These teams demand your attention in 2025 NBA Summer League

NBA Summer League is right around the corner. It will be fans' first opportunity to see their new rookies in live action, wearing NBA uniforms and running NBA sets. This is obviously not the end all, be all in terms of prospect evaluation — it's a small sample size of a bunch of young guys learning new schemes on the fly — but it's a great introduction to the next generation of stars, role players and everything in between.

It's not hard to guess which teams will demand the majority of the attention. The Dallas Mavericks will trot out Cooper Flagg, draw full crowds in the Thomas & Mack Center and probably kill the NBA TV ratings game. But there is far more to this rookie class than Flagg, and there are a ton of interesting Summer League rosters with stakes that extend far beyond Sin City.

Here are a few teams you should make a point to seek out at Summer League, whether you're live on the ground or queueing up League Pass.

Five Summer League teams worth extra attention in Las Vegas

5. Charlotte Hornets

On balance, very few teams outperformed Charlotte in the NBA Draft. Kon Knueppel was the right pick at No. 4, offering the Hornets a measure of certainty that has been lacking in their recent top picks. Liam McNeeley was selected in a similar vein at No. 29, giving the Hornets a pair of 19-year-old flamethrowers on the wing. Their second-round picks, Sion James (No. 33) and Ryan Kalkbrenner (No. 34), figure to compete for minutes out of the gate, too.

Knueppel and James were the only teammates picked together on draft night. There's built-in chemistry there, which should give the Summer League roster a strong foundation to build upon. Knueppel in particular will be fascinating to watch: He has been marketed as something of a niche shooter — and sure, he's lights out on spot-up 3s — but this is also a top recruit who led Duke to multiple ACC Tournament victories without Flagg in the lineup. He knows how to use his strength to absorb contact and carve out finishes as a driver. He's a real high-level passer. He should get to showcase the full breadth of his skill set in Vegas.

Also: Kalkbrenner is going to start games in Charlotte next season. Book it. He's a monster rim protector and a legitimate floor spacer at the five spot. His skill set will perfectly complement Knueppel, LaMelo Ball and the Hornets' core.

4. Orlando Magic

Orlando put together quite possibly my favorite draft haul. Jase Richardson's slide to No. 25 was predictable yet inexplicable. He would've been a home run for the Magic with the 16th pick before it was traded for Desmond Bane. To land him all the way at the back of the first round was absolute madness. The same could be said for Noah Penda, FanSided's No. 17 prospect, who slid to Orlando with the 32nd pick in the second round. Orlando's 2024 first-round pick, Tristan da Silva, will also be in Las Vegas.

This is a prime opportunity for Orlando to experiment. Richardson spent most of his time in an off-ball role at Michigan State, bombing spot-up 3s and attacking seams in the defense off the catch. But he's 6-foot-2 and he played point guard in high school. His efficiency and incredible instincts as an off-guard have probably overshadowed the fact that he can — and ideally, should — play point guard at the next level given his size.

Richardson isn't a crazy ball-handler, but he can shift gears and play angles well. Richardson has no trouble beating closeouts and getting to his feather-soft floater. If Orlando can get Richardson rumbling downhill off of screens and leaning into his passing chops, there is considerable untapped potential for such an efficient, layered scorer.

3. Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets accumulated five first-round picks in last week's NBA Draft — and made all of 'em. It was a ... very strange haul, to be frank. Egor Dëmin at No. 8 was my least favorite pick of the first round. Nolan Traoré at No. 19, Drake Powell at No. 22, Ben Saraf at No. 26 and Danny Wolf at No. 27 were all fine value picks in a vacuum, but together it's a confounding assemblage of tall, shooting-challenged international point guards and a single defensive-minded wing who didn't really score in college.

Even Wolf, Brooklyn's lone investment in the frontcourt, operated as more or less a 7-foot point guard at Michigan. He occupied a more traditional big-man role at Yale beforehand, but Wolf lacks the mobility and intensity to anchor an NBA defense and he's not terribly proficient in the post. His funky, all-around game really sparks the imagination, but it's unclear if it will all translate against NBA competition.

That said, watching how this oddball group meshes in Las Vegas should be super fun — or at least super interesting. Dëmin needs to spend more time off-ball and attempting spot-up 3s than he did at BYU, and less time trying contested step-backs with a hand in his face. Traoré loves to push the tempo. Saraf is a genius playmaker who tends to operate with a unique cadence in a halfcourt setting. None of them are great shooters, but there are a lot of smart, high-feel players here. Let's see if they can figure out how to coexist and lift each other up.

2. Utah Jazz

The Utah Jazz have a chance to run the gauntlet in Las Vegas. In addition to first-round picks Ace Bailey and Walter Clayton Jr. (along with second-round pick John Tonje), Utah will be trotting out several second-year players in Isaiah Collier, Kyle Filipowski and Cody Williams, not to mention third-year wing Brice Sensabaugh and fifth-year guard Jaden Springer — all former first-round picks, with the exception of Filipowski.

There's a good chance Utah sits a few of the vets as the tournament progresses, but that's like half of the Jazz roster right there. In terms of overall talent and experience, very few Summer League teams will stack up with Utah. Clayton just finished mowing through March Madness. Tonje was a five-year college star. The Jazz are going to be a unit in Las Vegas.

Most of the attention will naturally fall on Bailey. How does he work off of his teammates? Is he committed on defense? Does he look happy to be there? Some of the narratives around Bailey's arrival in Utah have gone overboard, but nonetheless, he needs to look the part of a top-five pick who is ready to lead the Jazz into the future.

1. Philadelphia 76ers

In terms of other early "favorites" to take home the Vegas crown, Philadelphia boasts an impressive blend of top-shelf talent and NBA experience. VJ Edgecombe was the most impactful freshman in college basketball last season not named Cooper Flagg. Johni Broome was the best player in college basketball not named Cooper Flagg, period. While the Sixers don't have Flagg, it's easy to feel good about Edgecombe and Broome in a setting like this.

Philadelphia will also bring NBA sophomores Justin Edwards and Adem Bona to Las Vegas. Edwards might just be too good to play all of Summer League based on what we saw last season, but the Philly native figures to show out when he does see the floor. The same can be said for Bona, who finished last season as the most dependable center on Philadelphia's roster with Joel Embiid out of commission.

Hunter Sallis was arguably the best undrafted free agent signing made last week. He's a rangy defender and a talented three-level scorer who figures to impress with major minutes in Las Vegas. Izan Almansa has experience across various pro leagues and should pick up some frontcourt minutes behind (or next to) Bona and Broome. He'll be with the G League team come next season. Jalen Hood-Schifino is a former first-round pick with two years of pro experience. Judah Mintz has been in the Sixers' G League program for a year. Alex Reese was on the floor amid Philadelphia's myriad injury setbacks last season.

The Sixers have plenty to keep an eye on.

Who holds the belt right now? A mini 2026 NBA mock draft

It's way too early to earnestly predict team and prospect pairings in the 2026 NBA Draft ... but what the heck? Here are a few names worth keeping tabs on, with the order determined — as always — by Tankathon simulation.