After a thrilling opening contest in which No. 3 overall pick VJ Edgecombe scored 28 points, the Summer Sixers' final two games in Salt Lake City were underwhelming.
The night after a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night in a game Edgecombe missed due to a left thumb contusion, the Summer Sixers squared off against the Memphis Grizzlies. But Edgecombe remained out with an injury that keeps him day-to-day, Adem Bona rested, and even the Grizzlies sat their key, NBA-relevant pieces.
Much of the juice had been taken out of Tuesday's game before it even started. But for most of the players that saw significant playing time, this was a prime opportunity to make an impression.
A batch of notes on the players that played in the Summer Sixers' 91-90 win against Memphis, plus the ones who were unavailable, and a preview of what is ahead of the squad in Las Vegas later this week:
Key absences
• Edgecombe was ruled out for this game with the same thumb contusion that held him out the prior night. He is still day-to-day; this is not a remotely serious injury. Summer League is a nice skill-development tool for young players, but it is not close to important enough for any prospect of significance to play through even the slightest of ailments. Edgecombe should suit up in Las Vegas, possibly as soon as Thursday's opening game.
• It was not a surprise that Bona rested. The only load management-related surprise on Tuesday was that Justin Edwards did not rest. It remains to be seen how much Bona and Edwards will actually play in Las Vegas; neither player needs to prove anything this month but are there for helpful reps. Bona struggled to stay out of foul trouble in his two games in Salt Lake City, and remaining disciplined as a defender might be his biggest point of emphasis moving forward. He made important strides in that department over the final several weeks of his rookie season.
• For the second straight night, Sixers two-way stretch four Alex Reese was out with Achilles soreness. Reese missed some time at the end of the regular season with an identical injury designation. It does not appear serious, but it is something to monitor.
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Tuesday's standout performers
• With Bona out, No. 35 overall pick Johni Broome slid up to the center position. The team ran a decent bit of offense through him, and it makes sense: Broome is a talented passer for a big, and it could become part of his utility at the NBA level if he pans out. In recent years the Sixers have focused more on developing their bigs as passers; it became a major focus last season and will continue to be on a team with plenty of high-caliber guards.
• Replacing Bona in the starting five was Jalen Slawson, whose athleticism has really popped. Slawson had some high-flying dunks in Salt Lake City, including this one early in Tuesday's game:
Slawson, the No. 54 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft by Sacramento, has 12 NBA appearances under his belt, all in his rookie season with the Kings.
• Once again, starting point guard Judah Mintz was very good for the Summer Sixers, showcasing his innate scoring ability. Mintz's offensive game stems from his stellar foul-drawing ability, and his knack for getting two feet in the paint continues to do him a lot of good. Mintz was outstanding down the stretch of this one, putting the Sixers ahead by a point with a tough running shot in the paint in the final minute, then finishing a dagger and-one floater -- with a celebration on top of it:
Mintz profiles as a microwave sort of guard off an NBA bench if things break right for him. If he posts his second straight strong Summer League -- sandwiching an excellent rookie season in the G League -- perhaps he will earn a chance on a two-way contract, whether that comes from the Sixers or another NBA team.
• After missing the first game in Salt Lake City due to an ankle sprain, Sixers two-way rookie Hunter Sallis struggled to accomplish much on Monday but looked a whole lot more comfortable against Memphis, playing with some pace and freedom. Sallis was impressive offensively in the first half, knocking down an early triple moments after throwing down a major poster dunk:
Every player loves to throw down a slam like this, but Sallis appears more focused on developing the finer aspects of his game over the summer.
"Defensively, that's an area that I really want to show that I'm really good at," Sallis said after the team's first practice last week. "And becoming a more consistent knock-down shooter, that goes a long way with any team in this league. So definitely the two main focuses of my skill development, for sure."
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Looking ahead to Las Vegas
The Sixers have a four-game slate ahead of them in Las Vegas, and will play at least one additional game that is yet to be scheduled. Their stay could be longer if they end up making a run in the Summer League tournament. But their four games on the slate are full of intriguing matchups:
Just like Edgecombe, Spurs No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper is currently dealing with a nagging injury. Neither player's status for Thursday's opening night main event is clear yet, but if they both suit up there should be plenty of life in the Thomas & Mack Center.
The Summer Sixers' remaining scheduled games are all against top picks: Hornets No. 4 overall pick Kon Knueppel, then Dallas Mavericks No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg and Washington Wizards No. 6 overall pick Tre Johnson.
While the Sixers never ended up having a chance at Flagg, they attempted to trade up for Harper and considered Knueppel and Johnson before opting to select Edgecombe at No. 3.
For the first time in a long time, the Summer Sixers are involved in many of the higher-profile matchups in Las Vegas.
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