The Lakers Summer League wrapped up on a high note, with the purple and gold winning their final three games in Vegas behind strong performances. Throughout the two weeks in Las Vegas, several players showed why they deserved to join LA’s roster, and they’ll look to showcase that same growth when training camp begins in October.
Here’s what we learned from LA’s sizzling summer.
Lakers Summer League: Lessons From Dalton Knecht, Bronny James and More
Dalton Knecht Proves His Worth
With every promising performance, Dalton Knecht continues to prove why the Lakers got a steal in the first-round. The 6’6” wing showed he was more than just a sharpshooter throughout the summer. He made impressive passes, strung together defensive stops, and occasionally got up for the highlight slam. Across three games in Vegas, the 24-year-old averaged 21.3 points on .418/.391/.818 splits. He also put up 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game.
Knecht’s versatility will be a critical point of his growth, and there’s a good chance he could enter LA’s rotation sooner than later. During an interview with ESPN, head coach JJ Redick touched on the things Knecht must develop:
“We know he can shoot the ball. I spent 30 minutes with him yesterday on the court after practice with live defense, going through some actions and just working with him on creating separation. He shot pretty darn well. I know he can shoot it.
“So it’s the other parts of his game. The defense. The rebounding. The passing. Just the feel of the game that I have also been impressed with… Obviously, we know in the NBA you have to be a two-way player to make an impact, and defensively he’s got to improve like any rookie.”
Look for Knecht’s defense to be a point of emphasis when training camp rolls around. It could be a swing skill that decides the rookie’s fate in this year’s rotation.
Bronny James Growing Comfortable
After several disappointing outings and the voices of doubt growing louder, Bronny James appeared to silence his critics for the time being with back-to-back strong showings. He scored 12 points on 5/11 shooting from the field and 2/5 from three-point range in a tight win over the Cavs on July 17. He followed that up with a 13-point performance on 5/10 shooting, while also picking up five rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Those two games brought his averages up to 8.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and one assist per game on 35% shooting from the field and 16% from deep.
James Jr. was eventually shut down prior to LA’s summer finale, with the reasoning outlined by Summer League head coach Dane Johnson:
“He had two pretty good games last two. I think it’s just going to help him going into the summer so we can work on different things with him. Just that confidence and knowing he can play at this level. It’s still going to take a lot of time and a lot of reps.”
It took a few games to knock the rust off for Bronny, whose lone college season was marked by recovery from a cardiac arrest incident a year ago. However, as Johnson said, he’ll be taking this newfound confidence with him to training camp with an opportunity to thrive under Redick’s player development system. The tools are there for Bronny to have a solid role on the Lakers—even if he must spend some time in the G League, which he is not opposed to doing.
Blake Hinson is a Flamethrower
Though it was a rocky summer overall for Blake Hinson, one of LA’s newest two-way rookies, he proved why the Lakers made a great decision signing him. With Bronny, Knecht and rising sophomore Maxwell Lewis held out of Saturday’s game, Hinson shined with 25 points—21 in the first half—along with three rebounds and two assists. The 6’8” wing hit five threes as well, reminiscent of his California Classic debut where he dropped 17 points on 5/7 shooting from deep.
Blake Hinson continued a good Summer League by leading the Lakers to a 107-81 win and leading the team in scoring with 25 points.
The 2x All-ACC performer can fill it up and score from anywhere. pic.twitter.com/gmbrshcIlP
— GREENLIGHT MEDIA (@atlgreenlight) July 21, 2024
Hailed by some as one of the best shooters in this year’s class, the former Pitt forward has not been shy of showing off his range. While it inevitably led to some inconsistent performances this summer, the Lakers have found another player who is willing to take and make threes at a high clip. Hinson’s shooting will no doubt translate into training camp. But similar to Knecht, he must grow in other areas to become a versatile forward who can get NBA minutes.
Could These Two Players Earn Camp Invites?
One of LA’s most intriguing rookies is someone who was picked up right before Las Vegas Summer League. Former Belmont guard Grayson Murphy joined the Lakers after the California Classic. The three-time All-OVC selection and two-time conference Defensive Player of the Year averaged 9.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.9 assists on .528/.322/.575 splits. He only played one game in the purple and gold—yesterday against Chicago—but he certainly made the most of it.
Grayson Murphy took advantage of all 24 of his minutes last night as the @Lakers defeated the Bulls in their final game of @NBASummerLeague!
5 pt | 11 reb | 10 ast | 3 stl | 0 TO@_GraysonMurphy_ pic.twitter.com/enMm71pV6s
— Potter Sports Group (@PotterSportsLLC) July 21, 2024
Murphy’s single-game appearance may not be a guarantee for a future contract with the Lakers, but it proved he should at least receive consideration for one. At 6’2”, Murphy impressed many with his rebounding and playmaking instincts—not to mention his solid defense. He could grow into a legit NBA-level talent with the Lakers if they’re willing to keep him around for camp.
Another name that could warrant a camp invite is former UCLA big man Moses Brown. Unlike most of the Summer League Lakers, the 7’2” Brown is an NBA journeyman who played for five teams in as many years. He most recently played two games for the Trail Blazers’ G League affiliate, the Rip City Remix, and averaged nine points, 6.5 rebounds and one assist on 42% shooting from the field.
In four Summer League contests with the Lakers, Brown put up 9.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game while making 54% of his field goals. While he may not be the exact center Redick may be looking for in terms of experience, Brown clearly has a league-ready frame with plenty of untapped potential. There’s no harm in taking a flier on Brown and seeing what he could provide in the frontcourt.
