In the latest fantasy basketball roundup, we highlight key storylines that may impact fantasy this season, including Chris Paul’s return to the Clippers, the Hornets’ success in the Summer League and standout players from Vegas who will now compete for rotational minutes during training camp.
Chris Paul signs with the Clippers
The past couple of weeks have been all about reunions. First, Damian Lillard returned to Portland and now, CP3 is back with the Clippers. Paul joined the Clippers on a one-year deal after hinting that this would be his final season. Paul has been one of the best fantasy players over his 20-year career, finishing in the top-10 in 9-cat 11 times and top-20 16 times, per Basketball Monster. He’s never finished outside the top 100, so can he keep that streak alive with his minutes and usage declining?
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From a fantasy perspective, I view Paul as a late-round option in deeper formats for those chasing assists and steals. He can produce numbers there, even in limited minutes. However, the drop-off in scoring and shot volume is no longer reliable. He’s unlikely to crack standard league lineups unless the Clippers suffer an injury in the backcourt.
Summer League standouts – first & second teams revealed
The 11-day tournament concluded on July 20, with the Charlotte Hornets taking home the title of champion at the 2025 Las Vegas Summer League. Following that game, the NBA announced the 2025 All-Summer League teams, highlighting the young players who made the strongest impressions during July’s action.
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Among this group, a few players are in particularly favorable positions to crack their teams’ regular-season rotations:
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Nique Clifford – G, Sacramento Kings
The 24th pick by the Sacramento Kings displayed a surprisingly versatile fantasy bag. He finished Vegas averaging 15.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.8 3s and 1.5 steals with 49/46/63 shooting splits across six games. The playmaking stood out most and that’s where he can help the Kings from Day 1. Right now, he’s penciled in as DeMar DeRozan’s backup, but he’s a player who should climb dynasty draft boards after a phenomenal showing in Summer League.
Ron Holland II – F, Detroit Pistons
Detroit deciding to bring in Duncan Robinson and Caris LeVert didn’t help Holland’s cause in terms of earning minutes right away. However, Holland showed significant growth in Vegas. The defense was legit, racking up four steals per contest while also dropping over 21 points with 6 rebounds across three games. He’s another dynasty asset who improved his stock this summer.
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Terrence Shannon Jr. – F, Minnesota Timberwolves
A physical slasher who immediately looked “too good for Summer League” was deserving of MVP. In three games, Shannon averaged 23-6-5 with 48/39/95 shooting splits. With Nickeil Alexander-Walker gone and the Wolves in the first apron, Shannon should play meaningful minutes off the bench. He can be a force on both ends, so he’s a player I’ll be eyeing on waivers if an injury occurs to one of the Wolves’ core players.
Kon Knueppel – G/F, Charlotte Hornets
Knueppel took home the MVP of the Summer League title game. He and KJ Simpson led the Hornets to their first Summer League championship in the franchise’s history. Even though it’s the Summer League, it’s a welcome W for a squad that’s historically been stuck in neutral.
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Knueppel may be among the handful of rookies to start on opening night. That means something for fantasy, even though his fantasy profile initially looks to be a 3’s guy with lowkey assists. He should be a top-five option in dynasty startups, though.
Kyle Filipowski’s tournament dominance
Kyle Filipowski’s breakout Summer League performance earned him MVP honors, and it’s not hard to see why. The Jazz forward averaged 23.2 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 2.2 APG, and 1.0 BPG across six combined games. He played a ton of minutes and shot efficiently from the floor, knocking down 53% of his FG attempts. What makes Filipowski particularly intriguing is that he has gotten swole af in the offseason and resembles Lauri Markkanen. With John Collins departing, Filipowski’s role will expand in the Jazz frontcourt. I’m not going to rule out Flip becoming a late-round option in fantasy in points or 9-cat formats this upcoming season.
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Marcus Smart goes to the Lakers
The Wizards bought out Marcus Smart and now he’ll head to L.A. to give the Lakers a tenacious perimeter defender and seasoned playmaker. He figures to fill a sixth-man role, contributing defensive energy, hustle plays and secondary ball-handling behind Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. But between his injuries and the Lakers’ crowded backcourt, Smart’s fantasy ceiling is too low to get excited about this season.
Young fantasy futures on hold
Josh Giddey, Cam Thomas and Jonathan Kuminga are restricted free agents. They’re at a stalemate with their respective franchises, which appear unwilling to budge on giving the trio an extension. Giddey and Thomas put up the best numbers of their careers last year, so they’re not wrong in their position. Kuminga’s situation is unclear since his role has fluctuated significantly since entering the league.
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Should they bet on themselves — sign their qualifying offers and test free agency in the summer of 2026? Thanks to the new CBA, many franchises’ budgets have dried up, so few teams can actually sign them at the rate they want. So, the trio should either play the year out in the hopes of signing a bigger deal next summer or help facilitate a trade.
