“We’re going to make them feel us, we’re going to communicate, and then we’re going to compete.”
Sacramento Kings 2025 Summer League head coach Dipesh Mistry emphasized those keys as what he’s “really harping on” in their limited practice days before Thursday’s first game in Las Vegas. Monday was their first practice as a group.
Recent selections Nique Clifford and Maximue Raynaud are the rookies that will have the most eyes on them, but Sacramento’s roster has a notable amount of “experienced” players. Their full roster can be seen here.
With minimal time to gain cohesion as a group, Mistry is expecting his roster to play with a defensive intensity that could translate to offensive efficiency in the process.
After reviewing the film on their first practice, Mistry felt they didn’t have enough defensive pressure for 94 feet.
“It’s not to try to get a steal, it’s just to shave off some shot clock,” he said.
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On the offensive end, outside of opportunities created by their defense, they’re going with a point guard-by-committee strategy.
They have capable ball handles, including the newest two-way Isaiah Stevens (who went to Colorado State with Nique Clifford) and reigning G-League Finals MVP Mason Jones.
Devin Carter’s Growth: Player & Leader
Among the most intriguing is the chance to track Devin Carter’s growth in that aspect. Selected by previous GM Monte McNair at the end of the 2024 NBA Draft lottery, Carter wasn’t a true, traditional point guard coming out of Providence.
Injuries derailed his debut season, but the 6’2 guard was tasked with improving his point guard abilities early on.
“Just learning, watching film,” Carter said about the role after Tuesday’s practice. “I’ve never played point guard in my life.”
As he acknowledged, it’s a “good opportunity” for him to learn the position. In preparation, the 23 year old has been watching film on making reads and controlling the offensive flow.
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His hard work this offseason has been noticed by the coaching staff, as he has embraced a leadership role for this summer squad.
When Coach Mistry was asked what stood out to him after day one, he quickly pointed to Carter.
“To be honest with you, I really enjoyed Devin’s leadership,” Mistry said. “He’s been working hard in the summer, every day he’s been in here, and I just like how he controlled this team… not just with his play but with his leadership of his team.”
There was some uncertainty if the second-year player would participate in Summer League.
Now that he’s locked in, it’s his time to shine after not participating last season.
Despite struggling to catch a rhythm in Sacramento, Carter typically shone with Stockton in the G-League.
Going against similar competition, albeit significantly more chaotic format, he’ll have a chance to turn heads and gain positive momentum coming into the season.
“I feel like I’ve progressed a lot and hopefully I can showcase that this week in Vegas,” Carter said.
Colorado State Duo Reunites in Sacramento
Isaiah Stevens and David Roddy helped recruit Nique Clifford to Colorado State coming out of high school. Clifford opted to go to nearby Colorado instead.
Three years later, Clifford has just concluded his turbulent third collegiate season and entered the transfer portal. Roddy was a 2022 first-round pick, but Clifford moved to Colorado State, where Stevens was headed into his fifth season.
“I thought we had him,” Stevens joked about trying to recruit Clifford years ago. “He was playing video games the whole time on his visit, so I thought he was pretty locked in.”
Now, they’re reunited in Sacramento as Stevens is expected to sign a two-way deal with the Kings, a league source told Sactown Sports.
“It’s really cool, full circle that we’re playing together again,” Clifford said. “I’ve known him since high school… that was my guy in college… super cool and glad that he’s here.”
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Stevens’ 306 assists with the Sioux Falls Skyforce were the most in a G-League season since 2014-15. His playmaking ability should be an interesting addition to not only Vegas but also Stockton.
When it comes to Clifford, his easy-going personality stood out right away. He’s walking into his first NBA opportunity looking to embrace the moment.
“Just playing the game the right way, making a winning impact. I’d say defending, rebounding, doing the things I was doing in college,” the 2025 first-round said. “And just making easy plays, making the game simple. So, that’s kind of what I’m coming in here to do, and I’ve done that since college. So, I want to carry that over.”
Having played point guard in high school, Clifford possesses a solid handle and will get opportunities to facilitate the offense as well.
Maxime Raynaud’s Two-Way Potential
Size, length, and athleticism have been crucial NBA skillsets for years. Now, it seems like shooting has catapulted to the top of the list.
Maxime Raynaud, selected 42nd by Sacramento in 2025, has an intriguing combination of his own.
He consistently managed a 20-point double-double last year at Stanford, shooting 34.7 percent from three on 5.5 attempts per game. Oh yeah, and he’s seven feet tall.
Size was often an overwhelming factor in Raynaud’s collegiate success, as the NBA level features more players with his archetype.
“Let the game come to you,” Ranyaud said about learning to score at the next level. “To be honest, I feel like you shoot way more threes in the NBA. That’s something that I was doing last year, so that’s going to translate pretty well.”
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“For now, just trying to focus on the defensive end,” he continued. “I think that’s the biggest room for improvement I have, and then the offense will take care of itself. I’m not worried about it.”
Coach Mistry echoed a similar idea, saying Raynaud “can be anywhere on the floor” offensively. But, while more renowned for his combination of size, touch, and fluidity, the defensive potential exists.
Communication and effort are early staples, with the former being especially important for backline defenders like Raynaud.
“The one thing that’s really popping out is his defensive communication. When a ball screen happens, he’s yelling,” Mistry said. “It’s really helping our team right now.”
More Sacramento Kings coverage on Sactown Sports
The Sacramento Kings will descend upon the NBA’s Las Vegas Summer League this week, as fans will be able to get their first look at rookie wing Nique Clifford and center Maxime Raynaud.
Clifford, the 24th overall pick in last month’s 2025 NBA Draft, and Raynaud, the 42nd pick, will be joined by several familiar faces–some who suited up in regular-season games for the Kings last season.
Reigning NBA G League Finals MVP Mason Jones is on the roster, as is Sacramento forward Isaac Jones, who recently had his 2025-26 team option picked up by new general manager Scott Perry.
Read more to see Sacramento’s full 2025 Las Vegas Summer League Roster:
Sacramento Kings set Las Vegas Summer League roster
Upcoming offseason schedule for the Sacramento Kings:
Monday, June 30th – NBA free agent negotiations can begin
Sunday, July 6th – NBA free agents can officially sign with teams
July 10th-20th – Las Vegas NBA Summer League
August TBD – Release of 2025-26 regular season schedule
September TBD – Start of NBA training camps for the 2025-26 season
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