It’s been practically three months because the San Antonio Spurs have suited as much as play organized basketball. Abruptly, it’s develop into a busy summer time for the group. Victor Wembanyama, Jeremy Sochan and Sandro Mamukelashvili are taking part in internationally to arrange or make the ultimate reduce for the Paris Olympics. Now the youthful Spurs are training for his or her summer time schedule. The Spurs Summer season League group will head to Sacramento on July sixth for his or her first sport, in opposition to the Charlotte Hornets.
Summer season League is a time for alternative, whether or not it’s rookies seeking to make first impression, undrafted guys preventing to make a roster or veterans searching for a second likelihood. The Spurs roster has loads of intrigue and tales to concentrate to. All eyes will doubtless be on their first-round draft choose, Stephon Fort. Listed below are a number of different storylines to look out for.
Kenny Trevino will get a shot
San Antonio’s summer time group will probably be led by first-time coach, Kenny Trevino. It isn’t his first function inside the group. Trevino began as a Spurs’ ball boy when he was 11-years-old. Flash ahead 20 years, and Trevino is now the group’s video coordinator. His final aim is to develop into a head coach, this summer time will probably be his first likelihood to indicate what he’s received.
In a press convention on Tuesday, Trevino cited Utah Jazz head coach, Will Hardy, as an inspiration for his path. Hardy went from the video room to an assistant coach with San Antonio earlier than getting his first head teaching gig. Trevino is a reputation to look at this summer time and going ahead within the Spurs teaching ranks.
From #Spurs Summer season League observe
31-year-old video coordinator Kenny Trevino, who went to #UTSA after rising up in Laredo, is teaching summer time group
“My aim is to develop into a head coach sometime…all I’m frightened about now’s being the most effective video coordinator.”
Video from Spurs⬇️ pic.twitter.com/6jPu46vtiR
— Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) July 2, 2024
Spurs rookies debut
Harrison Ingram and Fort will don the Silver and Black for the primary time within the Summer season League. Each gamers ought to have ample alternatives to indicate what they’ve received in Sacramento and Las Vegas.
Watch how the Spurs use Fort this summer time. Giving him some pick-and-roll reps to get able to tackle extra ball-handling duties on the NBA degree is smart. Fort’s poise working an offense and talent to create his personal shot are expertise to look at. His three-point taking pictures is maybe his largest query mark, as the previous UCONN guard shot underneath 30% from deep final season. Flattening a 3 or two would absolutely make the Spurs teaching employees pleased.
Ingram has stiff competitors to crack San Antonio’s rotation this season. The Summer season League is his first alternative to make impression. Ingram is a three-and-D participant who can play inside and outside. Bringing elite effort and flattening photographs will do him favors with the employees, and would construct good momentum heading into coaching camp.
Acquainted faces return
Final summer time, Julian Champagnie, Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley had robust summers that led to rotation minutes in the course of the common season. This yr, San Antonio could have a number of second and third-year gamers seeking to do the identical.
Chief amongst them is Sidy Cissoko, who informed the press he’s totally recovered from a knee harm that hampered him final season. He additionally claimed he misplaced 20 kilos because the common season. An agile and powerful Cissoko may very well be a disruptive defensive drive for the Spurs this summer time. Questions stay on his offensive sport. Cissoko might want to present some playmaking and indicators that his jumper is enhancing.
San Antonio is bringing 4 gamers who hung out on a two-way contract final season. David Duke Jr., Seth Millner Jr., RaiQuan Grey and Jamaree Bouyea will go well with up for the summer time Spurs. Duke Jr. was just lately made a restricted free agent by the Spurs, who worth what he brings defensively. Millner Jr. has a candy stroke from three, Grey is a bully inside and Bouyea is an undersized guard who will get buckets. All of them hung out with the Austin Spurs final season.
Undrafted rookies searching for a spot
Final season the Spurs gave two-way offers to undrafted rookies like Sir’Jabari Rice. This yr’s crop of undrafted rookies have an opportunity to stay with the Spurs if they’ve a strong summer time. A number of names to look at embody DJ Horne, Riley Minix, Jameer Nelson Jr. and Darin Inexperienced Jr.
Basketball followers will doubtless acknowledge Horne from the NC State group that made the Remaining 4. Horne is a scoring guard who averaged 16.9 factors whereas taking pictures 40.4% from deep in his fifth school season. He’s an thrilling participant to look at who has the potential to fill it up this summer time.
Minix is one other extremely productive school participant who had 27 factors in his lone NCAA Event sport final yr. Minix performed only one yr of D1 hoops at Morehead State after 4 years at an NAIA college, Southeastern College. Regardless of being 6-foot-7, Minix is a dominant back-to-the-basket submit participant. He averaged 20.9 factors and 9.7 rebounds final yr whereas taking pictures 34.9% from deep.
Nelson Jr. is the son of former NBA level guard, Jameer Nelson. He was a strong guard for a TCU squad that made the NCAA Event. He averaged 11.2 factors and three.3 assists final season. Darin Inexperienced Jr. was a knockdown shooter for Florida State final season. He hit 41.7% of his threes.
Don’t be stunned if one in all these gamers breaks out and earns themselves a spot in San Antonio or Austin.
