Grades: Spurs at the 2021 Salt Lake City Summer League

[TD 21]

Primo reminds me some of Booker and might already have the second most advanced (White) ball skills/feel in the organization . . . which says more about the state they're in than him, but is still impressive at 18.

Obviously a long ways to go, but he's the only one of the youth who immediately looked/looks like he has a path to growing into a featured offensive player.

[koriwhat]

Vassell looks like he was instructed to find his shot any time he could. It does seem unnatural to him, but they want to see him try to isolate and generate on his own. Tbh, it's not his game right now -- he's used to team offense and he didn't look great. But here's where you see what he can do, what he looks like.

His conditioning is another matter. He looked active and into it once he got going. Maybe let himself go a little in the last couple of months.

Primo has so much promise. I don't see why you'd drop him letter grades if he was 19 or 20. Almost any player entering first pro compe ion would have some yips and hiccups. Except he didn't have any yips, really. He requires a good amount of work on his handles and so on, but the dude doesn't even look close to concerned he doesn't belong here. I can only imagine how much he'll belong when he actually is 19 or 20.

[The Truth #6]

Sounds like a perfect player for the Spurs. Confident but not arrogant. I just hope they don’t over coach him like IV. I know, different player. Regardless, his confidence should carry him well on the Spurs.

[tonight...you]

Sounds like a perfect player for the Spurs. Confident but not arrogant. I just hope they don’t over coach him like IV. I know, different player. Regardless, his confidence should carry him well on the Spurs.

I think Lonnie was over-coached because he was hopeless on D and too weak/loose on O and they were trying to induce discipline upon his game.

Primo has a natural feel for both ends and just needs refining, which is a huge difference.

I get your trepidation though.
Let's hope Pop doesn't try to do too much and let Primo become what he's naturally going to be.

I think he could grow to be a great player.

Let the stars align.

[The Truth #6]

I think Lonnie was over-coached because he was hopeless on D and too weak/loose on O and they were trying to induce discipline upon his game.

Primo has a natural feel for both ends and just needs refining, which is a huge difference.

I get your trepidation though.
Let's hope Pop doesn't try to do too much and let Primo become what he's naturally going to be.

I think he could grow to be a great player.

Let the stars align.

Yeah, I agree with all that. The best Spur players have been the ones to push back against Pop, to some degree. I don’t mean insubordination. But a steadfastness to be themselves. It’s not easy under Pop. DJM has that trait, for good or bad. But I digress...

[tonight...you]

Yeah, I agree with all that. The best Spur players have been the ones to push back against Pop, to some degree. I don’t mean insubordination. But a steadfastness to be themselves. It’s not easy under Pop. DJM has that trait, for good or bad. But I digress...

We ride the surf of the same vibe, my brother.

All I'm going to add is that I think Pop is looking for that trait of overriding him and proving him wrong.


Some of the greatest thinkers trained their students with the tolerance of them overruling him.
You have to want to be greater than the teacher.

Most times they fail.
Sometimes they become better than they were going to be.

I think that mentality from Pop started with the genius and balls of Manu.

[duncan2k5]

I think Lonnie was over-coached because he was hopeless on D and too weak/loose on O and they were trying to induce discipline upon his game.

Primo has a natural feel for both ends and just needs refining, which is a huge difference.

I get your trepidation though.
Let's hope Pop doesn't try to do too much and let Primo become what he's naturally going to be.

I think he could grow to be a great player.

Let the stars align.

Ur description of Walker sounds like Steph Curry... Which is why I famously said, if Curry was drafted to this version of Pop, he would have been in the G league for years, and pulled for every crazy shot and defensive lapse... Not every great player will be great at everything... Some will even be VERY ty in some areas... That's no reason to not play young players... Give them a chance to be who they will be

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Thanks for the summary Timvp. I've been pretty invested in the Olympics, and didn't see any of the summer league so this is a great update.

Glad to hear Primo was well scouted by our guys. I'm still not on the bandwagon, but ultimately the Spurs seem to do a nice job with the draft, so I probably shouldn't doubt. As for our second round pick...ummm.....

The 10 for 78, collectively, from three is just crazy for professional athletes (or near professional). I mean, even if they're not getting freed up, that's almost unheard of. I'll be curious to see how our guys do in the games coming up, and if we'll have Tre to facilitate and help guys get better looks.

[Mr. Body]

I wouldn't worry about Wieskamp. In a system where he has spots, he'll do more than fine before long, I'd say. The summer league is too unstructured. What I've liked about him is his size and fluidity as an athlete. He's not scrawny and immobile. Even though he wasn't getting good looks and has deficiencies in creating shots, he was contributing with rebounds and wasn't bad on defense.