Bruce Thornton tallies six assists, five steals

While Thornton did not perform as well as he would have wished in his final action of the summer, the Rockets have to be pleased with what they saw from the second-round pick overall. And even with his shot not falling in Saturday’s semifinals, Thornton still offered value with the rebounds and assists. Given Houston’s current backcourt, getting the minutes needed to affect fantasy basketball as a rookie will be challenging. However, Thornton’s skill set and experience likely make him better equipped to earn playing time next season.

Thornton continues to perform well in Las Vegas, and his effort on Thursday may have pushed the Rockets into Saturday’s semifinals. Houston will have to wait for results from other games to know for sure, but their point differential may be high enough. Thornton is a winning player, and the ability to fill a stat line is another reason why fantasy managers in deep leagues should be mindful of the rookie. Of course, Houston’s point guard options will include a healthy Fred VanVleet, Reed Sheppard and offseason signing Marcus Smart, so it won’t be easy for Thornton to crack Ime Udoka’s rotation. But his play in Las Vegas is a reminder of what the second-round pick is capable of.

Thornton, whom the Rockets signed to a standard contract, continues to impress in Las Vegas. The former Ohio State standout was efficient as both a scorer and a playmaker in Tuesday’s 87-62 victory, and his final line was missing only a blocked shot. While Thornton may not land in a position to be fantasy-relevant immediately, his basketball IQ makes it possible for the rookie to earn consistent playing time next season. He’ll have value within dynasty leagues; his chances in redraft leagues will depend on the health of Houston’s veteran guards.

The 31st overall pick in last month’s draft, Thornton was given a guaranteed deal by the Rockets. The rookie guard repaid that faith in his summer debut, going for a game-high 27 points. Thornton did a little bit of everything, and he committed just one turnover in his 35 minutes. The Rockets strengthened their backcourt rotation by signing Marcus Smart in free agency, so earning consistent rotation minutes could be a challenge for Thornton. However, while undersized, he’s a tough, competitive guard who can add value when on the floor.

Thornton spent all four of his seasons at Ohio State, with the production improving each year. As a senior, the 6-foot guard averaged 19.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.8 three-pointers, shooting 55.4 percent from the field and 82.9 percent from the foul line. Measured at 223 pounds at the NBA Draft Combine, Thornton’s strength and lower center of gravity make him a challenging player to keep from getting to his spots offensively. The Knicks once again moved down in the draft, sending picks 31 and 55 to Houston for 39, 53 and a 2029 second-round pick via Sacramento. As a result, Thornton is headed to Houston, which needs perimeter depth with Fred VanVleet coming off a torn ACL and Aaron Holiday being a free agent. Given his experience and physical build, Thornton will have an opportunity to crack the back end of the rotation.