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Brooklyn Nets Summer League Grades for promising rookie class

ByMike Luciano|
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 29: Cam Thomas is interviewed after being drafted by the Brooklyn Nets (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 29: Cam Thomas is interviewed after being drafted by the Brooklyn Nets (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

The Brooklyn Nets have officially wrapped up Summer League play, as fans got a very good glimpse at what should be the biggest and most impactful draft class that they will have in several seasons, given the relative lack of draft capital moving forward.

The Nets went 3-2 in Summer League play, showing that their high-octane style of basketball can help even players that won’t have a chance at the NBA roster score points in an effective manner. Thanks to No. 27 overall pick Cam Thomas and the rest of Brooklyn’s draft class, the Nets blew the doors off the competition at times.

Brooklyn fans may not see some of these guys contribute on the NBA roster given how top-heavy their rotation is at the moment, but should they be pressed into service over the course of the season, BK’s braintrust should feel extremely confident in their ability to stick one of these youngsters in the rotation.

After making five draft picks and adding some talent the very second the draft ended thanks to the UDFA market, it’s time to take a look at how these players performed during their first stint in Nets black and white.

Brooklyn Nets NBA Summer League Grades 2021

SG David Duke

Duke was an undrafted free agent out of Providence, but we’re counting him for the purposes of this list. His rebounding (7.2 per game) and defense looked much improved, but he shot just 35% from the field and 11% from beyond the 3-point line.

Even with that, Duke came into this series of games promised nothing, and he appears to be ready to leave it with a spot on the G League team. Not too bad.

Grade: B

PF RaiQuon Gray

Gray was always a bit of an awkward projection, as his 260-pound frame screams center, but his athleticism screams small forward. With just 3.7 points per game and an average of only around 11 minutes per game, the Nets don’t seem totally convinced that Gray is more than a G League player at this juncture.

Grade: C+

PG Marcus Zegarowski

Zegarowski came into the draft as an excellent shooter with some questions about the rest of his game, and that’s essentially what we’ve seen from him so far. He’s made 40% of his 3-point attempts and has looked in command of the offense, even though his defensive issues appear to have persisted.

Everything that the Nets thought they were getting with Zegarowski has been on display in Vegas.

Grade: B+

SF Kessler Edwards

Edwards looked like a steal when the Nets were able to pick him up in the second round, and Brooklyn should still be encouraged with his play. He hasn’t taken over on offense, and his shooting could use some work, but he found ways to affect games as a defender, which could be his meal ticket to some early minutes.

Grade: B

C Day’Ron Sharpe

Sharpe was second on the team in rebounding while asserting himself as one of the best interior defenders in the competition. The stats don’t tell the whole story here, as a slightly slimmer Sharpe ended up showing he can run the floor and make plays in transition, which should really excite the Nets.

Grade: A-

SG Cam Thomas

You can’t ask for much more out of a player than to set a Summer League scoring record while being named the MVP of the competition. Thomas is not a perfect player, and the defense is still a work in progress, but that scoring was awe-inspiring, and Brooklyn should give him a premier role in the rotation.

Imagine someone like Thomas getting pointers and tips from Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving every day.

Grade: A+