NBA Summer League: Cam Thomas, Quentin Grimes are unlikely standouts

In the NBA’s Summer League, Cam Thomas and Quentin Grimes are proving to be two elite scorers.

The NBA Summer League has provided us with tremendous individual performances from future all-stars. Sure, the most anticipated prospects like Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green are always going to have the eyes spotted on them. But players that many didn’t expect to take a big leap have carried the way for their respective teams so far.

Through the few weeks in Vegas, there have been numerous offensive performances that have been made. But the two players that stand out to me are Cam Thomas of the Brooklyn Nets and Quentin Grimes of the New York Knicks.

Both players were lower first-round picks whom many had questions on how they would transition to the NBA. Although it is Summer League, both Thomas and Grimes have been the focal point for their teams.

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Cam Thomas

For Thomas, putting the ball through the net is a talent. He was the top leading scorer in the SEC at LSU a season ago and continues to add more to his offensive craft.

During the Summer League, we’ve seen Nets coach Jordan Ott prioritize Thomas as the number one option in the offense. As Thomas has continued to lead the way offensively for Brooklyn, it has benefitted them to a 3-1 record so far.

Through four games, Thomas is averaging 26.5 points per game on 41 percent shooting and 36 percent from 3-point range. While many times his shot selection can be an issue, Thomas shows that he wants to remain aggressive shooting the ball.

Thomas continues to give defenders problems with his movement without the ball alongside shot creation. His team continues to trust him to carry them with his offensive output.

The game that stands out in the Summer League for Thomas is the double-overtime thriller against the Washington Wizards. He recorded 31 points and continued to take command late in overtime. Thomas hit a clutch three-pointer to send the game to double overtime, followed by a running 3-point shot to seal the victory in the sudden-death situation.

This performance solidified Thomas as a go-to guy down the stretch that can come up huge in pressure situations.

Quentin Grimes

For Grimes, the game just comes easy to him. The Knicks front office has done a terrific job of drafting young players with the potential to blossom. Grimes is another fantastic scorer in this year’s draft that had a stellar season for Houston this past year.

The Knicks have gotten great production out of every player in the rotation. While Obi Toppin has led the way in scoring, others have made their impact as well. Grimes is averaging 13.2 points per game on 36 percent shooting during the Summer League. Each game he is showing what he can do on the floor once he makes his full transition to the NBA.

Grimes’ notable performance so far in the Summer League is his 28-point performance Saturday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He alongside Deuce McBride complement each other well in the backcourt.

Grimes was efficient on the night with his shot-making ability alongside creating opportunities for teammates. It shows that Grimes can play either position and make the transition to becoming either a scorer or a playmaker.