Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Kings Rumors

Sacramento Signs Louis King To Two-Way Deal

May 1st, 2021 at 12:41pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

May 1: The Kings have announced the signing of King to a two-way deal, confirming the news in a press release on Saturday.

April 30: Free agent swingman Louis King will sign a two-way deal with the Kings, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Woj notes that the 6’7″ wing made a 10-game cameo for the Pistons during his rookie season, having spent the year on a two-way contract with Detroit after going undrafted out of Oregon in 2019. He played significantly more meaningful minutes for the Pistons’ then-NBAGL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Drive, during the 2019/20 season. King appeared in 31 games (22 starts) with the Drive.

After signing an Exhibit 10 deal with the Knicks for the preseason, King was waived by the franchise before he could log a game for New York. However, that deal ensured that the Knicks’ G League affiliate, the Westchester Knicks, had the 22-year-old’s rights for the 2020/21 “bubble” season at Walt Disney World.

In 15 games (13 starts) for Westchester this year, King averaged 13.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.9 APG, and 1.6 SPG across 32.2 MPG. He posted a respectable slash line of .517/.456/.810.

Sacramento recently opened up a two-way slot by promoting Chimezie Metu to its 15-man roster.

Retweet 7 Share 0 Send via email0

Injury Notes: Hornets, Huerter, Warren, DSJ, Bagley

April 28th, 2021 at 9:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Hornets will see if LaMelo Ball and Malik Monk are ready for game action during their off days Thursday and Friday, according to Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Ball had surgery March 23 on his fractured right wrist, while Monk has been sidelined since April 1 with a sprained ankle. Both players will take part in 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 scrimmages over the next two days.

The news isn’t as encouraging for Gordon Hayward, Bonnell adds. He’s still wearing a protective boot on his injured right foot and there’s no timetable for him to start working out. “Gordon is not there yet,” coach James Borrego said.

Here are some more injury-related notes and updates:

  • The Hawks are getting a second opinion on Kevin Huerter‘s sprained left shoulder, tweets Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Huerter underwent an MRI this week, but the results haven’t been announced.
  • Pacers forward T.J. Warren, who will miss the rest of the season with a stress fracture in his left foot, began jogging today on a treadmill, according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (Twitter link). Coach Nate Bjorkgren called it “a big step” for the 27-year-old forward.
  • Dennis Smith Jr. hasn’t been able to practice lately and the Pistons don’t have a timeline for him to return from left knee soreness, tweets Rod Beard of The Detroit News. “That’s why it’s so important that Killian (Hayes) came back,” said coach Dwane Casey. “… It’s unfortunate that he’s been hurt, but injury is something you have to deal with.”
  • Marvin Bagley III could return soon from his hand injury, Kings coach Luke Walton tells James Ham of NBC Sports (Twitter link). Bagley has participated in some 3-on-3 games and may be ready to start playing in the next few days.
Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Richaun Holmes Making Push For All-Defensive Team

April 28th, 2021 at 7:55pm CST by Arthur Hill
  • Kings center Richaun Holmes is campaigning for a spot on the All-Defensive Team, writes Jordan Ramirez of NBA.com. Holmes is valuable on both ends of the court, averaging 1.6 blocks per night and ranking second in the league in field goal percentage at 64.4%. “I just want to show the type of player that I am, just show that I’m one of the best two-way players, just show that I’m deserving of the All-Defensive Team and just continue to show (what I can do),” Holmes said. “I want to continue to get better on the floor and just let my numbers and things of that sort prove my case.”
Retweet 1 Share 0 Send via email0

Kings Sign Damian Jones To Multiyear Deal

April 28th, 2021 at 11:35am CST by Luke Adams

APRIL 28: Jones’ deal is now official, the Kings announced in a press release.

“Damian provides a defensive presence and has fit in nicely with our group,” general manager Monte McNair said in a statement. “We are excited to see his continued growth in Sacramento.”

The team also announced that Silva has been officially released, which accommodated the promotion of Chimezie Metu to the 15-man roster.

APRIL 27: Damian Jones‘ second 10-day contract with the Kings expired on Monday night, but the club won’t let him get away. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter), Jones is signing a rest-of-season contract with Sacramento that will also cover the 2021/22 season.

Although the Kings have an open spot on their 15-man roster and don’t need to cut anyone to make room for Jones, they’ll waive forward Chris Silva, Wojnarowski adds.

Jones, 25, has played for more than half the teams in the Pacific this season, having started the year with Phoenix before he was released by the Suns in February. He later signed a pair of 10-day contracts with the Lakers, then joined the Kings for two more 10-day deals.

In total, Jones has appeared in 28 games (10.7 MPG) in 2020/21, averaging 3.1 PPG and 2.4 RPG with a .696 FG%. He had one of his best games of the season on Monday, putting up eight points and seven rebounds in a Kings win over Dallas.

As for Silva, he was acquired by the Kings in a deadline deal that sent Nemanja Bjelica to the Heat and never seemed to be in Sacramento’s future plans. He logged just nine total minutes across four games for the Kings, racking up more fouls (four) than points (two). He’ll become an unrestricted free agent if and when he clears waivers.

Once the Kings complete both transactions, they’ll still have one open spot on their 15-man roster, which they could use to complete another 10-day or rest-of-season signing.

Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0

Kings Promote Chimezie Metu To 15-Man Roster

April 28th, 2021 at 11:33am CST by Luke Adams

11:33am: Metu’s deal is for three years, meaning the Kings used some of their mid-level exception to complete the signing, tweets Jones.

Metu received about $700K for the rest of the season, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, who tweets that the following two years are non-guaranteed.

11:17am: Kings big man Chimezie Metu has spent all of 2020/21 on a two-way contract, but with just 19 days left in the regular season, Sacramento is signing him to a standard contract, promoting him to the 15-man roster, reports Jason Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link). The team has confirmed Metu’s new multiyear deal, announcing it in a press release.

“Chimezie has worked hard this season and done a terrific job to earn his place on the team,” Kings general manager Monte McNair said in a statement. “He provides toughness and energy to the group. We are happy to watch his career develop in a Kings uniform.”

Metu, 24, initially came to training camp in December on a non-guaranteed contract, and while he didn’t earn a spot on the 15-man roster to start the season, the Kings liked him enough to bring him back on a two-way deal after he cleared waivers.

Metu has since emerged as a regular rotation player, appearing in 28 games (10.1 MPG) and averaging 5.1 PPG and 2.5 RPG. The former USC standout missed a chunk of the season after breaking his wrist on February 14, but he has appeared in all but one game since returning to action on March 24.

The Kings had one open spot on their 15-man roster before promoting Metu. They also intend to waive Chris Silva, opening up another spot in order to sign Damian Jones to a rest-of-season contract. Once all those moves are official, Sacramento will have a full 15-man roster, with an open two-way slot.

Although the exact terms of Metu’s new multiyear deal are unclear for now, the Kings could theoretically use their mid-level exception to sign him to a contract that goes beyond 2021/22 and/or exceeds the minimum. If they do, it would be the second time this season they’ve used a portion of their mid-level on Metu — his non-guaranteed camp deal was a three-year pact that took $1.6MM out of Sacramento’s $9.26MM MLE.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Checking In On Active 10-Day Contracts

April 27th, 2021 at 8:48am CST by Luke Adams

Since the NBA’s 10-day signing window for the 2020/21 season officially opened in February, a total of 54 separate 10-day deals have been finalized. Many of those signings have be completed since the trade deadline passed a month ago — 36 10-day contracts have been signed in April alone.

With so much action on the 10-day market, we’re taking a little time today to check in on the 10-day deals that are still active, exploring which of those players are eligible for additional 10-day contracts and which teams are still shuttling players in and out of their back-end roster spots.

Here, with the help of our 10-day tracker and our roster counts page, are the players on active 10-day deals:

Players on their first 10-day contracts:

These players will all be eligible for a second 10-day contract once their current deals expire. In the case of Brown, it’s possible the Thunder would just sign him to a rest-of-season deal if they’re comfortable keeping him around, since a second 10-day deal would run through at least May 14. The regular season ends on May 16.

Players on their second 10-day contracts:

These players won’t be eligible for a new 10-day contract when their current deals expire, since a player can’t sign three 10-day deals with the same team in a single season. It’s a safe bet that some of these players will receive rest-of-season contracts though — I’d be shocked if the Raptors let Gillespie get away, for instance.

Any team here that opts not to re-sign a player to a rest-of-season contract would open up a roster spot, which could be used on another 10-day trial before the regular season ends. Golden State and Portland are carrying just 14 players at the moment, so they’d have each two open roster spots if they don’t re-sign Payton and Hollis-Jefferson, respectively.

There are a handful of other teams that could still take advantage of the 10-day contract before the end of the season. The Heat, Timberwolves, Pelicans, Kings, Spurs, and Wizards all have at least one open roster spot.

The Heat and Pelicans are right up against the luxury tax line and may be done with 10-days for the season, preferring rest-of-season commitments if and when they fill their roster openings. The Wolves, Spurs, and Wizards may end up going that route too, but for now they’re still decent candidates for 10-day signings.

The Kings, meanwhile, had Damian Jones on a pair of 10-day contracts before his second deal expired on Monday night. Head coach Luke Walton spoke positively about Jones’ contributions to the team, as Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee relays (via Twitter), so the veteran center could end up getting a rest-of-season contract. If so, Sacramento would have a full roster and would likely be done with 10-days for the season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0

Pacific Notes: Bagley, Fox, Toscano-Anderson, Jackson

April 26th, 2021 at 7:39pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Marvin Bagley III may be on the move after this season, according to James Ham of NBC Sports California (video link). The second overall pick in the 2018 draft is averaging 13.9 PPG and 7.4 RPG but the Kings‘ power forward hasn’t played since mid-March due to a hand injury.

“His name came up at the trade deadline,” Ham said. “It’s very possible he will not be with this team after this summer. There’s a lot going on behind the scenes.”

Bagley is eligible for a rookie scale extension before next season but Ham is skeptical the Kings will pursue a new deal. “I don’t think there’s any way he’s getting his extension,” Ham said.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

  • Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox will be sidelined up to two weeks after entering the league’s health and safety protocols. That means Tyrese Haliburton will be in the lineup, going against top perimeter defenders, and Delon Wright will see his minutes expand, Jason Jones of The Athletic tweets.
  • The Warriors’ Juan Toscano-Anderson considers himself a “fringe” player until he receives some contractual security, Steve Berman of NBC Sports Bay Area tweets. “Until I sign my name on that dotted line with a guaranteed contract, I’m still going to treat myself as a fringe NBA player,” he said. “My back’s always against the wall.” Toscano-Anderson is on a two-way contract with Golden State.
  • Reggie Jackson is enjoying a bounce-back season after re-signing with the Clippers for the veteran’s minimum and he’s having fun again, he told Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times. “Just be ready for anything and be appreciative of what’s going on and really just re-fall in love with the game,” he said. Jackson is averaging 10.5 PPG and 3.2 APG and shooting a career-high 44.1% from deep.
Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Pacific Notes: Davis, Ibaka, Bagley, Poole

April 24th, 2021 at 11:55am CST by marksuleymanov

In his return after a two-month absence, Anthony Davis‘ numbers were not overly impressive, as he scored just four points in 17 minutes. However, the Lakers’ superstar said he wasn’t giving any thought to the calf strain and Achilles tendinosis in his right leg that sidelined him for 30 games.

“I didn’t think about it one time tonight,” Davis said, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “Honestly, I just went out there and played. I think it can limit what you do if you’re out there thinking about your injury, so I just went out and played and not think about it. Just go out there and have fun and be excited to be back on the floor. That was my main thing. I was just excited to be back on the floor with the guys, so I never thought about it. I never did a limit to any moves. Wasn’t hesitant with anything, so that was a good sign for me.”

Injuries have limited Davis to 24 games this season, and he’s averaging just 21.8 PPG and 8.2 RPG when he has played, his lowest marks in several years. However, as he rounds back into form and LeBron James moves toward a return, the Lakers are poised to have some serious firepower back on the court as they seek to defend their NBA championship.

More Pacific Division notes here:

  • The Clippers says that center Serge Ibaka is making progress in his return from lower back tightness that has sidelined him since mid-March, Mirjam Swanson of the Orange County Register writes. “He’s progressing,” head coach Ty Lue said. “We’re not sure the timetable when he’ll be back, but that was his first time getting on the floor and actually doing some playing so that’s a good start.”
  • In the midst of an up-and-down season for the Warriors, Jordan Poole has emerged as a bright spot in the team’s future, Anthony Slater of The Athletic writes. Poole has shown an innate ability to score, prompting head coach Steve Kerr to laud his 21-year-old. “We can’t have our decision to play him based on whether he’s making shots or not,” Kerr said. “That’s not a recipe for consistent performance. He has to take that next step and he’s showing signs. Which is great.”
  • With Marvin Bagley III seemingly close to returning, NBC Sports’ James Ham analyzes what the big man’s role with the Kings might be once he’s back on the court.
Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

De’Aaron Fox Placed Under Protocols, Out At Least 10 Days

April 23rd, 2021 at 8:29pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kings star guard De’Aaron Fox is expected to miss 10-to-14 days after being placed under the league’s health and safety protocols, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets in conjunction with colleague Sam Amick.

Fox, who tweaked an ankle earlier this week, has been extremely durable this season. He’s appeared in 58 of 59 games, averaging 25.2 PPG and 7.2 APG. He’s been on a scoring tear lately with 30 or more points in six of the last nine games.

The loss of its top player could extinguish any hope of Sacramento making the play-in round. Even if Fox is only out 10 days, he’d miss five games. The Kings trail the 10th-place Warriors by five games in the standings.

Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Health Updates On Bagley, Holmes

April 22nd, 2021 at 9:09pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum
  • Kings center Richaun Holmes has returned to basketball activities as he continues to recover from a strained right hamstring, per Sean Cunningham of ABC10 (KXTV) Sacramento (via Twitter).
  • The fractured fourth metacarpal left hand injury that has kept Kings big man Marvin Bagley III out for a month has healed, according to a team press release. Bagley is hoping to return to the court for Sacramento next week as the team continues to make a play-in push, tweets Sam Amick of The Athletic.
Retweet 1 Share 0 Send via email0
Load More Posts