Celtics’ Davison pens two-way contract, but flaw continues to show in Summer League
Coming off of the Boston Celtics’ statement of JD Davison signing a two-way contract, the second-year guard struggled to take care of the basketball in the club’s second straight Summer League defeat.
From the minute Davison steps onto the floor, his athleticism attracts everyone’s attention. The 20-year-old former Alabama guard impressed for the Maine Celtics last season, averaging 12.5 points to go along with an impressive 8.7 assists. In the midst of the NBA 2K24 Vegas Summer League, the Boston Celtics announced Davison will be returning to the same role in which he played last season. So far this summer, the six-foot-three guard has had both highs and lows through two contests.
While his play-making and jumping ability have been some of the standout pieces of his game, the former No. 53 overall selection has been far from mistake-free on the offensive end. In 65 minutes for the Vegas Celtics, Boston’s No. 20 has amassed 15 turnovers. 10 of which came against the Wizards. This is not something new. In both college and last season in Maine, Davison averaged over 2.5 giveaways per game. Boston’s No. 20 and Denzel Valentine were the only two Celts on Alex Barlow’s team during the last campaign with an average of over 2.5 turnovers per contest.
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Whenever he crosses the white lines, Davison wants to consistently make plays. His assist numbers display that, but at times, his decision-making demonstrates a clear need for some work. If Davison is going to earn more time under Joe Mazzulla in 2023/2024 with a three-point shooting percentage of under 32%, he must value the basketball a whole lot more.
In back-to-back possessions during the second quarter on Sunday, Davison gifted possession away far too easily. The 20-year-old used his quick first step to beat his defender, but once he approached the basket and ran out of room, he was clueless about what to do with the basketball. The next time down the floor, Davison forced the ball into the low post where Udoka Azubuike was.
There will be plays in which he composes himself in transition and feeds the right man, but during the second and third quarters against Washington, the Alabama product was handing over free points to the Wizards.
With time back in the G-League, Boston Celtics’ JD Davison needs to clean up his ball security
The bones of a talented player are there. His highlight reel plays, and assist numbers are just two attributes that make him an asset this franchise should invest in. Still, a lot of work to be done behind the scenes for him to reach his full potential. Passing is clearly one of his best qualities on the offensive end, but his speed of play often rushes him into making poor reads. The Boston Celtics cannot teach high-flying dunks. What they can instruct the guard on is how to improve not only his shot but his decision-making offensively.
At just the age of 20, Davison is only going to continue to grow. It is all about taking strides forward this upcoming campaign up north. It is evident he has a quality basketball IQ, but sometimes his mind seems to go someplace else. His shooting is far from a finished product, but most importantly, Davison must learn to limit the lazy passes and drive to the rack with a plan more frequently.