On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Lakers confirmed their 2015 NBA Summer League schedule with the first game featuring a showdown between the teams with the top two picks in the 2015 NBA Draft.
The Lakers will face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, July 10 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Barring a trade, the top two picks in the 2015 draft should go head-to-head to kick off the 2015 Samsung NBA Summer League, which serves a practice ground for new players coming into the NBA. Most experts expect those top two picks to be Jahlil Okafor and Karl-Anthony Towns, so the Lakers' first game may be must-see television as the two big men guard each other on both ends of the court.
Continuing with the theme of top draft picks facing off, the Lakers will face the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday, July 11. Philadelphia has the no. 3 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, so the Lakers will get a close look at the player they could have drafted.
To close out the NBA Draft theme to the Summer League schedule, the Lakers will face the New York Knicks on Monday, July 13. The Knicks have the no. 4 pick in the NBA Draft, so if all goes according to plan, the Lakers' first three Summer League games will feature the top four picks in the 2015 NBA Draft.
After the first three games, the Lakers will be seeded in a tournament that will start on July 15. Every team in Las Vegas is guaranteed at least five games, so the Lakers will get at least two more games in the tournament. However, LA is sending a stacked team that will include Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle and Tarik Black. Also, Jabari Brown expected to play with the team at the end of the 2014-15 season, so the Lakers should have one of the favorites in Vegas.
As is customary, Lakers coach Byron Scott will not coach the Summer League team, and one of his assistants will get the opportunity to draw up plays and take the lead chair on the sidelines. In 2014, Mark Madsen and Larry Lewis took turns coaching the Summer League squad.
