Summer League gets started early today with an afternoon matchup in Las Vegas. The Nets are loaded with young talent looking to make their mark at the next level. It’s a different story for the contending Rockets, hoping to unearth a solid depth piece or two over the next week. Which team has the advantage heading into Thursday’s showdown?
The Nets enter as 3.5-point favorites with -155 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Rockets are +130 underdogs, with the game total set at 183.5 points. Let’s dive into a preview, pick and prediction for today’s matchup.
Rockets vs. Nets preview, prediction
Despite a lackluster finish during the NBA Playoffs, there’s still plenty of reason for excitement in Houston. A young, hard-nosed club has emerged as one of the Western Conference’s better units. With that being said, finding a spark plug or two off of the bench would be a welcome development. Keep in mind, the Rockets didn’t make a selection during the first round of last month’s NBA Draft. However, the front office did trade up to the 31st overall pick in order to snag Bruce Thornton. The Ohio State guard was terrific during his senior year, emerging as a legitimate prospect. During three Summer League games, Thornton is averaging 20.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 3.3 steals.
The rest of Houston’s Summer League squad is a work in progress. That’s not to say there’s no talent whatsoever backing up Thornton. Former UConn standout Tristen Newton is putting up 16.0 points per game, while forward Isaiah Crawford Jr. is putting up 17.3 a night. All three of those names have a decent chance at making the opening night roster. Another dark horse could be Quadir Copeland. Despite lacking impressive counting stats, the two-way wing does a lot of stuff that doesn’t show up in the box score. His high-intensity approach should win over a Rockets coaching staff that prioritizes athleticism and toughness.
As previously mentioned, the Nets have quite a few names to keep an eye on in Vegas. Back in 2025, the team made five different first round selections. Four of those names have taken the court during Summer League. To boot, the club recently took Mikel Brown Jr. with the sixth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The Louisville alum is loaded with potential, but he’ll need some time to improve at just 19 years old. During two Summer League appearances, he’s accounted for 18.0 points per game. As things stand on Thursday morning, he’s expected to suit up for this one.
Elsewhere on Brooklyn’s roster, keep an eye out for Danny Wolf. The former Michigan star is coming off of a decent rookie campaign. The Rockets aren’t the biggest Summer League team, so attacking them inside the paint feels like a savvy move. Fellow second-year pros Egor Demin, Ben Saraf and Drake Powell all took the court during the team’s most recent outing against Sacramento. The latter finally got on track during that matchup, dropping 18 points after struggling from the field for most of Summer League. The Nets are the rare club in Las Vegas that can wield a starting five composed almost entirely of players with NBA experience. That’s not something to ignore heading into Thursday’s contest.
Rockets vs. Nets pick, best bet
Thornton has been an absolute force so far, and containing such a dynamic scorer won’t be easy for Brooklyn. With that being said, the Nets are one of the deepest teams in all of Summer League. Assuming most of the team’s top prospects are in action, they should have a talent edge. That makes this quite the uphill climb on Thursday for Houston.
