NBA Player News

Making his first start as an NBA player, Bufkin started well on Tuesday. He shot 2-of-4 from the field in the first quarter and dished out an assist. Unfortunately, the former first-round pick’s production tailed off, an unsurprising development, given Bufkin’s limited in-game experience. There’s no need to roster him in redraft leagues, but managers competing in deeper dynasty leagues can afford to stash Bufkin.

With the Heat summer league team as a free agent, Keels has been diagnosed with a sprained MCL in his right knee and will not play again this week. While his absence won’t impact fantasy basketball for next season, the former second-round pick loses out on opportunities to further prove himself worthy of a training camp invitation at a minimum.

Having appeared in nine total NBA games in his first two professional seasons, Newton is looking to use summer league as a springboard into a greater opportunity in 2025-26. The former UConn standout put up 20 points on good shooting numbers on Thursday, and the victory may be enough to push Houston into Saturday’s semifinals. Newton is unlikely to be in a position where he can offer reliable fantasy value once the season begins. Still, a good finish to the summer could ensure him a longer look from Rockets decision-makers.

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.

If Thursday’s game was the last for Brown in Las Vegas, he’ll head home with a sour taste in his mouth. The rookie guard shot 2-of-10 from beyond the arc and was 1-of-5 from two, as he struggled at times with Houston’s physical perimeter defense. However, given the time he missed during his lone college season due to a back injury, Brown’s ability to play starters’ minutes this summer is a positive. With Ben Saraf struggling in summer play and Nolan Traoré unavailable due to injury, Brown should go into training camp with a legitimate chance of earning significant playing time, if not the starting point guard role.

Thursday’s defeat likely ended the Nets’ chances of earning a spot in the Summer League semifinals, so this may have been the last action that Dëmin will see in Las Vegas. Like many of his teammates, the second-year guard got off to a slow start before helping the Nets mount a rally early in the fourth quarter. Dëmin shot 5-of-16 from deep against the Rockets, but the increased comfort with the perimeter shot makes him a player worth grabbing in the latter rounds of drafts in the fall. Of the four 2025 first-round picks who were active for the Nets this summer, Dëmin was the best performer by a significant distance.

While the combination of his two-way contract and Oklahoma City’s wing depth will make it challenging for Barnhizer to earn consistent rotation minutes, there may be opportunities throughout the season. As an example, he appeared in 40 NBA games as a rookie, with Jalen Williams’ injuries being a factor. Barnhizer finished Thursday’s defeat with an impressive double-double and five assists, making a positive impression on team decision-makers. At best, Barnhizer is someone to stash in deep dynasty leagues, but there may be the occasional moment of streaming relevance in redraft leagues.

Due to injuries, Poulakidis appeared in 13 NBA games for the Mavericks as a rookie. He surpassed 20 points in two of his final three games, including a 28-point effort against the Bulls in the regular-season finale, so the Mavericks are well aware of what the former Yale standout is capable of. Against the Thunder, Poulakidis shot 5-of-12 from beyond the arc, leading six Mavericks in double figures with 19 points. Given his status as a two-way contract player and the Mavericks boasting a better rotation than last season, Poulakidis’ opportunities in 2026-27 are likely to be limited.

De Larrea did not shoot the ball well on Thursday, missing all five of his three-point attempts, but the rookie’s overall floor game was excellent. Finishing one rebound shy of a double-double, de Larrea also accounted for 14 assists and three turnovers. While a healthy Kyrie Irving will run the show for the Mavericks when next season begins, fantasy managers in redraft leagues should not sleep on the 6-foot-5 de Larrea. A must-draft player in dynasty leagues, he may have some value in redraft formats as well.

Not selected in the 2025 draft, Goldin spent his rookie campaign with the Heat on a two-way deal. The 7-foot-1 center spent most of his time in the G League, appearing in just nine NBA games. Goldin, who has played well at summer league, will look to offer greater value to the Heat next season. However, he’s unlikely to get the opportunities needed to impact fantasy basketball.

Trent Jr. finished his second season in Milwaukee with averages of 21.2 minutes, 8.1 points and 0.5 steals while shooting 36% from deep. All of those numbers represent the lowest marks since his rookie campaign, and the NBA will investigate whether the Bucks circumvented the salary cap by offering GTJ a handshake deal to sign for the minimum last season with the promise of a big payday.