The NBA’s Summer League continues Thursday night in Las Vegas with the Magic and Hornets going head-to-head at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Charlotte is favored by 1.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the game total set at 181.5 points.
Let’s get into my pick and prediction for this contest.
Hornets vs. Magic prediction, preview
This will be the first Summer League game for both the Magic and Hornets. These clubs had polar-opposite campaigns at last year’s Summer League, with Charlotte going a perfect 6-0 and winning the Summer League championship over the Kings. Meanwhile, Orlando was one of only two teams to go winless at 0-5.
While Kon Knueppel won’t be returning for the Hornets this summer, sophomores Liam McNeeley, Tidjane Salaun, and Sion James all will be back. McNeely was excellent in Charlotte’s championship run during last year’s Summer League, averaging 18 points, 8.5 rebounds and four assists. The UConn product wasn’t much of a factor in his rookie season afterward, scoring just 4.3 points per game in his 31 appearances. Still, he thrived in the G League, averaging 19.7 points and helping the Greensboro Swarm win the G League championship.
Salaun also flourished for the Swarm, averaging 17.9 points per game. Joining these players will be rookie Christian Anderson, who the Hornets selected with the No. 18 pick out of Texas Tech in the NBA Draft. Anderson is a strong passer and shooter who should see a solid role during the Summer League. Still, McNeely and Salaun should lead the way for Charlotte Thursday night against the Magic.
Orlando didn’t have any first-round picks in the draft, so the most notable rookie the club has in action is second-round pick Izaiyah Nelson out of South Florida. The 6-foot-10 active big man should see plenty of work inside for the Magic this summer. However, this team is headlined by its veterans. Six-year veteran Cam Reddish will be in action as he attempts to make an NBA comeback, and joining him will be fourth-year man TyTy Washington Jr. and sophomore Ricky Council IV.
Reddish is a former lottery pick by the Hawks, who had a ton of potential coming out of Duke in 2019. The versatile guard had some solid seasons in the NBA, averaging around 10 points per game. Still, Reddish didn’t compete in the association last season, spending most of his time in the G League and overseas. Reddish only averaged 9.7 points in the G League, which is underwhelming given his experience, so it will be interesting to see how he fares in the Summer League. Still, there’s no denying that his many years in the NBA give Reddish an edge at this level.
Council was better in the G League a year ago, averaging 12 points per game. Still, he took a step backward after averaging 34.5 points in two starts the year prior. Council is a decent scorer who has had some solid outings in his NBA appearances, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him put up a strong stat line on Thursday.
Hornets vs. Magic pick, Best Bet
While this should be a close affair between these Summer League rosters that both feature some compelling talents, I have to side with the defending champion Hornets.
McNeeley and Salaun are both coming off great G League seasons, and they should be ready to excel during the Summer League once again. Meanwhile, this Magic group could have issues acclimating to each other, and in the end, Charlotte should prevail.
