishing as the event’s fourth-leading scorer with 21.9 points per night.

He shot 51.4 percent from the field and a flaming 24-of-50 on 3-pointers, while also averaging 6.4 rebounds.

As his confidence continued to set in, Kuzma peaked during tournament play. He scored 20 points in all of the Lakers’ last four games, including his championship eruption.

“I didn’t know I was that aggressive,” Kuzma laughed. “I wasn’t like that in college. Definitely not that aggressive. When I’m locked in and focused, I can do pretty much anything I want.”

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Kyle Kuzma Chosen As Summer League Championship MVP

The Lakers lost their best player to injury in game one. They lost the Summer League MVP just hours before the championship game tipped off.

Kyle Kuzma made sure none of that mattered.

The 27th pick of the NBA Draft was scorching hot in the Summer League title game, piling up a game-high 30 points while battling for 10 rebounds and stroking six 3-pointers, as the Lakers won their first-ever summer championship with a 110-98 victory over Portland.

Kuzma, the championship game MVP, stepped up for a team without Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball.

He finished through contact for and-1 layups, splashed quick-trigger triples and even guarded Portland’s 250-pound beast of a big man, Caleb Swanigan.

Kuzma said that part of his confidence came from looking down at his Lakers jersey and getting a sense of having made it to the big leagues.

He didn’t care about being voted Second Team All-Summer League earlier that day. All that mattered was willing his team to a trophy ceremony.

Kuzma was just “OK” at the Lakers’ brief summer training camp, according to head coach Jud Buechler, but he took his game to a new level in Vegas, scoring 20-plus points in all of the Lakers’ final four games.

His ability to carry the offense sans Ball (mild calf strain) was no shock to the Summer League MVP.

Kuzma provided the tipping point in what was largely a tightly-contested game. With time expiring in the third quarter, he received the inbounds pass and set up for a 3-pointer from three feet beyond the arc.

Already blazing hot at the time, he sunk the deep ball as the buzzer sounded for a five-point lead.

The Lakers then road that momentum into the fourth quarter, as Alex Caruso finished an and-1 layup, Matt Thomas knocked down a trey and Ivica Zubac struck from mid-range. The 13 unanswered points made it a 92-79 lead that Portland would never overcome.

The championship game marked a run of six straight wins for a Lakers team that had begun Summer League 0-2.

Buechler credited his role players for stepping up and playing unselfishly when called upon.

“Everyone wants to shoot every single time, because they think shooting and scoring is going to get them a job (in the NBA),” Buechler said. “Our guys bought into: ‘We’re going to move the ball and whoever’s open we trust to make shots.’

“You see the joy they had in that. … That’s what we need to get with our (regular-season) team.”

Indeed, Kuzma was flanked in the title game by an undrafted rookie and the reigning NBA G League MVP.

Matt Thomas scored 23 points, shooting 8-of-9 from the field and hitting all five of his 3-pointers. Meanwhile, Vander Blue — who celebrated his birthday with victory — added 20 points and six assists while assuming much of the ball-handling responsibilities with Lonzo sidelined.

“With Zo out tonight, I had to do a little bit of everything,” Blue said. “… I think (the Lakers) got a good chance of seeing me run the team, show my leadership.

“I know coming up in the G League it might have seemed like I was a selfish player or just all about myself because of the amount of points I was scoring and the rate I was scoring, but my whole life I’ve been about winning and I want to play with winners.”

Notes
Swanigan led the Trail Blazers with 25 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, while Jake Layman had 21 points. … Caruso had 15 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. … Zubac scored 12 points with nine rebounds.

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Lakers Win Summer League Championship Behind Kuzma's 30 Points

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Running Diary: Summer League Championship (7/17/17)

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Photo Gallery: Lakers vs. Trail Blazers (7/17/2017)

Lonzo Ball came to Las Vegas with more expectations than any other player.

He'll leave as the 2017 Summer League MVP.

Ball's passing was the best show in Vegas for 11 days, as his 9.3 assists per game were the most in Summer League history.

The majority of these dimes came in highlight fashion, as Ball continuously wowed fans with his ability to deliver the ball with pinpoint accuracy, even when launching it the length of the court in transition.

But Ball was much more than just a facilitator in Vegas, also averaging 16.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.5 steals.

On July 8, he accomplished a feat not seen at Summer League in 2008 by dropping a triple-double against Boston with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.

He lit up the scoreboard himself in his next game, racking up 36 points in a win over Philadelphia while still affecting every facet of the game with 11 assists, eight rebounds and five steals. Then he went back into triple-double territory by piling up 16 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds and five steals against Cleveland in the second round of the Summer League tournament.

Ball was hot as the Vegas weather in Los Angeles' semifinals win over Dallas, tallying 14 points and 10 assists in one half before suffering a mild right-calf strain in the third quarter, which also kept him from playing in the Summer League championship game.

Nonetheless, a panel of media members had seen enough from the second-overall pick, who was voted the first Summer League MVP in franchise history.

Kuzma Named to Second Team
One month after being drafted 27th overall, Kyle Kuzma played like a lottery pick in his first taste of NBA basketball.

The power forward was too quick in transition for opposing bigs and too accurate on his 3-point shot in the half-court. His scoring blend gave him the fifth-most points in Las Vegas (20.5) and Second Team All-Summer League honors.

Kuzma made his presence felt early on by dropping 31 points in a loss to the Celtics. However, his buckets started translating into wins come tournament time.

He scored 20-plus points in three straight games heading into the Summer League championship, including a game-high 24 in the semifinals versus Dallas.

While he was unafraid to let shots fly, Kuzma remained efficient with his looks, hitting 48.4 percent from the field and 18-of-40 on 3-pointers.

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Lonzo Ball Named Summer League MVP

The Lakers have decided that a trophy in July isn’t worth risking the health of their second-overall pick, as point guard Lonzo Ball will not play in Monday’s Summer League championship game.

Ball suffered a mild calf strain in his right leg during the third quarter of Sunday’s semifinals matchup with Dallas.

The 19-year-old finished his first Summer League with averages of 16.3 points, 9.3 assists, 7.7 rebounds and 2.5 steals.

His assists average is the highest in Summer League history, and his rebounds were the most ever by a point guard. He also had two triple-doubles at an event that hadn’t seen one in more than a decade.

Ball will likely be replaced in the Lakers’ starting lineup by Alex Caruso, who recently signed a two-way contract with the team.

In Ball’s stead, the Lakers will look for even more from Kyle Kuzma — who ranks fifth at Summer League in scoring (20.5) — and Vander Blue — who is averaging 20.7 points in his last three games.

Los Angeles will face the Portland Trail Blazers for the Las Vegas Summer League title at 7 p.m. PT.