Summer league daily: Your guide to Las Vegas
LeBron James and Jason Kidd are attendance for the Lakers’ first game at the Las Vegas Summer League. (0:27)
The third, and biggest, of the NBA’s summer leagues tipped off Friday. Once again, the eyes of the NBA world cast their gaze upon Las Vegas, where all 30 NBA teams will be joined by national teams from China and Croatia to give you all the basketball you can handle over the next two weeks.
Which rookies are putting on a show? Keep it here for your daily roundup of the players, matchups and storylines to watch each night of the Las Vegas Summer League.
More: Scores and schedules | Rosters | Players to watch
New York Knicks vs. Phoenix Suns, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
With seven of the top 10 2019 draft picks either out for the Las Vegas Summer League (Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, Darius Garland, Jaxson Hayes, Cam Reddish) or yet to take the floor (De’Andre Hunter, Jarrett Culver), top-tier matchups haven’t been quite as plentiful so far this year. That brings the majority of the focus to RJ Barrett and the New York Knicks, who clash with the Phoenix Suns in our game of the day (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). Though it doesn’t sound as if Suns draft picks Cam Johnson or Ty Jerome will take the floor, it’s still an excellent opportunity to see Barrett as New York’s focal point alongside a pair of the Knicks’ key long-term pieces in Kevin Knox and Mitchell Robinson. Knicks die-hards will be hoping for a more efficient night from Barrett, who finished 6-of-18 in 32 minutes against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday.
— Mike Schmitz
RJ Barrett | SG | New York Knicks
As mentioned above, Barrett’s first outing was overshadowed somewhat by the presence of his college teammate Zion Williamson on the opposite side. Barrett struggled mightily to score, finishing with only 10 points on 18 field goal attempts, missing 7 of 8 3-pointers and 3 of 4 free throws in 32 minutes. Of course, Friday’s game was cut short because of the 7.1 earthquake in California, which was felt in Las Vegas. Barrett did get a team-high 32 minutes Friday night, and though he compiled a team-worst minus-14, he will get every opportunity to show more of the flashes that made him the top wing selected in the 2019 NBA draft.
More: The one player to watch on every NBA summer league roster
Lillard: Recruiting gives players “powerful” approach to free agency
Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard was just as surprised by the news that Kawhi Leonard and Paul George had decided to join forces in Los Angeles as the rest of the world. Lillard spoke about the previous night’s news Saturday during a news conference to announce his four-year, $196 million extension. He suggested that players recruiting one another has become a “powerful” way to join forces in free agency, straying from the traditional pitch meetings with franchises. The addition of Leonard and George will instantly make the LA Clippers a Western Conference powerhouse and a tough competitor to Lillard’s Blazers, who were swept by the Warriors in the Western Conference finals.
Damian Lillard doesn’t see a problem with guys teaming up but he doesn’t think it’s for him because he wants the challenge.
Pelton: Clippers-Thunder trade grades
In a stunning change of direction, the Oklahoma City Thunder granted All-Star forward Paul George‘s wish for a trade to the LA Clippers early Saturday morning CT, dealing George for an unprecedented package of draft picks plus young talent.
Just how big a price did the Clippers pay to pair George with free agent Kawhi Leonard (who picked the Clippers over the Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors shortly before the trade was reported)? And how does this massive haul set up Oklahoma City’s future?
Earthquake postpones late games
During the fourth quarter of the game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the New York Knicks, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Ridgecrest, California, about 250 miles southwest of Las Vegas. The earthquake caused the scoreboard and speakers above the court at the Thomas & Mack Center to begin swaying, and play was immediately stopped. Eventually, officials decided to postpone the remainder of the game, as well as the Denver Nuggets–Phoenix Suns game scheduled to tip off after the completion of Pelicans-Knicks. The NBA also ended the game between the San Antonio Spurs and the Orlando Magic — being played in the adjacent Cox Pavilion — for precautionary reasons.
The lines began to snake around the outside of Thomas & Mack Pavilion hours before the doors to the arena opened. Amid the LeBron James Lakers jerseys and Giannis Antetokounmpo Bucks jerseys were fans donning blue Duke Zion Williamson jerseys. They waited, in the unrelenting sun, for a glimpse at the dunktastic No. 1 draft pick. Eight hours from when the lines began to form, Williamson would be making his summer league debut.
Like the rest of the rookies in action, RJ Barrett and Zion Williamson were playing their first competitive game since the end of their college season in March. And the night ended prematurely for both Williamson (who took a knee to his knee in the second quarter) and the game as a whole. So it’s advisable not to read too much into their performance. Nonetheless, our first look at Barrett and Williamson in the uniforms of their new teams offers a good starting point for understanding how their games will translate to the NBA.