Over/Under: Early Reactions to Cade Cunningham and Scottie Barnes after an Action Packed Day in Vegas
Cunningham struggled, Barnes shined. What does it all mean and what can we actually take away?
Last night’s slate of Summer League games saw action from four of the Draft’s top five picks. It was the perfect opportunity to finally watch these highly touted prospects within some kind of NBA context. It was also the perfect opportunity for some excessive reactions following these teenagers’ first shot at the professional level.
In particular, I was interested in Cunningham and Barnes’ performances. The former Montverde Academy teammates played two wildly different games and–within the context of the Summer League–generated two wildly different early reactions. It’s those particular reactions that I’m interested in.
Remember, Summer League almost never encapsulates what’s coming in the NBA season. More than anything, it’s an opportunity for some un-drafted players to earn a paycheck, and for the future of the NBA to get its feet wet.
Systems are going to look different, the pace is going to look different, and the subsequent play is going to be wholly different. Still, it’s a fun chance to react and assess some of the early returns from the NBA’s brightest stars.
Over/Under: Number one pick Cade Cunningham couldn’t establish synergy with running mate Killian Hayes, and can’t seem to create shots for himself or others.
Figuring out who the Detroit Pistons’ lead guard is going to be has been a serious talking point for Pistons’ coach Dwane Casey heading into Summer League. Casey has been adamant in wanting to establish a kind of ‘position-less’ basketball for the Pistons’ to run, all the while avoiding the trope of a traditional ‘point guard’.
“I think we get in trouble when we say he’s the point guard, he’s the two,” Casey said. “Some of it is going to depend on defensive matchups. Some of it’s going to be offensively, but not really going to put a number on either one of those guys because both of them have point-guard skills but also can play off the ball.”
While this fantasy sounds all good and well, last night’s matchup with the Thunder didn’t bode well for Casey’s vision of a modern back-court. Too often, Hayes ended up taking the lead as the primary and left Cunningham posited in the corner–essentially rendering the dynamic guard to a spot-up shooter.
Cunningham is way too good to be splitting carries with Hayes like this. If the Pistons’ are serious about rebuilding around their number one pick, then you must quickly figure out a different role for the sophomore guard.
These sporadic stretches without the ball also help explain Cade’s struggles offensively. Cunningham’s box-score came out looking atrocious; he shot 5-for-17 and finished with a game-high 5 turnovers on 2 assists. At first glance, the initial worries about his athleticism and burst seem to prove true. If Cunningham can’t break down his initial defender, then of course he’s going to settle for low-percentage shots and end up with a ton of turnovers.
Watching the game, however, those worries seem unfounded. Yes, Cunningham had moments where he struggled to take advantage of switching and looked careless as a result (particularly against Robinson-Earl), but he also didn’t have the ball long enough to build any kind of rhythm offensively.
Cunningham actually showed the ability to make some high-level reads out of the spread Pick & Roll. In reality, many of his missed shots came at the end of broken possessions, and his turnovers had more to do with his teammates not playing up to his pace than any actual mistake he made.
At the NBA level, many of those passes are going to be assists, including some of his turnovers. Cunningham showed all the necessary flashes that made him the number one pick last night. But–probably more than any other player in his class–he is going to shine when his teammates can match the pace he reads the game at, and that just won’t happen until we get to the regular season.
Verdict: Overreaction. Cade Cunningham is going to be just fine, although I would watch out for how Casey begins to adjust his offense around Hayes and Cunningham. Look for some growing pains and consequent struggles early on from the number one pick.
Over/Under: Scottie Barnes is going to be a defensive star right away and the questions about his offensive game were overblown.
Barnes had a really good debut. While I’m not as high as some have been following his 18 point, 10 rebound introduction, Barnes still flashed all the tools that made him a sure-fire top five pick in this year’s draft.
There’s just not many players at 6’10 who can effectively guard the perimeter the way Barnes showed he could. He was a menace; pressuring ball-handlers well outside the three point line while still showing the kind of defensive poise that’s really rare for a 19-year old. Couple that with one of the highest motors in the entire class, and you’re looking at a guy who’s going to be vying for All-Defensive candidacy right away.
That alone, however, isn’t what made Barnes’ debut so exciting. To go along with his defensive prowess, he showed incredible versatility on the offensive end. Barnes was able to lead the break as the primary threat, was used as both a screener and a ball-handler in the Pick & Roll, and made some passes in transition that were magical. In short, the FSU product demonstrated all the tools that could end up making him the best two-way player in this draft.
I mean, there’s just not a lot of guys anywhere in the world with the lateral quickness to hound the perimeter like this:
With the motor and length to win-back possessions like this:
And the touch and confidence to make plays like this:
Can you tell I enjoyed the Raptors’ game?
If Barnes’ can figure it out, there’s few talents in the association that present the kind of upside he does. Still, that doesn’t mean Barnes’ introduction was perfect. The rookie shot an ugly 7-for-18 from the field and looked really timid at times with the ball in his hand. Make no mistake, Barnes’ is not a finished product. But the flashes he displayed last night make the case that he might more ready than a lot of us initially thought.
Verdict: Slight Overreaction. Barnes’ is gonna be really good on the defensive end early, but it’s unfair to put All-Defensive expectation on any 19-year old. On the other side of the ball, look for Barnes’ to continue to have inefficient games as the regular season begins. It’s going to take a while before his handle is polished enough for him to be a real threat offensively.
These kinds of reactions have been a tradition of the Summer League since the tournament began in 2004. They posit some value in that they attract attention to some of the game’s most valuable young stars. Without proper analysis, however, that attention is effectively meaningless.
It’s that analysis that can contextualize performances (like that of Barnes’) and expose some genuine long-term concerns (like if Hayes and Cunningham can really coexist). It’s as fun a time for the Basketball fan as possible in mid-August, and with number two pick Jalen Green and Cade Cunningham headed for a collision course Wednesday night, I don’t think these overreactions are going anywhere.