The Sacramento Kings held its second day of summer league mini-camp Saturday; camp ended Sunday. The team is preparing to play in the Las Vegas Summer League
Omri Casspi, Donte Greene and newly signed Donald Sloan were the only players on the Kings’ regular season roster to participate in the first practice of the day.
Notably missing was the Kings No.1 pick, DeMarcus Cousins. He was hit by Steven Hill in training camp on Friday, resulting in a cracked tooth and a cut lip.
He showed up for practice later in the morning and worked on his shooting. Summer league head coach Mario Elie said that he Cousins would participate in the second practice on Saturday.
Wayne Chism didn’t practice either, because of an abdominal strain.
Although Sloan has a contract with the Kings, Devan Downey said he is glad to have a chance to showcase his skills for the Kings.
“I can show my speed and quickness,” he said. “My ability to shoot the ball, score the ball, be a pest on defense, but mostly just my speed and quickness.”
Sylven Landesberg, a 6-foot-6-inch guard, put his ball-handling skills on display when he switched from shooting guard to point guard.
He said that although he didn’t shoot the ball well, he was able to make good plays. He noted that the two guard positions are different.
“When you’re running shooting guard, you’re making plays from the wing,” he said. “Running the point guard, you have to see the whole court from the top of the key. You have to be more careful with the ball. Those little guards, they‘ll be pressuring you the whole way up.”
Landesberg will be one of eight players on the team competing not only for an invite to the Kings training camp this Fall, but for an invitation to any team.
Before the end of the Saturday, the Kings cut Hill, Tyren Johnson and Jason Ellis from the summer league roster. The roster now stands at 13 players. The team has its first game Monday against the Detroit Pistons.
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