Tracy McGrady believes the NBA Summer League is slowly dying because top draft picks play too few games, reducing fan interest and excitement.
NBA legend Tracy McGrady believes the Las Vegas Summer League is gradually losing its appeal because teams are limiting the appearances of their most anticipated young players.
The annual event has traditionally given fans their first opportunity to watch the newest draft class compete in NBA uniforms.
However, many top picks now appear in only one or two games before being shut down for the remainder of the tournament.
"I think they're killing Summer League," McGrady said on the Cousins podcast. "It's slowly dying."
"There was a lot of excitement about watching these draftees, a lot of excitement around them. You don't even know when they're going to play."
Credit AP-Scanpix
McGrady criticizes uncertainty around top prospects
According to McGrady, the lack of clarity surrounding player availability makes it harder for fans to remain invested throughout the event.
"You know they play the first game or two, but after that, you don't know if these guys are going to play," he added.
Teams often limit the involvement of highly drafted players once they have shown enough in their opening appearances (for example, AJ Dybantsa), thereby reducing injury risk and creating more opportunities for less-established prospects.
While those decisions may benefit teams from a development and health perspective, McGrady believes they are taking away the biggest attraction of the Summer League: seeing the NBA's newest stars compete against one another.
[
Support BasketNews so we could make even better content.](https://basketnews.com/plus?utm_source=basketnews_com&utm_medium=bn_plus&utm_id=UA-259273-31&utm_campaign=banners_free_content_for_not_members_bottom_3)
If you like our content, please click here and add us as your preferred source. It helps us a lot, and we are committed to delivering you the very latest basketball news.