Carter Bryant was back in action for San Antonio (Photo via X)
The San Antonio Spurs finished the California Classic Summer League with a record of 1-2 after fumbling away a game against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Spurs held a healthy lead throughout the second half before a late collapse allowed the Lakers to escape with a 89-88 victory.
Next up, San Antonio travels to Las Vegas to continue their summer league play. In Vegas, Dylan Harper is expected to make his Spurs debut — so that’s reason enough to stay tuned.
Stats: Spurs vs. Lakers
spurs lakers summer league grades
Spurs vs. Lakers – Final Grades
Carter Bryant
The good: There were definitely high level flashes of defensive brilliance. Bryant can really move his feet, which allows him to pressure far out on the perimeter. His team defense was excellent at times and he consistently communicated. Offensively, I see glimpses. He lacks confidence but the tools appear to be there for him to create his own shots. The bad: Bryant shot poorly again. He clearly doesn’t trust his ability to dribble in traffic. Four turnovers and four fouls accurately paints the picture of how sloppy he was at times tonight.
Grade: C+
Riley Minix
Minix made his summer league debut and he looked pretty good. Offensively, he’s talented; he’s not just a catch and shoot sniper. Minix has natural scoring talent — so hopefully we see more of that as summer league continues. Defensively, he actually looked halfway decent. Minix was a little bit heavy-footed at times but did pretty well on that end for the most part by using his size.
Grade: B
Harrison Ingram
The good: Ingram is easily the best passer on this team. He sees the court well, processes the action quickly and has great timing. Defensively, he’s longer than he looks, which allows him to be disruptive. The bad: Scoring is an issue because of his lack of touch, height or athleticism. Those issues also cap his defensive upside.
Grade: C
David Jones-Garcia
Jones-Garcia continues to carry the squad offensively. He put together an efficient 25 point outing that saw him hit 9-of-15 from the field, including 3-of-5 from three-point range and 4-for-4 at the line. His shooting stroke is pristine, he’s attacking with patience and his touch is enviable. Against the Lakers, he did a much better job of passing the ball and limiting his mistakes. Defensively, he was okay-ish but lacked the intensity we saw in previous outings. All in all, Jones-Garcia is definitely making a push for a two-way contract.
Grade: A-
Nate Mensah
Mensah’s defensive impact was muted. His feet looked slow at times and his lack of size was glaring. Offensively, though, he flashed good hands and moved to open spots consistently. It’ll be interesting to watch how he performs in Las Vegas when the Spurs have their full summer league team. In that setting, he should be a valuable role player.
Grade: B-
Omari Moore
Moore had a painful turnover at the end that aided Los Angeles’ comeback efforts — but I like how he played before that. He’s a good ball-handler for being 6-foot-6. He has some wiggle to him and can get down hill. The form on his jumper is solid and his decision-making is usually a plus. Defensively, he competes on and off the ball. Moore has successfully bounced back from a dreadful summer league opener.
Grade: B
Osayi Osifo
Osifo continues to be a fun player to watch. He’s all effort and determination out there. His speed in the open court is legitimately game-changing. His physicality on the boards is palpable. Osifo isn’t blessed with much skill but he has more than his share of heart.
Grade: B+
Dexter Dennis
Dennis couldn’t really get it going offensively. He tried to be aggressive but the lanes just weren’t opening for him. Defensively, I liked what I saw. His potential on that end is actually quite high.
Grade: C+
Kyle Mangas
His stats don’t jump off the page but this was a big step forward for Mangas. He still hasn’t hit a three-pointer in summer league but Mangas plays with guts, passes the ball well and is courageous in the paint. His defense will never be a positive trait at this level but he did a better job tonight of scratching and clawing.
Grade: C+
Jameer Nelson, Jr.
Nelson was a ball of energy out there. His explosiveness was impressive and he showed no hesitation on either end. Unfortunately, Nelson got a bit out of control, as he gave (three turnovers) as much as he got (three steals). Add in five field goal attempts and three free throw attempts in only six minutes and it’s safe to say Nelson was a bit too active for his own good.
Grade: C
Chibuzo Agbo
Agbo understands his role. He shot five three-pointers in five minutes. He hit two of his long-balls, so there’s no complaining about the accuracy.
Grade: B-
Cam Carter
Carter has some sizzle. He only played four minutes but he knocked down a pair of triples. I want to see him get an extended run at some point in summer league.
Grade: B
Mike Noyes
Mangas playing more than Nelson, Agbo and Carter is certainly an interesting decision. The rest of the rotation was fine. The meltdown at the end wasn’t particularly Noyes’ fault.
Grade: C+