The Las Vegas Summer League is one of the best ways to get young players some action before training camp and while the league is mostly guard-dominated, it offers teams a way to see raw stars get work against other professionals and also provides experienced players the chance to work on new things.
This season a number of teams will be competing in the league and the ones that aren't, including the Celtics, Jazz, Magic, Nets, Pacers, Pistons, Rockets, Sixers and Thunder, will be in Orlando for that summer league. The competition runs through next week and gives teams the chance to get rookies, second-year players and undrafted players experience in a non-NBA setting.
The Las Vegas league has a number of teams, including the Blazers, Bobcats, Bucks, Bulls, Cavaliers, Clippers, Grizzlies, Hawks, Heat, Kings, Knicks, Lakers, Mavericks, Nuggets, Pelicans, Raptors, Spurs, Suns, Timberwolves, Warriors and Wizards. Some of the top picks in the draft will be in attendance and they will be some of the top players to watch in the league, including tto Porter, Ben McLemore, Cody Zeller, Shabazz Muhammad as well as CJ McCollum.
Porter was the number three pick in the draft and last season the Wizards had success with Bradley Beal in the league, as he averaged 17.6 points and 4.6 rebounds in five games before showing that he could be a solid pro. This season the Wizards will do it again and he will be joined by Zeller, who the Bobcats are hoping can prove he can start right away in the league. McLemore is one of the most exciting picks from the draft and along with McCollum he will get plenty of work in the league.
Muhammad is a pure scorer and the Wolves love what they have in him and are hoping for big things, while names like Victor Oladipo, Alex Len and Trey Burke will not be there, as some are dealing with injuries and others are in the Orlando league.
Here is a list of 2012 picks that will be there:
Bobcats forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (No. 2 pick)
Cavaliers guard Dion Waiters (No. 4)
Blazers forward Thomas Robinson (No. 5)
Blazers guard Damian Lillard (No. 6)
Raptors guard Terrence Ross (No. 8)
Pelicans guard Austin Rivers (No. 10)
Blazers center Meyers Leonard (No. 11)
Suns guard Kendall Marshall (No. 13)
Bucks forward John Henson (No. 14)
