Sacramento Kings: New summer tournament highlights booming NBA city
By Dan Lovi
The NBA will announce a new Summer League tournament in Sacramento consisting of four teams. The Sacramento Kings will have an opportunity to feature their developing young talent at their high-tech home arena before the annual NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
In addition to the Las Vegas and Utah Summer Leagues, the NBA will introduce a new summer tournament in Sacramento beginning this year.
According to Ben Dowsett of Basketball Insiders, the Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat will compete in the new Sacramento Summer League.
The four participating teams will play in the tournament before heading to Las Vegas July 6-17. The new tournament will be advantageous for all teams involved, but for the Kings, the local contest has the potential to bring about several positive outcomes.
Downtown Sacramento has undergone a facelift over the last few years, with the biggest addition being the Golden 1 Center. The NBA’s newest arena has already played host to NCAA Men’s Tournament games, WWE events and concerts. It sits in the middle of the entertainment district, surrounded by shops, restaurants and luxury hotels.
The downtown renovation and new arena has started to transform the “small-town” feel of Sacramento into a booming city filled with passionate basketball fans. The tournament will bring all eyes to Sacramento and the Kings, which will then try to parlay the national attention into hosting an NBA All-Star game in the future.
The NBA’s latest competition will also give the Kings a chance to showcase their youth in front of a national audience. De’Aaron Fox, Justin Jackson and Frank Mason III just completed solid rookie seasons, but with only 12 nationally televised games (one on TNT, three on ESPN and eight on NBA TV), many didn’t get to see them play. Presumably all three will be playing in the summer.
Perhaps the most excitement surrounds Harry Giles, the Kings’ rookie who has yet to suit up for the team. The 20-year-old center spent the 2017-18 season recovering from ACL tears in both knees, but looks to be on the mend.
A preview of what we’ll see from @HGizzle1 next season pic.twitter.com/zlh2s5EaFl
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) April 12, 2018
Giles has been practicing with the team and is expected to play in the new Sacramento Summer League.
Additionally, the Kings have a lottery pick and the No. 36 overall pick in the upcoming 2018 NBA Draft. Barring injury the new rookies acquired on draft night will play in the new summer tournament as well.
Next: Full two-round 2018 NBA Mock Draft
The popularity of NBA Summer League has grown tremendously over the years as fans are eager to see their team’s young talent. Now, basketball enthusiasts across the globe will get an inside look at the Kings’ promising youth, the newest arena in sports and a city filled with one of the most devoted and spirited fanbases in the NBA.