What Happens in Vegas: Summer League Notes

Tonight, the Charlotte Hornets have their penultimate game in Las Vegas against Brayden Burries and the Milwaukee Bucks. While the team won’t repeat as Summer League champions, there’s still plenty to take away from this recent stretch of play. As this event winds down, it’s also never too early to shift our focus to the big-league club and how the roster is shaping up.

In this free column, I will analyze the trends at the Cox Pavilion and Thomas & Mack Center, while also looking ahead to recent acquisitions.

A New Wrinkle in Charlotte’s Offense?

Charles Lee has to be up there among coaches who call pre-designed plays from the sidelines. You often see him barking out orders and gesturing to his players to get in position for the set. While basketball in the summer isn’t always the best indicator of how the team will play come October, it’s not hard to spot some of the throughlines that connect all the teams in the organization. The team’s offensive framework in Vegas has been quite similar to what we see with the parent club, and you’ll notice they’re using some of their favorite plays, like the angled ball-screen sets (see below).

However, one noticeable difference has been the use of post-ups. Outside of Portland, the Charlotte Hornets ran the fewest post-ups in the league last season. The few times you would see them do it involved Miles Bridges as a mismatch-beater on switches.

But this is different.

Charlotte’s guards and wings flow into split action after feeding Ryan Kalkbrenner and Hannes Steinbach at either the high or low post. To put it simply, following the pass to the big, split action involves two players setting (or rejecting) screens in the vicinity of the post player. This forces the defense to talk, and if the offense can gain an edge, it often leads to an assist from the post player. This type of action requires bigs that can react quickly and hit cutters in stride.

In a limited sample, we’ve seen Steinbach and Kalkbrenner thread some passes to cutters. While Kalkbrenner’s involvement in these actions is somewhat surprising, Steinbach has a great feel and vision in these situations.

The real question becomes whether this variation ends in Las Vegas or carries its way to Charlotte.

Hannes Steinbach’s Skill

The 6-10 rookie from Washington had some impressive moments in his first taste of “NBA-level” basketball. Through the first few games, Steinbach is averaging 10 points and 5.7 rebounds in 20 minutes per contest.

One of the first things that jumped off the screen was his remarkable ability to locate boards, particularly on the defensive end. Finding the angles and predicting where a ball bounces off the rim is a skill, and he’s got it. However, there have been moments, especially in the early stages, where he seemingly secured the rebound, only to have it ripped away by an opponent.

Steinbach is a very fluid big, and you see that in the way he handles the ball on the move and cuts within the offense. He’s even shown flashes of defensive versatility on the perimeter. I know the scouting report harps on his defensive downfalls, but I'm interested in how much Charles Lee can extract from him on that end of the floor. Despite some personnel limitations, the Hornets ranked in the top half in several defensive metrics.

Liam McNeeley’s Signs of Improvement

The most pleasant surprise during these games has been Liam McNeeley. He’s carried the scoring load and has provided a lot of punch as a downhill driver. With his drives, he’s showing patience and craft with low-gathers and euro-steps. He’s also forcing the whistle from the refs, leading the team in drawn fouls.1 He’s shown some strength fighting through contact, and this skill alone is leaving many wondering how much play time he will see this upcoming season. The depth chart feels crowded in the wing department.

His three-point shooting has been outstanding, converting over 50% of his attempts. In Charlotte’s offense, where there’s tons of spacing, he could make a name for himself if he continues to show growth as a catch-and-shoot three-ball specialist. Also, did we all catch the no-dip corner three he converted against the Magic?

Liam’s performances give little incentive to play in the remaining games.

Rookie Point: Christian Anderson Jr.

Anderson Jr. has been a mixed bag of good and bad. His size will always be a limiting factor, and that was one of the first things I was paying attention to.

How would his size affect his defense? He can get moved, but he shows good compete-level on close-outs and slides to compensate.

How would his size affect his capacity to shoot over the top? He’s shown the ability to work the pick-and-roll with quick cuts and redirections to clear space for open shots.

How would his size affect his drives? This is where I’ve seen the biggest hurdle. His path is often altered on his dribble-drives because of his frame.

He’s in an interesting position where he could be considered for early playing time because of the lack of point guards on the roster.

Newcomers: Royce O’Neale and Grayson Allen

While the rumored deal between the Suns and Hornets isn’t new, the teams officially finalized these acquisitions two days ago. There has been some debate on whether these two veterans could be rerouted elsewhere, but let’s assume they are here to stay.

O’Neale is not shy in launching threes, and the front office recognized how seamless he’d integrate into Lee’s offense. Remarkably, 67.7% of his field-goal attempts were attempted on above-the-break threes. There wasn’t a single player in the NBA whose frequency was higher than his.

He’s also strong on the corner three-ball. Of players who attempted 80 or more from that area, he led the way in efficiency at 53.6%.

His age hinders him the most on the defensive end with his side-to-side movement, but he still shows good awareness of team concepts. At the very least, he will be passable.

Grayson Allen, the other player in this deal, will have the chance to boost Charlotte’s distribution. With the lack of true point guards on the roster, Allen will provide some playmaking as a secondary ball-handler.

Phoenix liked to put the ball in Allen’s hands and let him work downhill. While working the pick-and-roll, he was adept at hitting the pocket pass. He also made some risky yet effective, sneaky mid-air adjustments on his passes. While not advisable for most players, he made plenty of plays where his hangtime allowed him to find a better angle for his teammates. Also, be on the lookout for his lob passes. It’s an underrated part of his passing package.

Allen’s three-point attempt rate, like O’Neale, is high. Allen, if healthy, will be a threat from the outside. Outside of his rookie year, last season was statistically his worst from downtown at 34.9%. But I think a lot of that can be attributed to the inconsistencies as he tried to play through injuries. He’s consistently hovered around 40% from behind the arc and has been one of the most efficient shooters in the league during his career.

Defensively, he shows grit and hustle and is a factor in the steal game. The team needs more players with an edge, and he’s certainly going to provide that.

Will Charlotte add to their Point Guard Depth?

After watching Sion James and Christian Anderson Jr. in these games, it’s hard to keep your mind from wondering what Jeff Peterson thinks of the point guard play. James really struggled to get the team into their offense and is better suited as an off-ball screener and connector. Anderson Jr. is still growing, and a lot of pressure would be placed on him to perform.

Point guard play is crucial for success and the development of the players around them. It’s been rough to watch in Vegas, and the frustrations could continue if Charlotte doesn’t add to their depth.

The issue is two-fold: the roster crunch and the dwindling options. The roster is at the offseason limit (21), and they will eventually have to make moves to get this team down to 15.2 The team still can use a minimum exception to sign a player, but where do they go? Russell Westbrook? Brandon Williams? Aaron Holiday? Even with those guys, you’d be relying on some hope that they’d get it done with the second unit.

The crop of free agents doesn’t look all that inspiring, but this is where we’re at.

It’s going to be an interesting couple of months with Brandon Miller’s extension, roster consolidation, and easing fans who were feeling so high after last season.