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NBA analyst Thunder Dan Palyo breaks down which rookies and other young players saw their fantasy stock change one way or the other after Summer League play.
The preliminary round of NBA Summer League games wraps up today, and a lot of teams have already started to shut down their most important young players. So while I had intended to wait until the games in Vegas finish to release this article, right now feels like as good a time as any since we've had a chance to see at least a few games from all the players in whom we had the most interest in watching.
We don't want to overreact to Summer League stats, but this is also the only time we are going to get to see these young players in action before we start rookie drafts in dynasty leagues and early drafts in standard redraft formats.
And it's not just about the rookies, either. There are a lot of other second-year and even third-year players on these rosters who we want to see taking the next step in their development. I'm here to highlight some of those good performances from Vegas and also some of the poor showings, too.
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Summer League Rookie Risers
Here's an important caveat before we start. It's easy to dismiss Summer League stats as entirely meaningless, but there are specific stats that have been proven to translate well from summer performances by rookies to their first year in the league.
Annual reminder to read this @owenlhjphillips columnhttps://t.co/64NTItMeOX pic.twitter.com/hKsrNakowF
— Noah Rubin (@NoahRubin22) July 4, 2026
Caleb Wilson, PF - Chicago Bulls
We got what we expected from the top three picks as A.J. Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer all played well. However, Wilson has been stealing the show in Vegas with his electric display of athleticism and improved offensive game.
CALEB WILSON HAMMERS IT HOME 🔨
The No. 4 overall pick has 16 PTS, 7 REB, 2 STL & 5 BLK with 2 min left in the 4Q on ESPN! pic.twitter.com/UMupBpVZpz
— NBA (@NBA) July 14, 2026
He averaged 24.3 points across three games on 50.9% shooting, including 48% from behind the arc. It will remain to be seen if the three-point shooting sticks, but his 1.3 steals and 3.0 blocks per game are exactly what we were hoping for from Wilson. He has a real argument to be taken as the first rookie off the board in redraft leagues and is making dynasty players question how they view the "big four" rookies in rookie drafts, too.
Mikel Brown Jr., PG/SG - Brooklyn Nets
I'm ready to possibly take my first "L" of this rookie class on Brown Jr. I wrote about how I was worried that he could struggle in his first season in Brooklyn, but I'm ready to reconsider based on his strong performance this summer.
He averaged 18 points per game in just 20.4 minutes with some efficient 50.2% shooting from the field. His defense was solid, too, adding two steals and a block per game while also shutting down Darius Acuff Jr. when he guarded him.
Yaxel Lendeborg, SF/PF - Golden State Warriors
The 23-year-old is already showing that a polished NBA skill set and is one of my favorite rookies to target in redraft leagues, as I think he'll play a big role in Golden State right out of the gates.
The best rookies in Summer League by BPM:
1. Yaxel Lendeborg (15.9)
2. Darryn Peterson (7.3)
3. Graham Ike (7.2)
4. Cameron Boozer (6.2)
5. Kingston Flemings (5.4)Yaxel Lendeborg has the highest recorded Summer League BPM of all time thus far.
— Logan Adams (@LoganPAdams) July 14, 2026
He can fill up the stat sheet across the board; we saw that at Michigan and already in Summer League. Dynasty managers are still going to favor the 19-year-olds over him, but I'm fine targeting him in those formats, too.
Brayden Burries, SG - Milwaukee Bucks
Burries is making a case that he could have been taken as high as fifth or sixth. He scored the ball efficiently, while also adding 3.3 stocks per game. I think he'll have a substantial role in Milwaukee this year as the Bucks are ready to rebuild in the post-Giannis era.
No. 10 pick Brayden Burries showcased his skills on both ends for the @Bucks in last night's NBA Summer League action!
23 PTS (game-high)
8 REB
6 AST (game-high)
4 STL (game-high)
3 3PMpic.twitter.com/hiRbTEFUm0— NBA (@NBA) July 14, 2026
Morez Johnson Jr., PF/C - Dallas Mavericks
The former Michigan standout entires a crowded frontcourt rotation in Dallas, which is really the only reason not to be bullish on him this season for fantasy. He looked great, though, in his Summer League action, posting 18.5, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and 3.0 blocks per contest. His size and physicality were on display as he bullied smaller players in the paint with ease.
Cameron Carr, SG/SF - Los Angeles Lakers
I called him the steal of the first round right after the draft, and Carr has made good on that label with his Summer League play. He posted 20.5 points per game in the two games that he saw action, hitting shots from all over the floor. His length and shot-making from the wing is something the Lakers really need, and I think he'll be in the mix for minutes with the second unit right out of the gates in October.
Meleek Thomas, PG/SG - Cleveland Cavaliers
Did the Cavs find a gem in the second round? Thomas was overshadowed by Darius Acuff Jr. last year at Arkansas, but is leading the Summer League in scoring with 28.3 points per game.
Cavs rookie Meleek Thomas through 3 games: 28.3 PPG/4.3 APG/4.0 RPG/2.3 SPG on 50% FG, 46% 3P, 100% FT
Who does he remind you of? 👀 pic.twitter.com/25LwNbt6PM
— Role Player Performances (@BenchHighlights) July 14, 2026
He's added 4.3 assists and 2.3 steals per contest while only turning it over 1.7 times per game. He looks like one of the steals of the draft and could be in line for a role off the bench if the Cavs move on from Dennis Schroder.
Trevon Brazile, PF - Denver Nuggets
Brazile was a second-round pick, but the six-foot-ten forward opened some eyes with a massive game in his second Summer League outing.
#35 overall pick Trevon Brazile had himself a GAME vs. Oklahoma City!
⚒️ 32 PTS (19 in 1H, game-high)
⚒️ 6-12 3PM
⚒️ 11-19 FGM
⚒️ DEN W@trevonbrazile2 and the @nuggets improve to 2-1 at NBA Summer League! pic.twitter.com/H3jx0Otf3j— NBA (@NBA) July 15, 2026
A path to meaningful minutes in Denver remains a challenge, but in dynasty formats, Brazile should be moving up draft boards as he's showing off some impressive athleticism and versatility for a player with his size.
Bruce Thornton, PG/SG - Houston Rockets
The other second-rounder who's making some noise is Thornton, who was taken by the Rockets with the 31st pick. He played four years at Ohio State and will turn 23 before the regular season starts. But he looks ready to contribute off the bench for Houston, as he's averaged 20-4-4 with 3.3 steals per game in three Summer League appearances.
Summer League Second-Year Risers
Khaman Maluach, C - Phoenix Suns
There's been no bigger second-year breakout than the former Duke big man in Vegas. He's putting up gaudy numbers, averaging 19.5 points, 12.8 boards, 1.3 steals, 2.0 blocks, and 2.0 threes.
Remember that Mark Williams has never averaged more than 26 minutes per game in a season and has averaged just 41.5 games played per season in his career.
Maluach 📈📈📈 https://t.co/GP7SSGa5CW
— "Thunder Dan" Palyo (@ThunderDanDFS) July 16, 2026
Simply stated, he can do some things on the court as a stretch five that Mark Williams simply can not. If Phoenix wants Williams to stay healthy (they just paid him and he played a career-high 60 games last year), then we could see Maluach in a timeshare with Williams at center. He deserves to be drafted in standard leagues with that potential, and if Williams gets hurt this year, he could be in line for a massive sophomore season.
Egor Demin, PG - Brooklyn Nets
Everyone is raving about Demin's game this summer. He showed up with some added muscle and confidence and has a +24 net rating in the two games in which he appeared.
Egor Dёmin's two-way game was showcased vs. the Kings today!
🤩 22 PTS
🤩 4 REB
🤩 8 AST
🤩 4 STL@BrooklynNets improve to 2-1 at NBA Summer League! pic.twitter.com/w5F5SMW2vO— NBA (@NBA) July 15, 2026
He was very inconsistent in his rookie campaign, but if he can knock down perimeter shots while increasing his assist totals, he could provide some late-round value and will most certainly be a popular pick in upcoming drafts based on the improvement that he showed in Vegas.
Will Riley, SG/SF - Washington Wizards
Riley played a lot for the Wizards down the stretch as they were sitting out their regulars. He had some good games, but plenty of inefficient games with poor shooting numbers, too. This summer, he was super efficient, scoring 25 points per game on 53.8% from the field in just 28.6 minutes per contest.
His biggest challenge is going to be getting enough minutes to be viable with Washington now adding Dybantsa on the wing with Bilal Coulibaly and Kyshawn George. But Riley's arrow is clearly pointing up as he's shown he can score the ball with ease when he's getting the usage.
Joan Beringer, C - Minnesota Timberwolves
We only saw Beringer for one game, but an 18-11 line with four blocks in 25 minutes has got my attention.
it's what Joan does. 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/zIcdMqXjRx
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) July 9, 2026
He's certainly earned an opportunity to play more minutes than he did last year (7.9 mpg) as Rudy Gobert's backup, and the departure of Naz Reid, who played some small-ball five for Minnesota, should open up more minutes.
Hugo Gonzalez, SF - Boston Celtics
Gonzalez earned more minutes as the season went along last year, but still didn't make much of an impact in the box score, averaging just 3.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per contest. He flashed his well-rounded skill set this summer, averaging 18.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists across three games.
A stellar performance from Hugo González leads the Celtics to an NBA Summer League win!
☘️ 24 PTS (game-high)
☘️ 10 REB (team-high)
☘️ 5 AST (game-high)
☘️ 3 3PM pic.twitter.com/Fkbbmu4CZB— NBA (@NBA) July 16, 2026
He only shot 31.8% from the floor, but he is definitely a "glue guy" who should see more time on the wing in Boston with the departure of Jaylen Brown. He doesn't need a lot of usage to produce fantasy value with the way that he can rebound, pass, and pick up hustle stats.
Noah Penda, SF - Orlando Magic
We saw flashes of promise from Penda last year as he got some run on an injury-depleted Orlando team. He's another big wing player who can contribute across the board and won't need many shots to have fantasy value.
In three Summer League games, he put up 15 points, 2.7 threes, 6.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 steals, and 2.7 blocks! This is a 9-CAT skill set worth pursuing.
Jase Richardson, SG - Orlando Magic
Richardson looked overmatched at times in his rookie season, but the second-year guard was filling it up in Vegas to the tune of 18.3 points per game on 54.1% shooting.
Jase Richardson highlights vs. PHI:
25 PTS
4 AST
10-15 FG
3 3PM@AdventHealthCFL pic.twitter.com/EcMkPvosj1— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) July 15, 2026
The Magic need a gunner off the bench who can help carry the second unit, and I expect Richardson to get a chance to lock up that role this season.
Liam McNeeley, SF - Charlotte Hornets
The former UCONN star played very little in his rookie season, but could crack the rotation this year in Charlotte. He's been excellent in three Summer League games, posting 21.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while knocking down 3.3 triples per game.
His dynasty stock is rising, but he probably won't get drafted in redraft leagues. Put this kid on your watch list, however, as I won't be surprised if he has a solid bench role for the Hornets this year.
Yang Hansen, C - Portland Trail Blazers
The young big man had a fairly forgettable rookie campaign in Portland and didn't play particularly well in his first Summer League game. But then he turned it on in his second outing.
Yang Hansen SHINED in Portland's NBA Summer League victory tonight 🤩
18 PTS (7-8 FGM)
10 REB
5 AST pic.twitter.com/68Co9whJfX— NBA (@NBA) July 14, 2026
He drew comparisons to Nikola Jokic with his court vision and elite passing out of the high post. He has a long way to go yet to prove that he's capable of being a starting center in this league, but he should continue to get some chances this season, as Robert Williams III can never stay healthy as the primary backup to Donovan Clingan.
Summer League Fallers
Dailyn Swain, SG/SF - Chicago Bulls
The Bulls took Swain with the 15th pick, and I thought it was a reach based on the fact that Cameron Carr and Lebaron Philon Jr. were both very clearly more NBA-ready scorers.
He averaged 4.3 points in 30 minutes per game on just 11.5% shooting - oof! It's too early to panic entirely, but he definitely damaged his value with his inability to score in a league where EVERYONE SCORES!
Keaton Wagler, PG/SG - Los Angeles Clippers
Most rookies would be happy with averaging 15.3 points per game in Summer League, but when you are the fifth overall pick in a loaded draft class, the expectations are high.
It doesn't help that the other guards taken after Wagler (Mikel Brown Jr., Kingston Flemings, Darius Acuff Jr., and Brayden Burries) all played significantly better. Wagler struggled shooting the ball (34.2%) and looks a step slow out there compared to the other top rookie guards. He'll be moving down my rookie rankings for dynasty, but is still likely going to play enough on a rebuilding Clippers team to have some standard league value.
Drake Powell, SF - Brooklyn Nets
Powell was one of the Nets' four first-round picks last year, but failed to do much in his rookie season (6.5 points per game) despite playing 21 minutes per contest.
He started off shooting 1-28 in his first two games before finally hitting some shots in his third outing. His value is nearly entirely reliant on his ability to score the basketball since he doesn't do much else, and he failed to show us that he can do that in Vegas.
Cam Christie, SG/SF - Los Angeles Clippers
Christie is entering his third season in the NBA and is getting dangerously close to "bust" territory. He was passed up by Kobe Sanders and Jordan Miller in the pecking order for minutes last year in L.A. and failed to do anything in Vegas to change our minds.
Christie scored just 11 points per game on 22.2% shooting, despite playing 28 minutes per contest. He's simply not someone we need to target in any format until he proves that he can score the basketball at the NBA level.
Ryan Kalkbrenner, C - Charlotte Hornets
Kalkbrenner battled some injuries in his rookie year and eventually lost his starting center gig to Moussa Diabate, who simply outplayed him on both ends. If you were hoping to see him flash this summer, he didn't. He scored just 4.7 points and grabbed only 4.3 boards across three games, and he played 25 minutes per contest.
Hannes Steinbach, the 14th overall pick, in tonight's @NBASummerLeague action:
27 PTS (game-high)
15 REB (game-high)
3 AST pic.twitter.com/fFjlhcykDX— NBA (@NBA) July 16, 2026
He did block 3.3 shots per contest and could still be a decent source of FG% and blocks in deeper formats. But Charlotte drafted another rookie big man, Hannes Steinbach, who posted a massive 27-15-3 last night against Milwaukee. Kalkbrenner might have his hands full this year, battling for minutes with Naz Reid, Diabate, and the impressive rookie Steinbach.
Kasparas Jakucionis, PG - Milwaukee Bucks
The second-year point guard was part of the deal that sent Giannis to Miami and now has to battle Ryan Rollins for minutes at point guard. He's played only two games, but he didn't flash like we would have liked him to, as he averaged just 9 points and 5 assists per game while turning it over 3.5 times per game.
Aday Mara, C - Oklahoma City Thunder
Mara was pretty clearly drafted as a project by the Thunder, who didn't really have to draft for fit or need with their loaded roster. It's easy to see why he will likely need some time to develop, as he posted only 8.7 points and 1.0 blocks per game while turning it over three times per game.
He has an NBA body and is a solid passer for his position, but he's still very raw offensively and has looked a step slow against more athletic big men.
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