The best thing fans can do while watching the annual summer league is to have patience. Yes, even with second-year players.
Of course, they're naturally given less breathing room if they've got at least a year of NBA basketball under their belt, but the possibility of them having some rust is real.
That was the case for Asa Newell, who did indeed have a less than ideal beginning to his second summer league, but the way he was able to respond shouldn't go overlooked. If anything, it shows the maturity he's able to operate with at such a young age.
Hawks' staff should be impressed by Newell's adaptability
The truth of the matter is that Newell, despite being the most proven of the bunch, hasn't been a focal point in the Summer Hawks' nightly attack. It's almost as if he's somewhat of an afterthought, while the two most recent first-round picks - Kingston Flemings and Zuby Ejiofor - find their footing.
Still, even in a relatively more limited role than he saw last summer, similar to most of his action during his rookie year with the main ball club, he's been able to impact the game on both ends of the floor.
All the Hawks' staff wanted to see out of Newell this summer were corrections around the margins. He showcased enough in his rookie season to warrant real rotation minutes in his sophomore campaign, so they're allowing him some freedom to make mistakes in a fluctuating role.
He likely won't play for the entirety of their summer schedule, so by the time they do, eventually, shut him down, they'll hopefully have seen a reasonable amount of improvement from him.
In just two games, there's a legitimate argument that he already has. He was crucial in Atlanta picking up their first win of the summer, right after his unexpected inefficiency hurt their chances of emerging victorious in both.
Newell should also showcase growth with the main ball club next season
He's going to make mistakes. He's a young player; it happens. What's much more important than any struggles inexperienced players face, though, is exactly how they respond.
Newell, after shooting 5-15 in a game the Hawks lost, recovered nicely with a 13-point, seven-rebound performance on 5-8 from the field. They don't pick up the win without him.
He saw less on-ball volume, but displayed greater impact, alluding to the fact that he'll be able to continue doing so at the next level.
When, or if, he plays again this summer, fans should absolutely expect him to continue building off of his recent strong performance. Atlanta's staff should, and will, do the same.
Add us as a preferred source on Google