Devyn Marble returns to the court in a big way
A late-season injury to Devyn Marble knocked him out of valuable playing time. This summer was about showing he was back and ready for more.
Devyn Marble had been working for Saturday for a long, long time.
His rookie year went about as expected for a second round pick on a rebuilding team. He got some playing time, was a bit inconsistent as he found his way through and had his moments where he looked like a NBA player.
Marble though lost the benefit of those last weeks of the season when he suffered a detached retina. He was playing Saturday with protective eyewear (read: shades) as he got back into the swing of things.
And, even with a shaky shooting performance, Marble looked pretty solid. For him, it was just good to be back, especially considering he sealed the win with a steal in the final seconds following Mario Hezonja‘s big shot in the Summer League opener Saturday.
“This is what I have been waiting for. This is like the season for me.” –Devyn Marble
“It felt good,” Devyn Marble said. “This is what I have been waiting for. This is like the season for me. I missed so much time with injuries and not necessarily getting a lot of time to play. I am taking this as the regular season.”
Marble appeared in 16 games his rookie year. He actually started seven of them. Marble was not expected to do a ton of scoring and worked more as a glue guy, defending and being opportunistic with his offense.
Then in early March, Devyn Marble was diagnosed with a detached retina and his season was over. He was unable to play basketball or do anything much more than shoot, if that. He rejoined his teammates only in April after getting the issue repaired.
It took a while for Marble to be able even to take jumpers. His whole summer was really working up toward playing in these five-on-five games.
“You are really not too worried about that,” Marble said. “I have been working out for two or three months and preparing for Summer League. I knew my shot would be there. Just keep shooting and keep playing with confidence. That’s what coach wants me to do — to shoot and defend. I think I did a pretty good job of that today. I was just happy we were able to finish the game off.”
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Marble has done just that so far in Summer League. In four games, he has averaged 12.0 points per game and provided some solid defense. He has been opportunistic going after steals and has helped the Magic set a solid tone defensively.
Marble has struggled shooting from the floor though, making just 40.5 percent of his field goals. With the Magic’s key roster players taking the rest of the week off, Marble could see an enlarged role for the final two games. It is a big chance to show what he can do.
In Thursday’s game, Marble scored 22 points on 8-for-17 shooting, including five for nine from beyond the arc. His improved 3-point shot — he is shooting 12 for 30 from beyond the arc behind Thursday’s strong performance — is a promising addition to his already solid defense (he has also recorded 12 steals in four games).
After the major injury scare and the time left on the bench, Marble enjoying and looking to take advantage of the opportunity ahead of him. As a second round pick, Marble’s contract is fully unguaranteed for the 2016 season. It is still possible he does not get that second year with the team to grow and develop.
In other words, Marble still has a lot to prove. His late-season injury did not help him establish himself any further with the team. But his short stint with the Magic and with the Bayhawks last year have given him a noticeable leg up.
“It’s just experience between year one and year two,” Marble said. “You’re more comfortable. Coach is giving you your role — shooting and defending. I think that’s pretty simple. That’s all I have been working all summer. Now just being able to put it to the test is what I’ve been looking to for a while now. I had fun doing it with the team.”
Marble has shown plenty of that comfort. As he has knocked off some rust he has played with energy and separated himself from several of the non-roster guys. He will get his opportunity, but he still has plenty to improve on.
After such a frustrating injury, that is probably a measure of success for the second-year swingman this summer.