Sacramento Kings shut down stars for NBA Summer League finale
The NBA Summer League finale is Saturday for the Sacramento Kings. Shortly before the scheduled start time, it was announced that the team was shutting down Summer League standouts Jordan Ford, Keon Ellis, Kessler Edwards, and Colby Jones, according to Jason Anderson via Twitter.
Neemias Queta was already set to miss the remainder of the Summer League after a minor foot injury.
Ford has been a standout, dominating nearly every game and making a clear case for the final point guard spot on Sacramento’s roster. Jones, who was expected to step up following Keegan Murray’s exit from the Summer League, has looked very comfortable in his role and can be a great contributor next season for the Kings.
Kessler Edwards struggled during the Summer League but had a fantastic game Thursday night for the Kings, re-establishing trust with fans that his development is coming along nicely. Keon Ellis has also performed very well, and after signing a two-way contract with the Kings, he should see an increase in games played and total minutes next season for Sacramento.
What does this mean for the Sacramento Kings next season?
Well, there’s only one clear takeaway from the decision to sit these stars for the Summer League finale – the Kings have seen enough from these guys and have clear plans for their future.
Jordan Ford should undoubtedly receive a contract offer in the coming days. He has dominated and proven he is more than capable of competing against NBA-level talent. Of course, the NBA itself will be much more difficult than the Summer League, but Ford has the ability and coachability to make an impact on the Kings next season.
Keon Ellis has also performed strongly for the Kings. Ellis played the past season on a two-way contract, but only appeared in 16 NBA games. While he still will have work to do to get to NBA standards, we should see him play a larger role as well next season on his renewed deal.
Kessler Edwards will still be a work in progress for now, but his development is coming with the right coaching. He proved Thursday that he can compete, there are just some finishing touches he needs before he can shine.
Colby Jones undoubtedly will play a relatively large role for a rookie next season. We shouldn’t expect a Keegan Murray-level breakout year, but Jones happened to fall to the Kings in the second round of the 2023 NBA draft despite possessing first-round talent. He will be an excellent option for a backup guard position.
Queta is the biggest question – his future with the Kings is up in the air. After being offered a two-way contract weeks ago, there is still no word on anything past that. Queta dominated the Summer League and easily would provide great competition to Alex Len at a backup center spot. The question still remains though – will Neemias Queta be a King next season?
