OKC Thunder observations from Vegas: Who stood out in Summer League?

Deonte Burton:

As a 25-year-old player with professional experience overseas, I personally expected Deonte Burton to be one of if not the best player on the Thunders Summer League team this season.

Simply put, Burton is a walking highlight reel. With incredible athleticism and an infectious personality, it’s hard to not get excited for Burton and his potential.

Unfortunately, Burton had a lackluster Summer League and didn’t do anything that caught my eye (besides his dunks). Burton averaged 7.5/4.5/2.2 on low efficiency, shooting 36 percent from the field overall and 27.3 percent from behind the arc.

Much like a lot of Thunder players, Burton has incredible athleticism and physical tools but is lacking the consistent and effective jump shot to make him a regular NBA player. This isn’t saying Burton has no shot to consistently crack the Thunders rotation, but I just expected a better showing from a player of his age and professional experience.

Devon Hall:

Devon Hall, the other second-round selection from the 2018 draft for the Thunder, had a disappointing showcase in Vegas.

Coming out of college in his senior year, Hall shot 43.2 percent from three on four attempts a game, solidifying himself as one of the best shooters in the class.

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After shooting 34 percent from three in the NBL last season I expected Hall to knock down threes at a high rate in Vegas.

Hall ended up 2-21 from deep throughout the Thunders five games and really struggled to ever get in a rhythm. He did, however, go 11-13 from the line which could indicate that his struggles from the perimeter were a fluke. Hall’s shooting stroke is incredibly pretty and I don’t think that his play in Summer League was indicative of what he can actually do, especially from three.

In February, Hall signed a G-League contract with the OKC Blue giving him another opportunity to showcase his shooting ability which is a skill that the OKC Thunder have desperately been looking for for years.

Sam Presti and Billy Donovan will need to keep an eye on all the youngsters this offseason with a view to development. Come fall when the team reassembles we’ll see if any of this crew take another step toward becoming regular contributors to the varsity lineup.