NBA 2K26 Summer League Predictions for Thursday, July 10th
The NBA 2K26 Summer League, which takes place in VSiN’s backyard of Las Vegas, Nevada, begins on Thursday, July 10th. This 10-day stretch is like the NBA’s version of Comic-Con, as all of the stars, coaches, front office executives and media personalities tend to show up in Sin City. However, the main attraction is the actual basketball itself, which generally features some of the top prospects from the NBA Draft hooping in their new colors for the first time.
For the format of the 2025 Vegas Summer League, along with some notes and tournament futures, check out Jonathan Von Tobel’s in-depth look at the action. However, for some daily best bets, come back to VSiN and I’ll have you covered. That said, keep reading for my plays for Thursday. I’ll also drop some of my futures at the bottom.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Brooklyn Nets – 5:30 pm ET
The Thunder youngsters just got their feet wet in the Salt Lake City Summer League, and it’s generally a good idea to back the teams that have some experience playing with one another. However, when looking at these two rosters, it’s hard not to feel like the Nets have a pretty significant edge in talent.
Oklahoma City does have Ajay Mitchell and Nikola Topic, who both flashed in a big way in Utah. But, if nowhere else, Summer League is where the Nets’ decision to make five first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft should pay off. Drake Powell, the 22nd pick, won’t suit up due to left knee tendinopathy, but Egor Demin, Nolan Traore, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf are all active. That gives Brooklyn four talented rookies — that should also be hungry after being ridiculed after the draft — in the rotation. The Nets also have some players they can trust for big-time production in this setting, as Tosan Evbuomwa and Drew Timme have legitimate experience and ability.
Perhaps the Thunder will get off to a good start in this game, as the Nets will need some time to mesh. But I like Brooklyn to eventually figure it out and cover the number, especially with so many of the team’s rookies being high-iQ players. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the Nets win outright.
Bet: Nets +5.5 (-110) & Nets ML (+195 – 0.5 units)
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks – 8:00 pm ET
I’m not backing the “experienced” Summer League team in the first game, but I am taking one in the second. The Lakers, who looked solid in the California Classic, will be taking on Cooper Flagg and the Mavericks on Thursday. This is a game in which the public will likely be all over Dallas, which will be trackable with our VSiN NBA Summer League betting splits. However, Flagg will likely be a little nervous in his first taste of Summer League action, and he’ll be a marked man whenever he’s on the floor.
Flagg will be the focal point of the Los Angeles scouting report, and I’m interested in seeing Darius Bazley defend him. Bazley was the standout star in the California Classic, looking like an absolute menace defensively — and also making tons of plays on offense. Bazley, who is playing for an NBA contract, will likely spend a good amount of time on Flagg, and I think his size, strength and speed will be a good test for the No. 1 pick.
The Lakers also have plenty of shotmaking on the perimeter between snipers Cole Swider and Dalton Knecht. There’s also a chance Bronny James looks much better in Vegas than he did in California. While James is the butt of every joke on social media, he proved he’s capable of standing out against this kind of competition last year. James was a good player for Los Angeles in the G League, which is very similar in quality to the play in Vegas.
Bet: Lakers ML (-142)
Summer League Futures
Grizzlies to win Vegas Summer League (16-1 – 0.5 units): I’m not sure Jaylen Wells will play the entire tournament, as he’s way too good to be out there. This is a player that flirted with Rookie of the Year in 2024-25 and legitimately contributed to winning as a 3-and-D option. However, Memphis might want him out there for the full week to work on his on-ball creation. And if Wells does play the entire tournament, the Grizzlies will be hard to beat. Between Wells, GG Jackson and Cam Spencer, there’s a good amount of trustworthy production here. I also like some of the rookies that Memphis will have available. Of course, it’d be nice if we knew Cedric Coward, the team’s first-round pick, was playing. He was considered doubtful a week ago, despite being cleared for a return to action. But even without him, I don’t think there’s any reason the Grizzlies can’t compete here.
Nets to win Vegas Summer League (66-1 – 0.25 units): I’m missing something with the Nets. This team has more first-round rookies playing than anybody else in the tournament, and it goes a little further than that. Not only does Brooklyn have some talented rookies, but Traore and Saraf both played professional basketball last year. They shouldn’t be intimidated in a setting like this. The same goes for Wolf, who was an upperclassman at Michigan and should be prepared to contribute right away. But the reason the Nets are really being overlooked is that Timme and Evbuomwa are on the roster. Timme had a 50-point game in the G League last season, and he’s fully capable of dominating in Vegas if that’s what the Nets want.
Suns to win Vegas Summer League (80-1 – 0.10 units): I always have to note that I’m a Suns fan, so there could be some bias bleeding through with this pick. However, the Suns have an extremely talented Summer League roster. Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro are both on the team after having productive rookie seasons, and they’re joined by rookies Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming and Koby Brea. Phoenix is going to have a ton of size on the floor at at all times, which should be a good thing in this setting. These games can be ugly, so the Suns have the potential to win by doing some dirty work if shots aren’t falling. And if one of Phoenix’s guards can step up and run some offense efficiently, the Suns will be a nightmare to play against. Though, I should acknowledge that’s a pretty big “if.” The only point guards on Phoenix’s Summer League roster are Yuri Collins, Boogie Ellis and Alex Schumacher. So, while the Suns will be strong defensively and tough across the board, they could be a little light on shot creation.
