3 Spurs Undrafted Free Agents to Watch in Summer League
The San Antonio Spurs will kick-off play at the Vegas Summer League Friday at 4 p.m. C.T. against the Cleveland Cavaliers, as first-round picks Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley will get their first chance to shine on a NBA stage.
San Antonio will be without top selection and Baylor Bears forward Jeremy Sochan for the entirety of Summer League play after his stint on the league's health and safety protocols last week. He'll be in attendance with the team, but a lack of conditioning and practice time means that fans will have to wait until the preseason to catch an in-game glimpse of the rookie.
Josh Primo, Wesley, and Branham will both be seeing plenty of action as the "stars" on the Summer League roster. But along with some G Leaguers, the rest of the team is made up with talented undrafted free agents that are aiming to secure a seat on a NBA bench next year.
Here's three Spurs' UDFAs that fans should keep an eye on as Summer League begins.
Jordan Hall, Guard, St. Joseph's
Of all the undrafted free agents on the Summer League roster, Hall seems to be the most likely to earn himself a opening-night roster spot or a role with the Austin Spurs in the G League at least. He averaged 14.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.2 steals in 34.9 minutes per game for St. Joseph's last season.
Hall's impressive 6-8, 210-pound frame combined with his floor vision and passing ability makes him an intriguing prospect in a point-forward type of role. Despite going undrafted, his 5.8 assists was the 12th-best average in the nation last season. This stat is even more impressive when considering the fact that St Joe's wasn't even in the top half in the Atlantic 10 in points per game and field goal percentage last year, meaning Hall had to make a plethora of timely passes all season long to reach his impressive assist average.
Many expect Primo or Wesley to handle the rock for the majority of possessions in Vegas, and rightfully so. But expect to see Hall bring the ball up the court often to initiate any of the sets that coach Mitch Johnson wants to run.
Primo and Wesley will both get ample opportunities to operate as the ball-handler in the pick-and-roll, but Hall might already be in a position to outshine them both in this area. His passing strengths are exemplified when he's the primary handler in the P&R. Hall's size helps amplify his court vision in these sets to get passes over smaller guards or skip the ball crosscourt when the help defense is drawn to the roll man.
He's not too shabby of a scorer either. Hall reached double figures in 24 of 30 games last year, including 22 points on the road against powerhouse Villanova in early December. And want to get a sense of just how impressive his size is? He's taller than the next guy on our list, who is listed as a forward.
Darius Days, Forward, LSU
Days, who started all 33 games he played in for the Tigers last season, provides ideal stretch-big ability for the Spurs in Vegas. Though a bit undersized for a true NBA big-man role at 6-7, he packs a punch with a 245-pound frame.
The Raleigh, Florida native averaged 13.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game last season while leading the Tigers with 69 makes from 3-point range. He's got a smooth, quick, high release, with a follow-through that is held for the entirety of the process. This serves well for his potential catch-and-shoot role in this lineup. Ideally, the Spurs' offense in Vegas would look quite productive with a Days-Primo or Days-Hall pick-and-pop attempt for a majority of possessions, though this remains to be seen.
He's even shown flashes of some back-to-the-basket game with a few turnarounds in the post last season. He doesn't have a deep package of moves, but his right-hand hook could prove to be effective over the next week despite its simplicity.
One trait that might stand out a few times for fans in Vegas in Days' sneaky guard-like ability to put the ball on the floor and handle it with decent control for a guy his size. This, along with the steady ability to make some confident passes that most would only see from a guard makes him one of the most intriguing players on a roster that only has four true big men. He specifically seems to like the off-the-dribble underhand pass with his right hand, so don't be surprised to see that from him starting Friday.
Dominick Barlow, Forward, Overtime Elite
Barlow used the up-and-coming Overtime Elite league to vault himself up into NBA Draft conversation. He was a beast in OTE, posting averages of 14.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.2 blocks.
Though he went undrafted, which many saw as a surprise, his exposure on that stage earned Barlow a two-way contract with the Spurs immediately after the draft.
At 6-10, 220 pounds, and a 7-3 wingspan per NBADraft.net, Barlow's size, shooting skill, and athleticism are enough to make Spurs fan salivate once they get a glimpse of what he can do in Vegas.
He's got smooth finishing ability at the rim and has proven capability to put the ball on the floor effectively when given an open lane. Barlow's long and lengthy strides might appear on the slow side at first, but he's able to glide to the rim with ease once he gets a head start in the open floor.
When it comes to shooting, Barlow's high release along with his size makes for a nice combination of shooting effectiveness. Even though he towered over the smaller competition at the OTE level, his near seven-foot frame will allow him to run with the bigs in Vegas.
One unteachable trait that Barlow already has is a high motor and unrelenting competitiveness. Constantly showing passionate emotion after every play, he's battler on the boards and can create multiple new possessions on offense with his ability to fly in and secure the rebound.
Though not the bounciest of athletes, this high-energy play helps him excel in the dunkers spot as the center or small-ball five, which is likely where Johnson will play him at for the Spurs.
Barlow could end up being one of the biggest surprises for the Spurs in Vegas over the next week.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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