The Philadelphia 76ers completed their slate of games in the Salt Lake City Summer League by facing the hosts of the round-robin, the Utah Jazz. The Sixers once again squandered a sizable lead and lost 93-85.
After opening with a win over the Oklahoma City Thunder and losing in the last second to a Memphis Grizzlies squad without their top players, the Sixers matched up with a Jazz roster that will carry over heavily into the regular season. Utah played several draft picks from 2024 and 2023, plus a handful of first-rounders from prior seasons. Philly never lost its fighting spirit but took its second straight defeat.
Here are three takeaways for the Summer Sixers' showdown with the Jazz.
Adem Bona goes toe to toe with Walker Kessler
Bona didn’t get the chance to face Zach Edey, the giant rookie from Memphis, but did get to face Kessler, a two-year NBA veteran and former Rookie of the Year finalist. This was a great chance for him to go up against a bigger, more established opponent. He took advantage of it.
Although it wasn’t a super dominant performance from Bona, he didn’t look overmatched going against Kessler – and that in itself is a win. Bona did what he could to stand up to his opponent, showcasing his high motor and stick-to-itiveness. His lone bucket of the night was a transition layup right through Kessler's chest. He denied Kessler of buckets a few times down the stretch.
Aside from his matchup against Kessler, Bona made nice plays on defense, racking up four steals and two blocks. The overall takeaway from the second-round pick was that his athletic gifts and intensity are very, very real.
The 76ers' other recent draftee, Jared McCain, had his first clunker of Summer League, scoring two points on 1-9 shooting. He was still quite good in the first two, though, and will have the chance to bounce back soon.
Ricky Council IV's 3-point shot is much improved. Next up: a mid-range counter
Council is already way better than anyone could have expected as an undrafted rookie, so any suggestion about what he has to improve on next should come with the understanding that he’s already way ahead of the curve. As he looks to grow his game in his first full NBA season, he should work on a go-to mid-range shot that he can use when a lane to the rim is closed.
Early on, Council had wide open lanes into the paint but Kessler waiting right under the rim. He took it right at the Jazz shot-blocker twice and came away empty. The confidence is great to see but good shot selection will be paramount in his quest to get minutes this season. In order to do that, he'll have to become more comfortable in the middle scoring range.
Council can obviously do damage at the rim — as he showed with emphatic breakaway dunks — and is comfortable letting it fly from beyond the arc. He has taken a few shots in the seven-to-15-foot range over the past few games. Honing in on one counter — a floater, a push shot, an easy pull-up middie with the same footwork — will go a long way.
Developing a consistent in-between game is not easy — even ascendant stars like Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Maxey are working on it as they become All-NBA-caliber guys. Still, Council having something else to turn to would be huge for him. Anything that makes defenders have to step up first to him makes them more vulnerable to getting driven by or through. For a slasher like Council, that’s like shooting fish in a barrel.
Council's development in his three-point shooting is a great sign of things to come. He was gun-shy and inefficient in his first Summer League and now isn’t just pulling triples from deep, he's draining them. His shooting touch is legit and so is his work ethic. It's not crazy to see him being a solid three-level scoring threat at some point.
Keve Aluma deserves recognition
The headliners at every Summer League are the rookies. Everyone wants to see how they do against players at the next level (albeit, many who are on the fringes at that level). There’s also the smattering of second- and third-year players who are expected to dominate as teams project what their utility to their teams will be going forward. Older players who haven’t played much in the NBA only generate buzz with great performances. That’s exactly what backup center Keve Aluma has done.
Aluma, a 25-year-old who spent the last two seasons playing in Asia after playing four collegiate seasons (two at Wofford, two at Virginia Tech), has been great for the Summer Sixers. It helps that he has made 14 of his 20 shot attempts through the first three games but his impressive play goes beyond a hot stretch of shooting and ability to space the floor.
At 6-foot-9, Aluma is undersized for a center but makes up for it by being in the right position and staying attentive. Being skilled and mobile enough to play with true centers like Bona gives him some positional versatility that will help him try to make the jump to the NBA. He's not afraid to put the ball on the deck, making him even more viable at the four spot along with his jumper.
Not many teams have players as old as Aluma on two-way deals. The 76ers, however, had 27-year-old Jeff Dowtin Jr. — who looked really solid throughout the SLC round-robin — on one last season. It wouldn’t be surprising to at least see Aluma be a part of the Delaware Blue Coats going forward.
Bonus takeaway: Tony Bradley is back
Bradley, who played 20 games with the Sixers in the 2020-21 season, didn’t play in the first two games of Summer League. His impact in this game wasn’t anything major but he had four points, two rebounds and two steals.
Now, the 76ers can truly commence building a contender.
The 76ers will now head to Las Vegas for the league-wide Summer League. They will face No. 5 overall pick Ron Holland and the Detroit Pistons on Saturday a 7:00 P.M. EST.
Follow Us
Subscribe