Second-year forward Trey Lyles (234 lbs/6-10 ) is expected to have a big upcoming NBA season. The 2015 lottery pick of the Utah Jazz (7th Pick) has been given the key to the ignition during the 2016 NBA Summer League and Canadian forward has responded beautifully by revving up the engine.
Trey Lyles opted out of the opportunity to help the “Canadian Men of Honor” in the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying battlefield in Philippines, Manila to sharpen his own toolkit and weaponry.
In three games at the Utah Jazz Summer League, Lyles put-up a coveted 20-10 double-deuce that we might as well get accustomed to in the near future. 13 and 12 vs Spurs, 26 points, 11 rebounds and 9-of-10 free-throws against the Celtics and 22 and 8 on 11/12 freebies versus 2016 No. 1 pick Ben Simmons.
“It’s a learning experience for him,” said Johnnie Bryant, the Jazz Summer League coach. “He’s in a situation where instead of being the fourth or fifth guy on the scouting report, he’s the guy on the scouting report, and he knows what that feels like and made adjustments accordingly, and that’s going to help him during the season.”
Lyles opened up the 2016 Las Vegas Summer League with his fourth straight dominate game – 28 point, five rebounds, 7-for-16 FG, 3-of-7 three pointers, 11/12 charity stripe performance against the Washington Wizards.
Understandably, we are talking about NBA Summer League domination, not even preseason or regular or post season, but it’s easy to see just how much of a nightmare of a match-up Lyles is off pick and pop/roll options and with his dribbling and shooting prowess he might be in-line for MIP (Most Improved) Award after averaging 6.1 points and 3.7 rebounds in his rookie season.
However, Canadian Basketball fans can only wish they were getting this type of effort from Lyles in the Philippines.
