The Kings won’t be playing for the Summer League championship this season, which is really no big deal in the overall scheme of things.
Yet, it’s still been a pivotal few weeks in the desert, especially for a few players who were on the fringe of Sacramento's roster before making strong cases to be kept around.
Boogie Ellis is right near the top of the list.
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Ellis has quietly put together a solid offseason, highlighted by his team-high 15 points off the bench during Thursday’s 73-69 loss to the Washington Wizards. Ellis made 5 of 9 shots from the floor, with three of the misses coming behind the arc.
Ellis has also repeatedly shown up on the defensive end, a pesky defender who scrambles around the court while bringing a needed level of intensity.
While he hasn’t been a dominant scorer, Ellis has done basically everything he sought to do heading into the summer. There, stats aren’t nearly as important as hustle and energy.
“Just continue to take advantage of my opportunity, and keep playing and keep working.,” Ellis said during Thursday’s game. “I’m going to show up and do the work ever time.”
NBA
Drew Timme is another player who improved his stock.
While Timme wasn’t a consistent producer on offense, he showed a lot of potential and athleticism during the Kings’ time in Las Vegas.
A big man who does solid work on the glass, Timme does have the ability to do some things offensively that Alex Len , the backup to Domantas Sabonis, doesn't, but he needs to be more consistent with his shooting and be more aggressive down on the block.
Keon Ellis already had his roster spot locked up yet is still growing in the game and showed exactly how dangerous he can be as a scorer. Keon Ellis didn’t play Thursday but that won’t hurt his chances whatsoever.
Keon Ellis has been steady coming off the bench but he’s been playing at a level to where the Kings could consider using him in the starting lineup every now and then. The guy goes all out every time he’s on the floor.
Mason Jones and Isaac Jones also flashed some abilities throughout Sacramento’s four games in Las Vegas. Each is capable of making dominant plays, especially Isaac Jones, who has great range and is a beast when attacking. Mason Jones has been the Kings’ steadiest scorer, averaging 15 points a game during the Summer League.
Colby Jones was 3 of 13 shooting against the Wizards but before that he had provided steady perimeter shooting and a good feel for doing work down low.
Two other players to keep an eye on heading into training camp:
Antoine Davis was the Steph Curry of Division I basketball, setting the NCAA record for career 3-pointers. Davis is a prolific all-around scorer, too, finishing three points shy of Pistol Pete Maravic’s college scoring record.
Davis hasn’t got a lot of playing time in Las Vegas but Sacramento's Summer League coach Doug Christie had a lot of good things to say about the 25-year-old guard during the California Classic. Davis possesses a high basketball IQ and has a quick, sharp release, so given his college resume, it would be foolish not to extend him an invitation to training camp.
Isaiah Crawford is another guy who didn’t put up great numbers but the Summer League is about so much more than just points, and Crawford shows he has some of the intangibles.
The mere fact that Crawford still is performing at a high level has been impressive considering he twice tore an ACL in the same knee, doing it in back-to-back years at that. The 6-foot-3, 175-pounder made strides with his game in each college season, and he was even better on the defensive side, which is always a positive for any player coached by Mike Brown.
There probably will be a few more new names added by the time training camp rolls around, although there isn’t a whole lot of available spots on the roster.
One thing that could help some of the newcomers is that the Kings’ 2024 first-round draft pick recently underwent shoulder surgery that is expected to keep him sidelined for at least six months. Sacramento will try to find someone to fill the slot, which should serve as even more incentive for the fringe guys.