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The NBA 2k23 Summer League is officially over, and though the Warriors had a record of just 1-4, the Warriors' front office must be pleased with what they saw from their bright, young trio of Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga, and James Wiseman. They all had their own ups and downs, and they certainly were not perfect, but they all showed tons of potential to prove to the front office that they can not only be contributing factors for the 2022-2023 NBA season, but that they can also be the cornerstones for the next era of the Golden State Warriors. Here is a breakdown of how Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga, and James Wiseman performed in the games they played during Summer League.
Moses Moody
Moses Moody had arguably the best Summer League out of the Warriors' trio of the future. He averaged 27.5 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks in roughly 30 minutes per game. The 27.5 points he averaged was actually enough for Moses to win the Summer League scoring title. His efficiency was not the greatest, as he shot 43.8% from the field and 33% from three, but poor shooting numbers are sort of expected for all these young guys, as this is the first time they are the go-to guys in an NBA setting. He did just play 2 games due to injury prevention, but Moses definitely showed enough to Steve Kerr and the coaching staff that he is ready to significantly contribute next season. In Summer League, it was clear that Moses has improved his ability to penetrate and finish. His three-point stroke also looks very effortless, as he has adapted to the NBA 3-point line, and overall, his feel for the game looks fantastic, including his defensive awareness. However, the biggest thing that Moody's Summer League outing shows is his insane work ethic. Being able to work hard consistently takes skill and mental determination and toughness, and it feels even harder to get in the gym and work when you just won an NBA championship. Clearly, Moses has been putting in the work after the championship parade, as no one just averages 27.5 like that in an NBA environment.
Jonathan Kuminga
Kuminga played 4 out of the 5 Summer League games in Vegas, and in those games, he averaged 19.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3 assists in 25.9 minutes. Though Jonathan did put up some good numbers, his efficiency was simply horrendous, even for a player who was the top dog on an NBA squad for the first time. He shot 40.6% from the field, 20% from three, but most shockingly, he averaged 47.1% from the free-throw line. Granted, those numbers were sort of deflated by his first Summer League game, where his head clearly was not in the game, as he was probably suffering from some jet lag after playing for the Democratic Republic of Congo national team in the FIBA Africa Cup. In Summer League, the coaching staff utilized Kuminga as more of a facilitator, and in the latter games, he definitely showed that he can be effective at facilitating, as he was consistently getting 5+ assists. Outside of his facilitating potential, DubNation also saw his incredible athleticism, something that he has had since high school. Honestly, it got hard at times to watch Kuminga, especially in the first 2 Summer League games, as he kept trying to force everything, from his finishing to his three point shot. In the first game, even the commentators were noting his impatience and questionable shot selection, and on the Draymond Green Show, Draymond said that after the first Summer League game, Draymond personally went up to Kuminga just to tell him that he played horribly that game. However, Kuminga definitely bounced back in the last couple of games in Summer League, but it was still a bit disappoint to see that his shot did not improve. However, it is just Summer League, and poor Summer League showings does not indicate poor regular season showings.
James Wiseman
After not playing for almost a year and a half, James Wiseman finally got back on the court healthily during Summer League. He played 4 out of 5 games, and in those games, he averaged 10.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2 blocks in just 20 minutes per game. He also shot 49% from the field and 33% from the three, which is not bad for someone who has not played in over a year. The front office and coaching staff of the Warriors must be glad that they can finally consistently see what James Wiseman can do, and he defintely showed that he can help the Warriors in the 2022-2023 season just with his sheer size, length, and athleticism. It is also promising that he demonstrated some capability to stretch the floor, and the average of 2 blocks per game must be attractive in the coaching staff's eyes. However, James still had some lapses in his defensive discipline and awareness, and his rebounding could have been much better. All those things come with consistent reps in game-like situations, of which Wiseman has had close to none in the past 2 years. All in all, he showed enough to prove that he can be a valuable rotation guy next year, and he definitely should get even better as the season progresses, as he will get more and more reps.
In other Warriors news, JaMychal Green, a former Denver Nugget who got traded to the Thunder, has reached a contract buyout with the Thunder and intends to sign with the Warriors after he clears waivers, per Shams Charania of the Athletic. Green can fill in that "Otto Porter" role, as Green has size, is long, and can shoot the three ball pretty well. Otto may be a bit better at shooting, but Green definitely has more sheer athleticism than Porter. Also, Mac McClung, a standout on the Warriors' Summer League roster, has agreed to a one-year deal with the Warriors. That contract does not guarantee a roster spot for McClung once the official NBA season starts, but it essentially guarantees that McClung will receive a training camp invite, and he will have a chance to make the official 15-man roster.
