Fansided

5 hottest NBA Summer League attractions fans need to see in Vegas

By Daniel Stave

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 23: Frank Ntilikina #11 of the New York Knicks looks on during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 23, 2018 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 23: Frank Ntilikina #11 of the New York Knicks looks on during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 23, 2018 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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SALT LAKE CITY – JULY 2: Marvin Bagley III high-fives teammates during the 2018 Summer League at the Golden 1 Center on July 2, 2018 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – JULY 2: Marvin Bagley III high-fives teammates during the 2018 Summer League at the Golden 1 Center on July 2, 2018 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /

2. Sacramento Kings

Kings Schedule:

  • Saturday vs. Phoenix – 7:30 ET – ESPN
  • Sunday vs. LA Clippers – 11:00 ET – NBATV
  • Tuesday vs. Memphis – 6:30 ET – ESPN2

After more than a decade in the lottery, the Kings may finally have a package of young players that can pull them out of their rut and into the playoffs in the coming years.

The team also decided to host their own Summer League event this year, so they were one of the teams to get an early start.

After much debate across the NBA, the Kings made Marvin Bagley III the second pick in the 2018 draft. The big man already has a highlight-reel play from Monday’s game against the Lakers. The ultra-talented big man from Duke has the look of a special player.

Another franchise building block is second-year point guard De’Aaron Fox. Fox was slated to play in the three Sacramento games this week. According to the Sacramento Bee, his Achilles was stiff after Monday’s game, and the team held him out of the last two games. Fox doesn’t have much left to prove after starting 61 of the 73 games he played in last year.

Taking Fox’s spot at point guard for the summer league squad is Frank Mason. Mason was a second-round pick in the 2017 draft who averaged almost 20 minutes per game as a rookie. Fox and Mason could admirably fill the Kings’ depth chart at point guard for several years.

Justin Jackson was another 2017 pick that saw action as a rookie for Sacramento. Jackson started 41 of the 68 games he played in and averaged 22 minutes per game. At 6’8” with long arms, Jackson has plenty of size for a wing.

Next to Bagley, the player to watch for the Kings could be Harry Giles. Giles was selected 20th overall in the 2017 draft after mostly coming off the bench in his freshman season at Duke. Giles has already torn the ACLs in each of his knees. One as a sophomore in high school, the other as a senior. When he played, Giles flashed enough skill to be the top recruit in the class of 2016, above Jayson Tatum, Lonzo Ball, and Markelle Fultz.

The Kings were cautious with the 6’11” center as a rookie, keeping him out of games. He appears to be a full go in Summer League, starting all three games in Sacramento and playing more than 25 minutes in all three. Giles struggled in the first two but put up a double-double in Thursday’s game against the Heat with 11 points and 12 rebounds.

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