The Spurs will be in both the Utah and Las Vegas Summer Leagues this year, and the biggest story line is that Becky Hammon will coach the team in Vegas. Will Hardy will be the man in charge here, but Hammon will be the first female to coach a Summer League team when she takes over the helm in Vegas. That's pretty cool, and it makes for news on a roster that doesn't have a ton of talent. Here's who will be showing up in Utah for the Spurs.
Players who will absolutely be on the team in 2015-16
Kyle Anderson
- Position: Forward
- 2014-15 team: Spurs
- Odds he's on team for 2015-16: 100 percent
Analysis: Anderson was the team's first round pick in 2014, and he has his set of problems. He's not a great athlete and will probably be resigned to playing the 4 at some point due to his defensive deficiencies on the perimeter. But his feel for the game is great, his passing is exceptional, and his shooting is getting better. He'll have a shot to become a role player next season.
A few guys whose draft rights they own
Livio Jean-Charles
- Position: Forward
- 2014-15 team: ASVEL (France)
- Odds he's on team for 2015-16: 25 percent
Analysis: Jean-Charles still hasn't fully along yet professionally after his dominant performance in the 2013 Nike Hoop Summit where he won MVP. That earned him a first-round pick, along with his tremendous athleticism and crazy wingspan. It'll be interesting to see whether or not they have anything in him this summer.
Cady Lalanne
- Position: Forward/Center
- 2014-15 team: Massachusetts (NCAA)
- Odds he's on team for 2015-16: 20 percent
Analysis: Lalanne is a long player at 6-10 who could eventually grow into a decent role player that can rebound and shoot from the midrange. He's a longshot to make the roster this year, but he was certainly worth a developmental draft pick late in the second round in June.
Marcus Denmon
- Position: Shooting Guard
- 2014-15 team: Enel Brindisi (Italy)
- Odds he's on team for 2015-16: 10 percent
Analysis: Denmon is a strong shooter that can really score the basketball. That's why the team took him at No. 59 in 2012. He's a little bit undersized at 6-3, but he could eventually have a shot to make the league as a combo guard if he ran hot for a summer and a training camp. I don't think it's likely necessarily, but it's possible at least.
Some undrafted free agents
Shannon Scott
- Position: Point Guard
- 2014-15 team: Ohio State (NCAA)
- Odds he's on team for 2015-16: Five percent
Analysis: Scott was pretty good this past season for Ohio State, playing solid defense and acting as a strong offensive guard in the pick-and-roll. The problem is that he's still pretty turnover prone at 22-years-old and also can't really shoot. Maybe he can improve in those facets of his game with some time in the D-League.
Treveon Graham
- Position: Guard/Forward
- 2014-15 team: VCU (NCAA)
- Odds he's on team for 2015-16: Seven percent
Analysis: Graham is your prototypical Spurs 3-and-D prospect. He really fights on the defensive end, has long arms, and can play in a variety of styles. On offense, Graham knocked down 36 percent of his 565 3s in college. There are some athleticism concerns on defense, but Graham is an NBA player, I think, if he can improve to become a 40 percent shooter. Easier said than done, but it's also not impossible.
Wayne Blackshear
- Position: Guard/Forward
- 2014-15 team: Louisville (NCAA)
- Odds he's on team for 2015-16: Four percent
Analysis: Blackshear is one of those guys that has a ton of talent and tools but just never totally put it all together at Louisville. He is a good shooter that only made 33 percent of his 3s in his senior season. He also had a wavering defensive effort that just didn't add up despite solid tools. If everything clicks, maybe he'll be a late bloomer. I wouldn't bet on it, but it's possible, especially with the Spurs.
Darion Atkins
- Position: Power Forward
- 2014-15 team: Virginia (NCAA)
- Odds he's on team for 2015-16: Eight percent
Analysis: Atkins was the ACC defensive player of the year, one of those guys that has a long wingspan and smart instincts. He knows exactly when to rotate and exactly when to double in order to force turnovers inside. He's not a great offensive player, but in this day and age teams are looking for guys who can both defend on the perimeter and make smart rotations on the interior. For that reason, Atkins will have a shot. And even if he doesn't make the NBA, he'll be a terrific European player.
Ryan Manuel
- Position: Shooting Guard
- 2014-15 team: SMU (NCAA)
- Odds he's on team for 2015-16: Two percent
Analysis: Manuel is certainly an NBA-level athlete, capable of rising up and finishing around the rim with the best of them. He's not a lead guard, but he's also not a bad passer either. The problem is that he's not a shooter at all, and can't create a lot for himself off the dribble. Tough to make it that way in the NBA.
Stefan Nastic
- Position: Center
- 2014-15 team: Stanford (NCAA)
- Odds he's on team for 2015-16: Two percent
Analysis: It would be a surprise if Nastic made it in the NBA due to his lack of athleticism and length. But he'll have a solid European career because he's a smart player that knows how to leverage his size and strength inside. He also is not a bad shooter and has some potential away from the hoop.
Some non-roster invitees
Roscoe Smith
- Position: Forward
- 2014-15 team: Los Angeles D-Fenders (D-League)
- Odds he's on team for 2015-16: Eight percent
Analysis: Smith's a good athlete that has a nose for the glass, as his solid 15.5 percent rebounding rate shows in the D-League. He also has a solid face-up game. But the problem for him is that he's kind of a 3 in a 4's body and also isn't the best defender either. Maybe he'll get a cup of coffee one day, but he'd need to work on his perimeter skill to get there.
Casper Ware
- Position: Point Guard
- 2014-15 team: EWE Baskets Oldenburg (NCAA)
- Odds he's on team for 2015-16: Four percent
Analysis: Ware's an undersized scoring guard with a lot of talent and quickness. He scored 13 points per game this year in Germany, but even then he was still an inefficient gunner that only made 34 percent of his 3s and 38 percent of his shots overall. He's also a willing defender, but one that struggles because of his size. It'll be tough for him to make it back to the NBA, but it's not impossible.
Will Cherry
- Position: Point Guard
- 2014-15 team: Cleveland Cavaliers, Zalgiris (Lithuania)
- Odds he's on team for 2015-16: Six percent
Analysis: Cherry was in the NBA last season until the Cavs ended up cutting him. Then he moved over to Zalgiris, where he was quite average over about 900 minutes. He's known as a very good defender that just isn't quite good enough at anything offensively beyond getting to the rim. If he can be better on that side of the ball either as a shooter or distributor, he's probably an NBA player. But if not, it's hard to find a role for him.
Dairis Bertans
- Position: Guard
- 2014-15 team: Bilbao Basket (Spain)
- Odds he's on team for 2015-16: One percent
Analysis: The older brother of Spurs' draft pick Davis Bertans, Dairis is not the prospect that his brother is. Still though, he's a good shooter that averaged 12 points per game in the second-best league in the world last year, and that's worth noting. Maybe he lights it up here and earns himself a camp invite.
