De’Aaron Fox Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Injury Updates: Fox, Bagley, James, Looney, Washington, Winslow

December 27th, 2019 at 6:14pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Kings offered some good news on guard De’Aaron Fox‘s latest ailment, according to a team press release. Fox left Thursday’s game in the first quarter against Minnesota with back spasms. A precautionary MRI revealed no structural damage and he will be listed as day-to-day. Big man Marvin Bagley III, who also made an early departure on Thursday, will have his left foot evaluated by a specialist Saturday.

We have more injury-related news:

Lakers star LeBron James thought he’d miss some time after getting injured on Christmas Day but that may not be the case, according to an ESPN report. James has a groin contusion and is listed as questionable to play against Portland on Saturday.
Big man Kevon Looney will miss the Warriors’ games this weekend with abdominal soreness, Logan Murdock of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. Looney has played just 10 games this season, mainly due to a hamstring issue.
Hornets rookie forward PJ Washington is listed as probable to play on Friday, the team’s PR department tweets. Washington suffered a fracture of his fifth finger on his right hand during a game against Chicago on December 13.
The injury to Justise Winslow‘s back is now listed as a bone bruise rather than a strain, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel tweets. The Heat’s point forward has not played since December 6.

De’Aaron Fox Returns From Injury

December 17th, 2019 at 5:20pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Kings had been anticipating that De’Aaron Fox would return to the lineup tonight against the Hornets and the point guard tells Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee he will do just that.

Fox missed the past 17 games with a left ankle injury and the team went 9-8 during that stretch. The Kings have hopes of making the postseason and they currently are sole owners of the seventh seed in the Western Conference, though six teams are within 2.5 games of them.

Fox is expected to start at the point guard, sending Cory Joseph to the bench. Joseph recently spoke about the former No. 5 pick returning to the court for the franchise.

“He’s a huge part of our organization, everybody knows that, so we’re happy to get him back,” Joseph said. “He looks good. He’s running good. So we’re excited. He’s huge to what we do here.”

De’Aaron Fox Expected To Return On Tuesday

December 16th, 2019 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

As the Kings continue to battle for a playoff spot, they’ll get a boost on Tuesday, according to James Ham of NBC Sports California, who writes that point guard De’Aaron Fox is expected to return to Sacramento’s lineup.

Kings head coach Luke Walton confirmed to Ham that the plan is for Fox to suit up and play against the Hornets in Charlotte on Tuesday, barring a setback. It will be his first game since November 11.

Fox, who has missed Sacramento’s last 17 games with a left ankle injury, has made positive strides this month. The Kings announced on December 2 that the former No. 5 overall pick would be re-evaluated in about two or three weeks — two weeks later, he appears ready to roll.

When Marvin Bagley III recently returned from a hand injury for the Kings, he transitioned to a bench role, but that almost certainly won’t be the case for Fox. He figures to supplant Cory Joseph in the starting five, with Joseph returning to a backup role and Yogi Ferrell possibly falling out of the rotation. For his part, Joseph tells Ham that he’s excited to get Fox back in the lineup.

“He’s a huge part of our organization, everybody knows that, so we’re happy to get him back,” Joseph said. “He looks good. He’s running good. So we’re excited. He’s huge to what we do here.”

Sacramento currently owns a modest 12-14 record, but that’s good enough for the seventh seed in the Western Conference. The Kings and their newly-healthy point guard will look to hold off the Thunder (11-14), Suns (11-14), Spurs (10-15), Timberwolves (10-15), and Trail Blazers (10-16) in the postseason race going forward.

Injury Updates: Fox, Kuzma, Gordon, Favors, Vucevic

December 13th, 2019 at 9:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kings star guard De’Aaron Fox has been out since November 11 due to a Grade 3 left ankle sprain but he’s hopeful of returning next week, as he told Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee. “I have more range of motion now than I did before I got hurt,” he said. “My left ankle has just never had that much range of motion, but since we’ve been pounding it hard and going at it so hard, it’s been a lot better than before I got hurt.”

We have more injury updates:

Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma hopes to return from a left ankle sprain sometime during the team’s current trip, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin tweets. The injury is unrelated to the stress reaction he suffered this summer, McMenamin adds. Kuzma suffered the injury on Sunday and has missed the last two games.
Pelicans power forward Derrick Favors, a potential trade candidate, had eight points and eight rebounds in 15 minutes against Philadelphia on Friday. He had not played since November 16 due to knee and back injuries and personal issues.
Rockets guard Eric Gordon has begun on-court running, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports. Gordon underwent knee surgery on November 13 with a projected six-week timetable. A return around Christmas remains in play, according to Feigen, though the plan is to gradually increase his workload and ease off as necessary.
Magic center Nikola Vucevic could return on Sunday, John Denton of the team’s website relays. He missed his 11th consecutive game on Friday against Houston due to a right ankle injury. “I think he’s feeling better and hopefully he’ll be able to get through a practice (on Saturday) and still feel good,” Magic coach Steve Clifford said. “I think there’s a good chance he’ll play on Sunday.”

Pacific Notes: Poole, Baynes, Kawhi, Joseph

December 11th, 2019 at 7:10pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Warriors want rookie shooting guard Jordan Poole, the No. 28 pick in the 2019 NBA draft, to spend time in the G League, according to Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. Poole (Jordan, not Monte) is currently averaging 7.9 PPG and 2.3 RPG, and 2.0 APG in 24 minutes per game.

The 20-year-old Michigan alum is shooting just 25.8% from the floor for the Warriors. According to Logan Murdock of NBC Sports Bay Area, Golden State coach Steve Kerr told reporters that there is not a definitive timeline yet for Poole’s trip to Santa Cruz.

“There’s nothing set in stone yet,” Kerr said after the Warriors finished their practice Tuesday. “He’ll eventually be there. That’s a big part of our development process. Santa Cruz has been a big asset over the years. A lot of players go back and forth, so it’ll happen for Jordan at some point.”

There’s more out of the Pacific Division:

Gina Mizell of The Athletic observes that center Aron Baynes‘ return to the court on Monday against the Wolves marked the first step toward the Suns replenishing their frontcourt assets. Baynes had been sidelined with hip and calf injuries for three weeks prior to his suiting up for the Suns, on his 33rd birthday no less. In just 15 minutes Baynes scored 12 points and pulled down four boards in a Phoenix win. Starting center (and 2018 No. 1 draft pick) Deandre Ayton remains out of commission while serving a 25-game suspension for violating the league’s drug policy.
All-NBA Clippers wing Kawhi Leonard was treated to a standing ovation and chants of “MVP!” from a warm Canadian crowd on the night he received his 2019 NBA championship ring in Toronto. The Clippers faced the Raptors in the Great White North for the first time since Leonard changed sides as a free agent in the summer of 2019. Kurt Helin of NBC Sports took stock of the moment.
Kings point guard Cory Joseph, starting in Sacramento with De’Aaron Fox still injured, has been adding some bite to Sacramento’s defense, according to Jason Jones of The Athletic… and Joseph’s teammate Harrison Barnes. Barnes said to reporters in the Sacramento locker room on Monday night that he thinks Joseph is deserving of Second-Team All-Defensive honors for his work this season. Fox, meanwhile, is projecting a return to game action in a week and a half, according to James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area (via Twitter).

Latest On De’Aaron Fox, Marvin Bagley III

December 2nd, 2019 at 5:22pm CST by Luke Adams

Two Kings starters, De’Aaron Fox and Marvin Bagley III, are making progress in their recoveries from injuries, but neither player is ready to return to action, the team announced today in a press release.

Fox, who has been sidelined since sustaining a left ankle sprain on November 11, has resumed on-court basketball activities, but isn’t taking contact. According to the team, he’ll remain in Sacramento during the club’s upcoming four-game road trip – which begins in Portland on Thursday – and will be re-evaluated in about two or three weeks.

The Kings have tread water without Fox, winning five of the nine games he has missed. The team will have to continue to do so if it hopes to remain in the playoff hunt in the West. Even if the star point guard is ready to return in three weeks, he’d miss another 11 games.

Meanwhile, Bagley – out since opening night due to a broken right thumb – will be re-evaluated at the end of this week, per the team. The Kings’ initial October announcement on Bagley after he suffered the injury called for a recovery timeline of approximately four-to-six weeks — this Thursday will represent the six-week mark.

With Fox and Bagley on the shelf, Cory Joseph, Richaun Holmes, and Nemanja Bjelica are among the players who have received bumps in minutes. Holmes (+3.8 net rating) has been particularly effective, so it will be interesting to see how his role is adjusted once Bagley is good to go.

De’Aaron Fox Suffers Significant Ankle Sprain

November 11th, 2019 at 7:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox suffered a significant left ankle sprain in practice on Monday and will be re-evaluated in three-to-four weeks, Zach Lowe of ESPN tweets.

The injury occurred when a teammate stepped on the dynamic guard’s foot, Lowe adds in another tweet. He has a Grade 3 sprain, which is a full tear of the ankle ligament.

Fox was averaging 18.2 PPG and 7.0 APG this season following a breakout year in which he averaged 17.3 PPG and 7.3 APG while starting 81 games.

The injury is a major blow for a team that entered the season with playoff aspirations. The Kings stumbled out of the gate, losing six of their first eight games, before defeating Atlanta on Friday. They’ll play their first game without their floor leader against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday.

Fortunately for the Kings, they have some experienced depth behind Fox. Cory Joseph has been the primary backup and figures to slot into the starting lineup. Yogi Ferrell should see his role expand after appearing in just five of the first nine games.

Pacific Notes: George, Fox, Ayton, Curry

November 3rd, 2019 at 11:41am CST by Arthur Hill

The Clippers are getting encouraging signs that Paul George might be ready for action soon, according to Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. George participated in a full-court, three-on-three scrimmage Saturday that lasted about 20 minutes, his most strenuous workout since having offseason surgery on both shoulders.

The team still isn’t offering a timetable for his season debut, and coach Doc Rivers didn’t provide any new information. Rivers speculated last month that George would miss the first 10 games, which would keep him sidelined for at least four more.

“At some point, someone’s going to tell me who can play,” Rivers said yesterday. “I’ve never really gotten involved in it.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

De’Aaron Fox hasn’t lost faith in new Kings coach Luke Walton despite a rough start, relays Jason Jones of The Athletic. Walton wants Fox to assume more control over the team as the season wears on, and the confidence seems to be reciprocated. “We’re going to ride with him,” Fox said of Walton. “He’s been great since the day that he stepped in. I think we feel like we trust him and he trusts us.”
Deandre Ayton has served five games of his 25-game suspension, giving the Suns an opportunity to add another player to the roster, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. Ayton is now on the suspended list, where he will remain until December 17 unless his appeal is successful. Phoenix already has 15 players with guaranteed contracts, and there has been no indication on whether the team plans to make a roster move.
A broken hand hasn’t affected Stephen Curry‘s desire to play in the 2020 Olympics, his father tells Marc J. Spears of ESPN. Former NBA star Dell Curry said his son is still looking forward to his first Olympic experience. “That was definitely a goal coming into this year,” he said. “He wants to play in the Olympics. This is a little setback, but hopefully it’s a goal he can strive for through his rehab.” Curry added that Stephen is “doing the best he can” after having surgery this week.

Kings Won’t Pick Up 2020/21 Options On Giles, Swanigan

October 31st, 2019 at 5:14pm CST by Luke Adams

The Kings are declining two of their four rookie scale options for the 2020/21 season, a league source tells James Ham of NBC Sports California (Twitter link). According to Ham, Sacramento won’t be picking up the fourth-year options for Harry Giles ($3,976,510) or Caleb Swanigan ($3,665,787).

As expected, Sacramento has exercised its fourth-year option on De’Aaron Fox ($8,099,627) and its third-year option on Marvin Bagley III ($8,963,640). Those were procedural moves and were never in doubt. However, the decisions on Giles and Swanigan are a little more interesting.

Giles, the 20th overall pick in the 2017 draft, has been plagued by knee issues since entering the league. Injuries cost him his entire rookie year and limited him to 58 games (14.1 MPG) in 2018/19. He has also yet to play this season as he battles knee pain.

Given his upside, I still though Sacramento would likely exercise Giles’ 2020/21 option. However, it appears the club decided the risk outweighed the reward when it came to guaranteeing nearly $4MM for the big man.

The Kings’ option decision on Swanigan is less surprising. The former Purdue power forward has averaged just 2.1 PPG and 2.4 RPG in 51 career regular season contests with Portland and Sacramento, having never developed into a reliable rotation player.

Giles and Swanigan, two of just four players around the NBA who have had their rookie scale options turned down, will both become unrestricted free agents in 2020 as a result of today’s decisions. At that time, Sacramento won’t be able to offer them a starting salary worth more than the value of their declined options.

Meanwhile, Fox will become extension-eligible next July, while Bagley has one more option on his rookie scale contract for the 2021/22 season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

World Cup Notes: Spain, Rubio, Popovich, Fox

September 15th, 2019 at 10:22am CST by Arthur Hill

Suns guard Ricky Rubio was named World Cup MVP as Spain captured the gold medal this morning by rolling past Argentina, 95-75. France claimed the bronze by defeating Australia.

The all-World Cup team had a strong NBA flavor as Rubio was joined by Spanish teammate Marc Gasol, Serbia’s Bogdan Bogdanovic, France’s Evan Fournier and Argentina’s Luis Scola. Gasol capped a memorable three-month stretch that included an NBA title with the Raptors and the World Cup crown.

“We were not the most talented team,” Rubio said. “We were not the biggest team. But we played with heart. We will be family for life.” (Twitter link from Emiliano Carchia of Sportando)

There’s more World Cup news to pass along:

Coach Gregg Popovich blasted critics who are taking shots at Team USA after a seventh-place finish, relays Brian Windhorst of ESPN. The Americans won the past two World Cups, but fell far short this time, losing back-to-back games to France and Serbia. “Some people want to play the blame game. There’s no blame to be placed anywhere,” Popovich said. “They want to play the shame game, like we should be ashamed because we didn’t win a gold medal? That’s a ridiculous attitude. It’s immature, it’s arrogant, and it shows that whoever thinks that doesn’t respect all the other teams in the world and doesn’t respect that these guys did the best they could.” Windhorst notes that only four of the 35 players who were on the projected U.S. roster last summer wound up playing in China.
There are no hard feelings from USA Basketball toward Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, who left the team shortly before it departed for exhibition games in Australia, according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. It was suggested on ESPN’s “The Jump” this week that Fox wouldn’t be considered for future international teams, but USA Basketball communications director Craig Miller said the organization “understands De’Aaron’s decision.”
Both of this year’s finalists were successful with players who are considered past their prime, strengthening the argument that continuity provides a huge advantage in international play, writes Tom Ziller of SB Nation. Argentina was led by the 39-year-old Scola, while Spain’s foundation of Rubio, Gasol, Sergio Llull, Rudy Fernandez and Victor Claver has been together for many years.