NBA Hoops

Scotty Pippen Jr. has been a mixed bag so far in Summer League

Scotty Pippen Jr. has been a mixed bag so far in Summer League

When the Los Angeles Lakers signed guard Scotty Pippen Jr. as an undrafted rookie free agent last month, some fans hoped he would turn into a diamond in the rough.

After all, he is the son of Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen, a do-everything 6-foot-8 forward who was one of the greatest defensive players ever and a six-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls.

So far in the NBA Summer League, the younger Pippen hasn’t stood out a ton, but he has shown a glimpse of potential in certain areas of his game.

After Friday’s loss to the Phoenix Suns, it’s clear Pippen needs a lot of work, but he may have an outside shot at someday making a big-league roster.

The bad

Pippen is 6-foot-3 but weighs just 180 pounds. He isn’t unathletic by any means, but he doesn’t seem to be above-average in terms of his speed or quickness, which will limit his potential.

His passing and facilitating skills are also limited, which may render him more of an undersized shooting guard or perhaps a combo guard.

Pippen’s outside shooting needs work. In the two previous games in the California Classic, he went a combined 5-of-19 from the field and 1-of-8 from 3-point territory, and on Friday he was 1-of-5 from downtown.

Another issue he has is the fact that he is turnover-prone, especially when he’s handling the ball. In his three games with L.A., he has tallied a total of 13 turnovers versus just nine assists.

The good

On the positive side, Pippen has shown a bit of an ability to attack the hoop and finish at the rim, especially on Friday versus the Suns.

Although his defense isn’t the greatest, he also managed to record three steals on Friday, after he notched two steals in the Lakers’ previous contest against the Sacramento Kings.

Overall versus Phoenix, he managed to put up 19 points in 24 minutes despite being inefficient.

Pippen is clearly a project player, but if his desire and work ethic are very high, he could someday find himself suiting up in the NBA.

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