The Kings have tough roster decisions to make ahead of next Thursday's 2024-25 NBA season opener, and those moves began Friday.
Sacramento is waiving rookie guard Boogie Ellis, the team announced Friday. HoopsHype's Michael Scotto first reported the news Friday morning, citing league sources.
The 23-year-old USC product played in three of the Kings' five preseason games and averaged 9.0 points and 1.3 rebounds in 12.8 minutes. He shot 41.7 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from 3-point range.
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It’s time to Boogie 🕺
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) October 12, 2024
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Ellis' impressive effort during preseason caught the attention of veteran Kings guard Malik Monk.
"He just doesn't care," Monk told reporters after Monday's practice. "You got to have that at some point, especially when you're a rookie.
"[Boogie] doesn't care. He goes out there and plays his game. If he makes a mistake, Mike will tell him, and he'll fix that mistake, but he just goes out there with a free mind."
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Ellis, who went undrafted this summer, signed with the Kings and played for them during the California Classic and NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
It was during the California Classic that Ellis first turned heads, scoring 17 points in 22 minutes to lead the Kings to a win over the San Antonio Spurs on July 7 at Golden 1 Center.
“Coach [Doug Christie] said he wanted dogs, and I believe I’m a dog,” Ellis said after anchoring a defense that held the Spurs to a chilly 22.5-percent shooting. “Just showing that, picking up people, being physical, talking, communicating. Just doing everything other people are not willing to do.”
Ellis made strong cases to make the Kings' Opening Night roster during summer league and the preseason, but now he will search for his next opportunity after showing what he's capable of while with Sacramento.
Skal Labissiere, Terry Taylor and Brodric Thomas also were waived.
Additionally, the Kings signed Hall of Fame center Shaquille O'Neal's son Shareef O'Neal, Antoine Davis and Drew Timme, who all are expected to join Sacramento's G League affiliate, the Stockton Kings.
O'Neal most recently played with the G League Ignite for the 2022-23 season, where he averaged 5.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.
Davis spent the 2023-24 season with the Rip City Remix. He averaged 17.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 28.7 minutes per game in 29 regular-season games. He was a part of Sacramento's 2024 Summer League team.
Timme, a 6-10 forward, played for the Wisconsin Herd during the 2023-24 season, where he averaged 9.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 21.8 minutes through 27 regular-season contests.