Beale Street Bears
Fansided

Memphis Grizzlies to Have Maxium Exposure By Playing in Two NBA Summer Leagues

ByElbert Hubbard Jr.|
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 15: Jevon Carter #3 of the Memphis Grizzlies handles the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 15, 2018 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 15: Jevon Carter #3 of the Memphis Grizzlies handles the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 15, 2018 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)

In preparing for their rebuilding phase, the Memphis Grizzlies will participate in two NBA Summer Leagues in the month of July. 

The Memphis Grizzlies will take on Indiana Pacers first at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada to begin their Vegas Summer League title run in July. That initial game will be aired on NBATV at 6 PM on July 6th. Then the team will transition to the Thomas & Mack Center to take on their rival Los Angeles Clippers on ESPN2 on July 7th at 10:30 PM. 

The Grizzlies will continue to play the rest of their games — four in total prior to the playoffs — at the Thomas and Mack Center against the Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics. Both will be aired on ESPN2. The Suns game will be at 6:30 PM on July 9th and the Celtics game will be played at 9:30 PM on July 11th. 

More from Beale Street Bears

After the four exhibition games, the top eight teams from the summer league will be seeded in a single-elimination tournament for the championship. The teams that did not qualify will have a consolation game. Last year, the Grizzlies came close to the Summer League title, but lost to the Portland Trail Blazers in the semifinals.

Some summer league highlights for the Grizzlies last year includes Wayne Selden scoring 20+ points in two games, Jaren Jackson Jr. with a three-point barrage, and Jevon Carter averaging 1.2 steals per game ripping away at the ball. Plus, Brandon Goodwin of the Memphis Hustle averaging five assists per game. The team could very well be just as exciting, even with newly-drafted point guard Ja Morant sitting out for precautionary reasons.

This is a huge opportunity for someone such as Carter, who looks to prove his value in his sophomore NBA season after not receiving much favor from J.B. Bickerstaff this past season. Plus, aside from the players, this is a huge first step for new head coach Taylor Jenkins and his coaching staff as it will begin to mold his style of play ahead of the 2019-20 NBA season, which will be his first while holding the head coach title.

There is plenty of Grizzlies action to look forward to as the team moves into the era of Morant and Jackson Jr as leadership of the squad. Clarke is likely to play in Las Vegas, but not for the Salt Lake City Summer League, which is a shorter schedule with few teams involved, beginning on July 1st. For the Grizzlies, the rosters for both summer leagues have not yet been announced, but should contain at least a handful of players from their current roster.

Home/Grizzlies News