Kings waive Ellis, sign Shaq’s son Shareef in series of roster moves originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Kings have tough decisions to make about their roster before the first game of the 2024-25 NBA season next Thursday, and those moves began Friday.
Sacramento resigns rookie guard Boogie Ellisthe team announced on Friday. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype first reported the news Friday morning, citing league sources.
The 23-year-old USC product played in three of the Kings’ five preseason games and averaged 9.0 points and 1.3 rebounds in 12.8 minutes. He shot 41.7 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from 3-point range.
Ellis’ impressive preseason effort He caught the attention of veteran Kings point guard Malik Monk.
“He just doesn’t care” Monk told reporters after practice Monday.. “You have to have that at some point, especially when you’re a rookie.
“(Boogie) doesn’t care. He goes out and plays his game. If he makes a mistake, Mike will tell him and he’ll fix it, but he just goes out with a free mind.”
Ellis, who went undrafted this summer, signed with the Kings and played for them during the California Classic and the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
It was during the California classic in which Ellis first attracted attentionscoring 17 points in 22 minutes to lead the Kings to a victory over the San Antonio Spurs on July 7 at Golden 1 Center.
“Coach (Doug Christie) said he wanted dogs, and I think I’m a dog,” Ellis said after solidifying a defense that held the Spurs to a cold 22.5 percent shooting. “Just showing that, flirting with people, being physical, talking, communicating. “Just doing everything that other people aren’t willing to do.”
Ellis made a strong case to make the Kings’ opening night roster during the summer league and preseason, but he’ll now look for his next opportunity after showing what he’s capable of while with Sacramento.
Skal Labissiere, Terry Taylor and Brodric Thomas were also suspended.
Additionally, the Kings signed the son of Hall of Fame center Shaquille O’Neal, Shareef O’Neal, Antoine Davis and Drew Timme, who are expected to join Sacramento’s G League affiliate, the Stockton Kings.
O’Neal most recently played with the G League Ignite during the 2022-23 season, where he averaged 5.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.
Davis spent the 2023-24 season with Rip City Remix. He averaged 17.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 28.7 minutes per game in 29 regular season games. He was part of Sacramento’s 2024 Summer League team.
Timme, a 6-10 forward, played for the Wisconsin Herd during the 2023-24 season, where he averaged 9.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 21.8 minutes in 27 regular season games.
