Bruce Thornton is proving the Rockets knew something everyone else missed

Through four Summer League games, Bruce Thornton has proven that he is one of the steals of the draft. Thornton has averaged 21.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 3.0 steals while shooting 44.0% from three.

The Rockets made a controversial decision to trade three second-round picks to move up eight spots in this year's second round to select Thornton. The move was especially controversial because most draft experts did not expect him to be selected until the middle of the second round.

Thornton is answering every question in Summer League

However, Houston clearly had a high draft grade on Thornton, and it is being proven right in real time. Thornton has the potential to immediately step into backup point guard minutes for the Rockets, a clear weakness for the team.

The biggest questions entering Summer League were whether Thornton could efficiently run an offense and hold up defensively. The Rockets' Summer League team has been heavily reliant on Thornton to help generate offense.

He has shown the ability to score, especially from three-point range, but more importantly, he has stepped into the lead guard role exceptionally well. He owns a 2.11 assist-to-turnover ratio, an encouraging mark for a young player who is still learning how to be a full-time lead guard.

Defensively, Thornton has used his stout frame and relentless energy to become a pest. That has resulted in him ranking third in the entire Summer League in total steals. His smaller frame and limited athleticism do cause him to get overpowered at times, but he has still answered pressing questions about his ability to be a capable defender.

The Rockets were high on Thornton because they believed he was a knockdown shooter with a high basketball IQ. They also believed that if he could adapt to being a full-time point guard and overcome his size limitations, he could become a highly efficient player. So far, he is doing exactly that.

Houston has advanced to the Summer League semifinals, giving Thornton another opportunity to further cement an excellent Summer League before training camp begins. Regardless of the outcome, he has already put himself firmly in the conversation for backup point guard minutes heading into training camp. 

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