The Sacramento Kings haven't played meaningful basketball since April 19. That won't change until the preseason kicks off in late September/early October. By my calculations, that's about five months without Kings basketball.
Fortunately, fans of the team can quench their thirst for Kings hoops (at least a little) with the NBA's summer league. Every year, the league hosts some summer hoops to demonstrate the abilities of each team's youth, giving fans a glimpse of what the future may hold for their franchise. But when is the 2024 Summer League? When do the Kings play? And how can fans watch?
Three Summer Leagues
When people talk about the summer league, they are normally referring to the one held every year in July in Las Vegas, Nevada. But what most people don't know is that there are actually three summer leagues: the one in Vegas, the one in Salt Lake City, Utah, and the one in Sacramento and San Fransisco, California.
Salt Lake City Summer League
The one in Salt Lake City will take place from Monday, July 8, 2024, to Wednesday, July 10, 2024. However, only four teams (the Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Philadelphia 76ers) are participating in this event. So, this isn't something to pay attention to if your sole goal is to consume some Kings hoops.
While the TV schedule for this event hasn't been announced yet, last year's games were featured on NBA TV and ESPN 2. So, we can assume the same will probably be true this year.
California Classic Summer League
The California Classic has been taking place since 2018, replacing the Orlando Pro Summer League. This year, the event will run from Saturday, July 6, 2024, to Wednesday, July 10, 2024.
It will take place in Sacramento and San Fransisco. So, obviously, the Kings will be a part of the festivities. Along with them, there will be five other teams, including the San Antonio Spurs, Charlotte Hornets, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, and Miami Heat. In total, 12 games will be played at the California Classic.
The TV schedule for this event has yet to be released. However, last year, it was only broadcasted on ESPN 2.
Las Vegas Summer League
The real place to pay attention to is the main event in Vegas, which will run from Friday, July 12, 2024, to Monday, July 22, 2024. Unlike the other two summer leagues, all 30 teams will be present at this event.
This event, along with the California Classic, will give fans of the Kings a chance to see how much soon-to-be second-year wing Colby Jones (a player I think could be a pleasant surprise for Sacramento next season) has grown. This will also be our first chance to see the Kings' two 2024 draft picks (13th and 45th overall), as long as they don't trade them.
The cable/game schedule has yet to be announced by the league (we will let you know when it does). Last season, Vegas summer league games were broadcasted on ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, ESPNU, and NBA TV.