By Raphielle Johnson
As is always the case with the NBA, it doesn’t take much time for the league to transition from the end of one season to the beginning of the next. With the draft completed and many of the significant moves in free agency made, the next stop on the calendar is the NBA 2K25 Summer League in Las Vegas, with games beginning on Friday, July 12. As has been the case in recent years, all 30 teams will be represented, playing five games apiece, with the championship matchup scheduled for July 22.
Making concrete determinations based on summer league play is reckless, as most players in action are simply fighting for an invitation to training camp. But that doesn’t mean fantasy managers should overlook what they see, from production to the roles that players are assigned (and how those roles will either align or differ from what will happen once the games truly matter in the winter). Below is a look at each Eastern Conference team and a few players fantasy managers should watch in preparation for draft season in late summer/fall.
Atlantic Division
Boston (Summer League roster)
The NBA champion Celtics have five players who spent time with the team last season on their summer league roster. However, only Neemias Queta (28 games) appeared in more than 20 games for Joe Mazzulla in 2023-24. Of the five “returnees,” 2023 second-round pick Jordan Walsh and trade deadline addition Jaden Springer are worth watching. Walsh has the size, length, and athleticism to be an impactful 3-and-D wing, but Boston having Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum makes it challenging to crack the rotation meaningfully. Springer faces a similar roadblock at guard in the form of starters Derrick White and Jrue Holiday and reserve Payton Pritchard.
Queta’s contract for next season is guaranteed, and Kristaps Porzingis‘ absence after undergoing left leg surgery will open up the competition for frontcourt minutes behind Al Horford once training camp begins. However, Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman are also under contract, with their returns impacting Queta’s ability to earn more playing time. Also on the roster are 2024 draft picks Baylor Scheierman and Anton Watson, with the former having the shooting and playmaking ability needed to make an immediate impact on the perimeter. However, Scheierman’s situation is similar to that of many of the Celtics already mentioned, as most of last season’s roster coming back means the opportunities for others to step forward will be limited.
Brooklyn (Summer League roster)
Even with the Nets re-signing Nic Claxton, the decision to trade Mikal Bridges to the Knicks restocked the team’s draft coffers indicates this franchise’s direction in 2024-25. Six players on the Nets’ summer league roster were with the team in some capacity last season, with Noah Clowney offering the highest fantasy upside in the short term. He appeared in 23 games as a rookie and was one of the team’s few bright spots as Brooklyn played out the string. In his final 11 games, Clowney averaged 9.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.5 steals, 1.4 blocks, and 0.9 3-pointers in 24.3 minutes, shooting 53.6% from the field and 62.5% from the foul line. Las Vegas could serve as the springboard he needs to have an impactful 2024-25 campaign.
Another returnee worth tracking is Dariq Whitehead, as the 2023 first-round pick only appeared in two games due to injuries. The former Duke wing, who turns 20 on August 1, is healthy and will be available to play. While Cam Thomas may be the biggest fantasy winner due to Brooklyn’s shift into rebuilding mode, Whitehead should not lack opportunities to crack the rotation under new head coach Jordi Fernandez. Jalen Wilson (43 games, three starts) averaged 15.4 minutes per game as a rookie and could benefit from Bridges’ departure, especially if Brooklyn were to move Cameron Johnson at some point.
New York (Summer League roster)
While the Knicks’ most significant moves were to re-sign OG Anunoby and acquire Mikal Bridges from the Nets, the franchise added four players via last month’s draft. While young French wing Pacome Dadiet offers considerable upside, the Knicks’ depth at that position will make it difficult for him to impact fantasy basketball as a rookie. The rookie who could be most impactful next season is point guard Tyler Kolek, one of the best in college basketball during his final two seasons at Marquette. New York still has Deuce McBride under contract, but he can be used on or off the ball, and Kolek’s mastery of the pick-and-roll could be what gets him minutes behind star Jalen Brunson.
While one of the other two second-round picks, big man Ariel Hukporti, has been signed to a two-way contract, there has been no movement regarding Kevin McCullar. What that means for his availability in Las Vegas remains to be seen, but McCullar is in a similar position to Dadiet despite being older and more experienced. Also, Rokas Jokubaitis will be with the team after Lithuania failed to qualify for the Paris Olympics. He has been with Barcelona for the last two seasons, and the EuroLeague power permitted Jokubaitis to play with the Knicks this summer. New York is relatively deep on the perimeter regarding its established players, so we’ll see how that impacts Jokubaitis’ future beyond Summer League.
Philadelphia (Summer League roster)
Philadelphia is one of the teams that got its summer off to an early start, with the team participating in the Salt Lake City Summer League before heading to Las Vegas. 2024 draft picks Jared McCain (16th overall) and
