PORTLAND, Ore. — Following the conclusion of the 2024 NBA draft, the Trail Blazers Summer League in Las Vegas is on tap next, beginning July 13 against the San Antonio Spurs.
The NBA Summer League is an off-season league organized by the NBA where teams can get a first look at young players, as well players who go undrafted, or were formerly in the league can fight for the final few roster spots. In 2022, Portland won the summer league with the likes of Shaedon Sharpe and Jabari Walker.
Granted, everything that happens in the Summer League should be taken with a grain of salt, as it is not a true showcase of what a player will bring to the table, just a taste.
The Blazers will play five guaranteed games. The top four teams of the summer league after the first four games will play in a four-team, single elimination playoff. The other 26 teams will play one more game.
The four-game schedule includes three teams who picked before Portland in this year's NBA draft, and one right outside the lottery.
Here's how the schedule looks:
Saturday, July 13: vs. San Antonio Spurs, 6 p.m.
Monday, July 15: vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 16: vs. Washington Wizards, 5:30 p.m.
Friday, July 19: vs. Charlotte Hornets, 8 p.m.
Last year's Summer League roster included the likes of Scoot Henderson, Kris Murray, Jabari Walker, Doup Reath, Rayan Rupert and Shaedon Sharpe, all of whom received minutes on last year's Blazer squad.
The only players who are practically guaranteed to be on the summer league roster include Portland's seventh overall pick, Donovan Clingan, and undrafted free agent Jacky Cui, who signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Blazers after the draft.
Based off Portland's youth from last season, it is highly possible that many members of the previous Summer League team make an appearance such as Henderson, Murray, Rupert and Toumani Camara, who was on Phoenix's Summer League team before being signed by the Blazers.
The first game will tip-off on ESPN2 where Portland fans will get their first look at Clingan, the team's newest Top 10 draft selection.
