The Point-Fourward: Forget Business Casual, It’s Vegas (And Cedi Osman!!)

Four points I’m thinking about the NBA…

1. There are few basketball events as multi-faceted as the Summer League. NBA executives are rocking Vegas casual, e.g. polo shirt, khaki shorts, with optional team logo, seemingly on vacation. Many are legitimately relaxed having done the majority of their work in the first days of free agency. The others reek of desperation as they frantically try to organize rosters that their June wipe-boards did not anticipate.

The same contrast plays out on the floor. Second year guys like Jaylen Brown and Patrick McCaw play only to expand their game knowing full well that the summer’s high usage rate will not translate to their regular seasons. Highly prized rookies flash incredible potential one possession and look completely lost on the next. Old NBA names like Ike Diogu aim for one more shot at life in the world’s best league.

The result is the strangest mixture of basketball styles you will ever see. Teams vacillate between running very orderly sets and going completely Westbrookian depending on who is in the game. It’s a bit strange to see a guy in a Spurs jersey dominate the ball so much, but that is just what point guard Bryn Forbes is doing.

Forbes was pretty horrible in his first season in San Antonio, but the 6’3″ guard has a beautiful stroke and plays with an edge. After watching him drop 35 against the 76ers Summer League team, it was not surprising that a chorus of “The Spurs found another Gem” rang from the internet. It was a bit much, even by summer standards, but then the second year man went out and dropped another 35 on the Blazers. Okay, I’m listening.

Forbes looks a lot like a mixture of Patty Mills and Danny Green with his shot release. His upper body is absolutely still with a compact and fluid motion. He has gotten even better at catching into a bounce release for his three-point catch and shoot. The only thing I don’t love is his tendency to knock his knees. He wide base is good, but for his knee health, he would be wise to bring his feet just a touch closer together. Regardless, he is dead-eyed shooter with a developing drive game.

Oh, and did I mention he spent two years tearing up the Horizon League as a Cleveland State Viking?  His ball-handling and defensive positioning improvement should let Forbes get some more NBA playing time.

I’d like to see him grab the last open roster spot the Spurs are likely to have after they made the fantastic signing of Joffrey Lauvergne. By December, the media will be wondering how the Spurs did it again with that pickup. Lauvergne is extremely skilled and has workable three-point range. He has been a defensive liability at times, but all Spurs learn how to maximize their defensive talent in Pop’s system. Look for Frenchman to be a big part of the Spurs’ rotation.

2. Another fun standout in Las Vegas has been Donovan Mitchell. The combo guard has a crazy 6’10” wingspan to make up for his 6’2″ height. It seems to be confusing fools. Mitchell snared eight steals against the Grizzlies mostly by intercepting passes that the opposition assumed he couldn’t reach. The Louisville product combines his elite wingspan and strong upper body with an incredible 34-inch no-step vertical. His ability to handle and defend multiple positions will help him play with both Dante Exum and Ricky Rubio.

The Jazz lost a great player in Gordon Hayward, but they seem poised to be a defensive nightmare for any opposing offense. If Exum and Mitchell can mentally realize their defensive potential, backcourts around the league are going to hate playing the Jazz. Even if a guy gets past that length on the perimeter, an opposing guard is rewarded with a visit to The Stifle Tower. The Jazz will be fine.

3. While Forbes and Mitchell light up the scoreboard, the Cavaliers’ summer squad continue to win games. Led by coach Damon Jones (really, did you think you would ever say that?), the summer Cavs have mostly stuck to specific sets on offense and stingy weakside defense. That there is weakside defense being played at all in a Summer League game is somewhat impressive.

Sir Dominic Pointer and Malcolm Thomas have both flashed some impressive backside rotations while my longtime favorite, Edy Tavares is devouring people when challenged at the cup. The squad doesn’t have any future stars, but it is nice to see Cavaliers players compete consistently during this strange summer. Oh, I suppose I should mention that Kay Felder is on the team. That is a true fact. Read any assessment I have written about Isaiah Thomas and multiply that by 10 if you care to have more information.

4. Speaking of more information, I can only assume that is what Koby Altman got during his dinner with Dan Gilbert. Altman has done a fine job holding down the fort thus far. I appreciate that he hasn’t made any bad long-term signings. Then again, the cap hasn’t really allowed him much flexibility.

It is likely that I will make a trip to the liquor cabinet anytime Jeff Green checks into the game, but at least Green was only signed to a vet minimum deal. The fact that Iman Shumpert has been on the trade block is also very encouraging. Dumping Shump would not simply be a salary move. It would be mostly a basketball move. In any case, Altman was rather prophetic in one of his few interviews available online. Who knew he would live his own words?

Gilbert could do a lot worse than Altman. We don’t know exactly how much the young man has done behind the scenes to execute certain deals, but he seems to be a bright, well-spoken guy with a both a playing and Ivy League background. Considering Gilbert is unlikely to pay any big name big money, Altman is a good safety net.

Who knows? Maybe Altman will end up making fans forget about a troubling summer by being exceedingly competent. My glass is half full! If only because I emptied the other half just thinking about Jeff Green. Go Cavs!? Putting the wine back into the Wine and Gold.

Breaking News: According to Europe, Cedi Osman has signed a three year, 8.5 million deal to join the Cavaliers. It has long been speculated that Osman would eventually be slated into the Cavs mid-level exception. It seems Altman has done his first truly great move. I am all in on the Cedi Osman era!