Kings Rumors

Pacific Notes: Ezeli, Butler, Crawford

September 26th, 2015 at 1:45pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Warriors center Festus Ezeli, who is eligible to sign a rookie scale extension prior to the deadline this fall, wants to remain with Golden State long-term, Diamond Leung of The Bay Area News Group writes. “I don’t want to leave,” Ezeli said. “I love this team. I love my teammates. The fans here are unbelievable. I’m inspired to come in every day and see even our best player, Stephen Curry, just working really hard. So this whole team and being here, the chemistry that we have, you can’t buy this anywhere. You can’t get it anywhere else.” Hoops Rumors’ Chuck Myron took an in-depth look at Ezeli’s extension candidacy earlier this month, which can be viewed here.

Here’s more out of the Pacific Division:

Metta World Peace‘s one-year, minimum salary deal with the Lakers doesn’t include any injury protection or guaranteed salary, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets.
Kings swingman Caron Butler, who signed with the team this offseason, says he is looking forward to the challenge in Sacramento, and noted that he was offered more money from other teams, Deuce Mason of Sports 1140 relays (on Twitter).
With the Clippers‘ offseason additions adding depth to the team’s rotation, swingman Jamal Crawford‘s minutes are likely to suffer, a sacrifice that he is willing to make for the good of the team, Robert Morales of InsideSoCal.com relays. “I think it will be a lot of sacrifice, obviously, to sacrifice minutes, whatever it may be,” Crawford said. “Your common goal has to be winning.“ The Clippers were reportedly exploring trades involving the two-time Sixth Man of the Year shortly before the draft, with other reports this summer indicating that the Heat, Cavs and Knicks have held interest, but Doc Rivers recently said that the team was unlikely to deal Crawford.
Rivers noted that the Clippers now possess the most talent that they have had since he’s been a part of the organization, Ben Bolch of The Los Angeles Times tweets.

Clippers Sign Luc Mbah a Moute

September 25th, 2015 at 7:48pm CST by Eddie Scarito

FRIDAY, 7:48pm: The signing is official, the team announced.

THURSDAY, 6:16pm: The Clippers have reached an agreement with unrestricted free agent forward Luc Mbah a Moute, Dan Woike of The Orange County Register reports (Twitter link). The terms of the arrangement are not yet known, though Woike refers to it as a training camp deal, which likely means that it includes little or no guaranteed money. The addition of Mbah a Moute will give Los Angeles a roster count of 17 players.

Mbah a Moute had previously signed a deal with the Kings, but that agreement was voided after the forward failed his physical. The National Basketball Players Association was reportedly going to file a grievance against the Kings questioning how valid it was for the franchise to void the deal. Mbah a Moute’s representatives at Wasserman Media Group and NBPA officials, using independent medical examinations that say Mbah a Moute was cleared to play, and disputed the legitimacy of the Kings’ procedure and conclusion, according to the report by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.

The forward made 67 appearances for the Sixers last season, including 61 as a starter. He averaged 9.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.0 assist to go along with a slash line of .395/.307/.589. His career numbers through seven NBA seasons, which include stints with the Kings and Bucks, are 6.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 1.0 APG.

Pacific Notes: Butler, Hibbert, Leuer

September 23rd, 2015 at 9:29pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Kings‘ locker room could be rather volatile this season given some of the strong personalities present, and the team is likely to rely on veteran forward Caron Butler to act as a stabilizing influence, Alec J. Neuharth-Keusch of USA Today writes. Butler, who inked a two-year, minimum salary deal with Sacramento this offseason, understands that he was brought in more for his intangibles than for his statistics, the USA Today scribe notes. “Off general principle, you get a certain respect for being around for so long and guys just respect you,” Butler said. “But at the same time, you gradually come to the position to address issues vocally. I’m more of a guy that likes pulling guys to the side to just talk to them one on one and educate them.”

Here’s more out of the Pacific Division:

One storyline for the Lakers during the 2015/16 campaign will be how well center Roy Hibbert will fit in with the team, and if he’ll play his way into being either a part of the franchise’s future, or become a possible trade deadline asset, Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News writes.
Jon Leuer, after having spent the last month working out in Phoenix, is excited about what he can do in the Suns‘ offense given his strong outside shooting, Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic writes. “Seeing how we can get up and down, just being able to run the floor and play at this pace are things that will really help,” Leuer said. “I feel one of the undervalued parts of my game is how I can get out and run. And seeing where the shots will come and how they come is something I feel really comfortable with.” The 26-year-old was acquired in a draft day trade with the Grizzlies. Coro recently took part in our interview series, “The Beat,” and weighed in on a number of topics related to the Suns.
With the team’s stars now surrounded by a solid and versatile supporting cast, the Clippers will be expected to advance deep into the playoffs, writes Tim Bontemps of The New York Post (Facebook link) in his season preview. If Los Angeles is unable to do so, it may be time for the franchise to consider making significant roster changes, Bontemps adds.

Top Bloggers: Akis Yerocostas On The Kings

September 23rd, 2015 at 12:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

Anyone can have a blog about an NBA team, but some set themselves apart from the rest with the dedication and valuable insight they bring to their craft. We’ll be sharing some knowledge from these dialed-in writers on Hoops Rumors in a new feature called Top Bloggers. As with The Beat, our ongoing series of interviews with NBA beat writers, it’s part of an effort to bring Hoops Rumors readers ever closer to the pulse of the teams they follow. Last time, we spoke with Seth Rosenthal of SB Nation’s Posting & Toasting. Click here to see the entire Top Bloggers series.

Next up is Akis Yerocostas, editor of SB Nation’s Sactown Royalty. You can follow Akis on Twitter at @Aykis16 and click here to check out his stories. You can also follow Sactown Royalty at @sactownroyalty.

Hoops Rumors: Is the relationship between George Karl and DeMarcus Cousins going to work out for the long haul? They seem to have smoothed out their differences, but will that last?

Akis Yerocostas: That’s the big question right now isn’t it? I’d like to pretend that I knew this answer but I don’t. In my opinion however, everything is going to be just fine IF the Kings can start winning some games. They say winning cures all ills, and DeMarcus Cousins hasn’t experienced a winning season since coming to the NBA. Cousins wants to win games, Karl wants to win games. That seems like a common goal that they can work with.

Hoops Rumors: The Kings have experienced so much tumult over the past few years, from nearly moving out of town to all the coaching changes to the Cousins trade rumors. Do you think the organization, from Vivek Ranadive on down, is committed to finally establishing some stability?

Akis Yerocostas: I think so. Vlade Divac is now fully in charge of this team and there seems to finally be a clear command structure in place. Before Vivek hired Vlade, there was no real understanding of who was actually running the basketball side of things. Was it Pete D’Alessandro, Chris Mullin, Vivek himself or one of the other numerous voices in the room? Vlade has made it clear this summer that this is his team to run and that he will be the final decision maker. Divac’s demeanor and candor have been refreshing for fans who had grown tired of hearing a lot of talk and not much to back it up. There’s not much B.S. with Vlade around and that’s a good sign for the future.

Hoops Rumors: How much better off would the Kings had been if they had signed Wesley Matthews or Monta Ellis, whom they were reportedly targeting, instead of splitting their cap space between Rajon Rondo, Kosta Koufos and Marco Belinelli?

Akis Yerocostas: I’m actually a bit happier that the Kings missed out on those two bigger names. While I would have loved to have a player of Matthews’ caliber on the team, the fact that he’s coming off of a major injury makes me a little squeamish about offering him what would have been the second biggest contract on the team. Ellis would have been a smaller financial commitment, but I’ve never been a fan of his fit on a team that already features two heavy usage scorers in DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay. The Kings were instead able to use that money to acquire some solid depth at key positions. Rajon Rondo might not be the Rondo of old anymore, but he’s still a top-tier playmaker and is only locked down for one year (meaning the Kings can cut ties pretty easily if things don’t work out). Koufos was probably one of the best bench bigs in the league last season and will bring a real defensive presence in the middle, and Belinelli brings the kind of shooting the Kings have been lacking for years. I don’t know if the Kings would have been able to add as much depth if they had signed Matthews or Ellis.

Hoops Rumors: Was the trade that opened up that cap space — sending Nik Stauskas, Jason Thompson, Carl Landry and a first-round pick to the Sixers — worthwhile for Sacramento?

Akis Yerocostas: The easy answer is that it’s too soon to tell. It will definitely become clearer down the road. The Kings made a big bet on themselves with this trade and so far I think it’s looking OK for them. They were able to use that cap space to make some nice value signings and replace players that hadn’t been very productive for the team. It can all go wrong of course, if the Kings continue to play poorly, or if Nik Stauskas becomes a very good player, but the Kings felt they needed to make a big move to shake things up and this was definitely a big move. Perhaps it would have been more prudent to wait and take a longer-term approach, but the Kings are nearing a full decade of missing the playoffs, they have a young, disgruntled star that they want to keep around for a long time, and they need to have some excitement around a team that is heading into a new arena in 2016. It’s not that hard to see why the Kings made such a bold and aggressive move.

Hoops Rumors: In the age of small ball, does it strike you as odd that the Kings are making moves that suggest they’ll have Cousins playing a lot more power forward?

Akis Yerocostas: Not necessarily. While I do think Cousins will play a lot more power forward this year, I think we’ll still see plenty of smaller lineups from the Kings. The lineup that George Karl used the most down the stretch of last season featured Omri Casspi and Rudy Gay at the three and four, respectively. Kosta Koufos is also the only really traditional big man the Kings brought in this season. Willie Cauley-Stein is athletic enough that I think he can eventually cover some of the NBA’s more perimeter-oriented frontcourt players. I expect that the Kings will play a fast-paced game and also feature guys like Rajon Rondo and Darren Collison on the court at the same time. They’ll also have the option to play a bigger, more traditional lineup depending on the matchup, which is a nice luxury to have.

Hoops Rumors: What are realistic expectations for how the Kings will fare this season?

Akis Yerocostas: I think the only realistic expectation we can have with the Kings this year is that they will be better than they have been in a long time. The real question is to see how much better. Given how tough the Western Conference is, I find it hard to predict them making the playoffs. I would like to see them at least in contention for a playoff spot past the All-Star break. That would be a huge improvement for this team and a good building block going forward.

Pacific Notes: Babb, Crawford, Morris, Cauley-Stein

September 20th, 2015 at 10:18am CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors intend to keep Chris Babb and evaluate him in training camp, according to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. The 6’5″ guard, who spent most of last season with the Celtics’ D-League affiliate in Maine, was acquired in the July 27th deal that sent David Lee to Boston. Babb signed a multi-year deal with the Celtics in April, and Washburn writes that the organization liked the effort he gave. Babb, who participated in the D-League All-Star Game, was recalled in April but didn’t appear in any games with the Celtics. He played 14 games with the team during the 2013/14 season, averaging 1.6 points.

There’s more news from the Pacific Division:

The Clippers‘ best move may be to trade Jamal Crawford for a big man to back up DeAndre Jordan, writes Jesse Blancarte of Basketball Insiders. Crawford, who will make $5.675MM this season in the final year of his contract, has been the subject of trade rumors, although coach Doc Rivers said recently that he is unlikely to be dealt. Blancarte contends that Cole Aldrich doesn’t give the Clippers enough insurance off the bench and thinks the team should combine Crawford’s contract with C.J. Wilcox‘s and pursue another frontcourt player like the Heat’s Chris Andersen or Josh McRoberts, the Blazers’ Chris Kaman, the Bulls’ Taj Gibson or the Suns‘ Markieff Morris.
Despite repeated trade demands, Morris will likely remain in Phoenix until at least Christmas, according to Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. In his weekly mailbag column, Smith also says native Canadian Steve Nash is unlikely to ever join the Raptors organization. The columnist points out that Nash, who is rumored to be in line for a part-time player development consultant position with the Warriors, is pretty established in Southern California.
Despite his “raw” offensive skills, Willie Cauley-Stein is rated as the Kings‘ best offseason addition by Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders. In the site’s season preview for Sacramento, Pincus says the rookie center out of Kentucky can became an important part of the Kings’ lineup if he reaches his defensive potential.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 9/19/15

September 19th, 2015 at 10:51pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Kings made several moves to improve the team around their star center DeMarcus Cousins with an eye on making the playoffs this season. After signing a one-year, $9.5MM deal with Sacramento, Rajon Rondo will look to lead this team to the postseason, something that hasn’t been accomplished since the 2005/06 campaign. The Kings added a pair of centers with in order to aid their 27th ranked defense and added veterans Marco Belinelli and Caron Butler with the hopes of improving their outside shooting.

Sacramento also made news this summer for the rift between Cousins and coach George Karl, which caused owner Vivek Ranadive to consider firing Karl. Karl signed a four-year pact last February and he’ll be in town to at least start the second year of that pact. He’s had a history of rocky starts with franchises, as Sam Amico of Hoops Rumors detailed in his weekly column, but he has also had success at pretty much every stop in his career.

So here’s tonight’s topic: How many games will the Kings win this season and do you think they can achieve their goal of making the playoffs?

Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the subject. We look forward to what you have to say!

2015 NBA Draft Grades: Pacific Division

September 18th, 2015 at 7:31pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The 2015 NBA Draft is squarely in the rearview and a number of draftees have already provided a taste of what is to come with their summer league play. I held off on my grades until now because I wanted a better context in which to evaluate each team’s selections, with free agency and summer league providing greater perspective. Sometimes, selecting the best available player isn’t the best course of action and it is wiser to nab a player who fits a clear need, which should always be considered when rating how each front office fared in the draft. I’ve already run down my thoughts on the Atlantic, Central, and Southeast Divisions, and next up is a look at the Pacific Division:

Golden State Warriors

Team Needs: Frontcourt depth.

Draft Picks:

No. 30 Overall — Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA

The Warriors didn’t have many needs entering this year’s NBA Draft, which is usually the case with teams that win an NBA title and aren’t hit with a wave of free agent defections afterwards. This allowed Golden State to take a gamble on Looney with the final selection of the first round. The forward out of UCLA is unlikely to contribute much, if anything, during the 2015/16 campaign, courtesy of a hip surgery in August that is expected to keep him out of action for four to six months. However, this isn’t a huge blow to the team, since Looney wasn’t likely to see much playing time anyway this season on a stacked Warriors squad.

Missing training camp and most, if not all, of the 2015/16 season certainly won’t help speed Looney’s development along, but the Warriors can certainly afford to be patient with the young player. As a freshman at UCLA, the 19-year-old averaged 11.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.3 steals in 30.9 minutes per night, earning Second Team All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 All-Freshman Team honors along the way.

Questions still exist about Looney’s NBA position, as he is saddled with the dreaded tweener label. He doesn’t quite shoot well enough to be a small forward on a full-time basis, and he’ll need to add bulk to his 220 pound frame if he wants to survive prolonged exposure to some of the league’s bigger, stronger power forwards in the paint. But all quibbles aside, Golden State landed a talented young player with a tantalizing upside using the last pick of the first round. The team will probably just have to wait a couple of seasons before its investment in Looney will pay off.

Overall Draft Grade: B. It’s difficult to find fault in the NBA champs landing a player who possesses lottery-level talent at the bottom of the first round. It’s a solid gamble by GM Bob Myers, though it’s unclear what position Looney is best suited for in the league.

Los Angeles Clippers

Team Needs: Depth at center.

Draft Picks:

No. 56 Overall — Branden Dawson, F, Michigan State*

*Acquired from the Pelicans in exchange for cash.

The Clippers were without a first-round pick this year because their pick went to Boston as compensation for the hiring of Doc Rivers. The Celtics used that selection, No. 28 overall, to nab long-range bomber R.J. Hunter out of Georgia State. It’s difficult to make a case that Rivers wasn’t worth the sacrifice, especially given how he held the Clippers organization together amid the Donald Sterling scandal. It can also be argued that not having a first-rounder helped the franchise in a way, seeing as how it didn’t need to hand out another fully guaranteed deal, a benefit because the Clippers are nearly $11MM into luxury tax territory.

The franchise was also without a second-round pick, though Rivers was able to purchase one from New Orleans. While there weren’t many alternatives still left on the board at No. 56, I’d argue that the team could have saved its money and not missed a beat. Dawson is an excellent athlete who is a strong rebounder, though he’s too short at 6’7″, or 6’5″ without shoes, to be an effective power forward in the NBA. The former Michigan State Spartan isn’t nearly a good enough shooter to play the three, which will certainly limit his usefulness. Dawson is more than likely ticketed for the D-League or overseas, and it would be quite a surprise if he makes an impact in the league anytime soon.

Overall Draft Grade: B-. I bumped up the Clippers’ grade from a C- because of Doc Rivers, who is arguably more valuable than any player the team would have nabbed at No. 28 overall. But the addition of Dawson feels unnecessary given the team’s frontcourt depth, as well as his size and offensive limitations.

Los Angeles Lakers

Team Needs: Talent and depth at every position.

Draft Picks:

No. 2 Overall — D’Angelo Russell, G, Ohio State
No. 27 Overall — Larry Nance Jr., PF, Wyoming
No. 34 Overall — Anthony Brown, SF, Stanford

The Lakers entered this draft with needs at virtually every spot on the court. The team had to make a choice between big man Jahlil Okafor, who is regarded as the best offensive center in the entire draft class, and Ohio State playmaker D’Angelo Russell, who rocketed up draft boards as the 2014/15 season progressed. It was a tough call, and it will be a few seasons before we’ll know if the Lakers made the correct choice.

Still, Nabbing a point guard makes sense, especially in today’s backcourt-driven NBA. Russell is a fantastic passer and defender who can also shoot the lights out when he’s on. But he’s extremely raw, and he did not fare that well in summer league play. Lakers fans believing he’ll be a savior this season should dial down those expectations quite a bit. Russell has star potential, though it will likely be a rough ride at first. It’s easy to make an argument that the team should have taken Okafor, especially given the lack of true centers making their way into the NBA nowadays, but I can’t fault the Lakers for taking a chance on Russell, who is one of my favorite players in this year’s crop of draftees.

The selection of Nance at No. 27 was a surprise, and a bit of a head-scratcher given the team’s many needs. Nance is an intriguing player, thanks to his high motor, impressive wingspan and NBA-ready frame, but he’s not a good enough outside shooter or post player to make an impact on offense. A number of other players who were still available at No. 27 appear to have higher upsides and more useful skills than Nance does, and that’s why I’m down on the Lakers making this pick.

I’m more enthusiastic about the selection of Brown at No. 34 overall. While the former Stanford wing lacks elite athleticism, he has a high basketball IQ, and he’s a solid outside shooter. Brown is unlikely ever to be a starter in the NBA, but he has the makings of a solid future rotation player. He’ll need to log some serious time in the D-League to aid his development, however.

Overall Draft Grade: B+. The Lakers may regret passing on Okafor, but Russell is an intriguing, exciting young prospect who should give the fanbase hope for a better tomorrow. I’m not sold on the selection of Nance, especially given some of the players still available at that draft slot.

Phoenix Suns

Team Needs: Outside shooting, rim protector, backcourt depth.

Draft Picks:

No. 13 Overall — Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky

The Suns are still in the process of picking up the pieces from their failed multiple point guard experiment, and the team’s roster is in a state of flux. One glaring hole the team has is the lack of a wing who can stretch the floor and make other teams pay from beyond the arc on a nightly basis. Well, Phoenix certainly did its best to address that need in this year’s draft, landing Kentucky freshman Devin Booker at No. 13 overall. I’m still a bit surprised that Booker slipped past the Hornets at No. 9 overall, seeing as Charlotte also needs shooters, and Booker is arguably the best long-range bomber in this year’s draft class.

Booker is a smart player who has nearly perfect mechanics on his jump shot, and he moves extremely well without the ball. The question mark with Booker is his lack of elite athleticism and quickness. That’s not to say that he’s a lumbering player, but he may have some difficulty guarding some of the more explosive wings in the league, and I’m not sold that he’ll be able to create his own shot off the dribble consistently. Still, he should quickly evolve into one of the better spot-up shooters in the league.

My only issue with the Suns selecting Booker is that Kelly Oubre, who is a superior defender and athlete, was still available at No. 13. Oubre isn’t in Booker’s class as a shooter, but his all-around game is more enticing, and I believe that Oubre has a much higher upside than Booker does overall.

Overall Draft Grade: B+. Phoenix lands the best shooter in the draft, though minor concerns exist regarding Booker’s speed and athleticism. The Suns definitely addressed one of their primary needs, and it’s hard to take them to task for it. Overall, this is a very solid pick for Ryan McDonough.

Sacramento Kings

Team Needs: Stretch four, rim protector, outside shooting.

Draft Picks:

No. 6 Overall — Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky

The Kings hope that they solved one of their most pressing needs by nabbing Cauley-Stein with the sixth overall pick. Sacramento has been looking to pair center DeMarcus Cousins with a rim-protecting big for the last two seasons, and Cauley-Stein was the best one available in this year’s draft. Cauley-Stein is perhaps the most NBA-ready player in the entire draft, and I’d be surprised if he is not starting from day one. Concerns exist about his offensive skills, which mainly consist of cashing in on lobs and transition buckets at this stage. But he’s an excellent athlete and a fantastic defender who reminds me quite a bit of Tyson Chandler. It took Chandler a few seasons in the league to become a solid player, and I expect the same for Cauley-Stein, who’s nonetheless almost assuredly a player who will have a long, productive NBA career if he remains healthy.

I have two potential concerns regarding this pick, though. First, if Rondo is not the long-term answer at point guard, Sacramento may end up kicking itself for passing on Emmanuel Mudiay, who went to the Nuggets at pick No. 7. Mudiay is a mystery at this point, but he has the physical tools and ability to become a major star in the NBA. My second concern is how Cauley-Stein, who arrives with some question marks regarding his attitude and love for the game, will fit in with what could be an extremely volatile locker room in Sacramento this season. If things turn toxic there, it will be interesting to see how Cauley-Stein reacts and if it sets back his development.

Overall Draft Grade: A-. Sacramento lands one of the best defenders in the draft, as well as fills one of its most glaring needs. Hopefully, the team won’t come to rue the day it passed on Mudiay to land Cauley-Stein.

Kings Sign Marshall Henderson

September 18th, 2015 at 7:08pm CST by Eddie Scarito

SEPTEMBER 18TH, 7:08pm: The signing is official, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders reports (Twitter links). The one-year, minimum salary deal includes a partial guarantee of $35K, Pincus adds.

AUGUST 27TH, 10:32pm: The Kings will sign unrestricted free agent shooting guard Marshall Henderson, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports reports (Twitter link). The length and terms of he deal are unknown, but Spears referred to the arrangement as a training camp deal, so it’s likely a minimum salary pact with little or no guaranteed money included. The addition of Henderson will give Sacramento a roster count of 17, including 14 players possessing full guarantees on their deals.

Henderson, 24, went undrafted out of Mississippi in 2014 after a number of incidents involving narcotics, the string of which began during his Senior year of high school. “I got a lot of good feedback about being drafted in the second round,” Henderson had told Spears back in March. “Then I got in trouble that summer and then it seemed like that was the end of [the NBA interest]. There was really nothing after that. I have to live with that.”

During his Senior season at Mississippi back in 2013/14, Henderson averaged 19.0 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 31.1 minutes per contest. His slash line was .353/.342/.817. The 6’2″ guard played overseas last season for both Al Rayyan of the Qatari Basketball League and the Iraqi club Nift Al-Janoub.

Western Notes: Mavs, Cole, Tskitishvili

September 15th, 2015 at 10:20pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The competition for who will be the starting center for the Mavericks is one of the most important preseason battles to watch, writes Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com. The winner of the training camp battle may not be the player who is the most talented, according to coach Rick Carlisle, Sneed adds. “You know, ultimately, who’s better may not be the one that starts,” Carlisle has said in the past. “I mean, we’ve done things a little different way than some teams the last several years. … The thing that’s exciting is the possibility of having another roster full of capable players and guys that are good and guys that are experienced. And at this point in their careers, they’re aiming more towards winning and getting back into the conversation of getting a ring than just trying to get some stats and get their next deal.”

Dallas currently has Zaza Pachulia as the projected starter at the pivot, with JaVale McGee, Samuel Dalembert, and Salah Mejri also competing for a shot to make the team and the rotation. McGee would appear to be Pachulia’s stiffest competitor for the starting slot, though there are some concerns regarding McGee’s health.

Here’s more from the Western Conference:

Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry acknowledged that the team hopes to have restricted free agent Norris Cole back, but he referred any questions regarding the status of the contract negotiations between the player and team to GM Dell Demps, John Reid of The Times Picayune writes. ”I don’t know, I’ll leave that one to Dell to answer,” Gentry said when asked about Cole’s potential return. ”Obviously we would like to have him back on our team. He’s an important part of our team, but that’s something that will have to get answered on the [front office] side of it. But you know as a coach, I would like to have him back and I’m sure Dell wants him back also.” The Lakers also expressed interest in Cole this Summer, according to Reid.
Nikoloz Tskitishvili‘s one-year deal with the Clippers is a non-guaranteed Summer pact that includes limited injury protection, meaning it is an Exhibit 9 contract, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders relays (on Twitter).
Despite the bizarre and unnecessary trade that the team made with the Sixers, the Kings enter the 2015/16 season with a solid collection of talent, though Sacramento will likely fall just short of securing a playoff berth, Tim Bontemps of The New York Post (Facebook link) opines in his season preview for the franchise.

Column: Karl’s Brash History Bodes Well For Kings

September 15th, 2015 at 8:59am CST by Hoops Rumors

Sam Amico

Sam Amico, the founder and editor of AmicoHoops.net and a broadcast journalist for Fox Sports Ohio, will write a weekly feature for Hoops Rumors with news, rumors and insight from around the NBA. If you missed last week’s installment, click here. Here’s this week’s edition:

It’s been somewhat of a circus of a summer for the Kings.

George Karl may have said something negative about his relationship with DeMarcus Cousins.

Cousins may have tweeted something negative about Karl.

And Kings owner Vivek Ranadive may have been pondering Karl’s dismissal.

Yet here they all still remain — Karl and Cousins and Ranadive, with the start of training camp a mere two weeks away.

Those three aren’t exactly the holy trinity of hoops, but they are the heartbeat of the Kings. Well, at least Cousins is. And maybe Karl, if he can get along with Cousins. And maybe Ranadive, if he can stay out of the way.

In a lot of places with a lot of coaches, this type of drama would be reason for the concern. But Kings fans don’t need to fret. This is nothing new for Karl.

In fact, rocky beginnings go all the way back to his early years as a coach. Take the 1984/85 Cavaliers, for example.

Karl was the man in charge, World B. Free the team’s star. Free was bold, a little reckless, and never met shot he didn’t like. (A few didn’t seem to like him, however.)

Karl was bold, a little reckless, and never met a coaching job he didn’t like, or a situation he didn’t feel he could conquer.

It was basketball bravado at its worst — with Karl throwing sarcastic digs at Free in the press, and Free responding by acting annoyed and openly questioning his coach.

The result? Try a 2-19 start for the Cavs. Yes, they won just two of their first 21 games. Not many of the losses were close, either.

But alas, as soon as it appeared the Cavs were headed down the drain, Karl and Free came together. How or why, no one is sure. All that mattered is the two suddenly started to get along — and the Cavs won 34 of their final 61 games to make the playoffs.

They lost in the first round to the Larry Bird-led Celtics, but not before the overmatched Cavs put up an unexpected fight. The Celtics were the team to advance, but the final combined score of the series: Celtics 449, Cavs 449.

With Karl and Free, the Cavs finished the season by acting cocky, playing with some swagger, and finding ways to win when all seemed lost.

Later, Karl coached the SuperSonics and had some issues with star guard Gary Payton. But like the troubles with Free, the Karl-Payton spats eventually turned into a mutual respect. In 1995/96, the Sonics won 64 games and advanced to the Finals.

What does any of this have to do with today’s Kings?

Well, Karl and Cousins seem to have worked things out. At least for the time being — as Cousins posted a picture on his Instagram account of himself, Karl and new front office chief Vlade Divac back in August.

The three stood smiling, Karl and Cousins putting their arms around each other. It may not be love, but if it’s hate, Karl and Cousins may want to consider a career in acting.

Kings of hope?

On top of what appears to be a repaired relationship between Karl and Cousins, the Kings have several reasons to think the playoffs aren’t that far-fetched.

Lottery pick Willie Cauley-Stein should immediately solve their less-than-dynamic run of power forwards.

Free agent signee Rajon Rondo owns a championship ring and knows a little something about directing an offense.

Returning small forward Rudy Gay remains a man who can break down defenders and get a basket when one is needed most.

And third-year shooting guard Ben McLemore could be primed for a breakout season.

Other key parts include point guard Darren Collison, who may actually start ahead of Rondo, and new additions such as big man Kosta Koufos, small forward Caron Butler, and sharpshooting veteran Marco Belinelli.

Of course, it all starts with Cousins, the most dangerous offensive center in the league — and yes, “offensive” is solely referring to his game. He can score at will and rebound at close to the same level, and for a guy who gets a bad rap as a me-first type, he’s a fairly deft passer.

Now, is this a lineup that should give the Kings championship dreams?

Well, no.

But Karl has sometimes done well with worse. And now that the circus has finally hit the road, the Kings — like some of Karl’s teams before them — may finally be on a surprising road of their own.