NBA Player News

Wednesday’s game will be the third that Small has missed due to a left thigh contusion. With Ty Jerome and Cam Spencer also out, Walter Clayton Jr., Dariq Whitehead and Lucas Williamson should play plenty against the Nuggets.

Fleming didn’t have a great night shooting the basketball, missing all four of his three-point attempts. However, he’ll be most valuable to the Suns as a defender, and the second-year forward had a highly productive game. In addition to 10 rebounds, Fleming recorded two steals and two blocks in 25 minutes. With the Suns adding Miles Bridges via trade, there are likely to be fewer shots to go around next season. However, the exits of Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale mean that there’s still a need for help on the wings, even with Luke Kennard coming over. Fleming’s defensive ability should allow him to earn consistent minutes after playing sparingly as a rookie.

After failing to earn consistent rotation minutes as a rookie, Hansen will look to change that in 2026-27. He’ll be playing for a new head coach, but the Trail Blazers’ re-signing of Robert Williams III means that Hansen will once again face long odds. He finished Friday’s two-point defeat one rebound shy of a double-double, but there were no defensive contributions to speak of. With Donovan Clingan starting and the Time Lord backing him up, Hansen is likely to remain a player who should only be rostered in dynasty leagues.

Peat’s physicality was one of his strengths at the college level, and it was on display in his summer league debut on Friday. The rookie forward shot over 50 percent from the field and was active on the glass, but he also committed eight personal fouls. Players are allowed 10 fouls in summer league, so that isn’t a huge issue. However, getting better at playing with physicality without fouling will be an area in which Peat needs to improve. Against the Trail Blazers, he did his offensive work around the basket and in the mid-range, not attempting a three-pointer. Perimeter shooting is where Peat has the most work to do, so the lack of attempts isn’t a surprise.

Maluach and the Suns erased an 18-point deficit on Friday, winning 81-79. Looking stronger than he did at the end of his rookie season, the 7-foot-2 center recorded a double-double in 26 minutes. Maluach was responsible for seven turnovers, some of which were offensive fouls, but the summer is a good opportunity for him to be a featured option offensively. There was also an exit due to discomfort in his right calf, but Maluach was back in action in crunch time.

After struggling from deep for most of Oklahoma City’s three games in Salt Lake City, Stirtz was a solid 3-of-8 from beyond the arc on Friday. The four turnovers weren’t great, but he generally took good care of the basketball as a collegian, so there isn’t much to worry about there. Given Oklahoma City’s perimeter depth, they won’t have to ask too much of Stirtz immediately. As a result, he’s likely to be more valuable in dynasty leagues than redraft leagues.

Coming off a good run at the California Classic, Carr performed well in his first appearance at the Vegas Summer League. The lone negative for the first-round pick out of Baylor was his three-point shooting, as he made just one of five attempts. However, perimeter shooting should not be a concern when evaluating Carr’s chances of playing rotation minutes as a rookie. And he’s played well enough this summer to raise questions about whether the Lakers will shut him down before the conclusion of the Vegas Summer League.

After a solid showing at the California Classic, Thiero was one of the Lakers’ key contributors in Friday’s 96-84 win in Las Vegas. His athleticism was on display throughout the game, with the Lakers’ forward supplying athletic finishes and blocked shots. With LeBron James and Rui Hachimura out of the picture, there’s an opportunity for Thiero to earn a spot in JJ Redick’s rotation. In the short term, it’s fair to wonder if Thiero will be shut down before the Vegas Summer League continues. Even with the poor three-point shooting, he has looked like a player who has outgrown Summer League.

Tonje, who spent time with the Celtics last season on a 10-day contract, is competing in summer league as an unrestricted free agent. Boston has filled only one of its three two-way contract slots, so it’s conceivable that Tonje is competing for one of the two remaining deals. If so, Friday’s performance was a step in the right direction, as he shot 5-of-9 from beyond the arc. Tonje’s status won’t affect fantasy basketball next season, especially with Boston’s current roster boasting plenty of depth on the perimeter.

In his lone college season, Cenac shot 30-of-90 from beyond the arc; it wasn’t a major aspect of his game. On Friday, he shot 2-of-4 from deep, including one in the final seconds of regulation that forced overtime. Of greater importance to the Celtics was Cenac’s activity as a rebounder and defender, as he recorded 10 rebounds and five defensive contributions. Boston’s depth in the post should give Cenac time to develop, but he’ll be a solid option for managers competing in dynasty leagues.

González didn’t have a great night shooting the basketball, going just 1-of-9 from beyond the arc. However, his ability to contribute in other ways was on display, with the second-year wing hitting double digits in rebounds and leading the Celtics in assists. It was reported earlier this summer that the Celtics refused to part ways with González, which contributed to their not getting Giannis Antetokounmpo. So it’s clear that the decision-makers in Boston think highly of him. While González is not a must-draft player in standard leagues, the injury history of the new addition, Paul George, makes it likely that Hugo will be fantasy-relevant at some point.