Kings make roster changes for Las Vegas Summer League after 3-0 run at California Classic

The Sacramento Kings have made a few changes to their roster for the Las Vegas Summer League after going undefeated at the California Classic.

The roster still includes guards Frankie Ferrari, DJ Steward, Sean McDermott, Matt Coleman, Keon Ellis and Alex O’Connell; forwards Ade Murkey, Keegan Murray, Elijah Brown, Jared Rhoden and Jeriah Horne; and centers Nate Sestina and Neemias Queta.

The Kings added guards Brandon Childress and TJ Starks on Wednesday as they prepared to face the Orlando Magic on Saturday in their first game at the Las Vegas Summer League. Christian Terrell, a 6-foot-5 guard from Sacramento High School and Sacramento State, and Jai Smith, a 6-9 forward from Overtime Elite, were released after making one brief appearance at the California Classic.

Sacramento summer league coach Jordi Fernandez will integrate two new pieces in Las Vegas, where the Kings will defend their 2021 NBA Summer League championship. They will play the Magic at 1 p.m. Saturday in a marquee matchup between Murray, the No. 4 pick in the NBA draft, and No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero. The Kings will play the Indiana Pacers at noon Sunday, the Oklahoma City Thunder at 5 p.m. on July 13 and the Phoenix Suns at 5 p.m. on July 15.

Starks, 23, is a 6-2 guard who played at Texas A&M and Cal State Northridge. He scored 21 points in an upset win over North Carolina to help Texas A&M reach the Sweet 16 when he was a freshman, but he suffered a serious shoulder injury the following season and was suspended indefinitely after being arrested for marijuana possession in 2019.

Starks transferred to Cal State Northridge, where he was named First Team All-Big West Conference after averaging 21.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 2020-21. He shot 45.5% from the field and 36.9% from 3-point range.

Starks signed with Rytas Vilnius of the Lithuanian Basketball League after going undrafted in 2021. He has also had stints with the G League Wisconsin Herd, Nevezis of the Lithuanian Basketball League and Semt77 Yalovaspor of the Turkish Basketball Super League.

Childress, 24, is a 6-foot guard who went undrafted out of Wake Forest in 2020. He averaged 15.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.2 steals as a senior at Wake Forest in 2019-20. He shot 40.4% from the field and 32.5% from 3-point range. He shot 37.9% from beyond the arc as a sophomore and 36.8% as a junior.

Childress has played professionally overseas over the past two seasons for Iraklis of the Greek Basket League; Avis Utilitas Rapla and TalTech/Optibet in the Latvian-Estonian Basketball League; and Medi Bayreuth of the German Basketball Bundesliga.