Hornets vs. Mavericks Prediction, Odds, Players to Watch for NBA Summer League

The Hornets are major favorites with Cooper Flagg out for Dallas on Monday -- and the rest of the summer.

Kon Knueppel and the Charlotte Hornets are favored on Monday. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Monday night’s Charlotte Hornets-Dallas Mavericks matchup at Summer League was supposed to feature two top-five picks from Duke University in their first professional game against each other.

However, that won’t be the case after Cooper Flagg dropped 31 points in his last Summer League appearance, leading to the Mavericks shutting down the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft for the rest of the summer.

So, instead, the Mavericks are sizable underdogs against No. 4 overall pick Kon Knueppel and the Hornets.

Charlotte is off to a 2-0 start this summer, and it has a pretty solid roster that features Sion James (the No. 33 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft), Damion Baugh, Ryan Kalkbrenner (the No. 34 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft), KJ Simpson, Tidjane Salaun and Liam McNeely (the No. 29 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft) alongside Knueppel. 

Can it cover as a major favorite on Monday?

Let’s take a look at the odds, players to watch and my prediction for this Summer League showdown. 

Hornets vs. Mavericks Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

• Hornets -7.5 (-110)
• Mavericks +7.5 (-110)

Moneyline

• Hornets: -355
• Mavericks: +280

Total

• 174.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Hornets vs. Mavericks How to Watch

• Date: Monday, July 14
• Time: 6:30 p.m. EST
• Venue: Thomas & Mack Center
• How to Watch (TV): NBA TV, ESPN+
• Hornets record: 2-0
• Mavericks record: 1-1

Hornets vs. Mavericks Key Players to Watch

Charlotte Hornets

• Kon Knueppel

Knueppel has played in just one of the Hornets’ first two Summer League games, and he struggled in his debut, scoring just five points while dishing out four assists.

Knueppel is a connector – not exactly an on-ball No. 1 option – so his game may look a little different in the summer than it’ll actually look during the season for Charlotte. Still, he’s expected to play on Monday, and a bounce-back showing would be nice for the team and the fan base to see. 

Dallas Mavericks

• Ryan Nembhard 

The brother of Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard, Ryan Nembhard, scored 21 points to lead Dallas in its first game of the summer – a win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

With Dallas in need of point guard depth, Ryan Nembhard is a player to watch after he led the country in assists per game in the 2024-25 season at Gonzaga. He could carve out a backup role in Dallas if he continues to show out in the summer and into training camp this fall.  

Hornets vs. Mavericks Prediction and Pick

Note: Before betting on NBA Summer League, it’s important to know that rotations are fluid and predicting player performance is volatile. As an avid NBA bettor, I suggest only placing small wagers for fun on these games since they are often hard to predict. 

I don’t trust the Hornets – who have won a pair of close games – to cover this bloated spread, but with Flagg out of the lineup for Dallas, I think the UNDER is worth a look on Monday.

Dallas scored just 69 points in a loss to the San Antonio Spurs, and Flagg had a team-high 31 points in that game. Overall, the Mavs have yet to crack 90 points this summer, and they are now down their clear No. 1 option in Flagg.

I think that paves the way for a rather low-scoring affair, as Dallas has combined for 172 and 145 points in two games so far in Las Vegas.

I still think Charlotte has more talent and should win, but a 7.5-point spread is tough to lay in a Summer League game. 

Pick: UNDER 174.5 (-110 at DraftKings)

---

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.

---

Are you new to DraftKings? Sign up today and place a $5 bet to earn $150 in bonus bets. Regardless of the outcome of your wager, DraftKings will add six $25 bonus bet tokens to your new account instantly.