NBA Notes: Biggest 2020s Mistakes, Nae’Qwan Tomlin, Drew Timme, Scouts’ Takes

No matter how sharp the front office or how clean the rebuild, every NBA team has made at least one move it would probably like back.

That’s the takeaway from ESPN.com’s Zach Kram, who recently dissected the biggest missteps of the 2020s and spotlighted one regrettable decision for each of the league’s 30 teams.

Kram opens with what he calls “small-scale problems,” such as the Cavaliers opting not to give Isaiah Hartenstein a qualifying offer in 2021 and the Knicks signing Evan Fournier to a $73 million contract that same offseason.

From there, the list moves into “draft disasters,” including the Celtics’ decision to trade away the rights to the No. 30 pick in 2020 — who turned out to be Desmond Bane — and into “miscellaneous midtier mistakes” like the Pistons giving Monty Williams the most lucrative coaching contract in NBA history.

The final two categories are where things really go off the rails: “too high a cost for too little reward” and “franchise-altering terrible trades.” Kram puts the Mavericks’ handling of the Luka Doncic situation at the top of the list, along with the Suns’ all-in deals for Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal — trades that stripped Phoenix of long-term flexibility and never delivered a postseason run.

Summer’s Best

Summer League has wrapped, and while wins and losses don’t count, the performances often do. The Athletic’s John Hollinger pointed to a few players who made strong impressions in Las Vegas, calling Pistons big man Tolu Smith, Cavaliers forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin, and Nets center Drew Timme names to monitor as training camp approaches.

Hollinger also spotlighted a group of players who, in his view, looked too polished for the Summer League setting. That list includes Jazz big (and Vegas MVP) Kyle Filipowski, Timberwolves guard Terrence Shannon Jr., Pistons forward Ron Holland, Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell, and Cavaliers wing Jaylon Tyson. All played with a level of poise and command that suggested they’re ready for a more serious role.

Scouts’ Takes

For fans, Summer League might be about highlight dunks and breakout box scores. For scouts, it’s a deeper evaluation. As The Athletic’s Tobias Bass reported, July basketball in Las Vegas is considered “extremely valuable” by NBA evaluators, and not just for what happens on the court.

“Before the draft, no matter what your opinion is about a player or how analytics project him to be, it’s always interesting to see how competitive they are once they get to summer league,” one Western Conference scout told Bass.

Scouts are looking for how quickly players pick up terminology. Whether they’re a culture fit. Whether they show up on time, stay focused, and handle the distractions of Vegas like a pro. The details may seem small, but they’re often the difference between sticking on a roster and slipping through the cracks.

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