LAS VEGAS – Before the NBA’s 2K24 Summer League began, Mavericks’ coach Jared Dudley said that every day spent in Las Vegas was like four days anywhere else.
So after 40 days and 40 nights, the Mavericks bid farewell to the Green Felt Jungle and headed back to the real world.
At least, it seemed like 40 days.
In reality, they finished their 10-day run in Vegas with a dominant 101-80 victory over the Atlanta Hawks, ending the summer-league with a 4-1 record.
So what did we learn from the Mavericks’ performance in the sweltering desert?
Mostly, the Mavericks figured out that they have a keeper in O-Max Prosper and that the future is limitless for Dereck Lively II.
The two first-round draft picks passed the eye test in Las Vegas, for sure. Summer coach Jared Dudley said the organization is thrilled with the early development of both big men.
“I would say seven out of 10 for Lively,” Dudley said after Sunday’s win. “He has a ways to go of learning our defensive coverages. His conditioning will only get better.
“O-Max, a nine out of 10. O-Max is phenomenal. He’s ahead of the curve.”
“Lively will get there. He has potential. He’s going to be the starting center of the Mavericks one day. O-Max is right there. The three-and-D guys, it’s easier to transition. Offense, he’s a bull going at you. He has to work on his decision-making a little when he gets in the paint. But myself and the Dallas Mavericks are happy with what they did.”
Prosper, who officially signed his rookie-scale contract on Sunday, clearly lived up to his name as the summer league went along. He always guarded the other team’s best player. And he showed he can get to the basket offensively and is capable in time of scoring at all three levels.
The 6-8 Canadian said he could see the growth on a daily basis.
“Exponential,” he said of the improvement he made. “Every game we got better. Every day we got better. After that first game, we regrouped and won the next four.
“For me, I felt like I grew a lot understanding the NBA game and the speed and getting used to the schemes. Every game I just felt more and more comfortable with the offense and I was playing to my strengths. As the games went on it slowed down for me.”
The Mavericks could not gush enough about Prosper, who averaged 12.6 points and 5.4 rebounds in the summer league, playing 25.4 minutes per game.
He did not shoot the ball well. But that’s something that Dudley said will come.
“Defensively, he’s an above-average defender right now,” Dudley said. “He has the size. He has the mental capability. Offensively, he doesn’t (try to) do too much. You look at his body, already a man’s build. You can imagine it after two or three years in the weight room. Right now, it’s just learning the nuances. And that will come.”
Asked for an NBA comparison, Dudley came up with an interesting player.
“A bigger Marcus Smart,” he said of Prosper. “His size, his build, Marcus Smart made himself into a pretty good shooter. I think he has that defensive capability to guard one through four. I think he has the build to be an all-team defensively player in this league one day.”
As for Prosper’s outlook on what he wants to accomplish the rest of the summer and headed into training camp, he said simply: “Be myself. You can’t try to be nobody else.”
True. Everyone else is taken.
Hardy’s summer synopsis: Jaden Hardy clearly was the Mavericks’ best player before he suffered a shoulder contusion and was shut down after three games.
The decision to sideline him was more precautionary than anything. He said the shoulder is feeling better.
In the three games he played, he scored well, but did not shoot the ball particularly well as he was the focus of every opponent’s defense. Still, he made strides in other areas besides shooting the ball.
“One of the things is playing in the pick and roll, slowing it down and making the right reads,” Hardy said Sunday. “And then, defensively, I got to be better defensively knowing where I’m supposed to be, the schemes. Those are the two biggest things.”
Hardy also said he saw a lot of growth from the rookies.
“I feel like they both had good summer leagues,” he said of Prosper and Lively. “They have to continue to build on that. They joined us late, so just continue to get comfortable with the defensive schemes. And then have energy. They’re ready to work and have a lot of energy.”
Summer finale: In Sunday’s closer, the Mavericks got 22 points from 5-11 rookie Jordan Walker, who has already signed an Exhibit 10 contract, ensuring he will be in training camp in September.
“A big growing process,” Walker said of his summer league. “First game, didn’t play at all. Second game, played a little bit. Third game, played more. Fourth game played more. Fifth game played more.
“I took advantage of my opportunity and I feel like everyone saw that. I’m just thankful for the Mavs’ organization for believing in me and allowing me to be here. But I just continue to grow every game. I’m blessed.”
The Mavericks also got 20 points from Brandon Randolph and the team shot 50 percent from the field. They took control with a big third quarter and coasted in the fourth.
Dudley said it was a wonderful way to put a cap on the summer league.
“Four-and-one,” he said of the record. “I’m just happy for the opportunity. I want to thank Mark Cuban, Nico Harrison, J-Kidd. My first real time. I want to do it one more time next year and then I’ll be ready to go.”
Twitter: @ESefko
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