Pacific Notes: Plumlee, Green, Kings

Rudy Gay has been playing some of the best basketball of his career since joining the Kings, and DeMarcus Cousins has also been on a tear, so hopefully the injuries both suffered in tonight’s game aren’t devastating. Both went out and will not return, per Jason Friedman of Rockets.com (via Twitter). Here are some more notes from around the Pacific Division:

• The Suns have gone from a presumed tanker to playoff contenders. Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck details how Phoenix has stayed competitive with a roster built for the future, even after losing breakout guard Eric Bledsoe to injury. The positive outlook still extends to the future: “The Suns could have six first-round picks over the next two drafts, including four this June. They could have $30 million to spend on free agents this summer, and more in 2015. Their rookie head coach, Jeff Hornacek, is the leading candidate for Coach of the Year.”
• A big part of the Suns‘ sooner-than-expected success has come from the additions of Miles Plumlee and Gerald Green, and Matt Peterson of Suns.com credits Phoenix GM Ryan McDonough for swinging the smart trade that landed those two players and a pick from the Pacers for Luis Scola.
• Kings rookie Ray McCallum benefited from the team’s use of the D-League while spending time with the Reno Bighorns before his recent call up, writes The Sacramento Bee’s Jason Jones. The Kings designate specific developmental areas for players sent down, working with the Reno coaching staff to ensure those areas are focused on. “For him to go down there and get minutes was well needed,” coach Mike Malone says. “And I think if there’s an opportunity for him to play during the rest of the season, he definitely will.”