After an initial Summer League flop, the New Orleans Pelicans have come back to win their next two matchups.
Trey Murphy III led the way in the first two games, and really came on in the second one, showing an expanded offensive game by making plays off the bounce and getting to the free-throw line.
The last two games (including last night) will be played mostly by the reserves, as the Pelicans don’t want to risk any more injuries after already losing Dyson Daniels and EJ Liddell.
Last night the Pelicans were led in scoring by Deividas Sirvydis, a third-year player who played parts of the last two seasons with the Detroit Pistons. He scored 25 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the 3-point line.
I cover the Pistons also, so I’ve seen Sirvydis play a fair amount and he has had his moments, probably peaking in a game in which he scored 16 points in the first half before getting injured, so he’s not had a storied NBA career thus far.
But he is an intriguing prospect who is still only 22-years-old.
Pelicans Summer League: Deividas Sirvydis’ strengths and weaknesses
Sirvydis’ is 6-foot-8 shooting guard/wing whose strengths are mostly on the offensive end. He can definitely shoot from all over, including the 3-point line, and there are times when you are watching him when it’s hard to believe he’s not on an NBA roster given his size and ability to shoot, as you can see here:
He’s also sneaky athletic and has a little bounce, and has put on some strength over the last two seasons, as he entered the league as a really skinny teenager who got rag-dolled by pretty much everyone. He moves pretty well without the ball, and can finish above the rim in transition.
His problems are definitely on the defensive end, where he’s a bit of a stiff, as he’s not really quick enough to stay in front of guards and isn’t physical enough to handle forwards.
He has the potential to thrive on a team that has good playmakers to get him the ball in his spots, as well as a strong team defensive scheme to hide some of his weaknesses on that end.
Will that team be the New Orleans Pelicans? Probably not, though he could be a candidate for a two-way contract or the G-League. He has the size and potential to be the shooter the Pels need but will have to overcome his defensive limitations to end up on any NBA roster.