DeMar DeRozan Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Kings Notes: Losing Streak, Lineup Changes, Brown, Fox

December 23rd, 2024 at 11:11am CST by Arthur Hill

Kings fans loudly expressed their displeasure Sunday night as the team suffered a 27-point blowout against Indiana that marked its fourth straight loss at home, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Amid pressure to shake up the roster, Sacramento matched its longest losing streak of the season and is in danger of slipping out of the playoff race at 13-17.

“You never want to get booed at home, but we probably deserve it,” Kevin Huerter said. “We just lost three in a row and then you get beat by 30 on your home court during Christmas time. (The fans) deserve better.”

The Kings were hoping to be contenders after adding DeMar DeRozan to an already impressive array of offensive talent. But DeRozan’s frustrating night — scoring just two points while shooting 1-of-7 from the field — has been emblematic of the season-long struggle to mesh everyone together. Malik Monk cited memories of his time with the Lakers when they missed the playoffs despite a talented roster.

“Not playing together, like we’ve been doing all season,” Monk said in explaining Sunday’s loss. “We’ll have a great half and then we’ll go back to one-pass shots, no-pass shots. We’ve just got to continue to move the ball.”

There’s more from Sacramento:

The crowd started chanting for Keon Ellis after the Kings fell behind by 12 points early in the second half, and that’s one of the options coach Mike Brown will consider as he tries to reconfigure his rotation, Anderson adds. Brown told reporters that Ellis, Doug McDermott, Trey Lyles and Isaac Jones might get more playing time. “I’m going to keep searching it,” Brown said. “I was searching a little tonight. We hadn’t shot the ball well the last few games from the three-point line. We did three games ago when Doug got some good minutes. He helped space the floor and we ended up scoring 120-something points against Denver, so I gave him an opportunity tonight, but if somebody new steps in and gets an opportunity like Trey at the five and Doug on the floor, that probably means somebody is going to be out. Tonight, that was Isaac and Keon. Those guys have been playing for us as of late, but they were out tonight just because the minutes aren’t there.” The Kings have a +8.9 net rating in Ellis’ 564 minutes on the court this season and a -2.5 mark in the 891 minutes he hasn’t played.
Brown stressed the need for togetherness throughout the organization following Saturday’s loss to the Lakers, Anderson states in a separate story. Citing a “bunker mentality,” he talked about the commitment that runs from ownership through the front office to the coaching staff. “It always has to be a collective effort,” Brown said. “One of the things I said when I first got the job here is we have to have an alignment vertically and horizontally. Not just during good times, not just when I first got here or when change happens, but you have to do it and it’s even more evident when you hit a little adversity. If that alignment is truly in place and people truly believe, then it’s easy to go through adversity.”
De’Aaron Fox said the Kings needs to find the right mindset to turn their season around, Anderson adds in another piece. “You have to enjoy playing the game period, and you have to enjoy playing with each other,” he said, “and I think we have to find that sense of enjoyment.”

Pacific Notes: Kuminga, Curry, Green, Harden, DeRozan

December 6th, 2024 at 5:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Without Stephen Curry and Draymond Green available on Thursday vs. Houston, Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga had his best game so far this fall — his 33 points, seven rebounds, and 33 minutes were all season highs, and as Anthony Slater of The Athletic writes, Kuminga played an important role in crunch time to help Golden State secure a hard-fought victory.

Kuminga’s role and playing time have been inconsistent this season, in part because the Warriors have such a deep rotation and head coach Steve Kerr has been adamant about starting a center next to Green. Kuminga, who has been in and out of the starting lineup, has been at his best when he’s played at power forward rather than at the three alongside Green and a center. Kuminga has been at the four in each of the Warriors’ past two games, starting next to Looney in the frontcourt with Green sidelined.

“The floor has been opened up a little bit the last couple games for JK,” Kerr said. “But can we get him out there more with Draymond, with Loon? But as a (power forward) like he’s been playing the last couple of nights. That’s really the key. We just have a lot of guys, so we have to sort through all this. But there’s no question we can do more of this.”

As Shams Charania said during a Friday appearance on ESPN’s NBA Today (Twitter video link), the Warriors continue to seek a star to complement Curry after missing out on Paul George and Lauri Markkanen over the offseason. The question, Charania says, is whether that star needs to be acquired externally or whether a current Warrior like Kuminga could still become that player.

“That relationship between Jonathan Kuminga and Steve Kerr is something that Warriors officials have been monitoring over the last year or so,” Charania said. “How he fits in when Stephen Curry and Draymond Green will be interesting to monitor.”

We have more from around the Pacific:

The Warriors should get a chance on Friday to assess how to best use Kuminga with both Curry and Green available. According to Slater (Twitter link), both players are listed as probable to play vs. Minnesota. Curry was out on Thursday due to bilateral knee injury management, while Green missed back-to-back games with left calf tightness.
After spending a few years as a secondary offensive option in Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles, James Harden has been back in a featured role as the Clippers‘ offensive engine this fall — his usage rate of 30.3% is his highest mark since his last full season in Houston in 2019/20. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (Insider link), Harden has been “almost universally” praised within the Clippers’ organization for his leadership and offensive impact, and sources close to the team have cited his bond with new assistant Jeff Van Gundy as an important factor in Harden’s day-to-day preparation. The Clippers guard is also dedicated to getting “the most sleep of his life” to stay sharp at age 35, Windhorst adds.
Within that same ESPN Insider story, Windhorst and Bontemps spoke to rival NBA executives who questioned DeMar DeRozan‘s fit with the Kings, pointing out that the veteran forward operates in the same areas of the court as De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis and “hasn’t driven winning” in San Antonio, Chicago, and Sacramento. While the Kings are off to a disappointing 10-13 start this season, it’s unclear whether the fit of the DeRozan/Fox/Sabonis trio is the issue. As Bontemps observes, the club has a +6.5 net rating in the trio’s 420 minutes on the court together.

Spurs Notes: M. Johnson, Popovich, Harrison, Castle, DeRozan

December 1st, 2024 at 7:22pm CST by Rory Maher

Assistant Mitch Johnson has compiled an 8-6 record in 2024/25 serving as acting head coach while Gregg Popovich recovers from what the Spurs called a “mild stroke.” While that record is impressive, particularly given what oddsmakers thought of the team entering the season, it doesn’t necessarily reflect how pleased the organization has been with Johnson’s performance.

According to Mike Finger of The San Antonio Express-News (subscriber link), there’s a “universal sentiment” from both the front office and the locker room that the team is “thrilled with how Johnson has carried himself.”

A former Stanford point guard, Johnson became a Spurs assistant in 2016, and was promoted to a front-of-bench role in 2019. As Finger observes, the 38-year-old also served as acting head coach for one game each in 2021 and 2023 when Popovich was unavailable, yet another sign of how highly San Antonio views him as a person and as a coach.

Here’s more on the Spurs:

There have been no real updates on Popovich’s status beyond San Antonio continuing to say that he’ll be out indefinitely, but Finger writes that there’s a “strong possibility that Johnson will remain in charge for at least a few months.” Obviously, that strongly suggests that Popovich’s return isn’t imminent.
Veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein hears the Spurs attempted to lure longtime Nike executive Nico Harrison away from the company “no less than three separate times” before he became the Mavericks‘ GM in 2021 (Substack link). Harrison, who now holds dual titles of GM and president of basketball operations, received a multiyear contract extension from Dallas in June.
No. 4 overall pick Stephon Castle is off to a strong start to his NBA career. Could he be the second consecutive Spur to win Rookie of the Year after Victor Wembanyama claimed the award last season? Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required) considers that question, and lists several other rookies who are early contenders to be named the league’s top rookie. “He’s a really physical player for a rookie, and especially for a guard,” said Utah coach Will Hardy, who has seen Castle five times already including a preseason matchup. “He seems to be poised and competitive. All signs are saying he’s a good player and a really tough kid.”
Ahead of Sunday’s matchup against DeMar DeRozan and the Kings, McDonald (subscriber link) revisits the offseason sign-and-trade that saw the Spurs acquire Harrison Barnes and a 2031 first-round pick swap (from Sacramento) and DeRozan land with the Kings. DeRozan was “beloved” during his three seasons with the Spurs, and he continues to pay dividends for the organization three-plus years after his departure, according to McDonald, who notes that Chicago still owes its top-10 protected 2025 first-round pick — and its 2025 second-rounder — to San Antonio from the 2021 sign-and-trade that sent the six-time All-Star to the Bulls.

Pacific Notes: DeRozan, Huerter, Crowder, Reaves, Booker

November 30th, 2024 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Kings are optimistic that DeMar DeRozan will be back on the court for Sunday’s game against San Antonio, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. After missing the past two games with lower back muscle inflammation, DeRozan was a full participant at today’s practice and is listed as probable on the team’s injury report.

Anderson points out that DeRozan’s early-season battle with injuries has been one of the reasons for the team’s slow start. He missed three games earlier this month with tightness in his lower back, then returned for three games before the back issue flared up again on Monday. DeRozan has been an important cog in the offense when healthy, averaging 22.6 points per game in his first season in Sacramento.

The short-term outlook is less promising for Kevin Huerter, who wasn’t able to practice today, Anderson adds. The veteran guard had to leave Friday’s loss to Portland after rolling his ankle, and he’s considered doubtful to play in Sunday’s contest.

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

In an interview with Sean Cunningham of KTXL (Twitter video link), Jae Crowder talks about the chance to resume his NBA career with the Kings. Crowder admits being disappointed that he wasn’t invited to training camp after auditioning for the team in September, but he’s grateful that the opportunity eventually came. “I thought I had a good week here,” he said of the preseason workout. “I was connecting with the guys in a great way, especially the younger guys latched on to me. … I felt like I did my job in the sense of just being a veteran when I came in the gym, and I just tried to play the right way and give myself a chance to be on this team.”
Lakers guard Austin Reaves suffered a left pelvic contusion, but no structural damage, on a hard fall in Friday’s game against Oklahoma City, per Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times (Bluesky link). Reaves was injured when he landed on his back after being hit by Isaiah Hartenstein and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on a drive to the basket. Reaves stayed in the game to shoot his free throws, but went to the locker room shortly afterward. Woike adds that he traveled with the team on its four-game road trip and will be listed as questionable for Sunday’s game at Utah.
Before tonight’s meeting with the Suns, Warriors coach Steve Kerr once again singled out Devin Booker for adjusting his game to complement the other elite players on the U.S. Olympic team (Twitter video link from PHNX Sports). “It’s not easy for a guy to adapt his normal role of go-to-guy, scorer and then to be asked to be a defender, connector and then thrive in that role,” Kerr said, “and then become a star when we needed him to become a star.”

Injury Notes: DeRozan, Blazers, Pelicans, Thunder, Bulls

November 29th, 2024 at 8:27am CST by Rory Maher

Kings forward DeMar DeRozan will be sidelined for Friday’s game in Portland due to muscle inflammation in his lower back, tweets Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. It will be DeRozan’s second straight absence — and fifth overall — as he continues to deal with the back issue.

The Trail Blazers will also be shorthanded on Friday, announcing (via Twitter) that Jerami Grant (left knee sprain) and Robert Williams (concussion protocol) are doubtful to play, while Donovan Clingan (left knee sprain) and Matisse Thybulle (right ankle sprain) remain out with multi-week injuries.

Here are some more injury notes from around the NBA:

Four Pelicans — Jamal Cain (right ankle sprain), Jordan Hawkins (low back soreness), Brandon Ingram (right calf soreness) and Trey Murphy (left knee contusion) — are questionable for Friday’s contest in Memphis, per the NBA’s latest injury report. Of the four, only Hawkins was able to suit up for Wednesday’s blowout home loss to Toronto. Jose Alvarado, Herbert Jones and Zion Williamson remain sidelined with their own respective injuries.
[Update: Cain, Hawkins and Ingram are out Friday, while Murphy is a game-time decision, head coach Willie Green told reporters, including Christian Clark of NOLA.com (Twitter link).]
Although he sustained a right eye injury on Wednesday which caused him to exit the road win at Golden State, Thunder forward Jalen Williams doesn’t appear on the injury report for Friday’s matchup at the Lakers, indicating he’ll be ready go, tweets Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman. However, Alex Caruso will miss Friday’s game against his former team, having been ruled out due to a right hip strain. It will be the All-Defensive member’s third consecutive absence.
Three rotation members of the Bulls are questionable for Friday’s contest vs. Boston. Guard Coby White (left wrist sprain), wing Dalen Terry (right ankle sprain) and big man Jalen Smith (left ankle sprain) are the players in question, while guard Lonzo Ball (right wrist sprain) is probable, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link).

Pacific Notes: Monk, DeRozan, Curry, Harden, Miller

November 26th, 2024 at 9:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kings guard Malik Monk said the team would hold a meeting before Wednesday’s game in Minnesota. Sacramento enters the contest saddled with a four-game losing streak.

“We’re gonna say something,” Monk told Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee. “I feel like we always say something after every loss, so (Tuesday) we’ll probably say something when we get to Minnesota.”

Monk’s comments came after the Kings gave up 130 points to Oklahoma City on Monday.

Monk said the team’s veterans need to speak up, specifically mentioning De’Aaron Fox, DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis.

“I feel like we’ve got a veteran team now with a few young guys, so we know how to turn it around,” Monk said. “Domas is going to say a few things, I’m going to say a few things, Fox will say a few things and DeMar will say a few things. We’ve got to turn it around quick, though.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Speaking of DeRozan, he won’t suit up on Wednesday. He experienced lower back muscle inflammation following Sunday’s game, Anderson tweets. DeRozan, noted for his durability, will be missing his fourth game this season.
Warriors star Stephen Curry is listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game against OKC due to bilateral patellofemoral pain — patella soreness in both knees, The Athletic’s Anthony Slater tweets. Jonathan Kuminga, who participated in Tuesday’s practice, is also listed as questionable due to illness.
The Clippers had a five-game winning streak snapped by Boston on Monday but they’re still three games above .500. James Harden said good chemistry has led to their success, despite the absence of Kawhi Leonard. “We’re coming around, and we’re understanding who we are,” Harden told Law Murray of The Athletic. “Understanding that in order for us to have a chance at anything, we know we have to do it every single night. And that’s the most exciting part. And then, one thing about this team, we’re all happy for each other. Literally, it can be anybody’s night, on any given night. Nobody’s going to be upset; everybody’s going to be happy for each other. And things aren’t always going to be perfect to win games. But even when we lose, we’re still happy for each other. Good things will happen most of the time.”
Jordan Miller, a 2023 second-round pick, has received steady playing time over the last six Clippers games due to injuries. The two-way player has averaged 8.2 points per game during that stretch. “I’m trying to leave a good impression because I don’t know what it’s going to look like when (Norman Powell) gets back,” Miller told Janis Carr of the Orange County Register. “But they can see that I’m a solid player, and if anything ever goes wrong (injuries) or if we need a spark, Coach will be more confident in me moving forward versus me not playing.”

Western Notes: DeRozan, Sabonis, Monk, Melton, Jenkins, Payton

November 21st, 2024 at 3:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Kings forward DeMar DeRozan intends to return to action on Friday vs. the Clippers after missing three games due to a back issue, reports NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).

DeRozan may not be the only key player back on the court for the team in Los Angeles. According to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link), Domantas Sabonis (back) has fully participated in practice for the past two days, while Malik Monk (ankle) also took part in Thursday’s practice.

As Anderson relays (via Twitter), head coach Mike Brown said today that Monk – who is working his way back from an ankle sprain that was expected to keep him on the shelf through this weekend – will “most likely” remain inactive for Friday’s contest. However, Brown confirmed that DeRozan and Sabonis are “looking good” to return.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton, who will undergo season-ending surgery on his ACL, is well-liked in the locker room and could be a candidate to return to Golden State next season, given that he should be available at a bargain price, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “I know the imprint he’s already left on this organization,” teammate Draymond Green said. “He’ll have an opportunity to come back. Hopefully, he decides that’s the right thing for him.”
Taylor Jenkins secured his 215th win as the Grizzlies head coach on Wednesday to pass Lionel Hollins as the winningest coach in team history, per Clay Bailey of The Associated Press. “It’s an unbelievable honor to be among the company of so many great coaches that have come before me,” said Jenkins, who holds a 215-192 regular season record since being hired in 2019. “I always talk about the unbelievable responsibility to be the coach of this franchise. It’s a privilege and an honor.”
Appearing in his first NBA regular season game since April 2022, Elfrid Payton earned a start for the shorthanded Pelicans on Wednesday, notes Christian Clark of NOLA.com. Payton, who signed a non-guaranteed contract earlier in the day, made the most of the opportunity, contributing 11 points, eight assists, and five rebounds on 5-of-8 shooting in 22 minutes.

Pacific Notes: DeRozan, Monk, Sabonis, Bamba, Riley, Looney

November 18th, 2024 at 9:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Kings provided some positive medical updates on three key players, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee writes.

DeMar DeRozan, Malik Monk and Domantas Sabonis didn’t play on Monday but are close to returning. All three have been cleared for individual on-court workouts. They could return for Sacramento’s game against the Clippers on Friday.

DeRozan has been sidelined for three games due to lower back tightness. Sabonis missed his second straight contest for the same reason, while Monk missed his fifth consecutive game on Monday after suffering a moderate right ankle sprain on Nov. 10.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Mohamed Bamba had nine points and eight rebounds in his season debut for the Clippers on Sunday in 15 minutes of action. He had been sidelined by a left knee injury. “My knees, the doctor would say, are in the 90th percentile of healthy looking knees,” he told Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link). “But I kept getting this pocket of fluid in my knee. And it was frustrating because we couldn’t figure out why it was coming. Now we have it settled and a plan in place to kind of mitigate that.” Bamba is currently on a minutes restriction but believes he can play in back-to-backs.
The Lakers have commissioned a statue of Pat Riley to join Lakers legends on Star Plaza outside Crypto.com Arena, according to a Lakers press release. Riley will join Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant, Chick Hearn, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Jerry West with statues in the plaza. Riley coached the Showtime Lakers in the 1980s to four championships and also played for the Lakers in the 1970s.
Kevon Looney missed the Warriors’ game against the Clippers on Monday due to an illness, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets. Looney, who is headed to free agency next summer, is coming off the bench this season.

Pacific Notes: Lakers, Christie, Draymond, Waters, Fox, Kings

November 16th, 2024 at 3:49pm CST by Luke Adams

After losing four of their first five road games of the season, the Lakers were encouraged by their performance on Friday in San Antonio, writes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. Anthony Davis scored 40 points and LeBron James set a personal record with his fourth consecutive triple-double as L.A. pulled out a five-point victory over the Spurs.

“That’s what we want to do,” Davis said. “We want to be just as good of a road team as we are a home team. And we can’t do that if we don’t come out and compete. We’ve been just a different team when we’ve been out on the road. The way we compete, share the ball, play together at home, is totally different than when we get on the other side on the road. So we did that tonight.”

As Woike writes, the play of reserve wing Max Christie was another positive sign for the Lakers. After falling out of the rotation as of late, Christie logged a season-high 30 minutes on Friday with Rui Hachimura out due to a sprained right ankle and was a plus-23 in those minutes, contributing 11 points, three rebounds, and a pair of steals. the 21-year-old said it helped to know that head coach J.J. Redick still had faith in him.

“He has a lot of belief in a lot of us and I think he definitely has a lot of belief in me and I can appreciate that coming from a head coach,” Christie said. “I know you know how I can play and I think tonight was a very good example of that, when I’m just out there playing free, playing the way I know I can play instead of just trying to over-complicate things.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

Draymond Green‘s foul on Zach Edey in the third quarter of the Warriors‘ win over the Grizzlies on Friday has been upgraded to a flagrant 1, the league announced today (via Twitter). As Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal writes, the Grizzlies were upset that the foul wasn’t reviewed at the time after Green appeared to pin Edey’s lower leg to his body using his elbow and forearm, causing the big man to trip (video link). “It definitely wasn’t a basketball play,” Edey said.
Lindy Waters earned his second start of the season for the Warriors on Friday night, but left the game late in the first half and didn’t return after hyperextending his left knee while blocking a shot (video link). Brandin Podziemski started the second half in Waters’ place, notes Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Kings guard De’Aaron Fox blew past his previous career high of 44 points by pouring in a franchise-high 60 in a loss to Minnesota on Friday. Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee has the story, including quotes from Fox, his teammates, and head coach Mike Brown. “He’s an All-Star and the sky is the limit for him,” Brown said. “He knew we needed help. He put us on his back, and he almost carried us to the finish line, but he did everything in his power to get us there.”
The Kings will be missing a pair of stars on Saturday vs. Utah, as both Domantas Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan have been ruled out due to lower back tightness (Twitter link via Anderson). It’s DeRozan’s second consecutive missed game.

Injury Notes: Knicks, Hawks, Pelicans, DeRozan, Carter

November 15th, 2024 at 10:36pm CST by Rory Maher

Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns was ruled out of Friday’s win vs. Brooklyn after initially being listed as questionable, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Towns sustained a left knee contusion after bumping into Zach LaVine on Wednesday.

Backup guard Miles McBride was also downgraded from questionable to out on Friday due to an illness. McBride has been battling knee soreness as well, Bondy adds.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau provided another injury update on Precious Achiuwa prior to Friday’s contest. As Bondy notes, Achiuwa is nearing the four-week mark on his hamstring strain, which has prevented him from suiting up in 2024/25. Thibodeau said on Wednesday that Achiuwa still hasn’t been cleared for practice.

“He’s reevaluated every day,” Thibodeau said. “So yes, he has been reevaluated. The depth of it, I’m not sure. I know they’ve increased his activity. I think that part is good. With the hamstring, we just want to make sure it’s not a problem that will linger.”

Here are some more injury notes from around the NBA:

A trio of injured guards — Bogdan Bogdanovic (hamstring), Kobe Bufkin (shoulder) and Vit Krejci (adductor) — were assigned to the Hawks‘ G League affiliate on Friday to get some practice reps in, tweets Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. All three players are expected to travel with Atlanta for the team’s upcoming four-game road trip, which begins on Sunday in Portland and ends on Friday in Chicago, so there’s a chance they could return next week.
The Pelicans finally received some good injury news on Friday, according to Christian Clark of NOLA.com, who tweets that CJ McCollum has progressed to playing 5-on-5 and is getting close to returning from a right adductor strain. However, the news wasn’t all positive, as second-year guard Jordan Hawkins (low back strain) and defensive stalwart Herbert Jones (right shoulder) have not yet been cleared for contact work.
Kings forward DeMar DeRozan missed his first game of the season on Friday vs. Minnesota due to lower back tightness, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. DeRozan exited Wednesday’s game with the injury, was unable to practice on Thursday (Twitter link via James Ham of The Kings Beat), and also did not participate in Friday’s shootaround, per Sean Cunningham of Fox 40 KTXL (Twitter link).
Magic big man Wendell Carter Jr. missed his seventh straight game on Friday due to plantar fasciitis in his left foot. Head coach Jamahl Mosley said Orlando’s starting center has been receiving treatment and is “progressing,” albeit “slowly,” according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link). “(Carter’s) been on the bike. He’s doing some spot shooting,” Mosley said.