NBA Summer League dialogue isn’t for the faint of heart. Basketball commentators jump to rash conclusions after watching a few games from young, developing NBA players — most playing in a new system with brand new teammates — calling those who struggle “busts” and crowning those who outperform expectations as “future stars.”

For the Washington Wizards, who had three first-round picks make their Summer League debuts this summer, that harsh reality set in quickly.

The basket looked the size of a thumbtack for No. 2 pick Alex Sarr, who struggled mightily on offense. No. 14 pick Bub Carrington impressed with his court vision and long-range shooting, showcasing exactly why the Wizards traded Deni Avdija for him on draft night. No. 24 pick Kyshawn George flashed potential as a two-way wing with upside as a knockdown three-point shooter.

Despite many high points for the Wizards in Las Vegas, low points dominated the headlines as usual. Below, I did my best to highlight both the good and bad that occurred at NBA Summer League, grading all 15 members of the Wizards squad.

Alex Sarr

As the Wizards highest pick since Otto Porter over a decade ago, Sarr entered Summer League with lofty expectations. Those expectations were far from met, and that’s putting it nicely.

Every concern about Sarr’s game during the pre-draft process was exposed as truth in Las Vegas. Lack of strength: check. Poor hands: check. Limited offensive bag: check. Inefficient shooting: check. Basically, everything that could go wrong on offense, went wrong.

Against Portland, Sarr missed all 15 shots en route to an abysmal zero-point performance. The following night against Sacramento, Sarr appeared tentative to shoot, making just one of his six shots. That marked a 1-21 shooting stretch over Games 3 and 4, with just two points to show for it.

While critics have rightly piled on Sarr’s offensive game, it would be dishonest to forget his defense. While his rim protection wasn’t Anthony-Davis like, his affect at the rim was apparent. Sarr blocked a few shots and altered many others to disrupt opponents in the paint.

The No. 2 pick’s passing looked strong as well, racking up multiple assists per contest. While Sarr’s Summer League was definitely one to forget, Wizards fans shouldn’t press the panic button.

Washington drafted Sarr for his defense, size and potential. He’s only 19. He’s still growing, still learning the game. While that doesn’t excuse a horrible Summer League showing, it’s important to note that the jury is still out on him.

Grade: D+

Bub Carrington

Sarr’s poor showing in Vegas would be 10 times more alarming for Wizards fans if they didn’t have Bub’s terrific performance to lean on. The No. 14 pick looked legit from the jump, dropping a near triple-double (19p, 9r and 8a) in Game 1.

Washington used Carrington as the lead guard, allowing the Pittsburgh product to showcase his court vision, speed in the open court and off-dribble mid-range game. When the Wizards played Bub off-ball, he displayed his catch-and-shoot skill, shooting 42% from deep through the team’s first three games.

While Sarr looked worse than expected, Bub was better than advertised. There’s still much to be seen, but for now, Bub’s quieted the Deni Avdija trade critics for the time being with his impressive Summer League showing.

Grade: A

Kyshawn George

A widely criticized selection at No. 24, the Wizards picked George for three things: Size (6-foot-7), shooting and defensive versatility. George showcased all three in las Vegas, seemingly improving with each game.

The Miami product doubled his point total from Game 1 to Game 2, making three of his four three-point attempts against Houston en route to 14 points. Against Milwaukee, George made all three of his three-point attempts in another impressive shooting performance.

Defensively, George guarded one-through-four, sticking with his assignment as advertised. There was one play in particular against Sacramento where George turned the ball over at half-court, rolled his ankle running back on defense, and still managed to meet Colby Jones at the rim for an emphatic block.

In terms of cons, George’s handle needs work. Turnovers were an issue throughout Summer League, dribbling into tough spots, throwing errant passes, etc.

George plays at his own pace, allowing the game to come to him, which is a terrific trait to have at just 20 years old.

Grade: B+

Justin Champagnie

A true veteran of Summer League, Champagnie’s success in Vegas was expected. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t impressive though.

Champagnie averaged 13.0 points and 6.0 rebounds across four Summer League contests.

The Pittsburgh product is still on a two-way deal, a contract he’s outperformed. If the Wizards do what’s expected and don’t guarantee Eugene Omoruyi’s contract, Champagnie deserves that roster spot for his play toward the end of last season and through Summer League.

Grade: A-

Johnny Davis

It can be seen as embarrassing by some that a former No. 10 pick entering Year 3 is still playing in Summer League. And with how bad Davis’ first two Summer League’s were, it wouldn’t have been difficult to improve his numbers.

While Davis didn’t look terrible, he didn’t look like a third-year player who should be dominating against younger, less-experienced players either. Averaging 10 points and five rebounds in Vegas looks solid for a second-round pick like Tristan Vukcevic, not a former top-10 pick in his third Summer League.

Davis’ jumper looked the same as last season. I still saw some ill-advised drives into traffic and a few poor passes and turnovers. The defense was solid but not eye-opening. Again, Davis enjoyed a pretty mid Summer League. Nothing to complain about but nothing to praise either.

Davis was held out of the Wizards final three games to let others play. I think Davis is a roster lock, but since he was drafted by the old regime, nothing is certain.

Grade: B-

Patrick Baldwin Jr.

If it weren’t for his game-winning three against Sacramento, I’d have a tough time finding highlights from Patrick Baldwin Jr. in Vegas.

The idea of PBJ (a Michael Porter type stretch-four with great size) sounds much better than reality. The reality is that Patrick Baldwin Jr. has performed much closer to Jontay Porter than Michael Porter.

PBJ has struggled to make open threes, doesn’t possess much ability to put the ball on the deck and always appears out of position defensively. I expect PBJ to make the opening night roster, but wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t.

Grade: D-

Jules Bernard

Can Bernard score the ball? Yes. Will his game translate to the NBA? I don’t think so, which is why I’m not letting his numbers fool me.

Bernard scored well at UCLA, scored well for the GoGo and still hasn’t been rewarded with an NBA deal. I think the reason is that executives don’t believe his scoring will translate to the pros, a precedent I agree with.

Against Sacramento, Bernard dropped a team-high 20 points, which may seem impressive to the untrained eye. However, he did so while shooting a porous 3-9 from three coupled with a team-high six turnovers.

The Wizards have an open two-way spot I think Bernard could secure. If he cuts down the turnovers and becomes a more efficient scorer, an NBA contract might be in his future.

Grade: B

Tristan Vukcevic

There’s small sample size to grade Tristan Vukcevic on, being that the second-year center played just one game in Vegas, and unfortunately for Vukcevic, that performance left Wizards fans wanting.

The Serbian forward looked rusty, slow and lethargic. His shot looked flat, which is usually the result of no legs (low energy). Vukcevic scored just two points while missing five of his six shots, an unimpressive showing from the former No. 42 pick.

In a show of optimism, I’m willing to chalk Vukcevic’s poor play up to rust and call it a day. He’s on a two-way deal which should allow him more time to develop in the G League while Washington continues its rebuild.

Grade: F

Eugene Omoruyi

With Omouryi’s contract non-guaranteed for the 2024-25 season, Summer League was an audition-of-sorts for the 27-year-old. Omoruyi failed that test rather quickly, shooting 1-9 from the field and turning the ball over three times in 24 minutes versus Atlanta.

At 6’6, Omoruyi is a tweaner — not quick enough to be a guard and not tall enough to be a forward or center. At an older age and with a non-guaranteed deal, Omoruyi needed to impress in Las Vegas and instead dropped the ball.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Washington waives him to create a roster spot for a younger, more promising player.

Grade: D-

Taylor Funk

Taylor Funk is Patrick Baldwin Jr. if Patrick Baldwin Jr. actually made threes.

One of the best surprises of the summer, Utah State alum Taylor Funk showcased his long-range prowess in Vegas. Funk came on strong toward the ladder part of Summer League, averaging 13 points on 50 percent shooting from three in Games 3 and 4.

Funk saved his best for last, dropping 29 points on eight threes versus Milwaukee to cap a remarkably impressive Summer League.

At 6-foot-8, Funk projects as a stretch-four. With the Wizards holding an open two-way spot, Funk has certainly positioned himself to be rewarded with that contract.

Grade: A+

John Butler Jr.

John Butler Jr. is the perfect case of “leaving college too early.” At just 19 years old, Butler left Florida State following his freshman season, going undrafted before signing with Portland.

Height isn’t the issue for Butler, who stands 7-foot. The problem is his strength, weighing a slender 190 pounds. While most 7-footers play on the interior, coaches are forced to play Butler on the wing due to his lack of strength.

To be a wing at Butler’s size, spacing the floor is essential. While Butler jacks threes, they don’t often go in, making him pretty useless offensively. And when he can’t hold his own on defense against faster guards or stronger forwards, he becomes a liability on both ends.

Butler’s Summer League performance wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good either. It went as expected, making him a likely Go-Go candidate next season.

Grade: C+

Markquis Nowell

A former Kansas State guard and 2023 NCAA Tournament standout, Nowell stands a mighty 5’7. The small point guard possesses terrific court vision, refiling cross-court passes to his Wizards teammates.

While Nowell’s point-guard skills are rather impressive, scouts haven’t been able to overlook his smaller build which is likely the reason he went undrafted despite dropping a 20 point, 19 assist NCAA Tournament game versus Michigan State.

While I thoroughly enjoyed Nowell’s minutes this summer, teams picked on him defensively. There were also times where he’d turn the ball over due to not being able to see over defenders, especially against Milwaukee.

Grade: C+

Erik Stevenson

The former West Virginia guard didn’t play early on but came on strong in Games 3 and 4. Against Portland and Sacramento, Stevenson averaged 7.5 points on 75% 3pt, showcasing what made him special as a Mountaineer.

At 25 years old, Stevenson doesn’t necessarily fit the youth movement in Washington but could prove a steady two-way guard for the GoGo. Stevenson certainly raised his stock with a pair of impressive games in Las Vegas.

Grade: B+

Tyler Robertson

After riding the bench for Washington’s first four contests, Robertson finally got an opportunity versus Milwaukee. The University of Portland product was unimpressive, not offering much on either end.

Grade: D

Jared Butler

Widely considered the best player on Washington’s Summer League roster, Butler appears to be too good for these games, a sentiment I agree with. Butler didn’t appear in any Summer League games this year, essentially traveling to Vegas to practice and spectate.

Washington rewarded Butler with a standard NBA deal after he impressed in relief for Tyus Jones. The Baylor product should see rotational minutes at PG this season.

Let me know what your grades are in the comments below!