The 2016 Orlando and Utah Summer League teams have been officially announced by the league.
The Clippers, Heat, Hornets, Knicks, Magic (two teams; blue and white), Mavericks, Pacers, Pistons, and Thunder will all be participating this July in the Orlando Summer League from July 2nd to July 8th.
The second league will be hosted in Salt Lake City: The Utah Summer League. The Jazz, 76ers, Spurs, and Celtics will compete here, otherwise known as the same four teams from last year. This will last from July 4th to July 7th.
Another league, the Las Vegas Summer League, will feature 24 teams. Headlined by the Golden State Warriors, this league will run from July 10th to July 20th, as previously reported.
The NBA summer leagues, which have featured the likes of MVP Stephen Curry and others, typically have three separate leagues that run over the summer to help keep hardcore NBA fans at ease. With the NBA season officially ending in June, the five-month absence of NBA Basketball isn’t as hard to get through because of these leagues.
Teams typically use the Summer Leagues to help test and develop young talent or new players before the season officially arrives in October.
The Memphis Grizzlies won in Orlando, while the San Antonio Spurs won in Las Vegas last summer. The Utah Jazz defended their home presence, winning their mini-league and finishing 3-0.
