NBA Player News

Nash said he was asymptomatic, which is always good to hear. He’ll return just in time to coach the healthiest lineup that the Nets have had since Kevin Durant went down. This will be the first time that KD and Kyrie Irving will play together with the new acquisitions Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and Goran Dragic and just the fourth time that KD and Kyrie have started together this season.

A first-round pick in the 2019 draft, Bazley is looking to earn another opportunity in the NBA. While he did not provide much value as a scorer on Thursday, the rebounding and defensive ability stood out in the Lakers’ two-point defeat. Despite Trey Jemison II and Christian Koloko being on the roster, Bazley was the starting center against the Mavericks. If Bazley can take on those assignments defensively, that may help his chances of returning to the NBA.

Swider excelled at the California Classic and started his time in Las Vegas well on Thursday. He is currently without a contract, so these performances are critical for Swider, who’s looking to impress decision-makers around the league. There’s no need to consider him for fantasy drafts, but there may come a point when some team gives Swider another opportunity to prove himself in the NBA.

After struggling in the Lakers’ first two games at the California Classic, Knecht finished well and scored 25 points in Tuesday’s finale. His first game in Las Vegas wasn’t great, but the second-year wing did provide some defensive production. For more experienced players, especially 24-year-olds, the hope is that it won’t take long for them to show they don’t need to play in all of their team’s summer league games. While there’s no need to panic, it would likely calm some nerves in Los Angeles if Knecht rebounded from Thursday’s performance the next time out.

Dallas’ starting guards in Thursday’s summer opener are on two-way contracts, and both shone against the Lakers. Kelly supplemented Ryan Nembhard’s excellent night with a solid performance, shooting 50 percent from the field and 3-of-8 from beyond the arc. Unlike Nembhard, Kelly does not play a position where the Mavericks need bodies, making his task of earning NBA minutes as a rookie more challenging. However, he made a positive impression on the team’s decision-makers with his effort against the Lakers.

Cooper Flagg was the headliner on Thursday, but Nembhard stole the show in some regards. Ryan, the younger brother of Pacers point guard Andrew Nembhard, ran things offensively and was also solid defensively. He’s already agreed to a two-way deal with the Mavericks, so that part of his NBA future is secure. However, with Kyrie Irving recovering from a torn ACL, there may be opportunities for Nembhard to contribute throughout the early part of the season. That isn’t enough to make him a draftable player in most fantasy leagues, but there could eventually be some streaming value.

Flagg made his ballyhooed summer league debut on Thursday, and the Mavericks forward got off to a solid start. However, he would cool off considerably, shooting below 25 percent from the field. All was not lost in this performance, as Flagg was solid in other areas, most notably rebounding and setting up others. He did not commit his first and only turnover until the fourth quarter, which is not always the case for rookies who draw the defensive attention that Flagg did. With Ryan Nembhard running things, there were few opportunities to see “Point Cooper” on Thursday, but there will be other opportunities as the Mavericks prepare for the 2025-26 season.

Penda was solid in his summer opener, showing off the versatility on both ends of the floor that led some to believe he could be a first-round pick. The combo forward from France was on the board for Orlando as No. 32 overall, and given lead executive Jeff Weltman’s preference for athletic forwards with plus physical tools, it’s unsurprising that Penda wound up with the Magic. Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero are the starting forwards, which limits Penda’s short-term upside, but he’ll be worth holding for the future in dynasty leagues.

Orlando was arguably the worst perimeter-shooting team in the NBA last season, ranking dead last in three-pointers per game and three-point percentage. Selecting Richardson with the 25th overall pick in last month’s draft was one of the moves the front office made in hopes of addressing that issue next season. The former Michigan State guard shot the ball well in his summer debut, making over 50 percent of his attempts overall and shooting 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. Orlando acquiring Desmond Bane may limit Richardson’s fantasy upside as a rookie, but he’s a good enough shooter to crack the rotation if his defense is up to par.

With Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero missing extended periods last season due to injury, da Silva took on a larger role than many anticipated before the 2024-25 season. He was solid as a rookie, eventually doing enough to merit being streamed while the Magic awaited the return of their star forwards. Da Silva got his summer off to a good start on Thursday, shooting over 50 percent from the field and providing solid value in rebounds and assists. While unlikely to be a must-draft player in standard leagues, da Silva should again be a fixture in the Magic rotation after averaging 22.0 minutes per game as a rookie.

Limited to 36 games as a rookie after undergoing shoulder surgery, Carter is healthy this offseason. That should aid the former first-round pick’s development as he looks to earn a consistent place in the Kings’ rotation. Carter struggled with his shot on Thursday, missing all four of his three-point attempts and shooting 20 percent from inside the arc. As a rookie, Carter recorded a 37.0/29.5/59.1 slash line, so the efficiency must improve if he’s to be a factor in Year 2 with the Kings.