Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images. Pictured: Michael Beasley.
The NBA Summer League in Las Vegas starts up on Sunday — about a week after the draft and two weeks after the Milwaukee Bucks won the NBA Finals.
The NBA machine just keeps on churning.
In fact, mini Summer League tournaments in both Sacramento and Utah have already started as of Tuesday. Those small tournaments consist of four teams each and serve as a precursors to the real Summer League scheduled for Las Vegas.
The Portland Trail Blazers are the favorites to take that Vegas tournament at +800. The team has a solid veteran presence, including former No. 2 overall pick Michael Beasley, former Nuggets big man Kenneth Faried and former seventh-overall pick Emmanuel Mudiay.
2021 NBA Summer League Odds (Las Vegas)
Odds are according to Westgate as of Wednesday afternoon
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Trail Blazers | +800 |
| Pistons | +1000 |
| Knicks | +1200 |
| Warriors | +1400 |
| Heat | +1400 |
| Spurs | +1400 |
| Grizzlies | +1400 |
| Magic | +1600 |
| Rockets | +1600 |
| Thunder | +1600 |
| Hornets | +2000 |
| Raptors | +2000 |
| Celtics | +2000 |
| 76ers | +2000 |
| Pacers | +2500 |
| Nuggets | +2500 |
| Wizards | +3000 |
| Cavaliers | +3000 |
| Kings | +3000 |
| Timberwolves | +3000 |
| Pelicans | +3000 |
| Bulls | +3000 |
| Jazz | +3000 |
| Clippers | +4000 |
| Nets | +5000 |
| Lakers | +6000 |
| Mavericks | +6000 |
| Hawks | +6000 |
| Bucks | +6000 |
| Suns | +6000 |
Other notable players on Portland’s roster include 2021 second-round pick Greg Brown III, 2019 first-rounder Nassir Little and former five-star recruit Trendon Watford, who went undrafted this year.
The Detroit Pistons might have the best value on this list at 10/1. Their roster consists of two starters from the regular season in Saddiq Bey and Killian Hayes and No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham.
The Pistons will also be able to deploy two rotation guys from the regular season in Saben Lee and Sekou Doumbouya and two of their second-round picks in Luka Garza and Balsa Koprivica. It’s the deepest roster of young players in the tournament.
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The third-best favorite New York Knicks (12/1) will feature 2020 No. 8 overall pick Obi Toppin, 2018 No. 9 overall pick Kevin Knox II and 2021 All-Rookie Second Team member Immanuel Quickley.
The Warriors at 14/1 will feature their seventh overall pick Jonathan Kuminga and 14th overall pick Moses Moody. Golden State will also have 2020 first-round pick Jordan Poole, who averaged 12 points in just under 20 minutes per game for the Warriors last season.
An interesting value play might be the Orlando Magic (+1600), who will trot out 2020 first-rounder Cole Anthony, No. 5 overall pick Jalen Suggs and No. 8 overall pick Franz Wagner.
Other notable players that will feature in the Vegas Summer League include the Kings’ No. 9 overall pick Davion Mitchell, the Cavaliers’ No. 3 overall pick Evan Mobley, the Bulls’ second-round pick Ayo Dosunmu, the Bulls’ 2020 No. 4 overall pick Patrick Williams and the Hornets’ first-rounder James Bouknight.
Charlotte will also roster LiAngelo Ball in a nod to their Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball, who averaged 15.7 points while shooting over 35% from three last season. The younger (and more accomplished) Ball brother will feature on the team.
