There was plenty of hype surrounding the 2014 NBA Draft. After the players were drafted, and the dust settled, it was time to head to Las Vegas for the NBA's Summer League. The Las Vegas Summer League has been the first opportunity for young drafted hopefuls to showcase their talent.
Some players, such as T.J. Warren of the Phoenix Suns and Doug McDermott of the Chicago Bulls, showcased their already notorious scoring ability. Others, such as Josh Davis of the Charlotte Hornets, got the opportunity to display their definable NBA skill (rebounding) in an attempt to make an NBA roster.
Despite all the impressive performances throughout the last two weeks, the real MVP of the Summer League was Zach Lavine of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Lavine, who played one year at UCLA, was thought to be a long term project. His play over the course of the Summer League, though, proved that despite his diminishing minutes this past season at UCLA, he is NBA ready. Similar to Terrence Ross, drafting a player like Lavine is always a safe bet due to his elite athleticism and natural shooting ability. But, Lavine has shown he is capable of far more. Lavine was able to run the Point effectively, consistently making the right decisions and never forcing shots. Lavine used his jumping ability to elevate and get off a jumper whenever he pleased. Plenty of teams will regret passing on Lavine because he was perceived as more of a raw athlete than a basketball player. Lavine possesses all the tools to not only play the PG position, but excel this coming season in the NBA.
If I were Flip Saunders, the decision is easy. Move Kevin Love to Cleveland for Andrew Wiggins and pair the two most athletic players from this year's draft in an unstoppable backcourt tandem.
If you still have doubts about Lavine, watch this:
