3 studs, 2 duds from Mavericks Summer League win over Hawks

For the Dallas Mavericks, Summer League provided them with a great opportunity to not only take a look at their rookies but also scope out potential young talent that could help them moving forward.

On Sunday night, the Mavericks wrapped up their Summer League schedule with a dominant victory over the Atlanta Hawks of the game that saw them steamroll their opponents in the second half of the game.

As was the case with all of their Summer League games, some players stood out while others fell a bit flat. In this game, not many Mavericks players fell under the second category, as they picked up a huge win, so take the “Duds” list with a grain of salt.

But before we get into the Studs and Duds of the contest, let’s take a look at some honorable mentions.

Honorable mention: Dereck Lively II

This has been the summer of Dereck Lively II, as with each passing game, the big man out of Duke has looked more and more like a guy who could start from the jump.

Lively’s freak athleticism, great feel for the game, and willingness to talk on the defensive end have helped him stand out. He was once again impressive against the Hawks, throwing down some awesome dunks.

Honorable mention: Taze Moore

While the box score might make it look like Taze Moore had an average game, as he shot just 1-of-4, his energy and ability to do the little things made him look solid.

He had five rebounds, three assists, and two steals against the Hawks, too. Moore could be a guy who the Mavericks target on a two-way contract or, at the very least, look to keep around so he can develop with the Texas Legends.

With all that said, let’s take a look at the Studs and Duds of the Mavericks’ final Summer League game against the Hawks.

5. Stud - Brandon Randolph

It’s been an up-and-down Summer League game for Brandon Randolph, who spent this past season playing in the G League. But luckily for him and the Mavericks, he finished off the stint with a bang.

The 6-foot-6 wing out of Arizona finished the game with 20 points and two rebounds while shooting 7-of-13 from the field and 3-of-7 from behind the three-point line.

Randolph even managed to draw a four-point play against the Hawks, getting fouled while shooting a three. It was a complete turnaround from his last game.

The wing seriously struggled in the Mavericks last game, as he was unable to hit his three-point shots. But against Atlanta, he did just that, which is a necessary development for his NBA dreams.

The 25-year-old showed some intriguing skills throughout Summer League, but his athleticism stood out above everything else, as he was constantly running and hustling for the Mavericks.

There’s a chance Dallas looks at him for a two-way deal, but it seems more likely that they attempt to keep him around as a guy on the Texas Legends.

Randolph’s athleticism could be a useful skill for Dallas to keep around, and this game was a great showing for him, but barring a serious improvement in his three-point shot, he’s more of a G League developmental project.

4. Dud - Marcus Bingham Jr.

For the majority of Summer League, Marcus Bingham Jr. found himself earning minimal minutes. He was stuck at the bottom of the Dallas Mavericks rotation for the entirety of the vent.

Through the first four Summer League games, Bingham played just 5.0 minutes per contest, appearing in only two of the games. It was undoubtedly a disappointing summer for the seven-foot, 21-year-old forward.

In the Mavericks final Summer League game, Bingham Jr. played 8:46 off the bench, earning the majority of his minutes during garbage time at the end of the contest.

Bingham Jr. finished the game against Atlanta with zero points, three rebounds, one steal, and one block while shooting 0-of-5 from the floor and 0-of-2 from behind the three-point line.

The youngster began this past season earning a contract from the Texas Legends, but an injury quickly ended his season before it even began, meaning he earned zero G League experience.

Bingham Jr. would have liked to earn a bit more playing time during Summer League, but after a season rehabbing his injury, he should be in line for another shot with the Texas Legends heading into next season.

It’s an unfortunate story, but hopefully, Bingham Jr. will be able to bounce back and show what he’s got in the G League moving forward.

3. Stud - Mike Miles Jr.

Following the 2023 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks secured Mike Miles Jr.’s services on a two-way contract for the upcoming season, and it’s proven to be a great decision.

Miles Jr. has been putting up solid numbers throughout the majority of Summer League, and ever since taking over for McKinley IV in the starting lineup, he’s looked like one of the team’s best players.

The 6-foot-2, 20-year-old point guard spent his time in college at TCU, where he spent three seasons. And now, he looks like he could make a real impact for the Mavericks.

In Dallas’ final Summer League game against the Hawks, Miles Jr. put up 12 points, five rebounds, eight assists, and one steal while shooting 4-of-7 from behind the three-point line.

Miles Jr. is extremely quick and, despite being undersized, is very adept at getting to the rim and finishing through contact - a skill that he showed off against Atlanta.

With the number of talented guards already on Dallas’ roster, it seems unlikely that Miles Jr. earns any semblance of real playing time for the main squad next year, but he should get a ton of run in the G League.

And with his skillset, he could be poised to put up massive numbers for the Texas Legends.

2. Dud - Olivier-Maxence Prosper

As mentioned on the first slide of the article, take this game’s “Duds” list with a grain of salt, as pretty much the entire Dallas Mavericks team played well against the Atlanta Hawks.

However, at the start of the contest, Olivier-Maxence Prosper struggled a bit. He was loose with the ball, moved a bit too fast, and wasn’t under control with the ball in his hands.

That being said, Prosper ended up having a decent game against Atlanta, but in comparison to the rest of his Summer League games, it was a fairly weak performance for the rookie.

He finished the game with 11 points, five rebounds, one assist, and one steal while shooting just 3-of-9 from the field and 0-of-3 from beyond the three-point arc.

Prosper also turned the ball over three times against the Hawks, which was the biggest issue in his game. Again, though, this was only a bad game for Prosper in relation to the rest of his Summer League showings.

Overall, Prosper had an incredible Summer League, especially on the defensive side of the ball. He looks like he’ll be able to step in and be one of Dallas’ best perimeter defenders from Day 1.

And for a Mavericks team whose defense struggled this past year, Prosper will provide a massive boost.

1. Stud - Jordan “Jelly” Walker.

Like Mike Miles Jr., the Dallas Mavericks signed Jordan “Jelly” Walker after the 2023 NBA Draft. However, unlike Miles Jr. and his two-way contract, it is unclear what type of contract Walker was signed to.

Regardless, Walker has been super impressive in Summer League thus far, especially considering how much he struggled efficiency-wise in his debut with the Mavericks.

Since that debut, however, Walker has been one of the most impressive players on the roster. His ball-handling, playmaking, and scoring made him an elite threat for Dallas.

Against the Hawks, Walker finished the game with a game-high 22 points to go along with three rebounds and three assists. He shot 7-of-12 from the floor and 5-of-8 from behind the three-point line.

Walker let his shot creation take center stage against the Hawks and throughout the rest of Summer League, utilizing his shiftiness and sweet three-point stroke to his advantage.

Again, like Miles Jr., it’s unlikely that Walker earns real minutes with the Mavericks next year, as they already have a ton of guard depth, but he’s a guy who could be super fun to watch dominate the G League with the Texas Legends.

Mavericks fans should keep a close eye on Walker heading into next year.