Sacramento Kings Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pelicans Notes: Cousins, Rondo, Randle, Payton

July 3rd, 2018 at 8:07pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pelicans made a two-year, $40MM offer to DeMarcus Cousins between his Achilles injury in January and the end of the season, Marc Stein of The New York Times states in his latest newsletter. Cousins rejected the offer, and New Orleans’ front office responded by taking it off the table.

Cousins committed to Golden State last night, taking the Warriors’ MLE of $5.3MM for next season. The Lakers had an opportunity to get Cousins for a similar price, Stein adds, but once they passed, it was an easy decision for him to join the Warriors.

The Pelicans hadn’t given up hope of retaining Cousins when free agency began, but the door closed when they signed Julius Randle for $18MM over two years. Stein notes that Anthony Davis played an aggressive role in recruiting Randle to New Orleans.

There’s more Pelicans news to pass along:

The trade with the Kings that brought Cousins to New Orleans will be remembered as a mistake, according to Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune. The Pelicans gave up two first-round picks in Buddy Hield and a 2017 selection that turned out to be Zach Collins. In exchange, they got just 65 games out of Cousins.
Rajon Rondo and Cousins both made shrewd business decisions, Duncan adds in the same story. The Lakers gave Rondo more money than the Pelicans were offering, along with the chance to team up with LeBron James. Cousins found a low-stress environment to rehab his injured Achilles while getting an excellent chance to win a ring. The Pelicans also showed they’re not ready to pay the luxury tax, with Randle and Elfrid Payton providing cheaper alternatives to Cousins and Rondo.
The free agent drama in New Orleans could be repeated next summer, writes Scott Kushner of The Advocate. The Pelicans took a little bit of the sting out of losing Cousins and Rondo by agreeing to deals with Randle and Payton. However, Randle can opt out after one season and Payton is only signed for a year. Nikola Mirotic, who fit well alongside Davis after arriving from the Bulls in a midseason trade, will also be a free agent.

Kings No Longer Pursuing Jabari Parker?

July 2nd, 2018 at 11:58am CST by Luke Adams

The Kings are no longer believed to be pursuing restricted free agent forward Jabari Parker, a league source tells Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Reports from last week indicated that Parker was one of several free agents on the radar for the Kings, who were also linked to Zach LaVine and others.

Sacramento was one of the few NBA teams with cap room available, so if the Kings are out of the running for Parker, it will be interesting to see if the former No. 2 overall pick can find a lucrative offer elsewhere. The Bucks’ reported agreement with Ersan Ilyasova appears likely to hard-cap them, so a team could put pressure on Milwaukee with an aggressive offer sheet for Parker, but it remains to be seen which club might put such an offer on the table.

Knicks Sign Mario Hezonja To One-Year Deal

July 1st, 2018 at 8:09pm CST by Austin Kent

JULY 6: The Knicks have officially signed Hezonja, according to the NBA’s transactions log.

JULY 1: The Knicks have agreed to a one-year, $6.5MM pact with small forward Mario Hezonja, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. The 23-year-old comes off of a career-best season in which he averaged 9.6 points in 22.1 minutes per game for the Magic.

Prior to the 2017/18 season, the Magic elected not to pick up the 2015 fifth-overall pick’s fourth-year option and the Croatian swingman responded with a notable increase in production. In 11 February contests, for example, Hezonja averaged 15.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.

As we relayed earlier today, Marc Berman of The New York Post had reported that the Knicks had put an offer on the table for Hezonja worth a portion of the club’s $8.641MM mid-level exception. These reported terms would fall in line with that, leaving enough of the MLE available for New York to ink second-round pick Mitchell Robinson, something the club had been set on doing.

While Hezonja had reportedly been seeking a multiyear deal, the Knicks want to retain as much cap flexibility as possible for the 2019 offseason, and only plan on offering one-year guarantees this summer.

The buy-low addition of Hezonja, a young, recent lottery pick, will add depth to New York’s rotation. Hezonja will compete with Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee for minutes on the wing, assuming the latter remains on the roster.

The move will give the Knicks three of the top seven draft picks from 2015. Kristaps Porzingis (No. 4) and Emmanuel Mudiay (No. 7) were also top selections in that draft.

According to a subsequent Wojnarowski tweet, the Blazers, Kings and Grizzlies were also in the mix for Hezonja’s services.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Kings Sign Marvin Bagley III To Rookie Deal

July 1st, 2018 at 2:26pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Kings have signed Marvin Bagley III to a rookie scale contract, according to a team press release. At 120% of the scale, his first-year salary will come in at approximately $7.31MM.

Sacramento selected Bagley with the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft. During his lone season at Duke, the big man was just one of four freshmen in the nation to average a double-double with points and rebounds. He averaged 21.0 points, 11.1 boards, and 1.5 assists in 33.9 minutes per night at the collegiate level.

Bagley will help lead an inexperienced Kings’ roster this upcoming season. Including his deal, Sacramento has nine players under contract who are on their rookie contracts, a figure that leads the league. That total does not include Bogdan Bogdanovic, who’s on his first contract in the league, but not bound to a rookie scale.

Knicks Make Offer To Mario Hezonja

July 1st, 2018 at 12:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

12:50pm: The Knicks have an offer on the table for Hezonja, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post, who reports that the one-year deal would be worth a portion of the team’s mid-level exception. While Hezonja is considering the offer, he had been seeking a multiyear contract.

If Hezonja ultimately accepts the Knicks’ proposal, it would signal the end of Michael Beasley‘s time in New York, Berman adds.

8:25am: The Knicks appear to the early favorites to sign free agent forward Mario Hezonja, tweets ESPN’s Ian Begley.

Several league executives told Begley that Hezonja sees New York as his best option, However, the Knicks are only handing out one-year deals to preserve their 2019 cap space, so another organization could trump that with a longer offer. The Kings are among the teams with interest in Hezonja (Twitter link).

The Croation forward had a disappointing three years in Orlando after being the fifth player taken in the 2015 draft. However, he’s coming off his best season, averaging 9.6 points and 3.7 rebounds and starting 30 of the 75 games that he played.

Hawks Among Those Interested In Zach LaVine

July 1st, 2018 at 12:17am CST by Austin Kent

Count the Hawks among those interested in Bulls guard Zach LaVine, Vincent Goodwill of NBC Sports Chicago tweets. They’ll join a handful of suitors that also includes the Kings, as we wrote about earlier this week.

Atlanta, like Sacramento, will have plenty of cap space to throw at the restricted free agent. A bidding war between clubs well short of the cap, coupled with the 23-year-old’s hypothetical ceiling, could drive the former slam dunk champion’s forthcoming contract through the roof.

While there are concerns about LaVine’s health following an ACL tear in early 2017, he remains a world-class athlete that averaged 18.9 points per game half-way through 2016/17 before succumbing to the injury.

LaVine performed admirably in just over a third of a season with the Bulls but Chicago may pause at the thought of matching a max or near-max contract offer sheet should either the Hawks or Kings decide to go that high.

It’s worth noting that Hawks general manager Travis Schlenk has been particularly conservative financially throughout his short tenure with the franchise. That said, the chance to net a potential All-Star young enough to build around may prove too much to resist.

Kings Notes: Giles, Free Agents, Summer League, Fox

June 30th, 2018 at 5:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Harry Giles is “on a mission” as he prepares for his first game action since being drafted by the Kings last year, relays James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area. Giles will suit up for Sacramento’s summer league team, which begins play Monday in the California Classic.

“It’s game day!” Giles told the media after today’s mini-camp. “I remember this time last year, I said, ‘My time is coming.’ My time is now and I’ve got to go attack it.”

The Kings took a cautious approach with Giles, who suffered ACL tears in both knees while in high school. Team officials have marveled over Giles’ court vision and passing, Ham adds, and have been impressed by the intensity and physicality he has displayed in workouts. He is expected to have a significant role next season if he can remain healthy.

There’s more today from Sacramento:

The Kings should resist the temptation to make an immediate splash in free agency, writes Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee, who advises the team to save its money for 2019. The organization has about $17MM in cap space, and Jones states it should avoid a repeat of last year with the signing of veterans Zach Randolph, George Hill and Vince Carter. The Kings are rumored to have interest in Milwaukee’s Jabari Parker and Chicago’s Zach LaVine, but both are restricted free agents and would require more moves to balance the roster if they come to Sacramento. The Kings, who don’t have a first-round pick in next year’s draft, appear willing to take on a bad contract to acquire one.
De’Aaron Fox will participate in the California Classic, but isn’t on the Kings’ roster for the Las Vegas Summer League, according to Jon Schultz of The Sacramento Bee.
The Kings are hoping to increase their tempo next season, and Fox has been studying Chris Paul in an effort to get ready, Jones writes in a separate story. Speed was among Fox’s greatest attributes in college, but he rarely got to show it off during his rookie season on the league’s lowest scoring team. Fox has been watching film of Paul and has talked to Bobby Jackson and Peja Stojakovic, who both played with Paul early in his career. “Even at a young age, in his rookie year, he demanded [his teammates play fast],” Fox said. “He doesn’t just run by himself and nobody runs with him; he forces his teammates to do it with him, and that’s one thing I admire about him, he’s a true leader.”

Jabari Parker Likely To Leave Bucks?

June 30th, 2018 at 1:04pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Kings are just one of the teams expected to make a run at Jabari Parker, and some executives within the league view the former No. 2 overall pick to be among the small tier of players below stars such as LeBron James and Paul George.

“Hey, he’s a good player; I mean he’s a really good player,’’ an NBA executive told Gary Woelfel (via Woelfel’s Press Box). “And he’s young.’’

Parker is a restricted free agent, meaning the Bucks can match any rival offer he receives. One longtime NBA executive expects the 23-year-old to see a rather lucrative deal.

“I think some teams will give him $20MM [per season] and there might be some teams that will make it tough on Milwaukee to match and offer him even more,’’ the NBA official tells Woelfel.

“I think Milwaukee would like to keep him for $16MM or something around that figure, trying to use his injury situation to their advantage. But there are teams that need a big-time scorer and nobody doubts he’s a big-time scorer.’’

Another NBA executive speculated that the Sixers could make an offer for Parker should they fail to land a bigger target like James, George or Kawhi Leonard. Woelfel names the Bulls, Jazz, Pacers, Hawks, Suns, and Nets as possibilities as well.

Other NBA executives who spoke with Woelfel believe a sign-and-trade is a more likely scenario for the combo forward. That route would be Milwaukee’s preference rather than being forced to decide between signing Parker to a player-friendly contract or losing him for nothing. “It’s no secret” that the Bucks would be open to receiving an upgrade at point guard or center in such an agreement, Woelfel adds.

The Rockets and Clippers are both high on Parker and could be possibilities if a sign-and-trade were to occur, though it would be hard for Houston to complete a deal and stay under the tax apron if the team retains its own key free agents. Los Angeles and Milwaukee had discussions about Parker at last year’s trade deadline.

Parker likes Milwaukee and he reportedly paid around $1.5MM to redo the warehouse he currently lives in, according to Woelfel’s sources. Those same sources tell the scribe that despite Parker being comfortable in his current situation, it’s more likely he leaves then stays.

“He loves the people there; he loves the city,” the source said. “But I don’t see him staying there. If you’re asking me, it’s 75-25 he goes to another team.’’

Many dominos, such as James coming out of his decision cave, are likely to fall before Parker inks his next contract with a source estimating that a deal won’t take place until late-July or early-August.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Qualifying Offer Decisions: Caboclo, M. Brown, Paige

June 29th, 2018 at 1:49pm CST by Luke Adams

The Kings won’t tender a qualifying offer to former first-round pick Bruno Caboclo, league sources tell ESPN’s Chris Haynes (Twitter link). Caboclo will become an unrestricted free agent on Sunday.

A qualifying offer, which would have been worth $3.5MM+, was never expected for Caboclo, who has appeared in just 35 games in his NBA career since being picked 20th overall in the 2014 draft.

At the time the Raptors selected him, draft guru Fran Fraschilla infamously referred to Caboclo as “two years away from being two years away,” but after four NBA seasons, the 6’9″ forward doesn’t appear to be on the verge of breaking through. In 10 games (10.0 MPG) with the Kings after being included in a midseason trade, the 22-year-old averaged 2.6 PPG and 2.1 RPG with a .310/.200/.833 shooting line.

Here are a couple more updates on qualifying offer decisions:

The Rockets have issued a qualifying offer to two-way player Markel Brown, tweets Michael Scotto of The Athletic. The one-year, two-way contract offer, which includes a $50K guarantee, will give Houston the opportunity to match an offer sheet for Brown.
Former UNC guard Marcus Paige, who was on a two-way contract with the Hornets, won’t be receiving a qualifying offer from the team, according to a press release. The decision ensures that Paige will become an unrestricted free agent.

Kings’ Garrett Temple Opts In For 2018/19

June 29th, 2018 at 1:17pm CST by Luke Adams

Kings guard Garrett Temple has informed Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (Twitter link) that he’ll exercise his player option for 2018/19. Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee confirms (via Twitter) that the option has been picked up. The move will put Temple in line for a guaranteed salary of $8MM next season.

Temple, 32, enjoyed a solid 2017/18 campaign for the Kings, averaging a career-best 8.4 PPG to go along with 2.3 RPG and 1.9 APG. He also posted a shooting line of .418/.392/.769.

While Temple’s numbers were respectable, he almost certainly would have been unable to match his $8MM option salary on the open market, so his decision doesn’t come as a surprise. Sacramento had been planning for Temple to opt in, and should still have more cap room available than most NBA teams next week.

The Kings, who have been linked to free agents like Jabari Parker, Zach LaVine, and Mario Hezonja, project to have approximately $18.7MM in cap room, assuming they don’t trade or release any players with guaranteed contracts.