NBA summer league is back! After the recent lockout wiped out the summer and part of the 2011-12 regular season, the most fun basketball in the month of July is back in effect.

A record 24 teams will compete at the 2012 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas between July 13-22 this summer. There will be 23 NBA teams in action, including 11 that participated in the NBA Playoffs, as well as a team of NBA D-League Select players.

As usual, NBA Summer League basketball games will take place at the Thomas & Mack Center and the COX Pavilion on the campus of the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

The 2012 edition of NBA Summer League will mark the eighth summer that the league has been held in Las Vegas since its inception in 2004. Each of the participating teams will play five game each, for a total of 60 contests over the course of the event’s ten days.

List of 2012 NBA Summer League teams:

Atlanta Hawks (2010)*
Boston Celtics (2004-07)*
Charlotte Bobcats (2008)
Chicago Bulls (2005, 2009-10)*
Cleveland Cavaliers (2004-10)
Dallas Mavericks (2005-10)*
Denver Nuggets (2004-10)*
D-League Select (2009-10)
Golden State Warriors (2005-10)
Houston Rockets (2006-10)
L.A. Clippers (2005-10)*
L.A. Lakers (2007-10)*
Memphis Grizzlies (2007-10)*
Miami Heat (2010)*
Milwaukee Bucks (2007-10)
Minnesota Timberwolves (2006-10)
New Orleans Hornets (2005-10)
New York Knicks (2005-10)*
Phoenix Suns (2004-10)
Portland Trail Blazers (2005-10)
Sacramento Kings (2005-10)
San Antonio Spurs (2007-10)*
Toronto Raptors (2008-10)
Washington Wizards (2004-10)

*Indicates 2011-12 NBA Playoff team.

The games will be available on NBA TV and also on digital platforms. When the NBA Summer League games schedule exists, it'll be here on InsideHoops.com.

Tickets for the 2012 NBA Summer League will go on sale June 1, at 10 a.m. PDT. Fans will be able to purchase tickets for the Strip’s hottest summer event by calling 702-739-FANS, through UNLVtickets.com or by visiting any UNLV ticket outlet.

Launched in 2004 as the Las Vegas Summer League, the inaugural event featured six NBA teams (Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards) playing a 13-game slate. The NBA joined forces with the original event organizers in 2007, and the summer showcase has expanded exponentially since its inception.

During the most recent competition in 2010, 22 NBA teams, including 11 playoff teams, competed in a 58-game schedule that featured 10 of the top 14 picks in the 2010 NBA Draft.

InsideHoops.com will once again attend NBA Summer League and provide full coverage.

The full list of participating teams and their all-time records at NBA Summer League are listed below.

2012 NBA Summer League Participant All-Time Summer League Records

Team    	W       L       PCT     YRS IN SUMMER LEAGUE
Houston         20      5       .800    2006-10
Miami   	4       1       .800    2010
Denver  	23      11      .676    2004-10
San Antonio     12      7       .632    2007-10
Atlanta         3       2       .600    2010
New York        20      14      .588    2005-10
Boston  	12      9       .571    2004-07
Golden State    17      13      .567    2005-10
Milwaukee       11      9       .550    2007-10
Sacramento      17      14      .548    2005-10
Portland        16      15      .516    2005-10
Memphis         8       8       .500    2007-10
Washington      17      19      .472    2004-10
Phoenix         16      18      .471    2004-10
Chicago         7       8       .467    2005, 09-10
Dallas  	14      16      .467    2005-10
Toronto 	9       6       .600    2008-10
Minnesota       11      14      .440    2006-10
Cleveland       15      21      .417    2004-10
Charlotte       2       3       .400    2008
D-League Select 4       6       .400    2009-10
L.A. Clippers   11      19      .367    2005-10
L.A. Lakers     7       14      .333    2007-10
New Orleans     7       24      .226    2005-10

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OLDER INFO TO BE UDPATED SHORTLY

NBA summer leagues feature NBA teams but instead of regular season rosters, summer league rosters are typically a mix of the team's rookies, some of their younger bench players, and various unsigned players who are looking for exposure. The main benefit for fans (as well as media outlets like InsideHoops.com) is to get a closer look at the top rookies and how they play against competition that is below regular NBA level but far above college.

For more explanation about NBA summer league play and what it means, scroll down to the bottom of this page.

InsideHoops.com provides full 2010 NBA summer league coverage. Action starts July 5.

2010 NBA SUMMER LEAGUE INFORMATION

In the summer of 2010 there are two two NBA summer leagues: The main official Vegas Summer Basketball League, run by the NBA and by far the biggest and most important. And the Orlando Summer Basketball League, run by the Orlando Magic (and of course open to other teams), with fewer teams and a shorter schedule, but also featuring legit NBA summer league squads.

2010 NBA SUMMER LEAGUES

Orlando Summer League
When: July 5-9
Where: RDV Sportsplex, Orlando Florida
Teams: Charlotte, Utah, Indiana, Orlando, Boston, OKlahoma City, New Jersey, Philadelphia
Schedule/Results: Click here.

Vegas Summer League
When: July 9-18
Where: The two UNLV arenas: Cox Pavilion, and Thomas and Mack
Teams: 22 NBA summer league teams, plus the D-league Select team
Schedule/Results: Click here.

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2009 NBA SUMMER LEAGUE INFORMATION

In the summer of 2009 there are only two NBA summer leagues: The main official Vegas Summer Basketball League, run by the NBA and by far the biggest and most important. And the Orlando Summer Basketball League, run by the Orlando Magic, with fewer teams and a shorter schedule, but also featuring legit NBA summer league squads.

2009 NBA SUMMER LEAGUES

Orlando Summer League
When: July 6-10
Where: RDV Sportsplex, Orlando Florida
Teams: Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics and a split squad between the New Jersey Nets and Philadelphia 76ers.
Schedule/Results: Click here.

NBA Summer League (Vegas)
When: July 10-19
Where: Two different UNLV arenas: Cox Pavilion, and Thomas and Mack
Teams: 21 NBA summer league teams: Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Golden State, Houston, L.A. Clippers, L.A. Lakers, Memphis, Milwaukee, Minnesota, New Orleans, New York, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, San Antonio, Toronto, Washington, and an NBA D-League Select team.
Schedule/Results: Click here.

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NBA SUMMER LEAGUES THAT NO LONGER EXIST

Rocky Mountain Revue
When: July 18-25
Where: Salt Lake Community College (Redwood Campus) Lifetime Activities Center (LAC)
Teams: Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, New Jersey Nets, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz, plus a D-League All-Star team and the 2007 FIBA Asian Champion
Schedule/Results: Click here.



The best non-NBA summer league last played in 2007

Summer Pro League (SPL)
When: No 2008 league?
Where: Pyramid in Long Beach, California
Teams: No NBA teams last year year but plenty of former and current NBA, CBA, D-League, ABA and overseas players
Schedule/Results: Click here.



ABOUT NBA SUMMER LEAGUES

NBA summer leagues feature rosters that are different from the regular season. A team's summer league roster usually features a mix of (1) rookies that the team just drafted, (2) a few other players signed to that team, and (3) various undrafted players and free agents looking to get signed to that team or any other team. If a player is a free agent, and that player gets invited to play on a certain summer league team, that team obviously has some interest in him, but the player is hoping to get signed to that team or any other team that happens to be impressed by him.

If you are a member of the Boston Celtics, and you play summer league, you'll be on Boston's team. If you are not currently signed to any NBA team, a team might just sign you for their summer league team, and you're trying to get signed to a real, regular season NBA contract from any team in the league, including the team that you're playing summer league for.

NBA summer leagues are great for seeing how various rookies play as well as watching guys compete for NBA jobs.

In NBA summer league play wins-losses don't really matter. These aren't regular season rosters. It's really all about the individual player performances. Some of these players are fighting to prove themselves worthy of more playing time once the regular season rolls around. Others just want more experience. But a lot of NBA summer league players are jobless. These dudes need a contract. And they'll do whatever it takes.