6 NBA Summer league overreactions on Lakers, Warriors, Bulls, and more

Key Points:

• NBA summer league performances are often misleading, with many great players having slow starts; notable examples include Cooper Flagg, Victor Wembanyama, Jalen Brunson, Draymond Green, and Coby White.
• Darryn Peterson showed he may be better suited as a three-point shooter and off-ball player rather than a traditional point guard, as his summer league play reflected a lower three-point attempt rate and nearly as many turnovers as assists.
• Noa Essengue, a young Bulls player recovering from injury, showed potential in summer league despite limited minutes and struggles, but the Bulls’ new management appears to be losing faith in his development.
• Lakers summer league standouts Chris Mañon and Adou Thiero demonstrated defensive and athletic skills that could fill the team's need for wing defenders, suggesting they might play key roles in the regular season.
• Several second-round picks from the 2026 draft showed promise in summer league, including Bruce Thornton and Meleek Thomas, indicating that valuable NBA rotation players can still emerge from later draft rounds.
• Khaman Maluach impressed with dominant summer league stats, hinting at a potential future All-Star trajectory despite limited rookie season action with the Suns.
• Yaxel Lendeborg, an older rookie, led the Warriors to a summer league championship and exemplifies how players can develop on different timelines and still contribute significantly in the NBA.