Commentary: 4 painful truths from 3 Summer League games

(Dave Noriega/KSL TV)


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LAS VEGAS — Upon further review, here are four ugly truths of three Summer League games.

Consistency

Don’t hope for it. Don’t expect it.

You must savor the moments of greatness in a young team. Think of Rodney Hood’s Summer League as a metaphor for the season. Hood’s 29-point, 7-for-10 from three effort against the Bucks was magical. It was also sandwiched between a pair of abysmal games. Particularly, the 1-for-10 from three performance against the Sixers. The poor shooting was both exhilarating and terrifying. Exhilarating because he had the confidence to take 10 threes and terrifying that while sitting at 1-for-9, he thought that he should let one more fly. There’s a fine line between confidence and J.R. Smith.

Let me paraphrase Billy Beane/Brad Pitt in “Moneyball”; there’s good days and then there’s bad days — then there’s 50-feet of (insert colorful metaphor), then there’s the Jazz for at least 20 games this season.

Let the great moments carry you through the miserable ones.

The Jazz are going to enter the season with three point guards with a combined two years of NBA experience.

Trey Burke is the obvious starter, Dante Exum is the backup, and Ian Clark is the backup’s backup.

Burke is solid and has a chance to become very good.

Related:

Exum has the talent to be a superstar, but has proven two things in Summer League. First, he’s a true point guard. He has the court vision, touch, and unselfishness, as well as about 50 other intangibles that make him a pass-first point. Second, Exum has to see the court, meaning Quin Snyder must put his genius to the test and figure out a way to play two point guards at the same time for most of the season. Burke and Exum have looked pretty good together. Exum will just have to guard the other team’s two.

Clark has some talent, but it tends to only show itself in July. Nevertheless, he has some skill, and I’m not sure you can ask for much more out of a third point.

Talent abounds, but Tony Parker has played 940 NBA games and Burke, Exum and Clark have played 93.

The Brock Motum experience

He’s been terrific. He’s made shots — 11 of 15 inside the 3-point line. He’s rebounded, defended and assisted, all the while having never left the ground.

He can play, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a guy that fails the eye test more than this sweet Aussie.

Funky shot, check. Thick and lumbering, check. Efficient, check.

Thankfully coaches can look past the warts, but those coaches probably live in Europe.

I hope one day, in the distant future, I can witness Motum play in a rec league game. I think it would be magical.

Malcolm Thomas needs to be on a team, but it won’t be with the Jazz.

The Jazz signing forward Trevor Booker to a multi-year deal probably sealed Thomas’ fate.

I asked Thomas about the signing.

Thomas: “I wasn’t disappointed.”

Translation: “I was extremely disappointed.”

Thomas: “I didn’t know what to expect or how to feel.”

Translation: “I expected to make this team and I feel like a train just ran over my legs.”

Thomas: “All I can do is play hard and see if they (Jazz) still want me in the end.”

Translation: “I am now auditioning for every other team in the league, because I know I have no chance with the Jazz.”

Contributing: Jeremiah Jensen

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