Edit: I have nothing else to add about the game other than the below, so let's use this as an opportunity to discuss the Kings game, which begins at 6:00p ET, and can be seen on NBA TV.
Thus far, the most exciting summer league moment was Mike Abdenour's ejection, which everyone assumes is a summer league first for a trainer. With summer league play half-way over, here's some the rundown.
MVP - Austin Daye
No surprise here. Daye is one of the most established players in the summer league, and these rosters don't have an answer for his length. I'd like to see more efficiency, since his shots have scarcely been contested, but his sophisticated skill set has been a lot of fun to watch. Daye made the case for a rotation spot in his rookie season, but the question the Pistons need to answer is whether he can make Prince expendable.
Rising Stock - DaJuan Summers
He needed to remind the Pistons of why they drafted him, and he has done so with his aggression on offense. He is getting to the line, hustling on defense, and generally doing everything in his power to earn a second look. That said, the question remains, what kind of player is he? Right now, he is an inefficient power forward with a decent perimeter game and some small forward athleticism. His ceiling is energy guy off the bench who provides offense, and his ability to pay multiple positions probably doesn't hurt there.
Earning a roster spot? - Mac Kashwal
He is leading the team in offensive rebounds (3.0 per game) in only 14 mpg. The team might consider finding him some more minutes to see if it's a fluke, but he clearly has a keen eye for rebounds. Not sure if he can match up with NBA bigs, but it's tough to see what more he could do to get a team to take a flier on him.
The Draft Picks
Greg Monroe
After an inauspicious debut, in which he played passively and accomplished nothing (aside from getting posterized by Derrick Caracter) before becoming winded, Monroe looked much more solid in the second game. The basketball IQ is on display, as we've seen some nice passing and solid low post moves. But conditioning issues are clearly limiting him.
There were at least 2-3 plays per game where he simply should have thrown it down, and just didn't have the ups. If that doesn't change by November, his career may be a non-starter. Hopefully, game one was a wake-up call.
Terrico White
If his goal is to be the next Arron Afflalo, this is a good start. Like Spellcheck, he seems to have a knack for registering nose-bleed percentages in meaningless games, a testament to his hustle and athleticism. The shooting might not translate to the regular season, but the energy and speed certainly will. So far, project "changing minds" has been a brilliant success.
The Rest
Not seeing anyone else landing with the Pistons, but everyone is putting in a decent showing. Edgar Sosa got a bit of press for his five assist game, but that's a function of the press not having much to talk about. Marquez Haynes has looked more than competent, but turned the ball over a bit much in his only outing.
What to Look for Tonight
Greg Monroe's fuel tank: He looked a lot better in game two, but still missed easy shots and bobbled easy rebounds. If he can clean that up, he could have some nice games here.
Kashwal's Kash-in: As I mentioned, I'd like to see more minutes to see what this guy can do. Can he maintain the energy for, say 24 minutes?
Austin Daye: He was really feeling the flow in the second half of the Warriors game. He seems poised to have one of those breakout games that gets everyone talking.