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A Summer League cut short due to injury is not what any NBA player wants, but there’s something to be said for the way a young player is able to recalibrate and take a setback in stride. Jaden Ivey made an electric debut for the Pistons in Vegas, scoring a team-high 20 points alongside six rebounds and assists to help Detroit take its first win. He’d go on to play an effusive five minutes (and put up 11 points) in the Pistons’ second game before rolling an ankle that held him out for the remainder of the week.

Watching Ivey, the first thing you’re bound to notice is that he’s fast. In college, he looked like a sprinter on the court, using his quickness full-tilt to blow by defenders. In Vegas, he was getting comfortable adding new gears, experimenting with the real-time game manipulation his inherent velocity gave when he abruptly cut it off or went from tearing downhill to cruising cross-court. His soon-to-be teammate, Cade Cunningham, has noticed it too.

“He’s fast. I’m not fast,” Cunningham said recently, noting how much that speed is going to help spread the floor. “I like to kick ahead to push the pace and he can literally sprint it there. It’s going to be fun.”

Cunningham touched on what’s been so palpable since Ivey and fellow rookie Jalen Duren were acquired in June: excitement. The buzz around this season’s Pistons team has been building since the Draft, was flaring like so many neon lights in Vegas, and feels almost heady approaching August. Ivey feels it, too. It’s part of why he plans to head to Detroit in early August to help his grandmother with the family’s annual golf charity event, named in honor of his late grandfather, James Hunter. It informed his Summer League experience, and fit into why Ivey was asked to champion Gatorade’s Athlete of the Year Program after its two-year hiatus.

Dime had some time with Ivey, who wore a square cut, loose leather vest, and smiled often, before the Athlete of the Year award event got underway to talk about his Vegas takeaways, what lessons he wants to take from his mom, Niele Ivey, into his rookie season, his game, and yes, that speed.

You’re about to take the next step in your career, into the pros, but it wasn’t that long ago that you were in the same place as the athletes in the Gatorade Athlete of the Year program. What kind of support, or advice, would you give to this next generation of athletes?

The biggest advice I would give is definitely embrace the journey. You worked hard to get here, to this point, don’t settle for less. Just keep doing what you’re doing, keep working hard.

Your grandmother has a charity golf event in Detroit, in honor of your late grandfather, that helps raise money for student scholarships in the community. A part of the Gatorade Player of the Year Program looks at the community impact of Player of the Year winners. You grew up seeing the importance of community impact firsthand, but in your own words, why is it important for athletes to give back?

It’s very important to give back. The youth looks up to us. They look up to every athlete. Whatever sport it is, there’s kids that look up to you, so I think it’s very important to give back to the youth in whatever [avenue] it is.

Have you been involved in the charity event that your grandmother puts on?

Yeah! So now, since I’ve been drafted with the Pistons, I feel like I can help even more. It’s something me and my grandma have discussed, me just doing more for my grandpa’s charity event. I’m actually going — it’s August 6 — so I’ll be there in attendance and I’m going to do whatever I can to help out and help the community out, and make more strides.

Is she excited to have you?

Yeah, she’s definitely excited. [smiles]

On the note of family, you have a pretty impressive one. I have to gush a bit, I interviewed your mom for a story a few weeks ago and I’m sure you know and hear this all the time, but she’s pretty incredible.

She definitely is.

You’re going to make your own name for yourself this season, but what kind of lessons from your mom will you fold into your game, or your role as a teammate?

I think the biggest thing is her passion for the game. It’s why I’m sitting here today. Her passion is greatly tested, I feel like, every day. She’s so passionate about the game and it’s gotten her to the point where she is right now — a head coach. Her passion got her there. So, I’ll never take it for granted, the passion I have for the game, the love I have for the game. Just each and every day try and get better, but never take it for granted. Growing up, I was around great women that loved the game of basketball, and it’s why I’m sitting here today.

I was able to watch your first games in Vegas in person and I have to say that your quickness kind of needs its own speedometer. You’ve said that in college you tried to use your speed at 100 percent all the time, but at Summer League, you were definitely concentrating more on rhythm. How have you been working to add different gears to your game?

I think the biggest thing is slowing down [laughs]. In college, I feel like I was faster and quicker than everybody. So I could just speed by somebody. And in the NBA, it’s a lot of long and athletic, quicker guys. I feel like that’s one of the best parts about my game, is that I can change speeds and get to that burst. So, the biggest thing is slowing down for me and going into games [at Summer League], I just had that mindset to slow down and then go fast. Just change pace, change speeds.

Does that ever feel a little like going against your natural instinct?

Nah, I feel like it benefits me a lot. I feel like guys they guard me and they think I’m just going to at one speed, but if I slow it down, you’re not going to know what I’m going to do. It’s really helped my game a lot, it’s opened a lot of opportunities for me on the court.

That was my next question. When you add those other offensive speeds, or gears, what other changes have you see in the game around you? I imagine it would help with spacing, or opportunities to get the ball to one of your teammates if they’ve got a good look, but what are you noticing?

It opens up the game a little bit more for me. It opens my eyes a little bit more. I can see the floor better, I can find my teammates in the right spots, and most importantly getting to my spots offensively.

I know you didn’t necessarily get the Summer League you wanted, but I was curious what your biggest takeaways were from the games that you played in.

Definitely the physicality of the games. Everybody was really physical. That’s the biggest thing in the NBA, there’s a lot of guys who bring that physical presence on the floor. So I feel like I experienced that my first two Summer League games, and I feel like I’ve embraced it.

Cade Cunningham is one of the most disruptive players to watch, watching his handle, it’s kind of mesmerizing. Are you looking forward to bringing your athleticism and speed alongside his playmaking?

I’m definitely very excited to play with him. I think the biggest thing is he’s a very unselfish guy, so he’s going to find me and find my teammates. And the same with me. I feel like I’m very unselfish, I like to get my teammates the ball and it’s a part of my game I feel like really improved, is finding the right man that’s open. And that’s really going to take my game to new heights.

Was there a pretty quick camaraderie with that Detroit Summer League team?

Yeah, everybody was just happy, just to be together, to put that Detroit Pistons jersey on. Everybody loved it. We all bonded. Everybody’s great guys, everybody gels together really well. And it’s why I feel like Troy Weaver picked the perfect squad. All the guys are just happy to be a Piston. We’re all ready to get to work, for sure.

On that note, you’ve obviously heard it, there’s a lot of excitement around the potential of a young, super quick, very athletic Detroit team this season. Is it feeling that way from the inside too?

Yeah, we’ve got a great young core. We got some guys that are hungry and want to work, and get Detroit back to winning. That’s the biggest thing, I think, when you have guys that are hungry it’s going to do the organization really well. Because eventually, when you have guy like that, who can take this team to the playoffs and eventually win something. That’s the goal we’re setting to begin the season. We want to win a championship for Detroit. Each and every day we’re going to work toward that goal.

Are you looking forward to being coached by Dwane Casey?

I’m really looking forward to it, to playing for him. He reminds me a lot of my grandfather, just the way he speaks. He’s very well-spoken, he’s going to tell you what you need to hear to be a great basketball player. So I’m ready to learn.

Despite what people may think, smart people do not know everything. Sometimes they don’t know certain answers. Other times, they just don’t know how to spell. Hey, it’s hard! But some Jeopardy! fans are upset with the inconsistency of the spelling rules as of late.

Earlier this week, an episode of the trivia show aired with a Final Jeopardy! conclusion that some found to be a little unfair to other contestants who have made spelling and written errors.

The correct answer to Monday’s clue was “What is ‘Waiting for Godot?’” and Erica Weiner-Amachi, a fourth-grade teacher from Philadelphia, wrote something along those lines, and it was accepted by returning host and painful jokester Ken Jennings as the correct answer. But fans were quick to point out that this has happened before, and the result was not in favor of the contestant.

On the June 22nd episode of the show, Sadie Goldberger was disqualified for her answer, “What Is Harriet Tubman” being “illegible.” Fans compared the answers side by side and concluded that accepting Weiner-Amachi’s answer but not Golderberger’s seems unfair.

As per the official Jeopardy! rules, written responses to the Final Jeopardy! clue do not have to be spelled correctly, but they do have to “be phonetically correct and not add or subtract any extraneous sounds or syllables.” As fans pointed out on social media, both contestants did get the right answer, their handwriting was just hard to make out.

Some fans wondered why the contestants don’t write clearly, while others were confused as to why the show hasn’t introduced keypads for typing in answers yet. It’s 2022! The technology is here! Let’s use it!

(Via TVInsider)

Whenever a studio holds back reviews until just before the release date, the conventional wisdom is to be concerned about the final product. Fortunately, that’s not the case with Jordan Peele‘s latest directorial effort, Nope, which reunites him with Get Out star Daniel Kaluuya for a surprising summer blockbuster. The film is racking up positive reviews from critics, which suggests that the embargo was simply to avoid spoilers that, don’t worry, you won’t find below.

After delivering smaller-sized horror fare like the aforementioned Get Out and Us, Peele appears to have taken his genre love to new heights with Nope, which sees the director tackling his largest spectacle yet via a UFO invasion. For the most part, Nope appears to be hitting hard with critics with only a few reservations about whether the movie’s parts work as a whole.

You can scope out excerpts from the first batch of reviews below:

Mike Ryan, Uproxx:

With Nope [Jordan Peele]’s proven he knows how to make an unbelievably entertaining summer alien movie that can draw the masses … while at the same time warn people about the nature and danger of spectacle.

David Ehrlich, IndieWire:

While Jordan Peele has fast become one of the most relevant and profitable of modern American filmmakers, “Nope” is the first time that he’s been afforded a budget fit for a true blockbuster spectacle, and that’s exactly what he’s created with it. But if this smart, muscular, and massively entertaining flying saucer freak-out is such an old school delight that it starts with a shout-out to early cinema pioneer Eadweard Muybridge (before paying homage to more direct influences like “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”), it’s also a thoroughly modern popcorn movie for and about viewers who’ve been inundated with — and addicted to — 21st century visions of real-life terror.

Alonso Duralde, The Wrap:

There’s no accusing of Peele of playing it safe, but the further he gets from the lean cohesiveness of “Get Out,” the more divisive and perplexing his films become. That may well be the point, and “Nope” will certainly set off new debates about what he’s doing, and why, and whether it was worth it.

Nick Schager, The Daily Beast:

Peele finds himself back on solid footing with Nope, a science-fiction horror show that flourishes on its own monster-movie terms, and then laces its mayhem with pointed and invigorating undercurrents. It’s large-scale filmmaking done right, and proof that when he’s on his game, Peele remains one of contemporary cinema’s most skillful genre artists.

Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter:

This elusive third feature from the director of Get Out and Us peacocks its ambitions (and budget) while indulging in narrative tangents and detours. It is sprawling and vigorous. Depending on your appetite for the heady and sonorous, it will either feel frustratingly perplexing or strike you as a work of unquestionable genius.

Brian Truitt, USA Today:

Yep, it was a good idea for Jordan Peele to have the keys to a flying saucer movie. The subtly ambitious “Nope” trades the writer/director’s penchant for horror – where he’s become one of the most important new voices in recent years – for some old-fashioned sci-fi terror and full-on big-screen spectacle.

Owen Gleiberman, Variety:

Jordan Peele’s “Nope” is a tantalizingly creepy mixed bag of a sci-fi thriller. It’s a movie that taps into our fear and awe of UFOs, and for a while it holds us in a shivery spell. It picks the audience up and carries it along, feeding off spectral hints of the otherworldly.

Alison Willmore, Vulture:

Nope is a work of sly devastation from writer-director Jordan Peele that, like his previous films Get Out and Us, is a horror comedy with a speculative premise — in this case, by way of the saucer-shaped UFO lurking in the clouds about the Haywood Ranch in Agua Dulce. Unlike in Get Out, where Kaluuya’s character Chris discovers he’s been lured into a trap by a cabal of body-snatching white liberals, or Us, where malevolent doppelgangers swarm out of the earth like collectors coming for a long-overdue bill, in Nope, the danger is, to a certain degree, opt-in.

Nope opens in theaters on July 22.

Benny Blanco is delivering one of the most anticipated musical collaborations of the year. On his new single, the super-producer has teamed up with Snoop Dogg and members of BTS to make “Bad Decisions,” which is set to arrive early next month.

The collaboration will appear on Blanco’s third album, which is set to drop later this year. With nearly 15 years working behind the scenes, Blanco has worked with some of the industry’s top artists, including Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Maroon 5, and more. Always seeking fresh new sounds, Blanco says collaborating with the legendary rapper, along with the biggest boy band in the world right now, feels like a dream come true.

“I’m still pinching myself,” said Blanco in a statement. “I can’t believe I have a song coming out with Jin, Jimin, V and Jung Kook of BTS and Snoop Dogg. It doesn’t even feel real.”

The song and video will arrive simultaneously, and in addition to the new musical offerings, Blanco, Snoop, and BTS will allow XBOX “users unprecedented ways to celebrate the release,” with more details to come soon, according to a statement.

Although not all of the members of BTS will appear on the track, the BTS Army will be elated to see the boys together, especially following several rumors of a breakup.

“Bad Decisions” will arrive 8/5 via Interscope.

Last month, Diddy made his return as an artist with a groovy heartbreak anthem, “Gotta Move On” featuring Bryson Tiller. The single is presumably from an upcoming Diddy album, which will be released on his recently-launched R&B-focused Love Records imprint, which will mark his first solo album since Press Play in 2006 — although he did follow up with a mixtape in 2015 titled Money Making Mitch. Today, Diddy and Tiller released the video for “Gotta Move On,” which features a cameo from comedian Tiffany Haddish and a very Diddy scene of the music mogul losing his cool in a nightclub restroom.

The Teyana Taylor (aka Spike Tey)-directed video opens as so many clips from the genre’s early 2000s heyday did: with a pointless celebrity cameo outside a nightclub the artists are planning to enter. Haddish plays either a bouncer or a promoter who greets Diddy and Bryson’s party as they enter, then is never seen again once they do. Once inside, one woman, in particular, draws Diddy’s attention and from their interactions, she’s meant to be an old flame. His attempts to rekindle their attachment spark an argument instead, sending Diddy to the bathroom to cool off. There, he does the opposite, demolishing the room the way he did his office in 2017 before composing himself and returning to the dance.

You can watch the video for “Gotta Move On” up top.

The wait for Lil Uzi Vert’s upcoming Red & White EP continues. Last week, Uzi announced the project and billed it as the prelude to their long-awaited The Pink Tape project. While Uzi did not share a release date for Red & White, many believed that the project would arrive much sooner than later, especially since the rapper debuted its cover art. The world is still waiting for the official release of Red & White, but until then, you can enjoy another loose and SoundCloud exclusive single from Uzi.

The new record is a bit more relaxed than Uzi’s previous singles, “Space Cadet” and “I Know,” but it still presents the rapper in a very confident state. Over production from longtime collaborator Maaly Raw, Uzi brags about their riches and the other fruits of their labor.

The new record arrives after Uzi declared that they now use them/them pronouns. The news was shared very subtly as Uzi simply changed the pronouns that were listed on his Instagram page. Later, a spokesperson for the rapper confirmed that the rapper will indeed go by they/them pronouns.

You can listen to “Flex Up” above.

Lil Uzi Vert is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

A three-part docuseries detailing the catastrophic events of Woodstock ’99 is set to arrive on Netflix next month. Clusterf*ck: Woodstock ’99 will feature several accounts from the 30th anniversary of the legendary music festival, which took place over the course of three days in Bethel, NY in 1969.

The docuseries will consist of home videos of performances, as well as footage of the chaos unfolding. Viewers can also look forward to seeing and eyewitness interviews from festival staffers, performers, and attendees. Korn’s Jonathan Davis, Jewel, Fatboy Slim, Bush’s Gavin Rossdale, and the late Woodstock organizer Michael Lang, will all give interviews throughout the docuseries.

“Woodstock is supposed to be synonymous with peace, love, and great music. But in 1999, a much-hyped 30th-anniversary revival of the festival ended in chaos with fires, riots, and allegations of sexual assault,” said executive producer Tom Pearson in a statement. “What caused the festival to explode into violence? Was it a product of late ’90s societal dysfunction, fueled by entitled frat boys? Incitement by the aggressive music of headlining rap metal bands – Korn, Limp Bizkit, Rage Against the Machine? Or the inevitable result of ruthless commercial exploitation by the festival organizers?”

Check out the trailer above.

Clusterf*ck: Woodstock ’99 hits Netflix on 8/3.

If Larry David has the chance to call Alan Dershowitz “disgusting,” he’ll take advantage of it. Last summer, the New York Post reported that the Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm creator and the lawyer who worked as part of the defense teams for Harvey Weinstein, Donald Trump, and Jeffrey Epstein got into a verbal dust-up in the multi-millionaires haven of Martha’s Vineyard. Here’s how the conversation went down:

Dershowitz: “We can still talk, Larry.”

David: “No. No. We really can’t. I saw you. I saw you with your arm around [Trump Secretary of State Mike] Pompeo! It’s disgusting!”

Dershowitz: “He’s my former student [at Harvard Law]. I greet all of my former students that way. I can’t greet my former students?”

David: “It’s disgusting. Your whole enclave — it’s disgusting. You’re disgusting!”

Dershowitz was asked about the encounter in a recent profile with the New Yorker. He did not deny that he was called “disgusting.”

“He did, yeah,” Dersh said when asked if it’s true that he got chewed out by David. “What happened is — it’s interesting because I was having lunch with a very radical lawyer who loves me. I mean, he disagrees with me. We argue all the time… So I was having lunch with him and then a number of other people were there. Suddenly, Larry David walks in to buy some groceries. I say, ‘Hey. Hi, Larry,’ and he turns away, and he just walks away. I say, ‘Larry, can’t we at least talk?’ He said, ‘No. You’re disgusting.’”

The “Larry David exit” should replace the “Irish exit.” It’s more effective.

(Via the New Yorker)

The marketing for Nope seems like a gamble. It’s been layered in mystery, designed to spark more questions than actually telling people what this movie was about. (Which is interesting because director Jordan Peele has been very upfront all along, “It’s an alien movie.” He isn’t lying: it’s an alien movie.) So now I’m curious how audiences will react to a movie that, to this point, has promoted itself as one of the great mysteries of our time, when in reality the movie itself isn’t hiding much. Now, that’s not saying it doesn’t have anything to say, but this isn’t Super 8, when we finally see the alien near the end of the movie. In Nope we see the alien fairly early. So, in that regard, Nope isn’t quite what you think it’s going to be, but maybe only because it’s perhaps more crowd-pleasing and has more scenes in common with a traditional summer alien movie than you’re probably expecting. I mean, look, it is being released in July. There’s a reason for that.

At the home of OJ and Emerald Haywood – siblings, played by Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer, who own a horse ranch and supply horses to Hollywood productions – there’s a poster for the 1972 film Buck and the Preacher that is featured prominently in a number of shots, to the point you can’t really miss it. After Nope, I wound up watching Buck and the Preacher (I highly recommend this), Sidney Poitier’s directorial debut, which is considered to be the first studio Western with a primarily Black cast. And now here’s Jordan Peele, 50 years later, releasing a movie that certainly has Western themes, but is the first big-budget summer alien movie with a primarily Black cast.

One day, random objects start raining from the sky over the Haywoods’s ranch, things like coins and keys. Around the same time, a former child star, Ricky Park (Steven Yeun, who has one of the best and funniest monologues I’ve seen in a movie in some time), comes a calling with intentions to rent numerous horses from the Haywood ranch for somewhat mysterious reasons. (Ricky Park, at this point, is best known for being on a sitcom in the mid-’90s where a monkey attacked the cast, which we see in a lot of gory flashbacks. Ricky tells this story through the lens of the fictional SNL sketch based on the incident in which Chris Kattan plays the monkey. Ricky’s over-enthusiasm at Kattan’s portrayal of the monkey left me delighted. “He’s killing it … I mean, it’s fucking Kattan!”)

Eventually, OJ and Emerald decide (a) yes there’s an alien and (b) they need to film the alien, then they would go down in history as the first people who ever filmed alien life. There are a couple of problems. First, whenever the alien shows up, all electrical and mechanical devices stop working. Second, other people nearby are starting to figure out there’s something strange going on and they, too, might want to try and film the alien. They first enlist the help of a local Best Buy-type technician, Angel (Brandon Perea, who is hilarious), who, once he sets up the new security system, just kind of invites himself to stick around and see what happens. Then they hire acclaimed cinematographer Antlers Holst (Michael Wincott, who is just awesome), who seems more interested in getting the perfect, magic hour shot than just getting proof of alien life. And the movie just focuses on these five characters, to its benefit. (I guess six if you count the alien.)

Nope takes plenty of jabs at Hollywood and, as Peele as said, the nature of spectacle. There will be a lot to be written about the deeper meaning of Nope as the weeks go on (to do so now gets into too many spoilers), but maybe the best thing about Nope is the movie itself doesn’t get bogged down with these themes. It’s not a dour experience. There was a moment in the movie I stopped trying to figure out every reference, decided to just save all that for later, and enjoyed the ride of what’s a really fun alien movie. This is a movie with swagger and just looks absolutely gorgeous. (This is Peele’s first collaboration with cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, who shot movies like Interstellar and Dunkirk. Also, Nope shares some DNA with Top Gun: Maverick in this regard, being movie that looks fantastic, but the story avoids being convoluted like so many summer movies tend to be.)

This is why, when I interviewed Peele, I was hesitant to bring up how much this movie reminds me of Tremors. (Only instead of being under the ground, it flies.) I could see a world where Peele would be like, “Hey, I have something to say here and you’re comparing it to Tremors?” Obviously, that did not happen and, as it turns out, Peele is a huge fan of Tremors. And, now knowing that, it’s an obvious influence on Nope. The thing about Tremors is, that’s a movie with swagger. And Nope has a similar swagger that Peele was smart to use. But that’s what’s fascinating about Jordan Peele and his movies: yes, obviously, they have a lot to say, but Peele also loves genre movies. During an interview he’ll start talking about how much he loves The Lost Boys and Corey Feldman. He’s a director who takes it as a huge compliment to have his new big-budget alien movie be compared to Tremors. With Nope he’s proven he knows how to make an unbelievably entertaining summer alien movie that can draw the masses … while at the same time warn people about the nature and danger of spectacle.

‘Nope’ opens in theaters this weekend.You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter.

Trey Murphy III didn’t concede even a hint of hesitation at a vital moment in the biggest game of his brief NBA career. The ball swung the then-rookie’s way as the New Orleans Pelicans held possession and touted a 98-94 lead over the Los Angeles Clippers in the play-in finale.

A bucket here, with just over two minutes remaining in the fourth, would be a gigantic step towards the Pelicans securing a playoff berth. C.J. McCollum tossed the ball toward Murphy, who was stationed a couple steps beyond the arc, and the 21-year-old readied to fire. After a is-this-shot-gonna-land? bounce on the front rim, the ball rolled in. New Orleans’ lead ballooned to seven.

Minutes later, the Pelicans, dispatched Los Angeles, 105-101, and secured a first-round date with the Phoenix Suns. Murphy played the final 16 minutes of the contest and dropped 14 points on 4-for-7 shooting, including three triples over the last nine minutes.

He conveyed his bravado and credence as a shooter all season long. The fourth-quarter spurt to aid New Orleans’ turnaround from Western Conference cellar to playoff appearance was a culmination of that approach. In 62 regular-season games, he connected on 38.2 percent of his 186 threes. In eight postseason bouts (play-in included), he drilled 44.8 percent of his 29 long balls.

The dude was billed as a prolific shooting prospect pre-draft out of Virginia and Rice, and he delivered in year one with the Pelicans. Contemporaries Herbert Jones and Jose Alvarado headlined New Orleans’ haul from the 2022 Draft. But Murphy is another member who popped in his first season and adds another name to the constantly expanding young core down in the Bayou.

The foundation and majority of Murphy’s offensive allure is that outside shooting prowess. The numbers help discern this concept, and the tape reinforces it. At 6’9, his long-range exploits are a particular premium for a New Orleans club light on shooting in its frontcourt.

Dudes like Zion Williamson, Jonas Valančiūnas, and Larry Nance Jr. are all excellent players in their roles, yet they’re not offering much from deep. Murphy provides a distinct dynamic for the roster’s frontcourt rotation, while also complementing the offensive pillars in Williamson and Brandon Ingram, both of whom prefer to operate inside the arc as initiators and ball-handlers. As the Pelicans established increased stability over the course of the year, Murphy found his footing. That wasn’t a coincidence. His value swells as structure builds, the sign for almost any ancillary option.

He’s a savvy nomad around the perimeter, holsters a quick, fluid release, is unbothered by intrusive contests, and wields range that even Stephen Curry might commend. He doesn’t require much time or space to burn defenses with his jumper. Banking on him emerging as one of the league’s premier off-ball wing marksman feels like a safe bet.

I feel exceptionally confident about Murphy’s current and future standing as a three-point gunner. He’s versatile in deliveries, knows how to help create looks for himself away from the action, and has an extended track record of absolutely ripping the leather off the ball (40.1 percent from deep on 476 collegiate attempts). All of that fits in seamlessly around those who shape the Pelicans’ offensive tenets.

The counter, unfortunately, is everything inside the arc for him at this juncture is fairly concerning. Despite his height, he shot just 41.8 percent on twos last season. League average was 53.3 percent. The crux of that problem is how he approaches decisions and options when coaxed off the arc, as well as his limitations around the basket.

According to Cleaning The Glass, Murphy shot 52 percent at the rim, which ranked in the fifth percentile among all forwards. He’s almost exclusively a two-foot leaper, lacks vertical explosion off one, and doesn’t possess the strength to power through many defenders for finishes. He’ll often leave his feet prematurely, which puts him in precarious spots.

His reps attacking closeouts or off the bounce last season are fairly concerning. Both the process and the results provide worries about the steps forward to alleviate this current shortcoming.

To Murphy’s credit, he seemed more decisive, physical, and effective exploring off the catch during two Summer League appearances, where he averaged 26.5 points on 63.9 percent true shooting. He is fresh off earning a rotation spot on a playoff team, so he should fare considerably well in that setting. But signs of growth in this realm are nonetheless crucial, even if their translation for the fall is hazy at the moment.

If Murphy can achieve strides as a two-point scorer to garner greater playing time, his two-way archetype is rather enticing. Defensively, his standout trait is off-ball awareness as a low man on the interior. He applies his frame and 7’1 wingspan to blot out plays inside and is typically punctual in his rotations.

A lack of perceptive processing or instincts hinder his playmaking (33rd percentile in steal rate, sixth percentile in block rate). Maybe further assimilation to the NBA remedies that; again, he looked more proactive and anticipatory in his short Summer League stint.

Regardless, Murphy consistently showcased a knack for leaving an imprint on plays when the offense ventured toward the hoop. A 4-man who stretches the floor on one end and hinders or prevents paint touches on the other sports broad utility and isn’t abundant across the league.

The most challenging part of Murphy’s game for me to discern after watching him in-depth, both during the NBA season and this summer, is his on-ball defense. There are clips where he moves seamlessly and contains scoring efforts from players of different ilks. There are other clips in which his rigidity as an athlete and poor technique as a lateral mover render him incapable of offering much resistance.

The former seemed to pop up more commonly as the season progressed, so my read is his on-ball defense was an area he enjoyed tangible strides in throughout the year. He’ll leverage his size aptly to alter shots, but is slow covering ground and prone to being neutralized by picks.

Generally, he’s going to be optimized as a low man on the weak-side defensively and isolating him from many perimeter scenarios is preferred. But learning how to slide laterally — he tends to chop his feet when covering ground instead — and improvement to his flexibility could prove highly beneficial. By no means, though, is his on-ball defense untenable, it’s more a roller coaster of film that muddies the final verdict.

New Orleans is assembling a really superb team for at least the next few seasons, especially if Williamson stays healthy. Guys like him, Ingram, McCollum, Valančiūnas, and Jones may shepherd these potential successes. Murphy will be in the background, though, splashing home three after three on kickout deliveries and jetting in to help paper over perimeter breakdowns. Those players may not lead deep playoff runs, but they are critical for any team that wants to make one.