The Sacramento Kings have a deep, talented roster but are ultimately headlined by the All-NBA duo of G De'Aaron Fox and C Domantas Sabonis. Further down the bench are impressive young guys who do not get as much opportunity behind All-Star caliber players.
The Kings selected G Colby Jones with the 34th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, but the rookie has not had much opportunity to prove himself in the league thus far. Jones was able to step off the bench when Fox missed five games with an ankle injury, but with the All-NBA guard back, Jones has fallen out of the rotation.
Due to his decrease in minutes, the Kings have decided to assign Jones to their G League affiliate, the Stockton Kings, per James Ham of ESPN1320.
Jones has played 12+ minutes in three games this season, averaging 6.3 points and 3.7 rebounds in those appearances. The talented rookie was expected to step up in the rotation, but the emergence of G Keon Ellis has overshadowed Jones.
Ellis, 23, is on a two-way contract for Sacramento but has been a key contributor in three consecutive wins for the Kings. Ellis started two games in Fox's absence and is transitioning into a backup point guard role with Fox back in action.
The Kings sending Jones to the G League likely opens the door for Ellis to be converted to a standard contract, as he is only eligible to play in 44 more games this season if he remains on a two-way contract.
Jones, 21, should flourish in Stockton, as the guard has league-ready tools but lacks experience. Instead of rotting away at the end of the bench, Jones will get a chance to expand his skillset while gaining in-game experience.
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