RADIO
Russell Westbrook Emerges as a Target for the Heat
Miami has emerged as the team to watch for free-agent guard Russell Westbrook, the New York Post's Stefan Bondy reports. Westbrook remains unsigned deep into the offseason, and the former MVP is generating interest as contenders round out their guard rotations. He stayed productive with Sacramento last season, averaging 15.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 1.3 steals in 29.0 minutes, though his 33.8 percent clip from three continues to cloud his fit on a spacing-dependent roster. Should he land in Miami, Westbrook would be a bench ball-handler in a Giannis Antetokounmpo-led rotation, a complementary role that would trim his usage and cap his fantasy ceiling well below his Kings workload.
Source: Stefan Bondy
Source: Stefan Bondy
Jordan McLaughlin Returns to Spurs on One-Year Deal
San Antonio Spurs guard Jordan McLaughlin has agreed to a one-year, $3.3 million deal to return to the team, according to Shams Charania of ESPN. The 30-year-old appeared in 44 games for San Antonio last season, averaging 2.0 points, 0.9 assists, and 0.7 rebounds in 6.4 minutes while shooting 42.5% from three-point range. McLaughlin gives the Spurs veteran point-guard insurance, but his fantasy value is thin behind De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper. He would likely need multiple injuries ahead of him to see meaningful usage.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
Ziaire Williams Lands With Lakers on One-Year Deal
Free-agent forward Ziaire Williams has agreed to a one-year, $3 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, according to Shams Charania of ESPN. The 24-year-old spent last season with Brooklyn, averaging 10.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.4 steals in 22.9 minutes while shooting 42.5% from the field and 34.3% from three-point range. Williams gives Los Angeles another long wing, but his fantasy case is thin unless the shooting improvement sticks and he earns enough bench minutes to keep the steals coming.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
AJ Dybantsa Racks Up 23 Points in Wizards' Summer League Win
Washington Wizards forward AJ Dybantsa racked up 23 points, seven rebounds, three steals, two blocks, and two assists across 24 minutes during Sunday's 104-85 Las Vegas Summer League win over the Sacramento Kings. The No. 1 pick knocked down his first Summer League three after an 0-for-5 debut from deep, though the jumper still cooled as the game went on. Second-year wing Will Riley carried the scoring load with a game-high 32 points as Washington improved to 2-0. That is the encouraging part for fantasy managers: Dybantsa is already piling up steals and blocks, giving him a strong statistical base before the jumper fully settles. On a rebuilding Wizards team, the usage should be there early.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Darryn Peterson Fills the Box Score in Summer League Defeat
Utah Jazz guard Darryn Peterson recorded 23 points on 6-for-18 shooting, 1-for-3 from three, and 6-for-8 at the line, adding five assists, two rebounds, two steals, and two blocks in 26 minutes during Sunday's 104-82 Las Vegas Summer League loss to the Clippers. The No. 2 pick keeps forcing the issue, and the jumper hasn't cooperated in Vegas (12-for-36 over two outings). The playmaking and defensive activity travel, though: Peterson ran up a 12-assist game earlier this summer and filled the sheet again here. He projects as a genuine fantasy contributor as soon as his rookie season, even if usage gets crowded next to Ace Bailey and Cody Williams. Once the shot falls, the scoring, passing, and steal production give him real fantasy value.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Baba Miller Scores Efficient 15 Points in Clippers Win
Los Angeles Clippers forward Baba Miller registered 15 points, five rebounds, and two assists across 26 minutes in Sunday's 104-82 Las Vegas Summer League win over the Utah Jazz. The No. 36 pick shot 5-for-7 from the field, 2-for-3 from three-point range, and 2-for-2 at the line, giving Los Angeles another clean frontcourt line after he posted 12 points, five boards, and three blocks against Sacramento. Miller's size, touch, and passing remain worth tracking, but he still needs to turn these Summer League flashes into a steady Clippers role.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Nate Ament Held to Seven Points in Summer League Loss to Spurs
Milwaukee Bucks forward Nate Ament posted seven points on 3-for-7 shooting, 1-for-2 from three, five rebounds, and three turnovers in 25 minutes during Sunday's 90-80 Las Vegas Summer League loss to the Spurs. The No. 13 pick started but couldn't find offensive rhythm, cooling off after a cleaner debut Friday against the Heat. Ament landed in Milwaukee through the deal that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to Miami, so the retooling Bucks can afford to bring him along slowly. He averaged 16.7 points at Tennessee and flashes real scoring upside, but he's a long-term stash, not a factor in fantasy lineups this season. Brayden Burries paced Milwaukee with 26 points.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Keaton Wagler Scores 23 Points in Clippers Win
Los Angeles Clippers guard Keaton Wagler contributed 23 points, four assists, one rebound, and one steal across 28 minutes in Sunday's 104-82 Las Vegas Summer League win over the Utah Jazz. The No. 5 overall pick bounced back from a quiet debut, shooting 6-for-16 from the field, 4-for-7 from three-point range, and 3-for-4 at the line. Los Angeles took control by outscoring Utah 42-18 in the third quarter, giving Wagler a much cleaner second-half runway. The shooting response was encouraging, but he still needs more efficient shot creation to strengthen his early fantasy case.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Brayden Burries Leads Milwaukee Against the Spurs
Milwaukee Bucks guard Brayden Burries provided 26 points, three rebounds, three assists, three steals, and two blocks across 30 minutes in Sunday's 90-80 Summer League loss to the San Antonio Spurs. The No. 10 pick shot 9-for-16 from the field and 4-for-5 from three-point range, easily his best scoring performance of the summer. Burries has now scored 12, 18, and 26 points in his first three Summer League outings. The defensive stats made this line even more useful, but his early fantasy value still depends on earning a real role in Milwaukee's guard rotation.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Alpha Diallo Joins Nuggets on One-Year Minimum Deal
The Denver Nuggets have agreed to a one-year, $1.4 million guaranteed deal with EuroLeague Defender of the Year Alpha Diallo, ESPN's Shams Charania reports. The 29-year-old spent five seasons with AS Monaco, averaging 11.9 points and 4.4 rebounds while leading the EuroLeague in steals last season on 50.1 percent shooting. A 6-foot-7 wing who defends multiple positions but never became a reliable outside threat, Diallo projects as a bench stopper rather than a rotation lock in Denver. He lands behind Christian Braun, Cameron Johnson, and Julian Strawther, with Peyton Watson's restricted free agency still unresolved. There's no fantasy angle here yet. Diallo stays off NBA boards until he carves out real minutes next to Nikola Jokic.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
Bruce Thornton Swipes Five Steals Against Raptors
Houston Rockets guard Bruce Thornton tallied 17 points, six rebounds, six assists, and five steals in 32 minutes during Saturday's 102-89 Summer League loss to Toronto. Thornton opened Summer League with 27 points, three rebounds, three assists, and three steals against Denver, giving him two straight productive outings with defensive activity. The No. 31 overall pick shot just 6-for-17, but the assists and steals are more important for his fantasy case. After averaging 19.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists at Ohio State, Thornton looks like a polished guard who could push for backup minutes if the creation translates.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Morez Johnson Jr. Swats Four Shots in Loss to Lakers
Dallas Mavericks forward/center Morez Johnson Jr. recorded 10 points, five rebounds, four blocks, and two steals over 28 minutes in Saturday's 91-70 Summer League loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. The ninth overall pick shot 4-for-8 from the field, including 0-for-1 from three-point range, and went 1-for-2 at the free-throw line. Although his offensive output was modest, he anchored the defense with a game-high four rejections following a 27-point scoring outburst in Thursday's opener. Johnson will look to carve out a rotational role during his rookie campaign, but he faces stiff competition for frontcourt minutes from Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
KJ Simpson Leads Nuggets Past Timberwolves
Denver Nuggets guard KJ Simpson racked up 19 points (6-for-15 on field goals, 3-for-8 from three) with four rebounds, four assists, and one steal in 29 minutes during Saturday's 101-82 Summer League win over Minnesota. The former Colorado standout ran the offense all night, and Denver sagged whenever he sat. He paced the Nuggets with 17 points and nine assists in the opener against Houston. Waived by Charlotte in February before signing a two-way deal, Simpson is auditioning for a rotation spot. His playmaking strengthens that case, but his fantasy value stays speculative until he earns minutes on Denver's deep backcourt.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Danny Wolf Tops Nets Scorers in Loss to Atlanta
Brooklyn Nets forward/center Danny Wolf scored 20 points on 9-for-16 shooting in Saturday's 83-76 Summer League loss to the Atlanta Hawks, chipping in five rebounds, one assist, and one steal over 26 minutes. The second-year big went 0-for-2 from deep but stayed efficient inside and hit both free throws. He opened Las Vegas with a nine-point, eight-rebound debut, so the scoring jump is encouraging. Wolf flashed promise as a rookie, averaging 8.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.2 threes in 20.8 minutes, and good health has him in line for steady frontcourt minutes on a rebuilding Brooklyn team.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Zuby Ejiofor Posts Five Stocks in Summer League Win
Atlanta Hawks forward Zuby Ejiofor registered 13 points, six rebounds, three blocks, two assists, and two steals in 27 minutes during Saturday's 83-76 Summer League win over Brooklyn. The No. 23 overall pick has already stacked up useful defensive production, following a 12-point, four-rebound, three-assist outing Thursday and a 19-point, 15-rebound effort Monday. Ejiofor averaged 16.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.1 blocks at St. John's last season, so the blocks, boards, and passing are not coming out of nowhere. His defensive activity is doing most of the fantasy heavy lifting, which could matter if Atlanta trusts him in a reserve role.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
