Celtics progress with Juhann Begarin, JD Davison and more: Summer league what to watch – The Athletic

One pass went to the corner even though nobody was standing there. One player walked off the court after beginning to bleed. Grant Williams, usually a vocal critic of referees, officiated the scrimmage sessions Tuesday afternoon.

Yes, summer league is back. The summer Celtics opened training camp on Monday. They will start games in Las Vegas on Sunday. Here are four reasons to pay attention to their summer league entry.

As Brad Stevens suggested on draft night, the Celtics expect JD Davison to require significant developmental time. He is not a finished product but does have some intriguing tools. Some rough moments at summer league should be expected, but Davison should deliver some highlight plays.

He also wants to provide some defense. During his first interview with the Boston media, Davison stressed he wants to show he can be a dog. He said he looks forward to learning from other guards like Marcus Smart and Malcolm Brogdon.

When I got that name called by the Celtics, when my agent called me to say the Celtics got you, it was just, like, youre (going to) be in an organization where they win, Davison said. So, it was just really going to where I knew I could come in here and get better every day and just come here and win. I was very happy.

Juhann Begarin stood out during the brief portion of Tuesdays scrimmage open to the media. He drilled a 3-pointer. He grabbed a rebound, drove coast-to-coast and dropped off an assist. At age 19, he already has an NBA physique and obvious court vision.

Ive liked what hes brought to the table, said Celtics assistant coach Ben Sullivan, whos at the helm of Bostons summer league entry. Good athlete, good size, can pass, can find his teammates, get downhill, finish at the rim, can really defend, competitive. So, really just getting to know him a little bit and seeing his progression from last year in summer league to this year and seeing where hes at. Ive really liked what hes done so far.

Begarin, the Celtics 2021 second-round draft pick, averaged 11.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game in France this past season. Still, his game is raw. He shot just 30.9 percent from behind the 3-point arc and racked up more turnovers than assists. Even with some of his shortcomings, it doesnt take long to notice he has substantial potential. He should have a chance at summer league to try convincing the Celtics to bring him over to start his NBA career.

Sam Hauser was overshadowed on last seasons summer league team, but he should be a starter and one of the main players this time around. Though Hauser only played 158 minutes as a rookie, the team is hopeful he will become a regular contributor at the NBA level one day maybe even as soon as this season. The Celtics recently ripped up the final season of his contract to sign him to a three-year deal. Among the summer Celtics, he likely has the best chance of earning playing time next season.

The Celtics NBA roster is deep. They wont have many minutes available if they stay healthy. Still, while they have a load of useful guards, they could use another bigger wing behind Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Hauser, a 6-foot-8 sharpshooter, could help fill that role if the Celtics are right about his potential.

Theres a lot of things we like about Sam, Sullivan said. Hes a good shooter, hes a good person, hes a hard worker, hes a pro, he shows up every day, he puts the work in, he puts the time in, he understands the game. Theres a lot of things that Sam brings to the table. He has good size. Sam can do a lot of different things besides just shoot.

Hauser has always been known best as a shooter. He shot 43.2 percent over extremely limited reps with the Celtics last season after topping 40 percent during each of his four college seasons at Marquette and Virginia. Theres no doubt hes elite at throwing the ball through the basket from a long way.

After agreeing to re-sign Luke Kornet, the Celtics could still chase additional frontcourt help behind Al Horford and Robert Williams. Though they sound unlikely to use their $17.1 million trade exception before it expires later this month, they could potentially land a veteran on a minimum deal. They also have two prospects on their summer league team in Trevion Williams and Mfiondu Kabengele.

Williams, who went undrafted this year, made first-team All-Big Ten as a junior at Purdue, then won the conferences Sixth Man of the Year award as a senior. As you can infer, the 6-foot-10, 255-pounder came off the bench during his final college season, but only because the team split time between him and fellow standout center Zach Edey. Williams still lit up the college basketball world throughout his senior season, producing per-40-minute averages of 24 points, 15 rebounds and six assists while shooting 54.7 percent from the field. Williams attempted a smattering of 3-pointers but usually made his mark much closer to the hoop. Hes not exactly built in the modern big man mold, but scouts are enamored with his ability to pass the basketball, which was on display during the short scrimmage portion reporters were allowed to see Tuesday afternoon.

Kabengele, 24, was the Clippers first-round pick in 2019. After playing 51 games over his first two NBA campaigns, he spent most of last season with the G Leagues Rio Grande Valley Vipers. The 6-foot-9, 250-pound big man averaged 17.5 points and 9.4 rebounds (3.7 offensive) while shooting an impressive 43.4 percent on three 3-point attempts per game. Not many players have his combination of size, shooting touch and athleticism.

Daniel Theis, recently traded to the Pacers in the Brogdon deal, was solid insurance for whenever Horford or Robert Williams missed time. Kornet would likely fill that role as the roster stands, but the Celtics would like to add another player to soak up some frontcourt minutes.

(Top photo of Juhann Begarin: Stephen R. Sylvanie / USA Today)

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Celtics progress with Juhann Begarin, JD Davison and more: Summer league what to watch - The Athletic