The Buck Stops Here Roundtable #4: Summer League Wrap-Up

Malcolm Brogdon displayed veteran-like composure during Summer League, throwing just three turnovers in five games as the primary ball-handler. However, he did show some growing pains adjusting his three-point shot to the NBA arc, with a number of attempts noticeably short and flat. How would you evaluate his performance in Las Vegas and has his play confirmed the view that he is ready to contribute immediately to the Bucks rotation on both sides of the ball?

AM: Brogdon had a lot asked of him in Summer League and for all of the jokes about him being like a veteran, that’s definitely what he was asked to be in Vegas. My opinion hasn’t really changed. He did very well overall.

He showed the type of defense we were all hoping that he’d bring to the table and he was one of the first to give a teammate an encouraging pat on the back or a kind word of direction. Shooting will be worth monitoring as the season goes on as there can be guys who struggle to make shots with the added distance of the three-point line, but there’s no need to panic on that front just yet.

Leadership has been one of the buzz words around Brogdon, but I feel we should switch that to poise. That’s exactly what he showed with his efficient if not high volume playmaking. His composure reminds me of Khris Middleton in many ways. Longer term, I expect him to be understated but reliable, shorter term he can probably be plugged in for some minutes too.

TWindisch: Brogdon showed that although he’s a composed rookie, he’s still a rookie. There will be an adjustment period for him getting used to things like the longer NBA schedule and the longer three-point line–that’s normal. Even still, he did display the composure and basketball IQ Bucks fans hoped for when he was drafted.

With more time to adjust to the different aspect of the NBA, Malcolm Brogdon looks like he’ll be a fine pro. By the time the regular season rolls around Brogdon’s game should be more polished. His assist-turnover ratio was especially telling of how good his decision-making is on the floor.

JT: With everything considered, I thought Brogdon was very solid in Vegas, just not in the way I expected.  Brogdon’s playmaking, how poised he was the ball and how comfortable he was playing at different paces throughout the game impressed me.  With that said, I’m not entirely sure if we’ll see Brogdon play that role in major minutes during the regular season, considering the makeup of the team at this point.

Brogdon’s shooting was definitely disappointing, but I wonder if his role leading the offense had an effect on his shooting numbers.  Between his potential as a secondary ball handler, as a tough defender and hopefully as solid range shooter, I definitely see Brogdon getting rotation minutes right away next season.

Next: Thoughts On Rashad Vaughn