Las Vegas is a city full of mystery and spontaneous adventures, as every day brings something different. However, one constant that remains every single summer is the NBA making the journey to Paradise for NBA Summer League.

Although superstars like LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo may not be playing, they are often watching their team courtside with the league as a whole ushering in a new era of talent. Summer League has become more than just an opportunity to introduce rookies to the NBA, as it is a war zone for scouts, executives and agents to get deals done. From trades to free agency signings to extensions, you name it, plenty of deals have been made out on the concourse of the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of UNLV through the years.

With the 2023 edition of NBA Summer League wrapping up on Monday night, it's time to look back and evaluate everything that happened. Each team learned something about themselves over the course of the last two weeks in Las Vegas. While the general audience may learn that they have a gambling addiction while out there, organizations learn that they are addicted to success.

Victor Wembanyama headlined this summer's showcase as the top overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, yet he was not the most impressive rookie at Summer League. Neither was Brandon Miller, the second overall pick, nor Scoot Henderson, the third overall pick. As for second and third-year players participating, plenty of them made a name for themselves and have shown glimpses of their full potential to their teams.

There were plenty of surprises, there were plenty of disappointments and, most importantly, there was plenty of basketball being played. Let's dive right in and take a look at the biggest storylines and takeaways from Summer League for all 30 teams around the NBA.

Atlanta Hawks

Kobe Bufkin had some great moments in his first games with the Atlanta Hawks, but there were also times where he looked like a rookie. Fortunately for Bufkin and the Hawks, there is time that will be spent toward his development as he will get to learn from Trae Young in his first season. As for their two second-round picks in Seth Lundy and Mouhamed Gueye, both rookies looked like they can contribute in some capacity during their first season in Atlanta.

Everything about Summer League for the Hawks has revolved around Toronto Raptors star Pascal Siakam and whether or not Atlanta will be able to trade for him. The Hawks own a high payroll already and no progress has really been made on a potential trade involving Siakam, which leaves their roster slightly incomplete inching closer toward training camp after trading away John Collins. This organization surely has talent on their roster, but is it enough to really take a step forward, especially since none of their three rookies look to be high-impact performers right away?

Boston Celtics

This summer has been kind to the Boston Celtics despite losing both Grant Williams and Marcus Smart in offseason transactions, with Kristaps Porzingis now in place as an impact player in the frontcourt. Boston also learned a little bit about its depth in Summer League. Rookie wing Jordan Walsh is a lengthy two-way player who always seems to be one step ahead of his opponents on every single play, while Dalano Banton should provide the Celtics with added depth in their backcourt. Jay Scrubb earned a two-way contract after averaging 14.4 points in five Summer League games. Lastly, J.D. Davison, who is also on a two-way contract, showed flashes of his playmaking abilities as the team's lead guard.

Jaylen Brown's contract situation still remains clouded, though, as no long-term extension has been agreed to yet. Both sides are optimistic that a deal will get done before training camp, but the timing of everything definitely has to make you wonder and be a little skeptical of what the future may hold if you are a Boston fan.

Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets got a steal in the second-round of the draft with Jalen Wilson, as he is a winner and a fighter on the basketball court. Wilson does a little bit of everything to help his team win games and should absolutely be in consideration for an actual roster spot during the 2023-24 season. As for fist-round pick Noah Clowney, he is still a very raw prospect who presents upside on the defensive end of the floor. There is definitely potential for Clowney to grow, but he is nowhere near ready to be a factor in Brooklyn.

It is going to be interesting to see what happens with the Nets roster between now and training camp, as there was a lot of discussion at Summer League regarding Tyler Herro joining Brooklyn in a three-team deal with the Miami Heat and Portland Trail Blazers, a trade that would result in Damian Lillard going to South Beach.

Charlotte Hornets

Did the Charlotte Hornets make a mistake going with Brandon Miller over Scoot Henderson with the second overall pick in this year's draft? Obviously it is just Summer League and these games do not matter much in the grand scheme of things, but Miller did not really play with a sense of urgency and struggled to find his groove pretty much his whole time in Las Vegas. He shot just over 26 percent from three-point range and fouls were a problem.

The good news for the Hornets is that Nick Smith Jr. looks healthy and ready to contribute in any role that is needed of him. It would not come as a shock if he ends up replacing James Bouknight on the team's depth chart, resulting in Bouknight finding a new home at some point during the upcoming year. Kai Jones also played really well when on the floor for Charlotte this summer. Unfortunately, he's stuck behind Nick Richards, Mark Williams and PJ Washington, should the Hornets bring him back, in the team's rotation.

Chicago Bulls

This was a pretty disappointing Summer League for the Chicago Bulls, but then again, expectations really shouldn't have been that high. Second-year guard Dalen Terry is still developing, and the Bulls do not really have much young talent as a whole. One real bright spot for them, though, was Javon Freeman-Liberty stepping up to be the team's primary bucket-getter, as he shot nearly 50 percent from the floor while putting up 21.2 points per game en route to earning NBA 2K24 All-Summer League Second-Team honors.

Hey, the Bulls were granted a $10.2 million disabled player exception during Summer League for Lonzo Ball's prolonged absence, so there is that!

Cleveland Cavaliers

I am giving them an A+.

Wait, this isn't Summer League grades? Sorry, I must be in the wrong story.

Jokes aside, this was a terrific offseason for the Cavaliers, and what they accomplished in Summer League was the icing on top of the cake. Second-round pick Emoni Bates still has work to do, but he shot the ball really well in Las Vegas and is on a two-way contract for the year, giving him the time to develop into what Cleveland needs him to be. Sam Merrill was terrific and the best three-point shooter at Summer League in my eyes. Isaiah Mobley took a step forward as an all-around contributor at the power forward position, while both Sharife Cooper and Craig Porter Jr. played their roles for this team.

The Cavs ultimately took home the Summer League championship. Quite honestly, the biggest winners of Summer League are the Cleveland Charge in the NBA G League, as they will be getting their hands on almost all of these guys.

Dallas Mavericks

High hopes ended up resulting in some slight disappointment for the Dallas Mavericks at Summer League. Jaden Hardy, Dereck Lively II and Olivier-Maxence Prosper were not bad by any means, but all three players still have a lot of homework to do. They do not present much immediate upside for the Mavs, who are looking to get back to the playoffs right away. Everything about the Mavs from the start of the offseason to now has been underwhelming, and it is hard to see them being better than they were this past season.

Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets are another big winner of Summer League as this front office continues to find success via the draft. Second-round pick Hunter Tyson was fantastic, earning NBA 2K24 All-Summer League First-Team honors after pouring in 20.8 points per game on 50.0 percent shooting from deep, and 2022 first-round pick Peyton Watson looks like he may be able to replace Bruce Brown on the wing right away. As for two other of their rookies in Jalen Pickett and Julian Strawther, both players will see minutes during their first season in the league and will be able to contribute right away. The defending champions are returning their entire championship starting five and have a handful of youthful talents ready to contribute whenever their numbers are called this season.

Detroit Pistons

Ausar Thompson not being on any of the All-Summer League teams tells me everything I need to know about this voting process being terrible. The fifth overall pick was incredible to see, and I have no problem saying right now that he is going to be an All-Defensive talent by the time his rookie contract is up. Thompson was one of the smartest players I watched during Summer League, so the Detroit Pistons have to be grinning ear-to-ear that they landed him. The Pistons also had to love seeing rookie Marcus Sasser's 40-point explosion, which tied him for third all-time for the NBA Summer League individual game scoring list. Watch out for Detroit this upcoming season, as they have what it takes to get to the Play-In Tournament and take a massive step forward under Monty Williams' leadership.

Golden State Warriors

Brandin Podziemski did not play well whatsoever, which is a slight concern for the Golden State Warriors since they will likely need him for depth purposes. The good news for the Warriors is that Lester Quinones played well enough to earn a roster spot, Gui Santos continues to develop outside of the league and Trayce Jackson-Davis had two really solid performances at the end of Summer League coming off of an injury. Jackson-Davis may finally provide some much-needed depth Golden State has been searching for in the frontcourt.

Houston Rockets

Jabari Smith Jr. looked fantastic in his two Summer League games, as did Tari Eason. Both players figure to hold key rotation roles heading into their second season. While Amen Thompson got hurt during his first game wearing a Houston Rockets uniform, fellow rookie wing Cam Whitmore was fantastic and ended up winning the Summer League MVP Award. The young core Houston has built through the years is beginning to take shape, and this will absolutely be a group that can push for a playoff spot thanks to the veteran crew coming in to help out the youngsters.

Indiana Pacers

This was a successful Summer League for the Indiana Pacers, as Bennedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard and Isaiah Jackson all looked to be ahead of the competition in their two games. Rookies Jarace Walker, Ben Sheppard and Isaiah Wong all played well too, each averaging double-digit scoring figures. If Walker can come in right away and make an impact alongside Myles Turner in the frontcourt and if Sheppard/Wong can supply this team with added scoring pressure on their bench, Indiana should have no problems getting back to the playoffs in the East.

Los Angeles Clippers

Some say the Los Angeles Clippers reached for Kobe Brown with the last pick in the first round of the draft, but Brown had a stellar showing in Summer League and shot over 43 percent from three-point range. Not to mention, he had one of the best offensive displays in Las Vegas with a 35-point game in which he made seven threes. There continues to be a lot of talk surrounding the Clippers and whether or not they will trade for former league MVP James Harden, which draws a lot of questions about what this roster next to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George will ultimately look like to begin the year.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers have to be pleased with what they saw from Max Christie, Cole Swider and D'Moi Hodge in Summer League. All three players shot above 40 percent from three-point range, and Christie ended up making the All-Summer League Second Team given his two-way play. By revamping their roster and adding more depth at every position, the Lakers have put themselves in a position to once again hunt for a title.

Memphis Grizzlies

Ja Morant's absence will definitely play a role in the decline of the Memphis Grizzlies to begin the 2023-24 season. This team still has talent outside of Morant, but they will struggle at first and their frontcourt depth continues to be an area of concern. If there is one thing Memphis can take away from Summer League, though, it is that Kenny Lofton Jr. must see minutes heading into his second season, as his energy and effort is infectious. Looking at this team as a whole, I still find it hard to believe they have what it takes to contend for a title.

Miami Heat

The Damian Lillard waiting game continues for the Miami Heat, as they really cannot move forward in terms of making moves this offseason until they know if Lillard will be on their opening night roster. Trade talks have not progressed at all, as Portland's stubbornness to deal the superstar has held up negotiations. Miami is prepared to give up assets such as Tyler Herro and multiple draft picks to make this trade work, which is why the ball is in the Blazers' court. Regarding Summer League, Orlando Robinson is going to be the next undrafted player to break out in a big way for the Heat, as he should have won the Summer League MVP Award with what he did in Las Vegas.

Milwaukee Bucks

Second-year wing MarJon Beauchamp showed flashes of his shooting potential this summer. While he definitely still has room to grow, the future is looking bright for the 22-year-old. For the Milwaukee Bucks, the biggest takeaway from Summer League was the defensive play from rookie Andre Jackson Jr. Defense is going to have to be the Bucks' calling card if they are to once again be title contenders. As a result, Jackson may see some minutes over the course of his rookie season.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Leonard Miller looked like a second-round steal for the Minnesota Timberwolves in Summer League, as his length, rebounding and shooting abilities were all on display. Second-year forward Josh Minott also continued to string together great Summer League performances, showing his potential to grow in the Timberwolves' system. If they can stay healthy, Minnesota can be a threat in the Western Conference, yet nobody other than Anthony Edwards really strikes fear in their opponents. It does appear as if a decision on Karl-Anthony Towns' future will be coming either at the trade deadline or next offseason.

New Orleans Pelicans

There were a lot of questions surrounding the New Orleans Pelicans heading toward the NBA Draft, specifically in reference to if they were going to trade Zion Williamson or Brandon Ingram in attempts to move up. Neither player was really dangled in trade talks by the team and, now, the Pelicans enter the 2023-24 season with hopes that they can remain healthy. This team has depth, they have youth that continues to grow each day and when they were all together a season ago, the Pels were one of the best teams in the league. With Zion healthy, in shape and on the floor, New Orleans can be a top-four team in the Western Conference.

New York Knicks

Once again, the New York Knicks had zero draft picks participating in Summer League, so we've learned basically nothing from this organization. However, talk about the Knicks this summer surrounded all the draft assets they have moving forward and what they will look to do in order to upgrade the talent on their roster. Joel Embiid is the one star that continues to be mentioned when looking at potential trades the Knicks could make down the line. Of course, Karl-Anthony Towns also has his name brought up time and time again. New York is also continuing to search for ways to move on from veteran Evan Fournier this offseason.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Missing what would have been his rookie season, Chet Holmgren had some solid performances in NBA Summer League and is ready to make his actual debut with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Ousmane Dieng continued to show his growth, Cason Wallace had some good moments in Summer League and Jalen Williams is ready to have a massive second season in the league. The Thunder have built their roster around All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and will be a team that contends for a playoff spot as long as he is on the floor.

Orlando Magic

Many scratched their heads when the Orlando Magic took Anthony Black and Jett Howard in this year's draft. After Las Vegas Summer League, I am still left scratching mine. Both guys have potential, but neither fill an immediate need this team had. After what they showed in the desert, it is hard to imagine Black or Howard holding that big of a role entering the season, which is why the Magic seem to be mostly unchanged based off first glance. This team continues to grow given that a vast majority of their players are still on rookie deals, but Orlando did not help itself much this offseason or in Summer League.

Philadelphia 76ers

Whispers about James Harden's departure ahead of the 2023-24 season grew louder over the course of Summer League in Las Vegas, as there is more belief than ever that he has played his final game with the Philadelphia 76ers. This may not be a bad thing, though, as the Sixers could get back plenty of secondary depth for him in a potential trade and would still have Tyrese Maxey to lead the backcourt. Not to mention, Jaden Springer had an excellent year in the G League and was one of the standout performers of Summer League. With or without Harden, the Sixers should still find themselves as contenders in the East.

Phoenix Suns

Everything for the Phoenix Suns is about Bradley Beal, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. If any of these three go down with an injury, the Suns' season will be over given that they really do not have much immediate depth on their roster. After spending the last two years in Serbia, Hunter Hale played for the Suns in Summer League and was fantastic, scoring 16.3 points per game on 52.2 percent shooting from deep. At least in my eyes, he has shown enough to earn a two-way contract with Phoenix and could be a valuable shooter moving forward.

Portland Trail Blazers

It is time to trade Damian Lillard and Summer League sent this message to the Portland Trail Blazers. Everything about the Blazers in Las Vegas was centered on the future of their organization, as Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe and Kris Murray highlighted their roster. Scoot played in just one game due to a shoulder injury, but his energy was unmatched and Sharpe is going to have a huge second season if he consistently sees over 25 minutes per game. Personally, I was really impressed with Duop Reath and Michael Devoe, both of whom played their way into consideration for two-way contracts this upcoming year. At this point, chatter around the league is not a matter of if Lillard will be traded, it is a matter of when. 

Sacramento Kings

NBA Summer League did not matter too much to the Sacramento Kings, as they did their evaluations during the California Classic they hosted the week prior. Keegan Murray excelled in that two-game showcase, as he recorded 70 points on 45 percent shooting from deep in those two games. This will be a big season for the Kings, as they will be looking to prove that the 2022-23 season was no fluke. If they can keep their energy high and play with the same passion, the additions of Chris Duarte and EuroLeague MVP Sasha Vezenkov will elevate this team to new heights.

San Antonio Spurs

Victor Wembanyama's play in Summer League was a slight letdown, but the French phenom is not necessarily the flashy scorer and dynamic talent that LeBron James and Zion Williamson were when they played in Summer League. His whole game revolves around breaking down his opponents from a skill perspective. Over the course of his rookie season, Wembanyama is going to do this. As much as Wembanyama was the focus of fans, this Summer League for the Spurs was all about seeing what Malaki Branham could do, and he performed really well. There is a lot to like about this young group in San Antonio, as they are going to be on the rise very quickly.

Toronto Raptors

Teams around the league continue to be in contact with the Toronto Raptors regarding a potential Pascal Siakam trade. The problem is that Siakam has expressed his desire to remain in Toronto and the Raptors are not necessarily fully sold on the idea of trading their star. These conversations highlighted Summer League for the Raptors, as did the play of first-round selection Gradey Dick. The rookie did not shoot well, but he had a lot of promising moments during his first NBA action of the summer. It will be interesting to see how they integrate him into their rotations early on.

Utah Jazz

The most impressive rookie at Summer League was Keyonte George, and there really is no arguing this one. George has suddenly put his name in the conversation for the 2023-24 NBA Rookie of the Year Award and could actually be the Utah Jazz's legitimate replacement for All-Star Donovan Mitchell. Not backing down to anyone and always having a score-first mentality, the youngster averaged 21.7 points per game over the course of three total games before spraining his ankle. George should be healthy for training camp and the start of the season, though, which is why he is suddenly a rookie everyone must watch this upcoming season.

Washington Wizards

The Washington Wizards took the biggest question mark in this year's draft in Bilal Coulibaly. Over the course of his four Summer League games, Coulibaly showed quick growth. The young French wing's confidence grew quickly and looked more and more comfortable on the defensive end of the floor. This will be where Coulibaly can make the most impact as a rookie on the wing, but he is still just 18 years old and has plenty of time to grow. What will be interesting to watch in Washington as this new front office rebuilds will be Johnny Davis and the type of impact he has heading into his second season after notching 16.3 points per game and shooting 42.9 percent from long range at NBA Summer League.