LAS VEGAS — The Dallas Mavericks are 1-0 in Summer League, but the team is dealing with an injury at the moment. Forward Melvin Ajinca missed Thursday's 87-85 win against the Los Angeles Lakers with a groin injury. On Saturday, it was revealed that Ajinca will also miss the Mavs' game against the San Antonio Spurs with the same injury.

Ajinca, 21, was selected by the New York Knicks in the 2024 NBA Draft with the 51st overall pick. He was later traded to the Mavs. Ajinca, who is from France, spent the 2024-25 season playing overseas, however.

At 6'8″, Ajinca offers size and versatility as a forward. He has potential as a scorer in the NBA, but Ajinca is still developing his all-around shooting. He is capable of defending multiple positions, something that has surely caught the attention of the Mavs.

Ajinca features the talent to impact the Mavericks as soon as this season. It remains to be seen if he will play with Dallas during the 2025-26 campaign, though. Regardless, Ajinca's potential is intriguing. The hope is that he can return from injury sooner rather than later.

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The Mavericks' Summer League team will play the Spurs on Saturday as mentioned. Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper — the No. 1 and No. 2 overall picks in the 2025 NBA Draft — will draw no shortage of attention. Flagg endured an inconsistent first game on Thursday but still displayed signs of his superstar potential.

Dallas has a quality Summer League roster, with players such as Ryan Nembhard and Miles Kelly making a significant impact in addition to Flagg. Melvin Ajinca was another player who the team was excited about, but as mentioned, he has yet to play.

The team will continue to monitor and provide updates on Ajinca's injury status as they are made available. Saturday's tip-off is scheduled for 4 PM EST as the Mavericks hope to improve to 2-0 in Summer League.

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