The Toronto Raptors have spent most of their Summer League schedule doing everything they can to show off why Gradey Dick is going to be an impact player early on in his career. Dick’s scoring wasn’t evident at first, but he has gradually gotten more comfortable.
While Dick has struggled from 3-point range in Summer League play, he has been showing off the creativity, scoring skill, and turnover generation on the defensive end that Toronto was seduced by in the pre-draft process. Outside of him, Markquis Nowell, and Moses Brown, things have been bleak.
Some Raptors fans may have liked the idea of drafting a point guard, but Dick’s highs in Summer League play have been impressive enough to where the Raptors should feel confident in their selection. Considering the problems associated with the NBA Draft and the randomness of the whole affair, some teams will make poor picks.
Based on how Summer League has gone for this trio of fellow first-round picks, the Raptors may end up coming out of their recent draft shenanigans smelling like a rose after having the foresight needed to select a player like Dick.
3 first-round pick Raptors’ Gradey Dick has outperformed in Summer League
3. Noah Clowney, Brooklyn Nets
With Dariq Whitehead still recovering from a myriad of injuries, Clowney has taken center stage in Brooklyn’s Summer League schedule. While he has been taking more offensive risks in order to show how his game has expanded, the results haven’t always been there.
After making 49% of his shots at the collegiate level with Alabama, Clowney has converted just 26% of his attempts in Summer League play. Clowney has attempted 16 3-pointers, but made just four of them in four games. He appears to be just as raw as many expected.
Gradey Dick has shot better than Noah Clowney.
Dick isn’t shooting the ball like he did at Kansas, but he appears to be showing off a more diverse game than Clowney. If Clowney’s game is going to be focused on being an interior presence and rebounder, he can’t be shooting like this when the games count.
Toronto and Brooklyn, as it stands right now, are likely considered to be two fairly even teams. Dick or Clowney emerging as a rotation piece could be something that helps move the needle one way or the other, and it looks like Dick has a slight edge in that race early on.
2. Brandin Podziemski, Golden State Warriors
The Warriors have added yet another young guard with shooting upside that will likely be rooted to the bench as they chase another championship. Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody will likely get preferential treatment over the Santa Clara alum, especially after starting off ice cold.
Podziemski made just 19% of his shots and 21% of his 3-pointers in his first three Vegas games, which is alarming for a player who managed to nudge his way into the first-round discussion based almost entirely on his shooting and relatively low-floor offensive game.
Gradey Dick is outscoring Brandin Podziemski.
Dick isn’t lighting it up from 3-point range, and Podziemski can take solace in the fact they will both shoot much better when they have better spacing alongside actual NBA players. However, the finishing inside the arc is where Dick has thrived, and Podziemski is struggling.
In part of Dick’s ongoing quest to show he has more offensive value than just shooting from 3-point range, he’s shown off an interesting collection of generation moves and finishes from difficult angles. Podziemski can shoot, but he may see some time in Santa Cruz before he goes to San Francisco.
1. Jordan Hawkins, New Orleans Pelicans
The Raptors were projected by many to take Hawkins, occasionally with Dick still on the board, due to the former UConn alum’s strong March Madness showing for the Huskies. After his Summer League start, Toronto is likely very happy with their Dick choice.
Hawkins has made 29% of his shots, 21% of his 3-pointers, and barely over half of his free throws. While he flashes individually, the overall play has been largely disappointing and insubstantial for a player who was expected to contribute relatively early on the offensive side of the ball primarily.
Gradey Dick has looked better than Jordan Hawkins.
While Hawkins was regarded as a better defender than Dick in college, part of the reason that he was viewed as a lottery pick was his ability to shoot well and score without demanding the ball. When his percentages are this far down in the dumps, his value shrinks.
Dick hasn’t exactly been prime Kyrie Irving handling the ball, but he’s had enough months of success despite defenses focusing in on one of the few NBA-level athletes on the floor. Hawkins doesn’t quite have that skill just yet, meaning he is just a 3-and-D shooter with some poor shooting results in Las Vegas.