Jae Crowder Stands Out as a Late-Round Steal

SBNation's Mike Prada took a look at the 52 drafted rookies who participated in Summer League in Vegas. Obviously Jared Cunningham didn't play, but Jae Crowder and Bernard James got some distinct recognition.

Jae was listed as the first of 5 players that Prada considered to be Late-Round Steals:

9. Jae Crowder, Mavericks

The phrase "he's a basketball player" is so overused, but there's simply no other way to describe Crowder's game. He just finds a way to make an impact in so many different areas on both ends of the floor. He can act as an off-ball cutter because he understands space so well, but he can also handle the ball and make plays with his passing. Defensively, he has an acute sense of help principles, positioning his body in the perfect spot when he's defending the weak side. Combine all that with a better-than-expected shooting stroke (he shot 37 percent on threes), and he really has a complete all-court game despite his size.

As crazy as it sounds, the player he most reminds me of is his current teammate, Shawn Marion. Crowder isn't as explosive athletically, but like Marion, he finds ways to make an impact despite being a poor one-on-one player and not possessing an elite outside shot.

Bernard James was listed as the 3rd player that he thinks have a chance to be useful:

23. Bernard James, Mavericks

Given his experience in the armed forces, it's not a surprise that James often played like a man among boys inside. He's a bit slight in his frame, but he threw his weight around enough to average nine rebounds per game in just 26 minutes per contest. He has pretty nice touch around the rim as well, and as long as you can rebound and score on your putback attempts, there's a place for you in the league.

For the rest of the list, see Prada's post here.