Scouting Summer League

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The Summer Cavs finally got into the win column Monday night in Las Vegas: blowing the doors off the Timberwolves who were missing top pick Kris Dunn. Cleveland won 99-66, led by Jordan McRae, Kay Felder, and Raphiael Putney. Cleveland used aggressive and engaged defense to pitch a 29-9 third quarter, stifling the Tyus Jones led T-Wolves. If we’re being honest, only a couple of these guys have a chance to make the Cavs’ regular season roster. Let’s break them down.

Jordan McRae: We’ve seen what Jordan can do against NBA quality defense, when he scored 36 and dropped seven dimes in the final regular season game against Detroit (and, admittedly, their third string defense). McRae has very long arms, a herky-jerky change of direction, and the ability to finish with both hands from multiple angles. He has a decent mid-range jump shot, is a willing passer, and has the frame and movement ability to be an excellent defender. Jordan had a solid outing, going 4-11 from the floor with 11 points, three dimes, three turnovers, and four boards in 24 minutes Monday.

McRae’s biggest NBA limitation seems to be his lack of explosiveness given his size. His ability to finish is based on his length, wingspan, and unorthodox releases (he has a great left hand floating finger roll). But, while he can get by with those in the D-League and against third stringers, he will have a harder time against more athletic NBA rotation players. It’s hard to gauge McRae in summer league because he’s really working on being a scorer, and unfortunately it’s plummeting his shooting. He’s at 32% in Vegas, including 3-14 from three. Unfortunately for the Cavs, he’s more of a scorer than a shooter. He’s streaky, and will have to really work on his three-point shot to be a floor spacer. His real niche  might be as a bench scorer who can get to the line.

His long arms and his ability to get under defenders leads to lots of trips to the stripe. He’s been there 41 times in three games in Vegas (gotta love unlimited fouls). Ultimately, defense is where he’ll have to hang his hat in the NBA. If he can become a good defender who can provide some scoring off the bench, he’ll stick. He had an OK game Monday, and was a big part of the third quarter run, but it’s clear that he’s using this stint to focus on his offense. His footwork is solid, but his vision on offense and defense are just average, as his his athleticism.

The Cavs have mentioned him as a backup point possibility, and frankly, I don’t see it. His assist to turnover ratio is below one in Vegas, and was about 1.3 in the D-League. That’s pretty weak for a point. More likely, he’ll be a scoring wing who can provide some offense off the bench and some defense, but he’ll have to become a much better shooter to get much rotation time.

Kay Felder AKA Killer Shrimp, had a very solid night. The five-foot-nine inch guard was 6-7 inside the arc (and 1-6 from three), showed a really tight handle, a lightning crossover, a very quick first step, and a great ability to change speeds and freeze defenders with hesitation. As a rookie, Felder displays the footwork and ability to get around screens that took Kyrie Irving six years to learn. Felder’s defensive footwork is excellent: great balance, short choppy steps, good awareness of screens, and an ability to route himself around them. He also shows a willingness and strength – despite his size – to impede the roller. Felder had a nose for the ball in his first two games too: pinching down on the defender and floating to the free-throw line to grab rebounds. He’s gathered nine steals, nine rebounds, and even two blocks including this chasedown!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BHtKXUjDTCE/

Felder also sports excellent vision and a willingness to set up the offense, move the ball, and get out of the way when necessary. He has a very mature game. Despite the Nate Robinson comparisons, Felder seems to have much better vision. Kay is good at finding creases and using different release points on his passes to make up for his size. His quickness gives him a cushion against defenders that others may not have. Felder also has taken care of the ball: sporting 12 assists and only three turnovers in 83 minutes in Vegas. He also doesn’t force it inside. When he doesn’t have a makeable shot, he keeps dribbling or kicks it to a shooter, but does flash a better floater than I saw in three years from Delly. He can also finish well with either hand (and he is a lefty), and has Kyrie-like wrong foot finishes in his repertoire. His mid-ranger is as good as I’ve seen from a rookie point guard, and his shooting form is very good with an excellent release and spin.

Kay’s biggest problem so far seems to be that he can’t shoot threes off the dribble at NBA range yet. He’s 1-10 in Vegas and the lone make was on a catch-and-shoot. Given the arc and backspin that he puts on the ball (and he has to arc it at his size), Felder’s having a very hard time raising up with enough strength to get his shot going consistently. He’s drifting or flailing on that shot, and he didn’t display much NBA range in the combine either. He’ll have to work on this before Cavs training camp, because it’s not hard to defend a five-foot-nine point guard, when a defender can just go under the screen every time.

https://youtu.be/Ix8LYPYelnA

Overall, Felder’s a very interesting prospect with a very solid body for a small guy. He is extremely quick on both ends of the floor, and his vision for a rookie is impressive. But his biggest challenge will come from mastering the NBA three the way guys like Barea and Isaiah Thomas have. Kay will need a shooting coach who has worked with smaller players. Unfortunately, at 21, I don’t see a huge impact from him this season for the Cavs.

Raphiael Putney has had an interesting Summer League. The six-foot-nine forward has flashed eye opening shooting numbers: 9-17 in three games. Putney had 19 in 21 minutes Monday, and Minnesota had absolutely no answers for him. He was 5-7 from three and 7-12 from the floor to go along with six rebounds and a game high +26. Putney played for the Rio Grande Vipers last summer, and, as Brent Barry noted in the broadcast, “All that team does is shoot threes.” Putney’s built like a stick. He’s listed at 185, and he scored 17 points per game, to go along with eight rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 31 minutes a night for RGV. If he keeps shooting like this, Putney will certainly be in someone’s camp, maybe even Cleveland’s. His odds of making the NBA out of Cleveland’s camp are pretty long though.

Putney also showed an impressive ability to put the ball on the floor and finish deftly off the dribble for a big man. His ceiling is probably an end of rotation combo forward.

Cleveland will return to the hardwood when the Summer League Tournament commences later this week. Hopefuls Sir’Dom Pointer, Cory Jefferson, Kenny Gabriel, and DeAndre Liggins – who all had good games but face even longer odds to make the roster – will need all the exposure they can get.