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Summer League Notes: Rookie Standouts, Maluach, Fears

July 27th, 2025 at 6:02pm CST by Eli Cohen

The 2025 Summer League gave fans and teams first impressions of most of this year’s incoming rookies, as well as serving as a showcase for several sophomores and younger veterans. In the wake of the event, Law Murray of the Athletic breaks down each rookie’s performance with an eye for what it could mean for the coming season.

Cooper Flagg (Mavericks), Dylan Harper (Spurs), and VJ Edgecombe (Sixers) were arguably the biggest names who participated in the Summer Leagues – headlined by the Las Vegas event – and despite some shooting efficiency concerns, all three gave their fans plenty of reason for excitement.

Flagg displayed a well-rounded on-ball skill set, Harper came up clutch in his last game to force overtime, and Edgecombe lived at the free throw line while displaying some advanced ball-screen offensive game, Murray observes.

The next three picks in the draft, Kon Knueppel (Hornets), Ace Bailey (Jazz), and Tre Johnson (Wizards), all showed off their shot-making capabilities, which will likely be what earns them regular playing time as rookies. Knueppel was rewarded for his play with the only All-Summer League Second Team selection among rookies, while Nique Clifford (Kings) was the lone rookie to make the First Team, thanks to his stellar all-around play.

Other rookies, such as Collin Murray-Boyles (Raptors), Carter Bryant (Spurs), Joan Beringer (Timberwolves), and Brooks Barnhizer (Thunder) flashed tantalizing defensive capabilities, though Murray-Boyles and Bryant were inconsistent offensively, Murray notes.

Here are a few more leftover Summer League notes:

John Hollinger of the Athletic takes a look at some of the low points of Summer League, including the worst ejection of the tournament, awarded to the Celtics‘ Jordan Walsh for not only having an excessive foul on the Heat’s Pelle Larsson, but for accidentally throwing him into Walsh’s own front office executives courtside.
In terms of players who struggled, Hollinger mentions Khaman Maluach (Suns), who had difficulty catching lobs and other passes, Jeremiah Fears (Pelicans), who was unable to spearhead an offense and create for others, and the limitations of the four Nets rookies who suited up, among others.
On the non-player side, Hollinger points to an abundance of turnovers caused by stepping out of bounds, as well as the prevalence of split-screen interviews that made following the games an exercise in patience and eagle-eyed vision.

NBA Insiders Talk 2025, 2026 Drafts

July 25th, 2025 at 6:04pm CST by Eli Cohen

Now that the 2025 Summer League has wrapped up, scouts and evaluators around the NBA are looking ahead to the 2026 draft and considering how this year’s draft class might perform as rookies.

Among league personnel, there’s a near-consensus that the Mavericks‘ Cooper Flagg will win Rookie of the Year, according to ESPN’s annual survey of NBA executives and scouts conducted this year by Jeremy Woo. Flagg was the overwhelming favorite, with 17 votes, followed by the Spurs‘ Dylan Harper, who picked up two votes. The Wizards’ Tre Johnson also received a vote.

Those polled speculated that while some rookies, like Johnson or Ace Bailey of the Jazz, may get a chance to shoot and score more points, Flagg’s overall contributions to a team that will likely be fighting for a play-in spot will push him over the edge.

While he didn’t receive a vote for Rookie of the Year, the Sixers‘ VJ Edgecombe was the top vote-getter for those asked who would end up the best non-Flagg pick in the draft.

“VJ might be Philly’s second-best player by the end of the season, factoring in [Joel] Embiid‘s uncertain health,” one general manager said.

When Woo’s poll respondents weighed in on the biggest draft steal, the Spurs’ Carter Bryant led the way, followed by Joan Beringer (Timberwolves) and Kasparas Jakucionis (Heat), though this question proved to be the most wide-ranging in terms of responses.

Executives also discussed the 2026 draft, which is widely anticipated to be a star-studded draft class. When asked about who the top pick would be, Kansas’ Darryn Peterson led the way with 12 votes, while BYU’s A.J. Dybantsa was a close second with eight.

Peterson is described in the article as “one of the best lead guard prospects in recent memory,” though Woo writes that given the high level of competition for the No. 1 spot, the race for the top spot is unlikely to be as open-and-shut as it was in 2025, when Flagg remained relatively unchallenged throughout the draft cycle.

“It’s a total toss-up right now — by no means is [there a] consensus yet,” one executive said.

While only Peterson and Dybantsa received votes as the probable No. 1 pick for 2026, Duke’s Cameron Boozer, Nate Ament (Tennessee), and Mikel Brown (Louisville) are also considered top prospects who could be in the mix for a top spot.

While it’s never easy to predict the future when it comes to the NBA draft, last year’s executive survey had Flagg as the top vote-getter for the number one pick, far ahead of Harper’s second-best vote tally, with Bailey and Edgecombe coming in third and fourth.

In that same poll last year, Reed Sheppard and Zach Edey were forecasted as the top candidates for Rookie of the Year, though eventual winner Stephon Castle came in a close third.

Summer League Notes: Filipowski, Harper, Pelicans, Labissiere, Huntley

July 16th, 2025 at 2:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Kyle Filipowski has turned in a series of impressive performances for the Jazz‘s Summer League team in Las Vegas, according to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune, who wonders whether Utah might consider starting the second-year big man this fall. As Larsen points out, the team’s most-used starting lineup featured Walker Kessler, Lauri Markkanen, and John Collins, so Filipowski could theoretically slot into Collins’ old role.

Last year’s No. 31 overall pick has been shut down for the rest of Summer League, Larsen tweets, after averaging a Vegas-best 29.3 points in 28.6 minutes per game with a .561/.391/.625 shooting line in the Jazz’s first three contests.

This year No. 2 pick, Dylan Harper, has also been shut down for the rest of Summer League, according to the Spurs (Twitter link via Tim MacMahon of ESPN). Harper struggled with his shot in the two games he played, making just 10-of-28 shots from the field (35.7%), including 1-of-8 three-pointers (12.5%), but he contributed 16 points in both outings.

Here are a few more notes from Summer League:

After going undrafted out of Washington in 2024, Keion Brooks spent most of his rookie season on a two-way deal with the Pelicans, but he appeared in just 14 NBA games and didn’t get a qualifying offer in June. Still, he’s making a case with his Summer League play – including a 16-point showing on Tuesday – that he deserves to be re-signed, writes Rod Walker of NOLA.com (subscription required). “I’m just trying to get better at the things I was already kinda good at already,” Brooks said. “I know much isn’t going to be expected of me as far as creating my own shot. So it’s just about being a real good glue guy.”
It has been an up-and-down Summer League so far for Pelicans lottery picks Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears, per Will Guillory of The Athletic. While Queen had 17 points and 10 rebounds on Tuesday, with Fears scoring 14 points in 23 minutes, the duo combined to commit 14 of New Orleans’ 25 turnovers on the night.
A first-round pick way back in 2016, big man Skal Labissiere is the oldest member of the Magic‘s Summer League team at age 29, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required). Labissiere tells Beede that he doesn’t feel like he has “anything to prove to anyone,” but is hoping the Summer League showcase will help him earn another NBA job. “We talk about opportunity … It only takes one,”Magic Summer League coach Ameer Bahhur said. “For him, he’s been doing it at a high level for a long time. He knows who he is and now it’s just continuing to show that he’s progressed.”
Rookie forward CJ Huntley, who is on a two-way contract with Phoenix, has reminded Suns Summer League head coach DeMarre Carroll a little of Jarrett Allen with his play in Las Vegas, as Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic relays. “Just with his force to the rim. Anytime he gets it in the paint, he’s putting it in the rim,” Carroll said. “He’s just got to continue to keep rolling with force, keep playing with that force and keep developing and I think he’ll be OK.”

Southwest Notes: Flagg, Harper, Morant, Murphy, Peavy

July 13th, 2025 at 8:58am CST by Arthur Hill

The top two picks in this year’s draft put on a show for Summer League fans as they matched up Saturday in Las Vegas, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPN. Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg thrilled the crowd with a few highlight dunks on his way to 31 points, while Spurs guard Dylan Harper countered with 16 points in his Summer League debut after recovering from a minor groin injury.

“[There’s] not a better time to come back [than] in a game like this and a crowd as electrifying as this,” Harper said. “He had a good game. I had a good game. We kind of just showed the NBA world what we’re about.”

Saturday’s matchup should be the beginning of a long rivalry for Flagg and Harper. Considered to be the top two prospects in this year’s class by a wide margin, they wound up joining teams with established talent already in place when Dallas and San Antonio both defied the odds at the lottery. They’ll meet four times a year as division opponents and may have a few playoff matchups in their future.

“We’re going to play them a lot this year,” Harper said. “So, the future battles are going to be great. One thing that we’ve both got: We’re just competitors. We’re going to go out and compete.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant said he was surprised by the trade of longtime backcourt partner Desmond Bane and addressed a few other topics in an interview with Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (subscriber link). “I was shocked, personally,” Morant said. “I got the message from Des. To see it all over the internet, I thought the (expletive) was fake, honestly. It’s best for both sides. Des is going to a very talented Orlando team. I feel like he’s the piece that they’ve been missing.” Morant added that the additions of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the trade and Ty Jerome in free agency should make Memphis a better team.
Appearing Saturday on ESPN, Pelicans forward Trey Murphy provided an update on his progress since undergoing surgery in late March for a torn labrum in his right shoulder (Twitter video link from Pelicans Film Room). “I feel pretty good,” Murphy said. “I have started up my skill workouts. I am able to do things without restriction. Just waiting to get cleared for contact.”
X-rays were negative for an ankle injury suffered by Pelicans rookie shooting guard Micah Peavy, according to Will Guillory of The Athletic (Twitter link). The second-round pick was held out of Saturday’s game.

Dylan Harper Discusses First Spurs Impressions

July 11th, 2025 at 7:01pm CST by Eli Cohen

After missing the Spurs‘ first game of the Las Vegas Summer League, Dylan Harper is expected to make his debut on Saturday, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (via Twitter).

The minor groin injury Harper is dealing with also caused him to miss the team’s games in the California Classic. However, just because he hasn’t been playing in games doesn’t mean his education has been on hold. According to Marc J. Spears of Andscape, Harper’s training in San Antonio has included becoming acquainted with franchise legends like Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan.

“It caught me off guard,” Harper said about seeing those two walk into the practice facility. “I was like, ‘What are they doing here?’ I was like, ‘Maybe they’re just here this one day?’ And they’re like, ‘No, they are here all the time.’ And so, when they talk about the Spurs’ organization and their culture, that’s really what culture is.”

Perhaps the most interesting part of Harper’s first offseason education has been his work with fellow lefty guard Manu Ginobili, with whom Harper says he has spent every day asking questions.

“I talk to him the most,” Harper said. “More about just the game and the speed and just how he adapted to it from a FIBA standpoint to coming over here. What was his biggest changes being a player and being professional outside of basketball? What kept you locked in? Just all little things I think that every NBA player goes through.”

Coming from a basketball family, with a father, Ron Harper Sr., who was a 15-year NBA veteran, a mother who was a college basketball player, and a brother (Ron Harper Jr.) entering his fourth year in the league, Harper is coming into the league with a strong basketball foundation. The Spurs are clearly committed to ensuring that it is only a starting point for the young guard with sky-high potential.

Spurs’ Dylan Harper, Carter Bryant Sign Rookie Contracts

July 3rd, 2025 at 2:43pm CST by Rory Maher

The Spurs have officially signed lottery picks Dylan Harper and Carter Bryant, the team announced today in a pair of press releases.

Former Rutgers star Harper was the No. 2 overall pick of last month’s draft. Assuming he signs for the maximum allowable 120% of his rookie scale amount, which nearly every first-rounder does, the 19-year-old will earn $12.37MM in his first NBA season and a total of $56.14MM over the course of his four-year contract.

Harper averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.4 steals in 29 games (32.6 minutes per contest) last season for the Scarlet Knights. He is widely considered the second-best prospect in this year’s class.

Bryant, also 19, spent his first and only college season at Arizona. San Antonio selected him 14th overall in the 2025 draft, and assuming he gets 120% of his rookie scale amount, he’ll earn $4.9MM in 2025/26 and $23.42MM in total over his four-year deal.

A 6’7″ combo forward, Bryant averaged 6.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.0 block in 37 appearances for the Wildcats in ’24/25 (19.3 minutes per game). He didn’t play a starring role as a freshman, but Bryant was a reliable outside shooter (.371 3PT%) and showed off intriguing defensive versatility.

Western Notes: Kidd, Collins, Bailey, Harper

July 1st, 2025 at 9:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Mavericks are expected to extend head coach Jason Kidd‘s contract again before the start of next season, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line report (via Substack). Kidd received an extension after last season and general manager Nico Harrison indicated last week that Kidd would remain the team’s head coach next season.

Of course, the Knicks were interested in talking to Kidd about their head coaching vacancy. Although the Mavericks denied the Knicks’ request to speak to their head coach, there has been persistent speculation that Kidd would wind up in New York unless he received an extension.

Here’s more from the Western Conference:

Jazz big man John Collins picked up his $26.5MM option last week. That probably means he’ll remain on Utah’s roster entering next season, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic, who tweets that there doesn’t seem to be much of a market for Collins, who averaged 19.0 points and 8.2 rebounds this past season, but he was limited to 40 games and didn’t return after suffering a left ankle sprain on March 12.
Jazz lottery pick Ace Bailey didn’t work out for the team amid reports that his preferred destination was Washington. Bailey expressed surprise when Utah drafted him but he claims he never considered not reporting to the club. “Not at all,” Bailey said in a press conference on Sunday, per Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune. “I mean, just blessed to be in this position. Not a lot of people sit in these chairs and have great teammates as I got on (here). So I’m just blessed to be here.”
No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper, Bailey’s teammate at Rutgers, predicts the Spurs will make the postseason next season, according to ESPN’s Michael C Wright. “That’s going to change really quick,” Harper said of San Antonio’s recent struggles. “We’re going to make the playoffs. I think for the Spurs fans and everyone else, our group is very exciting. There’s a lot to look forward to. The sky’s the limit for this group we’ve got.” Harper could become the team’s third consecutive Rookie of the Year Award winner. “I don’t think I feel no pressure [to win ROY], but I definitely want to keep that going,” Harper said. “That’s definitely a goal of mine.”

Spurs Draft Dylan Harper With No. 2 Pick

June 25th, 2025 at 7:18pm CST by Rory Maher

The Spurs have selected Rutgers guard Dylan Harper with the second pick of the 2025 NBA draft.

The pick was expected, as Harper is widely considered the second-best prospect in this year’s class, only trailing Cooper Flagg, whom Dallas selected No. 1 overall.

While the Scarlet Knights had a disappointing season in 2024/25, going just 15-17, Harper was highly productive on an individual level, averaging 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.4 steals in 29 games (32.6 minutes per contest). He posted a shooting slash line of .484/.333/.750.

There had been some speculation that San Antonio might consider moving the No. 2 pick, perhaps in pursuit of superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. But there has been no indication to this point that the Bucks forward will request a trade, and even if he does, Harper could still be an attractive centerpiece to a potential offer in the future.

Another reason rival teams were curious about what the Spurs would do is because Harper may not be an ideal fit in a backcourt featuring two other talented scorers with inconsistent outside shots: Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox.

Drafting Harper doesn’t necessarily put those questions to rest, but it does signal the Spurs are high enough on the 19-year-old that they prioritized his talent over his fit, and are prepared to see how he looks on the roster alongside Castle, Fox, and rising star Victor Wembanyama.

Like the division-rival Mavericks, who jumped from No. 11 to No. 1, the Spurs also moved up several places in the 2025 draft lottery, going from No. 8 to No. 2.

Harper is the son of former NBA guard Ron Harper, who won five championships during his 15 years in the league, and the younger brother of forward Ron Harper Jr., who is currently on a two-way contract with Detroit.

Fischer’s Latest: Sixers, Bailey, Edgecombe, Fears, Maluach, More

June 25th, 2025 at 4:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers are expected to make one last attempt to trade up to No. 2 for the chance to draft Dylan Harper, but it’s not likely to be successful, writes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). Fischer believes the Spurs have decided they want Harper to be part of their future and haven’t given serious consideration to parting with the pick.

Fischer adds that the most likely scenario is for the Sixers to stay at No. 3 unless there’s a sharp improvement in the offers from other teams. He also suggests that Ace Bailey remains in contention to be selected, even though he canceled a workout in Philadelphia and has sent out signals that he would rather be selected by a team that could offer guaranteed playing time and a larger role in the offense. Fischer still considers Bailey to be a strong fit alongside Joel Embiid and Paul George because of his shooting skills, but he acknowledges that V.J. Edgecombe is the “likely top contender” to go to Philadelphia.

If Bailey does get bypassed by the Sixers, Fischer doesn’t expect him to fall farther that the Wizards at No. 6. League sources tell him that Bailey declined a chance to work out for the Jazz, and it’s believed that he didn’t have an official visit with any of the lottery teams. Fischer points out that Washington meets Bailey’s requirements as a team that could offer “a healthy shot profile and on-ball creation opportunities.”

Fischer shares more inside information as the draft draws closer:

The Nets are likely to pounce on point guard Jeremiah Fears if he’s still on the board at No. 8, Fischer states, noting that rumors of his preference for Brooklyn date back to the Draft Combine. Fears made visits to Utah and New Orleans, and Fischer believes his range appears to start with the fifth pick. Fischer also raises the possibility that the Nets could package some of the five first-rounders they have tonight to move up if they believe another team might select Fears.
Fischer calls Khaman Maluach “the most consequential domino of the first round” apart from Bailey. He’s considered the top available big man, and Fischer notes that he helped himself with strong performances during the interview process. League sources tell Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports that the Pelicans are expected to try to trade up to land Bailey. If they’re unsuccessful, then Maluach could be their pick at No. 7 if he’s still on the board. O’Connor hears that some lottery teams have Maluach ranked in their top two or three and he’s considered “one of the most popular trade-up targets.”
Fischer believes the Pelicans mark the start of Derik Queen‘s range if someone else takes Maluach, but he adds that the Spurs may try to trade up from No. 14 for the Duke center, while the Raptors at No. 9 also have him highly rated.
Cedric Coward has been improving his status throughout the pre-draft process, and Fischer doesn’t expect him to fall past the teens. Sources tell Fischer that Coward has interest from the Trail Blazers at No. 11 and he has worked out multiple times for the Thunder, who hold the 15th pick. Fischer hears that the Nets are hoping to land Coward at No. 19, but they may need to trade up to have a chance.
NCAA Tournament star Walter Clayton Jr. has “multiple suitors” in the early 20s, according to Fischer. He cites league insiders who believe Clayton and Jase Richardson could be targets for the Kings if they’re able to trade for a pick in that range.
There’s an expectation that this will be an active trading night, possibly starting with the Sixers at No. 3 and the Hornets at No. 4. “There’s gonna be at least four or five (trades),” a Western Conference team strategist told Fischer.

Draft Notes: Spurs, Newell, Hawks, Essengue, More

June 24th, 2025 at 1:06pm CST by Luke Adams

The Spurs haven’t entirely shut down trade inquiries on the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft, but they still seem likely to end up with Dylan Harper themselves, since no team is expected to meet their high asking price, Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports writes in his latest mock draft.

“They want a ridiculous haul,” one front office executive told O’Connor. “Far more than I’d expect anyone to give up.”

Elsewhere in O’Connor’s mock draft, he cites league sources who say that Georgia forward Asa Newell, the No. 19 prospect on ESPN’s big board, could end up being a lottery pick — O’Connor has him going to Toronto at No. 9.

O’Connor also hears that the Hawks have been exploring a potential move up from No. 13, having even placed calls to teams picking in the top five. They’re targeting a center, O’Connor adds. Based on earlier reporting from Jake Fischer, it sounds like several teams in the back end of the lottery are in the same boat, as Fischer mentioned Phoenix (No. 10), Chicago (No. 12), and San Antonio (No. 14) as clubs eyeing big men.

Here are a few more draft-related notes from around the league:

French forward Noa Essengue, a potential lottery pick who ranks ninth overall on ESPN’s board, will miss the conclusion of the German League finals in order to travel to New York for this week’s NBA draft, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com. His team, Ratiopharm Ulm, holds a 2-1 lead over Bayern Munich in the best-of-five Basketball Bundesliga championship, though the 18-year-old has been playing a pretty limited role in the series. Essengue’s draft-eligible teammate Ben Saraf has had a bigger hand in Ulm’s two victories and is remaining with the team for Tuesday’s Game 4.
John Hollinger of The Athletic has published his list of this year’s top 75 draft prospects. While there are no surprises at the very top, Hollinger is higher than the consensus on guys like Collin Murray-Boyles (No. 6), Essengue (No. 7), Thomas Sorber (No. 10), and Saraf (No. 15), with Tre Johnson (No. 11) and Ace Bailey (No. 12) ranked outside of his top 10.
Law Murray of The Athletic identifies some players that might make sense as targets for the Clippers with their 30th and 51st overall picks this week, including point guards like Saraf and Kameron Jones and centers such as Ryan Kalkbrenner and Maxime Raynaud. Rod Walker of NOLA.com, meanwhile, performs a similar exercise with the Pelicans‘ seventh and 23rd overall picks, suggesting that coming away with a duo like center Khaman Maluach and guard Walter Clayton Jr. would make it a successful draft for the team.
The Thunder recently worked out potential second-round pick Micah Peavy, according to Rylan Stiles of SI.com. The Georgetown wing ranks 54th on ESPN’s board.