NBA 2K26 Summer League Predictions for Wednesday, July 16th
The NBA 2K26 Summer League, which takes place in VSiN’s backyard of Las Vegas, Nevada, is here. This event 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, check out Jonathan Von Tobel’s in-depth look at the action. However, for some daily best bets, I’ll continue to keep you covered. That said, keep reading for my plays for Wednesday, July 16th.
Sacramento Kings vs. Cleveland Cavaliers – 3:30 pm ET
The Kings have looked like one of the best teams in Vegas, as they’re 3-0 with a point differential of +12.7. The team’s most recent first-round picks, Devin Carter (2024) and Nique Clifford (2025), have been tremendous. And one would think that another win would put Sacramento into the four-team playoff. However, I don’t see Cleveland rolling over. The Cavaliers still have a shot of getting in, as they’re 2-1 with a point differential of +9.7. If they move to 3-1, they wouldn’t be out of it.
Jaylon Tyson, Cleveland’s first-round pick in 2024, is averaging 19.7 points, 6.7 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game through three games. He’s also doing a good job of defending opposing wings. So, I’m interested in watching him go up against Clifford, as I believe Tyson has been the best player in Sin City and should be able to win that matchup.
I also like some of the Cavaliers’ other players. Nae’Qwan Tomlin has looked tremendous for Cleveland, as he’s knocking down triples, putting the ball on the floor and disrupting opponents with his length on defense. Tyrese Proctor has also had his moments, plus Tristan Enaruna has been a microwave scorer off the bench. That’s something that not a lot of teams have.
I simply don’t see much that separates these two rosters, so I’m grabbing the points and sprinkling the moneyline. Hopefully everybody plays for the Cavaliers. It’s always a little hard digging around for information, which is why we got burned in the Magic game on Tuesday. But Cleveland is still in this thing. It’d be a bummer if some of the better players don’t compete in what could be the team’s final Summer League game.
Bet: Cavaliers +5 (-110) & Cavaliers ML (+180 – 0.5 units)
Phoenix Suns vs. Minnesota Timberwolves – 5:00 pm ET
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Oklahoma City Thunder – 9:30 pm ET
Just to get a little more action in, I’ll pair two 3-0 teams going up against teams that could be somewhat checked out. The Suns are 1-2 and can’t make the playoffs, and they’re in this situation because they opted to rest players in Game 2 of Summer League action. On top of that, Phoenix is really weak at the guard position, making it hard to imagine the team being able to create good offense against one of the better teams here. I wouldn’t be shocked if the Suns don’t have their full roster out there, and I’m not sure it’ll matter if they do. If the Timberwolves play Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. in this game, they should be a little too much for the opponent. Of course, that’s not a certainty. Minnesota played on Tuesday. With both of those guys being important pieces for next season, the Timberwolves could play it safe. But I’ll take a chance and hope that winning this tournament actually matters to them.
For the Thunder, they’re another team with a chance to move to 4-0 and move into the four-team playoffs. And the Pelicans, who are already eliminated, played Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, their two first-round picks, on Tuesday. I can see New Orleans shutting them down for this meaningless game and letting them focus on the rest of their offseason preparation.
PARLAY: Timberwolves ML & Thunder ML (-182)
