NBA transitions from free agency to summer league
NBA teams are turning some of their attention to youngsters and player development with summer leagues set to tip off after executives and owners around the league agreed to shell out millions of dollars to veteran free agents this week.
Although free agency isn’t over, summer leagues begin this weekend with games Saturday in Orlando, Florida; Salt Lake City set to tip off on Monday; and the 24-team event in Las Vegas opening July 10.
The league in Orlando will feature nine teams, including the Grizzlies, with the Magic fielding two.
Only three of the nine teams competing in Orlando this summer — the Los Angeles Clippers, Grizzlies and Brooklyn Nets — qualified for the playoffs last season.
Also, unlike summer leagues in Utah and Las Vegas, the Orlando version is closed to the public with only coaches and front office staff in the stands.
That anonymity isn’t a bad thing, though, Magic general manager Rob Hennigan said.
“What makes our summer league unique is the intimacy, the fact that it’s just basketball,” he said. “It allows teams to just focus on improving their young talent and maybe not having to be distracted by some additional ‘noise’ that can be in the stands.”
No. 8 overall pick Stanley Johnson is expected to play for Detroit, along with the ninth overall pick, Charlotte’s Frank Kaminsky, and Justise Winslow, selected 10th by Miami.
There is also expected to be plenty of continued activity on the free agent market.
Several teams in Orlando this week need help, and though the Magic couldn’t pry free agent power forward Paul Millsap from Atlanta, Hennigan promises his team “will continue to be aggressive.”
In Utah, the Rocky Mountain Revue returns to Salt Lake City for the first time since 2008 with a new name — the Utah Jazz Summer League. Jahlil Okafor, the No. 3 pick in the draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, will be among the players to watch.
Jazz president Randy Rigby said the league is ready for another summer league.
“The timing is right with teams adding more to the development of their players, wanting more time to look at players — not only those they’ve drafted, but players that could be part of their DLeague programs,” Rigby said. “The demand and the need for that kind of exposure and working with players has been growing over the last couple years.”
After the lights go out on Utah and Orlando, all the focus will be on Las Vegas, where Becky Hammon will be the first woman head coach of an NBA summer league team.
Hammon is entering her second season as an assistant coach for the Spurs.
Spurs video coordinator Will Hardy handle the headcoaching duties for a summerleague entry in Utah.
The Spurs will play at least five games in Las Vegas, starting July 11. The Utah summer league starts Monday.