Kings vs. Raptors: Las Vegas Summer League Preview
- Jrue Hoang
- Jul 8, 2016
- 2 min read
Georgios Papagiannis in action during Kings mini-camp (credit: Sacramento Kings)
What: Kings vs. Toronto Raptors
When: 7 P.M. PT
Where: Cox Pavilion, Las Vegas, NV
How to Watch: NBA TV, ESPN3 (online stream)
What to Look For
- The Sacramento Kings make their 2016 Las Vegas Summer League debut tonight in a matchup against the Toronto Raptors. The Summer League offers us an early look at the NBA's recent draft picks and veterans who are looking to make an impression and earn themselves a contract heading into training camp. To cite one example of a veteran who made the most of his Summer League opportunities, we can point to former King Seth Curry who signed with the team after lighting up Las Vegas last July.
- This year's roster is certainly the most intriguing one for the Kings in quite some time. They have four draft picks from the 2016 draft (Georgios Papagiannis, Malachi Richardson, Skal Labissiere and Isaiah Cousins) and second-year big man Willie Cauley-Stein who will look to build on an impressive rookie campaign in 2014-2015. You can take a look at the entire Kings Summer League roster here.
- New Kings head coach Dave Joerger will also be coaching the team this week and that typically wouldn't be something to note. However, head coaches usually do not coach their summer league teams as most prefer to delegate that duty to their top assistants. It seems as if Joerger is taking the opportunity to instill his principles and philosophies early and often. I certainly don't mind that at all.
Player To Watch
After languishing for most of last season, Willie Cauley-Stein saw major action towards the end of his rookie year and showed flashes of his unlimited defensive potential and some surprising offensive growth. The All-Rookie Second Team honoree will look to show some more of that potential and growth when the Kings take the court in Vegas and if his comments so far this summer are foreshadowing anything, we should be in store for a lot of fun.
Willie has been freed. Let's see what new tricks he's got up his sleeve tonight.
Stay tuned to @SacThrone on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news, stats and analysis from the 2016 Las Vegas Summer League!
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