Houston

Rockets

Griffin’s contract for the 2024-25 season is guaranteed, and the change of scenery allows him to show what he can do for a new franchise. The issue for him is Houston’s depth on the wings. In addition to having Dillon Brooks and Amen Thompson, Tari Eason and Cam Whitmore will factor into the competition for minutes once training camp begins in September. However, more critical for Griffin is taking advantage of the opportunity he has in summer league.

Given how well Whitmore played in Houston’s first two games in Las Vegas, seeing him on the court Monday afternoon was surprising. Playing his third game in four days, the 2023 first-round pick struggled mightily with his shot, and frustration may have gotten the best of Whitmore. Fantasy managers should not read too much into this performance, and it would be unsurprising if the Rockets decided to shut him down for the rest of the week.

McVeigh, who played well in Australia’s exhibition loss to the United States on Monday, is coming off the best season of his professional career. The 6-foot-8 wing led Tasmania to a league title in Australia’s NBL, and he was named MVP of the championship series after averaging 16.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.7 3-pointers per game. McVeigh will now try his hand at the NBA, and this will not be his first time playing in America. He played college basketball at Nebraska before returning to Australia to begin his pro career.

Like Cam Whitmore, it’s time to ask if Sheppard needs to play anymore during summer league. The rookie guard has looked ready for the moment, finding his spots offensively and adequately navigating the balance of scoring and setting up teammates. Sheppard has also defended very well, which is no surprise given how well he attacked passing lanes during his lone season at Kentucky. The Rockets got themselves a good one with the third overall pick.

Whitmore won summer league MVP honors last year and has looked highly impressive in Houston’s first two games this week. He has played at the level teams want their returnees to reach in this setting, making it clear that there’s no need to play anymore. A second straight MVP may not be in the cards for Whitmore, as the Rockets could decide to shut him down. There’s little reason to believe that the franchise decision-makers have not seen enough.

Green averaged 6.5 points and 2.3 rebounds through 78 games last season. Houston’s young frontcourt is improving quickly, so Green is unlikely to be a significant fantasy option when the Rockets are healthy. Especially with Steven Adams set to return from a one-year layoff.

Holiday will be back in Houston next season, and he will provide some defense when needed. However, with Reed Sheppard in the mix now, they won’t have enough minutes for Holiday to provide much fantasy value whatsoever.

Tate, who appeared in 65 games last season, will make approximately $7.6 million in 2024-25. The versatile forward averaged 4.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 0.6 steals in 15.2 minutes, with his production and playing time decreasing due to the arrivals of Dillon Brooks and Amen Thompson. And this was with Tari Eason missing most of the season with a leg injury. A healthy Eason in the rotation lowers Tate’s fantasy ceiling even more.

Both wings will suit up for the Rockets this summer. Whitmore had a strong rookie season, but the extra reps will still help. Griffin barely suited up for Atlanta last season, so getting time on the court will be good for him as he adjusts to a new team. Alongside Reed Sheppard, they will have a talented squad in Vegas.

Dante played five seasons for Oregon, turning in the best performance of his collegiate career as a fifth-year senior in 2023-24. Last season, the big man posted averages of 17.0 points, 9.2 boards, 1.6 dimes, 1.7 steals, and 1.9 blocks while shooting 69.5% from the floor. His offensive game could still use some work, but Dante is a disciplined defender with the size to compete with NBA centers. If he can secure rotational minutes as a rookie, he could put up substantial defensive numbers, which are always valuable for fantasy managers. However, Houston is not the best spot for Dante due to the presence of Alperen Sengun. Even if the rookie works his way into the backup center role, the minutes needed to impact fantasy basketball may not be there.