NBA Summer League Diary 2014: Day Four

With the Atlanta Hawks experiencing their second "off" day of the 2014 Las Vegas Summer League, it was time to focus elsewhere with regard to the basketball court. In that vein, let's glance at what took place on Monday from Sin City:

• Nik Stauskas and Ben McLemore on the wing is almost unfair in Summer League. In fairness, there are real concerns about the duo and their ability to play together long term, but both Stauskas (6-for-8 FG, 15 points) and McLemore (7-for-10 FG, 18 points, 6 rebounds) had highly efficient and productive games. Stauskas has displayed the incredibly sweet shooting stroke that made him a top-10 pick, while McLemore has sent a few reminders about why he was in legitimate consideration for the top overall pick in 2013. The Kings may have a shooting guard battle on their hands.
• Former Hawks center Lucas Nogueira had his worst game of the week on Monday. The big man scored 2 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in a blowout loss to Dallas, and while the athleticism was still evident, the pure burst wasn't quite there. That is to be expected after an already grueling week, but it is also something to monitor moving forward.
• I think I'm the only person on earth who thinks Austin Daye could still be a productive NBA asset. The incredibly rangy forward from Gonzaga put up 18 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists in less than 30 minutes for the Spurs on Monday, and in that system, anything is possible. His length is startling in person, and with the assumption that his body simply won't add any "good" mass, I still think he could be productive off the bench somewhere, if not in San Antonio.
• Andrew Wiggins is still an absurd athlete. He wasn't fantastic throughout his showing on Monday, but when things click, there is no one more fun to watch in Las Vegas than he is.
• I really, really like Nerlens Noel defensively. That isn't exactly a revelation, but with concerns (at least from some) about his lanky frame, Noel is holding his own on the interior while flashing the ridiculous shot-blocking ability that would have made him the top pick (if healthy) last season. The offense is a good distance away from the former Kentucky big, but defensively, he's already terrifying.
• Jordan Clarkson continues to impress. I have now mentioned the Lakers rookie guard after all three of their contests, but his handle was on display again on Monday and his production (19 points, 7 rebounds) warranted another note. Look out, Jeremy Lin.
• In the midst of the Jabari Parker-Dante Exum battle, Rodney Hood stole the show. The would-be rookie swingman from Duke rained in 29 points, including 7 threes, to key Utah to a victory, and he seemed to relish the opportunity to go at his former teammate. Hood took a precipitous fall in the draft, but he has the talent of a lottery pick and could put things together in a hurry.

With that, the first weekend of the Las Vegas Summer League comes to a close, but there is a lot more to come as next week arrives. Keep it locked for the latest.