We conclude our coverage of the Orlando Summer League with the top stories from Thursday and Friday.
 
Philadelphia Wins Championship
 
The Philadelphia 76ers had no issues in the championship game on Friday, topping the Memphis Grizzlies 91-75.
 
Casper Ware continued to excel with 19 points, seven assists, and five rebounds. He should find an NBA roster after the way he played in Orlando. The 5-foot-10 point guard averaged 19 points, 5.2 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per game during the summer league while shooting 43 percent from the field.
 
Hollis Thomspon also impressed with a game-high 21 points. He’s a good shooter who was the third leading scorer for the 76ers in Orlando. Thompson also made contributions as a rebounder, averaging eight boards per contest to go with his 13 points per game.
 
Undrafted rookies Travis Bader, JaKarr Sampson, and Ronald Roberts Jr. were underrated contributors to Philadelphia’s success. Bader spaced the floor with his three-point shooting ability and capped his summer league with 16 points in the championship game. He was 6-of-13 from the field and 4-of-9 from behind the arc. Bader signed a contract to play in France, but can opt out if he makes an NBA roster. He’ll play in Las Vegas with the Golden State Warriors as a final tryout for scouts and GMs.
 
Sampson declared for the draft after his junior season and played with Philadelphia after going undrafted. He had 13 points and four rebounds on 5-of-10 shooting in the championship game to cap his impressive week. The 6-foot-9 wing averaged 8.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting 50 percent from the field. There’s certainly some upside with Sampson.
 
Roberts Jr. might have been the biggest surprise in Orlando. The Saint Joseph’s product was an extremely active power forward with a high motor. He had 12 points and 11 rebounds in the championship – a fitting way to end his summer league. Roberts Jr. averaged 10.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per game with Philadelphia and was an athletic power forward that played bigger than his 6-foot-8 size.

D-Leaguers Lead Indiana

Indiana had a surprising 4-1 showing and third place finish in Orlando. Although the Pacers did not feature a 2013 or 2014 draft pick on their roster, D-League prospects stepped up to the competition.
 
Kevin Jones was a key part to the Indiana squad. The former West Virginia power forward was undrafted in 2012 but spent part of his rookie season with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Last year, Jones played in the D-League before signing to play in the Philippines.
 
On Thursday, Jones had 16 points and 15 rebounds. He followed that performance with 10 points and eight rebounds on Friday. Jones struggled earlier in the week, but found his mid-range jumper and was active in the rebounding department. He was the only player to average a double-double in Orlando, with 12.8 points and 10 rebounds per game. He’s a hard-nosed power forward who can also step out and knock down the mid-range shot.
 
Another impressive D-Leaguer from Indiana was James Nunnally. He scored a game-high 19 points on Thursday while shooting 7-of-11 from the field and 3-of-5 from three-point range.
 
“I just wanted to come out aggressive,” Nunnally said on NBA TV. “The first two games I struggled – I didn’t shoot the way I wanted to – so I just wanted to stay aggressive and stay confident. I’m real confident in my shot and I know what I can do.”
 
The UC Santa Barbara product spent the past season playing primarily in the D-League, although he appeared in 13 NBA games with the Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers. He played with Indiana during the summer league with hopes of returning to an NBA roster.
 
Nunnally is a lengthy 6-foot-7 small forward who is primarily a defensive weapon. He’s looking to join the recent trend of “3-and-D” role players who can find minutes due to their defensive ability. If he has continued success with his jumper, Nunnally could find his way into the NBA. He did not play on Friday, as he left for Las Vegas to play with the Dallas Mavericks summer league squad.
 
Pac-12 Rookies Shine

Nick Johnson, a second round pick from Arizona, climbed into the top spot of the Rookie Tracker after his final two performances. The 6-foot-3 combo guard finished with 22 points, six assists, and six rebounds against Memphis on an efficient 9-of-14 shooting and showed his insane athleticism with a pair of tip-ins. Even more impressively, Johnson was 6-of-8 from inside of the paint.
 
He then recorded the only triple-double in this year’s event with 15 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds in Houston’s only win of the summer league. He was 6-of-11 from the field and provided another highlight with a 360 dunk in transition.
 
Johnson has turned his negative ‘tweener’ label as a guard without a position into a positive one. He has impressed at both guard spots as opposed to a player unable to player either position. Johnson may not be a pure point guard, but he can handle the ball and set up his teammates. While he might be smaller in stature for the shooting guard position, he’s shown the athleticism to defend bigger guards with success. Johnson should be a bench player in the NBA who can provide defensive energy and highlight plays because of his athleticism.
 
Adams had a poor showing in his third game with only two points, but he displayed why he was a first round pick during the final two days. He scored 19 points while shooting 7-of-12 from the floor with three steals and three rebounds against Houston then finished with 11 points, five assists, and three steals versus Philadelphia. Although he isn’t an elite athlete, Adams had some nice finishes at the basket including some and-one baskets.
 
“He’s really good in the open floor, he’s able to get into seams,” Memphis head coach David Joerger said of Adams on NBA TV. “He’s really crafty, he’s not a high flyer who’s going to jump over you and throw it down, but he draws a lot of contact and gets to the foul line. He does a nice job of staying in position – he led UCLA in steals last year and has a long wingspan – but he doesn’t just run all over the place. He stays where he’s supposed to be and gets his hand on basketballs.”
 
The high praise is certainly warranted. Adams is an elite scorer who is especially effective as a spot-up shooter. He’s an advanced help defender who jumps passing lanes to create transition opportunities.
 
Both prospects look NBA ready with the potential for rotational roles next season. Johnson may have a harder time finding the floor with a talented roster in Houston, but should get a chance to fight for playing time.
 
Smart-Payton Matchup Meets Expectations
 
With the top two college point guard prospects facing off in Orlando, there was some hype surrounding the matchup of Marcus Smart and Elfrid Payton. Both showed why they were top-ten selections on Thursday.
 
Smart had a game-high 19 points to go with five assists and three rebounds. He still can improve his efficiency, shooting 5-of-14 from the field and 2-of-9 from deep, but led his team to a win with his clutch shots late in the game.
 
The 6-foot-4 point guard had the prettiest move of the day when he attacked the rim off a ball screen, put the ball between his legs, and spun towards the hoop where he finished with a left-handed layup. Smart is at his best in the pick-and-roll, but can become even more effective if he makes the defense respect his jumper.
 
While Payton isn’t a big-time scorer, he’s a triple-double threat every time he steps on the floor. He had eight points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds against Boston while shooting 3-of-7 from the floor.
 
Payton doesn’t possess a consistent jumper, but can attack the rim and score at the cup. He does a good job finding his teammates but will need to limit his seven turnovers. His team lost, but Payton might have left a bigger impression because of his all-around contributions.
 
MVP Tracker

1. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Detroit Pistons (Previous: 1)
Thursday’s Line: No Game
Friday’s Line: 12 points, 5 rebounds
 
Caldwell-Pope struggled in his last game, shooting 4-of-13 from the field and 0-of-3 from deep, but is our MVP of the event. He remained in the top spot all week and scored at a high level. Caldwell-Pope finished his summer league averaging 24 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. He led the event in scoring.
 
2. Casper Ware, Philadelphia 76ers (Previous: 2)
Thursday’s Line: No Game
Friday’s Line: 19 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds
 
Ware led Philadelphia to the championship title and used the spotlight to show he’s an NBA caliber player. He averaged 19 points, 5.2 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per game.
 
3. Donald Sloan, Indiana Pacers (Previous: 4)
Thursday’s Line: DNP (Rest)
Friday’s Line: 20 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds
 
With Indiana holding a team option on Sloan’s contract, the experienced point guard played well in a pressure filled setting. Sloan averaged 18.5 points, 5.5 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per contest.
 
4. Kelly Olynyk, Boston Celtics (Previous: 3)
Thursday’s Line: DNP (Rest)
Friday’s Line: 19 rebounds, 6 rebounds
 
Olynyk had an impressive summer league for the second consecutive season as he averaged 17.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
 
5. James Ennis, Miami Heat (Previous: 5)
Thursday’s Line: 17 points, 4 rebounds
Friday’s Line: DNP (Rest)
 
Ennis averaged 17 points and 5.8 rebounds per game in Orlando on an efficient 52 percent shooting. He should be ready to contribute in Miami’s rotation next season.
 
Rookie Tracker

1. Nick Johnson, Houston Rockets (Previous: 2)
Thursday’s Line: 22 points, 6 assists, 6 rebounds
Friday’s Line: 15 points, 10 assists, 10 rebounds
 
Johnson was the best rookie in Orlando and there’s no doubt that he’ll be on Houston’s roster next season. He averaged 15.8 point per game, most among rookies, to go with 6.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists during the summer league.
 
2. Jarnell Stokes, Memphis Grizzlies (Previous: 1)
Thursday’s Line: 12 points, 7 rebounds
Friday’s Line: 12 points, 11 rebounds
 
Stokes continued his gritty play down low, but dropped from the top spot because of the terrific performances of Johnson. Stokes had 12 points on 3-of-10 shooting against Houston and concluded his summer league with a double-double.
 
3. Jordan Adams, Memphis Grizzlies (Previous: 3)
Thursday’s Line: 19 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals
Friday’s Line: 11 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds
 
The first round pick averaged 14.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.2 steals per game for Memphis. Adams is a polished scorer who also contributes on the defensive end.
 
4. Elfrid Payton, Orlando Magic (Previous: NR)
Thursday’s Line: 8 points, 10 assists, 9 rebounds
Friday’s Line: 18 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds
 
Payton has been too good to keep off the list. He flirted with a triple-double against Boston and led the Orlando Summer League in assists per game. The defensive minded floor general averaged 9.2 points, 7.0 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per contest.
 
5. Mitch McGary, Oklahoma City Thunder (Previous: 4)
Thursday’s Line: No Game
Friday’s Line: 18 points, 5 rebounds
 
After missing last season with a back injury, McGary showed no signs of rust. He averaged 14.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while he showed the ability to handle the ball and hit mid-range jumpers.
 
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