NBA Summer League Preview: Mavs Roster Breakdown, How to Watch
For many young prospects, whether they be a free agent or recent draft pick, the NBA Summer League is a place for them to showcase their skills at the beginning of their journey in the league. It's also a chance for fans to get their first glance at some young talent they might not otherwise get to see on a regular basis in the regular season. Here are some of the players Dallas Mavericks fans can expect to see in Las Vegas in two weeks:
Jaden Hardy - After trading for the No. 37 in this year's draft, the Mavericks were able to select talented 19-year-old guard Jaden Hardy, a player they had ranked highly on their draft board. Playing last season for the G-League Ignite, Hardy averaged 21.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He also shot right around 40 percent on catch-and-shoot 3s. Hardy figures to be a fun player, and he'll get his first chance to prove the teams that did not draft him wrong.
"Super talented, he’s still raw – he’s young, so it’s going take a while. He was a second round draft pick, but he can really score the ball at a high level," said Mavs GM Nico Harrison.
“We had him higher than 37 [laughs]. Yeah, we were surprised. We were really shocked that he kept slipping.”
Jalen Lecque - Nicknamed "Baby Westbrook" in high school, Jalen Lecque could be a fun player to pair with Hardy in Summer League play. Last season, Lecque averaged 15.9 points per game, while shooting 36.5 percent from 3. Between Hardy and Lecque, Dallas has two players who really show the ability to get to the rim consistently.
Marcus Bingham - Marcus Bingham, a seven-foot center from Michigan State, is an intriguing addition to the Summer League roster. Bingham averaged 9.3 points, 6.3 rebounds for the Spartans. Perhaps the biggest thing to keep an eye on with Bingham is his defensive contributions. He used his 230-pound frame to average 2.2 blocks per game.
Justin Gorham - Justin Gorham played his college basketball at the University of Houston. Last season he played overseas in Germany, averaging 8.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. He also shot 3s at a 36 percent clip. He provides yet another player to help spread the floor for this young Dallas team.
Hoawen Guo - His name might not ring a bell, but you may be familiar with his team, the Shanghai Sharks – the first team Luka Doncic played against in a Dallas Mavericks jersey (2018 preseason). Hoawen Guo averaged 14.5 points and 3 rebounds per game for the Sharks last season. One big thing to mention about Guo is that he has continually improved his outside shooting. In the last three years, he has raised his percentage from 3 from 26.8 to 36.5. To show that much improvement in such a short amount of time shows how strong his drive is.
These players should make for a fun Mavs team to watch in Las Vegas. They'll likely prove to be a team that's not scared to show off its outside shooting, and maybe even a few highlight plays as well. Here is the schedule for the Mavs' summer league games:
July 8 vs. Chicago Bulls - 3 p.m. on ESPNU
July 11 vs. Utah Jazz - 9 p.m. on NBA TV
July 12 vs. Phoenix Suns - 9 p.m. on ESPN2
July 14 vs. Milwaukee Bucks - 6 p.m. on ESPNU
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