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2017 Offseason In Review: Sacramento Kings

October 9th, 2017 at 11:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2017 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll evaluate each team’s moves from the last several months and look ahead to what the 2017/18 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Sacramento Kings.

Signings:

George Hill: Three years, $57MM. Third year partially guaranteed ($1MM).
Zach Randolph: Two years, $24MM.
Vince Carter: One year, $8MM.
Jack Cooley: Two-way contract. One year. $50K guaranteed.
JaKarr Sampson: Two-way contract. One year. $50K guaranteed.

Camp invitees:

Matt Jones: One year, minimum salary. Exhibits nine and 10.
Marcus Williams: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract with exhibit nine.

Trades:

Acquired the draft rights to Justin Jackson (No. 15 pick) and Harry Giles (No. 20 pick) from the Trail Blazers in exchange for the rights to Zach Collins (No. 10 pick).
Acquired a 2019 second-round pick and cash ($400K) from the Knicks in exchange for the right to hire Scott Perry.
- Note: 2019 second-round pick will be the second-most favorable of Cavaliers’, Rockets’, and Magic’s picks.

Draft picks:

1-5: De’Aaron Fox — Signed to rookie contract.
1-15: Justin Jackson — Signed to rookie contract.
1-20: Harry Giles — Signed to rookie contract.
2-34: Frank Mason — Signed to three year, $4.181MM contract. Third year non-guaranteed.

Draft-and-stash signings:

Bogdan Bogdanovic (2014; No. 27) — Signed to three-year, $27MM contract.

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Harry Giles will be out through at least January due to history of knee injuries.
Extended general manager Vlade Divac through 2019/20 and exercised head coach Dave Joerger‘s option for ’19/20.
Hired Scott Perry as executive VP of basketball operations, then lost him to Knicks.
Hired Brandon Williams as assistant general manager.
Zach Randolph agreed to plea deal after being arrested on marijuana charges.

Salary cap situation:

Operating under the cap, but over the salary floor. Can create up to $4MM+ in cap room (carrying approximately $95MM in team salary). Room exception ($4.328MM) still available if/when cap room used.

Check out the Sacramento Kings’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.

Story of the summer:

The Kings have traditionally done things in an unconventional fashion. This offseason was no different, as they lavished free agent contracts on some big-name veterans, including two in the twilight of their careers.

Signing George Hill, Zach Randolph and Vince Carter doesn’t make much sense on the surface. None of those players will be on the roster by the time the Kings become a playoff contender. It’s also a head-scratcher for those players to choose a floundering franchise that traded away its best player, DeMarcus Cousins, last February in a heavily-criticized deal.

The Sacramento brass had a ulterior motive for bringing in the trio. The team decided that the youngsters dotting the remainder of the roster needed proven winners to facilitate the mentoring process.

Hill, who got a front-loaded deal with $39MM in guarantees the first two seasons, will guide lottery pick De’Aaron Fox through the process of becoming a dependable NBA floor leader. Randolph will provide low-post tips to second-year man Skal Labissiere and third-year center Willie Cauley-Stein. Carter will show rookie Justin Jackson and second-year guard Buddy Hield the ropes on how to become top-notch wing players.

The results of those signings won’t be based upon how many games the Kings win this season, but rather how quickly their younger players develop.

Key offseason losses:

The Kings did a lot of roster churning to open up spots for all veterans and rookies they brought in. The biggest name they let go — to no one’s surprise — was Rudy Gay. Sacramento tried to move Gay before he hit the free agent market but a season-ending Achilles injury scuttled those efforts.

The Kings also had no interest in bringing back their unimposing point guard duo of Darren Collison and Ty Lawson. Ditto for shooting guard Ben McLemore, who was a major disappointment in his first four seasons after Sacramento used the No. 7 overall pick on him in 2013.

Tyreke Evans and Langston Galloway were throw-ins to make the Cousins trade to the Pelicans possible, but the Kings never had any plans to keep them long-term.

Key offseason additions:

Fox was the “other” big-time point guard in the draft behind top pick Markelle Fultz and No. 2 selection Lonzo Ball. The one-and-done youngster from Kentucky will allow the Kings to play faster because of his outstanding quickness and ability to push the ball.

Jackson, the leading scorer for national champion North Carolina, could jump right into the starting lineup. With three years under his belt at one of the country’s elite programs, he’s much more polished than most first-round picks.

The addition of Bogdan Bogdanovic was an under-the-radar move. Hield was the centerpiece of the Cousins deal for the Kings but Bogdanovic could supplant him from the starting lineup. The 2014 draft-and-stash prospect was the MVP of the Turkish league last season and led the Serbian national team to a silver medal in the EuroBasket tournament.

Outlook for 2017/18:

The Kings boast one of the more unusual rosters in the league — it’s top-heavy with unproven players, but has a few aging veterans sprinkled into the mix. Coach Dave Joerger has the challenge of trying to fit those pieces together.

Ownership made long-term commitments to both Joerger and GM Vlade Divac in an effort to provide some continuity to the rebuilding process. The free-agent additions signal that the Kings truly want to win as many games as possible this season. But playing in the loaded Western Conference without any All-Stars on the roster, a postseason appearance is a pipe dream. The best that the Kings can hope for is that Fox and Jackson flash All-Star potential and Hield emerges as a consistent 20-points per game scorer.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Vince Carter Discusses FA Decision, Kings, Future

October 9th, 2017 at 12:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Vince Carter, who will turn 41 in January, is the NBA’s oldest active player. However, while many players in his position would prioritize getting a ring above all else, Carter wasn’t interested in signing with a title contender and being buried in that team’s rotation all season. As the veteran forward tells Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, he would love to win a championship, but he also wants to contribute and feel like he has earned it

“It’s easy to play for a good team and sit there,” Carter said.

That outlook resulted in the former fifth overall pick signing with the Kings as a free agent this offseason. Sacramento’s roster is packed with first- and second-year players, and no one will mistake the club for a title contender in 2017/18. Still, Carter is looking forward to the opportunity to play a significant role for the Kings and act as a mentor for the team’s young players.

Carter expanded on his motivation and touched on a few other topics during his conversation with Spears, so here are a few more highlights from the 19-year veteran:

More on why he chose the Kings in free agency:

“Opportunity. They have given me the opportunity to still play and teach and mentor. I wasn’t ready to sit on anybody’s bench and play limited minutes when I feel like I still have something to give. When I don’t have much to give, I can accept the reality. I’m not ready for that.

“Maybe teams and people see that. ‘A limited role. Maybe we want him to mentor.’ Maybe they see that. But I wanted to see if all teams felt that way. When all teams feel that way, then the mentality, the approach and what you look for is different. It helped being with [Kings head coach Dave] Joerger and the stay before [with the Grizzlies]. It’s like walking back into the Memphis locker room again with him. It was just a great situation.

On receiving an $8MM offer from the Kings:

“The money is always cool, but it wasn’t about that, to be honest with you. But when you get to this age and get that kind of money is there for you, you’re like, ‘Thank you.’ They understood and being around the coaching staff with Dave before, they know my approach. They know what I can bring to a team. It didn’t matter if I am a high draft pick or not. My approach to the game is still the same. It will never change.”

On whether 2017/18 will be his last season:

“I go year to year. I’ll wait until after the season to see how I feel. And I swear that every year when the season is over, I feel good and say, ‘I can do it again.’ It gets harder and harder throughout the summer to just prepare and get myself where I need to be. But at the same time, the challenge and motivation is still there to do so to fight through that.

“I don’t know how many more years that will happen. But doing that while trying to establish my second career is kind of the clash. I want to make sure I am prepared for phase two of my life. I want to do some broadcasting. I like that. It’s something I enjoy. I work hard at that as well. So, I’ve learned how to balance the two out, which has made it tougher to get prepared. But I know if I want to play this game, I have to do that as well.”

Willie Cauley-Stein Preparing For Difficult Season

October 7th, 2017 at 11:56am CST by marksuleymanov

Bogdan Bogdanovic has spent limited time in the United States but he cannot contain the excitement for his NBA opportunity with the Kings, Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee details.

Frank Mason Ready To Produce In Year 1

October 6th, 2017 at 6:28pm CST by Austin Kent

He may not be the most talked about Kings rookie at the point guard position but Frank Mason is ready to produce in his first season in the NBA, Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee writes. The 23-year-old played four seasons at Kansas and is ready to bring his fast, aggressive style of play to the next level.

Kings’ Harry Giles Won’t Play Until 2018

October 6th, 2017 at 3:32pm CST by Luke Adams

The Kings officially announced today that big man Harry Giles, one of several rookies on the roster, won’t make his NBA debut until at least January, and possibly later. As James Ham of NBC Sports California details, Giles hasn’t suffered a setback, but Sacramento wants to be cautions with the prospect’s surgically repaired knees.

Although he’s just 19 years old, Giles has an extensive injury history, having torn his left ACL, MCL, and meniscus back in 2013. The young center also tore the ACL in his right knee in 2015, and then underwent a cleanup procedure on his left knee while at Duke last season.

Despite his knee injuries, Giles is viewed as a prospect with significant potential, and likely would’ve been a top-10 pick back in June if teams were more confident about his long-term health. The Kings, who were armed with three first-round picks, selected De’Aaron Fox and Justin Jackson before snagging Giles, so they could afford to gamble on the former Blue Devil’s upside at No. 20.

With Zach Randolph, Kosta Koufos, Willie Cauley-Stein, Skal Labissiere, and Georgios Papagiannis among the other bigs expected to vie for minutes in Sacramento’s frontcourt rotation, the team is willing to be patient with Giles, believing the cautious approach is in his best interests for the long term.

“It’s a plan that started over the summer of bringing him along slowly with the medical staff,” Kings head coach Dave Joerger said on NBC Sports California’s podcast, per Ham. “Our staff is terrific and with his history, what he’s been through and what we’re able to do. Everyone wants to go as fast as they can, but when you look at the longer scope of his career and as a valuable asset of our organization what’s best for 10 years than what’s best for six months. I think the long-term view far outweighs the short-term view.”

While he waits to make his NBA debut, Giles will continue to practice with the team, allowing the coaching staff and training staff to monitor his progress in a controlled environment.

Skal Labissiere Needs To Fill Out Some More

October 2nd, 2017 at 5:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kings coach Dave Joerger doesn’t believe Skal Labissiere will reach his full potential until his body fills out and he gets stronger, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee reports. Labissiere, entering his second season, averaged 10.8 points and 6.0 rebounds in 25 games after DeMarcus Cousins was dealt to the Pelicans. “He won’t be a finished product this year either,” Joerger told Jones. “It’s three, whatever number of years from now, when he fills into his body completely.”

Malachi Richardson Faces Competition At The Two

October 1st, 2017 at 9:39pm CST by Austin Kent

The depth chart at the shooting guard position is a lot more crowded than it used to be but Malachi Richardson believes that he can still factor into the Kings‘ plans heading forward. The two-guard spoke with Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee about the injury he struggled with last season.

Zach Randolph Gets Fresh Start In Sacramento

September 29th, 2017 at 9:59pm CST by Austin Kent

After a busy summer, in which he says he was wrongfully arrested, Zach Randolph will settle into a new role with a new franchise. Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee writes that the 36-year-old back-to-the-basket big man will complement the Kings young frontcourt.

Dave Joerger Commits To Change Of Course

September 28th, 2017 at 5:34pm CST by Austin Kent

Although the mission was to get the Kings into the postseason when he signed on with the team, head coach Dave Joerger is comfortable with and committed to the rebuild at hand, too, Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee writes.

Kings Extend Vlade Divac, Dave Joerger Through 2019/20

September 27th, 2017 at 12:19pm CST by Luke Adams

The Kings have extended the contract of general manager Vlade Divac and exercised their fourth-year option on head coach Dave Joerger, the team announced today in a press release. As a result of the moves, both Divac and Joerger will now be under contract with Sacramento through the 2019/20 season.

While neither Divac nor Joerger was expected to be on the hot seat entering the season, the decision to extend their contracts before opening night represents a show of support from the franchise as the Kings kick off their rebuilding process in earnest. Having entered last season intent on making the playoffs, the DeMarcus Cousins-less Kings will head into the season focused more on developing young players and taking incremental steps forward.

Divac, who has been with the Kings since 2015, made some questionable moves and decisions during his first year or two with the franchise, and was widely criticized for the club’s return in the Cousins trade. However, the Cousins package – essentially Buddy Hield, Justin Jackson, Harry Giles, and Frank Mason – looks a little more promising today than it did at the time, and the Kings had a good offseason. Sacramento drafted a potential franchise point guard in De’Aaron Fox and made some solid veteran signings in free agency, picking up George Hill, Zach Randolph, and Vince Carter.

As for Joerger, in 2016/17 – his first season with the Kings – he led the team to a 32-50 record. Prior to arriving in Sacramento, Joerger had a 147-99 (.598) record in three seasons with the Grizzlies. While the club in Memphis had perennial aspirations of contending, Joerger will be tasked with coaching a different sort of club in Sacramento over the next couple seasons — the Kings’ decision to pick up his 2019/20 option indicates the team believes he’ll be up to the challenge of developing the young players on the roster.