Sacramento Kings Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Kings’ Alvin Gentry Tests Positive For COVID-19

December 15th, 2021 at 2:30pm CST by Luke Adams

2:30pm: Christie will take over as the Kings’ acting coach while Gentry is unavailable, a source tells Sam Amick of The Athletic (Twitter link).

11:01am: Kings head coach Alvin Gentry, who took over last month when the team dismissed Luke Walton, has tested positive for COVID-19, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (all Twitter links). Gentry figures to miss a few games, with one of his assistants taking over as an interim coach to the interim coach.

According to Wojnarowski, the Kings canceled their morning shootaround on Wednesday and are conducting COVID-19 tests to see if any other players or coaches have contracted the virus.

Gentry tells Wojnarowski that he has been essentially asymptomatic, outside of having a scratchy throat. Assistants Mike Longabardi and Doug Christie are the most likely candidates to replace him on the sidelines for the short term, Woj adds.

Gentry has led the Kings to a 5-6 record since taking the reins from Walton in November. Sacramento lost all three games on its recent road trip, prompting Gentry to state after Monday’s loss in Toronto that the team needs to find a way to “right the ship.” The Kings begin a three-game home stand on Wednesday against the struggling Wizards, the Ja Morant-less Grizzlies, and the 10-16 Spurs, so there’s some bounce-back potential there.

Gentry is the second head coach to enter the NBA’s health and safety protocols in the last week, joining Rick Carlisle of the Pacers.

Kings’ Gentry: “We’ve Got To Find A Way To Right The Ship”

December 14th, 2021 at 1:16pm CST by Arthur Hill

Interim head coach Alvin Gentry indicated that changes are coming after the Kings wrapped up a winless road trip Tuesday night in Toronto, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee.

Gentry briefly brought stability to Sacramento after taking over when Luke Walton was fired last month, leading the team to a 5-3 record in his first eight games. But the Kings have dropped three in a row since then and Gentry called Tuesday’s effort, in which his team trailed by as many as 31 points, “embarrassing.”

“I’m not real sure what the answer is right now,” Gentry told reporters after the game. “I’ve got a long flight that I can really think about it and look at it and try to figure out what we can do, because obviously what’s going on right now is not the answer, so we’ve got to find a way to right the ship.”

With center Richaun Holmes sidelined by an eye injury, Gentry tried three different starting lineups during the three-game trip, Anderson notes. Gentry said his priority will be “to get a group of guys who are going to compete.”

The Kings held a players-only meeting following the game to discuss issues that have been building up during the losing streak. Players declined to reveal any specifics of the meeting, but Harrison Barnes hinted that it involved unity.

“Right now, we’re not playing together,” he said. “That’s really what it boils down to and, as a group, we’ve discussed it, and that’s really all I’m going to say on that at this point.”

Sacramento is still in decent position in the race for a play-in spot, trailing ninth-place Minnesota by one game and 10th-place Portland by a half-game. However, Anderson points out that the team’s defense has fallen apart, surrendering 10 30-point quarters in the last four games.

De’Aaron Fox, who is one of the franchise cornerstones and is in the first season of a five-year, $163MM max extension, said the Kings need better communication on the court. Critics have started questioning Fox’s ability as a team leader, Anderson adds, but Fox emphasized Tuesday that he’s committed to turning Sacramento into a playoff team.

“I haven’t lost until I got here, so for the first 18 years of life, 19 years of life, every step that I played basketball, I was winning something,” Fox said. “So, I don’t know how you do that, make it to the NBA and now you just don’t care about winning. Everybody talks about, ‘If you get paid, blah, blah, blah, blah.’ Nobody likes to lose regardless of what level you’re on. Whether you’re getting paid or you’re playing for free, nobody likes to lose. … Everybody wants to win.”

Pacers Rumors: Simmons, Turner, Sabonis, Duarte, Jackson

December 14th, 2021 at 11:27am CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers are considered the NBA team most likely to make a significant move on the trade market, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. However, Fischer says there’s a leaguewide skepticism that Indiana will embark on a full-fledged rebuild after hiring head coach Rick Carlisle to a four-year contract just months ago.

“Carlisle is not going to allow that to happen,” one assistant general manager told Bleacher Report. “They’re going to ‘middle build.’ They’re going to go with a sense of competing.”

As Fischer observes, a deal for 25-year-old star Ben Simmons would be the sort of big move the Pacers could make if they want to look toward the future while remaining competitive in the present. But none of Indiana’s top trade chips is the kind of star the Sixers would covet as the centerpiece as a Simmons deal. If the Pacers make a serious push for Simmons, they may have to loop in a third team, Fischer writes.

Here’s more on the Pacers from Fischer:

As Shams Charania reported on Monday, the expectation among rival executives is that the Pacers will move one of their standout big men – Myles Turner or Domantas Sabonis – but not both. Fischer says Indiana may ultimately make its decision based on which player commands a higher return, which suggests the team doesn’t strongly prefer one over the other.
Although Turner has been involved in trade rumors for years, the Pacers have always highly valued him, according to Fischer, who hears from sources that the club turned down a Pelicans offer that included the No. 4 pick in the 2019 draft. That pick was eventually sent to the Hawks, who drafted De’Andre Hunter.
Sabonis’ value around the NBA is mixed, but Fischer names the Trail Blazers as one team that may be interested. Fischer also mentions the Kings, pointing out that Carlisle thinks highly of Harrison Barnes, but a Monday report indicated Sacramento hasn’t pursued Sabonis or Turner at all this season.
Malcolm Brogdon can’t be traded this season after recently signing an extension. But besides Brogdon, rookies Chris Duarte and Isaiah Jackson are viewed by rival executives as the only Pacers players who are probably off-limits in trade talks. “Sabonis, Turner, (T.J.) Warren, (and Caris) LeVert all can be had at the right price,” another assistant GM told Fischer.
In other Pacers news, the team has assigned center Goga Bitadze to the G League for the first time this season, tweets Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. As Agness points out, Bitadze has been out of Indiana’s rotation for weeks and could use some reps with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.

Kings Shopping Hield, Bagley But Not Pursuing Sabonis, Turner

December 13th, 2021 at 5:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Kings are still shopping a package including Buddy Hield and Marvin Bagley III in hopes of getting a quality player but are not actively pursuing Pacers’ big men Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee reports.

The Kings have not engaged the Pacers in talks for Sabonis or Turner since last week, when a report surfaced that Indiana was open to dealing its top big men, as well as guard Caris LeVert. Sacramento had displayed interest in Sabonis in the past.

It’s somewhat curious that Sacramento wouldn’t target those big men for its guard-heavy roster. Sabonis is a two-time All-Star and the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week, though, as Anderson notes, he’s a 31% 3-point shooter and is not considered a strong defender. Turner is the league’s top shot-blocker and would help space the floor with his 3-point shooting.

Kings GM Monte McNair is looking to make a big move and the Sixers’ Ben Simmons could still be a target. The Kings were one of several teams named as having continued interest in the disgruntled Philadelphia star, who has not played this season.

Hield is averaging 15.7 PPG, 4.2 RPG and 2.1 APG. Bagley, who will be a free agent (restricted or unrestricted) next summer, was benched earlier in the season but was moved into the rotation last month. The No. 2 pick of the 2018 draft is averaging 7.8 PPG and 6.3 RPG.

Suns, Kings Have Had Past Interest In Sabonis

December 13th, 2021 at 2:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Suns and Kings have shown interest in Pacers big man Domantas Sabonis in recent years, per Charania. It’s unclear if either Pacific team will make a run at Sabonis now that he’s rumored to be available, but they could be worth watching. Charania adds that “a slew” of teams are expected to pursue Myles Turner, and the expectation is that Indiana would only move one of its two big men, not both.

[SOURCE LINK]

Knicks, Lakers Among Teams Reportedly Interested In Ben Simmons

December 13th, 2021 at 9:17am CST by Luke Adams

Following up on ESPN’s recent report stating that there may be momentum toward a Ben Simmons deal, Shams Charania of The Athletic confirms that the Sixers have increased their efforts to explore multi-team trade scenarios involving Simmons.

According to Charania, the Knicks and Lakers are among the teams with interest in Simmons. Charania adds that the Timberwolves, Trail Blazers, Kings, Pacers, and Cavaliers also have interest, but those clubs have been previously cited as potential suitors for the three-time All-Star, whereas New York and Los Angeles are new additions to the list.

The Knicks would be a fascinating potential trade partner for Philadelphia. Their top offseason additions – Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker – haven’t been major successes so far and the team is off to a 12-15 start, perhaps increasing the likelihood of an in-season shakeup. New York would have the contracts necessary to match Simmons’ $33MM+ salary, and it’s probably safe to assume Tom Thibodeau would be a fan of what last season’s Defensive Player of the Year runner-up could bring to the table on defense.

Still, while the Knicks might be willing to roll the dice on Simmons if all it took was Fournier, Walker, and a couple draft picks, Philadelphia will presumably seek a more significant return. The 76ers remain on the hunt for an All-Star caliber player and/or multiple first-round picks in any deal for Simmons, Charania notes.

It’s even trickier to imagine the Lakers as a realistic trading partner for the Sixers. Given the salaries on the team’s books, Los Angeles would almost certainly have to include Russell Westbrook in any trade involving Simmons and I’m skeptical that 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey would want to acquire Westbrook again after doing so in Houston didn’t pay dividends. Perhaps a three-team structure could work, but the Lakers seem like a long shot at best in the Simmons sweepstakes.

It’s unclear whether the Sixers have gained any real traction in any of their discussions involving Simmons, according to Charania.

Holmes Out At Least Two Games, Had Surgery To Repair Eye Cut

December 10th, 2021 at 8:36pm CST by Rory Maher

The Kings will be without starting center Richaun Holmes for at least a couple games. He sustained a cut on his right eye Wednesday vs. Orlando which was surgically mended, tweets Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. He missed Friday’s game vs. Charlotte and will be out for Saturday’s contest with Cleveland, too. Holmes is expected to make a full recovery.

Execs Think Any Big Kings Move Would Likely Involve Fox

December 7th, 2021 at 11:03am CST by Luke Adams

Executives around the league think that if the Kings make a big move to shake up their roster, De’Aaron Fox might be at the center of it, writes Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. General manager Monte McNair has drafted Tyrese Haliburton and Davion Mitchell since taking the reins of the front office in 2020, while Fox was selected by the previous regime.

Examining Whether Kings Can Survive Buddy Hield Experience, How Team Defeated Clippers

December 5th, 2021 at 7:12pm CST by JD Shaw

James Ham of The Kings Beat examines whether the Kings can survive the Buddy Hield experience. Hield, who’s averaging 15.9 points on 39% shooting this season, has played noticeably better during the team’s wins and worse during its losses.
The Kings defeated the Clippers in its most recent game behind strong performances from Terence Davis and Marvin Bagley III, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee writes. Davis finished with 28 points and four rebounds (6-of-11 from deep), while Bagley recorded 12 points and 11 rebounds in just under 20 minutes off the bench.

California Notes: Thompson, Payton II, Lue, Kings Guards

December 5th, 2021 at 1:19pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson, who has not suited up for Golden State since the 2019 NBA Finals due to an ACL tear and an Achilles tear incurred in two separate seasons, provided new insight into his expected return timeline this season. Per Kendra Andrews of NBC Sports Bay Area (via Twitter), Thompson revealed on a recent Instagram Live stream that he’s looking to return to action from anywhere between a few weeks to a month.

The Warriors have been doing just fine without Thompson, a five-time All-Star, thus far this season, sporting a 19-4 record, tops in the Western Conference. The 6’6″ Thompson, who will be turning 32 this season, holds career averages of 19.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 2.3 APG, with a sparkling shooting line of .459/.419/.848.

There’s more out of California:

6’2″ Warriors guard Gary Payton II appears to have finally found a permanent NBA role as a do-everything perimeter defender for Golden State this season, writes Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. “He’s so dynamic defensively,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “And when he’s scoring as well – he made a few 3s tonight but also scored around the basket as he does – it’s hard to take him off the floor because of what he does for us… He’s really earned all these minutes.” The 29-year-old out of Oregon State is averaging 14.6 MPG across 22 games with Golden State this year.
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue has explained that whether or not he opts to start two traditional big men – 7’1″ center Ivica Zubac and 6’10” power forward Serge Ibaka – will be contingent on matchups, per Mirjam Swanson of the Orange County Register. “I think it helps us with our rebounding,” Lue said. “It’ll be different on a night to night basis; if teams start a small four then it’d be tough to put Serge out there at the four. With this team starting the way they’re starting tonight then we can try to do it again tonight and get away with it.”
A four-guard crunch-time Kings lineup of De’Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton, Terence Davis and Davion Mitchell, playing alongside traditional center Richaun Holmes, has proven to be effective for Sacramento, observes Chris Biderman of the Sacramento Bee. This rotation was trotted out against a small-ball Clippers lineup in an eventual 104-99 Sacramento victory this weekend. “It was just about pushing the pace, making them play at our pace and running,” Haliburton said. “So I thought we did a really good job of that.”