NBA Player News

Curry suffered a Grade 1 strain of his left hamstring during Tuesday’s Warriors’ series-opening win over the Timberwolves. While ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Wednesday that the guard is expected to miss at least one week, Curry refused to give a target date when asked about his injury on Thursday. “No,” Curry said, according to The Athletic. “This is new, and from all that I’m learning about how quickly you can get back, there has to be a healing process. It’s just the way the body works. You can’t accelerate more than the body is telling you. It’ll be one of those after a week, really re-evaluate it every day to understand when it’s safe just to even think about playing.” This is the first hamstring injury of Curry’s career, so he’s in uncharted territory. Jimmy Butler, Brandin Podziemski and Buddy Hield will have added importance within the Warriors’ offense, and the latter has shot 14-of-19 from three in his last two games.

Having struggled in his summer league debut on Friday, Riley was unquestionably motivated to bounce back. The first-round pick out of Illinois did that, only missing one shot from the field and making three three-pointers. Riley did not offer any value outside of points, rebounds and assists, but it would help the Wizards during the regular season if he could knock down perimeter shots consistently. Last season, Washington ranked 29th in three-point percentage and dead last in offensive rating.

After a decent performance in his summer league opener on Friday, Sarr was outstanding on Sunday against the Nets. The rim protection was elite, with the second-year center blocking eight shots and changing a few others, and he also hit double digits in rebounds. While there are still some issues with Sarr finishing through contact, he’s trending in the right direction after a solid rookie season. He should be selected in all drafts, as Sarr is a lock to be in the starting lineup.

Johnson has scored efficiently in both of Washington’s games in Las Vegas, totaling 39 points on 14-of-24 shooting from the field. Given how poor the Wizards were offensively last season, ranking 27th in points per game and 30th in offensive rating, and Jordan Poole’s departure, efficiency will be critical in 2025-26. If Johnson’s performances in Las Vegas carry over into the regular season, that would do wonders for the rebuilding Wizards. While he’ll be more valuable in dynasty leagues than redrafts, it would be unsurprising if Johnson were to offer consistent value as a rookie.

Enaruna is one of Cleveland’s unrestricted free agents in Las Vegas, making these games vital to his NBA future. He performed well against the Heat, shooting 75 percent from the field and recording a complete stat line. Cleveland has an available two-way contract, and Enaruna is among the players competing for that opportunity. The outcome won’t impact fantasy basketball, but it’s something to watch this summer.

After scoring 20 points in Thursday’s summer league opener, Tyson was one point better on Sunday. He’s shown the Cavaliers plenty in Las Vegas, even if the role does not align with what the 2024 first-round pick will be asked to do once the regular season begins. There’s room for Tyson to step up and earn rotation minutes off the bench, and the Cavaliers are counting on him to do that. While that may not do much for his value in redraft leagues, it may boost Tyson in dynasty leagues.

Larsson was another Heat returnee who did not play well on Friday. He shot 3-of-11 from the field, and a productive night at the foul line boosted his point total. The second-year wing shot the ball better on Sunday, making both of his three-point attempts, and he was a blocked shot shy of a complete stat line. Larsson is not a like-for-like replacement for Duncan Robinson, but additional opportunities may be available next season. And that’s with the Heat acquiring Norman Powell via trade.

For returnees with significant regular-season experience, the hope during summer league is that those players can dominate early before being shut down. Unfortunately for the Heat, that has not happened with Ware, leading to Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra saying that the 7-footer’s professionalism and consistency need to improve. Ware was better against the Cavaliers, but his performance was not enough to keep Miami from losing by 20. Even if Sunday’s performance is deemed good enough to be Ware’s last appearance of the summer, he’s got some work to do before the start of next season. After a solid rookie season, he will be worth selecting in all leagues.

After grabbing three rebounds in his summer league debut, Penda was far more active on the glass Sunday evening. He led all players with 14 boards, and the four defensive contributions were also solid. Penda has the length and athleticism to contribute at either forward spot, and that versatility may be his best path to early playing time. That said, he’s a better option for dynasty leagues than redraft leagues.

While Richardson was solid in his summer debut on Thursday, he was even more productive on Sunday. In addition to shooting well from the field and the foul line, he was one of the few Magic players capable of handling Toronto’s defensive pressure. Richardson only committed one of Orlando’s 29 turnovers on the day while also showing the ability to help facilitate offensively. Due to his perimeter shooting ability, Richardson should receive early opportunities to prove he can contribute. Being able to take on more on-ball responsibilities will only increase his chances.

Da Silva was once again among Orlando’s offensive leaders on Sunday, and he threw in some defensive stats for good measure. The lone negative was the turnover count, as the second-year forward was responsible for six on the night. Of course, the starring role the Magic are asking da Silva to take in Las Vegas is not in line with what he’ll be asked to do once the games truly count. That said, the increased responsibility may benefit his long-term development as the Magic look to contend in the East.