The Charlotte Hornets won the 2025 Summer League, and Kon Knueppel won the MVP award. But this year’s tournament was special to someone else. Devin Carter‘s Summer League was his first after missing the early part of his rookie season. He delivered a mixed bag in his Summer League debut, but the Kings guard is trending in the right direction, both in real life and in fantasy basketball.
Kings Guard on the Rise After Strong Summer League
How It Started
Carter was the 13th pick in the 2024 draft, and he was projected to be a versatile two-way guard who could contribute both on-ball defense and thee-point shooting. Unfortunately, the Providence alum tore his left shoulder labrum during a pre-draft workout before the 2024 draft. He had to undergo surgery and looked at a four-month recovery timetable.
It’s always tough to start an NBA season injured. Carter was unable to participate in training camp. He missed valuable exposure during the preseason. Countless hours that he could have been developing on-court rapport with his teammates were missed as well.
Carter eventually made his debut on January 3 against the Grizzlies. The time he lost could not be replaced, making his rookie season an uphill climb as he played catch-up with the rest of the Kings. Carter would end 2024-25 averaging just 11.0 MPG (36 games), 3.8 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 1.1 APG, and 0.6 SPG on 37.0% FG. The numbers were not inspiring, and the rookie finished the season ranked 476th on per-game value in 9-cat scoring formats.
To his credit, Carter had a mini-breakout game against the Bulls on March 20, 2025. He started and logged a career-high 31 minutes. He posted 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field, adding five rebounds, two triples, three assists, and three steals. That was his third and final game to score in double figures that season.
How It Went in Summer League
The 23-year-old Carter played six games in the Las Vegas Summer League. He started at point guard for the Kings and averaged 14.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.7 steals on 40.5% shooting from the field with 1.8 threes and 2.2 turnovers. He was not consistent, struggling in some games but shining in others alongside rookie Nique Clifford.
The shooting was not great, but Carter showed up as a playmaker, and his 1.7 steals per game were top-notch.
The Kings don’t appear to be as high on Carter anymore. He was packaged along with Dario Šarić and two future second-round picks in a buy-low attempt to acquire Jonathan Kuminga from the Warriors. The offer was rejected and balked at.
But, this is the Kings we’re talking about here. They don’t exactly have the best track record when it comes to recognizing and developing guard talent. Just look at how they traded away Tyrese Haliburton for Domantas Sabonis, or failed to nurture Davion Mitchell, who ended up being a key piece for the Heat in the playoffs. Are they making the same mistake by lacking patience with Carter? Time will tell.
How Things Are Looking Moving Forward
The Kings were perceived to be “guard-starved” this offseason, and as a result, they traded for Dennis Schröder from the Pistons. Schröder will certainly be ahead of Carter on the depth chart, and this will limit Carter’s opportunities for the 2025-26 season.
Carter can be ignored in most fantasy basketball drafts in redraft leagues. In dynasty leagues, however, that’s another story.
The biggest question regarding Carter’s outlook when he first entered the league was whether he could sustain his improved three-point shooting from his senior year at Providence. He shot 28.9% from downtown in Summer League, which is not fantastic, but it’s something he can work on. He’s a dog on defense, as shown by his 1.7 steals.
Carter is worth holding onto in dynasty leagues at this point. It’s far too early to call him a “bust.” He was severely handicapped by starting the 2024-25 season injured, and this season will be a make-or-break year for him. He will need to play too well for head coach Doug Christie not to give him rotation minutes. Carter’s play in this upcoming preseason should be a valuable litmus test for his appeal in dynasty leagues.
*Fantasy basketball rankings were taken from Hashtag Basketball.
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