NBA Summer League 2019: Rosters for Las Vegas, Utah and Sacramento Teams
June 29, 2019
The first chance for the latest crop of potential NBA stars to impress their respective teams comes during Summer League.
Four teams will participate in the California Classic in Sacramento and Salt Lake City Summer League, both of which run Monday through Wednesday, before all 30 teams head to the Las Vegas Summer League, which begins July 5.
In a new twist this summer, the national teams of China and Croatia will participate in the Las Vegas Summer League to put the total number of participants to 32.
The main attraction of the Las Vegas Summer League will be Zion Williamson's New Orleans Pelicans debut, and the No. 1 draft pick will open against former Duke teammate RJ Barrett and the New York Knicks.
Summer League Rosters
Most teams have released their rosters for Summer League. HoopsHype put together a list of each one that has been released.
Once all the squads are official and the games begin, you can track their progress through the Summer League page on NBA.com.
Williamson, Barrett Scheduled to Go Head-to-Head in Las Vegas Opener
After spending the last year together on the hardwood at Duke, Williamson and Barrett will be adversaries for the first time Friday.
The highly-anticipated matchup between the Pelicans and Knicks has led to a sellout at the Thomas and Mack Center, per the New Orleans Advocate.
For Williamson, Summer League gives him the opportunity to show off his athleticism and work on being the star in head coach Alvin Gentry's system.
On the revamped New Orleans roster, Williamson is the marquee name with Jrue Holiday, Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram part of his supporting cast.
During his lone season at Duke, Williamson embraced the superstar role and produced plenty of fantastic performances.
Now he has to translate that to the NBA, where he is going to be the focus of every opposing defense. Part of the adjustment to the pros should include work on a three-point shot, as that was one of the few deficiencies in his game at Duke.
As for Barrett, he could be one of the stars on the Knicks, or a member of the supporting cast to a marquee free agent.
Barrett's role is dependent on how well the Knicks do in free agency, but during Summer League, the No. 3 overall pick can only control what he does.
Barrett will receive an opportunity to thrive in a starring role in Summer League as the top player on New York's roster.
Although we should not put a massive amount of stock in Summer League performances, a strong set of games will build up confidence for Barrett heading into preseason camp.
Besides Williamson and Barrett, there are a few intriguing names on the New Orleans and New York rosters.
The Pelicans are bringing first-round draft picks Jaxson Hayes and Nickeil Alexander-Walker to Las Vegas, while Kevin Knox and Mitchell Robinson are on New York's roster.
Morant Not Participating in Summer League
No. 2 overall draft pick Ja Morant will not play in Summer League for the Memphis Grizzlies due to a minor surgery he underwent at the start of June.
ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on June 1 that Morant underwent a minor arthroscopic procedure on his right knee that would keep him out three to four weeks.
Even though the recovery timeline would have allowed Morant to play, he told reporters Thursday that he would not participate in Summer League, per The Athletic's Peter Edmiston.
Keeping Morant out of Summer League games could end up being the smart move for Memphis, who would want the point guard at 100 percent for the regular season.
Morant carries a ton of importance to Memphis' future success, as he is the successor to Mike Conley, who was traded to Utah because the Grizzlies had the ability to take the star out of Murray State.
In the grand scheme of things, Morant's absence from Summer League does mean much. Winning in the regular season is paramount, and although it may stop him from developing some chemistry with other young players, what matters is developing a connection with the veteran players during preseason camp.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.