The Portland Trail Blazers begin summer league play at 9 p.m., Thursday against the Detroit Pistons at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Blazers will play four games while hoping to qualify for the championship game on July 17. To do so, they would likely have to go 4-0. Possible? Maybe.
The Blazers will feature four players who saw extensive action late last season after the Blazers decided to trade in a possible playoff run for a high draft pick. Those four players are Brandon Williams, Keon Johnson, Greg Brown III and Trendon Watford.
The pick ended up being No. 7, earned with a 27-55 record. Guard Shaedon Sharpe is the prize and will be the focal point of the Blazers’ summer session.
Blazers assistant coach Tom Hetzel was mum on who would start the opener but logic would dictate that Williams will start at point guard, Johnson and Sharpe at the wings, Brown at power forward and Watford at center.
Also on display for the first time will be rookie forward Jabari Walker, selected out of Colorado in the second round of last month’s draft.
The Pistons will roll out some familiar names as well. Cade Cunningham, last year’s No. 1-overall pick, will participate in summer league after averaging 17.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists during his rookie season.
He will be joined by Killian Hayes and Saddiq Bey. Hayes averaged 6.9 points per game in 66 appearances with 40 starts while Bey put up 16.1 points and 5.4 rebounds in 82 starts.
Certain to draw a lot of attention will be Pistons rookie guard Jaden Ivy, chosen fifth overall out of Purdue.
That foursome should give the Blazers all they can handle in the opening game for both teams.
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS VS. DETROIT PISTONS
What: Trail Blazers (0-0) vs. Pistons (0-0), 9 p.m., Thursday.
Where: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas.
TV channel: ESPN (in Portland: Comcast 735/35, DirectTV 206).
Radio: None.
Watch the game live online: You can watch this game live for FREE with fuboTV (free trial). You can also get this game on DirecTV Stream’s “CHOICE” package (promotional offers), if you are out of fuboTV trials, or simply prefer that platform and their pricing plans. If you already have a cable or satellite provider that carries Root Sports and want to watch online, you can watch this game live on Root Sports Live.
REMAINING SUMMER LEAGUE SCHEDULE
7 p.m. Saturday vs. New Orleans Pelicans (ESPN2)
8 p.m. Monday vs. New York Knicks (ESPN2)
6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 14 vs. Houston Rockets (NBA TV)
All games will be played at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion on the campus of UNLV. Fans can purchase tickets by visiting NBAEvents.com.
— Aaron Fentress | afentress@Oregonian.com | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook).
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