Summer League results don't usually matter, but individual leaps do. What we saw from Adou Thiero on Friday night in Las Vegas wasn't just a good game. It was a loud statement to head coach JJ Redick that the second-year forward is done waiting his turn.
The Los Angeles Lakers handled the Oklahoma City Thunder 96-84, and Thiero was the best player on the floor. He filled the stat sheet with 20 points, four rebounds, four assists, three steals, and two blocks. He did all of this while shooting 8-of-14 from the field and committing zero turnovers.
That last number is the one that should make you sit up. Young players usually come into the Las Vegas Summer League trying to do way too much. They force passes, over-dribble, and rack up mistakes. Thiero didn't do any of that. He played entirely within himself, used his massive 6-foot-7 frame to punish defenders, and looked like a man playing against boys.
With LeBron James and Rui Hachimura away from the summer squad, the Lakers needed someone to step up and command the offense. Thiero did exactly that, bouncing back from a minor wrist injury to look like a guy who has completely outgrown this level of competition.
The physical dominance that turned heads in Vegas
Watching the tape of Friday's game, you notice one thing immediately. Thunder defenders looked flat-out terrified of Thiero's drives. At one point, OKC center Aday Mara literally backed away to avoid contact as Thiero barreled down the lane. Five of his eight made field goals were absolute rim-rocking dunks.
Thiero looks noticeably stronger than he did during his rookie year split between the Lakers and the South Bay Lakers. The former 36th overall pick has clearly spent his offseason in the weight room. He mashed the turbo button all night, flying down the court in transition and finishing lobs with terrifying vertical explosiveness.
His defensive impact was just as ridiculous. The two blocks and three steals don't even cover how much he altered shots at the rim. He played with a high motor, recovered quickly on switches, and anchored a summer defense that kept OKC completely out of rhythm.
The glaring flaw nobody can ignore
Let's be totally honest about the performance. It wasn't perfect. If you looked at the box score and saw 20 points, you might think Thiero is a finished product. He isn't.
He went 0-of-5 from beyond the three-point arc and struggled at the free-throw line, hitting just 2-of-5. His jumper still looks clunky when he's forced to settle. Opposing teams in the regular season are going to dare him to shoot from deep, and right now, he doesn't have the touch to make them pay.
But here is why that flaw shouldn't panic you. The mechanics aren't completely broken. His form actually looks decent, but the touch just wasn't there against the Thunder. If he can even develop into a respectable 35% shooter from the corner, his athleticism will do the rest. He doesn't need to be Ray Allen to find a role under Redick; he just needs to be a threat.
Earned minutes in the real rotation
The Lakers have some real questions to answer regarding their bench depth. Redick needs athletic wings who can defend multiple positions and run the floor. Thiero fits that exact description.
Most people expect young draft picks to spend years marinating in the G League. Thiero already did that. His ability to impact the game without turning the ball over gives him a massive edge over other young prospects on the roster. He doesn't dominate possessions, he just finishes them.
The short-term question now is whether the Lakers management will shut him down for the rest of the summer session. He has proved everything he needed to prove in game one. Leaving him out there risks another injury when he should be preparing for training camp.
If you are looking for immediate action items from this game, keep a close eye on the next Lakers summer lineup. If Thiero sits, it means the front office has already seen enough to penciling him into the main roster plans. If he plays, watch his willingness to keep taking those perimeter shots. The willingness to fail from deep right now is exactly how he'll grow into the player Los Angeles needs this winter.
