The NBA never stops. Draft and offseason rumors are already dominating the sports world a little more than a week after the Warriors won the title, but the Summer League is also right around the corner. Golden State announced its three-game preliminary round Summer League schedule on Tuesday, one day after Bob Myers and Steve Kerr shared some info about personnel for the summer.
Every team plays at least five games in the Las Vegas Summer League, as a three-game preliminary round sets seeding for a playoff-style tournament that ultimately crowns a Summer League champion. The Warriors’ first game will be played against the 76ers on Saturday, July 8 in a matchup that could feature top Rookie of the Year contenders Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz on Philadelphia.
On Monday, July 10, Golden State will get a Finals rematch against the Cavaliers, and they will wrap up the preliminary round against the Timberwolves on Tuesday, July 11. Each game of the Vegas Summer League will take place at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center. The playoff tournament will last from July 12-17.
Speaking to media yesterday, Bob Myers and Steve Kerr revealed some info about who will coach and play for the Dubs of summer.
McCaw, Looney and Jones will play for the Warriors' Summer League team.
— Connor Letourneau (@Con_Chron) June 19, 2017
Steve Kerr said Chris DeMarco will be the head coach of the Warriors' summer league team: "Great opportunity for Chris"
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) June 19, 2017
DeMarco is a 30-year-old player development coach with the Warriors who’s taken on bigger roles as an assistant in recent years. He’s been with the team in one capacity or another since 2012. With older, veteran coaches making up most of Golden State’s staff and Jarron Collins having already coached last year’s summer team, it makes sense to give a young guy like DeMarco a shot at gaining valuable coaching experience.
In terms of the players participating in the Summer League for Golden State, it appears as though each of the team’s three most recent draft picks will all take part. Looney played in the 2015 Summer League and McCaw was the Warriors’ leading scorer in last season’s summer competition, but this year will make the first chance for Jones to get summer experience.
A 2016 first round pick out of Vanderbilt, Jones played just 85 regular season minutes and 21 postseason minutes for Golden State last season. With big men like Zaza Pachulia, JaVale McGee and David West all possibly on their way out of town, the Warriors could try to give the 7-foot Jones extended runs to see how he holds up with more minutes against NBA-caliber competition.
Worth noting also is that despite Steve Kerr’s continued plans to seek medical solutions for his back surgery complications, he does plan to attend the Summer League to take in some of his team’s games.
Steve Kerr will search for health answers next few weeks, but will still be at Vegas summer league and part of free agency conversations.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) June 19, 2017
