Many of the NBA’s best young prospects will be on display under the bright lights of Las Vegas during the next two weeks, as all 30 teams participate in Summer League action.
Every game from Vegas will be broadcast nationally on either ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU or NBA TV. If you don’t have cable or can’t get to a TV, you can watch games live (or DVR them) on your computer, phone or streaming device by signing up for one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services:
ESPN and ESPN 2 are both included in the “Sling Orange” package, while ESPN U and NBA TV are both a part of the “Sports Extra” add-on. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial of both, and you can then watch any Summer League game live on your computer via the Sling TV website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Sling TV app.
If you can’t watch a game live, you can get 50 hours of cloud DVR storage as an additional add-on.
In addition to a Netflix-like on-demand streaming library, Hulu also offers a bundle of live TV channels, including ESPN, ESPN 2 and ESPN U, though NBA TV isn’t included yet. You can sign up for “Hulu with Live TV” right here, and you can then watch games live on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Hulu app.
If you can’t watch the game live, “Hulu with Live TV” also comes with 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage (with the ability to upgrade to “Enhanced Cloud DVR,” which gives you 200 hours of DVR space and the ability to fast forward through commercials), allowing you to watch games after they air.
If you’re just looking to watch some of the games, the “Fubo Premier” bundle includes NBA TV but doesn’t have the ESPN channels. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial right here, and you can then watch games on NBA TV live on your computer via the FuboTV website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the FuboTV app.
If you can’t watch the game live, FuboTV comes with 30 hours of Cloud DVR (with the ability to upgrade to 500 hours), as well as a “72-Hour Lookback” feature, which allows you to watch games and events up to three days after it airs even if you forgot to record it.
Preview
It’s the first time every team in the NBA will participate in the Vegas Summer League, and as such, there are a host of different storylines to watch over the 11 days of play. Here’s a rundown of some of them:
DeAndre Ayton, the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, is expected to make his NBA debut sometime in Vegas. He’s dealing with some back soreness, but if he’s good to go, the Suns’ first game is Friday against the Mavericks at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Unfortunately, though, that doesn’t mean we’ll get an Ayton vs. Luka Doncic matchup. The 19-year-old Euroleague sensation’s buyout with Real Madrid isn’t completed yet, so it’s unclear when he’ll make a Summer League appearance–if he does at all.
Mo Bamba and Jonathan Isaac are perhaps the most compelling duo to watch in Vegas. They could probably reach from one basket to the other if they held hands, and it’s going to be really interesting to see how they fit on the court together. They have the potential to be a dominant defensive pairing, so hopefully they can gel. The Magic’s first game is Friday against the Nets at 5 p.m. ET on NBA TV.
Other top picks Marvin Bagley, Jaren Jackson and Trae Young have already made their debuts in Utah and Sacramento, but they still deserve plenty of attention. Bagley goes up against Ayton in a must-watch game on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET, while Jackson makes his Vegas debut Saturday at 9 p.m. ET on NBA TV, and Young goes up against the Knicks at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
You can find the complete Vegas Summer League schedule right here.