Harrison Ingram and the Spurs notched a summer league victory (Photo via X)
The San Antonio Spurs got their first win of summer league in their second outing, a 90-88 victory over Warriors in Golden State’s home arena. Playing without lottery picks Dylan Harper and Carter Bryant — in addition to Riley Minix — the Spurs were able to hold on late in a battle that was close throughout.
Stats: Spurs vs. Warriors
Spurs vs. Warriors – Final Grades
Harrison Ingram
In his second summer league game, Ingram did much better. He was much more patient, used his body wisely and carved out attempts near the rim. His passing remained a plus. Defensively, he’s solid and he keeps his hands active. In the bigger picture, though, Ingram’s lack of height, athleticism or shooting touch makes it difficult to envision a role for him in the big leagues. He’s a smart player but he’d have to have an all-time great IQ to make up for his disadvantages. (Ingram is still on a minutes restriction — it’ll be interesting to see if that restriction is lifted when the games shift to Las Vegas.)
Grade: B+
David Jones-Garcia
The good: Jones-Garcia is clearly a natural-born scorer. His three-point stroke looks smooth, he can get to his spots in the lane, he has deft feel from a variety of angles and he instinctually draws contact. Defensively, he’s really putting in a lot of effort. The bad: Jones-Garcia has a loose handle for a point guard; he struggles to navigate through traffic. While his court vision is adequate, the timing of his passing is unreliable and usually substandard. His iffy dribbling and passing resulted in six turnovers against the Warriors. Jones-Garcia is actively trying to figure out what’s a good shot and when it’s better to give up the rock. Overall: Jones-Garcia’s scoring ability makes him a somewhat intriguing prospect but he has some glaring flaws as a playmaking prospect.
Grade: B
Nathan Mensah
It looks like Mensah, like Ingram, is on a minutes restriction. Versus Golden State, he did very little on the offensive end but his activity on defense was commendable. He was legitimately disruptive on that end.
Grade: B-
Omari Moore
After a poor debut, it was great to see Moore bounce back versus Golden State. He came out of the gates with commendable aggression on defense, which helped him gain confidence and get him on the right track. Once he settled in, Moore looked pretty good. He still made more than his share of mistakes but he shot it well, made quick decisions, authored smart passes and looked comfortable handling the ball. On paper, Moore is one of the better prospects on this team so hopefully he stays comfortable and keeps producing.
Grade: B
Dexter Dennis
Dennis put together an impressive all-around outing. Offensively, the form on his jumper impressed, his agility when attacking the basket was noteworthy and his athleticism popped. Defensively, he picks up high, stays engaged and he’s willing to get his hands dirty. All in all, when adding both performances together, Dennis might have been the team’s best player in the first two summer league contests.
Grade: B+
Chibuzo Agbo
Agbo isn’t going to blow anyone away but he’s 6-foot-7, has a sweet shooting stroke and is reasonably athletic. He’s going to have to become a flamethrower from deep to make it in the NBA but that doesn’t look like a total impossibility.
Grade: B-
Kyle Mangas
Mangas is a really good passer for a shooting guard and he clearly processes the game at a high level. But, man, his lack of athleticism really makes it difficult to justify playing him. Defensively, he’s not staying in front of anyone. Offensively, every shot he attempts gets bothered due to his inability to create separation. Mangas is now 1-for-10 from the field in summer league, including 0-for-7 from three-point territory.
Grade: D+
Jameer Nelson, Jr.
The good: Nelson used his mix of burst, strength and craftiness to carve out 12 free throw attempts in only 18 minutes. I can’t stress enough how much of a better athlete he is compared to last year’s summer league. Passing is another area of improvement. Nelson had a handful of quality passes and finished the contest without a turnover. Defensively, his lack of size hurts his cause but he’s locked in on that end. The bad: Nelson was only 1-for-6 from the field. He’s also still prone to dribbling too much. Considering he’s 6-foot-1, it’s also not a great sign that he looks more comfortable off the ball than on the ball.
Grade: B+
Osayi Osifo
Osifo was a definite difference-maker against the Warriors. He’s not highly skilled but he’s 6-foot-9, as fast as a deer and uber aggressive. He now has 14 fouls in 33 minutes of summer league action but, hey, he’s making things happen and adds an element of physicality that the squad needs.
Grade: B+
Ibrahima Diallo
Diallo has some of the slowest feet I’ve ever seen. It’s painful to watch him defend anything outside of the charge circle. Thankfully, he’s a good rebounder and he’s tall so he has some use.
Grade: C+
Cam Carter
Carter has shiftiness and he’s oozing with confidence. He is very comfortable getting to his shot off the dribble. Carter’s issue will be his size. He looks both short and skinny. He’s listed at 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds but he plays smaller than that. That said, it’d be fun to see him get a longer run at some point in summer league — he’s entertaining to watch.
Grade: B-
Mike Noyes
The good: Getting a win with this roster was impressive. It’s a bunch of undrafted kids and Ingram on a minutes restriction. Sticking with Moore paid dividends. I liked that Noyes played Jones-Garcia and Nelson together. He’s also allowing Jones-Garcia to play through his mistakes. The bad: Not sure how much longer he can justify playing Mangas.
Grade: B+