Summer League is well underway. Only a couple of weeks after the NBA Finals concluded, basketball is back. It’s a chance for the young players in the league to showcase their skills, and for fringe players to prove they belong. Tuesday’s contest between the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers has plenty of both.
DraftKings Sportsbook is listing the Los Angeles Lakers as 6.5-point favorites and -258 on the moneyline. The San Antonio Spurs are listed at +210 odds on the moneyline, with the game total set at 175.5. Let’s get into a breakdown of the two Summer League squads, players to watch and a pick for the contest.
Roster Breakdown
If you’re afraid of your mortality, avoid this game. It’s riddled with NBA sons. The kinds that make you look in the mirror and notice extra wrinkles, gray hairs and frown lines.
We all know Bronny James. The NBA’s most well-known son will be suiting up for the Lakers. They’ll also have Augustas Marčiulionis, son of former Warriors guard Šarūnas Marčiulionis. And though Dylan Harper, son of Ron Harper, won’t be playing tonight, it still makes you feel creaky. As does the presence of Jameer Nelson Jr. on the Spurs, possibly the most painful of all.
James may have the highest name value on the Lakers, but he’s not their most important prospect. Dalton Knecht is back for the second straight year. It’s somewhat concerning that a 24-year-old former first-round pick is back, but the Lakers may want to take a temperature check. His minutes cratered last year after the Dorian Finney-Smith acquisition. But with Finney-Smith gone, they’re going to see if new signee Jake LaRavia and Knecht can replicate his impact.
Los Angeles also has an intriguing collection of undrafted free agents and retreads. Guard RJ Davis is looking to make an NBA name for himself after an All-American season at North Carolina. Swiss army knife forward Arthur Kaluma joins the Lakers for the summer after a successful four-year collegiate career. It’s also fun to see Darius Bazley here, of tanking Thunder fame.
Cole Swider is the most likely to secure a two-way spot; he initially signed with LA after the 2022 Draft, spending the year with the South Bay Lakers while on a two-way contract. Since then, he has spent time with the Miami Heat, Detroit Pistons, the Lakers again and the Toronto Raptors. Now back where he started, the big floor-spacing forward will look to secure some time with the big club.
All eyes will be on Carter Bryant’s status tonight for the Spurs. The No. 2 overall pick, Harper, will be resting to recuperate from an injury he suffered at Rutgers. San Antonio rested Bryant on Sunday after playing him 21 minutes in their first Summer League game on Saturday. As Tuesday is the last game of the California Classic, Bryant likely gets some run. He’d be the highest-drafted player in the game.
The Spurs will also have Harrison Ingram playing big minutes. A 2024 second-round pick, the Stanford and UNC product played only 35 minutes in San Antonio during last season. He had a good year with the G-League squad in Austin, averaging 12.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists and a combined 2.2 steals + blocks (stocks – catch the wave) per game. Summer League is a good chance for the 22-year-old to prove he’s more than a jack-of-all-trades, master of none type of forward.
I also have eyes on Riley Minix. The 2024 undrafted free agent has shown some intriguing defensive and shooting potential. The Spurs need 3-and-D forwards, and he’s got a chance to crack the roster with a good showing.
Lakers vs. Spurs Pick
Los Angeles Lakers -6.5 (-110)
With Harper out, this Spurs team has a severe lack of offensive creation. That makes Los Angeles a deserving large favorite.
Davis is the kind of guy made to succeed as a Summer League guard. He’s not the tallest, but he possesses strength and a solid shot-making ability. Knecht and James bring a lot of size and athleticism to the off-guard spots. Swider has been striping it from deep in the early going of the California Classic. And they have a good enough big man rotation to keep a lid on things in the paint.
The Spurs have some solid connective pieces with legitimate NBA potential, Bryant most of all. But without Harper, there’s no guard to stir the drink, so to speak. This is a game the Lakers could win by double-digits on the strength of their roster construction.
