Grading Every NBA Team's Top Rookies at 2025 Las Vegas Summer League

The article discusses the tendency to overanalyze NBA Summer League performances despite the small sample sizes and inherent limitations. It acknowledges the inclination to draw sweeping conclusions but emphasizes that evaluations must be heavily caveated.

The author outlines their grading approach for rookies, stating it will use a curve accounting for the "only summer league" context. Grades will be assigned relative to expectations shaped by draft position and scouting reports, with a "C" indicating average or better performance. Evaluations prioritize the eye test over pure stats. The criteria for selecting which rookies to grade per team are explained: all first-round picks who played will receive a grade, with second-rounders prioritized for teams lacking a top-30 pick, and the most intriguing or heavily played newcomer selected for teams without drafted rookies.

Asa Newell (Atlanta Hawks, Pick 23) received an A-. He displayed the offensive promise that makes him exciting, showcasing abilities to run the floor, catch in traffic, make decisions from short rolls, and exhibit strong spatial awareness. While his on-ball creation isn't artful, playing alongside Trae Young and Jalen Johnson mitigates this need. Questions remain about his fit alongside another big man, as he lacks wing ball-handling and isn't yet strong enough to play full-time center defensively. His outside shooting is identified as the crucial swing skill, with positive signs from his corner shooting in Vegas. He's described as a hybrid of a better-defending John Collins and a better-shooting, less-fluid-on-ball Marvin Bagley.

Hugo González (Pick 28) received a C-. The author urges context, noting his late first-round selection and unfamiliar on-ball role compared to his time with Real Madrid. While his high turnover rate is unsurprising and minimally concerning, his willingness to move the ball (as a connector and initiator), floor running, transition awareness, and rebounding effort are positives that validate his "high-motor" reputation. However, his shooting inefficiency is a significant issue, as he missed numerous wide-open floaters, layups, and threes, exhibiting awkward takeoff points in traffic. The author expresses concern about defining his NBA role if his scoring package and efficiency don't improve.