No. 1 overall draft pick Cooper Flagg’s Summer League debut comes tonight as the Dallas Mavericks face the Los Angeles Lakers.
Headlines may suggest you back a big night from Flagg and perhaps dabble in some Bronny James highlights, but the most likely reality is someone else takes the starring role.
Find out more in my NBA picks for Thursday, July 10, with tip-off set for 8:00 p.m. ET at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Tonight's best Bronny James vs Cooper Flagg parlay
Cooper Flagg 15+ points
Bronny James Under 9.5 points
Dalton Knecht 20+ points
Pick #1: Cooper Flagg 15+ Points
The Dallas Mavericks can only lose tonight.
If Cooper Flagg dominates the competition, the highlights will be fun, but most thoughts will point out the inferior players compared to the No. 1 overall pick. If he struggles, well, the diminished stakes can at least mitigate some panic.
But mostly, Dallas wants to avoid any injury to Flagg. Workouts throughout Summer League are more important for him than actual games.
Do not expect Flagg to play more than one full game. That full game will not necessarily be the first moment of Summer League. The Mavs may ease him into these contests.
The thought of betting heavily on him is a misguided thought. Flagg’s points total is set at 17.5, and I would not consider any alt line higher than that.
Taking him to score at least 15 points may seem conservative, particularly since that mark is juiced to -270 at FanDuel, but the intent is to acknowledge Flagg may not play the full game.
Both Dallas and the NBA would be best served by a few early highlights and then Flagg finding the bench.
Pick #2: Bronny James Under 9.5 Points
Bronny James garnered headlines and highlights with a nice dunk in the California Classic, one of the smaller Summer Leagues before the main event in Las Vegas.
Know what Bronny did in the next game? Scored two points in 14 minutes.
The Los Angeles Lakers are not going to showcase Bronny James this month. They have more important pieces to ponder.
James’s debut last week featured 10 points in 11 minutes, and that was impressive, but he needs both opportunity and perfection to threaten this points total. Neither should be expected.
Pick #3: Dalton Knecht 20+ Points
One of those more important pieces for Los Angeles to ponder is Dalton Knecht. His rookie season took a step backward after he was traded to the Hornets, only for the Lakers to back out of the trade, claiming Charlotte center Mark Williams failed his physical.
Knecht averaged 9.4 points in 20.7 minutes per game before that trade. Those fell to 8.5 points in 16.7 minutes after the trade.
Those may seem like slight changes, but Knecht was taking 7.4 shots per game before the trade, dropping to 6.8 afterward. That is a noticeable shift.
Los Angeles sewed doubt in its rookie’s mind. On a roster without many options or paths to improvement, such a shooter is vital.
The Lakers should emphasize rebuilding Knecht’s confidence and role this summer. He will play plenty next season, unlike Bronny James.
Knecht’s highlight last week came in a 25-point showing on 9-of-18 shooting including 4-of-8 from deep. Starting this stretch in Las Vegas with something similar would be a positive sign for the Lakers in 2025-26.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
How to watch Lakers vs Mavericks and game info
| Location | Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV |
| Date | Thursday, 7-10-2025 |
| Kick-off | 8:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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