Vegas is upon us. NBA Summer League action enters its second day on Friday, with exciting young performances all around. More are on the way tonight as the Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers clash in the last game on the slate.
DraftKings Sportsbook is listing the Golden State Warriors as four-point favorites and -185 on the moneyline. The Portland Trail Blazers are listed at +154 odds on the moneyline, with the game total set at 172.5. Let’s get into a breakdown of the two Summer League squads, players to watch, and a pick for the contest.
Trail Blazers Roster Breakdown
The Portland Trail Blazers don’t bring a ton of draft pick heat to Summer League. Having just missed out on the play-in tournament, they had the 11th overall pick to play with in the 2025 Draft. In a trade with the Grizzlies, that turned into the 16th pick, a 2028 Magic first-round pick, and two second-round picks. Then, Portland shocked the world with the 16th pick, taking Yang Hansen out of China.
Funny enough, it’s not his first Summer League action. Hansen came in 2024 as a member of the Chinese national team to give the Charlotte Hornets some work.
A lot of eyes will be on him tonight. It was a surprise pick, not only the sticker shock of an unknown name going so high, but because Portland took another center last year in Donovan Clingan. Tonight’s Vegas debut as a Blazer will help to answer some questions about his fit on the roster and in the league.
Down the roster, the name value decreases, but they have some intriguing prospects. Rayan Rupert, a 2023 second-round pick, returns once again. The 21-year-old has yet to find a consistent rotation spot in Portland, but was always considered a long-term project. He gets another chance to prove himself in Vegas. The Trail Blazers also brought in Sidy Cissoko, who was taken by the Spurs one pick after Rupert. Another project wing player, he’s looking to earn a contract in Rip City.
You may also recognize James Bouknight on the roster. The former 11th overall pick by the Hornets, he flamed out after three years in Charlotte. The scoring two-guard is looking to recapture some of his magic in Vegas and prove to NBA teams that he is worth a flier.
Warriors Roster Breakdown
For a more detailed breakdown of Golden State’s Summer League roster, check out my preview of their California Classic game against the Miami Heat. Here’s the TL;DR: the Warriors bring in two notable NCAA vets, Will Richard and LJ Cryer, plus an Australian project player in Alex Toohey. They also have some names from past draft classes looking to get an audition for new teams. Not as exciting as the Blazers in terms of name value, but a solid Vegas squad nonetheless.
Warriors vs. Trail Blazers Pick
Portland Trail Blazers Moneyline (+154)
Summer League is tough to handicap. It’s tough to figure out who will play big minutes, which skill sets will prevail, and how motivated each team is to win. Especially when their summer seasons begin in a staggered fashion.
For the Trail Blazers, this will be the first set of summer games. For the Warriors, Friday’s contest is their fourth. Golden State played a total of three games in the California Classic, winning just once. What it showed there was a roster lacking the high-end scoring talent you need to win in Vegas, scoring 89, 88, and 79 points in those three games.
Portland doesn’t have the best roster either. But what it does have is an exceptional offensive talent in Yang Hansen. And Golden State has no answer defensively for a player of his size and skill. His presence alone swings this game in Portland’s favor and makes me believe in the Blazers as underdogs.
