The Trail Blazers are two games into Summer League and the results haven’t been pretty
The Trail Blazers have lost their first two Summer League games by a combined 29 points. Their latest loss to the Spurs was especially ugly, as Portland only connected on 22 of their 61 shots from the field. These poor performances shouldn’t be a major cause for concern, but they aren’t encouraging either. Several of the young players on the Trail Blazers roster look lost, which could be a product of limited court time. Utilizing the D-League might be an efficient way to guarantee that the developing players get some actual playing time.
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Luis Montero and Cliff Alexander spent most of the 2015-16 season devoid of playing time. They played a small stint with Santa Cruz in the D-Leauge, but it appears that they could have benefited from some more time in actual game situations. Montero has shown some glimpses of being talented enough to be in the league, but he can disappear for long stretches of time. His jump from Westchester CC to the NBA is massive, so using a lengthy stint in the D-League to help smooth the transition seems obvious.
Don’t let Noah Vonleh‘s back to back double double performances fool you, he is still a long way from a finished product. His six turnovers on Sunday night clearly show his comfort level with the ball is less than ideal. The Trail Blazers currently have a logjam in the frontcourt, so playing time could be scarce for Vonleh in 2016-17. Finding meaningful minutes in the D-League might be a wise option to help accelerate his growth.
Pat Connaughton‘s performances might be the most concerning. He has been under the microscope in the last 48 hours with the Allen Crabbe decision lurking in the background, and the results have been lackluster. He has gone a measly 2-14 from beyond the arc and racked up seven fouls in two games. Instead of playing 143 minutes of garbage time in 2015-16, Connaughton could have been starting in the D-League. With Crabbe back onboard for the next four years, more of the same could be in store for the former Notre Dame guard.
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It is also possible that the Trail Blazers’ recent lack of first round picks could be holding them back. Getting beat by a Suns team loaded with lottery picks is one thing, but getting beaten by a Spurs team that is largely made up of D-League players is another. Portland doesn’t have an abundance of cap space at their disposal going forward, so player development will be even more crucial going forward.