The Wizards finished up Summer League play with a disappointing 109-107 OT loss to the Knicks. It should be noted, however, that both JaVale McGee and John Wall sat out to avoid any possible Blake Griffin-like mishaps.
The game was the last chance for guys like Cartier Martin to prove themselves worthy of a roster spot. After that fourth-quarter collapse, I’m not sure if anyone made the cut.
Martin did finish with 24 points on 9-16 shooting but made two crucial mistakes down the stretch that led to Knicks points. If he plays that out of control during Summer League, I’m worried about turnover problems in the real games too.
Kevin Palmer put together a nice statline–24 points and 8 rebounds, but I never really noticed him excelling throughout the game. Overall, his impact on the team wasn’t very large, and he will probably have to look for a European squad this season.
Lester Hudson had another nice effort after hitting the game-winner against New Orleans a night earlier–19 points and 9 assists. He has a scorer’s mentality and can certainly shoot the ball. I don’t think he fits in with Washington’s crowded backcourt but I’d be interested in giving him a chance at training camp.
I was very happy to see Hamady Ndiaye earn some PT. He finished with 9 points, 7 rebounds, and most importantly, 4 blocks in 30 minutes of action. He’s incredibly raw but does have a knack for swatting shots. I envision him playing in the D-League this season.
And, of course, I must admit defeat on my sleeper pick coming into Summer League–Sun Yue. Yue didn’t even play yesterday. So basically, I was completely wrong in thinking that he ever had a shot at making the team.
Now that summer league is over, it’s time to switch the focus back to free agency. Washington still needs a small forward to add to the mix.
Josh Howard, anyone?
Original Story:
http://wizofawes.com/2010/07/18/final...
