Takeaways & Observations From Sacramento’s California Classic Sweep

The 2022 California Classic has come and gone.

On the heels of last August’s Summer League title, the Sacramento Kings picked up three wins over the Fourth of July weekend to claim an unofficial first-place finish at Chase Center in downtown San Francisco.

Fourth-overall pick Keegan Murray looked every bit like a top talent in the draft as the 21-year-old led the Classic in points per game during Sacramento’s clean sweep of the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers.

Summer League is a two-week timeframe that is full of an influx of emotions.

One day, you believe that player A is a budding superstar. The very next day, you could turn on a dime and assume that the very same player was a wasted selection. The main question that many basketball fans have while watching their team’s top prospects perform in Summer League is a complex one:

Does any of this matter?

The short answer is yes. The longer answer is that there is more to player success than averages and box scores during Summer League and that it’s the things that don’t appear in the box scores that matter most.

That being said, let’s take a look at some points of interest from Sacramento’s successful showing in the Bay as we get ready for an action-packed week in Las Vegas.

King Keegan’s Grand Entrance

Of course, we have to start with Keegan Murray.

Coming into Friday night’s California Classic opener, expectations were high for Murray to perform well in his first appearance as a King. Sacramento selected the forward over Purdue guard Jaden Ivey, the consensus fourth-best prospect in June 23rd’s NBA Draft, immediately placing pressure and expectations on the team’s actual selection in Murray.

When the final seconds ticked off of the game clock, Murray made his way to NBA TV’s postgame interview spot on the sideline and tossed on a headset as his final line blinked across the screen:

26 PTS | 8 REB | 10-14 FG

Keegan Murray in his Kings press conference: “Khris Middleton is a guy I model my game after”

Keegan Murray in his first summer league game: pic.twitter.com/UUWO7ohx1e

— DT (@GianniGoat) July 3, 2022

Murray’s debut was enough to inject a flurry of excitement into the Sacramento Kings fanbase–and how could it not?

Not only did Murray match his impressive college production of 26 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the field and four-of-five from beyond the arc, but he also did so in a very calm, almost effortless fashion.

Murray’s presence on the floor was almost veteran-esque during the California Classic. During the forward’s introductory press conference at Golden 1 Center just over a week ago, the forward said that he looked to players like Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Khris Middleton as inspiration for his playing style.

“I’m like Khris Middleton. We’re kind of the same size. He’s a guy I want to emulate my game after,” Murray said of Middleton. “He rose from the G League, became an NBA Champ and I went from unranked recruit to here I am today three years later.”

Three games into the summer, Murray is certainly doing his best K-Midd impression, both in the box score and by the eye test:

19.7 PTS | 8.0 REB | 1.3 STL | 51% FG | 43% 3PT | 34.1 MIN

Murray’s ability to stretch the floor is something that Kings general manager Monte McNair valued greatly when making the fourth selection last month, something that the 6’8 forward put on display this week in San Francisco. With De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis on the roster, the Kings will have plenty of options on the perimeter with Murray, Malik Monk, and Kevin Huerter joining next season’s lineup.

Three games is a very limited sample size, especially in Summer League, but Murray has been able to create offense both in catch-and-shoot scenarios and in off-the-dribble situations. Murray can float on the perimeter, or he can put his head down and work his way into the paint for a bucket.

The fact that Murray can create in multiple ways, without forcing or biting off more than he can chew, in a sense, is very encouraging to see from a top-talent rookie.

Murray has a long way to go in becoming a force for this Kings team, but you can see why McNair and the front office believe in the All-American talent.

The interchangeability, being able to play the 6’8 forward at both forward positions, is a massive plus when looking at next season’s roster. If Sacramento holds onto veteran Harrison Barnes, the Kings will have two forwards that can both flip-flop in the small forward and power forward positions.

According to Summer League head coach Jordi Fernández told The Sacramento Bee’s Jason Anderson that he views Murray as more of ‘a four-three than a three-four’, meaning that we will likely see a lot more power forward minutes for the rookie in Las Vegas.

Small forward or power forward, it doesn’t matter right now. Everything is coming up roses for Keegan Murray.

Keon Ellis’ Notable Motor

The Sacramento Kings defense has been the worst in the NBA since as long as one can remember.

After hiring defensive-minded head coach Mike Brown as the new head coach to start the process of righting the ship, Monte McNair could benefit from having a few–err, a lot more–players on the roster with defensive tenacity.

Enter, Keon Ellis.

Ellis, an undrafted guard out of Alabama, was inked to one of Sacramento’s two-way roster spots shortly following the conclusion of the 2022 NBA Draft. The 6’6 guard was named to the SEC’s All-Defense team in 2021-22 after swiping 1.9 steals over 33 appearances for the Crimson Tide.

Three games into his Kings tenure, it’s easy to see why Ellis deserved those defensive honors.

And Keon Ellis ices the game with the steal and breakaway. Your Sacramento Kings are California Classic champions. pic.twitter.com/bz3IosOJnN

— Kings Film Room (@SacFilmRoom) July 5, 2022

Ellis was incredibly active throughout the California Classic, disrupting opposing offensive sets with an array of deflections, pick-offs, and on-ball pressured turnovers during the three-game set. The 22-year-old averaged 1.7 steals per game during the Classic to go along with 9.7 points and 5.0 boards per contest.

Defense is Ellis’ forte, but don’t sleep on his ability to pull down rebounds among the trees in the paint. During Ellis’ college days, the guard used his height and athleticism to pull down 6.1 boards per game in 2021-22.

Adding a player that can add to Davion Mitchell’s defensive presence and help out on the glass is something that this Kings team could greatly benefit from next season. Plus, the fact that Ellis shot 37-percent from beyond the arc during his college career is a bonus.

The long-ball wasn’t falling for Ellis during the California Classic (20%), but Sacramento might have something in the undrafted guard.

Needing More From Neemy

When the news broke that center Damian Jones had signed a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers during the opening night of free agency, I immediately thought of Neemias Queta.

With Jones on the move, Queta has been bumped up a spot in Sacramento’s center rotation behind the likes of Domantas Sabonis, Richaun Holmes, and Alex Len. When you factor in the uncertainty surrounding Len’s spot on next season’s roster, it’s possible that Queta could even be in the mix for a third-string spot come this fall.

The 22-year-old big man inked a two-way deal with Sacramento for the 2022-23 season prior to the start of Summer League, setting the stage for an important month of July as Queta looks to make an impact as the starting center.

Over Queta’s three-game performance in the California Classic, the seven-footer struggled to stay out of foul trouble, finishing third in the Classic in personal fouls per game (4.0). The imposing presence of Queta’s seven-foot frame and seven-four wingspan is an asset for Sacramento, especially when you factor in the center’s shot-blocking ability.

Queta finished the Classic third in blocks per game (1.3) and second in steals per game (2.0) as his defensive presence was by far his most impactful contribution to the Kings’ success.

Incredible hustle. Not even in the picture initially, but comes flying in from behind to block the shot and save a basket. pic.twitter.com/t3Pytcrjl8

— Kings Film Room (@SacFilmRoom) July 3, 2022

Queta displayed his sneaky athleticism during the Classic, racking up chase-down blocks, successful closeouts, and stops at the rim over three appearances. The two-time Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year looked every bit of the part in San Francisco.

What the Kings need more of from Queta, though, is offense.

Queta had flashes of success on the offensive end that included some solid footwork around the paint, put-backs, and rim-running sequences that resulted in positives for Sacramento, but the Kings need the center to be a true force in the paint during play in Las Vegas.

This isn’t to say that Queta needs to start chucking up 15 shot attempts per game, not at all. The Kings just need Queta to be more selective in his decision-making and for him to get back to his near-or-above 60 percent field goal rate, and more importantly, for the rebounding numbers to improve as well.

Queta finished the Classic having averaged 6.7 boards per game over his three appearances. I’d like to see Queta emulate what he did against Los Angeles on Tuesday afternoon:

11 PTS | 10 REB | 1 STL | 1 BLK

Outside of his 10-rebound performance against the Lakers, the seven-footer pulled down six rebounds on Friday and just four rebounds on Sunday. The Kings are going to need more rebounding from their starting center in Las Vegas.

Has Queta performed poorly? No, not at all. But if Queta is aiming to have his two-way contract converted to a fully guaranteed deal and roster spot with the NBA club, he has to prove that he can make an impact that the highest level of play possible.

It all starts here, in Summer League.

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