The draft might be over, but that doesn't mean the Sacramento Kings are done looking for new players. That includes Elias Ralph, who wasn't drafted but was invited to play in the Summer League by the Kings. It's an opportunity for Ralph to show the Kings the potential he has.
Not everyone gets picked during the NBA Draft. There are a lot of declared options, but only a total of 60 spots. Going undrafted isn't the end of the road, as Dylan Cardwell pointed out. Plenty of players make an impact in the league without getting selected by a team on draft night.
That could be the case for Ralph. The CEBL and NCAA power forward was on the Kings' radar before the draft. They brought him out to Sacramento for workouts. While no one selected him on draft night, the Kings are still showing interest in Ralph and are giving him another opportunity.
Summer League season is about to begin
While there are other summer tournaments and exhibitions, the NBA Summer League runs from July 9 to 19 in Las Vegas. All 30 franchises enter teams that consist of existing rookies and sophomores, newly drafted players, and athletes whom these teams have a developmental interest in.
The Kings' Summer League roster includes Ralph, who will head to Vegas with a chance to make another impression on the front office. If they like what they see, that could translate into a G League contract that would allow Ralph to play in Stockton and get into the development cycle.
Unless he has a bad Summer League showing, that signing seems quite likely. If bringing him in for a re-draft workout and inviting him to the Summer League isn't a demonstration of strong interest, it's hard to say what is. The Kings would be smart to follow up on that.
Ralph would make a good King
Sacramento is trying to find depth at power forward as part of the rebuild. They are looking for youth with strong developmental potential, which is Ralph. He's a great three-point shooter with strong defensive skills and hauls down rebounds. All of those are qualities the Kings are going to need.
While it's unlikely that the Kings are going to put him on the main roster right away, it's quite likely they're looking at him for G League development. Depending on how the offseason pans out, they might even be able to sign him to a two-way contract.
That would be strong future planning by the Kings, something they have lacked under previous front offices. Ralph is one of those players who could be a great role player for Sacramento after a couple of seasons of development. His Summer League performance will be huge.
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