The Clippers improved to 2-1 in the 2023 Summer League with an 83-74 win over the Grizzlies in what can charitably be described as a snoozefest. Moussa Diabate didn’t play with a rib contusion, but here are notes on other players.
Jason Preston
This was probably Preston’s best game of Summer League, as he scored 13 points on 5-13 shots, snagged 10 rebounds, and dished 5 assists while turning the ball over just once. I thought his activity level was better in this one, though he remains fully unable to break down defenses in the halfcourt (2 of his 3 free throws came via end-of-game fouling) and I wish he took more threes (0-1). The rebounding and lack of turnovers was nice, but he still does not stand out as a clear NBA player, which is worrying for a soon-to-be 24 year old guy going into this 3rd season.
Kobe Brown
Kobe Brown, conversely, has stood out in Summer League, even though he certainly hasn’t been great. He was 3-12 from the field and 2-7 from three, though he did get to the line four times and made all of his shots from there. More importantly, he racked up 10 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks in his 30 minutes, and combines real motor and energy with some clear basketball instincts. The shot needs to fall at some point (though I love the willingness to shoot), and I really worry about his finishing inside the paint with his lack of explosiveness, but he’s definitely intriguing.
Jordan Miller
Another quiet but solid game from Miller, who scored 7 points on 3-6 shooting (0-1 from three, 1-1 from the line) with 3 assists and 2 steals. He made a couple really nice finishes around the rim, and flashed some playmaking. He’s definitely a connector type player, and those sorts usually don’t stand out much in Summer League. Not a great showing through three games, but not bad either.
Xavier Moon
Moon once again led the 2023 Summer League Clippers, scoring 16 points on 7-12 shooting (9 of those points in the final frame) to put away the Grizzlies. Moon also had 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and a block, and continues to be by far the best player on the Clippers. His age and size means he likely is what he is, but this is a very strong showing by Moon and hopefully gets him a gig in the NBA or on a top Euroleague squad.
Other Guys
Keaton Wallace, Nate Renfro, and Xavier Castaneda all got minutes in this one after not playing in the Clippers’ first two games, but Castaneda was the only one to top 10 minutes and none of them really stood out at all. Bryson Williams started in place of Moussa Diabate, but was fairly quiet in his 18 minutes as well. Jordan Bowden had another solid game, scoring 9 points on 4-8 shooting in just 12 minutes. The standout was Brodric Thomas, who had 14 points on 5-9 shooting with a couple really nice makes. Matt Morgan didn’t play in this one, and Fred Sims Jr. still hasn’t checked in at all so far.
