NBA Summer League Articles - Page 2

The Miami Heat may have gotten a major steal when they signed undrafted big man Vladislav Goldin to a two-way contract. Goldin was among the Heat standouts during NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, and now the team is hoping they can strike gold twice. The Heat made a roster move on Friday with the […]

In taking the reins of the franchise’s NBA Summer League team, San Antonio Spurs Director of Player Development Mike Noyes just went through a stretch he thinks can help the big club. The Spurs coaching staff is in the midst of a major overhaul that starts at the top. Mitch Johnson replaces Hall-of-Famer Gregg Popovich […]

After the champion Oklahoma City Thunder’s Summer League squad’s season came to an end in a 109-80 semifinal loss to the Charlotte Hornets, there are plenty of storylines to look forward to between now and the 2025-26 campaign. All eyes were on rookie Nikola Topic making his Thunder debut. However, there were surprises amid Oklahoma […]

The Los Angeles Clippers had a lot of success at the 2025 NBA Summer League in getting what they wanted out of their top prospects. However, while the attention was focused on Cam Christie and Patrick Baldwin Jr., the Clippers also saw considerable potential in undrafted rookie Jahmyl Telfort. Telfort, 24, is an older prospect […]

The Miami Heat have never shied away from betting on player development, and with the selection of Kasparas Jakucionis at No. 20 in the 2025 NBA Draft, the franchise once again leaned into long-term upside. A 19-year-old combo guard with a strong European background and elite instincts as a ball-handler, Jakucionis arrived with both promise […]

When the Brooklyn Nets selected Egor Demin with the No. 8 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, many analysts and fans alike raised an eyebrow. A 6-foot-8 playmaker out of BYU with a shaky shooting history and vague positional projection, Demin was a high-upside gamble. But after three games at the NBA Summer League in […]

The New Orleans Pelicans’ 2025 NBA Summer League campaign has left more questions than answers. While the franchise’s summer squad has struggled to earn a win, there’s one figure who has garnered the most attention and scrutiny: Jeremiah Fears, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. At just 18 years old, Fears […]

When the Minnesota Timberwolves selected 18-year-old French center Joan Beringer with the 17th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, it was a move rooted in projection. A wiry, athletic 7-footer with elite defensive instincts, Beringer was seen more as a long-term successor to Rudy Gobert than an immediate contributor. But after four appearances at […]

Following the Los Angeles Lakers’ free agent signing of veteran guard Marcus Smart, their offseason is essentially done. Barring an unforeseen trade of sorts, the Lakers current roster is likely to be what they come into training camp with. Of course there will be invites to camp, probably some of the Lakers’ summer league players […]

To say Cooper Flagg will have a lot of eyes on him when the NBA season finally tips off will be a gross understatement. Fans got a fair glimpse at what he brings to the table at the NBA Summer League, and it seems to be absolute two-way carnage. Flagg averaged 20.5 points, five rebounds, […]

The Phoenix Suns are in the middle of a landmark offseason which has seen them part ways with two huge stars in Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. Now firmly in rebuild mode, the Suns have made several cap-conscious moves in order to kickstart their post-superstar era. In the historic seven-team trade that saw Durant leave, […]

The Oklahoma City Thunder are entering the 2025-26 season as the defending champions. However, Nikola Topic unfortunately did not play a single game in what was a landmark season. The No. 12 pick of the 2024 NBA Draft missed his entire rookie season due to a torn ACL, and has recently returned in the NBA […]

Though the San Antonio Spurs won four of the five games they played in Las Vegas’ NBA Summer League, a loss to the Charlotte Hornets ensured they didn’t qualify for the playoffs. A victory vs. the Detroit Pistons later capped a run that gave fans an early look at Dylan Harper in Silver and Black […]

The NBA Summer League is typically a hub for basketball development among young players, as well as a platform for widespread chatter among associates. Spotrac contributor Keith Smith spent time among the Summer League action in Las Vegas, gathering quotes from NBA executives, and the Detroit Pistons were in the conversation. Smith spent time talking […]

While the Heat’s Summer League was focused around Kasparas Jakucionis, the team’s first-round pick from the latest NBA Draft, there were some other notable performances, one mainly from center Vladislav Goldin, who has connections to South Florida. With the Heat using the offseason to prepare for the upcoming season, it’s also a time to develop […]

The Charlotte Hornets entered the 2025 NBA offseason with one clear goal — to turn the page. After years of mediocrity, mismanagement, and mounting losses, the Hornets needed a spark. That spark may have arrived in the form of Kon Knueppel, the fourth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, who just capped off a […]

The Charlotte Hornets are been stuck in mediocrity for years, but the franchise finally appears to have a clear direction and is hoping to change its ways. Kon Knueppel and KJ Simpson are hoping to be big parts of the changes happening in Charlotte over the next few seasons. Behind a strong game from Knueppel, […]

The wait is allegedly over for San Antonio Spurs fans. In the Silver and Black’s latest reported move in NBA Free Agency, they have agreed to a two-way NBA contract with Summer League star David Jones-Garcia, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. David Jones-Garcia – All-Summer League first team breakout guard – has agreed on a […]

What does it mean to be in the NBA? This is a question many rookies, especially top draft picks like Dylan Harper, VJ Edgecombe, and Kon Knueppel, learn the answer to during NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Over the years, NBA Summer League has blossomed into more than just a scouting event. All 30 […]

The NBA Summer League is a proving ground for the league’s next generation. First and second-year players enjoy the spotlight as they vie for a championship in Las Vegas. Kon Knueppel and the Charlotte Hornets took the title home after a thrilling game over Nique Clifford and the Sacramento Kings. However, the league’s MVP honors […]

The Dallas Mavericks have a bright future with No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg on the roster. In Summer League, the 18-year-old appeared in two games. He endured a forgettable shooting performance in his first outing before bouncing back with a tremendous game. However, Flagg reportedly wanted to play a third contest, via Keith Smith […]

The Charlotte Hornets made franchise history in winning their first-ever championship in the NBA Summer League, marking the first time they’ve won a championship of any variety. After years of sub-par seasons and a disappointed fan base, things could be looking up for the Hornets as they foster a new crop of young talent. First-round […]

Like his rookie season with the Los Angeles Lakers, Dalton Knecht’s NBA Summer League was full of highs and lows. In three games in Las Vegas, Knecht averaged 10.3 points per game while shooting 27.9% from the field and 23.8% from 3-point range. His only outstanding performance was in Utah’s Summer League on July 8, […]

While it was an up-and-down Summer League for Miami Heat rookie Kasparas Jakucionis, there are still aspects to take away from his first taste of NBA action. As Jakucionos would also speak about his Heat Summer League experience, his mindset would be praised by a member of the team, likely giving fans excitement about the […]

Winning is nice, especially when it happens in Las Vegas. There were plenty of winners at NBA Summer League this year, as Kyle Filipowski, Nique Clifford, and Kon Knueppel were among the notable standouts from this summer’s showcase. However, when there are winners of NBA Summer League, there are also losers that need to be […]

When it comes to thrills at Summer League per minute, few players came remotely close to Philadelphia 76ers rookie guard VJ Edgecombe. Coming out of Baylor with a theatrical game built on big plays above the rim at both ends of the court, fans in Philadelphia knew they were getting a player who would occasionally […]

Sometimes you win in Las Vegas, and most of the time, you lose. Inside the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion, there were a handful of individuals and teams ending up as the biggest winners at NBA Summer League. Aside from the constant trade and free agency roundup many of us participate in during […]

Egor Demin was pegged as the Brooklyn Nets’ point guard of the future after the 2025 NBA Draft. However, the No. 8 pick played primarily off the ball during his three appearances at Summer League. While part of that was by design, most of it was due to his deficiencies as a ball handler. “I […]

It was always a given that Bradley Beal would sign with the Los Angeles Clippers. All intel across the NBA at Summer League in Las Vegas indicated that this deal would be finalized before the Phoenix Suns even agreed to their buyout with Beal, and sure enough, that is what happened. However, Beal wasn’t the […]

The Charlotte Hornets have not been to the NBA Playoffs in nearly a decade, but at least on Sunday night, they won an NBA Summer League title. It’s not much of an achievement for the franchise, but it’s something clearly enough to warrant players to get championship rings.’ Here’s a look for one of those […]

There won’t be a downtown parade, but the Charlotte Hornets have a championship to be proud of after beating the Sacramento Kings in the NBA Summer League championship game on Sunday night at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Led by rookie guard Kon Knueppel, the Hornets outlasted the Kings via a score of […]

The Charlotte Hornets made history on Sunday after winning their first-ever championship in the NBA Summer League. The Hornets beat the Sacramento Kings, 83-78, in the finals at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. They staved off the furious rally of the Kings, who stormed back from an 11-point deficit in the fourth […]

Things got extra physical between the Charlotte Hornets and the Sacramento Kings in the finals of the NBA Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on Sunday. With less than four minutes remaining in the third quarter, Hornets center James Banks III tried to wiggle out of the tight defense of […]

With Heat rookie Kasparas Jakucionis wrapping up his first Summer League, it was no doubt a frustrating start for the 20th overall pick in the last NBA Draft. Though the Heat guard in Jakucionis would bounce back and find his footing later, it wasn’t always rainbows and sunshines as coaches speak on what stood out […]

The NBA Summer League is never the most accurate way to judge a rookie prospect, but it is always a telling first step. For Miami Heat rookie guard Kasparas Jakucionis, it was the perfect way to ease him into NBA-level action. Jakucionis, who is only in his second year of playing American basketball, felt that […]

The Charlotte Hornets went undefeated through their first four games at NBA Summer League. The Hornets earned a spot in the semifinals easily, squaring off against the Oklahoma City Thunder with a spot in the championship on the line. The Hornets, led by No. 4 pick Kon Knueppel and Jaylen Sims, played a dominant game. […]

BYU basketball prospect AJ Dybantsa has made headlines throughout the college basketball offseason, garnering both attention and respect. During a NBA Summer League game Friday, Dybantsa says he can envision himself playing at that level. “I can definitely envision myself being here, playing here,” Dybantsa said. “Hopefully winning it. Definitely, it’s in the years to […]

The Los Angeles Lakers will end the NBA Summer League without one of their more notable players in Bronny James. James is preparing for the second year of his NBA career, being one of the Lakers’ reserves as a rookie. He used this summer to take part with the Summer League squad, which he impressed […]

LAS VEGAS — No rookie has been better throughout the entirety of NBA Summer League to this point than Sacramento Kings guard Nique Clifford. That’s saying something, especially with Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, and VJ Edgecombe dominating the spotlight. The 23-year-old Kings’ rookie has looked as comfortable as he can be in the desert, and […]