Sacramento Kings Miss Out on Star-Studded NBA Scheduling Announcement

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By JH Kubicek | Last updated May 28, 2025 5:06 PM ET

Since 2018, the Sacramento Kings have hosted the California Classic, a mini slate of games before the NBA Summer League kicks off in Las Vegas. In past years, the Kings, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, and Miami Heat have traveled to Northern California.

This season, Sacramento, which has hosted the event in the last seven summers, will not participate, instead being replaced by flashier rosters.

The Heat, Spurs, Lakers, and Warriors will play at Chase Center in six games between July 5 and July 8. The Spurs, with the second pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, who will surely play in the California Classic, seem like a great team to add, and the Heat, who will pick 20th and already have young players like Pelle Larsson and Kel'el Ware, also make sense.

The Lakers and Warriors, meanwhile, don't boast marquee young talent, although the chance to host Bronny James in a contest does appeal to the Warriors, who get a cut of revenue as the host.

The Kings, meanwhile, don't have a first-round pick and aside from Devin Carter don't have much promising young talent. In the Summer League, DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Domantas Sabonis won't be suiting up, driving interest lower in Sacramento.

Not every team plays in a regional "preseason" before the Summer League, and the Kings might just send their roster to Las Vegas to play in the mandated mini-season for young prospects.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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