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How has Wade Baldwin IV played in Summer League?

By Nate Mann

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 08: Wade Baldwin IV #2 of the Portland Trail Blazers dribbles against the Atlanta Hawks during the 2018 NBA Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 8, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 08: Wade Baldwin IV #2 of the Portland Trail Blazers dribbles against the Atlanta Hawks during the 2018 NBA Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 8, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /
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PORTLAND, OR – MARCH 9: Damian Lillard
PORTLAND, OR – MARCH 9: Damian Lillard /

Offense

Wade Baldwin is known best for his swarming defense. He surprised fans everywhere when he shut James Harden down for a short time at the end of last season.

However, his offense in Summer League thus far has been spectacular.

Scoring

Wade Baldwin is a career 42.9% field goal shooter and 27.6% three-point shooter in the G-League. In three Summer League games, he’s hitting 56.3% of his shots and 60% of his threes.

He’s having no problems blowing by defenders to get into the paint, hence the high field goal percentage. Once he reaches the paint, Baldwin shows off an arsenal of acrobatic shots. We’ve seen floaters, off-balance layups through contact, and huge dunks.

Here’s one of his many floaters in the key.

And here’s a poster dunk on Utah’s Tony Bradley (who’s 6’11”).

Baldwin’s success from beyond the arc, although on limited attempts (5), is enough to keep defenders on the perimeter with him. He can then use his speed to penetrate and finish.

Passing

Baldwin doesn’t only score with the ball in his hands. Over the three preliminary games, he averaged 8 assists and 2 turnovers.

Several of these assists have been delivered on fast breaks. The Blazers ranked last in transition points last year, so his smart passing decisions can benefit the team off defensive rebounds.

His development in both scoring and passing make Baldwin a much more rounded player. He’s proven that he can create his own shots, a valuable trait for the team ranked last in assists per game in 2017-2018. His improved passing will help those measly assist numbers as well.