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Slam Dunk - $20.00 - Contest Completed | NBA Week 26

Lakers' Bronny James readies for second pro game

Sun Jul 7 11:08am ET
Field Level Media

Bronny James will make his second pro appearance Sunday night against the Golden State Warriors' summer league team, and the Los Angeles Lakers rookie admitted the nerves got to him in his debut Saturday.

James scored four points on 2-for-9 shooting in the Lakers' 108-94 loss to the Sacramento Kings in the California Classic. He added two assists, two rebounds and a steal in 22 minutes of play.

"Every first game that I step into the next level, it's always some butterflies in my stomach," the 19-year-old told reporters, per ESPN. "But as soon as the ball tips and we go a couple times down, it all goes away and I'm just playing basketball. So it's always going to be there, but I'll get through it."

The Lakers selected Bronny -- officially known as LeBron James Jr. -- with the No. 55 pick of last month's NBA draft. His famous dad, also his Lakers' teammate, wasn't there and won't be on hand for Sunday's game in San Francisco. He's in Las Vegas with other NBA stars preparing for to play for Team USA in the Paris Olympics later this month.


Still, the elder James kept an eye on his son.

"What he does in the California Classic and summer league, it doesn't matter if he plays well and it doesn't matter if he doesn't play well," LeBron said, per ESPN. "I just want him to continue to grow (from) practices, film sessions, his individual workouts. You can't take anything stat-wise from the California Classic and summer league and bring it to once the season starts. So, the only thing that matters is him getting better and stacking days."

Dane Johnson, the coach of the Lakers' G League affiliate, is in charge of the summer league team. He said the plan is for Bronny to get his chances to learn. Bronny, a guard, has played one season -- 25 games -- of college ball at Southern California after suffering cardiac arrest during a summer workout last July.

"He's going to play -- granted, if he's healthy -- throughout this whole thing," Johnson said of Bronny's summer league schedule. "We're going to try to integrate him and try to get him as many reps as we can. Because he needs more experience playing. And especially the NBA game. It's a little different than college, so getting reps in the NBA, in an NBA setting with good players will help him in the long run."

Dalton Knecht, selected by the Lakers in the first round with the No. 17 pick, shot 3-for-12 and scored 12 points.

After Sunday, the Lakers will conclude California Classic play Wednesday against the Miami Heat, then begin play in the Las Vegas portion of the summer league on Friday against the Houston Rockets.

Player Notes
Colby Jones Tue Jul 16 8:40am

Sacramento Kings shooting guard Colby Jones found his scoring touch against Utah in the Summer League on Monday, posting a game-high 25 points on 10-for-21 shooting in an 82-70 win. Four of his makes came from 12 attempts from beyond the arc, while Jones grabbed six rebounds and registered three steals with one block. Jones had totaled just 27 points in his previous four outings this summer. The Xavier product has performed well in the G League and boasts plenty of talent, but his pathway to regular playing time is blocked in Sacramento. After being a second-round pick last year, Jones logged only 6.4 minutes across 30 appearances during his rookie campaign.

Gregory Jackson Tue Jul 16 8:30am

Memphis Grizzlies forward GG Jackson II was in double-double form in Monday's Summer League clash against the Mavericks, notching 23 points and 11 rebounds in 29 minutes in a 108-88 win. After shooting below 30 percent in his first Las Vegas outing against the Kings, Jackson II did much better versus Dallas, going 9-for-19 from the field with a 3-for-8 effort from downtown. Jackson II made a lot of noise during his rookie campaign last season and has continued to produce good numbers in the Summer League. The 19-year-old has averaged 18.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.2 steals with four games played.

Daniss Jenkins Tue Jul 16 8:20am

Detroit Pistons guard Daniss Jenkins erupted for 26 points in Monday's 87-73 Summer League win against the Houston Rockets. The St. John's product nailed more triples (6) than the Rockets combined (5) and finished 8-for-16 overall from the field while netting all four free throws. He grabbed three rebounds, handed out four assists, and made valuable plays defensively by logging a steal and two blocks. Jenkins went undrafted last month but landed himself a two-way deal with the Pistons. He will likely need to settle for G League action in 2024-25, with Detroit's backcourt looking fairly crowded.

Dalton Knecht Tue Jul 16 8:10am

Los Angeles Lakers guard/forward Dalton Knecht put up a team-high 19 points in Monday's 88-74 loss to the Celtics in the Las Vegas Summer League. This was a bad outing for Knecht efficiency-wise, as he shot only 7-for-21 from the field, but the 23-year-old produced a solid fantasy line. In 35 minutes, Knecht added three rebounds, two assists, three steals, and one block to his tally. Knecht has battled shooting issues throughout the Summer League, but he has been praised for his overall ability and is projected to play a significant role in the rotation for the Lakers in 2024-25. Overall, Knecht has averaged 17.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.6 steals during Summer League play.

Neemias Queta Tue Jul 16 8:00am

Boston Celtics center Neemias Queta put in another good performance in the Summer League on Monday, leading the way in an 88-74 victory over the Lakers with 22 points on 7-for-10 shooting. The Portuguese big man added eight rebounds and had three blocks in 25 minutes. Queta, who recently agreed a three-year extension with the Celtics, has averaged 21.0 points and 8.5 boards in this year's Summer League. The 25-year-old has looked great in the competition, but unfortunately for him, Queta faces a lot of competition for playing time in Boston and will likely continue to struggle to get regular action in 2024-25.

Seth Curry Mon Jul 15 9:50pm

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, free-agent guard Seth Curry agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Hornets. The 33-year-old has bounced around the league before most recently landing in Charlotte to finish the 2024-25 campaign. However, he appeared in just eight games due to injury, averaging 9.0 points while shooting only 32.1% from behind the arc. Curry will provide valuable guidance to an up-and-coming team in 2024-25. But his fantasy upside is severely limited, and that isn't expected to change at any point during the season.

Brice Sensabaugh Mon Jul 15 7:30pm

Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (finger) will miss the rest of Summer League. The 20-year-old was injured during Saturday's meeting with the Dallas Mavericks, with an MRI revealing a torn tendon in his left middle finger. He showed flashes of promise in 2023-24, averaging 10.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 11 starts. With that said, Sensabaugh will be re-evaluated in six weeks, so there's a chance he could return before training camp.

Cameron Payne Mon Jul 15 7:20pm

Free-agent guard Cameron Payne agreed to a one-year deal with the New York Knicks on Monday. The 29-year-old began the 2023-24 campaign with the Milwaukee Bucks but was traded to Philadelphia midway through the season. He made 31 appearances for the 76ers, averaging 9.3 points and 3.1 assists. With Miles McBride and Donte DiVincenzo in the equation behind Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson, Payne could have difficulty getting on the floor, meaning he'll likely be irrelevant in most fantasy drafts heading into the 2024-25 season.

Cam Whitmore Mon Jul 15 8:20am

Houston Rockets forward Cam Whitmore stood out against the Wizards at both ends of the floor in Sunday's 109-91 Summer League win. The 20-year-old led all scorers with 25 points on 9-for-15 shooting and racked up eight rebounds, four assists, five steals, and one block. Whitmore, who was named the Las Vegas Summer League MVP last year, also produced a dominant two-way performance against the Lakers on Friday. The Villanova product showed a lot of upside after breaking into the rotation during the second half of the season in 2023-24, and it looks like Whitmore could bring even more to the table during his sophomore campaign.

Brandin Podziemski Mon Jul 15 8:10am

Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski produced a great outing on Sunday against the Chicago Bulls In the NBA Summer League. The 21-year-old recorded a team-high 21 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, and one steal in a 92-82 victory. Podziemski was on fire from deep, going 4-for-8, and finished with 8-for-14 overall shooting. On the negative side, Podziemski registered seven turnovers in 35 minutes. Podziemski had a good rookie campaign but continues picking up invaluable experience in the Summer League. He's been a force all over the court for the Warriors, averaging 17.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.3 steals in three games.

Julian Strawther Mon Jul 15 8:10am

Denver Nuggets guard/forward Julian Strawther was the top scorer in Sunday's Summer League action, finishing an 84-81 loss to Toronto with 32 points. The Las Vegas native shot 10-for-21 from the field with a 6-for-12 effort from outside and completed his line with three rebounds, five assists, one steal, and one block. Strawther was used very sparingly by the Nuggets during his rookie campaign, but he's carrying a big load in the Summer League, averaging 28.5 points in close to 34 minutes per game. The 2023 champions have lost a pair of big backcourt pieces this offseason, meaning we should see Strawther a lot more in 2024-25, and he's produced encouraging performances in Las Vegas.

Matas Buzelis Mon Jul 15 7:50am

Chicago Bulls guard/forward Matas Buzelis led all scorers with 28 points in Sunday's 92-82 defeat against the Golden State Warriors in the Las Vegas Summer League. The 19-year-old, who was selected 11th in this year's draft, hit 4-for-8 from downtown and finished 10-for-22 overall from the floor. He snagged a pair of steals and also registered five rebounds. Buzelis is off to a good start in the Summer League, although he struggled badly with his shot in his first appearance against Milwaukee on Saturday. With two games played, Buzelis has averaged 21.5 points and 6.0 rebounds.

Zaccharie Risacher Mon Jul 15 7:30am

Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher had a frustrating Summer League outing against the Spurs on Sunday. The top pick of this year's draft continued to struggle with his shooting and settled for 11 points while going 4-for-12 from the field in a 79-76 loss. He collected five rebounds and had a pair of assists with one block but finished with a 1-for-7 record from downtown. Risacher has shot below 40 percent from the field through his first two games in Las Vegas. However, the 19-year-old Frenchman is not the first rookie to struggle with his shot in his first few outings, and he definitely won't be the last.

Reed Sheppard Sun Jul 14 9:30pm

Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard finished Sunday's Summer League win over the Washington Wizards by recording 22 points, adding seven assists, six rebounds, five steals, and one block. After an impressive outing on Friday night, the 2024 No. 3 overall pick had another quality outing on Sunday. Sheppard has had an excellent summer, combining for 45 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds, six steals, and four blocks in two contests. He's also shot 5-for-11 from downtown. Without question, Sheppard's fantasy stock continues to increase, especially since he could see routine minutes with the Rockets during the 2024-25 campaign.

Jamal Murray Sun Jul 14 1:10pm

During a recent appearance on Sirius XM NBA Radio, Denver Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth reported the team is "very interested" in negotiating a new deal with guard Jamal Murray. The 2016 No. 7 overall pick has spent his entire career in Denver. While Murray missed the 2021-22 campaign with a knee injury, he returned to an elite level in 2023-24 by amassing career-highs in points (21.2), assists (6.5), and three-point percentage (42.5%). As such, he is expected to remain a top fantasy producer for years to come. Unfortunately, Murray's fantasy outlook won't be as bright moving ahead until he can stay clear of routine ailments, with the 27-year-old appearing in 65 games or fewer in the last five seasons.

Lonzo Ball Sun Jul 14 12:40pm

During an appearance on Sirius XM NBA Radio, Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan reported guard Lonzo Ball is "moving closer" to a return. Fantasy managers have heard this before, so seeing is believing. However, recent reports over the last few months have indicated the Bulls are confident Ball will return to the court for the first time since the 2021-22 campaign. The 26-year-old averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.8 steals before going down with a knee injury. Yet, even when Ball is back in the lineup, he'll likely be severely limited in terms of his workload. Additionally, the Bulls' backcourt is crowded, with the team acquiring Josh Giddey from OKC this offseason. While Ball could gain fantasy appeal at some point in 2024-25, he won't see much interest from fantasy managers early in the season.

Brice Sensabaugh Sun Jul 14 10:00am

Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (finger) was unable to return during Saturday's exhibition game against the Dallas Mavericks. He suffered an apparent finger injury during the first half of the game. Possibly a dislocation, but the Jazz don't believe it'll be a long term issue. He finished the game with three points, two rebounds, and two assists in 12 minutes. Taevion Kinsey started during the second half on Saturday in place of Sensabaugh. He could see more playing time if Sensabaugh misses time going forward.

Cody Williams Sun Jul 14 9:50am

Utah Jazz guard Cody Williams put together a solid game from the floor during Saturday's win over the Dallas Mavericks. Williams struggled in three games during the summer league, but he picked it up during his exhibition contest. He went 9-for-15 from the field, while scoring 21 points, three rebounds, and four assists in the win. The lottery pick was able to hit three shots from beyond the arc as well across his 31 minutes of action. Williams should see significant playing time on the rebuilding Jazz roster. Hopefully he'll be able to build off this performance going forward.

Taj Gibson Sun Jul 14 9:40am

The Charlotte Hornets have reportedly signed center Taj Gibson on Saturday. The veteran big man heads to Charlotte on a one-year deal for $3.3 million for the 2024 season. The 39-year-old averaged 1.7 points and 1.9 rebounds across 10.3 minutes in 20 games last season. He's a valuable veteran presence for this young roster. However, Gibson is unlikely to have much of a role behind Mark Williams and Nick Richards.

Patrick Williams Sun Jul 14 9:30am

Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (foot) said on Saturday that the bone in his foot is finally fully healed. The 22-year-old is running and jumping without any pain after undergoing season-ending surgery in February. Williams averaged 10.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists in 43 games last season. He recently signed a five-year, $90 million extension with the Bulls this offseason. Williams should get significant minutes, so there is likely to be fantasy value here as long as he can stay healthy.