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The 2023 Vegas Summer League, which started on July 7th, has finally ended, and the Warriors' longtime rivals, the Cleveland Cavaliers, have won Summer League, going 6-0. On the other hand, the Warriors' Summer League didn't do so well, going 0-5. Ironic, considering that Warriors' rookie Brandin Podziemski was on record saying that the Warriors will go 5-0 during Summer League. However, we all know that Summer League isn't indicative of how players will perform during the regular season, nor is it indicative of how the team as a whole will perform during Summer League. Regardless, let's dissect each game during the Warriors' Summer League run.
Game 1
During Game 1, the Warriors played the Los Angeles Lakers on ESPN, after an eventful day in which the top 4 picks of the 2023 Draft, including Victor Wembanyama, made their NBA debuts. Overall, the final score for the Warriors-Lakers Summer League nightcap was 103-96, with the Lakers taking the win led by sophomore Max Christie. Trayce Jackson-Davis was inactive due to a hamstring injury, but Warriors' first-round pick Brandin Podziemski made his debut. He scored 9 points, got 11 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal, and a block. Honestly, it's implausible to expect a college player to have a great shooting night in one of their first NBA settings, but it was still optimistic to see that Brandin was hustling, making effort plays, and playing with a high basketball IQ. A surprise player was Gui Santos, the 55th pick from last year, who scored 25 points and got 7 boards. Reggie Perry off the bench, former Nets big, also scored 11 points and got 11 rebounds on great efficiency, while Lester Quinones, who had been balling during the California Classic, scored 15 points on 33% shooting.
Game 2
During Game 2, the Warriors' opponent was the New Orleans Pelicans, who had both the 8th pick from last year, Dyson Daniels, and the 14th pick of the 2023 NBA Draft, Jordan Hawkins. As expected, the Warriors lost, 94 to 86, with Dyson Daniels scoring 17 points and putting up 15 boards, while Jordan Hawkins had 16 points and 5 rebounds, with 47% from the field. On the Warriors' side, Lester Quinones exploded for 26 points, while Brandin Podziemski still couldn't find his shooting touch, going 3 for 16 from the field. However, what was promising was the fact that despite his shooting woes, Brandin has continued to impact the game in other facets, whether through rebounding as a guard, playmaking, or being a pest on defense. Overall, Brandin finished with 10 points, 9 rebounds, and 10 assists, but still, the Warriors were unable to get the W. Trayce Jackson-Davis was still injured and has yet to make a Summer League debut to this point.
Game 3
In Game 3, the Warriors matched up with the Dallas Mavericks, and it was by far the most entertaining and competitive Summer League game for the Warriors. The Mavericks featured scoring sensation Jaden Hardy, G-League Ignite alum and rising sophomore, and the 12th pick from the 2023 NBA Draft, Dereck Lively II. They also had another first round pick on their roster, Oliver-Maxcence Propser. The Mavericks trio combined for 49 points, 25 rebounds, and 4 blocks, with Jaden Hardy leading the way with 21 points. On the other hand, Lester Quinones continued his impressive showing, scoring 31 points despite shooting 20% from three. Gui Santos had a solid double-double, with 17 points and 10 rebounds. A surprising performance for the Warriors came from Reggie Perry, who had 20 points and 17 rebounds on a staggering 78% from the field and 100% from three. Unfortunately, this was arguably Warriors' first round pick Brandin Podziemski's worst game, having 3 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists on 10% shooting, while also missing the potential game-winning layup that eventually led to a game winning dunk on the Mavericks' end. The final score was 98-96, Dallas.
Game 4
After losing in dramatic fashion, the Warriors had to play against arguably the best team in Summer League the next day: the Houston Rockets, led by Cam Whitmore, whom the Warriors passed up on in the 2023 NBA Draft. However, it was also Trayce Jackson-Davis's highly-anticipated debut for the Warriors. The Rockets won 118-101, with Cam Whitmore, the eventual Summer League MVP, leading the way with 26 points. For the Warriors, Lester Quinones had a terrible game, scoring just 4 points on 18.2% shooting. Gui Santos contributed 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting. However, Podziemki finally had a great shooting day, going 50% from the field and 40% from the three, with a total of 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists. Reggie Perry continued to be effective off the bench, with 17 points and 8 rebounds, and as for Trayce Jackson-Davis, he had 14 and 7 on great efficiency, which was to be expected for a player of Trayce's caliber and interior playstyle. However, the Rocket's starting 5 had too much firepower, leading to another Warriors' L.
Game 5
Game 5 was quite interesting, as it was the duel between the winless teams: the Raptors and the Warriors. Both teams came into the game 0-4, and obviously, for pride purposes, each time was desperate to get a win. The Raptors featured 13th pick Gradey Dick, NCAA Tournament star Marquis Nowell, and sophomore Joe Wieskamp. The Raptors' offensive firepower was primarily derived from them, with Dick going 60% from three with 21 points, Wieskamp shooting 73% from the field with 27 points, and Nowell scoring 17 points and dishing out 12 assists. On the other hand, the Warriors' had their own form of a scoring punch, through the likes of Lester Quinones once again, and Trayce Jackson-Davis. Quinones ended his Summer League run with 32 points, while TJD continued his impressive, although brief, showing, with 18 points and 10 rebounds on 67% shooting. Unfortunately, due to poor late-game execution despite a valiant comeback effort, the Warriors lost to the Raptors 108-101, and in the battle of the winless teams, the Warriors fell to 0-5.
