The 2010 Las Vegas Summer League has come and gone, and fortunately for the Bucks wins and losses mean absolutely nothing. Otherwise, the whole "going 1-4" thing would be cause for grave concern.
The team didn't play especially well, and 2nd round pick Darington Hobson missed the event with a groin injury. The good news is that most of these Bucks, well, didn't have a chance in Hell of making the final roster anyway. 10 roster spots were locked down prior to Vegas (Brandon Jennings, Carlos Delfino, John Salmons, Drew Gooden, Andrew Bogut, Larry Sanders, Corey Maggette, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Ersan Ilyasova) with another pair added today (Jon Brockman via trade with Sacramento, and Keyon Dooling in free agency), and another couple (Darington Hobson, Tiny Gallon) claimed, though not taken by any stretch. The Milwaukee roster is looking pretty full, and that's a good thing. Despite the lack of positive results, there's certainly some good things to take away from Vegas, and because the internets like nice round numbers, I'll give you five.
- Larry Sanders--Bucks' fans, you'll love Larry Sanders. He's a ball of energy who blocks shots from the weak side, shows flashes of finishing ability around the basket, and has a mid-range game. He's tall and long enough to get his shot off even when contested, and he runs the floor like a damn gazelle. Blocked in the starting lineup by new Buck Drew Gooden, Sanders will be an ideal 1st big off the bench and a suitable replacement in the starting lineup if (...when) Bogut misses time. His weak side shot blocking ability should help negate Gooden's defensive limitations when playing the 5, and if he can post up against smaller, less athletic 4's, all the better. He's not the straight up stopper that Mbah a Moute is, but not many guys are. I'm not sure how Ilyasova / Brockman / Sanders / Mbah a Moute will juggle minutes at the 4 (I suspect Ersan may have played his last game in a Bucks uniform), but I know you'll enjoy watching Larry play.
- Point Guards--Prior to today's signing of vet Keyon Dooling to backup Brandon Jennings, the Bucks were thin (and not just physically) at the lead guard spot. Marquette product Dominic James was the best point guard on the VSL roster, and Sun Yue came over mid-league from Washington. It also remains to be seen how Hobson fits in, if it all. If he can play point in a pinch, we're pretty well set. Brandon gets the majority of the minutes, Keyon will come in and get the 2nd unit started while hitting open shots, with Hobson (or James, or Royal Ivey) being the 5th guard. Dooling is a solid signing in the Ridnour mold, and adds another 3 point threat to a roster that desperately needed one.