Jaylen Hands makes push for contract, impresses at NBA Summer League
One Bruin is making another push for prominence in Sin City this summer.
The NBA Las Vegas Summer League came to a close Tuesday night, with the Sacramento Kings beating the Boston Celtics in the championship game 100-67. There weren't any former UCLA men's basketball players taking part in the finals, but there was one who made a late push for a roster spot elsewhere in the tournament.
Jaylen Hands earned a spot on the Cleveland Cavaliers' summer league roster after spending the past few months under contract in Serbia. After one season on the Brooklyn Nets' G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, he was dealt to the Detroit Pistons, who wound up waiving his rights in June.
Hands was drafted No. 56 overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, but has yet to get a shot at the Association since then.
The Cavaliers finished 2-3 in the five games they played from Aug. 8-17, with Hands appearing off the bench in all five of them.
Hands opened things up with a 10-point, three-assist performance against the Houston Rockets and 2021 No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green. The Bruin then followed that up with nine points and four assists against the Orlando Magic.
In terms of efficiency and gross output, Hands took a stumble when he posted just two points and one assist against the New Orleans Pelicans – albeit with four rebounds – but he somewhat recovered with seven points and five assists on 30% shooting against the New York Knicks.
Hands' top performance came in Cleveland's finale against the Phoenix Suns on Aug. 16. He dropped 15 points with four rebounds and three assists, and he put up a team-high +24 plus/minus.
Hands averaged 8.6 points, 3.2 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 17.8 minutes per game, all while shooting 45.9% from the field and 72.7% from the free throw line. He did shoot 1-of-7 from deep, however, despite shooting at 35.3% clip in the G League and 37.3% across his two years at UCLA.
Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor wrote Tuesday that Hands was the most likely candidate to secure the Cavaliers' second and final two-way contract. Still, his faults shined through over the 10-day summer league, according to Fedor:
Hands looked the best, giving the summer Cavs a legit, poised and confident floor general. A former five-star high schooler who signed a two-year contract with a Serbian team in the ABA League in January, he didn’t score efficiently and struggled on defense.
Based on the last week and a half, the speedy Hands would theoretically have the best shot at the second two-way -- although it’s possible the Cavs just snag someone else from an opposing roster.
The Cavaliers' other two-way contract is reportedly expected to be offered to Brodric Thomas.
One of Hands' former teammates, guard Chris Smith, is taking up one of the two-way spots for Cleveland's division foe Detroit Pistons.
Follow Connon on Twitter at @SamConnon
Follow All Bruins on Twitter at @SI_AllBruins
Like All Bruins on Facebook at @SI.AllBruins
Read more UCLA stories: UCLA Bruins on Sports Illustrated
Read more UCLA men's basketball stories: UCLA Men's Basketball on Sports Illustrated
