Here are this year's top Summer League performers

22.6 ppg ┃4.2 rpg ┃4 apg ┃1.2 spg ┃3.4 3pm

The last Knicks player who promised fans he would dominate was Amar’e Stoudemire. Year after year, he swore he was healthy and ready to dominate, only to return injury-plagued and regressed. So when Quentin Grimes said he was coming to dominate Summer League, Knicks fans were rightly hesitant. But dominate, he did. He finished the last ESPN Summer League MVP rankings in first place, while averaging nearly 23 ppg. He also led the Knicks to the Summer League championship game, and even though they lost, he ended the game as their leading scorer. This summer, Grimes showed he is more than a three-and-D role player. He exhibited a renewed confidence not seen since his high school days, with a tightened handle and willingness to attack the basket in traffic. Rumors have persisted that he is the top trade target of the Utah Jazz if a Donovan Mitchell deal to the Knicks happens. If he’s not included in a Mitchell package, Grimes has proved he deserves to take the starting spot from Evan Fournier this season, as he would be a more defensive-focused complementary piece next to Jalen Brunson and R.J. Barrett.

27.4 ppg ┃4.2 apg ┃0.8 spg ┃87% ft

Cam Thomas is a Summer League legend. The 20 year old’s nine-game average of 27.5 is a Summer League record, ahead of second place Damian Lillard’s 26 ppg. Thomas has shown out as an improved defender while unleashing his full offensive abilities. The knock on Thomas has been his playmaking inability. He squashed those concerns this summer with an impressive seven-assist game over the 76ers last week. He also chipped in 26 points, three rebounds, and two steals that game. His 4 apg shows an increased commitment to be better on that end, as it’s a marked improvement over the 1.2 assists he averaged as a rookie last year.

Furthermore, that seven-dime high against Philly was greater than any in-game assist total as a pro or while in college at LSU. If Thomas continues to grow into a well-rounded guard, he could find himself higher in the pecking order should the Nets decide to fulfill Kevin Durant’s trade request and even scuttle Kyrie Irving out of town. Thomas has the tools and moxie to potentially become the face of the franchise should the Nets pivot toward a total rebuild. The Nets only need to look at how Thomas has wanted the pressure of being “the man” in Summer League while delivering in that role.

16.8 ppg ┃5 apg ┃2.2 spg ┃50% fg

Quentin Grimes wasn’t the only Knick taking a step forward in Summer League. Like Obi Toppin and Immanuel Quickley did last summer, 2021 draftmates Grimes and Miles McBride formed a potent duo to lead the Knicks to a 3-2 record. McBride was his usual dawg on defense, locking up opposing guards in every game. But he showed increased attention to pace while getting to the basket more. In the G League last year, Knicks fans witnessed plenty of domination against lesser talent. But once the Knicks called him up, he would often disappear in games with the regular season rotation. In Summer League, as the second scoring option, he looked for his shot far more often while remaining efficient at 50 percent shooting from the field. McBride isn’t a lead NBA-level facilitator, but he’s an excellent third point guard behind Jalen Brunson and Derrick Rose.

23.3 ppg ┃7.3 rpg ┃50% fg ┃40% 3p

When the Sacramento went with Keegan Murray over Jaden Ivey, NBA Twitter immediately roasted the Kings for being, well, the Kings. Ivey seemed like a sure bet, and the Kings already had a history of drafting three-point shooting guards. Once the Summer League started, Murray looked like one of the best players, if not the best, with his performance for the Kings. Murray, named Las Vegas Summer League MVP, dropped shooting splits of 50/40/81 through four games. Murray’s performance against No. 1 Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic will go down in Summer League lore. Murray led a furious fourth-quarter run, coming up short but ending with 20 points and nine rebounds while shooting 4-of-8 from three. But it was the forced turnover on Banchero that set up Murray as a Summer League legend when he nailed a buzzer-beating three to send the game into overtime and complete a 20-point fourth-quarter comeback. The Kings’ front office issued a mandate for the team to make the playoffs next season. Murray has made a case to join the starting lineup and help break the team’s nearly 20-year playoff drought.

27.5 ppg┃4 rpg ┃1.5 spg ┃1.5 bpg

It seemed like Moody felt left out of the Warriors’ championship run. After mostly riding the bench during the Finals, Moody was the one playoff rotation player who didn’t impact Golden State’s title win. In response, the 14th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft took full control of the Summer League and showed everybody what to expect from the second-year player next season. Moody led Summer League in scoring with an average of 27.0 ppg, with his highest output coming from a 34-point performance against the New York Knicks.

After losing Gary Payton Jr. in free agency, the Warriors will lean upon Moody as a more active contributor on offense. But to get consistent playing time, he must show a commitment to defense. Moody wasn’t a lockdown defender in Summer League, but there were moments when he aggressively played the passing lanes and ripped away steals. If he can put a complete package together, his Summer League outing could be a preview to the regular season, giving the Warriors yet another offensive weapon off the bench.