NBA Player News

Hield continues to show up in these playoffs. The star of Game 7 in the first round, Hield was once again counted on for increased scoring with Stephen Curry out for the entire second half with a hamstring injury. Hield’s added importance in these playoffs figures to continue, especially if Curry is unable to make it back for Game 2.

Filipowski wasn’t quite as effective as a scoring option in Utah’s second Summer League game, but he was more impactful on the glass. He had 22 points on Saturday, but he only grabbed six rebounds in that game. With John Collins now in Los Angeles, Filipowski will certainly be in line to play a prominent reserve role for the Jazz.

Williams was solid in his first game of Summer League, and he was even better on Monday. The 2024 lottery pick had an atrocious rookie season but was always considered a developmental project. While we may not see him take a giant leap this year, the fact that he is producing well in Summer League is encouraging. He should be better than most of his competition, and he’s playing like it.

Once again, there weren’t really any answers for Sensabaugh in this game. He has 56 points and 11 threes through two Summer League games, and he got to the free throw line at will on Monday. It likely won’t be long before the 2023 first-round pick is asked to sit out the rest of Summer League. He has been that dominant and should play a large role for Utah this season.

Game two for Bailey was significantly better than his debut for Utah. The shots went in. He was able to showcase some playmaking. He simply played within the flow of the offense. Bailey had some fun dunks and was able to space the floor effectively. He didn’t contribute any defensive stats, but the productive offense made up for it. All eyes will continue to be on him as Summer League continues, but this was an encouraging performance.

Once again, Wells played well, but he shot the ball inefficiently. He is now 11-of-32 (34.4 percent) from the floor through two games. He didn’t play a high-volume offensive role for Memphis as a rookie, and that is unlikely to change next season, so this rough shooting in Summer League is nothing to be concerned about.

Spencer got hot early in this game, knocking down three three-pointers rather quickly. He didn’t maintain that pace, but he was still a threat from deep throughout the night. It was a big night for Spencer after he scored 14 points with five rebounds and five assists on Saturday. He signed a two-year deal to remain with Memphis when free agency opened.

Mashack wasn’t available to play in the Grizzlies’ first Summer League game since the draft night trade hadn’t been officially completed yet. It was a weird situation where it seemed like he had been traded to Golden State, but it was all part of the draft night trade. Bottom line: he’s a Grizzly. He made his debut in this one, and he made his presence felt immediately, in both a good way and in a bad way. The assists were great. The 10 fouls weren’t. The former Tennessee Volunteer will look to avoid foul trouble as Summer League continues.

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.