When Sacramento Kings G De'Aaron Fox went down with an ankle injury, the team desperately needed someone to step up. The unsung hero in Fox's absence was two-way G Keon Ellis, who catapulted himself from the end of the bench to the starting lineup, leading the Kings to two consecutive wins before Fox returned to action.
The emergence of Ellis has been fantastic for Sacramento, but his arrival in the rotation was eating minutes away from rookie G Colby Jones. The Kings drafted Jones with the 34th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, and he has been impressive to begin his career.
Even though Jones has done everything right and played exceptionally, the Kings do not need him in the lineup due to Ellis' new role. Sacramento realized this and sent him to the G League affiliate, Stockton Kings.
Jones is averaging 23.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 5.5 steals through two games in Stockton. The 21-year-old rookie is the only current G League player averaging 20+ points, 5+ rebounds, 5+ assists, and 5+ steals/blocks while leading the league in steals per game.
While Jones could come back to Sacramento and contribute off the bench, this is valuable time in the G League to get more in-game experience and be more comfortable. Regardless of how soon he returns to Sacramento's lineup, Jones will be a valuable piece for the Kings for seasons to come.
More must-reads: