LSU Basketball Players Looking to Improve Standing With Summer League Teams

Trio of 2021 draft classmen, Skylar Mays ready to put on a show out in Vegas

Before preseason games or camps begin, every NBA offseason consists of a series of scrimmages in Las Vegas known as Summer League, where young players, rookies and undrafted players all gather. 

It's a few week period that provides critical intel on players in a game like environment and even helped earn players like Naz Reid a four-year contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves back in 2018. Reid, a former LSU star big man, has gone on to great success in the NBA as a key rotational piece for the Timberwolves.

This season, LSU will sport at least four players in the Summer League:

Skylar Mays (Atlanta Hawks)

Mays gained great experience in his first NBA season with the Hawks, watching that team advance all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. He got to learn behind talented NBA veterans like Lou Williams and is expecting to take a big year two leap with the organization. 

In limited playing time in 2020-21, Mays averaged 3.8 points per contest, shooting 45% from the field and 35% from three-point range. While it's certainly possible because of the depth in Atlanta for Mays to spend plenty of time in the G-League, he's a high IQ player who could make a difference at the end of the bench throughout the regular season. The next few weeks he should see extended minutes and give the Hawks something to think about. 

Cam Thomas (Brooklyn Nets)

The Nets first round pick will certainly be asked to play a bench role with a team with championship aspirations. Brooklyn has since resigned Blake Griffin and brought in Patty Mills as well but Thomas can absolutely be a key scoring piece when Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden are on the bench. 

Thomas will get all the shots he can handle in summer league but it'll be imperative that he also shows some playmaking and defensive intensity as well. His scoring will get him on the floor but it's showing some of those other traits in his game that will keep him on the floor. 

“I’m here to bring a great attitude and to be a great teammate, scoring power and being an all-around player," Thomas said. "Defense, playmaking, rebounding, whatever the team needs, I’m bringing that. I feel like Brooklyn made a really good choice picking me.”

Trendon Watford (Portland Trailblazers)

The Trailblazers made it official on Tuesday by announcing they had signed Watford to a two-way contact, meaning he'll split his time with the organization and the G-League in his first NBA season. Watford is an intriguing fit with Portland as he provides some versatility in the paint, rebounding and also some playmaking as well. 

Watford will likely receive a heavy load of minutes in the Vegas summer league as one of the primary playmakers and paint scorers on the roster. How much versatility he shows in his game will be a real sign in furthering his case for NBA minutes as a rookie.

Javonte Smart (Miami Heat)

Smart kicked off his summer league action as the Miami Heat performed in the California Classic, a separate tournament ahead of the Vegas summer league. In 29 minutes in the starting rotation, Smart scored 10 points with four rebounds and four assists. This pass in particular was one of the highlights of the game.

Javonte Smart's no-look dish leads to the Omer Yurtseven bucket!

Heading into the 4th tied at 64 on ESPN2! #NBASummer pic.twitter.com/tvDjhu1yGp

— NBA (@NBA) August 4, 2021

The Heat of course made some of the biggest splashes in free agency by signing point guard Kyle Lowry to a three-year deal and keeping Duncan Robinson as well. It's unlikely Smart sees much of any court time with another team that has championship aspirations but it's also proved to be one of the best organizations that develops talent.

He'll likely receive plenty of minutes during summer league before spending most of his time developing in the G-League.