Anytime I can watch some basketball during the long offseason I get excited. Last week I set off for Vegas to catch NBA Summer League, otherwise known as glorified pickup ball. It’s a great opportunity to catch the rookies in action and get a feel of what the youth is going add to a team. In the past, there have been players who have made a name at summer league — some go on to success in the NBA and others remain summer league legends. For me, this was a chance to catch the Young Gunz in action and begin to evaluate the Raptors in the post-Bosh era.

Paired with Sonny Weems, the Raptors had a full highwire act going with DeRozan. DeRozan looked like he was primed for a signicant jump in productivity this season, especially with Chris Bosh you-know-where. He has such great length and his explosion was in the elite class. Averaging 21 points and 4.5 rebounds during Summer League, he and Weems had a plethora of highlight reels and looked like possibly the most impressive sophomore of the bunch. — Matt Moore (CBS)

There was a lot expected of DeMar last summer as he was drafted 9th overall by the Raptors and he had a fairly solid showing. This summer was different as he looked to be a man amongst boys. Right away you could see a change in his body — bulked up his upper half. His focus was there out the gates and it wasn’t long before he had heads turning. His mid-range game seems to have become more consistent, he was more committed to getting to the basket and the rebounding numbers were more in line with what the team needs after losing Bosh this summer. It is no secret that he is more of a quiet guy on the floor and that is something he needs to work on. With CB4 gone, there is a need for guys to step up and even though it may be a lot to ask from a young guy he will be better for it in the long run. Right now he has a comfort zone with Weems, Johnson and Jack but he has a chance to grow into a leader on this team.

Davis turned out to be one of the biggest surprises for me at summer league. Not just from the Raptors but almost all the guys I watched over the span of 5 days. Considering that he had not played organized basketball since about February, he was able to make his presence felt on both ends of the floor. He definitely is raw offensively but he already has a couple of go to moves and seems to be a great position player. His basketball IQ is there which helps him be johnny on the spot grabbing boards and swatting the ball into the stands. I didn’t know what to expect going in to watch him play but he really got me excited for the upcoming season. He comes from a good program and its evident that he has focused on the fundamentals. He also has a good frame that will fill out with access to a training staff. His lower body is bigger than the departed star which will help him in the block holding his ground. Again, he doesn’t have that alpha personality but if the other Young Gunz take him in there is a great opportunity for the team to have some serious chemistry that can will a few wins through the course of the season.

Weems surprised Raptor fans over the past season and took his act to summer league. Everyone I talked to wanted to talk about him and how he has found a perfect situation for himself. The jumper was there last season and it complements his high flying act. He had some of the best dunks seen in Vegas but still committed himself to defense. Two things stood out to me — Firstly, DeMar looks bigger than Sonny now and Secondly, he really needs to pass the ball a little more. Maybe it was summer league and he was having fun with it but it sure seemed like he jacked up a lot of shots. I imagine this was his final trip to Vegas in the summer (along with DeMar) and seeing what he brings to the table I see him as a core component to the Toronto Raptors in the future.

One word — RAW. Alabi is a project, straight and simple. He didn’t start playing organized basketball until a later age compared to most and has a lot to learn on a more basic level. I expect to see him in the D League or street clothes but if he focuses, he can learn a lot from observing the other players at his position. He has the length to be a premier shot blocker and rebounder but right now he needs to figure out how to play positionally. He has a butter fingers effect going for him right now which doesn’t allow finishing at the hoop with confidence. His face up game is more developed than the other aspects of his game. Right now the best thing for him is to watch, learn and practice hard. He has a bunch of guys ahead of him at the position so he will not have any pressure, rather just have a chance to develop at a steady pace with good coaching and some cooperation on his end.

Dwight-lite as @stackmack puts it. This guy is massive. Built like a tank with the cantaloupe shoulders, the only thing he lacks is height. With a non-guaranteed contract, Dorsey had to try and impress the Raptors coaching staff. He can rebound with the best of them but it stops there. Coaches were constantly harping at him for not running plays they called or when he was in a position to score he just couldn’t finish. I think if a team is committed to try and develop him as a Ben Wallace type it may work for him. I can’t see him cracking the Raptors roster when the team is already deep at his position making it hard to find minutes for him to develop. There is only room for 1 project at a time and the team has already handed Alabi that pass.

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