Despite Winning Top Rookie Honors, Jerryd Bayless Has Much to Prove

Notes from a trip to the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

A couple of days ago, I wrote that the player who impressed me the most in the Las Vegas Summer League was Kevin Love. After examining more evidence, I'd like to re-phrase that.

I still think that Love is the most NBA-ready prospect I've seen -- and I'll go so far as to say that he's my early pick for Rookie of the Year -- but Jerryd Bayless has been flat-out electric. He had the crowd in awe as he put up 36 points in a close game last night, including 17 in the final quarter.

All in all, he's averaged 29.8 points in four games. He warmed up for today's game with his teammates, but he's spent most of the game sitting on the sidelines with his hand wrapped in ice. (It's nothing serious -- an MRI was negative -- but after being named to the USA Select Team that will scrimmage against Team USA over the next few days, he could use the rest.)

Bayless was awarded the T-Mobile NBA Summer League Top Rookie trophy before tonight's game, which, judging by the way he filled the bucket, is an honor I completely endorse.

But is he ready to make an immediate impact for the Blazers? That much remains to be seen. I chatted with Nate McMillan after Bayless' explosion last night, and he was quick to point out that it wouldn't be the rookie's scoring prowess that earns him playing time this year.

Matt Watson: Obviously when you guys drafted Jerryd Bayless, you knew he'd be good. Did you think he'd be this good?

Nate McMillan: Well, it's summer league. I didn't see Tony Parker and some of those guys out there. We know he has a lot of potential. What we want to do is put him in certain situations this summer, playing him off the ball, playing him with the ball.

I thought tonight he started off playing with the ball, got off to a slow start. Coach [Monty] Williams moves him back to the two guard and he had a good second half. It's just showing us what his potential is at, and we know that he can do certain things out there, but there are certain areas we want him to grow at. And he'll be able to do that.

MW: What do you think some of those areas are?

NM: Just playing the point guard position. [In the regular season], Brandon Roy will be playing the off-guard. So if he can play the point position and create some opportunities and make some decisions at that position, it really will help his game and help [put him in] a position that he can see some playing time in.

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Bayless was just plain fearless attacking the basket, and though he's undersized, he seems to enjoy drawing contact and getting to the free-throw line. But can he make plays for his teammates as well as for himself? He still needs to prove it: in four games, he's tallied five assists and 15 turnovers.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

7-21-2008 @ 2:05AM

Alan said...

look at the guys Bayless had to pass to, thats the reason he had so few assists.

And i'll take my money on Greg Oden for ROY

7-20-2008 @ 10:56PM

Tha Prowler said...

beasley will win ROY. bayless wont get to put up as many shots during the season..much less have the ball in his hands. tha only ROY u should thinking about is brandon.

7-20-2008 @ 11:41PM

ryan said...

Love will top out at 10ppg and 6 or 7 reb/gm in his career... just not a high ceiling-

http://www.collegefastbreak.com/

7-21-2008 @ 2:15PM

Love will be in the running just because he will get lots of minutes and fill up the stat sheet, but in two or three years his draft mates will pass him in terms of production b/c of their higher potential

7-21-2008 @ 2:26AM

breast enhancement said...

If he comes out with another great year, I will have said he is definitily a star in his own right.

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7-21-2008 @ 11:33AM

gary said...

I got to see Bayless play in high school and he has a tremendous desire to succeed. He'll do well, very well, once he has been in the league for a couple years and realizes he can compete at this level too, not just the rookie league. http://www.choicearizona.com/arizona_auto_insurance.php

7-21-2008 @ 12:39PM

Jesse said...

How weird is the NBA gonna be in three or four years? Blazers and Grizzlies could possibly be the 2 strongest dynasties.. yes i said dyansties. Memphis is looking at Conley, Mayo, Gay, Arthur, and Gasol plus next years pick (which will be good because they wont have a good record this year) and THE MOST CAP ROOM PERIOD for a team. By not signing anyone this offseason the GM is a.) making even more cap room for the Summers of Stars the next 2 offseasons (think about that lineup with the addition of a Bosh, Stoudemire, Ming, Boozer, LBJ, or D-wade type who will all be free agents, and they will have enough to sign one of these AND another quality if not star player with that kinda cap room), and b.) not paying to much for a player that doesnt need to make that much and will just add enough wins to knock them down the draft board a little so instead they can add another good player through the draft and pay them a rookie salary. And the Blazers are lookin at.....

7-21-2008 @ 12:45PM

Bayless, Roy, Batum, Aldridge, Oden, Outlaw, Frye, Diogu, and Webster plus after next season they will still have Bayless, Roy, Oden, and Aldridge all under contract still but only have 23 Mill on the books!!!! So they also could add one of those huge stars during the summers of 2009 and 2010. Out of that group of free agents im guessing T-mac, Joe Johnson, Marion, Artest, or Odom would fit in good with that team. So how about that Portland and Memphis's GMs will look pretty smart in the next few years if they can catch the eye of a star or two....

7-21-2008 @ 12:47PM

And everyone know that rumor about Lebron and D-wade may be wanting to take less money and play together. I think i have come up with the perfect place for them both to go in 2010. That summer the Sonics (or whatever they are going to be called) will only have 27 Mill on their books and still have Durant, Green, and Westbrook on their roster. I really think Lebron and Wade would be willing to go play their together. It would still be a fresh new market and team (name and logo wise) for them to come in and take over. And you put LBJ, Wade, and Durant on the floor together and you have the new ( much younger ) Celtics, and a team that could possibly break Jordan's recent 6 titles run. Let me know what you think....

7-22-2008 @ 12:32PM

Rusty said...

C'mon....we all know Greg Oden is going to be ROY. He's the one that's most NBA ready, and he's HUNGRY. Love? Don't think so. He'll be a decent NBA player, but not a superstar.