The NBA Summer League offers varying levels of excitement and importance depending on the fan base, but the Dallas Mavs and Oklahoma City Thunder project to be two of the most interesting teams to follow in 2023's iteration. An opening clash between the two franchises that will feature the long-awaited return of top prospect Chet Holmgren gives this a big-game feel. Or at least as big as an exhibition game with truncated rosters can be.

Nevertheless, many fans will be compelled to tune into ESPN for this July 8th, Saturday afternoon clash. Holmgren missed his entire rookie season after suffering a Lisfranc injury last August. He will be one of the several stars of Summer League action that stand to make this year's slate of competition more entertaining and significant than possibly ever before.

The Mavs get the first crack at the center and No. 2 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. They will look to their own rookie big man in Dereck Lively II to halt the Holmgren hype train. Dallas acquired the Duke blocking machine Thursday night at the Draft in a trade with, coincidentally enough, the Thunder. OKC sent over the No. 12 selection for No. 10, which became Kentucky's Casan Wallace, and 3-point savvy center Davis Bertans. Yet another reason for fans to invest in this matchup.

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One can argue that Lively would have fit nicely with this young Thunder team and provide added insurance in case their prized and lanky prospect gets injured again. Wallace is the perfect person to play behind Lugentz Dort, though, and Dallas needs a strong rim protector to ease some of the pressure off Luka Doncic. It could be the rare but always satisfying instance where both teams come away winners of a trade.

None of these questions will be answered in July, but this game starts the Mavs and Thunder on the long path to the 2023-24 season- one that has major expectations for both franchises.