Three Rookies who Struggled at 2026 NBA Summer League

The 2026 NBA Summer League is officially over, with the league's newest crop of rookies having made their mark across stints in California, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas and more.

So far, the 2026 class has been as advertised, with dozens of rookies thriving in Summer League. Only a handful truly struggled, and even they have plenty of room to grow in the coming months ahead of their debut seasons.

Below are three players who struggled at Summer League, and how they could bounce back in the NBA:

Dailyn Swain, Bulls

Drafted with the Bulls’ second first-round selection, Dailyn Swain saw a truly bad Summer League outing, though there’s plenty of reason to think he’ll bounce back from a bad summer campaign.

Across four games and 28.0 minutes per, Swain scored just 4.3 points on abysmal 13% shooting, failing to really get going in any singular area. He struggled to get by physical defenders, and resorted to dribbling heavily.

Still, at around 6-foot-8, Swain’s combination of athleticism and finishing ability should still bode well for his NBA career. Summer League is a historically physical slate of games, and even more space and NBA play-makers should help Swain with the Bulls.

Alex Karaban, Kings

Surprisingly taken in the first round on draft night, former UConn champ Alex Karaban will now be tasked with building a winning culture in Sacramento.

He didn’t get off to a blistering professional start, though that was likely expected given his combination of skills. In five Summer League games with the Kings, Karaban averaged 8.4 points on just 38% shooting overall, struggling mightily on the defensive end.

The good news is that Karaban shot just 33% from three, meaning if his shots go down, he’ll be able to boost his efficiency easily. He did get loose in a few games, showcasing his shot-making and connectivity.

Karaban has long thrived with his ability to think the game, and seeing continuity in the Kings' system is sure to help him out.

Christian Anderson, Hornets

Hornets’ guard Christian Anderson struggled to live up to his Texas Tech production at Summer League, shooting just 32% overall.

Still, he projects to be a well-timed selection for Charlotte given the recent LaMelo Ball trade. He’s a hyper-specific player, needing the ball and plenty of screens to be at his most effective. In the summer slate, he was left to his own devices to succeed.

Anderson capped his Summer League off with his best game, showcasing some scoring and foul-drawing, and most importantly best-in-class play-making.

Anderson's playability will be tied to his 3-point shooting, which few have doubts about at this stage.

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