NBA Summer League is upon us and the Detroit Pistons already have their first game in the books, a 94-81 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Summer League is always a time for silly overreactions and takes, as most of the players we see won’t even be on an NBA roster. There will inevitably be some monster games and poor performances that draw a big response one way or another.
I’ve written about Summer League legends before, and who knows, we may have one in the making already.
Here are three overreactions to the first game, all of which could be undone in game two. You can find the full schedule and all the information you need here.
#1: Are we sure Marcus Sasser is going to be in the Detroit Pistons rotation?
It was a tough first game for Sasser, who didn’t make a shot and only scored one point in just under 30 minutes.
He was 0-for-6 from the floor overall and missed all four of his 3-point shots while not making much happen on offense. Given that Sasser is 23 and already has a year of NBA experience under his belt, you would expect him to dominate.
It’s only one Summer League game, but you do have to wonder what Sasser’s role on this team will be. If Jaden Ivey starts, the Pistons don’t really have a backup point guard, so are they going to slot Marcus Sasser into that role?
He’s not a true point guard, more of a scoring guard who likes to create for himself, so if he’s not knocking down shots, it’s hard to see how he fits in.
Will the Pistons sign a veteran point guard? Sasser isn’t suited for the role and did nothing to help his case in the first game of Summer League.
#2: This will be the Ron Holland rookie experience
Ron Holland had the exact kind of game I think we can expect from him this season.
He hit a couple of mid-range shots and looked very smooth in the process, but ultimately, he was inefficient, hitting just 33 percent from the floor and missing both of his 3-point shots. He did knock down 5-of-6 from the line, which is a great sign, as that can be a weapon for him.
He did fill the box score in other ways, grabbing seven rebounds and adding two assists, a steal and two blocks.
If it sounds familiar, it’s because Ausar Thompson had a lot of these kinds of games last season, filling the scorecard and contributing in ways that don’t always show up.
Holland is going to dazzle us in flashes but will likely have an up and down season when it comes to shooting. This isn't really an overreaction, just the truth.
#3: Bobi Klintman is the steal of the 2024 NBA Draft
Ok, let’s pump the brakes here a bit, but Klintman was impressive in his first game, knocking down 3-of-7 from long range and finishing the game with 13 points, five assists and five rebounds.
I was excited when Trajan Langdon traded up to get Klintman, as he has first-round talent but just hasn’t put it all together yet. Langdon has a history of finding hidden gems in the second round or even outside the draft, so the fact that he targeted Klintman should excite Pistons fans.
Klintman’s shooting improved last season in the NBL and if he continues on that trajectory, he is going to end up with work in the NBA, as 6-foot-10 forwards who can shoot are on every team’s wish list.
He has to put on some muscle and get better at finishing around the rim, but if he can knock down shots, we could see him in Detroit's rotation at some point next season.
Side note: Limiting turnovers will be a point of emphasis this season for the Pistons, as it has plagued them for years, so even though most of these guys won’t be on the team, it was nice to see just 11 turnovers in a Summer League game, when play is generally very sloppy.