Tag: 2021 NBA Summer League

Rockets assistant Will Weaver hopes to become head coach in future

Will Weaver drew attention for his strong work in summer league with the Rockets, and he’s hopeful of eventually becoming an NBA head coach.

Despite facing significant adversity in the 2021 Las Vegas Summer League, the Houston Rockets still finished with a winning record (3-2). Summer league head coach Will Weaver, who is an assistant to Stephen Silas in the regular season, likely deserves much of the credit.

Prized rookie Jalen Green — the No. 2 overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NBA draft — was unavailable for more than half of Houston’s total minutes due to a hamstring strain. Armoni Brooks, who was the top NBA scorer among players with previous league experience, missed three out of the five games due to health and safety protocols. Returning players KJ Martin and Khyri Thomas each had their summer stints end early, as did rookie big man Alperen Sengun, while rookie forward Usman Garuba was a late arrival due to contract buyout negotiations.

Nonetheless, the Rockets still had their share of highlights and wins, headlined by a dominant performance versus Detroit and recent No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham. Rookies such as Green and Sengun understandably drew the most attention from fans, but Houston’s game plans were sharp and organized, which helped the Rockets overcome not having as many experienced NBA players as most other teams.

That’s where Weaver comes into play. Now 37 years old, the second-year Rockets assistant and former head coach of the Sydney Kings (Australia) stressed playing with a fast pace on offense, switching at all positions but center on defense, and generally keeping it simple.

In an exclusive chat with Kelly Iko of The Athletic, Weaver said:

We’ve certainly tried to layer it to where we’re not expanding the menu. We’re trying to stay within a tight set of patterns on both sides of the ball, and hope that our guys can really dive headfirst into those and come out of the experience feeling like they grew.

For now, Weaver is quite happy with his current role alongside Silas in Houston. But if the Rockets win more games and earn attention for their success and approach, he’s certainly young enough to where his name could one day become a hot commodity in head coaching searches.

“I’ve been lucky to be a head coach in several different contexts, in the G League, overseas, and national team events,” Weaver told Iko. “You don’t ever take the opportunity to be in a position of leadership lightly, and I certainly don’t. I’m appreciative of the opportunity Rafael [Stone] and the team have given me, and certainly learned a lot just within this week about how I can do a better job as an assistant coach and hopefully as a [NBA] head coach in the future.”

The complete interview between Iko and Weaver can be read here.

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Bleacher Report’s top 10 LiAngelo Ball plays from Summer League

Check out B/R’s top 10 moments from LiAngelo at Las Vegas Summer League.

LiAngelo Ball made the most of his opportunity with the Charlotte Hornets in Las Vegas for NBA summer league.

In fives games with the Hornets in Las Vegas, LiAngelo averaged 9.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 34.5% from 3-point range, which included a 16-point performance in his summer league debut and a half court buzzer-beater against the Spurs.

Bleacher Report put together their top 10 plays from Ball in Las Vegas. Check them out below.

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2021 Las Vegas Summer League: All-Rookie Teams

With the Las Vegas Summer League now wrapped up, Rookie Wire took a look at the top first-year players.

On Tuesday, the Las Vegas Summer League concluded after 10 days of action with the Sacramento Kings taking home the championship after defeating the Boston Celtics.

The competition from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas gave fans the opportunity to watch the top picks in the NBA draft for the first time. The likes of Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green and several others showed out and proved to be the real deal.

While many selected near the top of the draft board impressed, several other first-year players turned in strong performances throughout their time in Las Vegas. Overall, the chance to see the incoming class of players this year proved to be highly entertaining for everyone involved.

With the Las Vegas Summer League now wrapped up, Rookie Wire took a look at the top first-year players and ranked the top frontcourt (3) and backcourt (2) players on each All-Rookie team.

WATCH: JT Thor throws down high-flying dunk in summer league

Check out the tomahawk slam from Thor in last night’s contest.

Though the Charlotte Hornets struggled to win a game at Las Vegas Summer League, their young players showed some promise.

That includes JT Thor, who the Hornets drafted with the No. 37 pick in the second-round.

In Monday’s loss to the Chicago Bulls, Thor finished with 15 points, 9 rebounds, 1 steal, and 2 blocks on 5-of-13 shooting.

About four minutes into the fourth quarter, Thor caught the ball at the top of the key, crossed over, and drove the open lane for a high-flying tomahawk slam.

Check out the highlight below.

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Late rally by Raptors gives Hornets second-straight one-point loss

With one summer league game remaining, the Hornets remain winless.

The Charlotte Hornets have had a tough time finding the wins column during Las Vegas Summer League.

Following a one-point loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, the Hornets mirrored the same result come Saturday, falling to the Toronto Raptors, 80-79.

Charlotte entered the fourth quarter with a 10-point lead but was unable to hang on.

James Bouknight led the way for the Hornets with 14 points, 5 assists, and 2 steals while hitting 3-of-4 from downtown.

Fellow first-round pick Kai Jones scored 9 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in the loss.

LiAngelo Ball scored 8 points off the bench, shooting 2-of-6 from 3-point range.

The Hornets will close out their summer league schedule on Monday against the Chicago Bulls.

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Armoni Brooks to debut Sunday for Houston’s summer league team

Second-year guard Armoni Brooks missed Houston’s first week of summer league play due to health and safety protocols, but he returns Sunday.

Second-year sharpshooter Armoni Brooks will play in 2021 Las Vegas Summer League action for the first time on Sunday when the Rockets face off against the Orlando Magic. Brooks had missed Houston’s first three games due to a stint in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

“I have a little catching up to do in terms of my personal conditioning,” Brooks told Jonthan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. “Sitting on your butt can really put a tag on you when you’re used to working out every single day. Just getting a couple workouts in, getting my legs back under me and getting back in the rhythm, and I’ll be ready.”

In his first pro season after going undrafted out of college, Brooks set a record for the most made 3-pointers (60) over the first 20 games of any NBA player’s career. Overall, the 6-foot-3 guard averaged 11.2 points (38.2% on 3-pointers) and 3.4 rebounds in 26.0 minutes per game.

As of now, the 23-year-old isn’t yet under contract for the 2021-22 season. However, Houston did issue Brooks a qualifying offer earlier this month, which makes him a restricted free agent and gives the Rockets matching rights during any upcoming contract negotiations.

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Rockets add Tremont Waters for remainder of NBA summer league

With several guards missing time at summer league due to injuries or health issues, Houston is adding Tremont Waters to its roster.

With Jalen Green (hamstring), Armoni Brooks (health and safety protocols), and Khyri Thomas (soreness) all missing time in recent days, the Houston Rockets became much more thin in the backcourt than expected during their first week at the 2021 Las Vegas Summer League.

That’s where Tremont Waters, a second-round pick by Boston in the NBA’s 2019 draft, comes into play. Per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, the Rockets made a move Saturday to add the 5-foot-10 guard to their squad for the remaining two games of summer league.

Waters was the G League’s Rookie of the Year in 2020, averaging 18.0 points (43.0% FG, 35.9% on 3-pointers) and 7.2 assists in 33.8 minutes per game with the Maine Red Claws. Then, in 26 games with the NBA’s Celtics last season, the Louisiana State University (LSU) product averaged 3.8 points (39.5% on 3-pointers) and 2.4 assists in 9.2 minutes.

The Celtics did not issue Waters a qualifying offer after 2020-21, making  him an unrestricted free agent. As a result, the final two games of Houston’s league schedule — starting Sunday versus Orlando — will give the 23-year-old an opportunity to impress potential NBA employers. And from the Rockets’ perspective, it will help fill lost minutes.

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Rockets vs. Magic: Live stream, how to watch, TV channel, start time

With Jalen Green likely sidelined, Alperen Sengun and the Rockets continue summer league play on Sunday versus Franz Wagner and Orlando.

With prized rookie Jalen Green likely sidelined by hamstring soreness, the Houston Rockets will push forward in 2021 Las Vegas Summer League play with Sunday’s matchup versus the Orlando Magic. For both teams, it’s the fourth of five total summer league games.

Orlando’s roster is headlined by Jalen Suggs, who was drafted at No. 5 overall in the NBA’s 2021 first round, and No. 8 pick Franz Wagner. Like Green, Suggs is also out for Sunday’s game due to a thumb injury.

Even without Green, the Rockets still have three first-round rookies available in the form of big man Alperen Sengun (No. 16 overall), forward Usman Garuba (No. 23), and guard Josh Christopher (No. 24).

Garuba made his summer debut on Thursday, but his playing time and effectiveness were limited due to jet lag and other factors related to complex travel logistics. With two days off between games and a chance to finally practice with his new teammates beforehand, the Spanish defensive ace should have a better chance to succeed on Sunday.

Here’s when and how you should watch:

  • Date: Sunday, Aug. 15
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT
  • TV Channel: NBA TV
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)
  • Complete Summer Rosters: Orlando, Houston

Aside from the high-profile 2021 rookies, Orlando (1-2) features multiple players on its roster with prior NBA experience, led by guard Cole Anthony and forward RJ Hampton. Meanwhile, Houston (2-1) counters with second-year forwards KJ Martin and Anthony Lamb.

Sunday’s playing status for NBA veterans Armoni Brooks (health and safety protocols) and Khyri Thomas (soreness), who each missed Thursday’s loss to the Raptors, has yet to be disclosed by the Rockets.

Note: This post first appeared on Rockets Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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WATCH: James Bouknight scores 23 points, 8 assists against Spurs

Check out the highlights from the No. 11 pick’s impressive summer league showing.

The Charlotte Hornets’ No. 11 pick, James Bouknight, had an impressive performance in Thursday’s 106-105 summer league loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

Bouknight finished with 23 points, 4 rebounds and 8 assists on 11-of-23 shooting from the field.

The former UConn standout ran the show the entire night for the Hornets, whether that was creating his own shot or getting others involved.

At one point, Bouknight grabbed a rebound and threw a full-court dime to fellow rookie Scottie Lewis for the fast break finish.

Through three summer league games, Bouknight is averaging 17.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.

Check out Bouknight’s highlights below via Swish.

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Jalen Green likely to end summer league stint for Rockets after injury

Jalen Green expects to miss the last two summer league games with hamstring tightness, he told Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.

The Houston Rockets will likely prevent prized rookie Jalen Green from playing in their final two summer league games, per Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. The No. 2 pick from the 2021 NBA draft left Thursday’s game early with right hamstring soreness.

Early indications were Green’s exit was precautionary, as opposed to an injury of significance. Nonetheless, it’s understandable the Rockets would not risk a further injury in summer exhibitions.

Houston Chronicle beat writer Jonathan Feigen, who is in Las Vegas, asked Green after Thursday’s game whether his stint as a Rockets summer league player was over. Green responded by saying:

Yeah, I’m good. I don’t have anything to prove anything here. I got to prove it in the NBA, and that’s what I’m going to try to do.

I think I proved myself this week. We’re just going to be cautious and get ready for the season, in case it is anything. But it’s just tight.

I feel good. I’m sad that I had to leave that game, but I feel good. … I feel I improved myself this week.

Green started Thursday’s game with 13 points (3-of-5 on 3-pointers) and 3 rebounds in just 12 minutes, but he grimaced after a shot attempt late in the second quarter and struggled to get back on defense.

If Thursday’s partial game against the Raptors is it for Green in Las Vegas, he concludes his summer run with spectacular numbers. In limited playing time of 24 minutes per game, the 6-foot-6 guard averaged 20.3 points and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 51.3% from the field, 52.6% on 3-pointers and 92.8% on free throws. Houston went 2-1 in Green’s summer contests, and it did not lose when the 19-year-old played in the second half.

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