Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Kings Rumors

Kings Notes: Losing Streak, Rotation, Murray, NBAGL Team

January 19th, 2024 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The Kings remain in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race with a 23-18 record, but they’re in the midst of their worst stretch of the season, having dropped a fourth consecutive game on Thursday. While road losses in Philadelphia and Milwaukee last Friday and Sunday were understandable, Sacramento blew a big fourth quarter lead in Phoenix on Tuesday and fell at home to a depleted Pacers team last night.

“It’s a lot of little things that are turning into big things,” Keegan Murray said of the Kings’ on-court issues, per Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee.

One of those issues is free throw shooting. The Kings’ 72.5% rate from the foul line this season is easily the NBA’s worst mark and the team made just 25-of-44 (56.8%) free throws in its past two losses.

“That’s two games in a row we shoot 50% from the free throw line,” head coach Mike Brown said on Thursday. “I’m not sure what it is. Today we shot more free throws in a shootaround than we ever have in a shootaround since I’ve been here. And yesterday, we shot more free throws in a practice than we ever have since I’ve been here.”

“You go back to the work. You get in the gym,” wing Kevin Huerter said. “You’ve got to build your confidence by trusting the work you put in. We shot ourselves in the foot. This is the third game in a row this has happened against three good teams. It feels like it’s all self-inflicted and that’s why it’s frustrating for us. It’s no secret. We can’t miss 14 free throws at home and expect to beat a team that’s this good, even with the players they have out. That’s stuff that we can control.”

Here’s more on the Kings:

  • Despite the losing streak, Brown seems to have settled into a rotation he likes, with Huerter back in the starting five and Malik Monk, Trey Lyles, Sasha Vezenkov, and Alex Len playing regular minutes off the bench, notes Anderson. “I hate to say this, but I feel fairly comfortable (with the current rotation),” Brown said prior to Thursday’s loss. “Now, that doesn’t mean I may not change again with the way our rotation is right now, but I feel fairly comfortable with what we’re doing right now, and I’m going to ride with it a little bit and give it an opportunity.” Davion Mitchell, Chris Duarte, Keon Ellis, and JaVale McGee are among those not seeing regular playing time as of late.
  • Anthony Slater of The Athletic outlines why the Kings consider Murray essentially untouchable in trade talks, writing that the team views the former No. 4 overall pick as a player who could round out a long-term big three alongside Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox. “Keegan is a huge part of our future,” Brown said. “We rely on him for a lot and, to a certain degree, it is a little unfair. Because we’re a playoff team. There aren’t many guys that are in year two that are expected to do what he does.”
  • Anjali Ranadive, the daughter of Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, has stepped down from her position as the general manager of the Stockton Kings, Sacramento’s G League affiliate announced today in a press release. She’ll be pursuing a Ph.D. and focusing on her non-profit organization while assistant general manager Gabriel Harris takes on the day-to-day GM responsibilities in Stockton. “We are grateful to Anjali for her contributions to the Stockton Kings over the past two seasons,” Kings GM Monte McNair said in a statement. “Under her leadership the team has excelled on the court and is set for success in the future.”
  • In other Stockton news, the Kings’ G League team added a former NBA first-round pick earlier this week, announcing in a press release that veteran swingman Shabazz Muhammad has joined the roster. The No. 14 pick in the 2013 draft, Muhammad last played in the NBA in 2018 for Milwaukee, but continues to try to make it back to the league.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

And-Ones: T. Davis, Trade Deadline, Team USA, Diamond Sports

January 17th, 2024 at 3:41pm CST by Luke Adams

After not finding an NBA opportunity when he became a free agent during the 2023 offseason, veteran guard Terence Davis eventually opted to sign a G League contract in December. Speaking to Cyro Asseo de Choch of HoopsHype, Davis said he gave up “a good amount of money” by turning down a EuroLeague opportunity with a Greek team, but that he didn’t want to move his family overseas and believed the G League was the best route back to the NBA.

Unfortunately, Davis’ comeback efforts will go on hold for the rest of the 2023/24 season and potentially beyond that. While playing for the Rip City Remix – the Trail Blazers‘ NBAGL team – the veteran guard recently suffered a torn Achilles, which will sideline him for the rest of ’23/24.

Davis told HoopsHype that he’s hopeful he’ll be able to recover quickly and be ready for training camps in the fall, but the rehab process for Achilles tear often takes longer than that. The 26-year-old admitted that there’s no specific return timetable yet.

“We haven’t had surgery. I get reevaluated in a week,” Davis said. “Then, I will get to fly home and probably won’t see Dr. (Richard) Ferkel again for another three or four weeks. So, that’s when I can start my rehab, and we’ll know the timelines.”

We have a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • In another story for HoopsHype, Mark Deeks previews the trade deadline for all 15 Eastern Conference clubs, exploring what each team will – or should – do.
  • At some point in the next few days, USA Basketball is expected to announce a pool of about 30 players who will be in the mix for spots on the 2024 Olympic roster, tweets Marc J. Spears of Andscape. The final 12-man roster likely won’t be announced until sometime after the season.
  • Fred Katz, Mike Vorkunov, and James Edwards of The Athletic ranked the 15 best in-season NBA trades of the past five years, focusing on which deals had the most significant impact on the teams involved. Their No. 1 pick was 2020’s Andrew Wiggins/D’Angelo Russell swap between the Warriors and Timberwolves, which beat out the 2022 Kings/Pacers blockbuster that included Tyrese Haliburton and Domantas Sabonis.
  • Amazon is partnering with Diamond Sports as part of restructuring agreement, per Joe Reedy of The Associated Press. Diamond Sports, which filed for bankruptcy last March, owns 18 Bally Sports networks that control the TV rights for 15 NBA teams. The agreement will give Amazon’s Prime Video access to Diamond’s content and should allow the company to emerge from bankruptcy and continue its operations, as Reedy details.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Fischer’s Latest: Tucker, Suns, Warriors, Mavs, Blazers, Graham

January 17th, 2024 at 12:28pm CST by Luke Adams

After being traded from Philadelphia to the Clippers earlier this season, veteran forward P.J. Tucker is a “strong” candidate to be moved again ahead of the February 8 deadline, says Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

According to Fischer, Washington is viewed as a potential trade destination for Tucker, who would likely be bought out if he’s sent to the Wizards. In that scenario, the Suns and Bucks would be among the teams expected to pursue the 38-year-old on the buyout market, Fischer adds.

Tucker is earning $11MM this season, with an $11.5MM player option for 2024/25, so unless he gives up a significant portion of his remaining money in a buyout agreement, he’d still have a real impact on his team’s salary cap for next season. With that in mind, the Wizards (or another trade partner) would presumably want a solid asset or two as a sweetener to take on his contract, especially if they’re also giving up a rotation-caliber player in the process.

Here’s more from Fischer:

  • The Suns are one of the more active teams on the trade market and have explored what a package that includes Grayson Allen and Nassir Little could bring back, Fischer reports. Those efforts are complicated by the fact that Phoenix’s draft assets consist of just four second-round picks, according to Fischer, who points out too that Allen has been arguably the team’s most important players outside of its three stars.
  • Although the Warriors and Mavericks have displayed interest in Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, Golden State has shown little desire to part with either Jonathan Kuminga or Moses Moody, Fischer writes. As for the Mavs, they’ve been linked to many forwards, per Fischer, including Andrew Wiggins, P.J. Washington of the Hornets, and former Mav Dorian Finney-Smith, now a member of the Nets.
  • Jerami Grant is the sort of player who would appeal to teams like the Mavericks and Kings, but the Trail Blazers aren’t expected to seriously consider offers for the veteran forward, according to Fischer. Portland guard Malcolm Brogdon, on the other hand, is viewed as a more viable trade candidate.
  • In addition to veterans like Doug McDermott and Cedi Osman, who were previously identified as trade candidates, guard Devonte’ Graham is another Spurs player who is available via trade, sources tell Fischer. Graham has been out of San Antonio’s rotation all season and has a $12.1MM cap hit for this season, with a $2.85MM partial guarantee for 2024/25, so he presumably won’t have positive value.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Raptors, Pacers Engaged In Serious Talks On Possible Siakam Trade

January 17th, 2024 at 11:18am CST by Dana Gauruder

JANUARY 17: Several parties familiar with the negotiations between the Raptors and Pacers were surprised that the two teams didn’t finalize an agreement before Tuesday’s games begin, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

One sticking point, per Fischer, has been Indiana’s unwillingness to include either of their two most recent lottery picks – Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker – in a package for Siakam. Charania has also stated that the Pacers aren’t interested in giving up either of those young players (Twitter video link).

According to Fischer, the other pieces that would be sent to Toronto along with Brown in the latest framework of the proposed deal are Jordan Nwora and either Obi Toppin or Jalen Smith. Buddy Hield hasn’t been a part of the recent discussions between the two teams, says Fischer.

Fischer adds that two of the first-round picks in in Indiana’s proposal are 2024 selections (the Pacers’ own pick and a least favorable pick from Oklahoma City).

JANUARY 16: The Raptors and Pacers are engaged in serious talks about a potential trade that would send power forward Pascal Siakam to Indiana, The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Sam Amick report.

Indiana’s package would be built around swingman Bruce Brown, other salaries and three first-round draft picks, according to The Athletic’s duo.

The Raptors have discussed potential deals involving Siakam with several teams, but the talks with the Pacers have gained traction in recent days. They have yet to finalize or agree to a deal, although they are far along in the process, with proposals being made back and forth.

The Kings had pulled out of the Siakam sweepstakes in recent weeks, in part because the two-time All-NBA forward reportedly isn’t interested in re-signing with them after the season. The Warriors and Mavericks are among the other clubs that have expressed interest in the 29-year-old.

Siakam has an expiring $37.9MM contract and any acquiring team would want to have a strong indication if he’d commit to their organization beyond this season. Siakam is known to be seeking a max-salary deal and extension talks between the Raptors and his reps have not progressed in recent months.

Brown’s contract features a $22MM cap hit this season with a $23MM club option for 2024/25. Although Brown’s salary is well below Siakam’s, the Pacers have over $8MM in cap room and would only need to send out about $7.6MM in additional salary to make a deal legal, notes cap expert Yossi Gozlan (Twitter link).

As for the draft picks, the Pacers control all of their own future first-rounders, as well as a 2024 pick from Oklahoma City that includes “least favorable” language — it will almost certainly be either the Thunder’s or Clippers’ first-rounder.

The potential acquisition of Siakam would strengthen a Pacers starting lineup that also includes star guard Tyrese Haliburton — currently injured — and center Myles Turner and would make them a more dangerous playoff team.

Indiana reportedly made an effort to acquire OG Anunoby from Toronto before he was sent to New York.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Stein’s Latest: Rockets, Barnes, O’Neale, Hunter, Bogdanovic, Jazz, Murray

January 16th, 2024 at 6:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Rockets are pursuing frontcourt options to give Most Improved Player Award candidate Alperen Şengün some help, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack post. They’re danging Victor Oladipo‘s expiring $9.5MM deal and Jock Landale‘s contract, which isn’t guaranteed beyond this season, as enticements. Houston is also seeking another shooter and has shown interest in the Kings’ Harrison Barnes, according to Stein.

Here are more tidbits from Stein’s story:

  • Barnes could be on the move, despite signing a three-year, $54MM extension last offseason. However, the Kings would prefer to get an impact player using Barnes as part of the package. They’ve had discussions with the Raptors regarding a potential Pascal Siakam deal. The Kings have also made Kevin Huerter and Davion Mitchell available but have no interest in dealing second-year forward Keegan Murray.
  • Stein suggested a couple of days ago that the Cavaliers might pursue Royce O’Neale to fill their 3-and-D need. He now hears that the Nets forward is indeed on Cleveland’s list of targets. The Hawks’ De’Andre Hunter could also be a target to watch for Cleveland, but his contract — he’s in the first year of a four-year, $90MM extension — would make the Cavs’ future cap issues more challenging. O’Neale will be a free agent after the season.
  • The Pistons had some exploratory discussions with a number of teams regarding swingman Bojan Bogdanović. However, it’s not a certainty they’ll deal him, says Stein. They may want to keep him around to help avoid setting the NBA record for the worst all-time season record, currently held by Sixers (9-73).
  • The Jazz’s surge up the Western Conference standings has made it tougher to predict what their front office will do in the coming weeks. Kelly Olynyk and Jordan Clarkson are the veterans most frequently mentioned as potential trade pieces but the chatter regarding John Collins has died down since he became the team’s starting center, according to Stein. Top exec Danny Ainge will still likely listen to trade pitches for virtually any player on the roster.
  • Dejounte Murray‘s list of potential suitors includes the Spurs, Lakers, Nets, Knicks and Pistons, Stein reports. The Hawks, as previously noted, are looking to replenish their draft assets after they gave up three first-round picks (two of their own) and a pick swap to acquire him from San Antonio in 2022.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Kings’ Mike Brown Fined $50K By NBA

January 16th, 2024 at 2:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Kings head coach Mike Brown has been fined $50K for “aggressively pursuing” a referee during the team’s Sunday loss in Milwaukee and for publicly criticizing the officiating after the game, the NBA announced today in a press release (Twitter link).

Brown was ejected in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game when he confronted and berated referee Intae Hwang to express his displeasure with how the game was being called (Twitter video link via Sean Cunningham of Fox 40 Sacramento).

During his postgame press conference, Brown brought the team’s video coordinator and a laptop to show reporters specifically which calls led to his ejection (Twitter video link via Carmichael Dave).

“The referees are human, and they’re going to make mistakes, but you just hope that there’s some sort of consistency and there’s some sort of communication between the refs,” Brown said. “The refs tonight, they were great, they communicated with me all night. But in terms of consistency, you guys saw it right here. In my opinion, the consistency wasn’t here tonight.”

It’s a significant penalty for Brown relative to other fines that players and coaches have received for criticizing the officiating, which suggests that the league wasn’t pleased by the Kings coach’s on-court outburst — or by the extra preparation that preceded his postgame comments and the visual examples that accompanied them.

By comparison, Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic was fined $25K for a postgame rant ripping the officiating earlier this month.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Mike Brown Uses Laptop To Show Disagreement With Officials

January 15th, 2024 at 9:59am CST by Arthur Hill
  • Mike Brown is the latest coach to vent about officiating, but he found a creative way to do it after the Kings‘ overtime loss Sunday at Milwaukee, per Rich Rovito of The Associated Press. Brown brought the team’s video coordinator and a laptop to his post-game press conference to show reporters the calls that led to his ejection. “The referees are human, and they’re going to make mistakes, but you just hope that there’s some sort of consistency and there’s some sort of communication between the refs,” Brown said. “The refs tonight, they were great, they communicated with me all night. But in terms of consistency, you guys saw it right here. In my opinion, the consistency wasn’t here tonight.”
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Seventeen More Players Become Trade-Eligible

January 15th, 2024 at 7:02am CST by Luke Adams

Today is Monday, January 15, which means that a total of 17 players who signed free agent contracts meeting specific criteria this past offseason are now eligible to be traded.

Most offseason signees became trade-eligible on December 15, but players who met the following criteria were ineligible to be moved for an extra month:

  1. The player re-signed with his previous team.
  2. He got a raise of at least 20%.
  3. His salary is worth more than the minimum.
  4. His team was over the cap and used Bird or Early Bird rights to sign him.

The following players met that criteria and are eligible to be traded as of Monday:

(* Players marked with an asterisk have the ability to veto trades.)

Most of the players on NBA rosters are now eligible to be moved, though a small handful still can’t be dealt. That group includes Heat guard Dru Smith, who becomes trade-eligible on Monday, Hornets guard Ish Smith (trade-eligible on January 24), Lakers star Anthony Davis (trade-eligible on February 6), and Pistons forward Kevin Knox (trade-eligible on Feb. 8).

There are also several players who won’t become trade-eligible prior to this season’s February 8 deadline, including stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, and Jaylen Brown. Players on 10-day contracts are also ineligible to be dealt.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Pacific Notes: Warriors Rumors, Wood, Huerter, Monk

January 11th, 2024 at 9:46pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Every player on the Warriors, except for franchise icon Stephen Curry, appears to be “on the table” for trade in some capacity, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania (Twitter link). Charania says this comes with an asterisk, though, with the team likely to want to avoid moving other longtime staples Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

It would be truly shocking to see Golden State trade Thompson or Green, given their significance to the franchise, but Charania’s reporting indicates it’s not absolutely out of the question for the floundering Warriors. Thompson has had a well-documented down season this year and Green is still serving out a long-term suspension that he says made him contemplate retirement. Rumors earlier on Thursday indicated neither may have a long-term future with the franchise. Still, a trade involving either at the deadline would be surprising.

Charania says the Warriors like Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis, but singles out Andrew Wiggins as someone who could be on the move before the Feb. 8 trade deadline. It could have been an oversight, but it is interesting that Moses Moody was not mentioned in that group of young players. Both Kuminga and Moody recently expressed discontent with their playing time.

According to Charania, the Warriors don’t want to take back any long-term money, which makes them unlikely to pursue Bulls guard Zach LaVine. Dejounte Murray, another player whose name has come up around the league, is under contract for four years after this season at $114MM. Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, conversely, is in the final year of his contract and has been tied to the Warriors.

Chris Paul, Kevon Looney and Gary Payton II are among Golden State’s other sizable contracts that could be attractive or purely salary-matching trade assets.

Another subject looming over the Warriors and their desire to get back to contention is the contract status of head coach Steve Kerr, who is on an expiring contract. Erik Spoelstra‘s eight-year, $120MM deal signed earlier this week is likely a decent target figure for Kerr’s potential deal, but Charania hears that there is no traction on an extension between Kerr and Golden State as of now.

We have more from the Pacific Division

  • Lakers big man Christian Wood bounced in and out of the lineup throughout December but was inserted back into the rotation on Dec. 28 and has been a rotation regular since then. He’s been impressive since rejoining the rotation, The Orange County Register’s Khobi Price writes. Wood is averaging 9.4 points and 6.0 rebounds per game since regaining the backup center role, with a 52.6% mark on three-point attempts. “Now he’s settled down and become more and more comfortable with his teammates,” head coach Darvin Ham said. “He’s understanding the guys that he’s out on the floor with and the rhythm in which they play with and he’s finding his spots and keeping it simple.“
  • Kings guard Kevin Huerter left Sacramento’s Wednesday game against the Hornets after 41 seconds and did not return due to a left ankle injury, The Sacramento Bee’s Chris Biderman observes. Replays showed Huerter stepped on Keegan Murray‘s foot during the opening tip. Huerter said after the game he was unsure how much time he would miss with the injury. According to Biderman, Chris Duarte and Colby Jones, along with Malik Monk, took over Huerter’s minutes.
  • Monk helped the Kings secure their 25-point victory over Charlotte by scoring 20 points off the bench, Biderman writes in the same article. Monk was the 11th overall pick by the Hornets in 2017 but got off to a slow start to his career under Steve Clifford, Charlotte’s current coach. In four career games vs. Charlotte prior to Wednesday, Monk had averaged just 8.8 points against his former team, according to Biderman. “I don’t think I’ve had one [good game against the Hornets] yet,” Monk said. “So it was good to come back and kick their a– like we did. Put that out there, too. But, nah, it feels great, especially all the love I get here.“
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Trade Rumors: Cavaliers, Nets, LaVine, Siakam, More

January 11th, 2024 at 4:25pm CST by Rory Maher

Appearing on his Wine and Gold Talk podcast alongside co-host Ethan Sands, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com examined fake trade proposals from listeners, with one centered on the Cavaliers acquiring Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith. Fedor thinks that scenario is plausible, as NetsDaily.com relays.

“Dorian Finney-Smith is somebody that I do believe that the Cavs have interest in,” Fedor said. “He is somebody who can play the three and the four, he can shoot well enough from the outside spacing the floor.”

As Fedor explains, the Cavs haven’t shown any interest in discussing any of their core four players (Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen), but if the Nets make Finney-Smith available, he’d be the type of player Cleveland would covet and possibly have a chance to acquire, since his price tag probably wouldn’t be “exorbitant.” There have been reports in the past saying the Nets wanted two first-round picks for Finney-Smith, but that could mean a lot of things.

Cleveland tried to trade for fellow Nets forward Royce O’Neale last season, Fedor added, but obviously Brooklyn wasn’t interested.

As for what might be sent Brooklyn’s way, a source tells Fedor that “the Nets have shown interest in Dean Wade in the past.” Fedor also strongly suggested the Cavs wouldn’t be opposed to moving Wade, which is logical — if none of the core players are sent out, Wade is one of the only two-for-one salary-matching pieces (he makes $5.7MM) that makes sense, though the Cavs would have to add more salary to acquire Finney-Smith ($13.9MM).

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

  • The Cavaliers were interested in a sign-and-trade for P.J. Washington in the offseason, but the Hornets weren’t interested in what Cleveland had to offer and Fedor thinks that is likely still the case. However, Fedor expects Cleveland to check-in on Washington’s availability again prior to the trade deadline.
  • Elsewhere in the podcast, Fedor said the Cavaliers would consider moving former lottery pick Isaac Okoro in the right deal. Okoro will be a restricted free agent in the summer after he was unable to come to terms on a rookie scale extension with Cleveland. Wade and Okoro ($8.9MM), for example, could work as a framework for Finney-Smith or Washington, though it remains to be seen if Brooklyn or Charlotte would be intrigued by that.
  • Rival teams remain skeptical the Bulls will be able to move Zach LaVine this season, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, who says Chicago is focused on players who can help the team be competitive now instead of a rebuild. LaVine’s long-term contract (four years, $180MM) is a key obstacle in talks, Fischer adds.
  • “Several teams” are interested in Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, including the Kings, Pacers, Pistons and Mavericks, all of whom have been described as “active buyers,” Fischer reports. The Warriors have also had internal discussions about Siakam. However, Siakam’s camp believes he’ll be able to sign a long-term maximum-salary contract in free agency, and the two-time All-NBA forward doesn’t appear to have interest in a short-term extension if he’s traded, according to Fischer, who points out that Indiana, Detroit and the Sixers all project to have cap room in 2024 and could sign Siakam outright, perhaps lowering the odds that one of those teams will give up significant assets to acquire him ahead of the trade deadline. That’s why some rivals think Toronto might end up keeping Siakam and possibly extending him instead of losing him for nothing in free agency, Fischer explains.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0
Load More Posts