Richaun Holmes Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Kings Willing To Reconcile With Dedmon

January 27th, 2020 at 6:26pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Kings are willing to retain and mend their relationship with center Dewayne Dedmon, according to Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee.

Dedmon was fined $50K by the league after publicly requesting a trade late last month.

“I would like to be traded,” Dedmon said at the time. “I haven’t been playing, so I would like to go somewhere where my talents are appreciated.”

The Kings are willing to deal Dedmon but only if they get a fair return, Anderson adds. The Kings signed Dedmon to a three-year, $40MM contract during free agency over the summer, but when Richaun Holmes emerged as a starter, he fell out of the rotation.

With Holmes (shoulder) and Marvin Bagley III (foot) dealing with injuries, Dedmon has received an increase in playing time lately. He had a 13-point, 10-rebound outing against the Pistons last Wednesday and saw 19 minutes of court time against Chicago on Friday.

Overall, Dedmon hasn’t been able to duplicate the success he had in Atlanta last season, when he averaged 10.8 PPG and 7.5 RPG while shooting 38.2% on 3-point attempts in 25.1 MPG. He is shooting 21.3% from 3-point range this season with averages of 6.4 PPG and 5.9 RPG in 14.5 MPG.

Richaun Holmes To Miss Multiple Weeks

January 12th, 2020 at 6:48pm CST by JD Shaw

Kings big man Richaun Holmes will be re-evaluated in two-to-three weeks due to a right shoulder injury, the team announced on Sunday, as relayed by Jason Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Holmes recently underwent imaging that revealed an injury to his shoulder joint, with the 26-year-old now likely to miss several games. The team originally termed the injury a shoulder strain.

Holmes is enjoying a career-best season with Sacramento, averaging 13.1 points, 8.5 rebounds in 29.4 minutes per game through 37 contests in his first campaign as starting center. The Kings will greatly miss his interior production — head coach Luke Walton praised the fifth-year player earlier this month.

“He’s been an anchor for us,” Walton said, per Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee. “He plays with that passion and fire that I think the Sacramento fan base really gets behind because he just leaves it all out there every time he plays. He’s made a lot of winning plays for us. He’s having a heck of a year so far.”

Holmes’ injury will allow other frontcourt players to see increased minutes for the Kings, with seventh-year center Dewayne Dedmon worth monitoring the rest of the month. Dedmon was fined $50K for publicly requesting a trade last month and is in the first season of a three-year, $40MM contract.

The Kings have been hammered with injuries during the first half of the season, owning the third-worst record in the Western Conference at 15-24. On the flip side, the team is just two games back from the eighth seed in the conference, with upcoming home contests scheduled against Orlando on Monday and Dallas on Wednesday.

Pacific Notes: Baynes, Ayton, LeBron, Poole, Holmes

January 5th, 2020 at 9:51pm CST by JD Shaw

The Suns started both Deandre Ayton and Aron Baynes together for the first time when the team hosted New York on Friday, testing a larger lineup which resulted in a 120-112 win, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic writes.

Suns general manager James Jones and head coach Monty Williams discussed the possibility on Thursday, Rankin notes, with the team sporting the same frontcourt against Memphis on Sunday.

“We’ve been having discussions about it,” Williams said. “James and I had a long talk (Thursday). I had been thinking about it, but James kind of pushed me in the corner on the phone and started talking about DA (Ayton) and his ability to not just dive, but pick-and-pop and do some things a lot of fours can do.”

Baynes finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds and two assists in 29 minutes of work against the Knicks, with Ayton recording 15 points, 13 rebounds and five assists in 37 minutes. The coaching adjustment has drawn praise from many within the organization, including other players.

“I love it,” Suns wing Kelly Oubre Jr. said. “A lot of size. A lot of length, athleticism. You got athletes. You got strong, physical specimens like Aron Baynes. It’s just amazing we can switch up the lineups and still play the right way.”

After hosting Memphis on Sunday, Phoenix (14-21) will wrap up its five-game homestand with games against Sacramento on Tuesday, Orlando on Friday and Charlotte the following Sunday.

There’s more from the Pacific Division tonight:

LeBron James has remained at the center of the Lakers‘ revamped roster this season, Rod Beard of The Detroit News writes. The Lakers overhauled its roster by upgrading James’ supporting cast, pairing him with All-Star forward Anthony Davis and adding veterans such as Danny Green and Dwight Howard. “First and foremost, you have to be able to control the game from the mental aspect,” coach Frank Vogel said of James. “He was always able to do that as a young player — and particularly in his prime — but I think that’s boding well for him later in his career. Also, it’s the around-the-clock attention that he gives to his body just to make sure that he’s doing everything the right way to put his body in the best position to have success.”
Warriors rookie Jordan Poole rediscovered his shot during a recent stretch in the NBA G League, Marcus White of NBC Sports writes. Poole scored 24 points to help lead Santa Cruz to a 110-106 win over Salt Lake City on Friday, getting recalled by the team the following day. Poole has averaged seven points per game in 30 contests with Golden State this season, shooting just 26% from the floor and 24% from 3-point range.
Kings big man Richaun Holmes has acted as a much-needed anchor for the team this year, head coach Luke Walton said, as relayed by Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee. “He plays with that passion and fire that I think the Sacramento fan base really gets behind because he just leaves it all out there every time he plays,” Walton said, praising the 26-year-old. “He’s made a lot of winning plays for us. He’s having a heck of a year so far.” Holmes has averaged a career-high 13.3 points, 8.6 rebounds and 29.6 minutes per game on the season.

And-Ones: Melo, Morris, Pistons, Holmes

December 10th, 2019 at 10:22pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Carmelo Anthony suited up against the Knicks for the first time as a member of the Trail Blazers tonight and Marcus Morris was excited for the event.

“Man, I enjoy going against ‘Melo,” Morris said prior to the game (via Steve Popper of Newsday). “Growing up he always was my favorite player. Even when I came into the draft, I was like, yeah, I’m going to be like ‘Melo. You know what I’m saying? Over the years it’s been really good to go against him. I watched a lot of film on him.

“’Melo’s been one of the best scorers in this league for a long time. He’s still doing it. I’m very happy for him, very impressed that he could come from not playing for a while and make a great impact like he has.”

Here’s more from around the league:

In the same piece, Morris spoke about how he couldn’t understand how Anthony went so long without a team. “That’s not disrespecting nobody, but there’s guys in this league that can’t really tie ‘Melo’s shoes — now. So for sure, he should have been in the league. But it always comes full circle and he’s a real one. I always say the real never lose, so he’s back and he’s doing what he did.”
Pistons draft-and-stash prospect Deividas Sirvydis is impressing overseas, as international journalist Donatas Urbonas tweets. Sirvydis, the No. 37 overall pick in the 2019 draft, has yet to sign his first NBA contract as he continues to play in Lithuania for now.
Everything is coming together for Richaun Holmes in Sacramento, Jordan Ramirez of NBA.com writes. Holmes, who signed with the Kings this offseason, began the season on the bench but his strong play has made him one of the team’s most reliable players in the starting rotation.

Kings Notes: Bagley, Holmes, Hield

November 20th, 2019 at 1:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Kings big man Marvin Bagley III is ramping up his individual workouts and is close to returning from the broken thumb that has sidelined him since opening night, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Bagley, who will be re-evaluated on Wednesday, will join the club on its four-game East Coast road trip that begins Friday, but head coach Luke Walton still has to figure out how he’ll use the former No. 2 overall pick once he’s back.

As Anderson details, the Kings have won six of their last eight games with Nemanja Bjelica and Richaun Holmes in the starting lineup. The duo has been effective over the last couple weeks, so Walton will have to decide whether to reinsert Bagley into the starting five or to roll with what his been working, perhaps bringing the second-year big man off the bench.

“We’re going to get him back into practice and see how things are going, try groupings and all the things you mentioned,” Walton said. “But there’s no answer to any of that right now.”

Here’s more on the Kings:

After the Kings splurged in free agency over the summer on Harrison Barnes, Cory Joseph, Dewayne Dedmon, and Trevor Ariza, their modest two-year, $9.8MM deal with Richaun Holmes was almost an afterthought. But Holmes has been a key part of the club’s early-season success, as Sean Deveney of Forbes.com outlines. “Every time I coached against him, he’s killed us,” Walton said of the journeyman center. “But he’s never really played major minutes, at least from what I’ve seen. So we were excited to get him. … He has been as solid and steady as anyone we’ve had on our team.”
Kings shooting guard Buddy Hield was fined $25K by the NBA this week for kicking the game ball into the stands at the end of the team’s win over Boston, as Sean Cunningham of ABC10 Sacramento tweets (video link). Hield later joked on Twitter that he should’ve kicked it harder to get his money’s worth.
In case you missed it earlier today, Kings assistant Igor Kokoskov was named the new head coach of the Serbian National Team. He’ll likely coach Bogdan Bogdanovic, Nemanja Bjelica, and a handful of other NBA players as Serbia looks to qualify for the 2020 Olympics.

Pacific Notes: Kaminsky, Green, Clippers, Holmes

October 10th, 2019 at 3:35pm CST by Luke Adams

While it’s common for NBA players who changed teams in the offseason to talk in the fall about how much they’re enjoying their new homes, Suns power forward Frank Kaminsky is particularly enthusiastic about his assessment of Phoenix so far, as Bob Young of The Athletic relays. The former No. 9 overall pick signed a two-year contract with the Suns in July after falling out of the rotation in Charlotte for much of the 2018/19 season.

“I can’t tell you how much different I feel just being here,” Kaminsky said. “I’m just so happy. It’s been a great transition, something I was kind of prepared for, something I really wanted to do, just to get a new opportunity, get a fresh start.”

While other newly-added veterans like Ricky Rubio and Aron Baynes figure to play important roles for the Suns in 2019/20, Kaminsky could be the team’s X-factor, according to Young, who points to the big man’s lottery pedigree as a reason for optimism. For his part, Kaminsky isn’t expecting a starring role, but believes he’s improving on defense and can be a reliable contributor.

“I just want to come in and have a role with this team. I’m not demanding anything,” Kaminsky said. “I know things go up and things go down, and it’s not always going to be perfect. But I will try to make the right plays.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

In a Q&A with Wosny Lambre of The Athletic, Danny Green discussed the Lakers‘ chemistry, his potential role this season, and why he decided to sign with the club as a free agent. “It’s the best city to thrive in career-wise. Continue to still win, have fun, and live your best type of lifestyle,” Green said. “And also was able to maximize on the contract. Signing with the Los Angeles Lakers covered all the bases for me.”
ESPN’s Kevin Pelton and Bobby Marks (Insider link) unveiled their annual “future power rankings” for NBA teams today, and the Clippers earned the No. 1 spot on that list after placing 21st a year ago. It’s the largest single-year jump in the decade-long history of the rankings, Pelton writes.
Richaun Holmes is the sort of role player the Kings needed to add to complement their up-and-coming young stars, writes Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. Jones suggests that Holmes could be one of the team’s most important acquisitions of the summer since the big man knows his job is to be a “rim-runner, rim protector and energy man,” and won’t try to do more than that.

Kings Sign Richaun Holmes To Two-Year Deal

July 16th, 2019 at 2:07pm CST by Luke Adams

JULY 16: The Kings have officially signed Holmes, the club announced today in a press release.

JULY 1: The Kings and big man Richaun Holmes have reached an agreement on a two-year deal worth $10MM, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Based on the reported terms of Holmes’ new deal and the other agreements the Kings have finalized during free agency, it appears likely that he’ll receive the team’s $4.8MM room exception.

Holmes, 25, spent his first three NBA seasons in Philadelphia before being sent from the Sixers to Suns a year ago. He averaged 8.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 1.1 BPG in 70 games (16.9 MPG) as a regular part of Phoenix’s frontcourt rotation.

The Kings have now reached agreements with four outside veteran free agents in addition to bringing back their own free agent forward Harrison Barnes on a four-year deal.

As our free agent tracker shows, Cory Joseph, Trevor Ariza, and Dewayne Dedmon will also be joining the club once they can officially sign contracts this weekend.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Richaun Holmes Arrested On Marijuana Charge

May 23rd, 2019 at 10:04am CST by Luke Adams

Suns center Richaun Holmes was arrested in South Florida on Wednesday night, according to David Ovalle of The Miami Herald, who reports that Holmes was booked on a misdemeanor marijuana charge.

As Ovalle details, Holmes and former Nets forward James Webb III were pulled over in Aventura and were charged with possession of cannabis. Both players posted bond after spending a couple hours in a Miami jail.

Holmes, who was traded from Philadelphia to Phoenix last summer, averaged 8.2 PPG and 4.7 RPG in 70 games (16.9 MPG) for the Suns in 2018/19. Having spent his first four seasons on a single contract, Holmes will reach the open market for the first time this offseason as an unrestricted free agent.

As for Webb, he appeared in 10 games for Brooklyn during the 2017/18 campaign, but didn’t play in the NBA in 2018/19, spending the season with Telekom Baskets Bonn in Germany.

Holmes is the second Suns player to be arrested in Florida this month, joining teammate Josh Jackson. However, given the minor nature of Holmes’ infraction, it’s unlikely to have much impact on his upcoming free agency.

Suns Notes: Arena, Bender, Trade Candidates, Kokoskov

January 23rd, 2019 at 9:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Phoenix City Council approved a $230MM deal tonight for improvements to Talking Stick Resort Arena that will ensure the Suns remain in the downtown facility through 2037, writes Jessica Boehm of The Arizona Republic. Under the agreement, the city will cover $150MM in renovations, while the team will be responsible for $80MM, plus any overruns.

Council also agreed to put $2MM per year into a renewal and replacement fund over the next 12 1/2 years to cover future renovation needs. The Suns will contribute $1MM each year over that same time frame. The franchise will continue to be in charge of operations and maintenance for the arena and will pay rent to the city based on annual proceeds.

The Suns will also build a practice facility with an estimated cost of $25-$50MM. The team pledges to remain at Talking Stick Resort Arena for the next 18 years with an option to extend the lease through 2042. The Suns could be fined up to $200MM if they break that lease.

There’s more Suns news to pass along:

With Deandre Ayton and Richaun Holmes both injured, Dragan Bender may be looking at his last chance to prove he can be a contributor in Phoenix, notes Gina Mizell of The Athletic. Bender posted double-doubles in back-to-back starts and is showing glimpses of why Phoenix made him the fourth overall pick in 2016. He’s still averaging just 3.2 points and 2.4 rebounds per night in 16 games. “You have to (be) really, really hard mentally on yourself,” Bender said, “and be able to tell yourself each and every day to push through it. It’s a rough business. You can sit for 45 games, and then two guys went down with injuries — which is unfortunate — but it’s time to get in the game and show what you can do.”
Troy Daniels, Josh Jackson, Elie Okobo and T.J. Warren are the most likely Suns to be traded before the deadline, Mizell adds in a separate story. Daniels has only appeared in 22 games, playing mostly when others are injured; the acquisition of Kelly Oubre has lessened the need for Jackson; Okobo may be shipped out in the search for a point guard; and Warren might fetch a nice return in the middle of his career-best season. She adds that Bender, Holmes and Jamal Crawford may be enticing because they have expiring contracts.
Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic examines the performance of Igor Kokoskov in his first season as an NBA head coach.

Suns Notes: Holmes, Melton, Okobo, Canaan

November 30th, 2018 at 9:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Richaun Holmes has settled in as the Suns’ backup center since Tyson Chandler‘s contract was bought out, as Katherine Fitzgerald of the Arizona Republic notes. Holmes has averaged 7.4 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 1.4 BPG in 15.9 MPG during the month of November. Coach Igor Kokoskov cites Holmes’ biggest asset as something that goes beyond box scores. “Energy is a talent, we always say, and that’s his job,” Kokoskov said. “He helps his team, and for him to understand his role, and just embrace it, is a huge thing for our team.” Holmes, who was acquired from the Sixers during the summer, has a $1.6MM contract that doesn’t become fully guaranteed until January 10th. He’l be an unrestricted free agent in July.

We have more on the Suns:

Rookie point guards and second-round picks De’Anthony Melton and Elie Okobo have been bouncing back and forth between the NBA and G League and it’s proving beneficial, as Bob Young of The Athletic details. The duo has gained experience by playing and practicing at both levels. Melton has appeared in four games with the Suns and five with Northern Arizona. Okobo has seen action in 12 NBA and two G League games. “I think it’s helping me a lot,” Melton told Young. “I trained for it all summer, to be a point guard. I don’t think it matters to me. I’m fine getting off the ball. Down in the G League, I got to handle the ball a lot and really run a team and show what I can do.”
Kokoskov expects point guard Isaiah Canaan to quickly find another NBA job, Gina Mizell of The Athletic writes. The team waived Canaan on Wednesday after he lost his starting job. “It’s just a pure business decision,” Kokoskov said. “I wish him nothing but the best, and he’ll be good. I know a lot of teams (will have) interest in him.” The Suns have two open roster spots, which will facilitate a potential trade for a more accomplished floor leader. Devin Booker has been moved from shooting guard to the point for at least the short run.
The Suns are one of the teams interested in acquiring second-year point guard Frank Ntilikina from the Knicks. Get all the details here.