The Atlanta Hawks will take the floor for [at least five Summer League games](https://fansided.com/nba/full-hawks-summer-league-schedule-projected-roster-how-to-watch) in Las Vegas over the next ten days. The first of those scheduled contests arrives on Friday, July 11 at 4:30 p.m. ET, with ESPN2 broadcasting the action from the Thomas & Mack Center on the UNLV campus. With the Hawks not participating in the California Classic or Salt Lake City Summer League, this is the first opportunity to see Atlanta's summer roster in action, and there is plenty to monitor.
Atlanta's first opponent is the Miami Heat. Notably, the Heat did participate in the California Classic, meaning that players like Kasparas Jakucionis, Kel'El Ware, Keshad Johnson and Pelle Larsson have already seen the floor. It also adds a bit more uncertainty to which players will take the floor in Vegas for Miami, but before tip-off on Friday, let's take a look at three storylines to follow in the opener.
Kobe Bufkin's return
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Bufkin, Atlanta's first round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, appeared in only 10 games during this second NBA season. The talented guard needed surgery on his right shoulder, and that procedure sidelined him for the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign. As such, this is the first chance to see Bufkin in months, and by all accounts, the 2025-26 season is an important one for Bufkin.
At present, Atlanta does have real minutes available at the backup point guard position, with Bufkin serving as an incumbent option. He is already a strong defender at the lead guard spot, combining length and acumen, and Bufkin is also a capable ball-handler and initiator on the offensive side. Bufkin could also be in line for "No. 1 option" reps for the Summer League team, and he could be a shutdown candidate after a game or two if things go well.
In short, it would be encouraging if Bufkin appeared to be "too good" for Summer League, particularly in advance of his third season. At the very least, it will be an information gathering event for the Hawks.
How will the Hawks handle the frontcourt minutes?
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Atlanta's [Summer League roster](https://fansided.com/nba/4-hawks-summer-league-sleepers-make-roster) has only one player (Jake Stephens) listed at the center position. Obviously, Stephens will not be the only player seeing minutes at the 5 in Las Vegas, but it will be interesting to see how the Hawks approach the situation.
No. 23 pick Asa Newell is probably in line for some center minutes, as he projects as a player that can see time at the 4 and 5 in an NBA setting. Stephens is a 6-foot-11, 270-pound big with real shooting acumen, but beyond those two players, perhaps Summer League invitee Nelly Junior Joseph would be the third option at the center position. Atlanta could be playing a decent amount of "small ball" in Las Vegas.
Nikola Đurišić vs. Kasparas Jakucionis
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Jakucionis, Miami's first round pick in 2025, struggled pretty badly in the California Classic, leaving some questions about him in advance of Las Vegas. Đurišić, who was drafted in the second round in 2024, has had an odd career journey to date, including an injury during last year's Summer League and a G League contract with College Park.
Đurišić and Jakucionis won't go head-to-head the entire time by any means, but they are both big ball-handlers with creation ability and passing chops. For the Hawks, it will be interesting to see what Đurišić looks like, particularly because he is currently unsigned for the 2025-26 season. Could he end up on a multi-year standard contract? What about a Two-Way deal? A strong Las Vegas performance from Đurišić could go a long way toward determining his next contractual steps.