The Salt Lake City Summer League will return in 2021 after being canceled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Multiple teams, including the Jazz and Grizzlies, issued press releases today announcing the event.
The SLC Summer League is essentially an opening act for the Las Vegas Summer League. The Vegas Summer League features all 30 NBA teams and is one of the biggest events of the league’s offseason, along with the draft and free agency. It will take place between August 8-17 this year.
By contrast, the Summer League in Utah will feature just three NBA teams. The Grizzlies, Spurs, and Jazz will participate in the event on August 3, 4, and 6 at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City.
In 2019, the last time the event was held, the Cavaliers joined Utah, Memphis, and San Antonio to make up the four-team field. Since the Cavs won’t return in 2021, the Jazz will field two separate squads to ensure the format – a four-team, six-game round robin – remains unchanged.
As Ryan McDonald of The Deseret News writes, it’s unclear how the Jazz will build their two separate rosters. Typically, Summer League play is generally a showcase for rookies, second- or third- year players, and undrafted free agents, so Utah’s veterans are unlikely to participate. The Jazz may have to bring in a significant number of UDFAs to fill out their two squads.
I can’t imagine the Salt Lake City event will last much longer. This will be the fourth year in a row (minus pandemic) that I will be attending Vegas Summer League in August. It is an amazing event. The hoops is great and the interaction with players, coaches and owners in fantastic.
Sounds fun man.
First time I went to Summer League was at Loyola Marymount University and there was no divided employee section that I could tell. You would see Jerry West sitting in the stands in random areas lol. Saw Vernon Maxwell play as a rookie. The guy was pretty good in summer league LOL
Then it moved to the Long Beach pyramid and that was a lot of fun. You could sit wherever you wanted and team employees intermingled often in the regular seats. I think the employee area for coaches and GM’s and stuff was behind the basket and separate. But I did get to sit next to Chris Mullin and pick his brain for 5 minutes one year. He was the GM of the Warriors at that time and I asked him why the hell did he sign Derek Fisher for 5 million dollars a year?
Of course Vegas is the most fun because you’d see guys the hotels and at coffee in the mornings. Had a nice conversation with Mitch Richmond about the Warriors Rony Turiaf signing, and many other guys were engaging as well. Great times.
That sounds like a blast too.
Will never forget being there in ‘88 (Pacers) and seeing Lavar being the loudest guy there, talking the loudest… laughing the loudest… trying to “be” one of the players and get girls. Didn’t know who he was then but when he hit the scene a couple years ago w Lonzo he was instantly a blast from the summer league past. Good for him… it ended up working out for “him” after all. LA Summer League… great time!
Yeah, we get it. You played basketball.
Is the thing about the x-rated after party really true?
In Utah? :D
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Cavs skipping it now— perhaps a Beilein/Windler effect.
interesting
Just a guess… not from an insider. But why cancel?
Messing with the format.