The 2016 Orlando Summer League that occurred at the beginning of July ended with the Orlando Magic White, one of the Magic’s two Summer League teams, defeating the Detroit Pistons in the championship game. With few 2016 NBA draft prospects participating in Orlando, there were many NBA hopefuls that were given the chance to showcase their talents in front of NBA personnel. There was a slew of players that stood out in Orlando, and proved that they belong in the NBA. Let’s take a look at the standouts from the 2016 Orlando Summer League.
2016 Orlando Summer League Standouts
Vander Blue- Dallas Mavericks
After five games in the Orlando Summer League it became pretty clear where Vander Blue belongs. Blue is a NBA caliber player, and NBA executives saw that firsthand two weeks ago. From the beginning of the Summer League Tournament, Blue was ahead of the competition. His best performance came against the Orlando Magic White Team, in which he scored 23 points on 7-13 shooting and had two steals. Blue was efficient throughout the entire week for what was an underwhelming Mavericks team. He finished the tournament averaging 17.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. He also shot a very efficient 40% from the three-point line. Blue, 6’3, can be a combo guard at the NBA level. He has all the tools to be a successful backup guard in the league and has been knocking on the doors of a NBA roster for quite some time. As a veteran in Summer League this year, Blue proved he has the talent to make a NBA team, and now it is up to NBA executives to realize the same.
Jordan Bachynski- Detroit Pistons
Jordan Bachynski never started a game for Detroit in Summer League, but that never seemed to matter. Before Summer League began I spoke with Bachynski about his summer and what his goal was heading into Summer League.
“I need as many people to watch me as possible and see the strides I’ve made in improving my game.”
Bachynski capitalized on his mission in Orlando, as he was extremely productive coming off the bench in four games for Detroit. He only played four of the five games Detroit had in Orlando, because he also is currently playing for the Portland Trail Blazers in the Las Vegas Summer League. He averaged 10 points and six rebounds per game in Orlando. His highlight game was when he posted 11 points, 9 rebounds, a steal, and a block in only 17 minutes against the New York Knicks. Bachynski’s stats do not jump off the screen, but his efficiency should. He only played 18 minutes per game in Orlando. While doing so, he shot very well. From the field, he shot 71.4%, and from the free throw line, he shot 77%. Bachynski, much like Blue is a NBA ready player, and both have shown what they are capable of against other NBA hopefuls.
Arinze Onuaku- Orlando Magic White
Need a monster on your roster? Well, Arinze Onuaku fits the profile. At 6’9 and 260 lbs, Onuaku physically dominated any big man that he came across in the Orlando Summer League. Onuaku averaged 14.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game. He also shot 62.5% from the field. The stats look good with Onuaku, but there are some weaknesses with Onuaku’s game when the eye test is completed. Onuaku’s size tends to hurt him at times. He is shorter compared to most centers and also heavier. That can be good on offense when playing in the post but his size hurts him in virtually every other aspect of his game. He struggles to run the floor with other bigmen, and on defense, players are able to blow by him and find a good shot when he is dragged out of the paint. Overall Onuaku had a good Summer League and deserves a training camp invite, where he could sway an NBA team into giving hima chance and signing him to their roster.
Chasson Randle- New York Knicks
Chasson Randle had a very interesting Orlando Summer League. In the Knicks first two games in Orlando, they were annihilated, scoring less that 50 points in each game. Randle was a DNP in both contests. He would then go on to finally get a shot in New York’s third game, against the Los Angeles Clippers. He came in off the bench and once he came in, he took over. He led the Knicks past Los Angeles, dropping 24 points and five assists in 33 minutes. He also had five rebounds, and more impressively six steals. Randle finished the Summer League averaging 18.3 points, 5 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 3 steals per game. He shot extremely efficient, shooting 47.6% from the field, 55% from the three-point line, and 80% from the charity stripe. Randle showcased he can play on both sides of the ball, and do it efficiently.
These four players stood out among the rest of the players who did not come into the 2016 Orlando Summer League under contract with a NBA franchise. All four of these players have the potential to sign a contract with a NBA team this offseason based on their performances in Orlando.
