Summer League is a chance to check out both young players and those on the fringe who are trying to make a name for themselves and earn a job on an NBA roster. Besides, it’s not like you’re doing anything else related to professional basketball from July 12th through the 22nd.
Even though we still haven’t started the NBA Finals, things move quickly from an offseason standpoint as soon as the league’s champion is crowned. We have the draft in late June, followed by the beginning of free agency in early July. And Summer League, after all of that, opens not much more six weeks from now.
The league has confirmed 22 teams as participants in this year’s event, and most of the rest not in attendance in Las Vegas will be involved in the version that takes place in Orlando on a much smaller scale.
The official release reminds us that seven of the last eight winners of the Rookie of the Year award have participated in Summer League -- Chris Paul (New Orleans, 2005-06), Brandon Roy (Portland, 2006-07), Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City, 2007-08), Tyreke Evans (Sacramento, 2009-10), Blake Griffin (L.A. Clippers, 2010-11), Kyrie Irving (Cleveland, 2011-12) and Damian Lillard (Portland, 2012-13).
The full list of this year’s teams, along with the years each club has participated, is listed below. An asterisk indicates a team that made this year’s playoffs.
Atlanta Hawks (2010-12)*
Charlotte Bobcats (2008, 2012)
Chicago Bulls (2005, 2009-12)*
Cleveland Cavaliers (2004-12)
Dallas Mavericks (2005-12)
Denver Nuggets (2004-12)*
Golden State Warriors (2005-12)*
L.A. Clippers (2005-12)*
L.A. Lakers (2007-12)*
Memphis Grizzlies (2007-12)*
Miami Heat (2010-12)*
Milwaukee Bucks (2007-12)*
Minnesota Timberwolves (2006-12)
NBA D-League Select (2009-12)
New Orleans Pelicans (2005-12)
New York Knicks (2005-12)*
Phoenix Suns (2004-12)
Portland Trail Blazers (2005-12)
Sacramento Kings (2005-12)
San Antonio Spurs (2007-12)*
Toronto Raptors (2008-12)
Washington Wizards (2004-12)