AJ Dybantsa, Darius Acuff Jr. among the rookies to watch this summer

While free agency is not over, things have slowed down after a furious first few days. And now the attention turns to Summer League action, which begins with smaller tournaments in California and Utah this week before the entire NBA meets in Las Vegas on July 9.

Summer League and regular-season play are two entirely different animals, but the action gives fantasy managers a small glimpse into how teams hope to use their rookies. Here are ten players to watch over the next two-plus weeks.

NBA: Atlanta Hawks at Memphis Grizzlies

Ja Morant, Norman Powell and other offseason moves affecting fantasy basketball in 2026-27

Advertisement

Between trades and players deciding to stay put, there has not been as much star power in this summer’s free agency window.

The first overall pick in last month’s draft, Dybantsa enters a situation in which he may be able to start immediately. Kyshawn George made noticeable strides in his second NBA season, and 2025 first-round pick Will Riley showed some promise. However, neither boasts a ceiling on par with Dybantsa, who can score on all three levels and do some facilitating. All eyes will be on him in Las Vegas, especially with the Wizards aiming to compete next season with Trae Young and Anthony Davis healthy.

For the time being, the Kings still have DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis on their roster, but it’s clear that the franchise is rebuilding. Acuff, the seventh overall pick in the draft, is a critical piece in that regard. His lone season at Arkansas was outstanding, with the freshman winning SEC Player of the Year and leading the Razorbacks to the Sweet 16. As a scorer and playmaker, Acuff will need to hit the ground running due to the Kings’ lack of a veteran point guard.

Advertisement

Due to the team’s rebuild, the Grizzlies’ frontcourt will have a much different look this season. Boozer will be among the leaders, likely starting alongside Cedric Coward and Zach Edey, provided the latter is healthy. In his lone season at Duke, Boozer averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 three-pointers while shooting 55.6 percent from the field and…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/aj-dybantsa-darius-acuff-jr-171644278.html

Author :

Publish date : 2026-07-02 17:16:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.