NBA Player News

McNeeley has not appeared in a game since January 28, and he isn’t in the Hornets’ rotation when healthy. The rookie’s absence does not affect fantasy basketball.

After shooting 2-of-11 from the field in his summer debut on Thursday, Anderson was better on Saturday. The 18th overall pick in last month’s draft, he shot 2-of-8 from beyond the arc and 5-of-14 overall. More concerning than the shooting was Anderson not recording an assist, but the fact that Sion James and Liam McNeeley also took on playmaking responsibilities was a factor. With the Hornets re-signing Coby White, Anderson will have time to develop, so fantasy managers should not be too concerned by his slow start in Las Vegas.

After attempting just four shots on Thursday, Salaün was more aggressive in hunting his shot on Saturday. Unfortunately, the Hornets forward was 1-of-7 from beyond the arc. The good news was that Salaün was active on the boards, and that’s an area where he’ll need to step up to earn rotation minutes next season. Even with the Hornets moving Miles Bridges, they added Naz Reid via trade and Hannes Steinbach via the draft. As a result, there’s more competition for Salaün going into next season.

After shooting 2-of-10 from inside the arc on Thursday, McNeeley was 2-of-3 on Saturday in a quieter offensive performance. He still shot the ball relatively well, but the second-year wing recorded six turnovers against the Pelicans. That said, summer league is a place where players like McNeeley can be more aggressive offensively, and mistakes will come with that. He’s looked good overall, an encouraging sight after McNeeley didn’t play much as a rookie.

Bufkins wasn’t as prolific offensively as he was on Thursday, when he put up 30 points in a loss to the Timberwolves. A 1-of-7 day from beyond the arc had a lot to do with that, but Bufkin deserves credit for filling the stat line. Playmaking and defense will need to be his calling cards if he’s to lock down a spot in the NBA, and he was solid in both areas against the Hornets.

Back with the Pelicans on a two-way contract, Dickinson had a good afternoon offensively on Saturday. He scored on all three levels, shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc and 50 percent from the field overall. Of course, the Pelicans will want to see a bit more from him defensively and on the glass, but Saturday’s offensive effort was a step in the right direction. Given New Orleans’ frontcourt options, cracking the rotation next season will be a challenge for Dickinson.

After playing on the veteran’s minimum each of the last two seasons, Trent is now the fourth-highest-paid player on the Bucks roster. His numbers took a significant hit in 2024-25, with the guard’s scoring average (8.1) being the lowest since his rookie season. However, that did not sway the Bucks from paying Trent handsomely as the franchise moves on from the Giannis Antetokounmpo era. Given the price tag, he should figure prominently in the team’s plans next season, which raises Trent’s fantasy ceiling.

Like backcourt partner Trevor Keels, Young is playing for the Heat as an unrestricted free agent after the team declined to tender a qualifying offer. While he didn’t have his best day shooting, Young put up 27 points and added six assists in Saturday’s defeat. After appearing in 14 games for the Heat last season, he’s looking to solidify his spot in the NBA, either on a two-way or a standard contract. Performances like Saturday’s should help Young’s cause.

In late June, the Heat decided not to tender Keels a two-way qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent. Miami still has two open two-way slots, and Keels is making a case for one to be his. He got off to a hot start, scoring 15 points in the first half on 6-of-6 shooting from the field. Accuracy-wise, Keels “cooled off” in the second half, shooting 6-of-13 from the field and scoring another 17 points. Due to the contract situation, Keels may not be a shutdown candidate, but he has a chance to solidify his status as an NBA player, whether with the Heat or another team.

While not as prolific offensively as he was in Thursday’s summer league opener, Penda once again recorded a complete stat line for the Magic. The lone negative in his performance against the Heat was the turnovers, as Penda committed six. However, the ability to contribute in multiple ways should serve the 2025 second-round pick well as he looks to earn consistent rotation minutes next season.

Castleton signed another two-way contract with the Magic on July 1, and he’s hopeful that a strong summer league will put him on a path to earn more opportunities once the regular season begins. While he did not record any defensive stats in Saturday’s victory, the 6-foot-10 center was active on the glass and shot the ball well. While not a player who has to be selected in preseason drafts, there may come a point where Castleton offers deep-league streaming value due to injury.