NBA Player News

McCain’s streak of consecutive games with 20 points or more ended on Sunday, with the rookie scoring 18. While the point total was respectable, fantasy managers looking for solid field-goal percentage numbers took a hit in this one. The absences of Paul George and Joel Embiid make McCain a must-roster player, even if there’s a chance he’ll have the occasional bad night.

Pullin spent last season on a two-way deal with Memphis, which is why he is suiting up for them in Summer League. He played well on Monday, but he wasn’t able to control the ball. The last of his six turnovers came with about seven seconds left in the game, which led to the loss. The dimes were encouraging, but even if he continues to play well, he’ll likely be on a two-way deal once again.

Jackson has had no issues scoring in Summer League. He has 47 points and six triples through two games, and at the end of this one, he hit a shot at the buzzer that would have forced overtime if his foot wasn’t on the line. It was an anti-climactic finish at the replay monitor, but it was still another impressive scoring night from Jackson.

Edwards had another subpar shooting night, but he was able to contribute a well-rounded stat line on Philly’s loss. Edwards is looking to build off of a productive rookie year, and the 76ers will be looking for him to dominate in Summer League. There’s plenty of room for improvement, but it has been a decent start for him.

Before going undrafted in 2024, Mintz spent two seasons at Syracuse and was really productive. He played well for the Blue Coats in the G League this past season, which translated to a roster spot on Philadelphia’s Summer League squad. He played a small role in their first game, but he started with V.J. Edgecombe (thumb) sidelined for this one. He had a spectacular performance, and if he keeps this up, he could earn a two-way deal.

After scoring just six points on Saturday, JHS stepped up on the offensive end with V.J. Edgecombe sidelined with a minor thumb injury. He didn’t replicate his eight assists, and turnovers were an issue, but it was encouraging to see him have a strong scoring performance. He’ll continue to get an opportunity to compete for a roster spot with Philadelphia, though he’ll likely spend most of next season in the G League.

Mitchell dominated against Memphis on Saturday, and while he didn’t shoot the ball that well in this game, he was still able to contribute plenty of value. The 2024 second-round pick has played really well through two games this summer after a strong rookie season. He’ll have a chance to be part of the OKC rotation next season, and it wouldn’t be shocking if he didn’t play many more games this summer.

Topic didn’t enjoy the same shooting efficiency that he did in his Summer League debut, but he was able to get to the free throw line at a decent rate. However, after turning the ball over seven times on Saturday, he was much cleaner as a playmaker against Philadelphia. He had multiple highlight passes and finishes and showcased plenty of upside, even if he missed most of his shot attempts, including all six of his shots from deep. OKC plays the Jazz on Tuesday, and it would be surprising if Topic played in the second leg of the back-to-back.

Micic has been traded twice this offseason: once back to Charlotte and then again to Milwaukee after ending last season with the Suns. Now, he’ll be a free agent. Micic had a solid stretch as a streaming option that could provide assists when LaMelo Ball missed time two seasons ago, but the odds of him finding a situation where he can contribute fantasy value next season are low.

The injury is reportedly not considered serious, but they’re just playing things safe. After he scored 28 points on Saturday, there’s no reason to force him to play through the injury, especially in Summer League. He will be considered “day-to-day” moving forward, so he could be back to play against Memphis on Tuesday. Judah Mintz will start in his place.

The 2022 No.1 overall pick now has a contract in place that proves he was worth the early selection. It also includes a player option in the fifth year. Banchero is coming off averaging 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.9 three-pointers per game as the Magic lost in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight season. In a weaker Eastern Conference next season, Banchero will have a chance to lead Orlando deep into the postseason.