The Kings wrapped up an overall underwhelming 2024 NBA Summer League experience on a positive note and with a good problem ahead of training camp.
After falling behind in the first half, Sacramento had to call on a high-energy, 26-point fourth-quarter to squeeze an 87-77 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
And although the Kings’ 2-3 Summer League record failed to punch the team a ticket to the playoffs, impressive individual performances from Boogie Ellis, Drew Timme and Isaac Jones continued.
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Ellis, in particular, resumed his formidable offseason run, leading the team with 17 points, with nine coming behind the arc.
Ellis, who averaged just six points through Sacramento’s first three Summer League games, made a statement that his team-high 15-point performance against the Washington Wizards on Thursday was not a fluke.
And if the box score didn’t make it clear enough, the 6-foot-3 guard got the word out himself following Saturday’s win.
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“You know, [that he’s] just a dog,” Ellis said about himself postgame. “He’s going to do whatever it takes to win, do whatever it takes for his team, come in the game [and] bring high energy and be a dog.
“That’s what I’m bringing to the table.”
But Boogie wasn’t the only one who took advantage of one last Las Vegas summer audition.
Timme continued to improve his stock, showcasing efficiency on both ends of the floor after scoring 14 points – shooting 6 of 7 and adding seven rebounds.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the afternoon was Mason Jones’ – an attacking force throughout the summer – slow performance, notching just four points in 16 minutes.
But what Jones was unable to do, Isaac Jones took care of with his 16-point performance throughout a team-high 30 minutes played.
The Kings’ two-way player had a pair of moments powered by hustle and energy.
No strangers to getting crowned champions in the middle of summer, Sacramento's stay in Las Vegas this time around was considerably short.
Although not short enough for a scouting report from Summer League coach Doug Christie, who led a group of players hungry -- at a minimum -- for a spot come training camp.
Back in Sacramento, Brown and Co., with players like Ellis, Timme and a few others each submitting their cases, might have a big roster puzzle to solve in the coming weeks.