Opening night at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas has turned into an annual spectacle, and this year will be no different.

Cooper Flagg’s debut is coming — against Bronny James, no less.

Flagg, the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, and the Dallas Mavericks will open summer play today against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers, always a huge draw in Las Vegas, have 2024 second-round pick Bronny James — the son of NBA scoring king LeBron James — on their summer roster.

The game at UNLV’s Thomas and Mack Center will be packed. Plenty of NBA players and personnel will be there. Some courtside tickets are being listed on the secondary resale market at more than $3,000 a pop. All this, mind you, for an exhibition game where the outcome is almost certain to be forgotten within a few days.

“I’m excited,” Flagg said. “I’ve been in the gym with the guys, and I’m excited to just get out there, get back on the court, play some 5-on-5.”

It will be a circus atmosphere for Mavericks-Lakers and Day 1 of the full-fledged, 30-team Summer League — other smaller summer leagues in Utah and California wrapped up this week.

Holmgren gets $240M extension

Chet Holmgren has agreed on a five-year contract extension worth nearly $240 million.

It is the second major extension for the Thunder since winning the NBA title last month. The other went to NBA MVP, NBA Finals MVP and reigning scoring champion Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who got a four-year, $285 million extension.

And soon, the Thunder could extend ex-Santa Clara star Jalen Williams — another huge part of their team.

Holmgren will make $13.7 million this coming season, the final year of his rookie deal, before his salary jumps to about $41 million for 2026-27 and the start of the extension.

Holmgren, who was limited to 32 regular season games this year after suffering a hip injury, was there for the entirety of the Thunder playoff run, averaging 15.2 points and 8.7 rebounds in 23 postseason games — capped by Oklahoma City holding off Indiana and winning the NBA Finals in a seven-game thriller.

Jokic will delay signing extension

Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic has decided to delay a contract extension with the Denver Nuggets this summer.

It doesn’t affect Jokic’s status in Denver in the short term: He has at least two years left on his deal — $55.2 million this season and $59 million in 2026-27, along with a player option in 2027-28 worth nearly $63 million.

Jokic became eligible Tuesday to sign an extension that could have added three years and around $212 million to his contract. By waiting until next summer to sign, Jokic would be eligible to add four years to his deal at even more money than this summer’s extension would have guaranteed.

Josh Kroenke, the vice chairman of Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, explained earlier this offseason the team was going to present both options to Jokic — and respect his decision.

Jones replaces Dumars at NBA

James Jones is joining the NBA front office as executive vice president and head of basketball operations, replacing Joe Dumars in that role.

Jones spent 14 years as a player in the NBA, winning two championships with Miami and another with Cleveland. He spent the last seven seasons in the Suns’ front office, working the majority of that time as their general manager.