Sacramento Kings Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Injury Updates: Booker, Paul, Metu, Green, Smith Jr., Ingram

January 22nd, 2023 at 7:03pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Devin Booker isn’t close to returning from his groin injury, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets. The Suns star, who was injured on Christmas Day, has been limited to non-contact drills, according to coach Monty Williams. There’s no firm date for Booker’s re-evaluation.

Suns point guard Chris Paul suited up on Sunday against Memphis after missing seven games due to a sore right hip, Rankin adds.

We have more injury news:

Kings forward Chimezie Metu underwent an MRI on his left knee, which showed no structural damage, James Ham of TheKingsBeat.com tweets. Metu has a bone bruise and is listed as questionable for Monday’s game against Memphis.
Grizzlies shooting guard Danny Green continues to progress from the torn ACL in his left knee, which he suffered last May, Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com tweets. Green is playing 5-on-5 with no setbacks, but there’s no timetable on his return to action. The veteran wing was traded by Philadelphia in June.
Rockets rookie forward Jabari Smith Jr. is listed as questionable to play on Monday against Minnesota, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle tweets. He missed Saturday’s game due to a right ankle sprain. Kevin Porter Jr. will sit out for the seventh straight game due to a foot injury.
Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram played 5-0n-5 in practice on Saturday, Andrew Lopez of ESPN tweets. Ingram has been sidelined since Nov. 25 due to a toe contusion.

Richaun Holmes Delivers In Rare Start

January 20th, 2023 at 12:05pm CST by Luke Adams

With Domantas Sabonis out on Wednesday due to a non-COVID illness, Kings center Richaun Holmes got his first start since last February and played a season-high 31 minutes, registering 16 points (on 7-of-7 shooting) and 11 rebounds. As Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee outlines, it was a major achievement for a player who has gone through both professional and personal hardships in the last year. “It’s a testament to his character, his professionalism and his ability to play the game at a high level,” head coach Mike Brown said of Holmes. Sabonis is listed as questionable to play on Friday vs. Oklahoma City.

And-Ones: Bronny, Western Contenders, Top Trade Candidates

January 20th, 2023 at 9:16am CST by Luke Adams

LeBron James‘ son Bronny James was a standout performer at this month’s Hoophall Classic, cementing his place as one of the best two-way prospects in high school basketball, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Insider link).

As Givony outlines, the younger James’ strong frame and long wingspan fits the mold of what NBA teams are looking for, and he has continued to make strides as both an offensive and defensive player. Bronny looks like a legitimate five-star recruit and a one-and-done candidate, Givony adds, writing that the youngster will receive “strong consideration” for a spot in the first round of ESPN’s upcoming 2024 mock draft.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

A team that finishes outside of the top three in the Western Conference during the regular season hasn’t made the NBA Finals since 1995, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic, who notes that the long track record of success for top-three seeds indicates we could be headed for a new conference winner this season. The Nuggets and Grizzlies currently hold the top two spots in the West by a comfortable margin, with the Kings and Pelicans tied for third.
Pacers center Myles Turner, Hawks forward John Collins, and Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic top The Athletic’s trade deadline big board, which ranks players based on several factors, including the likelihood that they’ll be dealt and the impact they could have for a new team.
In Bobby Marks’ Western Conference trade deadline preview at ESPN (Insider link), the Spurs and Suns get scores of 10 on the “trade meter,” meaning they’re the teams most likely to make deals on or before February 9. The Nuggets (with a score of 3) and Grizzlies (4) are on the other end of the spectrum and have far less urgency to make a move.
Kelly Iko, Eric Nehm, and Doug Haller of The Athletic take a shot at constructing a three-team trade involving the Suns, Bucks, and Rockets that sends Jae Crowder to Milwaukee and Eric Gordon to Phoenix and would be acceptable for all sides. One proposed structure discussed by the three reporters has Kenyon Martin Jr. joining Crowder en route to Milwaukee, Grayson Allen headed to Phoenix along with Gordon, and the Rockets getting several pieces, including MarJon Beauchamp from the Bucks and a first-round pick from the Suns.

Kings Sign PJ Dozier To Second 10-Day Contract

January 19th, 2023 at 3:30pm CST by Luke Adams

3:30pm: Dozier’s second 10-day deal is now official, the Kings announced in a press release.

6:49am: The Kings will sign guard PJ Dozier to a second 10-day contract, agent Kevin Bradbury tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Dozier’s first 10-day deal expired on Wednesday night following Sacramento’s win over the Lakers.

Dozier didn’t play much during his first 10 days with Sacramento. He logged just under seven total garbage-time minutes in three blowout victories last week, then didn’t play on Sunday or Wednesday. Still, the Kings – who had lost three of four games before signing Dozier – won all five games with him on the roster, so perhaps the team just doesn’t want to change what seems to be working.

Dozier, 26, appeared in 105 games across five seasons for the Thunder, Celtics, and Nuggets from 2017-21, recording averages of 6.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in 18.0 minutes per night during that time. He’s just returning from an ACL tear that he suffered in December 2021.

The Kings will take on another $105,522 cap hit for Dozier’s second 10-day contract, while he’ll earn $122,602. Sacramento could officially complete the signing later today or wait until Friday — in either scenario, he’d be available for the team’s next five contests.

Domantas Sabonis, Jalen Brunson Named Players Of The Week

January 16th, 2023 at 2:37pm CST by Rory Maher

Kings center Domantas Sabonis and Knicks guard Jalen Brunson have been named the NBA’s players of the week, the league announced (Twitter link).

Sabonis, the NBA’s leading rebounder at 12.6 per game, played a major role in Sacramento’s 4-0 week and averaged a triple-double in the process, posting 18.5 points, 14.3 rebounds and 10.3 assists in the four victories. Despite playing with a heavily taped right hand due to an avulsion fracture in his thumb, the two-time All-Star has led the Kings to a 24-18 record, the No. 4 seed in the West.

Brunson led New York to a 3-1 week while averaging 34.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists on a sparkling .516/.500/.971 shooting slash line. The 26-year-old has a strong case to be an All-Star for the first time in 2022/23. Through 41 games, he’s averaging 22.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.0 steal on .474/.396/.857 shooting and has been the team’s closer in crunch time. The Knicks are currently 25-19, the No. 6 seed in the East.

According to the NBA (Twitter link), the other nominees in the West were Harrison Barnes, Josh Giddey, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Damian Lillard and Ja Morant, while Joel Embiid, James Harden, Julius Randle, Jayson Tatum and Gabe Vincent were nominated in the East.

Chima Moneke Signs With AS Monaco

January 16th, 2023 at 9:59am CST by Arthur Hill

After being waived by the Kings earlier this month, Chima Moneke will resume his basketball career with AS Monaco, according to Eurohoops. The 27-year-old small forward has signed a contract with the EuroLeague club that will run through the end of the 2023/24 season.

“I chose Monaco because the coach, the general manager, and the president showed a great interest in me directly,” Moneke said. “I felt wanted by the club and they thought I could really contribute to this team. They immediately seduced me and in addition, the objectives are high. The idea of living in Monaco also appealed to me enormously, I want to live a peaceful and happy life.”

Moneke was a star in Europe for four seasons before signing with Sacramento in July. He only appeared in two NBA games, scoring two points in eight total minutes, and spent most of his time with the Kings’ G League affiliate in Stockton.

Moneke was released Jan. 6, shortly before his contract would have been guaranteed for the rest of the season. He received $500K during his time with Sacramento.

Rockets’ Green, Tate Suspended One Game By NBA

January 15th, 2023 at 10:44am CST by Luke Adams

Rockets guard Jalen Green and forward Jae’Sean Tate have each been suspended one game without pay for leaving the bench area during an on-court altercation on Friday in Sacramento, the league announced today (via Twitter).

As we previously detailed, the skirmish began in the fourth quarter of Sacramento’s win over Houston when Kings guard Malik Monk took exception to a loose-ball foul committed by Rockets guard Garrison Mathews (Twitter video link via Bleacher Report).

Following an official review, referees ejected both Monk and Mathews, along with Kings big man Chimezie Metu, who was called an “escalator,” and Rockets forward Tari Eason, who was referred to as an “instigator,” according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee.

The players directly involved in the incident escaped without suspensions, though the NBA has fined Mathews $35K and Monk $25K. The league deemed Mathews to be the instigator of the altercation, but said Monk continued it, with both players taunting one another.

While Metu won’t face an additional penalty, Eason has been fined $30K for escalating the fracas and making inadvertent contact with a game official, per the NBA.

Green and Tate weren’t directly involved in the incident, but a player who is not already in the game and leaves the bench in a situation like this one automatically receives a one-game ban. Orlando, for instance, recently had eight players hit with one-game suspensions for doing the same thing during an altercation in Detroit.

Green and Tate will serve their suspensions on Sunday when the Rockets visit the Clippers. They’ll lose 1/145th of their full-season salaries, which works out to about $65K for Green and $49K for Tate.

Mike Brown Pushes Fox, Sabonis For All-Star Game

January 14th, 2023 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kings coach Mike Brown is campaigning for De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis to be named All-Stars, saying “shame on the whole process” if they aren’t included, per Chris Biderman of The Sacramento Bee. “Hopefully sooner than later, these guys will start getting the appropriate love from around the league that they deserve,” Brown said. “Starting with the media, because the media has a lot of influence.”

Rockets Notes: Mathews, Eason, Green, Tate, Gordon, Silas

January 14th, 2023 at 9:10am CST by Luke Adams

After Kings guard Malik Monk took exception to a loose-ball foul committed by Rockets guard Garrison Mathews in the fourth quarter of Friday night’s contest in Sacramento, a brief on-court fracas broke out between the two teams (Twitter video link via Bleacher Report).

Following an official review, referees ejected both Monk and Mathews, along with Kings big man Chimezie Metu, who was deemed an “escalator,” and Rockets forward Tari Eason, dubbed an “instigator,” according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee.

Fines or suspensions could follow for the four players ejected from Friday’s game, and two more Rockets players could be in danger of one-game bans, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Jalen Green and Jae’Sean Tate both left the bench area during the altercation, which typically results in an automatic one-game suspension from the NBA. Orlando recently had eight players receive one-game suspensions for similar violations.

Here’s more on the Rockets:

With Eric Gordon once again on the trade block in Houston, Kelly Iko of The Athletic tries to find a deal that would make sense for both the Rockets and a potential trade partner. Iko cautions that expectations about Gordon’s value should be tempered — three of his four suggestions don’t involve Houston acquiring a first-round pick, and the one scenario that does include a first-rounder sees the Rockets taking on Richaun Holmes‘ multiyear contract from Sacramento.
The 10-32 Rockets are in danger of finishing with the NBA’s worst record for the third straight year, and Stephen Silas, who now has a 47-149 (.240) since becoming the club’s head coach, is no lock to coach the team beyond this season — or even for the rest of this season. Exploring that possibility, Jerome Solomon of The Houston Chronicle argues that Silas deserves better and has been dealt a terrible hand since getting his first head coaching job.
After making 33 starts and averaging a career-high 26.3 minutes per game last season, Garrison Mathews has come exclusively off the bench in 2022/23 and is playing just 12.7 MPG. However, he’s taking the demotion in stride and trying to make an impact in his limited role, writes Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle. “It’s my role, and I’ve got to try to do it the best I can,” Mathews said. “I gotta go out there and hit shots. And if I don’t, then that’s my role. So I gotta be able to do that.”
The Rockets’ defense has been bad during their current slide (nine straight losses, 14 in their last 15 games), and those issues go beyond the team’s talent on that side of the ball, Lerner writes in another Chronicle story. According to Lerner, it often appears that Houston’s defensive effort is lacking, with basic assignments missed, especially in transition. The Rockets are allowing an NBA-worst 26.2 transition points per game this season, per NBA.com.

Sasha Vezenkov: Olympiacos Extension Doesn't Affect Possible Move To NBA

January 13th, 2023 at 9:09am CST by Luke Adams

In an interview with BasketNews, Kings draft-and-stash prospect Sasha Vezenkov clarified that the extension he recently signed with Olympiacos in Greece doesn’t rule out the possibility of him making a move to the NBA this summer or in a future season, since the deal includes a buyout estimated to be worth $1.5MM. “Before the contract and after the contract, I’m in the same position,” Vezenkov said.