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Suns

Basketball has evolved into a truly global sport, and the NBA pulls talent from all over the world. That&rsquo;s great for the overall quality of play, but it means that there is more competition for NBA roster spots, which are harder than ever to earn.
With Media Day in the rearview mirror and training camp underway, competition to make the final cut is heating up. Teams enter camp with as many as 20 players, but must trim the roster down to 15 by opening day (excluding the pair of two-way contracts allowed in addition for players who can move between the G League and NBA rosters).
While every team has important decisions to make, it&rsquo;s not as if every roster spot is up for grabs. On the contrary, most spots are taken by players who are signed to guaranteed contracts. It&rsquo;s the players on training-camp deals who have the most to prove this time of year; sometimes, it can be the occasional (and unlucky) guaranteed player who has underachieved so badly that his team is considering paying him to play elsewhere.&nbsp;
The last guy on the bench rarely has a great impact on his team&rsquo;s success, but it can happen &ndash; and it surely impacts the individual players. Considering the ramifications of these decisions, let&rsquo;s examine the three most interesting roster situations in the Eastern Conference.&nbsp;
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets are intriguing because &ndash; while it might look as if they don&rsquo;t need much from the end of their bench on paper &ndash; their situation is more complicated than it appears. Depending on where Kyrie Irving ultimately lands with his decision to get the COVID vaccine or not, he could miss all of his home games (and games against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden). In total, Irving could miss as many as 43 regular-season games if he stands firm on being unvaccinated. And while there is more than enough star power in Brooklyn to get by, removing a key player from the rotation for half of the season puts more pressure on a team&rsquo;s depth.
So what exactly will Brooklyn look to address with its final roster spot? The team's backcourt is in relatively good shape thanks to a combination of James Harden, Patty Mills, Jevon Carter and rookie Cam Thomas, but there are other needs to address. The Nets' frontcourt could use a youth infusion, and there&rsquo;s a limit on swingmen beyond Joe Harris and Bruce Brown. After cutting Jahlil Okafor last month, Brooklyn's decision should come down to DeAndre&rsquo; Bembry or Sekou Doumbouya. No disrespect to Bembry, but Doumbouya is a 6-foot-8 <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/detroit-pistons-moving-on-from-sekou-doumbouya-is-a-headscratcher" target="_blank" rel="noopener">former first-round pick who is 20 years old</a>. He fills multiple needs, and his youth gives the added benefit that if he works out, he could be part of the team&rsquo;s future.&nbsp;
Prediction: Sekou Doumbouya makes the cut.
New York Knicks&nbsp;
The Knicks are in an interesting spot. They just cut Luca Vildoza, who signed a four-year, non-guaranteed contract with the team at the end of the 2020-21 season. He was seen as someone who would make the team as recently as June, but things happen fast in the NBA. Considering New York will start the season without its presumptive starting center, Mitchell Robinson, the Knicks might want to add another big man. Nerlens Noel is more than qualified to hold down the fort, and Taj Gibson is a valuable, albeit slightly undersized backup, but does New York want to kick off the season without any other options? What if one of those two suffers another injury?
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The Knicks have two rookies on their training camp roster who could fill that need in Jericho Sims and Aamir Simms. The former is a freakish athlete, similar in nature to Robinson, who is an above-average defender and rim-runner. Conversely, Simms possesses <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/aamir-simms-eager-to-exhibit-a-side-of-his-game-we-havent-seen-at-the-next-level" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a more polished offensive game</a>, but he lacks the burst and leaping ability of Sims. There&rsquo;s also Dwayne Bacon and Wayne Selden, who are actively competing for the team&rsquo;s final roster spot. Bacon looked good with Orlando last season, and I expect him to make the cut. The Knicks do have a two-way contract remaining, so maybe they'll use that on one of the Sim(m)s, while keeping Bacon on the main roster.&nbsp;
Prediction: Dwayne Bacon makes the cut.
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors are also in an interesting position, but more so because they have multiple spots to fill. Toronto has 12 guaranteed contracts, and both two-way deals are spoken for. That means Toronto can keep three of the following six players: Isaac Bonga, Sam Dekker, Freddie Gillespie, Reggie Perry, Ishmail Wainright and Yuta Watanabe. Gillespie and Watanabe are known commodities north of the border, having played with the Raptors last season, and Dekker is a former first-round pick with plenty of NBA experience. All but Perry have partial guarantees for 2021-22, but a partial guarantee will not secure you a spot in the NBA.
Bonga and Perry are both 6-foot-8 and 21 years old. Perry has just one year of NBA experience, whereas Bonga has three &ndash; but neither has made their mark yet. Beyond Goran Dragic, Fred VanVleet has the most experience of all Raptors with five professional seasons. With that in mind, expect Dekker &ndash; who has four years of NBA experience &ndash; to make the cut. Additionally, the Raptors will probably stick with the guys they know, meaning that Gillespie and Watanabe are likely to be in Toronto for the 2021-22 season, too.
Prediction: Sam Dekker, Freddie Gillespie and Yuta Watanabe all make the cut.
NBA roster decisions aren&rsquo;t entirely fair. Sometimes, players are cut because of an injury or other circumstance-related issues. But it really is just a business (rarely personal), and front offices do what they feel is in their best interest.
And at the end of the day, that&rsquo;s about as objective as it gets.&nbsp;

Drew Maresca examines the three most interesting final roster spot situations in the East.

3 roster-spot battles to watch for in the Eastern Conference

At the halfway mark of 2021 NBA Summer League, we're seeing prospects rapidly adapt to the next level. In some cases on Thursday, players visibly evolved over the course of a single game.
Rookies like James Bouknight and Cam Thomas turned frustrating first quarters into dominant performances. Other veterans continued to show their overall grasp on the NBA. We saw two more games reach overtime, underscoring what has been a competitive slate so far.
Below are the studs and duds from Day 5:
STUDS
Tre Jones, guard, San Antonio Spurs
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TRE JONES GETS IT TO GO! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBASummer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBASummer</a> on ESPNU <a href="https://t.co/UkiNhTrqMU">pic.twitter.com/UkiNhTrqMU</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1425926354894266386?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 34 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, 12-for-20 FG, 1-for-3 3PT
This was arguably the most dominant performance of NBA Summer League thus far. Jones was in complete command on the offensive end, beating players off the dribble, pulling up in the mid-range and dishing all sorts of impressive passes. He pushed the ball in transition and consistently pressured the defense in what became a close shootout.
In the closing seconds, Jones scored the go-ahead bucket on a tough layup, and then stole the ball from Vernon Carey Jr. to ice the 106-105 win over Charlotte. Simply a masterclass from the second-year point guard.
James Bouknight, guard, Charlotte Hornets
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Absolutely filthy hesi from James Bouknight as he finishes this lay high up off the glass!! <a href="https://t.co/8Z7LyWSUZM">pic.twitter.com/8Z7LyWSUZM</a>
&mdash; Aram Cannuscio (@AC__Hoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/AC__Hoops/status/1425922734022856710?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 23 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists, 11-for-23 FG, 1-for-4 3PT
Thursday's matchup against Tre Jones and the Spurs was a challenge. Bouknight felt the pressure early, and played hesitantly for a large portion of the first half. But I was thoroughly impressed with how he adapted. The 2021 lottery pick found his confidence and got to his spots off the dribble. He also consistently forced the defense into tough spots when he attacked the basket.
Bouknight floored me as a passer as well. He should have finished with double-digit assists; on multiple occasions, such as one fast-break blunder, teammates blew impressive dimes from the rookie guard. Bouknight also finished with zero turnovers &mdash; even more amazing when considering his usage.
Cam Thomas, guard, Brooklyn Nets
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CAM THOMAS IS REALLY LIKE THAT 🤯 A game-tying bucket followed by a one-legged three to win it in sudden-death! <a href="https://t.co/8mdLLqD1HY">pic.twitter.com/8mdLLqD1HY</a>
&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1425966738638721024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 31 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 10-for-23 FG, 2-for-6 3PT
Thomas did not play his best 33-plus minutes of basketball on Thursday. He started off by forcing a lot of shots, not looking to beat defenders or pass. But towards the latter stages of the game, the rookie guard seemed to see the floor better, make the right decisions and find his shooting touch.
Of course, he canned two monster buckets to end things &mdash; one three to send the game to a sudden death double-overtime, and then the golden shot. That microwave potential is the way Johnson can earn immediate playing time off the bench for the Nets.
Sam Hauser, forward, Boston Celtics
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Undrafted rookie Sam Hauser proving he belongs in the league. 21pts/7ast/6-10 3PA <a href="https://t.co/MF4Tu8ZTku">pic.twitter.com/MF4Tu8ZTku</a>
&mdash; High Motor Hoops (@HighMotorHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/HighMotorHoops/status/1425991310486425603?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats:&nbsp;21 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 7-for-12 FG, 6-for-10 3PT
This was a statement game for Hauser, who had sputtered out of the gate with the Celtics. The sharpshooting forward looked like his Virginia self, drilling threes off the catch as part of a team-wide hot streak. He also moved the ball much better compared to his prior two contests, helping Boston set a summer league record with 33 team assists. Then, on the defensive end, he seemed to keep defenders in front of him and shuffle his feet well. Good showing from the Celtics' two-way signing.
Ishmail Wainright, forward, Toronto Raptors
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Two years ago, Ishmail Wainright played in the German 2nd division finals. Now he's under the contract with Toronto Raptors. The first time <a href="https://twitter.com/Wainright24?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Wainright24</a> stepped on the court straight from the airport, his coach Buzas saw his success was all programmed: <a href="https://t.co/R83Dwkv3Mb">https://t.co/R83Dwkv3Mb</a>
&mdash; Donatas Urbonas (@Urbodo) <a href="https://twitter.com/Urbodo/status/1425820905855324173?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 20 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals, 2 blocks, 7-for-12 FG, 4-for-6 3PT
Wainright may be an unheralded name to most; the 26-year-old forward played for Baylor until 2017 and spent 2020-21 playing with Strasbourg in France. But people who tuned in surely will remember the name. The 6-foot-6 wing was engaged on both ends, made quality shots and did not force himself into the action. it was a poised all-around performance, and it makes sense why Toronto has Wainright signed to a two-year contract.
Tyrese Maxey, guard, Philadelphia 76ers
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My play of the night: Tyrese Maxey perfectly executes the Matisse Thybulle blocked jumper [pretty much] for the win. cc: <a href="https://twitter.com/TyreseMaxey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TyreseMaxey</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MatisseThybulle?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MatisseThybulle</a> <a href="https://t.co/ocnCCseHCt">pic.twitter.com/ocnCCseHCt</a>
&mdash; Lauren Rosen (@LaurenMRosen) <a href="https://twitter.com/LaurenMRosen/status/1426029134510268417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Box Score Stats: 31 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 11-for-23 FG, 1-for-8 3PT
Maxey didn't have his three-point shot falling Thursday night and bricked a couple of bad looks. But otherwise, the slashing guard displayed his signature ability to get to the rim at will. Maxey also had a couple of nice pull-up jumpers and step-backs he used to mix things up. And he finished off a 96-88 overtime win against Atlanta by clamping up Sharife Cooper in the closing seconds.
Other notable performers: Paul Reed (Sixers), Sharife Cooper (Hawks), Chris Duarte (Pacers), Payton Pritchard (Celtics), Jaime Echenique (Wizards), Jalen Smith (Suns)
DUDS
Ayo Dosunmu, guard, Chicago Bulls
Box Score Stats:&nbsp;2 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block, 1-for-7 FG, 0-for-3 3PT
The Bulls only scored 59 points as a team, and there were a couple of dud-worthy performances that came from Chicago. Dosunmu had a hard time gaining separation from the Timberolves defenders and didn't get many quality looks at the basket. As a defender, he got shaken often and was hit with some bruising screens. It didn't seem like Dosunmu was involved in the offense; he often stayed on the wings and in the corners.
Marko Simonovic, center, Chicago Bulls
Box Score Stats: 10 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1-for-8 FG, 0-for-4 3PT
Eight of Simonovic's 10 points came at the charity stripe. The 21-year-old was otherwise effective for most of the game, and didn't play with the strength and physicality necessary in the paint. He was not particularly impactful as a screener, and in the second half was part of a team-wide collapse defensively.&nbsp;
Emmanuel Mudiay, guard, Portland Trail Blazers
Box Score Stats: 6 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 3-for-7 FG, 0-for-3 3PT
Unfortunately, Mudiay's summer league play is reminiscient of his last seasons in the NBA. The 25-year-old did post a threat offensively and was inconsistent defensively. His shooting form is still an issue. He does not command the offense like a five-year NBA veteran should at this stage. The veteran trio of Mudiay, Michael Beasley and Kenneth Faried have been collectively underwhelming, and it's hard to feel good about their NBA comebacks right now.
R.J. Hampton, guard, Orlando Magic
Box Score Stats: 3 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1-for-6 FG, 0-for-1 3PT
The entire Magic squad was frigid in the 108-71 loss to Boston. Hampton was no different, but he seemed to seal his fate with his shot selection. The second-year guard often drove headstrong into crowds and finished poorly. He's not the type of guard who probes and gets to his spots around the court while keeping his head up. I'd like to see Hampton take his time a bit more, although in fairness, he's probably third in the pecking order for facilitation duties behind Jalen Suggs and Cole Anthony.
Zeke Nnaji, forward, Denver Nuggets
Box Score Stats: 6 points, 9 rebounds, 2-for-10 FG, 0-for-4 3PT
Nnaji has appeared seriously out of sorts offensively in summer league. The 2020 first-round pick just does not have a consistent post move he can go to in the half-court, and coughed up five turnovers in large part from being unable to create anything on his own. Nnaji is now 0-for-10 from long range in his two games played. There's no sugarcoating it: the offensive game is a mess right now.

Viewers witnessed an epic battle between Tre Jones and James Bouknight, two of the standout performers on the fifth day in Vegas.

Ish

3 roster-spot battles to watch for in the Eastern Conference

Studs and duds from the fifth day of NBA Summer League