Sergio De Larrea’s Summer League has already given the Mavericks a little bit of everything: a slow start, a breakout, and a clearer picture of what they may have in the 6-foot-7 Spanish point guard.
Through his first two games, De Larrea managed 14 points on 18 shots and hit just 2 of 10 from three. Then came the turn against the Grizzlies, when he put up 16 points and 12 assists.
Even before that eruption, Dallas wasn’t treating the early numbers like a problem. The goal, according to Summer League coach Joe Boylan, was to learn what the pieces look like together.
“ We’re just trying to see how the pieces fit together and a lot of these guys are playing roles that may not be exactly what they’re asked to do in the NBA. And that’s okay,” said Summer League coach Joe Boylan.
“ As a fact-finding mission, we’re getting to see what do guys do under pressure? What do they do when you get down in a game?
It’s great for (coaches). It’s great for the players.
It gives us a chance to learn.”
Boylan said De Larrea’s size gives Dallas some real flexibility. He can imagine him running the offense as the main ball-handler or sharing creation duties next to another point guard, a wrinkle that could matter as the Mavericks keep shaping the roster.
That size also creates its own Summer League problems. Boylan pointed out that taller guards can get bothered by pressure from quicker defenders, but he came away impressed with how De Larrea handled it.
“ Summer league can be really difficult for taller guards because you get these athletic pressure guards that try to get under you and he’s a guy who’s kind of wise beyond his years,” he said. “ He showed the alley-oop pass and he’s got some things you just can’t teach.
He handled the pick-and-roll and did a great job of handling some pressure. He’s so poised.
He was a little down on himself about some of the shots, but we don’t want to judge guys on just the results. We want it to be process-oriented.
He took a bunch of great shots. We believe in him.”
De Larrea’s status with Dallas is no longer a question mark. After some early uncertainty about whether he would come to the NBA right away or remain overseas for another year, he signed his rookie contract, and he’ll be with the Mavericks when the season opens in October.
Around the Southwest Division, Cooper Flagg is already being talked about as a near-certain name for Team USA’s next Olympic run. The next tournament is still two years away, but James Baxley-Cross wrote for Dallas Hoops Journal that Flagg should be considered a lock, pointing to NBC’s Kurt Helin and a former Team USA player who gave a similar answer.
In Houston, Bruce Thornton has been one of the early standouts of Summer League for the Rockets. William Guillory wrote for The Athletic that coaches have sometimes felt like they couldn’t afford to take him off the floor.
The bigger question is how he fits once the regular season starts, especially with Reed Shepparad entering a pivotal third year and the Rockets having added Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic to their guard group. Even with that added depth, Thornton’s toughness and shot-making could make the same problem follow him to the main roster.
And in San Antonio, rookie center Tarris Reed Jr. has already won over his Spurs teammates. Tom Orsborn wrote for the San Antonio Express-News that the group started celebrating every time he scored during Summer League.
Ja’Kobi Gillespie praised Reed’s personality and presence, saying, “ He’s a great person,” fellow rookie Ja’Kobi Gillespie said. “ He’s just a good dude to be around.
I think everybody loves him … He’s just a really down-to-earth, cool guy, and he’s really strong in his faith and he let that be known. I feel like a lot of it is he’s just a leader without being super talkative.
It’s just who he is as a person.” Reed’s low-post strength and skill, the same traits he showed at UConn last season, have stood out right alongside that easygoing reputation.
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