NBA Summer League action will begin Monday, July 1st with the Salt Lake City Summer League and the California Classic, which include a total of eight teams. The annual Las Vegas Summer League will kick off on July 5th. Due to pending trades, however, many NBA rookies will not be able to join their teams for the start of the summer.
Top picks Ja Morant, Darius Garland and Cam Reddish are all expected to miss Summer League action, but new Pelicans star Zion Williamson is expected to play – and his pro debut is must-watch television.
Here are three Summer League games you won’t want to miss:
Friday, July 5
9:30 p.m. ET – Pelicans vs. Knicks, ESPN
Former Duke teammates and close friends Zion Williamson and R.J. Barrett will face off in their first games as professionals. If you watch just one Summer League game over the next month, make sure it’s this one.
Monday, July 8
9:30 p.m. ET – Bulls vs. Pelicans, NBA TV
Speedster and former Tar Heel Coby White, who might have the best hair in the rookie class, will take the floor against Tobacco Road rival Williamson for the first time since Zion dropped 31 on North Carolina in the ACC Tournament.
Thursday, July 11
6:30 p.m. ET – Wizards vs. Hawks, ESPN2
No. 4 pick De’Andre Hunter should hopefully be available for the Hawks once the flurry of trades clears on July 6th, but Cam Reddish will not be available as he continues to recover from a core muscle injury. The Wizards surprised many analysts by taking Rui Hachimura with the ninth overall pick.
