The NBA today announced the game and broadcast schedules for NBA Summer League 2018 in Las Vegas. The 12-day, 82-game competition features all 30 NBA teams for the first time and tips off on Friday, July 6, continuing through Tuesday, July 17 at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion.
The Phoenix Suns, who hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, will open against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, July 6 at 6:30 p.m. PT at Thomas & Mack Center with the game televised on ESPN. The Suns will again play on ESPN when they headline the opening weekend by taking on the Sacramento Kings, who hold the No. 2 selection in the NBA Draft, on Saturday, July 7 (4:30 p.m. at Thomas & Mack Center). The Suns are also scheduled to face the Orlando Magic on Monday, July 9 (6:30 p.m. at Thomas & Mack Center; televised on NBA TV). Following these three contests, the Suns will play at least two more games as part of a tournament-style schedule to determine the NBA Summer League 2018 Champion.
For the first time, every Summer League game will air live on television, on the ESPN networks and NBA TV, and also for the first time, all 30 NBA teams will participate. Each team will play a minimum of five games at NBA Summer League, starting with three preliminary contests from July 6-10. The teams will then be seeded in the tournament, which starts on July 11 and concludes with the Championship Game on July 17.
The 2018 NBA Draft will take place on Thursday, June 21 and the Suns are inviting fans to Talking Stick Resort Arena for the Official Suns NBA Draft Viewing Party. Doors are scheduled to open at 3:30 p.m. and fans can register to attend the free event at Suns.com/DraftParty. The Suns currently hold the first No. 1 overall pick in franchise history and own four total selections in the 2018 NBA Draft, including three of the Top 31 picks. In addition to the No. 1 pick, Phoenix also holds the No. 16 (via Miami), the No. 31 and No. 59 (via Toronto) selections.
The Suns’ three-game Summer League schedule is listed below.
SUNS SCHEDULE AT NBA SUMMER LEAGUE 2018 (Las Vegas, NV)
Date Opponent Location Time (Phoenix) TV
Friday, July 6 Dallas Thomas & Mack Center 6:30 p.m. ESPN
Saturday, July 7 Sacramento Thomas & Mack Center 4:30 p.m. ESPN
Monday, July 9 Orlando Thomas & Mack Center 6:30 p.m. NBA TV
* Tournament play follows three-game schedule; guaranteed at least five total games