SH Blog: Best of Team USA, Summer League

Summer League Must-Sign Players

Tommy Beer of Hoopsworld.com released his “Must-Sign List” for this years Summer League. While most of these players won’t become major factors in determining the 2013-’14 NBA champion, there is a chance to grab an impact role player, or just fill your roster with a fun player you followed while they were in college.

Most notably, Beer’s list contains:

• Jack Cooley: Cooley put up solid numbers during a stellar career at Notre Dame. As a senior, he averaged a double-double (13.1 points and 10.1 rebounds) for the Fighting Irish, but was viewed as an undersized center in the NBA, which hurt his stock and resulted in him failing to get selected in the 2013 NBA Draft. Cooley was looking to show he could overcome these perceived shortcomings in Las Vegas, and absolutely did just that. Playing for the Memphis Grizzlies, Cooley was without question one of the best big men all week long, outplaying many more highly-touted prospects and high draft picks. Over the course of six games, he averaged 15.0 points (on 52.7 percent shooting), 9.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks. His strong showing raised the eyes of talent evaluators across the NBA, and in a league starving for quality bigs, it’s safe to assume Cooley will field a few offers before training camps start next month.

• Andrew Goudelock: Goudelock was selected in the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, and had shown intermittent flashes of promise during his two seasons in L.A. including an impressive performance for the undermanned Lakers during the 2013 postseason. However, the Lakers decided to let him walk and Goudelock played for the Chicago Bulls entry in Las Vegas this summer. Goudelock displayed the scoring prowess and deft shooting touch that initially earned him a place in the NBA out of college – averaging a stout 19 points per game in Vegas, while shooting a scorching 52.2 percent from three-point territory. Having again proven that he belongs in the league, it would be surprising if Goudelock isn’t on an NBA roster by opening night.
• Jeremy Tyler: Tyler’s raw ability is hard to miss. Solidly built at 6’10 and 260 pounds, Tyler is also a fluid athlete with quick feet and good hands. But at just 22 years of age, he hasn’t been able to put it all together yet. He has enjoyed brief cups of coffee with both the Atlanta Hawks and Golden State Warriors, but wasn’t able to make a lasting impression. However, he played well for the New York Knicks in Vegas and may have found an NBA home, as the Knicks (who currently have three open roster spots) officially offered him a camp invite upon the conclusion of summer league play. Tyler averaged 12.8 points and 6.4 boards, but more important than the stats was the energy he brought to the proceedings every time he stepped on the floor. If he can learn to harness that intensity positively (i.e. not yelling at the refs and getting overly physical with opponents), the Knicks may have found a budding young big man.

Ben Baroff is a basketball journalist who blogs for SheridanHoops.com. Follow him on Twitter here.