NBA's 2021 Las Vegas Summer League Scheduled for Aug. 8-17

Blake SchusterContributor IMay 19, 2021

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 14: A basketball is shown on the court during a break in a semifinal game of the 2019 NBA Summer League between the Memphis Grizzlies and the New Orleans Pelicans at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 14, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Grizzlies defeated the Pelicans 88-86 in overtime. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

The NBA Summer League is returning to Las Vegas this August as the Association's calendar continues to normalize in the wake of the pandemic.

On Wednesday, the league officially announced the exhibition series will take place August 8-17. The competition was canceled last year because of COVID-19, which delayed the draft until November—one month before the 2020-21 regular season began.

Shams Charania @ShamsCharania
The NBA will hold its annual Summer League in Las Vegas, Aug. 8-17, with all 30 teams playing five games and a championship game on Aug. 17.

All 30 teams typically send rosters made up of rookies, sophomores and G League players looking to prove themselves before training camps open up.

It's unclear if the summer leagues in Orlando, Salt Lake City and Sacramento will resume their respective tournaments.

The 2021 NBA draft is slated for July 29, giving the league's newest members a quick turnaround before heading to Las Vegas. That means it won't be long before Cade Cunningham, Jalen Suggs, Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga get an opportunity to step on an NBA floor with their new clubs.

The Vegas league, in particular, has been a launch pad for a number of young players to show they can excel at the next level.

Previous Las Vegas MVPs include Josh Hart (2018), Lonzo Ball (2017), Damian Lillard (2012), John Wall (2010) and Blake Griffin (2009). Brandon Clarke won the award in 2019—the last time the league was held.

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As the NBA prepares for a more typical offseason, the return of the Las Vegas Summer League is the latest sign the sports calendar is settling back into its usual rhythm.