The New Orleans Pelicans went undefeated in the Summer League, but didn’t end up in the championship game after losing the tiebreaker.
Ultimately, Summer League is meaningless, as year after year we see guys who have a few huge games, get hyped for a day or two and then promptly disappear forever.
So let’s not get too excited about the Pels’ Summer League domination, as we’ve yet to see these guys with the regulars or against real NBA competition.
But the Pelicans did play well and there were some things we gleaned from these games.
Here are five things I took away from the Summer League, ranging from the play of the new draft picks to the trade with Memphis.
New Orleans Pelicans: Herbert Jones will make an impact this season
I don’t know if 2nd-round pick Herbert Jones will make the rotation right away, but I do know he will make an impact at some point this season either way.
Jones has shown himself to be a disruptive defender who really gets after it on that end and could provide some of the hustle and defense the Pelicans have lacked for the past two seasons.
Jones can defend all over the perimeter and most importantly, is dedicated to be good on that end. He is going to step up and take the tough defensive assignments.
He won’t be a guy who will fill the stat sheet every night or do a ton of scoring but his energy is undeniable and he’s going to be tough to keep on the bench or in the G-League for long.