Summer League is winding down. Who played well? Who didn’t? Who really didn’t?
For better or worse, Summer League is winding down. All of the Sixers’ rookies and second-year players will soon be back on ice, likely spending August working out and refining their craft until training camp starts in September.
The Sixers have one more game to play, and it remains to be seen whether their key players will suit up. My guess is they’ll let some of the end-of-roster invites get a chance to play, but we’ll see. Regardless, we’ve got a solid sample size on many of the Sixers we’ve been keeping a close eye on. That begs the question: how did they fare? Who stood out? Who underwhelmed? What surprises emerged?
While Summer League isn’t always the best place for sweeping conclusions, a few key players did stand out. There’s still plenty to dig into, so let’s take a look at some of the Sixers’ Summer League standouts — for better or worse.
The rising depth behind Joel Embiid
We’re all well accustomed to the uncertainty surrounding Joel Embiid’s future. With that cloud hanging over the franchise, the Sixers desperately needed to invest in depth behind him. Andre Drummond was expected to fill that role, but a toe injury severely limited him last season, to the point where he was often unplayable. We’ll see how Drummond fares this coming season.
Still, Drummond isn’t getting any younger, and attention is beginning to shift toward a potential youth movement. Adem Bona was a pleasant surprise last season, and the team used its early second-round pick on Johni Broome — both of whom suited up for Summer League this year.
Bona and Broome each put together solid Summer League campaigns in their own way. Bona averaged 8.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 2.6 blocks in 24.1 minutes per game, shooting 57.6 percent from the field. Broome, meanwhile, averaged 11.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 0.9 blocks across seven games.
Starting with Bona, the basic stats don’t fully capture his impact. He was all over the place defensively — contesting shots, altering others, and blocking his fair share. He also did a solid job managing his aggression and rarely played out of control. While Bona averaged 4.8 fouls per game, he never recorded more than four fouls in Las Vegas. His highest foul totals came in Utah, where he picked up eight and six fouls in two games, respectively. For context, Summer League allows players to commit up to 10 fouls, and teams often encourage bigs to take advantage of that leeway.
Broome, on the other hand, plays at a noticeably different pace and brings a distinct skill set compared to Bona. He does a lot of the little things well — setting solid screens, rebounding, hedging on defense, and using his footwork and strength to finish consistently around the rim. For most of Summer League, Broome was deployed as a power forward alongside Bona, which frequently placed him on the perimeter. Despite not being known as much of a shooter, he not only held his own but thrived, hitting 38.9 percent of his threes on 5.1 attempts per game across seven outings.
Overall, I think both Bona and Broome showed enough in this Summer League, each in their own way. It’s not easy for big men in this setting, especially with guard play that can be inconsistent and players all fighting to prove themselves. Both guys played within their roles effectively and should provide the Sixers with solid options behind Embiid moving forward. Bona’s game is anchored on defense, while Broome offers a versatile skill set on the offensive end.
Moving forward, Bona’s key challenge will be keeping his foul rate down and maintaining control at NBA speed. As for Broome, my concerns about his shooting have lessened, but his defensive consistency remains my main reservation about him as a prospect.
Should you be worried about Justin Edwards?
Expectations were set high for Edwards, who is fresh off of a multi-year deal and entering his second Summer League with the Sixers. The results, much like his first year, were somewhat mixed.
In six games, Edwards averaged 12.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 28.9 minutes per game. He shot 36.6 percent from the field. The base numbers, considering the minutes, are fairly solid. However, Edwards struggled with overall efficiency and the demands of an expanded role, serving as both a ball handler and primary shot creator. He averaged 3.3 turnovers per game, a steep jump from his rookie year.
So, is this a sign of sophomore regression? I’d lean toward no. Some players simply don’t thrive in the Summer League environment, and Edwards might be one of them. He didn’t exactly light it up in his first Summer League either. As mentioned earlier, the guard play on this roster was rough, to say the least. For a forward or center playing off the ball, there weren’t many easy looks or plays set up to capitalize on.
Edwards’ role with the Sixers will be much more simplified. He’ll be playing alongside better talent, shifting from being the guy to simply one of the guys. It’s also worth noting he likely finished Summer League on a high note, turning in his best performance in the final game. And despite the efficiency struggles, he did shoot 40.5 percent from three on high volume— 6.2 attempts per game. His role in Philly will be to take and make open threes, and he’s shown he’s more than capable of doing that.
Overall, the increased talent around him and improved guard play should work wonders for Edwards in the coming months.
How did the Sixers two-ways fare?
The Sixers overhauled their two-way contract group, signing Hunter Sallis as an undrafted free agent and following that up with two players who bring solid NBA experience: Jabari Walker and Dominick Barlow. Walker didn’t suit up for the Summer Sixers, but both Sallis and Barlow did — with varying results.
Starting with Barlow, who joined the squad late and played just two games, it’s easy to see why the Sixers prioritized him in free agency. In those appearances, Barlow averaged 13.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals. In his second, and likely final, Summer League game, he logged 30 minutes, putting up 19 points on 9-of-15 shooting, along with nine rebounds, two assists and three steals. His perimeter shot remains a work in progress and looked a bit wonky at times, but he’s a legit 6-foot-8 with an athletic frame and the ability to fill up the box score in a number of ways.
We saw much more of Sallis, who played in at least six of the Sixers’ Summer League games after missing the opener with an ankle injury. Unfortunately, Sallis may have been the biggest disappointment of the group, often fading into the background and struggling to make a consistent impact. Over six games, he averaged 6.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.7 blocks in 22.2 minutes per game. His shooting numbers were especially rough — just 27.3 percent from the field and a staggering 7 percent from three.
On one hand, I understand some of the intrigue with Sallis: he does a few things well defensively and has a solid frame for a guard at 6-foot-4. On the other hand, these numbers are especially rough for someone on a featured two-way contract. He was never really projected to be a lead guard coming out of Wake Forest, and there were simply too many possessions where he looked uncomfortable dribbling or doing anything beyond catch-and-shoot opportunities. And for a team already arguably overloaded with guards, I struggle to see the point of keeping him on a two-way unless he’s going to stand out at some level.
That said, yes, some players simply struggle and don’t show well in Summer League, and it’s possible Sallis fits that mold like Edwards. Also, I do have some leeway, as coming off injury might’ve been difficult. However, if Sallis doesn’t show something quickly at the NBA or G League level, I don’t think he’ll be a Sixer for long.
VJ Edgecombe shined in his limited time
Rounding things off with the headlining draft addition, is VJ Edgecombe, who was limited to just two games due to a thumb ̶c̶o̶n̶t̶u̶s̶i̶o̶n̶ sprain ̶w̶r̶i̶s̶t̶ ̶i̶n̶j̶u̶r̶y̶. Edgecombe exploded in his Utah Summer League debut, putting up 28 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three steals in his first game. Coming off injury, his Las Vegas performance was a bit more subdued, as he scored 15 points, grabbed six rebounds, handed out 4 assists and added three steals and a block in 30 minutes of action.
Edgecombe largely showed why the Sixers focused on him relatively quickly with the third overall pick. He’s capable of impacting the game on multiple levels as a guard, whether it’s grabbing a block or two or running up steals. He was also a better passer than the numbers suggest; I thought he did well setting guys up and had several stretches of playmaking brilliance. I’m not sure if he’ll ever be a full-time lead guard, but he’s someone who’s capable of making the right read and pass more often than not.
Edgecombe also flourished as a rebounder — another reason I think the “they can’t draft another guard” narrative was overblown. Edgecombe plays bigger than his frame suggests, and having a guard who can not only grab rebounds but push the pace should allow him to thrive in smaller, guard-centric lineups.
Edgecombe will need to improve his efficiency, which was decent but not great, shooting 42.5 percent from the field. He only went 2-for-12 from three, but I do think he’ll shoot better when surrounded by better talent. Edgecombe has good shot mechanics, but they’re mostly limited to spot-up shooting, which he didn’t get many chances to do. Most of his attempts were off the dribble or on the move — an area he’ll have to improve on to fulfill his ceiling.
Overall, it’s hard not to come away impressed by Edgecombe, who flashed incredible athleticism at the guard position and looked comfortable as a nearly 20-year-old rookie. It’s just Summer League, but it seems like the Sixers not only got a great person, but a great prospect.