The 2015 Orlando Summer League wrapped up on Friday with the Memphis Grizzlies winning the championship over the Orlando Magic White squad in double overtime. 

RealGM’s All-Tournament Team

Russ Smith, Memphis Grizzlies

STATS: 5 GP, 14.8 PPG, 6.2 APG, 3.2 SPG

Memphis won the Orlando Summer League behind the play of Smith, who had the game-winning floater in double overtime to take the title. The 6-foot Smith was able to mix his ability to get past a defender and eventually finish or set up a teammate. He averaged 14.8 points per game on 50% shooting but also added 6.2 assists per contest, with plenty of other opportunities that could have led to easy buckets. Defensively, Smith was a ball-hawking on-ball defender that used his quickness to contribute an event-high 3.2 steals per game. After being drafted by New Orleans in the second round last year and being traded to Memphis during the middle of his rookie season, Smith only played in a total of 12 NBA games. He needed to play well in Orlando to secure a roster spot, as his contract is fully guaranteed at the end of July, and it appears that Smith did enough to seal the deal. 

Joe Young, Indiana Pacers

STATS: 4 GP, 22.5 PPG, 3.3 APG, 2.5 RPG

The leading scorer in Orlando, Young had a strong finish to the Summer League. Young had just nine points in his debut, but finished with a 25-point game and back-to-back 28-point outings. While he was able to score at a high rate, he was also extremely efficient, shooting 50.8% from the field and 9-of-20 from deep. The 6-foot-2 point guard out of Oregon fell into the second round of this year’s draft, but looked like an NBA player in the Summer League. He can play the point guard position and create for others, but his intrigue will be as a bench scorer with the ability to score in bunches. Young showed in Orlando that he could translate his scoring ability into the NBA. 

Stanley Johnson, Detroit Pistons

STATS: 5 GP, 16.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.0 APG

After two games we wrote in depth on Johnson’s game, but he finished the event just as strong as he started. The 6-foot-7 wing looked like a possible Rookie of the Year candidate, as he has the game and opportunity to jump into a starting role during the regular season. Johnson averaged 16.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game on 57.7% shooting in Orlando and looked like a veteran. He has an NBA-ready frame with the ability to play either wing position. Johnson can stretch the floor, as he was 5-of-12 from distance, and should make an immediate impact in Detroit.

Aaron Gordon, Orlando Magic Blue

STATS: 3 GP, 21.7 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 2.7 APG

Gordon was the most dominant player in Orlando, showing a major leap in his game after finishing his rookie season. Not only did he average 21.7 points and an event-best 11.7 boards per contest, he made 6-of-12 attempts from three-point range after shooting 27.1% from deep as a rookie. It was obviously a smaller sample size, but Gordon showed a new-look jumper with a smoother release. He was able to hit from mid-range as well after beating defenders off the dribble. As the fourth overall pick in the 2014 Draft, Gordon showed he has a bright future ahead for just a 19-year-old. The 6-foot-9 forward battled a foot injury as a rookie, but should be a key piece in Orlando’s rotation this season.

Myles Turner, Indiana Pacers

STATS: 3 GP, 18.7 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 4.3 BPG

Turner looked like a steal for the 11th overall pick. In three games, the 6-foot-11 center averaged 18.7 points per contest on 60.5% shooing to go with 8.3 boards and an event-high 4.3 blocks. He had some moves from the short corner where he was able to create enough space for a jumper and was also effective in the pick-and-pop. Turner’s touch was special for a player of his size and he’s a legitimate threat from mid-range. Although he isn’t the most athletic leaper, Turner had the instincts and length to block 4.3 blocks per contest. With the losses of David West and Roy Hibbert, Turner will be expected to make immediate contributions for Indiana.

Notes

-Branden Dawson, the 56th overall pick in this year’s draft, wasn't a lock to make the Los Angeles Clippers roster, although the Clippers obviously liked him enough to purchase the pick. Dawson proved why he worthy of the trade, as he thrived on the opportunity presented in Orlando. He was the only player not named Aaron Gordon to average a double-double in the event, posting 12.8 points and 10.3 boards per game while shooting 52.2% from the field. The 6-foot-6 forward missed both of his three-point attempts and still didn’t show much of a perimeter game, but Dawson’s energy and athleticism made him effective. As a tweener forward from Michigan State that went in the second round, people will have the inclination to compare him to Draymond Green, but Dawson doesn’t yet have the perimeter game and playmaking ability that Green has shown in Golden State. Nevertheless, Green’s motor and intensity stood out in Orlando and it would be surprising if he didn’t make the roster.

-Willie Reed was perhaps the best player in the D-League last season that never received an NBA Call-Up, making him an interesting player to follow on this stage. He averaged 16.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game in the D-League while earning All-Defensive First Team honors, but the 6-foot-10 power forward had to wait until the summer to prove himself to an NBA organization. Reed did everything needed to earn an NBA deal while playing with the Miami Heat in Orlando, averaging 13.5 points and 7.8 rebounds on 60% shooting, and impressed the Brooklyn Nets in the process. Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel reported “that Reed will receive about $500,000 from the Nets.” The 25-year-old Reed is still young for an undrafted 2011 NBA Draft prospect after spending just two seasons at St. Louis. He will add some depth inside and could have a chance to appear in his first NBA game this season.

-Another D-League product was able to turn his opportunity into an NBA contract, as Jonathan Simmons signed “a two-year contract worth the veteran’s minimum” with the San Antonio Spurs, according to RealGM’s Shams Charania. Simmons averaged 15.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in the D-League for the Austin Spurs and added 12.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per contest for the Brooklyn Nets in Orlando. The 6-foot-6 wing is a tough and athletic defender that plays with energy. He may not see much action on a talented San Antonio roster, but Charania did report that Simmons “will have a full guarantee on the first year,” meaning he’s basically a lock to make the team.

-After climbing through the D-League and eventually hitting a game-winning three for the Houston Rockets in the NBA Playoffs two years ago, Troy Daniels played 47 NBA games last season. He signed a two-year deal with Houston, but was shipped to Minnesota and eventually Charlotte to end the season. Daniels showed some potential in Charlotte, averaging 7.0 points and shooting 47.2% from three in 11 games, but was looking to earn some extra minutes with an impressive display in Orlando. Daniels did just that, averaging 13.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game while shooting 13-of-20 from three-point range. The Hornets shot a league-worst 31.8% from distance last season and it would be easy to imagine Daniels finding his way into Charlotte’s rotation.