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 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 Western Conference team and a few players fantasy managers should watch in preparation for draft season in late summer/fall.
Northwest Division
With the Nuggets losing a starter (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope) in free agency, summer league is of greater importance as the team looks to round out its rotation. While Christian Braun will not play in Las Vegas, Julian Strawther will, and he’ll need to be more impactful in 2024-25 than he was as a rookie. Due to injuries, Strawther was limited to 50 games last season, averaging 4.5 points in 10.9 minutes. On paper, Braun may be the odds-on favorite to fill the void left by KCP, but Strawther will also be in the conversation. How he plays in Las Vegas will be one of the more critical storylines for teams that hope to contend next season.
Hunter Tyson and Jalen Pickett also played sparingly for the Nuggets in 2023-24, and a good showing at summer league would go a long way for both ahead of training camp. Denver also bid farewell to its backup point guard (Reggie Jackson), leaving the team light on numbers behind Jamal Murray. In theory, that opens the door for Pickett to earn a more prominent role in the Nuggets rotation.
The player on Denver’s summer league roster with the greatest chance of offering tangible fantasy value next season is first-round pick DaRon Holmes II. The former Dayton star can play either power forward or center, and his athleticism and rim protection abilities could make for a nice pairing with Nikola Jokic when Aaron Gordon is not in the game. Will Holmes be a “late-round flier” in standard leagues, or can he be something more? We’ll begin to get our answer over the next ten days.
Minnesota (Summer League roster)
The Timberwolves, who reached the conference finals for the first time in 20 years last season, had an excellent draft by most accounts. In addition to acquiring Robert Dillingham‘s draft rights from the Spurs, they used their first-round pick on Terrence Shannon Jr. They’re two capable perimeter scorers who can potentially give Minnesota a needed boost off the bench, as the Timberwolves ranked 21st in the NBA in bench scoring last season (and that was with 6th Man of the Year Naz Reid). Shannon is further ahead regarding defensive ability, but the two rookies are joining a team that boasts the best defense in the NBA; Chris Finch and his staff undoubtedly have the personnel needed to adjust their schemes to account for any deficiencies.
As for the returnees, Leonard Miller and Josh Minott are the ones fantasy managers should watch. Neither got to play much last season, but there’s optimism that one (or both) could be ready to make a positive jump in 2024-25. They’re athletic, and previous summer league experience could set them up for a successful run in Las Vegas over the next ten days. Another young Timberwolves player worth tracking is Jaylen Clark, who was officially cleared to resume full contact 5-on-5 activities on July 7. He missed the entire 2023-24 season with a ruptured left Achilles tendon, with Minnesota selecting him with the 53rd overall pick in the 2023 draft.
Oklahoma City (Summer League roster)
Oklahoma City’s regular-season rotation is loaded, and the offseason additions of Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein will only improve the team’s chances in the Western Conference next season. They participated in the Salt Lake City summer league before moving on to Las Vegas, with first-round pick Dillon Jones and second-rounder Ajay Mitchell (who agreed to a two-way contract) playing well. The issue for them in redraft leagues is Oklahoma City’s current depth, which could make it difficult for either rookie to be a factor this season.
However, Jones’ versatility and Mitchell’s untapped playmaking ability make both worthwhile investments in dynasty leagues. 2022 lottery pick Ousmane Dieng has appeared in 72 games in two seasons with the Thunder but has yet to make the impact needed to stick in Mark Daigneault’s rotation. This is a big summer for him, as the 2024-25 season is the last guaranteed year on his contract, and the Thunder have until October to decide on Dieng’s 2025-26 option. Oklahoma City has used two of its three available two-way slots, with Mitchell and guard Adam Flagler being the recipients of those deals.
Portland (Summer League roster)
While Scoot Henderson will not play in Las Vegas, some young Blazers will be worth watching for fantasy reasons. Lottery pick Donovan Clingan is the headliner, even with Portland having Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams III on the roster. Both veteran centers have been the subject of trade…
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