Kings’ NBA Summer League prospects will pose a mystery heading into the 2024 offseason – NBC Sports Bay Area & California

The Kings ended a generally disappointing 2024 NBA Summer League experience on a positive note, with one major hiccup ahead of training camp.

After trailing in the first half, Sacramento needed an energetic 26-point fourth quarter to earn an 87-77 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

And while the Kings’ 2-3 Summer League record didn’t earn the team a ticket to the playoffs, the impressive individual performances of Boogie Ellis, Drew Timme and Isaac Jones continued.

Ellis in particular continued his stellar off-season streak, leading the team with 17 points, nine of which came from behind the three-point line.

Ellis, who averaged just six points in Sacramento’s first three Summer League games, said his team-high 15-point performance against the Washington Wizards on Thursday was no fluke.

And if the score wasn’t clear enough, the 6-foot-1 guard announced it himself after Saturday’s win.

“You know, (he’s) just a dog,” Ellis said of himself after the game. “He’s going to do whatever it takes to win, do whatever it takes for his team, go into the game (and) bring a lot of energy and be a dog.

“That’s what I bring.”

But Boogie wasn’t the only one taking advantage of his final summer audition in Las Vegas.

Timme continued to improve his skills and showed efficiency on both ends of the court, scoring 14 points, making 6 of 7 shots and grabbing seven rebounds.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the afternoon was the sluggish performance of Mason Jones, who has been an offensive force all summer, scoring just four points in 16 minutes.

But what Jones couldn’t do, Isaac Jones did with his team-high 16 points in 30 minutes of play.

The Kings’ two-way player had a few moments of energy and drive.

Sacramento is no stranger to being crowned champions in the middle of the summer, so his stay in Las Vegas was considerably shorter this time around.

Although it’s not short enough for a scouting report from Summer League coach Doug Christie, who led a group of players who were — at the very least — eager for a spot in training camp.

Back in Sacramento, Brown and Co., with players like Ellis, Timme and a few others all having filed their cases, may have a big roster puzzle to solve in the coming weeks.