Tennessee Summer League Overview
With the Las Vegas Summer League starting on Friday, the young guns will have the NBA’s full attention. There have already been some games in Sacramento and Salt Lake City as a warmup before the main competition begins. There will be eight Volunteers looking to improve their NBA outlook with strong performances in the summer. Let’s take a quick look at each one.
Former Tennessee G Kennedy Chandler
Kyle Alexander (Washington Wizards) - This is a big opportunity for Alexander, who is not currently with an NBA team. After leaving Tennessee, he spent some time with the Heat but has most recently been in Europe.
Jordan Bowden (LA Clippers) - Like Alexander, Bowden does not have an NBA contract. He has spent the last three seasons with the Long Island Nets of the NBA G League. He averaged 17.3 points per game there last season, and he saw limited time with the Nets in the Summer League in the past.
Kennedy Chandler (Brooklyn Nets) - Speaking of Nets, Kennedy Chandler will be with the Brooklyn Nets for this year’s Summer League. Chandler spent last season with the Memphis Grizzlies, playing in just under half of their regular season contests. He was released at the end of the season, and he could be looking for a permanent deal with the Nets after a strong summer.
Keon Johnson (Portland Trail Blazers) - Keon Johnson does have an NBA home going into the Summer League. Still, he will need to play well to position himself well heading into his third NBA season. He’ll be going into his second full campaign with Portland, whose offseason could involve a lot of changes.
Julian Phillips (Chicago Bulls) - Julian Phillips was the only Volunteer drafted this year. This will be his first chance to impress his new team. He is likely to see a lot of action this summer, as he looks to form a strong chemistry with some young teammates.
Uros Plavsic (Atlanta Hawks) - Although he was not drafted, Plavsic is also fresh out of college. This will be a great opportunity for him to impress Atlanta or another franchise and earn an NBA, two-way, or G League contract.
Yves Pons (Atlanta Hawks) - Playing with Plavsic will be Yves Pons. He is further removed from Knoxville than his teammate, but he still has much to prove. His most recent NBA action was with Memphis in 2020-21 where he played in 12 games. He played in the Summer League with Brooklyn last summer.
Jaden Springer (Philadelphia 76ers) - Last but not least is Jaden Springer. He is entering his third year with the 76ers and has already seen time this summer. In Philadelphia’s two-point loss to Memphis on Monday, Springer had 11 points in 26 minutes. Springer played for both the 76ers and their G League affiliate last season, averaging 19 points per game with the latter.
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