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Kings Notes: Bagley, Fox, Harding, D. Jones

April 17th, 2021 at 7:46pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Kings‘ decision to let Marvin Bagley III stay away from the team while he recovered from a broken bone in his left hand raises questions about his future with the organization, writes Jason Jones of The Athletic. Bagley, who hasn’t played since March 15 when he suffered a fracture of his fourth metacarpal, rejoined his teammates Thursday on their road trip.

Jones states that letting Bagley be on his own for so long with an injury that wasn’t season ending appears to be “more of the coddling and enabling of players” that the Kings have gotten a reputation for. Team officials stayed in touch with Bagley during his absence, but Jones suggests he could have benefited from taking part in game preparation and other day-to-day activities.

Bagley still has a splint on his hand and is not close to returning to action, according to coach Luke Walton (Twitter link). When he does return, his performance over the remainder of the season may help the Kings determine his future. Bagley will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer, but he has only played 50 combined games over the past two seasons. League sources tell Jones that Sacramento made Bagley available before this year’s trade deadline, but the front office didn’t receive any offers it liked.

There’s more on the Kings:

De’Aaron Fox has been the one constant on a Sacramento team that has posted a five-game winning streak and a pair of nine-game losing streaks this season, notes Spencer Davies of Basketball News. Fox is carrying the Kings’ offense every night and averaging a career best 25.2 PPG. “Just from the hours that he puts in and watching him this summer, (we knew) that something different was about to happen — we saw how locked in he was,” teammate Richaun Holmes said. “It’s honestly been amazing to watch. … He’s so vocal on and off the floor, and just his mindset is to attack.”
Lindsey Harding, who is in her second season as an assistant with the Kings, has been named head coach of the South Sudan Federation women’s team, Jones tweets.
In case you missed it, the Kings have signed Damian Jones to a second 10-day contract. His first one expired Friday night. With Holmes injured, Jones has been the team’s starting center in the past two games.

Injury Notes: Holmes, Bagley, Butler, Augustin, Hayward, SGA

April 14th, 2021 at 8:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kings center Richaun Holmes will miss at least three games with a strained right hamstring, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. After suffering the injury in Monday’s game, Holmes underwent an MRI that revealed the extent of the damage.

He will be held out of tonight’s game against the Wizards and won’t accompany the team on a two-game road trip to face the Suns and Mavericks. Holmes is averaging 14.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game this season.

“We’ll see how he’s doing as we get back into town,” coach Luke Walton said. “Clearly, we’ll miss him. He’s had an incredible year for us so far and he’s a big part of what we’re trying to do.”

There are more injury updates from around the league:

The Kings got good news about Marvin Bagley III, who will rejoin the team Thursday in Phoenix, according to Jason Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link). Bagley has been away from his teammates while rehabbing a fracture in his left hand, and there were plans for him to return to the club when he was close to being able to play again.
Heat forward Jimmy Butler had an injury scare involving his ankle in Tuesday’s game, but he will be in the starting lineup tonight in Denver, tweets Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. “There’s no doubt about it, that Jimmy will always want to go,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “But we evaluated him today and he passed all the tests with the trainers and that allowed him to where we all feel comfortable, him going tonight.”
Rockets guard D.J. Augustin had an MRI today on his sprained left ankle, tweets Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston. Coach Stephen Silas said Augustin is using crutches and a walking boot and has been ruled out at least through Monday. Danuel House, who hasn’t played since April 4 due to a sprained ankle, and Eric Gordon, who has been sidelined since March 11 with a groin strain, are also both expected to miss another week or so.
Hornets forward Gordon Hayward still has a protective boot on his strained right foot, according to Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). He is expected to be re-evaluated early next month.
Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was projected to be out through at least mid-April with plantar fasciitis, but his condition hasn’t been re-evaluated yet, coach Mark Daigneault told Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman (Twitter link).

Kings Notes: Wright, Davis, Harkless, Bagley

March 30th, 2021 at 3:08pm CST by Luke Adams

There was speculation in the weeks leading up to March 25 that the Kings could be major sellers at the trade deadline, with players like Harrison Barnes, Buddy Hield, and Richaun Holmes frequently mentioned as possible candidates to be on the move.

However, general manager Monte McNair chose another direction, making a series of smaller-scale deals to add talent to the current roster, rather than dealing away established veterans for long-term assets. While Sacramento didn’t go all-in, the team’s deadline deals made clear that the playoffs are still a goal in 2021.

“I think really we saw this year that there were maybe some traditional buy/sell moves, but I think where we categorize ourselves was like, value buyers,” McNair said, per James Ham of NBC Sports California. “We kinda explored all opportunities and this is what came to the forefront.”

As Sean Cunningham of ABC10 tweets, McNair said the Kings entered the deadline hoping to add depth and defense, and he felt like they did that by acquiring Delon Wright, Terence Davis, Maurice Harkless, and Chris Silva.

Here’s more on the Kings:

The Kings’ deadline deals are paying dividends so far, with Wright, Davis, and Harkless helping the team extend its winning streak to five games on Monday night in San Antonio, Ham writes for NBC Sports California. “Delon does a great job of making sure our pace is good. TD adds an aggressiveness on both sides of the ball. Moe is just savvy, smart, knows where to be,” center Richaun Holmes said of his new teammates. “Those guys came in ready to fit in and ready to help the team.”
Kings big man Marvin Bagley III has remained away from the team while he recovers from his left hand fracture, but he has remained in constant communication with the Kings and the plan is for him to rejoin the club as he gets closer to returning to action, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee.
In case you missed it, an earlier report indicated that Holmes’ price tag in free agency this summer could be upwards of $20MM per year, with Charlotte among the teams expected to challenge Holmes for free agent center.

Pacific Rumors: Mann, Clippers, Kings, Paschall, Wiseman

March 23rd, 2021 at 9:51am CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers don’t have any future first-round picks to offer up in trades and their roster is somewhat lacking in young talent, but second-year wing Terance Mann has emerged as an intriguing potential trade chip for the club, writes Sean Deveney of Heavy.com. Mann has established new career highs in points in each of his last two games, scoring 16 on Saturday and 21 on Monday.

If the Clippers make a deal, their preference would be to use veterans and second-round picks, but it’s a safe bet that potential trade partners will want Mann. The Kings inquired on the 24-year-old before agreeing to trade for Mfiondu Kabengele, according to Deveney.

“I don’t think they’re looking to trade (Mann),” a source told Deveney. “But I think they know when they get into some of the talks on higher-end guys, teams are going to ask for Mann. Everyone wants a first-round pick, but this kid is better than a lot of first-round picks from his class.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

Chris Mannix of SI.com makes the case for why the Clippers need to make a deadline deal to cement themselves as true title contenders.
The Clippers sent $2.7MM in cash to the Kings as part of Monday’s Kabengele trade, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
The Kings still haven’t found any trades to their liking involving Nemanja Bjelica or Marvin Bagley III, according to Jason Jones of The Athletic, who says the team passed on an earlier opportunity to move Bjelica.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said on Monday night that there’s a chance Eric Paschall and James Wiseman will be cleared for Tuesday’s game vs. Philadelphia, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). A report last Wednesday indicated Paschall and Wiseman would be in the NBA’s health and safety protocols for at least a week.
Although the Suns will have some options at the trade deadline, they don’t need to make any big moves, argues Greg Moore of The Arizona Republic.

Trade Rumors: Gordon, Bagley, Collins, Turner, Nuggets, Mavs

March 23rd, 2021 at 9:11am CST by Luke Adams

Magic forward Aaron Gordon continues to be one of the most intriguing trade candidates leading up to Thursday’s deadline, with a Monday report indicating that the Celtics are believed to be the frontrunners for him. Boston reportedly offered two first-round picks and may be eyeing a bigger deal that also features Marcus Smart and Evan Fournier, as Sam Amick of The Athletic confirms.

According to Amick, the Nuggets are currently viewed as the second-strongest suitor for Gordon. Denver has done a good deal of research on the veteran forward in an attempt to determine how well he’d fit the team’s system and culture, sources tell The Athletic.

The Rockets were considered a serious threat to land Gordon at one point, but they no longer to be among the favorites. As Amick explains, the 25-year-old’s disinterest in signing a longer-term extension with Houston may dissuade the club from giving up valuable assets for him. Gordon’s current contract is set to expire after the 2021/22 season.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

The Kings, who reportedly offered Marvin Bagley III to Detroit in a proposal for Saddiq Bey, have also made Bagley available in discussions with the Hawks about John Collins, says Amick. The Celtics, meanwhile, have “cooled” on Collins due to concerns about how much he’ll cost to retain in restricted free agency, Amick adds.
The Pacers would have to be blown away by a “no-brainer” deal in order to trade Myles Turner this week, multiple sources tell J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star. The Hornets, Lakers, Clippers, Knicks, and Pelicans are among the teams with interest in the big man, according to Michael, who says one three-team deal discussed last season would’ve sent Turner to New Orleans and Collins to Indiana.
The Nuggets and Mavericks remain on the lookout for wing help, with both clubs offering second-round picks and a veteran for salary-matching purposes (Gary Harris and James Johnson), per Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

Haynes’ Latest: Bagley, Pistons, Bey, Gordon, Collins, Cavs

March 22nd, 2021 at 12:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons recently turned down an offer from the Kings that would have sent rookie forward Saddiq Bey to Sacramento in a deal involving Marvin Bagley III, league sources tell Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

After Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report suggested earlier today that Bagley would welcome a change of scenery, Haynes reiterates that point in his latest report, writing that the Kings and the third-year big man are “keen on discovering a corridor toward separation.”

A deal for Bey would be a long shot though, as the Pistons have shown little to no interest in parting with any members of their rookie class, according to James Edwards III of The Athletic, who says all four of those rookies (Bey, Killian Hayes, Isaiah Stewart, and Saben Lee) are considered building blocks for the team’s rebuild.

Here’s more from Haynes:

Rockets players thought the team was on the verge of acquiring Magic forward Aaron Gordon a few days ago, but at least one source with knowledge of trade talks disputed that a deal was at the finish line, writes Haynes. Sources tell Yahoo Sports that Gordon doesn’t want to go to a rebuilding team, preferring to join a club with the potential to make a playoff run. While Gordon doesn’t have the ability to dictate his landing spot, he’ll be a free agent in 2022, so any team giving up assets to acquire him would want to be relatively confident it could sign him beyond then, Haynes observes.
As other reports have suggested, the odds of a John Collins trade this week appear to be declining. Haynes says the Hawks haven’t been overly impressed by the offers, including a Mavericks package featuring Maxi Kleber.
Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen isn’t going anywhere before the trade deadline, but Cleveland is expected to have plenty of competition for him on the restricted free agent market this summer. Haynes reports that the Pistons, Raptors, Spurs, and Wizards are expected to be among the teams with interest in Allen, who turned down a four-year, $48MM extension offer from the Nets before the season.
A buyout is becoming a more likely outcome than a trade for Cavaliers center JaVale McGee, league sources tell Yahoo Sports. A buyout would be a bit of a surprise if there’s any interest in McGee, since he’s on a very movable $4.2MM expiring contract.

Kings Rumors: Holmes, Barnes, Bagley, Bjelica

March 22nd, 2021 at 9:46am CST by Luke Adams

Although the Kings are open to listening to trade inquiries for anyone not named De’Aaron Fox or Tyrese Haliburton, sources tell Zach Lowe of ESPN that it will take a significant return to pry away forward Harrison Barnes or big man Richaun Holmes.

Barnes has been a popular subject of trade speculation in recent weeks, having reportedly drawn interest from Boston and other teams, while a report earlier today said Toronto and Charlotte are among the teams eyeing Holmes. However, according to Lowe, the Kings are telling teams that they don’t consider themselves far off from being a playoff team, so they’re not eager to trade productive veterans in their prime for draft picks and prospects.

As Lowe points out, given Marvin Bagley III‘s struggles and health problems, the Kings may also view Holmes as their center of the future and will have the cap flexibility to re-sign him in free agency this offseason. If that’s the case, there’s no reason to try to get what they can for him on the trade market.

Here’s more on the Kings:

Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report also hears that the Kings are willing to discuss anyone besides Fox or Haliburton, but that the asking price for Barnes is high. Sources tell Fischer it may take multiple first-round picks to pique Sacramento’s interest. “Every playoff team would be interested in him, but that’s why I don’t think that deal’s gonna happen,” one assistant general manager said of Barnes.
There’s a belief in league circles that Bagley would welcome a change of scenery, according to Fischer. Bagley’s father pushed for a trade earlier this year, and the former No. 2 overall pick didn’t exactly denounce it. However, the big man is currently sidelined with a broken hand and Sacramento is asking for a first-round pick, reducing the likelihood of a deal, Fischer says.
Although it’s unclear whether any team will meet Sacramento’s asking price of a younger player and a second-round pick, Nemanja Bjelica remains the King most likely to be traded, per Fischer. “They want to move him, and Bjelica told them he wants to be moved,” an assistant GM said. League sources who spoke to Bleacher Report identified the Celtics as a top suitor for the stretch four.

Bagley To Have Broken Hand Re-Evaluated In Four Weeks

March 18th, 2021 at 8:23pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

After fracturing the fourth metacarpal in his left hand on Monday against the Hornets, Kings big man Marvin Bagley III will not require surgery, per Jason Jones of The Athletic (via Twitter). Jones adds that Sacramento will reassess the malady and update Bagley’s recovery timeline in four weeks.

The No. 2 overall selection in the 2018 draft out of Duke, Bagley is averaging 13.9 PPG and 7.4 RPG this season across 25.7 MPG for the 16-24 Kings in a starting role, very much in line with his career stats of 14.5 PPG and 7.5 RPG in 25.5 MPG.

Various injuries have impeded the 22-year-old Bagley’s development for much of his NBA career thus far. He has appeared in just 112 of a possible 194 games over the course of his tenure in Sacramento. Bagley looked like a possible trade candidate this season, but his latest injury – combined with his overall lack of availability – will limit his value, and the Kings likely won’t be eager to sell low.

Kings’ Bagley Suffers Fractured Left Hand

March 15th, 2021 at 8:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kings big man Marvin Bagley III suffered a fracture of the fourth metacarpal in his left hand on Monday, James Ham of the NBC Sports California tweets.

Bagley’s injury occurred during the first half of Sacramento’s game at Charlotte. An X-ray taken at the Spectrum Center revealed the fracture, according to a team press release. He’ll undergo a further medical evaluation in the coming days and an update regarding the course of treatment will be provided by the team.

Bagley, the second pick of the 2018 draft, was averaging 13.9 PPG and 7.6 RPG entering the contest while starting 36 contests.

He’s been snakebit by injuries over the last two seasons. Bagley missed the restart last summer due to a right foot injury and was also sidelined earlier last season by left foot and thumb ailments, as he appeared in just 13 games. He missed training camp workouts this season due to a bout with COVID-19.

Bagley’s father caused some controversy in early January when he tweeted that the team should trade his son, a tweet the younger Bagley declined to discuss.

There has been some speculation that the Kings’ new front office might try to move on from Bagley but potential suitors are discouraged by his contract and an approximate $15MM qualifying offer in 2022.

Amick’s Latest: Celtics, Barnes, Clippers, Lowry, Bagley

March 10th, 2021 at 11:11am CST by Luke Adams

Many front office people around the NBA believe the Celtics might trade for Kings forward Harrison Barnes prior to this month’s deadline, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. Boston’s interest in Barnes has been reported multiple times this season, including on Tuesday by Chris Mannix of SI.com.

As Amick explains, Barnes is probably a more realistic target for the Celtics than players like Jerami Grant and Nikola Vucevic, whose teams would likely seek a more substantial return. Sources tell The Athletic that the Kings appear to be shifting into seller mode, so they could be intrigued by Boston’s first-round picks and young prospects, who would match Sacramento’s timeline.

Here’s more from Amick:

Sources tell The Athletic that the Celtics‘ interest in James Harden – and their involvement in the Harden sweepstakes – was more serious than Danny Ainge‘s comments at the time would suggest. Amick has previously reported that Boston was still in the mix during the later stages of negotiations.
The Clippers feel good about their core and if they make any trades, they’ll likely just address the margins of their roster, according to Amick, who hears from sources that Lou Williams no longer appears available, as he was in the offseason.
People around the NBA believe Kyle Lowry‘s $30.5MM cap hit will be an obstacle that may prevent the Raptors guard from being dealt, says Amick. The Clippers are among the teams with interest in Lowry, but may not be able to make the money work, according to Amick, who points to the Thunder‘s George Hill as a more affordable and attainable alternative for teams in need of a veteran point guard.
Finances will also be a factor for teams considering making a play for Kings forward Marvin Bagley III, per Amick. Bagley will make $11.3MM in 2021/22 and his qualifying offer in ’22 would be worth nearly $15MM.