NBA Player News

Given how well Ellis has played this summer and his minutes tally on Wednesday, it’s fair to question if the Kings will shut him down. His offensive role will be comparatively limited once the season begins, as the Kings can rely on De’Aaron Fox, DeMar DeRozan, and Domantas Sabonis to shoulder most of the workload. However, Ellis earned rotation minutes last season, including a move into the starting lineup after Kevin Huerter suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. Ellis will be worth a roll of the dice in the latter rounds of drafts.

James’ cold streak in Las Vegas is over, as he hit two 3-pointers in Wednesday’s one-point victory. The second-round pick entered the game shooting 0-of-15 from beyond the arc, so seeing one fall during the first half had to be relieving. Bronny would hit another 3-pointer in the second half, but he played his best basketball of the summer in the first. Wednesday’s performance was a step in the right direction for James, who will require patience as he establishes himself as a professional.

While most eyes may have been on Bronny James, Castleton was outstanding as the Lakers picked up their first win in Las Vegas. He only missed one shot from the field and was dominant on the boards, recording a double-double while also tallying six assists. Castleton did not record a blocked shot but did manage to change a few attempts. With Jaxson Hayes and Christian Wood back in the fold, Castleton will have difficulty earning rotation minutes in training camp. But he’s played well enough to earn the opportunity to compete.

Roddy had an excellent night, scoring 21 points to help lead the Suns to their first summer league win. His final three points came from the foul line, as he was fouled on a 3-point attempt with just over one-second remaining. Roddy is looking to prove he deserves consistent rotation minutes once the season begins, as he could not get that kind of run after being acquired from the Grizzlies in February. However, Roddy is not a player who has to be selected in fantasy drafts, especially with the Suns re-signing Royce O’Neale.

Howard has surpassed the 20-point mark in two of his three games in Las Vegas, providing needed offensive production as one of Orlando’s more experienced players in summer league. He could not crack the regular season rotation as a rookie, and the signing of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will make that task difficult in 2024-23. However, Howard appears better equipped to compete than he was last year.

Pippen has played well throughout the summer and was at his best during the crunch time of Wednesday’s game. He scored 16 points in the fourth quarter as Memphis avoided blowing a double-digit lead completely. Pippen’s goal is to show that he deserves to be a backup with the Grizzlies, and he’s played very well in Las Vegas (and Salt Lake City before that). However, that may not be enough to make Pippen a viable fantasy option, as the Grizzlies will have Ja Morant and Marcus Smart in the lineup.

After playing well at the Salt Lake City summer league, Jackson has been even better in Las Vegas. He finished Wednesday’s victory with his second double-double in as many games, and the Grizzlies have also given Jackson more challenging defensive matchups. That’s the end of the floor where GG needs to improve the most, and while he did not produce any defensive stats against the Magic, the second-year forward was not a liability. He’ll be worth taking a late-round flier on in fantasy drafts this fall.

Windler, Zaccharie Risacher (quad), Kobe Bufkin (shoulder), and Nikola Djurisic (foot) are all out for Wednesday’s game. As a result, EJ Liddell, Mo Gueye, and Keaton Wallace are the only rostered (meaning regular season roster) Hawks who will be available.

Risacher’s injury is not severe, but his absence means both first-round picks will sit out Wednesday’s matchup. The Lakers have sidelined Dalton Knecht for rest reasons. Risacher’s injury will not linger, so there’s no need to be concerned about the rookie’s training camp availability. Whether or not he plays again this week in Las Vegas remains in the air.

Knecht is not dealing with any injuries, but the team has decided that he should take the night off. Knecht shouldered a significant workload between practices, the California Classic, and the NBA 2K25 Summer League in Las Vegas. Hence, the decision to hold him out. The absence of the first-round pick will free up additional opportunities for players such as Maxwell Lewis and Bronny James, with the latter struggling mightily in Las Vegas.

Smith did not shoot the ball well on Wednesday, but he did manage to record a full stat line. With Brandon Miller done for the summer, the 27th overall pick in last year’s draft is one Hornets player with more opportunities to shine offensively. Smith may have struggled on Wednesday but has played well in Las Vegas overall. As for his fantasy prospects in 2024-25, it will be tough sledding with a healthy LaMelo Ball (ankle) in the lineup.