LAS VEGAS — The Philadelphia 76ers wrapped up their Summer League campaign Friday with a 108-102 victory over the Toronto Raptors. It was the Sixers’ most impressive performance of the summer, with crisp ball movement finding the open man and strong perimeter shooting. (They made 14-of-31 attempts from 3-point range.)
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While the Sixers failed to qualify for the eight-team playoff tournament, the win improved their Summer League record to 2-3. They’re leaving Vegas on a relatively high note.
More importantly, the key members of this squad showcased some of their strengths and weaknesses in the brief time they spent in the Mojave Desert. Here are some quick thoughts on how those players looked, with more to come later.
Thybulle’s 3-point shooting
Matisse Thybulle’s stats: 11.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.0 steals, 1.2 blocks, 43% shooting, 39.3% from 3 in 26.1 minutes per game
Matisse Thybulle displayed the skills, good and bad, that made him the 20th pick in the draft. He finished the tournament wildly disruptive as an off-ball defender. It showed that his playmaking talent in college wasn’t just the product of Washington’s zone defense, but also that Thybulle can be beaten in one-on-one situations.
He still needs to improve his ball-handling, but one area that really stood out was Thybulle’s shooting — especially considering how much scrutiny it received following his selection, and how important shooting is for projecting Thybulle’s ability to fill a role in the NBA.
Thybulle, though, was mostly an effective shooter during his time at Washington. While he shot just 30.5 percent from 3 as a senior, he had connected on 37.9 percent of his 383 3-point attempts during his first three years.
That made it nice to see Thybulle come out and hit 39.3 percent of his 28 3-point attempts. It was encouraging considering the farther distance of the NBA 3-point line, which can be a difficult adjustment for rookies.
Just as important as the raw percentages was how Thybulle got those looks. He projects mostly as a catch-and-shoot player in the NBA, especially early in his career. That’s where most of his attempts at Washington came from, too. But over the course of Summer League, Thybulle ran off staggered screens and curls. His footwork never looked sloppy. His shot didn’t look rushed.
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Nobody expects Thybulle to be JJ Redick early on (or, realistically, ever), but expanding his game and diversifying his shooting profile would be a great way for Thybulle to add more value on offense. Forcing opponents to guard him off screens would make it easier to justify keeping his disruptive defense on the court. Baby steps, but they’re important steps nonetheless.
“We want them really good at their role, then we kinda want to stretch them so they can learn and develop,” 76ers Summer League (and Delaware Blue Coats) head coach Connor Johnson said after the final game.
“This is a great opportunity for some of those stretch things. Like, putting these guys in a lot of pick-and-rolls, running off the stagger action,” Johnson said. “Put them in a lot of different environments, and also make sure they’re great as these catch-and-shoot, 3-and-D guys.”
Shayok impresses
Marial Shayok’s stats: 14.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 46% shooting, 40% from 3 in 20.8 minutes per game
Of the players the Sixers have a vested interest in (i.e., players signed to NBA or two-way contracts), Marial Shayok did the most to improve his stock. He ended the tournament as the team’s leading scorer.
That Shayok shot 8-for-20 from 3-point range during the tournament shouldn’t have been all that surprising — shooting was the skill that got Shayok drafted. But the No. 54 overall pick of June’s draft showed more diversity than expected. He played power forward during stretches here, and even some point guard, including the last game where he finished with 14 points, four rebounds and four assists in just 16 minutes.
Teams can’t put enough shooting on the court, which gives Shayok a fighting chance. Other ancillary skills will determine whether he contributes as an NBA player. Defense, in particular, will be a big factor in determining if Shayok is the equivalent of a Triple-A baseball player or if the Iowa State product can actually see some time with the big club.
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“Defensively, there’s more room for him to grow,” Johnson said. “He showed glimpses of being tough and physical, but probably not every possession like we would like. So that’s sort of the stuff I think we’ll jump on right away when we get him (in Delaware).”
Pelle altering shots at the rim
Norvel Pelle’s stats: 7.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.8 blocks, 50% shooting in 19.1 minutes per game
The Sixers’ two big men, Norvel Pelle and Christ Koumadje, were among the Summer League leaders in blocked shots per game. Pelle came in fourth and Koumadje (2.4 blocks per game) finished seventh, despite neither cracking 20 minutes per game.
Impressively, Pelle committed 5.0 personal fouls per game in that limited time. Koumadje came in just under Pelle at 4.8 fouls per contest.
Pelle will draw the most interest from fans, both because he was on the Delaware Blue Coats last year and because he signed a two-way contract for this upcoming season. He’ll be able to split time with the 76ers and Blue Coats, similar to how Shake Milton did last season.
Pelle, 26, has long flashed identifiable skills, whether that’s protecting the paint or rolling to the rim on offense. Consistency and reliability have always been the key question. That’ll once again be the focus this season.
“Norvel we know. I saw a lot of Norvel last year as a shot blocker, rim protector, who can also be a threat as a roller,” Johnson said. “For him, I think it’s just consistency. Being able to impact every play, every possession when he’s out there, that’s the next step for him.”
Milton’s disappointing run
Shake Milton’s stats: 9.7 points, 1.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.7 blocks, 16.7% shooting, 7.7% from 3 in 22 minutes per game
Recently signed to a four-year NBA contract, Shake Milton had a disappointing three games, averaging 9.7 points and 4.3 assists per game before spraining his left ankle.
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Milton connected on just one of his 13 attempts from 3-point range. Certainly, a component was bad shooting luck. Some shots he missed were quality looks he will normally make, and he will return to his career norms at some point.
But one of the knocks on Milton has been that he struggles to create separation against good defenders, with subpar athleticism for an NBA guard holding him back. That showed up in a big way at the 2018 NBA Draft Combine, where Milton looked overmatched physically. He struggled to get by his defender and instead settled for long, contested jump shots. He finished the two-day event 0-for-12 from the field.
It was tough to watch Milton’s Summer League performance and not think back to those combine struggles since much of the same holds true. Yes, Milton won’t shoot 1-for-13 from 3 all the time, especially given some of those shots he had room to operate. More concerning was the 5-for-23 he shot from 2-point range, as he didn’t generate many clean looks inside the arc either.
There aren’t many skilled, 6-foot-6 guards who can handle, pass and shoot, and that will give Milton a shot to stick in the NBA. While Milton missed shots he might normally make, the lack of high-percentage looks he created off the bounce is more troubling than how many jumpers he made. Milton’s a good shooter, but his lack of athleticism gives him little margin for error.
Smith looking bouncy
Zhaire Smith’s stats: 12.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.2 blocks, 48% shooting, 31.3% from 3 in 26 minutes per game
Between his broken foot, allergic reaction to sesame, drastic weight loss and eventual return to play, few players have had a more eventful past 12 months than Zhaire Smith.
All of which made Smith’s performance in Vegas very encouraging. His numbers weren’t prolific, but Smith played good man-to-man defense, was a terror in transition and connected on his 3-point jumper most of the week. He played under control, which wasn’t always the case last Summer League, where he shot 36.8 percent from 2-point range and 20 percent from 3.
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“The game slowed down. Last Summer League, it felt like it was so fast, and everybody was so much faster, stronger,” Smith said. “But this year, it just felt like I was just calm and I just played my game.”
More importantly, Smith looked great physically. He looks as if he’s regained all of the 40 pounds he lost after being hospitalized with an allergic reaction, and he looks every bit of the elite athlete he was at Texas Tech. That’s encouraging, and something you couldn’t necessarily take for granted given all he’s gone through.
“Most definitely. All the time,” Smith said after being asked if he thinks about how far he’s come to get to this point. “I come on this court thinking I’ve been through a lot, and just go out, have fun and play every game like it’s my last.”
The Sixers’ perimeter defense would receive a huge jolt if either Smith or Thybulle cracks the regular rotation, and both showed promising signs during their brief stays in Vegas.
(Top photo of Zhaire Smith: Stephen R. Sylvanie / Getty Images)