NBA Summer League betting: Jazz, Warriors atop oddsboard

Summer League tips off Friday as the NBA world descends upon Las Vegas to watch the league's new crop of talent.

Betting on the Summer League is a crap shoot. You're better off going down The Strip to the roulette table than attempting to pick the champion. It's hard to know which rosters are more talented than others and which players will play the entire stint. Most guys who are significantly better than the competition only play a few games before their team shuts them down.

With that said, here's who oddsmakers think has the best chance of winning the showcase.

Summer League championship odds

The 10-day event is more about developing inexperienced players than hoisting the trophy. Nonetheless, the teams with more proven talent and higher draft picks are typically atop the oddsboard.

The Jazz have one of the most experienced rosters, including three players who cracked Utah's rotation last season - Keyonte George, Taylor Hendricks, and Walker Kessler. George earned an All-Summer League first team selection last summer and may only play a few games in Las Vegas, especially after dominating the Salt Lake City Summer League before heading to Sin City.

Utah also had three top-32 selections in the 2024 draft, picking Cody Williams at No. 10, and Isaiah Collier and Kyle Filipowski later on. All three will earn substantial minutes in Vegas. The Jazz went 2-1 in the Salt Lake City Summer League, which featured four teams.

The Warriors, meanwhile, went a perfect 3-0 in the California Classic, another mini-tournament that precedes the 30-team showcase in Las Vegas. That impressive showing earned them a ticket atop the oddsboard.

Golden State's roster includes two key pieces to last season's squad. Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis were impactful players as rookies and will be stars in Vegas.

The Grizzlies' Zach Edey is an intriguing draft prospect who will garner attention. He looked dominant in his debut at the Salt Lake City Summer League and became the Rookie of the Year favorite following a 14-point, 15-rebound showing. Beyond Edey, the Grizzlies have GG Jackson, who emerged as a breakout performer for Memphis during a lost season.

The Rockets round out the top four on the oddsboard. They have 2023 Summer League MVP Cam Whitmore and 2024 No. 3 pick Reed Sheppard. Both guys could be two of the top scorers in Vegas, giving Houston a chance to make a run.

The Lakers will draw the biggest crowds with Bronny James and college phenom Dalton Knecht, but they went 0-3 at the California Classic while James struggled offensively. They have the sixth-worst odds to win the Summer League.

No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher and No. 2 pick Alex Sarr aren't expected to be on competitive Summer League teams for the Hawks and Wizards, but fans are eager to watch the mysterious prospects.

Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X @soshtry for more betting coverage.