Sacramento Kings Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: Disney, 2020/21, AD Trade, Community Assist Awards

October 5th, 2020 at 8:13pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

While appearing on NBA TV last week, league commissioner Adam Silver stressed that, though no player on the league’s restart campus in Orlando has tested positive for COVID-19 since July, the coronavirus remains a danger to the NBA’s remaining Disney World inhabitants.

“Nobody’s tested positive who lives on this campus, but we’ve had positive tests in our vicinity,” Silver said, according to Marc Stein of the New York Times (Twitter link). “Every night … I am sort of (braced) for that call to say, ‘We have an issue.'”

There’s more from around the NBA:

In a conversation with ESPN’s Rachel Nichols (video link) prior to last night’s Game 3 of the NBA Finals, Silver remarked that there’s no set deadline that the 2020/21 regular season must start by. “We love our fans and we want to bring them back into the arenas and we want to do it safely,” Silver said. “And so if there are advancements right on the horizon (related to coronavirus testing or treatment), that will be a reason to wait.”
ESPN’s Kevin Pelton wonders if the blockbuster summer trade that landed Anthony Davis in Los Angeles may wind up ultimately benefiting both the Lakers and their trade partner, the Pelicans. The move gifted the Pelicans with a treasure trove of draft picks, plus 2020 All-Star Brandon Ingram and intriguing young guards Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart. Pelton notes that the Lakers will be in good position to retain the role players that have helped bring Davis and All-Star teammate LeBron James within two games of the Lakers’ 17th NBA title.
The NBA has announced its 2019/20 Community Assistant award winners. All-Star Thunder point guard Chris Paul is joined by Celtics forward Jaylen Brown, Kings forward Harrison Barnes, Bucks point guard George Hill, and Mavericks big man Dwight Powell. The award honors players who have made significant community impacts in the arenas of social justice and COVID-19 help this season. The NBA and Kaiser Permanente will donate $10K to a charity of choice for each of these five players.

Kings Won’t Be Forced Into Trading Buddy Hield

October 3rd, 2020 at 5:33pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Kings won’t let Buddy Hield‘s frustration with his current role force them into a move, writes James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area.

A report Friday stated that Hield isn’t returning phone calls from Sacramento coach Luke Walton, who turned him into a sixth man this season after being a full-time starter in 2018/19. A source tells Ham that Kings management isn’t concerned about the situation because it’s the offseason and Hield has proven himself to be a hard worker. They expect him to show up ready to play whenever training camp opens.

The front office has been through similar situations with Hield, Ham adds. He also complained about former coach Dave Joerger, who often yelled at Hield for mistakes during games, and he made comments about ex-general manager Vlade Divac, even after signing an extension that gave him the largest contract in franchise history.

Among the offseason challenges for new GM Monte McNair will be re-signing restricted free agent Bogdan Bogdanovic. If McNair decides the team can’t afford both players, he may start exploring trade options for Hield, but Ham notes that McNair will want value in return and won’t get rid of Hield simply because he might be a disruptive presence.

Hield, whose four-year extension kicks in next season starting at $24.4MM, is considered one of the league’s best 3-point shooters, connecting at a 39.4% rate this season and 41.1% for his career. But Ham states that his frequent outbursts at coaches and management lessen his trade value and will make it harder for the Kings to find a satisfactory deal.

Buddy Hield Unhappy, Won’t Take Walton Calls

October 2nd, 2020 at 8:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Buddy Hield is causing another stir, this time by saying nothing.

Hield, whose big four-year extension kicks in next season, is refusing to answer any of coach Luke Walton‘s phone calls, according to Jason Jones of The Athletic.

Hield hinted at a trade demand before the Kings front office handed him an extension worth up to $106MM, with $86MM in guarantees plus an additional $20MM in incentives.

His statistics took a tumble in Walton’s first season at the Kings’ head coach. He averaged 19.2 PPG while shooting 42.9% overall and 39.4% from deep. He also averaged a career-high 2.3 turnovers.

In his third season prior to signing the extension, Hield posted averages of 20.7 PPG on .458/.427 shooting while committing 1.8 turnovers per game. He started all 82 games that season but came off the bench in 28 of 72 games this season.

Hield was reportedly unhappy with a sixth man role.

In order for Hield to be dealt, he’d have to be traded to a team with sufficient cap room. Alternatively, the team acquiring him would have to match salaries. He’s apparently expressed a desire to join the Sixers, as Jones notes that he liked an Instagram post linking him to a trade there. Hield also liked a news alert on Twitter about Doc Rivers being hired as the Sixers’ head coach.

The Sixers have some big contracts, most notably Al Horford and Tobias Harris, that they could look to deal.

Jones provides an interesting side note that might make Hield happier in Sacramento. Jones confirmed that the Kings are interested in hiring Hield’s former Pelicans coach, Alvin Gentry, as one of Walton’s top assistants.

In any case, the situation regarding Hield, who carries a team-high $24.9MM cap hit next year, bears watching.

Coaching Rumors: Gentry, Vanterpool, Rockets, Pelicans, More

October 2nd, 2020 at 10:18am CST by Luke Adams

After being dismissed by New Orleans in August, Alvin Gentry hasn’t been linked to any head coaching openings, but he’s reportedly drawing interest from multiple teams for a potential assistant role.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Thursday evening (via Twitter) that Gentry has emerged as a “serious possibility” to join Doc Rivers‘ staff with the Sixers. The two veteran coaches have a pre-existing relationship, as Gentry was the associate head coach under Rivers during his first year with the Clippers in 2013/14.

While Philadelphia is one possibility for Gentry, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link) hears that New Orleans’ former head coach is also in the running to become the Kings‘ associate head coach under Luke Walton. Gentry and Walton were previously members of Golden State’s coaching staff during the 2014/15 season.

Here are a few more coaching rumors and notes from around the NBA:

Timberwolves associate head coach David Vanterpool will be among the candidates interviewing for the Rockets‘ head coaching job, reports Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Vanterpool is also believed to be a candidate for Indiana and Oklahoma City, and was considered by Chicago before the club hired Billy Donovan.
Confirming a previous report from The Philadelphia Inquirer, Wojnarowski confirms (via Twitter) that Tyronn Lue has meetings lined up with the Pelicans and Rockets. Lue is also a leading candidate for the Clippers‘ job, and Woj notes that L.A. is expected to begin meeting with candidates soon.
The Pelicans‘ head coaching search process is underway, according to Andrew Lopez of ESPN (Twitter link), who hears that the plan is to eventually bring in two or three finalists for formal in-person interviews. It’s not clear when those face-to-face meetings will happen though, Lopez adds. A previous report on Lue’s meeting with New Orleans on Friday suggested it would be an “informal” discussion.
Some people with the Nets view Oklahoma City assistant Brian Keefe as a good fit for Steve Nash‘s staff in Brooklyn, writes Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Keefe was in OKC with Kevin Durant from 2007-15 and returned to the team last year, but isn’t a lock to be back with the Thunder after the club’s head coaching change.

Kings Part Ways With G League GM Anthony McClish

September 30th, 2020 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Due to the ongoing financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the Kings have eliminated a number of positions in their basketball operations department, Sean Cunningham of ABC10 Sacramento reports (via Twitter). Among the casualties is Anthony McClish, general manager of the Stockton Kings, Sacramento’s G League affiliate.

The Kings have elected not to renew McClish’s contract, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who notes that the veteran executive spent seven seasons with the franchise in a handful of roles, including cap management and scouting.

While Sacramento didn’t officially announce McClish’s departure from the organization, the club did issue a statement confirming that changes are being made in the front office, as Jason Jones of The Athletic relays:

“Yesterday, a handful of full-time positions across the basketball operations departments of the Sacramento Kings and Stockton Kings were eliminated due to the ongoing impacts of the pandemic and a reorganization of the team’s basketball operations structure,” the club said.

Despite the cuts, league sources tell Cunningham (Twitter link) that essential basketball operation functions haven’t been affected as the Kings prepare for the draft and free agency under new general manager Monte McNair.

Draft Notes: Achiuwa, Jones, Hampton, Terry

September 29th, 2020 at 7:36pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Potential top-10 selection Precious Achiuwa has interviewed with a number of lottery teams, Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype tweets. Achiuwa, a power forward who averaged 15.8 PPG and 10.8 MPG as a Memphis freshman last season, has talked to the Kings, Wizards, Knicks, Nets, Cavaliers, Suns, Spurs, Pistons and Thunder, among others. He’s currently listed at No. 10 overall on ESPN’s list of this year’s top 100 prospects.

We have more on the draft:

Duke point guard Tre Jones has spoken with the Bucks, Suns, Thunder and Timberwolves, among others, according to Kennedy (Twitter link). Jones had an interview lined up with the Bulls, but it was postponed due to their coaching change. Jones anticipates he’ll be a mid- to late-first round pick. He’s currently listed at No. 34 overall by ESPN.
Combo guard RJ Hampton, who played last season in Australia’s NBL, has talked to the Wizards, Kings, Thunder, Pistons, Suns, Trail Blazers, Knicks and Bulls, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington tweets. He posted modest stats in 15 NBL games before suffering a hip flexor injury and returning the U.S. Hampton is currently ranked No. 13 by ESPN and Hughes speculates he could be a late lottery steal like Michael Porter Jr., who sat out for a year after getting drafted by the Nuggets.
Stanford point guard Tyrell Terry has interviewed with the Suns, Thunder, 76ers, Raptors, Knicks, Nets, Warriors, Timberwolves and Bulls, Kennedy tweets. He’s pegged at No. 42 in ESPN’s rankings. He averaged 14.6 PPG, 4.5 RPG and 3.2 APG as a freshman.

Who Are Possible Trade Partners For Buddy Hield?

September 29th, 2020 at 5:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Kings’ decision on whether to retain forward Nemanja Bjelica could hinge on how much new GM Monte McNair values Marvin Bagley III, as well as the team’s financial constraints, Jason Jones of The Athletic writes. The Kings hold a $7.15MM option on Bjelica’s contract next season but re-signing Bogdan Bogdanovic is an even bigger priority, Jones continues. If Sacramento drafts another power forward, the team may find Bjelica expendable, Jones adds.
The Knicks, Sixers, Grizzlies and Hornets are some of the teams that might be willing to absorb Buddy Hield‘s four-year, $106MM extension and make a deal for the Kings‘ shooting guard, Frank Urbina of HoopsHype speculates. All four of those teams could benefit from the outside shooting of Hield, who had a somewhat disappointing season after signing his extension, which kicks in next season.

Kings’ McNair Talks Walton, Fox, Dumars, Hield

September 25th, 2020 at 2:05pm CST by Luke Adams

When new Kings general manager Monte McNair was introduced to the media earlier this week, one of the first things he did was confirm that head coach Luke Walton will remain in his current position for the 2020/21 season, as we relayed on Wednesday.

While McNair admitted he had no preexisting relationship with Walton, he told reporters – including Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee – that the two men have a number of mutual friends and have been in contact within the last few days. McNair added that he has heard “great things” about the Kings’ head coach and is “really excited” to begin working with him.

McNair’s introductory press conference didn’t include any bombshells, but Sacramento’s new head of basketball operations shared a few more interesting observations and comments about the club. Here are a few highlights from the former Rockets executive, as detailed in a pair of Sacramento Bee articles by Anderson:

On whether he intends to push for a playoff spot or take a step back in the Kings’ rebuilding process:

“I think our goal is going to be to compete hard and start building these winning habits. We need to be more consistent and going forward we’re going to maintain our flexibility. Obviously we want to compete for the playoffs but we know we have some work to do, so my goal is to keep that flexibility and be aggressive whenever the time comes to improve the team.

“In Houston I learned a lot. We went through many different stages and ultimately became a contender, so I’ll learn from that. I think No. 1, we have to stay flexible and we can’t pigeonhole ourselves. There are a lot of ways to improve the team and what we need to do is be ready for whatever the opportunity and whenever it arises so we can capitalize.”

On the style of play he envisions for the Kings:

“I think (De’Aaron Fox‘s) speed and ability offensively to create really is going to be a huge catalyst for how Coach Walton and I envision this team being up tempo, creating the space to shoot threes and attack the rim, and I think we’re excited to get going on that.

“… I think in Houston, obviously, we pushed some things to the extreme. That was partly due to our personnel there. There are some tenets that will apply here. We’re definitely going to play fast. We’re going to space the floor. But there’s a lot of versatility and talent on this roster, so I think that will dictate how we build the team.”

On Joe Dumars’ new role as the Kings’ chief strategy officer:

“Joe’s going to assist (team owner) Vivek (Ranadive) in all aspects of the organization – business, basketball … I was hired to be head of basketball operations. That’s what I’m going to do. But Joe’s been a great player on the court. He’s been a general manager and he’ll be a great resource for me.”

On Buddy Hield, who has been the subject of trade speculation:

“I think we all know in this league spacing is of the utmost importance and Buddy is one of the absolute elite shooters in this league, and we’re going to be able to utilize that skill set as we implement our system.”

Draft Notes: Yurtseven, Combine, Toolson, Jessup

September 25th, 2020 at 12:17pm CST by Luke Adams

Former Georgetown big man Omer Yurtseven has met virtually with about a third of the teams in the NBA, including the Hawks, Wizards, Spurs, Hornets, Kings, Sixers, and Rockets, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. As Yurtseven explained in a conversation with Hughes, he has made an effort to do his homework on each team interviewing him in order to make a good impression during those meetings.

“You have to know their rosters in order to see how they would fit in; what shooters are you going to be able to kick out to, or what bigs would you be playing with, what picks do they have,” Yurtseven said. “In all the interviews, I try to incorporate all the things I know about them in order to show them that I care, that I want to be on their team.”

Here’s more on the 2020 NBA draft:

The revamped “combine” won’t allow teams to get as much first-hand information as in a typical draft combine, but after six months of doing little but rewatching tape and making phone calls, scouts and teams are pretty interested in the process and anxious for new information, tweets Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report.
In a story for Bleacher Report, Wasserman looks at some of the latest draft rumors, attempting to weigh their legitimacy. Wasserman is buying talk of RJ Hampton‘s improved jumper, but doesn’t expect the Timberwolves to trade the No. 1 pick and is skeptical about some of the chatter coming out of Golden State.
Despite the fact that just about every NBA team would love to add a sharpshooter such as Duncan Robinson, the Michigan forward went undrafted in 2018. With that in mind, CJ Moore of The Athletic identifies four prospects who could be this year’s under-the-radar marksman like Robinson, including BYU’s Jake Toolson and Boise State’s Justinian Jessup.
The latest mock draft conducted by team beat writers at The Athletic featured LaMelo Ball going No. 1 to the Timberwolves, the Warriors trading the No. 2 pick to the Suns, and Anthony Edwards slipping to the Hornets at No. 3.

Fox Extension Talks; Walton's Future

September 23rd, 2020 at 4:16pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox is eligible for a maximum extension of his rookie contract this offseason. Jason Jones of The Athletic assesses the pros and cons of such a deal being completed sooner rather than later, one of the big decisions facing new Sacramento general manager Monte McNair.
During his introductory team press conference today, new Kings GM Monte McNair asserted that head coach Luke Walton will remain on the sidelines for the 2020/21 season, Jason Jones of The Athletic tweets.