- Here We Build - The end of an era

by **Vespasian92** on Sat Jan 25, 2014 8:07 am

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Working the phones
A busy Sacramento FO showed no signs of slowing down at the trade deadline

New faces seeking another chance are finding themselves in Sactown

Tyreke Evans. John Salmons. Patrick Patterson. Chuck Hayes. All rotational players for the Kings last season, now shipped out of Sacramento. Greivis Vasquez. Luc Mbah a Moute. Additions that the new Kings management had made to the roster that have already been moved out. They had wasted no time at the start of the season in trading Tyreke Evans away. Midway through the season, they swing for the fences by acquiring oft-criticized Rudy Gay relatively cheaply. While nobody knows who will be traded next, one thing that is known is this: the Kings are not sitting idly by.

Add Marcus Thornton to the list of former core Kings now with a new area code. The Kings got involved in the Rockets-Pelicans deal that sent Omer Asik to the Pelicans' frontcourt next to Anthony Davis. Thornton goes to the Rockets to bolster the bench of the title hopefuls in Houston. The playoff-hopeful Pelicans added Asik to a talented core with Jrue Holiday, Anthony Davis, Eric Gordon, and Tyreke Evans. But the Kings gave up one of the better players in the deal and only got former King Omri Casspi and the rights to Pierre Jackson in return. Casspi is probably not going to set the league on fire in his return to Sacramento, and reports suggest the Kings will leave Jackson in the D-League until next season and avoid wasting a contract year.

The Kings also waived Austin Daye and signed Dequan Jones after the Thornton deal. Daye got his chances to revive his career and find a niche in Sacramento, but struggled too severely with his shooting. Jones comes from the Kings' D-League affiliate, hungry for another chance to make his way onto an NBA roster. In a somewhat cold-hearted way, waiving Daye shows that the Kings are going to give young players a chance but can't wait around forever. Jones may take Daye's spot as a young player on the fringe of joining Quincy Acy and Derrick Williams as worthy of a spot on the pine.

Moving Thornton puts even more pressure on Ben McLemore immediately, and hurts the Kings' bench production. But it has been made clear that this season is not about wins and losses. It is a year of transition, of reshaping the roster and changing the culture. With the dust settling after a busy transaction year, what has emerged is a Kings' team with a direction. A Big 3 with a bruising bigman, an explosive point guard, and a versatile wing. A young core with a respected veteran leader. Cousins, Thomas, and Gay give Sacramento hope for the future, a framework for a roster, and talking points for media attention. Young prospects such as Derrick Williams, Quincy Acy, and even Pierre Jackson line their bench. Veteran leadership in Gay and Carl Landry seem to provide players who can help hold Demarcus Cousins accountable. No longer are the Kings the poor small market team, with a salary-floor payroll and a sub 30-win roster. Pieces are still needed, but the aggressiveness of the Kings in the trade market has brought Sacramento more than talent. Leadership and hope is arriving at last.

by **Vespasian92** on Sat Feb 08, 2014 5:52 pm

Kings keep rolling after ASW
The All-Star break might have come at a bad time for the Kings, who had won 4 of their last 5 games prior to the weekend. Rudy Gay has been integrated into the team very effectively and a trio of Gay, Cousins, and Thomas have thrived together as of late. Their outstanding play and chemistry showed no signs of rust as the Kings welcomed the Warriors to Sacramento on Wednesday. Each of the Kings' 3 leaders scored at least 17 in the contest, and also had 5 other players contribute at least 8 points. The home Kings crushed the Warriors in the opening quarter by 16 points and never let them back up. The first quarter also saw Rudy Gay complete an emphatic dunk on Marreese Speights, who started in the place of David Lee (jaw). A huge disparity in focus and energy led to the big Kings win. Stephen Curry scored 18 for his Warriors but received little help. A combined 6/21 shooting performance from Barnes and Thompson buried the Warrior's chances to overcome the Kings' strong play in Sacramento.

This game saw the team debuts of Jordan Crawford (14 PTS, 23 MIN) and Marshon Brooks (2 PTS, 3 REB , 9 MIN) for the Warriors, and Omri Casspi (3 REB, 9 MIN) and Dequan Jones (2 PTS, 2 REB, 11 MIN) for the Kings.

Many a Rudy Gay poster may be made with his dunk on Marreese Speights on Wednesday

Kings: 116
Warriors: 86

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 21 PTS - 8 REB - 9/20 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 17 PTS - 11 REB - 4 AST - 7/11 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 17 PTS - 8 AST - 3 STL - 7/17 FG
Derrick Williams: 13 PTS - 5 REB - 5/7 FG - 3/4 FT

Golden State Warriors Top Performers
Stephen Curry: 16 PTS - 10 REB - 6/18 FG
Jordan Crawford: 14 PTS - 5/11 FG - 4/7 3PT FG - 23 MIN
Harrison Barnes: 9 PTS - 4 REB - 3/13 FG
Andre Igoudala: 8 PTS - 5 REB - 4 AST - 3/7 FG

Cs end Kings' run
After winning against the Warriors at home, the Kings hoped to win the second half of their 2-game homestand following All-Star Weekend. Led by their new All-Star Jeff Green, the Celtics came to Sacramento looking for revenge after losing in Boston by 14 to the Kings earlier this month. But tonight's game started well for the home Kings due to Jeff Green's shooting struggles. Green missed his first 7 shots and finished the game only 3/15 from the field. Sacramento led by 9 after the first quarter, but their lead didn't last. A healthy Rajon Rondo led the Celtics to a 12-2 run in the second quarter to regain the advantage. Brandon Bass and Jared Sullinger had 33 points and 18 rebounds between them to help Boston hold on in the end. Demarcus Cousins' 30 points went to waste for the Kings who only mustered 15 points off their bench.
Celtics: 105
Kings: 98

Boston Celtics Top Performers
Rajon Rondo: 19 PTS - 5 AST - 7/14 FG
Brandon Bass: 18 PTS - 8 REB - 8/14 FG
Jared Sullinger: 15 PTS - 10 REB - 7/12 FG
Richard Hamilton: 12 PTS - 4 REB - 4/6 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 30 PTS - 7 REB - 10/16 FG - 10/11 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 19 PTS - 6 REB - 10 AST - 8/15 FG - 1/6 3PT FG
Rudy Gay: 12 PTS - 4 REB - 7 AST - 4/12 FG
Ben McLemore: 12 PTS - 2 REB - 5/10 FG - 2/3 3PT FG

Nuggets outrun Kings in Denver
The home court advantage of the notoriously wearisome Pepsi Center and its thin air hasn't had the same effect for the Nuggets as it had last season. They are only 14-12 so far in games played in Denver, a far cry from their 38-3 mark last season. The Kings came to Denver after a home loss to the Celtics, but have plenty of firepower offensively to give them hope in any game they play. The Kings received 10 first quarter points from Jason Thompson en route to 35 in the opening period. Getting that kind of early scoring from someone besides Cousins, Gay, and Thomas is a bonus for Sacramento and usually sets them up for victories. But, as is the primary struggle for Malone's Kings this season, their defense is far less effective than their offense. No matter much many points the Kings' Big 3 put up, Sacramento's lack of defense is the reason their record is as poor as it is.

The Nuggets took advantage of the Kings in the open floor, and especially the center matchup between Cousins and J.J. Hickson. Cousins often fails to rotate back quickly enough and Hickson's effort paid off tonight. 7 of Hickson's 11 baskets were in transition when he beat Cousins to the other end. Denver accumulated 33 fast break points and coasted in the 4th quarter to an 10-point lead. Gallinari added 19 points of his own to the Nuggets' victorious home efforts in Denver.
Nuggets: 118
Kings: 108

Denver Nuggets Top Performers
J.J Hickson: 23 PTS - 13 REB - 11/15 FG
Danilo Gallinari: 19 PTS - 6 REB - 8/11 FG - 3/6 3PT FG
Wilson Chandler: 14 PTS - 7 REB - 4 AST - 5/9 FG
Kenneth Faried: 14 PTS - 6 REB - 6/9 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Jason Thompson: 20 PTS - 6 REB - 8/9 FG - 4/4 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 18 PTS - 8 AST - 6/13 FG - 3/5 3PT FG
Demarcus Cousins: 15 PTS - 6 REB - 6/11 FG - 3/6 FT
Rudy Gay: 15 PTS - 2 REB - 2 AST - 5/9 FG - 5/6 FT

Kings' trio efficient in home win
A Kings team coming off of two disappointing losses settled into Sacramento for a quick stop at home before another roadtrip. The contending Rockets brought their duo of Harden and Howard to town, with former King Marcus Thornton in tow. The trade deadline saw Houston ship out the redundant Omer Asik in favor of Thornton and a 1st rounder from the Pelicans. Howard entered Sleep Train Arena looking to outplay fellow Western All-Star Demarcus Cousins from the opening tip. Howard went 5/5 from the floor in the first quarter en route to 12 points and 7 rebounds. Houston led after the first period, but it was all Kings after that.

Sacramento's trio of Cousins, Gay, and Thomas have dominated for their team since Gay's arrival from Toronto. A notorious lottery-dweller like Sacramento are hardly in a position to boast a so-called Big 3, but trailing only Miami's 3 in terms of combined PPG bodes well for the Kings' future. The trio didn't disappoint against the Rockets, as they posted a combined 71 points on efficient shooting. Cousins scored 30 points and only missed one shot in the contest. Thanks to his efforts and Coach Malone's Hack-A-Howard strategy (6-10 FT), Sacramento won the final three quarters by 11 and claimed the home victory. Sacramento is now 7-6 since the trade for Rudy Gay.

Marcus Thornton struggled offensively in his return to Sacramento, needing 16 shots to muster 10 points. However, his addition to the Rockets allowed them to keep James Harden rested and efficient. Thornton's shooting woes will likely improve with practice time with his new teammates.

Marcus Thornton got a warm welcome from the fans, but not from his former team

Kings: 121
Rockets: 112

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 30 PTS - 12 REB - 12/13 FG - 6/7 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 23 PTS - 7 AST - 9/16 FG - 3/5 3PT FG
Rudy Gay: 18 PTS - 5 REB - 6 AST - 5/11 FG - 7/7 FT
Jason Thompson: 8 PTS - 11 REB - 3/5 FG - 2/3 FT

Houston Rockets Top Performers
Dwight Howard: 24 PTS - 19 REB - 9/13 FG - 6/10 FT
James Harden: 23 PTS - 4 REB - 6 AST - 10/22 FG
Chandler Parsons: 16 PTS - 4 REB - 3 AST - 3 STL - 8/17 FG
Terrence Jones: 14 PTS - 6 REB - 3 AST - 6/11 FG - 2/3 3PT FG

Kings rout Lakers behind rebounding
Heading to L.A. to face the Lakers, the Kings were confident after a strong win against the Rockets back on Tuesday. But they would probably have to admit that they weren't expecting the kind of dominance they put on in Hollywood. When you out-rebound your opponent by 23 and have 7 players with at least 5 boards, odds are going to weigh in your favor. Sacramento smashed the Lakers in the paint behind the rebounding and 23 point performances from Cousins and Thomas. They cruised to the 34-point blowout and leave the struggling Lakers to scrap with the Jazz to stay out of last in the West.
Kings: 121
Lakers: 112

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 23 PTS - 10 REB - 7/15 FG - 9/10 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 23 PTS - 5 REB - 5 AST - 8/12 FG - 3/4 3PT FG - 4/5 FT
Rudy Gay: 16 PTS - 6 REB - 3 AST - 3/8 FG - 2/3 3PT FG - 8/8 FT
Derrick Williams: 14 PTS - 6 REB - 4/5 FG - 5/6 FT

Los Angeles Lakers Top Performers
Kobe Bryant: 23 PTS - 4 REB - 7/18 FG - 7/8 FT
Pau Gasol: 12 PTS - 8 REB - 5 AST - 4/9 FG
Wesley Johnson: 11 PTS - 3 REB - 3/7 FG - 2/3 3PT FG - 3/4 FT
Terrence Jones: 9 PTS - 9 REB - 4/9 FG

NBA Notes:
Hawks lose 13th straight, now 17-41 overall.
Lakers lose 5th straight, now 19-40 overall.

NBA Injury Updates:
Bulls G Derrick Rose out 4-6 weeks with Broken Hand.
Bobcats G Kemba Walker out for season with Torn MCL.

NBA Transactions:
Philadelphia 76ers fire Brett Brown, hire Howie Peterson as Head Coach.
Orlando Magic fire Jacque Vaughn, hire Dillon Knox as Head Coach.
Celtics sign G Richard Hamilton to 1yr/$1.43M deal.

by **Vespasian92** on Tue Feb 11, 2014 3:10 pm

February Summary
Cs, Raptors sneaking up

Heading into the home stretch of the season, we all know who the legitimate contenders are in the league. OKC, Memphis, and the San Antonio Spurs lead the playoff pack in the West. The Heat, Bulls, and Pacers still ride high in the East, but the weaker conference features a few of the more surprising playoff hopefuls. The 'tanking' Celtics traded away Garnett and Paul Pierce to stockpile draft picks and young players like Kelly Olynyk and Jared Sullinger. But the team has overperformed under new coach Brad Stephens. Sullinger is taking another step forward this season, averaging 13 points and 8 rebounds, up from a 6 and 6 rookie season. Despite Sullinger's help though, Jeff Green has taken the majority of the production load for Boston. Green is scoring 18 a game and has helped Boston to a 6th spot in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

The Raptors traded away Rudy Gay to the Kings for expiring contracts and were, like the Celtics, expected to play for the draft. But Gay's departure created floor time for Demar Derozan and Terrence Ross, and the duo have not disappointed. Their numbers are up when compared to last season and are even better if you look at their production since the trade. Derozan is averaging 19 points a game as the primary option for Toronto. Lithuanian bigman Jonas Valanciunas joined Derozan and Ross as building blocks for the future, and is controlling the paint in Toronto with 9.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks to go with 13 points. As bright as the future looks, their young players are already performing well enough to hang on to the 8th seed in the East.

For the latest Kings
news, blogs, interviews,
and highlights. Kings Month in Review

Constructing the framework
The big news for the Kings this season has been the reshaping of the roster, headlined by the trade for Rudy Gay. Last month we had only seen 2 games with Gay on the roster, but now we have a clearer idea of how he fits with Demarcus Cousins and the rest of the team. We have previously mentioned how absurd the notion of a Big 3 is for a non-playoff team like Sacramento, but the stats don't lie. Gay is posting efficiency numbers that are reminiscent of Memphis Rudy instead of Toronto Rudy. As of today, the Kings' Big 3 of Cousins, Gay, and Thomas are averaging 53.3 PPG since the trade. They are the 2nd highest scoring trio of teammates, behind only Miami's Big 3 of James, Bosh, and Wade who currently sit at 56.9 PPG this season. The trio provide a basis for the Kings' roster, who will have young players like Derrick Williams, Quincy Acy, Pierre Jackson, and maybe even Dequan Jones next to them. Jones has impressed Kings Coach Mike Malone with his defensive abilities and size to defend larger 2s or the small forward position. The Miami product has a chance to place himself next to the likes of Acy as a hard-working role player, especially due to the Kings' lack of depth at the shooting guard position with Marcus Thornton's departure.

The Kings remained active at the deadline when they got involved to help facilitate the Omer Asik trade to the Pelicans. Marcus Thornton was shipped out in exchange for Omri Casspi, the rights to Pierre Jackson, and the expiring contract of Greg Stiemsma. The deal was marked as one that was a win-win-win for the Pelicans, Rockets, and Kings. Thornton was regrettably an unlikely piece to the Kings' future, considering the drafting of Ben McLemore in the offseason. His trade value could easily be considered lower than it was at the start of the season due to the LSU product's relative shooting struggles. His value would likely rise next season as an $8M expiring contract. But it was now, when his trade value might have been at the lowest point, that the Kings traded him. The reason for the rush was a dreaded phrase that Kings fans had grown wary of under the Maloofs: financial flexibility. The former owners of the franchise had used the phrase as an excuse to remain at the salary floor and try to limit their own financial losses while they sought to relocate the team.

But now the phrase doesn't bring the same anxiety as it used to. The trade for the $18M contract of Rudy Gay shows that the new Kings ownership will not shy away from spending to improve the team. With that trade however, they lost all their expiring contracts and took on Gay's large salary. Ideally, a lottery team shouldn't be going into the luxury tax on a non-playoff roster, which is what the Kings might have needed to do in order to deal with Isaiah Thomas' restricted free agency this offseason if Gay opts in for $19M. Thomas is a fan-favorite and has stepped up to form the Big 3 along with Cousins and Gay. His numbers as a starter since the Gay trade are impressive (15.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 8.4 APG), and the Kings have no intentions of letting him be pried away from them after the season. The Kings have no other options at the point after giving up Greivis Vasquez in the Gay deal, and Thomas is at least the point guard of the present in Sacramento, if not the future. The trade of Thornton's $8M contract allowed them to keep their Big 3 intact without handcuffing themselves financially.

If Rudy Gay accepts his $19M option for next season, the Kings will be in a position to make moves in 2014-15. Gay's expiring can be combined with Derrick Williams' $6.7M and Travis Outlaw's $3M to give them almost $30M in cap space. Whether next season will determine that retaining Gay is beneficial or not, if Derrick Williams will make steps towards reaching his potential, or if the Kings want to swing for a different star in FA, Pete D'Allesandro the Capologist has made moves that improve the team and still keep their books looking good.

NBA Notes:

NBA Injury Updates:

NBA Transactions:

by **Vespasian92** on Sat Feb 22, 2014 2:22 pm

Big 3 coast down the stretch to home win
In a game where the final score was deceptively close, the Kings cruised past the shorthanded Timberwolves in Sacramento. The Kings rode 66 points from Cousins, Gay, and Thomas to a 18-point lead after three quarters. Thomas had 30 for the game, and was getting to the rim at will with the absence of Nikola Pekovic (Achillies - Season). Thomas and Cousins sat down in the 4th quarter, with the game all but over. Yet Chase Budinger caught fire in garbage time. He came in during the 4th quarter and shot a perfect 7/7 from the floor to make a game of it late. He dropped 16 in 16 minutes, and helped the Wolves narrow the 18-point lead down to 6 at one point before Thomas returned and stabilized the Kings' ship. The Kings have now won 3 straight and an impressive 6 of their last 8.
Kings: 106
Timberwolves: 97

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 30 PTS - 7 AST - 11/20 FG - 6/7 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 19 PTS - 10 REB - 6/12 FG - 7/9 FT
Rudy Gay: 17 PTS - 4 REB - 5/12 FG - 7/9 FT
Derrick Williams: 13 PTS - 8 REB - 5/8 FG - 3/5 3PT FG

Minnesota Timberwolves Top Performers
Kevin Love: 18 PTS - 10 REB - 7/14 FG
Chase Budinger: 16 PTS - 7/7 FG - 2/2 3PT FG - 16 MIN
Jrue Holiday: 16 PTS - 3 REB - 2 AST - 6/14 FG - 2/5 3PT FG
Ricky Rubio: 12 PTS - 7 REB - 12 AST - 5/7 FG - 6 TO

Kings claim 4th straight behind Isaiah's efficiency
Rudy Gay had one of his worst performances with the Kings, shooting below 33%. Demarcus Cousins was outplayed by recent Pelican acquisition Omer Asik. Two of Sacramento's top reserves in Williams and Landry shot a combined 2/9. But those concerning stats didn't hurt the home team tonight, thanks to the third part of the Kings' Big 3: Isaiah Thomas. Thomas had 24 on 14 shots and,along with a career night off the bench for Dequan Jones, was enough for the Kings to hold on for their best win streak of the season. DQJ dropped 17 points and showed outstanding aggressiveness in getting to the rim. The Kings never blew the game open against the new-look Pelicans despite winning every quarter. Offensive woes from Holiday and Gordon (combined 4/19 3PT) didn't provide enough support for the strong interior presence of Asik and Davis. Led by that duo, the Pelicans outrebounded the Kings by 11.

Thomas' shooting percentage has skyrocketed since the team acquired Rudy Gay. His season numbers are approaching a more acceptable percentage after floating around or below 40% while being forced to carry all the scoring load for the Kings' reserves when he backed up Greivis Vasquez.

Despite his new team's loss, Omer Asik won the matchup with Demarcus Cousins tonight

Kings: 106
Pelicans: 98

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 24 PTS - 13 AST - 9/14 FG - 4/4 FT
Rudy Gay: 18 PTS - 4 REB - 4 AST - 3 STL - 6/19 FG - 1/7 3PT FG - 5/7 FT
Dequan Jones: 17 PTS (Career-High) - 4 REB - 7/11 FG - 2/5 3PT FG
Demarcus Cousins: 14 PTS - 8 REB - 6/11 FG - 2/3 FT

New Orleans Pelicans Top Performers
Eric Gordon: 21 PTS - 5 REB - 9/22 FG - 2/11 3PT FG
Omer Asik: 17 PTS - 13 REB - 7/13 FG - 40 MIN
Jrue Holiday: 14 PTS - 6 AST - 5/18 FG - 2/8 3PT FG
Anthony Davis: 8 PTS - 15 REB - 3/6 FG

Struggling Bucks fall quietly at home
The Kings are taking advantage of some sub-.500 teams in their schedule and have put together 4 straight wins entering a contest in Milwaukee. Conversely, the deer are grazing at the bottom of the East and will be contenders for the #1 overall pick in the upcoming draft. Their struggle to maintain a respectable team over the past decade seems to have reached a breaking point this year after jettisoning Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis in the offseason. Their young players have had the expected speed bumps in their development, and were unprepared for a hot Sacramento squad.

Despite a Kings' defense that is mediocre at best, the Bucks only shot 35% from the floor led by O.J. Mayo's 5/19. Demarcus Cousins's 20-10 night and a strong bench performance from Carl Landry helped the Kings put up 103 in a rout for their 5th consecutive victory.
Kings: 103
Bucks: 78

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 21 PTS - 12 REB - 8/11 FG - 5/7 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 18 PTS - 4 AST - 6/16 FG - 0/6 3PT FG - 6/8 FT
Carl Landry: 13 PTS - 8 REB - 5/8 FG - 3/4 FT - 20 MIN
Rudy Gay: 8 PTS - 5 REB - 5 AST - 3/8 FG

Milwaukee Bucks Top Performers
Larry Sanders: 17 PTS - 11 REB - 6/9 FG - 5/6 FT
O. J. Mayo: 10 PTS - 5 REB - 5/19 FG
Brandon Knight: 10 PTS - 6 AST - 4/10 FG
Ersan Illyasova: 9 PTS - 11 REB - 4/10 FG

Raptors claim revenge, end Kings' streak at 5
Familiar faces once again faced off as the Kings and Raptors met for the second and last time this season. Both teams have played relatively well since they agreed to the Rudy Gay deal, which gave the Kings a potent trio and gave Demar Derozan and Terrence Ross green lights up in Canada. In their first meeting since the trade the Kings beat the Raptors in Sacramento. Tonight's contest saw the Kings head to Toronto as the Raps sought revenge.

Sacramento's Big 3 fell apart in the face of a strong defensive effort from the Raptors, led by Amir Johnson. The athletic forward dominated the game on both ends and outhustled Jason Thompson, who only shot 2/9. But the main victim of Toronto's defense was Isaiah Thomas. His streak of efficient shooting numbers since the trade had to die sometime, and perhaps it was fate that it ended against Gay's former squad, who is largely responsible for the increased efficiency from Thomas and Cousins. Thomas was met with resistance at the rim en route to a 1/13 shooting performance and had 4 shots blocked, all by Johnson.

Johnson played like a monster and came away with a monster double-double and a side of 6 rejections. He led the Raptors to a +9 rebound advantage and a defense that held the Kings to 33% from the floor. Derozan and Valanciunas added 17 points as they crushed the Kings in Toronto to end their win streak at 5. The Kings won the first game of their current 7-game roadtrip in Milwaukee, but will face more stout road tests like tonight's game and future contests against Brooklyn and Chicago.
Raptors: 104
Kings: 87

Toronto Raptors Top Performers
Amir Johnson: 19 PTS - 16 REB - 6 BLK - 9/18 FG
Jonas Valanciunas: 17 PTS - 7 REB - 5/11 FG - 7/9 FT
Demar Derozan: 17 PTS - 7 REB - 5/9 FG - 6/8 FT
John Salmons: 13 PTS - 4 REB - 4 AST - 4/10 FG - 2/5 3PT FG - 3/4 FT

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 22 PTS - 11 REB - 8/18 FG - 4/5 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 11 PTS - 7 REB - 4/7 FG - 3/3 FT
Derrick Williams: 11 PTS - 5 REB - 3/9 FG - 5/6 FT - 19 MIN
Isaiah Thomas: 7 PTS - 5 REB - 7 AST - 1/13 FG - 5/5 FT

Cousins alone in Brooklyn
One could determine the outcome of the Kings' visit to the Barclays Center by looking at the Sacramento box score. Demarcus Cousins and Isaiah Thomas were the only Kings to show up in Brooklyn, with only one other player reaching double-figure scoring. Even Thomas' 17 points aren't that impressive when you consider that he only handed out one assist. Conversely, the Nets had 6 players with 12 or more points, led by Johnson's 23. A +9 turnover differential coupled with their balanced scoring gave the hometown Nets the 25-point blowout.
Nets: 110
Kings: 85

Brooklyn Nets Top Performers
Joe Johnson: 23 PTS - 5 REB - 8/14 FG - 4/7 3PT FG
Brook Lopez: 18 PTS - 12 REB - 6/11 FG - 6/8 FT
Paul Pierce: 17 PTS - 4 REB - 4 AST - 5/6 FG - 6/8 FT
Kevin Garnett: 14 PTS - 6 REB - 5/11 FG 4/4 FT

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 25 PTS - 12 REB - 9/16 FG - 7/7 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 17 PTS - 1 AST - 7/12 FG - 2/2 FT
Carl Landry: 10 PTS - 4 REB - 4/8 FG - 21 MIN
Rudy Gay: 7 PTS - 3 AST - 2/9 FG - 2/2 FT

NBA Notes:
Kings win 5th straight, now 26-37 overall.
Heat win 7th straight, now 47-13 overall.
Nuggets lose 5th straight, now 31-31 overall
Hawks beat Trailblazers 97-93, end 14-game losing streak.

NBA Injury Updates:
Thunder F Kevin Durant out 6-8 weeks with Torn Hand Ligament.
Blazers F Lamarcus Aldridge out 2-4 weeks with Strained Achillies.

NBA Transactions:

by **Martti.** on Sun Feb 23, 2014 12:00 am

Nice little winning streak you have here. 1% team chemistry though? :lol:

by **Vespasian92** on Thu Feb 27, 2014 4:04 pm

For the latest Kings
news, blogs, interviews,
and highlights.

Aldrich gets second chance in Sacramento

The Sacramento Kings have signed free agent C Cole Aldrich for the remained of the season. Aldrich, 25, was drafted 11th overall in 2010 and has
played with the Thunder, Rockets, and Kings, as well as the Warriors this season. He was traded from the Knicks to Golden State in the Jermaine
O'Neal deal, and appeared in 9 games for the Warriors. He was released by the Warriors in February to create roster space for their deadline
acquisition of Marshon Brooks and Jordan Crawford.

Aldrich came to the Kings last season from Houston in the Thomas Robinson trade. He played 15 games in 2012-13 in Sacramento and posted career
highs of 3.3 PPG, 4.2 RPG, and .9 BPG in 11.7 MPG during that span. The Kings' only true center after Demarcus Cousins is Aaron Gray, who has
recently lost the backup minutes to the undersized Quincy Acy. Aldrich is expected to provide insurance in the frontcourt and the Kings can evaluate
their needs in the offseason as Aldrich and Gray will both be expiring contracts.

Drummond big in Detroit against Kings
After stringing together 5-straight, the Kings have cooled off on their lengthy 7-game trip with losses in Toronto and Brooklyn. Detroit has had their own share of struggles this season after adding Josh Smith to their frontcourt. They currently sit in the 7th spot in the Eastern Conference and every game counts for their seeding. The Pistons turned to their frontcourt trio of Drummond, Monroe, and Smith to carry them tonight. They combined for 57 points and anchored a defense that held the Kings to 91 points. Not known for his defense, Demarcus Cousins struggled against Andre Drummond in the game. Coach Malone even resorted to Hack-an-Andre to slow him down, and limited Drummond's impact to a 16-11 double-double. But it was enough for Detroit. The Kings often struggle to win when Demarcus Cousins gets outplayed by his matchup, which was the case tonight. Jennings and Monroe scored 21 and 20 respectively to provide the offense for the Pistons' home win.
Pistons: 115
Kings: 91

Detroit Pistons Top Performers
Brandon Jennings: 21 PTS - 5 REB - 7 AST - 6/15 FG - 8/9 FT
Greg Monroe: 20 PTS - 4 REB - 5/10 FG - 10/12 FT
Andre Drummond: 16 PTS - 11 REB - 4 BLK - 5/7 FG - 6/14 FT
Josh Smith: 14 PTS - 13 REB - 5/8 FG - 4/5 FT

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 16 PTS - 4 REB - 5/14 FG - 5/7 FT
Ben McLemore: 16 PTS - 5/14 FG - 2/8 3PT FG - 4/4 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 15 PTS - 9 REB - 5/15 FG - 5/9 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 9 PTS - 8 AST - 4/6 FG

Kings coast past tanking Sixers
Tonight's game between the Kings and Sixers wasn't much of a contest with all things considered. The Kings have been aggressive in reshaping their roster and attempting to improve quickly, including taking on salary in order to add talent like Rudy Gay and Derrick Williams. On the other hand, the Sixers are playing for the offseason with a high draft pick and young talent like Michael Carter-Williams and Nerlens Noel in tow. Sacramento jumped on the home team early, taking a 16-point lead in the first quarter. Demarcus Cousins only needed to play 24 minutes in the game as his Kings rolled by the Sixers.
Kings: 115
Sixers: 102

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 25 PTS - 11 AST - 9/20 FG - 4/8 3PT FG
Rudy Gay: 21 PTS - 8 REB - 3 AST - 8/13 FG - 3/4 FT
Quincy Acy: 11 PTS - 11 REB - 3/7 FG - 5/6 FT - 29 MIN
Demarcus Cousins: 10 PTS - 6 REB - 4/5 FG - 24 MIN

Philadelphia 76ers Top Performers
Evan Turner: 23 PTS - 9/18 FG - 3/4 FT
Jason Richardson: 16 PTS - 2 REB - 3 AST - 6/17 FG - 3/8 3PT FG
Thaddeus Young: 13 PTS - 8 REB - 6/11 FG
Michael Carter-Williams: 6 PTS - 8 AST - 2 STL - 4 BLK - 2/7 FG

Bulls D smothers Kings
Fatigue seems to have set in as the Kings went to Chicago for the 6th game of their 7-game trip. Going 2-3 through the first 5 isn't a bad mark for a lottery team like Sacramento, but the odds weren't with them to improve that mark against the tough Bulls' D. Chicago crushed the visiting Kings in the first half, outscoring them by 13 and holding them below 40%. Despite their improved 2nd half play, the game was mostly out of reach for the Kings in the 3rd. Only a garbage time rally in a +8 4th quarter narrowed the Kings' final deficit to a more respectable number. The Bulls had 6 players score in double-figures, which contrasted to the Kings' one man Demarcus Cousins show.
Bulls: 99
Kings: 94

Chicago Bulls Top Performers
Kirk Henrich: 18 PTS - 5 AST - 4/9 FG - 8/10 FT
Carlos Boozer: 16 PTS - 9 REB - 5/10 FG - 6/10 FT
Joakim Noah: 15 PTS - 10 REB - 5 BLK - 6/12 FG
Josh Smith: 14 PTS - 5 REB - 5 AST - 5 STL - 6/15 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 26 PTS - 7 REB - 11/21 FG - 3/4 FT
Ben McLemore: 16 PTS - 6/16 FG - 2/7 3PT FG
Rudy Gay: 13 PTS - 5 REB - 3 AST - 2 STL - 4 BLK - 5/10 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 9 PTS - 5 REB - 5 AST - 4/7 FG

Thomas, Acy crush Wolves
The Kings have experienced very few competitive games since the Rudy Gay deal and have been on either end of blowouts. Unless they face an elite defense, their offensive trio can usually jump on their opponents early and stay on the accelerator for 48 minutes. A Timberwolves squad without Nikola Pekovic shouldn't be considered a defensive force, so the outcome is easily predicted when the Kings came to the Target Center to finish their lengthy roadtrip. Isaiah Thomas burned Ricky Rubio on a consistent basis, penetrating the lane at will. His shooting efficiency was a positive 58% en route to a career-best 35 points. Even when Isaiah wasn't scoring or was on the bench, the Kings found contribution from other places. Rudy Gay struggled offensively but compensated with a career-best 10 assists and sniffed what would have been his first triple-double. The most surprising contributor was Quincy Acy however. The Baylor product has had some impressive performances here in his second season in increased minutes with the Kings. He mustered a 20-10 double-double with impressive effectiveness.
Kings: 111
Timberwolves: 95

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 35 PTS (Career-High)- 8 AST - 3 STL - 14/24 FG - 4/6 3PT FG
Quincy Acy: 21 PTS - 11 REB - 3 BLK - 9/13 FG - 28 MIN
Demarcus Cousins: 15 PTS - 8 REB - 5/10 FG - 5/6 FT
Rudy Gay: 9 PTS - 8 REB - 10 AST (Career-High) - 4/12 FG - 1/6 FT

Minnesota Timberwolves Top Performers
Kevin Love: 21 PTS - 17 REB - 6/13 FG - 3/7 3PT FG - 6/6 FT
Corey Brewer: 16 PTS -5 AST - 7/18 FG - 1/6 3PT FG
J.J. Barea: 14 PTS - 5 AST - 5/18 FG
Ricky Rubio: 2 PTS - 4 REB - 2 AST - 4 STL - 1/6 FG

Kings crushed at home in humiliating loss
Burn the gametape. Now. The worst performance of the Kings' season took place last night. Even more embarrassing than the manner of the loss was the fact that is occurred on their home floor. The veteran Spurs put on a dominant display of team ball, riding 7 double-figure scorers to an NBA season-largest victory margin of 40 points. The Kings committed 17 turnovers to a mere 3 from San Antonio. Kings coach Mike Malone has no words better than the stat sheet to show how poorly his charges played.
That's what I get for simming
Spurs: 128
Kings: 88

San Antonio Spurs Top Performers
Tony Parker: 30 PTS - 6 REB - 5 AST - 11/18 FG - 7/9 FT
Tim Duncan: 17 PTS - 8 REB - 7/14 FG
Danny Green: 17 PTS - 5/8 FG - 4/5 3PT FG
Kawhi Leonard: 13 PTS - 10 REB - 3/9 FG - 6/9 FT

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 15 PTS - 4 REB - 3/6 FG - 9/12 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 14 PTS - 9 REB - 2/9 FG - 10/12 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 12 PTS - 5 REB - 1 AST - 3/5 FG - 2/3 3PT FG - 4/4 FT
Ben McLemore: 10 PTS - 5 REB - 3 AST - 4/15 FG

Slipping Kings porous at home to Bucks
If you asked any Kings fan, player, or coach what the team's biggest weakness is, you'd get only one answer: defense. Their trio of Gay, Cousins, and Thomas provide the offense necessary to rout their opponents as evidenced by blowout wins this month against Minnesota and Milwaukee. The Bucks came to Sacramento tonight seeking revenge for that loss earlier in the month. The Kings' defense was non-existent in Friday's devastating 40-point loss to the Spurs and showed little improvement tonight. Behind 41 bench points and 15 offensive rebounds, the Bucks gained a rare road win. Larry Sanders had 8 of their offensive boards to go with 17 points. Caron Butler had a rollback performance with 19 points.
Bucks: 110
Kings: 95

Milwaukee Bucks Top Performers
Caron Butler: 19 PTS - 4 REB - 9/13 FG
Larry Sanders: 17 PTS - 14 REB - 7/11 FG - 8 OFF REB
O.J. Mayo: 16 PTS - 7 AST - 5/18 FG - 4/4 FT
Josh Smith: 9 PTS - 9 REB - 5 AST - 4/10 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 21 PTS - 13 AST - 7/12 FG - 6/7 FT - 7 TO
Demarcus Cousins: 20 PTS - 12 REB - 9/12 FG - 2/5 FT
Rudy Gay: 15 PTS - 6 REB - 3 AST - 7/14 FG
Jason Thompson: 9 PTS - 8 REB - 3/5 FG - 3/4 FT

NBA Notes:
Heat win 13th straight, now 54-14 overall.
Wizards win 5th straight, now 36-34 overall.

NBA Injury Updates:
Magic F Glen Davis out for Season with Torn MCL.
Warriors C Festus Ezeli out 4-6 weeks with Torn Hamstring.

NBA Transactions:

by **Vespasian92** on Fri Mar 07, 2014 2:49 pm

Kings salvage homestand with win
Even after returning home from their lengthy 7-game roadtrip, the Kings have struggled to regain traction at home, losing their first 3 of their 4 game homestand. Those losses included falls to the Wizards and Bucks, which bookend a 40-point blowout loss to San Antonio. As a result, desperation showed in the efforts of the Kings' Big 3 tonight. Their defense held the Knicks to 17 in the opening quarter and took a 12-point advantage. Gay and Cousins were efficient offensively to secure the Sacramento lead for 48 minutes. Thomas and McLemore also scored in double-figures in the contest. Carmelo only shot 8/25 and was unable to rally his Knicks.
Kings: 115
Knicks: 95

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 22 PTS - 7 AST - 6/16 FG - 9/9 FT
Rudy Gay: 18 PTS - 3 REB - 2 AST - 8/12 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 15 PTS - 12 REB - 7/13 FG
Ben McLemore: 15 PTS - 3 REB - 4 AST - 6/7 FG - 2/3 3PT FG

New York Knicks Top Performers
Carmelo Anthony: 21 PTS - 2 REB - 2 AST - 8/25 FG
J.R. Smith: 20 PTS - 3 REB - 5 AST - 7/17 FG - 3/10 3PT FG
Tyson Chandler: 14 PTS - 9 REB - 4 BLK - 7/11 FG
Raymond Felton: 13 PTS - 4 REB - 8 AST - 4/12 FG - 1/7 3PT FG

Lamb, Sefolosha carry Durant-less Thunder
After Kevin Durant's recent hand injury that will sideline him until the playoffs begin, the Thunder are looking to just stay afloat until then. The need for other players to step up is obvious, which was fulfilled by Jeremy Lamb tonight when the Kings came to Oklahoma City. Lamb and Sefolosha started on the wings together and were dynamic in the contest. Lamb was aggressive looking for his shot, putting up 26 attempts. Despite mediocre efficiency on those attempts the U-Conn product mustered a career-high 25 points against Sacramento. Sefolosha added a well-rounded 19 points. Cousins and Thomas didn't get enough support from their Kings teammates to prevent the road loss.

Isaiah Thomas sprained his left ankle in the third quarter of the contest, but remained in the game. He is listed as probable for tomorrow's game in Dallas and is not expected to miss any time due to the injury.
Thunder: 102
Kings: 93

Oklahoma City Thunder Top Performers
Jeremy Lamb: 25 PTS (Career-High) - 6 AST - 9/26 FG - 2/8 3PT FG
Thabo Sefolosha: 19 PTS - 5 REB - 5 AST - 5 STL - 5/12 FG - 3/5 3PT FG - 6/6 FT
Russell Westbrook: 14 PTS - 7 REB - 6 AST - 6/13 FG - 2/7 3PT FG
Serge Ibaka: 6 PTS - 11 REB - 1 BLK - 3/10 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 23 PTS - 10 AST - 9/23 FG - 1/8 3PT FG
Demarcus Cousins: 20 PTS - 13 REB - 6/13 FG - 8/10 FT
Derrick Williams: 9 PTS - 2 REB - 3 BLK - 4/6 FG
Rudy Gay: 7 PTS - 5 REB - 3/7 FG

Banged-up Thomas fails in the clutch
The lottery-bound Kings have been struggling here in the tail end of the season, with a focus on player development giving more floor time to young players like Ray McCallum, Quincy Acy, and Derrick Williams. Compounded with Isaiah Thomas being slowed by an ankle injury suffered yesterday, Sacramento wasn't the favorite in Dallas against a Mavericks team still hopeful for the postseason. An efficient year from offseason acquisition Monta Ellis has helped the Mavs stay afloat, only 4 games back of the 8th place Nuggets.

Ellis continued his aggressive play in tonight's game and shouldered the offensive load. His consistent offensive production resulted in 37 points and 9 assists for Dallas, which was enough to give them a lead for the majority of the contest. It was only a combined 30 bench points from Derrick Williams and Carl Landry that kept the Kings within range at the end. A missed Jose Calderon triple in the final minute gave the Kings a chance to tie the game with a two. Isaiah Thomas put up a stepback jumper from the free throw line and got a quality look, but help defense by Monta Ellis and a lack of lift off his sore ankle forced the miss. A Marion rebound and free throws put the game away that helps keep the Mavericks playoff hopes alive.
Mavericks: 118
Kings: 114

Isaiah Thomas was unable to connect on his crunch-time attempt in Dallas

Despite the loss, Rudy Gay did pull off a highlight play with a self-alley off the glass in the 2nd quarter.
phpBB [video]

Dallas Mavericks Top Performers
Monta Ellis: 37 PTS - 5 REB - 9 AST - 15/29 FG - 4/11 3PT FG
Jose Calderon: 24 PTS - 4 REB - 5 AST - 6/17 FG - 9/9 FT
Dirk Nowitzki: 23 PTS - 7 REB - 11/14 FG
Samuel Dalembert: 6 PTS - 10 REB - 2 BLK - 3/6 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 20 PTS - 5 REB - 8/10 FG - 4/7 FT
Derrick Williams: 18 PTS - 5 REB - 3 AST - 6/12 FG - 4/4 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 14 PTS - 11 AST - 4/15 FG - 6/6 FT
Rudy Gay: 13 PTS - 6 REB - 6/10 FG

Gay, defense lets down Kings against soaring Pelicans
The Pelicans had won 6 straight heading into tonight's welcome of the Kings. Yes, those same Pelicans who gave up a future first round pick for bigman Omer Asik to pair with Anthony Davis. The trade was obviously a risky one for New Orleans, yet has definitely paid off for a team hoping to push into playoff contention sooner rather than later. The Pelicans frontcourt duo played well against the Kings in their last meeting but was unable to lead their team to the W. The red-hot squad settled into the Big Easy as they looked for revenge before their home fans.

Another notable point from the last meeting of these teams is the offensive inefficiency from Rudy Gay. Unfortunately for the Kings, Rudy's performance was even worse tonight. He only shot 2/14 from the field with 4 turnovers and 5 fouls. Isaiah Thomas was little better, and his outstanding quickness was noticeably hindered by his ankle injury. Needless to say, the Kings struggled without their typical strong numbers. That, and former Kings star ROY Tyreke Evans had a field day against the mediocre Sacramento defense. His inconsistent at best and non-existent at worst 3PT shooting came to life against a defense that allowed him to shoot from downtown, connecting on 3 attempts from behind the arc. Combined with his usual acrobatic slashes 'Reke mustered a season-best 32 points as the Pelicans kept their win streak and playoff hopes very much alive, as they are now tied with the Nuggets for the 8th and final spot in the postseason.

Demarcus Cousins' offensive versatility seems to have no limits, as displayed by this corner 3 at the end of the shot clock
Pelicans: 115
Kings: 100

New Orleans Pelicans Top Performers
Tyreke Evans: 32 PTS (Season-High) - 6 REB - 12/23 FG - 3/6 3PT FG - 5/8 FT
Jrue Holiday: 23 PTS - 5 REB - 7 AST - 7/18 FG - 2/8 3PT FG - 7/7 FT
Omer Asik: 11 PTS - 15 REB - 2/2 FG - 7/10 FT
Anthony Davis: 9 PTS - 9 REB - 2 BLK - 2/3 FG - 5/6 FT

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 21 PTS - 15 REB - 3 BLK - 8/16 FG - 1/1 3PT FG - 4/4 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 13 PTS - 3 REB - 5 AST - 5/15 FG - 1/6 3PT FG - 2/4 FT
Ray McCallum: 10 PTS - 2 REB - 4 AST - 4/6 FG - 2/3 3PT FG - 20 MIN
Rudy Gay: 7 PTS - 3 REB - 2/14 FG - 2/2 FT

NBA Notes:
Pelicans win 7th straight, now 36-38 overall.
Heat win 5th straight, now 59-14 overall.

NBA Injury Updates:
Pistons G Rodney Stuckey out 6-8 weeks with Broken Foot.

NBA Transactions:

by **Martti.** on Fri Mar 07, 2014 11:53 pm

Tough stretch of games, allowing career highs all over the place.

Is 32 really Tyreke's career high, he averaged 20 his rookie year, I'd have imagined he topped that at least once. I hate the new NBA.com player pages, can't find shit on there, old layout was nice and simple..

by **Vespasian92** on Sat Mar 08, 2014 5:22 am

Martti. wrote:Tough stretch of games, allowing career highs all over the place.

Is 32 really Tyreke's career high, he averaged 20 his rookie year, I'd have imagined he topped that at least once. I hate the new NBA.com player pages, can't find shit on there, old layout was nice and simple..

Reke's was supposed to be season, not career. My fault

He had 35 in 2011 with the Kings. It's disappointing how in this season IRL as well he hasn't been able to find a rhythm in NO.

Rudy's the first star-level wing I've really ever used in 2k and offense is a breeze if he, DMC, and Isaiah are all healthy. But I have just about zero defensive players on my team, especially inside. I probably have to consider moving around some frontcourt pieces in the offseason, with so many guys able to play the 4.

by **Vespasian92** on Mon Mar 10, 2014 4:29 pm

March Summary
Playoff chase heats up down the stretch

Even with just 3 weeks left in the NBA season, multiple playoff seeds are still up for grabs in both conferences. The typical trend continued of surprising squads with low expectations overtaking the slumping ones burdened with pressure. The biggest surprise in the west is the Timberwolves who are securely in the 6th seed and seem unlikely of dropping their 4 game lead over 8th. A healthy duo of Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio have lifted them into the postseason for the first time in Love's career at a excellent time for the Wolves, who must deal with their star forward's ever-approaching free agency decision next year. The Nuggets and Pelicans are tied at 36-38 for the 8th seed, and whichever team is hot down the stretch may determine who gets in.

The top spot in the East was determined months ago, as the defending champion Miami Heat are coasting with a 10-game lead over the Bulls. Even after the Heat's huge lead, seeds 2-5 are also pretty safe. But at 6 and back the playoff chase is wide open. Detroit is only 1.5 games ahead of the Raptors who would miss the postseason at the moment. Detroit, Boston, Washington, and Toronto are all fighting for playoff seeding. Yes, there are 3 open spots to be had, but someone is going to end up disappointed in the worst spot in the NBA: missing the playoffs but not high in the lottery.

For the latest Kings
news, blogs, interviews,
and highlights.Kings Month in Review

Many options, few solutions
With only 8 games remaining in the first season under a new Sacramento regime, Kings roster has experienced significant turnover. The active front office looked to add more talent to the roster via multiple trades and most notably ended up with a legitimate answer at the 3. The sucking chest wound on the team at the small forward position since Ron Artest in 2008 was the subject of both jokes and headaches for Kings fans. But the trade for Rudy Gay showed the Sacramento faithful two things they hadn't seen in almost a decade: increased payroll and a starting-caliber small forward. The previous owners consistently gave up talent just to dump salary, and overpaid for their own players like Marcus Thornton and Jason Thompson just to reach the salary floor. Acquiring Gay was more than just a band-aid on the wing, it was a very real step in an attempt to be competitive again at the cost of higher salary. Old needs have been solved, making the less important ones a little more noticeable.

Headlining the other needs is a frontcourt partner for Demarcus Cousins to compliment his skillset. Jason Thompson has been the starter at the power forward position for the majority of the Kings' games since DMC's drafting in 2010, and has been consistent enough to not attract the bulk of the criticism about the team. Aside from his consistency, a lack of other frontcourt options since 2010 have let Thompson remain in the starting role. Carl Landry came and went and came again, J.J. Hickson was acquired for a 1st rounder but then waived in the same season, and Samuel Dalembert was let go to give Cousins his natural position at the 5. But now with an established player at three positions and a super-ceiling rookie at another, with a new regime seeming intent on aggressively reshaping the roster, and being the only player aside from Cousins, Isaiah Thomas, and Travis Outlaw left from the old era (who was not re-acquired by the new FO like Landry and Casspi), Thompson's name was aggressively thrown about at the trade deadline. It was fellow old-regime player Marcus Thornton who was moved instead, but there is no secret about it now: JT's starting position with the Kings might be in jeopardy.

There are more options than ever for the Kings at the 4 this season. Aside from Cousins himself, there are a full 7 players on the Sacramento roster who have played the power forward position at some point in their careers. The minutes for the 4 are stretched thin, forcing many players to slide up or down to get their floor time, most notably Derrick Williams and Quincy Acy. Many believe Williams' best position is the power forward where his athleticism and shooting ability create mismatches. Coach Malone has been giving Quincy Acy the backup minutes at center just to get him on the floor. But at 6'7" and a generous 230, Quincy's hustle and determination aren't always enough to make up for his size disadvantage at the 5. Even with all of the options for the power forward minutes, none of them seem to be the answer that the Kings are seeking next to their franchise bigman. It would be foolish to assume the Kings FO won't at least consider their options in clarifying their frontcourt rotation when the offseason begins.

NBA Notes:

NBA Injury Updates:

NBA Transactions:

by **Vespasian92** on Fri Mar 14, 2014 7:46 am

Kings aid rival Lakers' lottery hopes with win
Kings: 106
Lakers: 105

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 19 PTS - 4 REB - 6/15 FG - 7/9 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 16 PTS - 5 AST - 5/15 FG - 5/6 FT
Ben McLemore: 15 PTS - 7 REB - 5/11 FG - 2/5 3PT FG - 5/11 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 8 PTS - 10 REB - 3/7 FG - 2/3 FT

Los Angeles Lakers Top Performers
Kobe Bryant: 19 PTS - 4 REB - 6/16 FG - 1/5 3PT FG
Chris Kaman: 18 PTS - 11 REB - 4/16 FG - 10/12 FT
Pau Gasol: 14 PTS - 15 REB - 4/10 FG - 6/9 FT
Steve Nash: 10 PTS - 3/8 FG - 4/4 FT

Warriors securing playoff seeding with wins
Warriors: 122
Kings: 100

Golden State Warriors Top Performers
Stephen Curry: 21 PTS - 4 REB - 5 AST - 6/14 FG - 4/8 3PT FG - 5/5 FT
Klay Thompson: 18 PTS - 3 REB - 3 AST - 7/19 FG - 4/7 3PT FG
Andrew Bogut: 16 PTS - 12 REB - 6/12 FG - 4/5 FT
Andre Igoudala: 11 PTS - 6 REB - 7 AST - 4/8 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Ben McLemore: 20 PTS - 5 REB - 4 AST - 7/11 FG - 4/6 3PT FG
Rudy Gay: 18 PTS - 5 REB - 4 AST - 8/14 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 17 PTS - 3 AST - 4/15 FG - 7/9 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 13 PTS - 10 REB - 5 AST - 4/9 FG - 5/8 FT

Mavs win in Sacramento despite Ellis' struggles
Mavericks: 122
Kings: 100

Dallas Mavericks Top Performers
Dirk Nowitzki: 17 PTS - 8 REB - 6/15 FG - 4/5 FT
Samuel Dalembert: 16 PTS - 14 REB - 7/14 FG
Monta Ellis: 13 PTS - 3 REB - 3/16 FG - 1/4 3PT FG - 6/10 FT
Jose Calderon: 11 PTS - 5 REB - 4/9 FG - 3/4 FT

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Ben McLemore: 22 PTS - 3 REB - 4/14 FG - 12/12 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 14 PTS - 6 REB - 7 AST - 5/12 FG - 4/6 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 10 PTS - 18 REB - 2/10 FG - 6/7 FT
Rudy Gay: 6 PTS - 7 REB - 4 AST - 1/6 FG - 4/6 FT

Kings upset Thunder without a rehabbing Durant
Kings: 107
Thunder: 101

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 26 PTS - 5 AST - 9/13 FG - 3/4 3PT FG - 5/5 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 20 PTS - 8 REB - 6/12 FG - 8/9 FT
Ben McLemore: 13 PTS - 4 REB - 3/6 FG - 2/4 3PT FG - 5/6 FT
Rudy Gay: 9 PTS - 8 REB - 8 AST - 2/7 FG - 4/4 FT

Oklahoma City Thunder Top Performers
Russell Westbrook: 31 PTS - 6 REB - 3 AST - 9/20 FG - 4/7 3PT FG - 9/9 FT
Serge Ibaka: 15 PTS - 3 REB - 6/9 FG - 3/4 FT
Kendrick Perkins: 11 PTS - 8 REB - 3 BLK - 4/4 FG - 3/4 FT
Jeremy Lamb: 9 PTS - 2 REB - 5 AST - 2/13 FG - 1/7 3PT FG - 4/7 FT

Krypto-Nate leads Blazers past Sacramento
Trailblazers: 114
Kings: 92

Portland Trailblazers Top Performers
Nate Robinson: 19 PTS - 8/12 FG - 3/3 3PT FG - 22 MIN
Nicolas Batum: 18 PTS - 7 REB - 5/9 FG - 6/10 FT
Damian Lillard: 16 PTS - 9 AST - 4/13 FG - 7/9 FT
Lamarcus Aldridge: 13 PTS - 11 REB - 4/11 FG - 5/7 FT

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 25 PTS - 10 REB - 11/15 FG
Derrick Williams: 13 PTS - 5/9 FG - 2/2 FT - 18 MIN
Isaiah Thomas: 8 PTS - 6 REB - 6 AST - 2/11 FG
Rudy Gay: 8 PTS - 7 REB - 4 AST - 2/9 FG

Clips jump on Kings early, cruise
Clippers: 124
Kings: 99

Los Angeles Clippers Top Performers
Chris Paul: 27 PTS - 10 AST - 10/19 FG - 5/5 FT
Jamal Crawford: 19 PTS - 4 REB - 4 AST - 6/10 FG - 6/7 FT
Blake Griffin: 18 PTS - 11 REB - 6/11 FG - 5/8 FT
Lamarcus Aldridge: 17 PTS - 7 REB - 3 BLK - 7/12 FG

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Ben McLemore: 23 PTS - 9/20 FG - 5/8 3PT FG
Demarcus Cousins: 15 PTS - 8 REB - 6/18 FG
Derrick Williams: 11 PTS - 4/6 FG - 3/4 FT - 18 MIN
Rudy Gay: 11 PTS - 8 REB - 4 AST - 3/8 FG - 5/6 FT

Cousins beats Wolves without Pekovic
Kings: 94
Timberwolves: 85

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 23 PTS - 10 REB - 9/20 FG - 5/6 FT
Ben McLemore: 14 PTS - 4 REB - 3 AST - 5/10 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 12 PTS - 6 REB - 7 AST - 5/10 FG
Rudy Gay: 7 PTS - 5 REB - 3/7 FG - 1/2 FT

Minnesota Timberwolves Top Performers
Kevin Martin: 20 PTS - 6 REB - 8/15 FG
J.J. Barea: 18 PTS - 7 AST - 11/15 FG
Kevin Love: 11 PTS - 8 REB - 5/12 FG
Chase Budinger: 8 PTS - 3 REB - 4 AST - 3/10 FG

Big 3 dominates as roller-coaster season ends with home win
Kings: 112
Suns: 107

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 30 PTS - 15 REB - 13/25 FG - 4/6 FT - 39 MIN
Rudy Gay: 25 PTS - 7 REB - 7/19 FG - 9/12 FT - 40 MIN
Isaiah Thomas: 17 PTS - 4 REB - 7 AST - 6/11 FG - 4/6 FT
Jason Thompson: 6 PTS - 7 REB - 5 AST - 2/4 FG

Phoenix Suns Top Performers
Gerald Green: 32 PTS - 5 REB - 12/26 FG - 6/15 3PT FG
Goran Dragic: 16 PTS - 8 AST - 6/20 FG - 2/7 3PT FG
Emeka Okafor: 13 PTS - 16 REB - 5/8 FG
Markieff Morris: 11 PTS - 5 REB - 5/10 FG

NBA Notes:

NBA Injury Updates:

NBA Transactions:

by **Martti.** on Fri Mar 14, 2014 2:12 pm

At least you ended the season with 2 wins, though maybe those weren't the best if you want a high lottery pick. :lol:

by **Vespasian92** on Sat Mar 15, 2014 5:48 am

2013-14 NBA Season Awards & Playoff Preview

Western Conference Playoffs

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs (8) New Orleans Pelicans
K. Durant: 29.2 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 5.2 APG vs A. Davis: 15.5 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 1.4 BPG
The 1-8 matchup out West may actually be a close series with Kevin Durant just returning from a Torn Hand Ligament. Durant is coming off his first MVP award win and a scoring title in the regular season and his Thunder seem focused on making it back to the Finals after falling short last season with Westbrook's injury. Even with a healthy squad, the upstart Pelicans might put up a decent fight.

The Pelicans are a young team in win-now mode and made aggressive moves to hasten their rebuild. They acquired Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans last offseason and traded future assets for Omer Asik at the deadline. They can boast a quality 7-man rotation led by their 3-guard rotation and a frontcourt duo of Anthony Davis and Omer Asik. Ryan Anderson and Al-Farouq Aminu provide specialty skills that will be valuable against a team like Oklahoma City.

(2) San Antonio Spurs vs (7) Minnesota Timberwolves
T. Parker: 17.7 PPG, 6.1 APG vs K. Love:19.4 PPG, 9.6 RPG
Nobody should be surprised any more by the Spurs, who are always a legitimate title threat in the West. Duncan and Ginobili seem to still have plenty in the tank while Tony Parker put together another quality season. The emergence of Kawhi Leonard with a 16.1 PPG and 7.6 RPG season gave the veteran Spurs an additional boost.

Health was the key factor in the Wolves' playoff berth as Love played all 82 games and Rubio mustered 62. But their luck with health ran out when Nikola Pekovic went down with a Torn Achillies. He will be unable to return for the Wolves in the playoffs, and without him most assume Minnesota will bow out quietly to the veteran Spurs.

(3) Houston Rockets vs (6) Golden State Warriors
D. Howard: 18.7 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 1.6 BPG vs S. Curry: 21.2 PPG, 5.7 APG
A revitalized Dwight Howard has turned the run-and-gun Rockets into a legitimate contender this season. After a difficult season in L.A. Dwight has come back healthy and put up the kinds of numbers we are used to. Howard claimed another DPOY award after the season and, paired with James Harden, are a force to be reckoned with.

After a successful season last year, the Warriors are back in the playoffs but failed to make the jump that they were hoping for. Despite their balanced team play they find themselves in the 6th seed and the Rockets won't be a pushover. They may need a string of lights-out performances from somebody to make it to the second round.

(4) Los Angeles Clippers vs (5) Memphis Grizzlies
C. Paul: 18.1 PPG, 7.0 APG vs M. Conley: 16.0 PPG, 5.9 APG
Here comes round 3. With a more developed Deandre Jordan and Blake Griffin, the Clippers return to the postseason with Doc Rivers at the helm. Paul and Griffin both had efficient years offensively this season, but the ease of their shots might decrease against the Grizzlies defense.

Clippers-Grizzlies always offers a physical, grind-it-out series, much to Memphis' delight. The Grit-and-Grind Grizzlies frontline will still go right at the leading shotblocker Deandre Jordan, and Jordan's ability to defend without getting in foul trouble will be a key for the Clippers.

Eastern Conference Playoffs
(1) Miami Heat vs (8) Boston Celtics
L. James: 22.2 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 5.8 APG vs J. Green: 18.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG
The Heat ran away with the conference and seem to be on cruise control towards the Finals and their 3rd straight title. They likely won't face much trouble until they find Indiana or Chicago waiting for them in the Eastern Finals.

The Celtics gave up Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett last year and seemed to be starting over. With young bigs like Olynyk and Sullinger on board and 1st round picks from Brooklyn in tow, the rebuild was in full effect. Except that didn't exactly happen. Outstanding play from Jeff Green carried the Celtics into the postseason but likely won't advance past the defending champs. The bad news is that both of their 1st round picks this year will be in the back half of the round.

(2) Chicago Bulls vs (7)Washington Wizards
D. Rose: 29.3 PPG, 5.3 APG vs J. Wall:17.4 PPG, 7.2 APG
A relatively healthy Derrick Rose was a blessing for the Bulls who find themselves back where they left off two years ago. Rose played 50 games this season, up from 39 games last year. Aside from Rose's gradual return, a strong season from Jimmy Butler is a reliable crutch for Chicago's quality seeding. Butler played 36.8 MPG this season and grabbed 1.7 SPG to support the Bulls' strong defense.

The rebuilding Wizards have finally made the jump into the postseason, which in itself is a successful season. Their good mix of youth and veterans with the young backcourt of Wall and Beal and experienced leadership of Nene and Gortat up front are positive for the future. Their future is bright, but they are undeniably an underdog against the Bulls.

(3) Indiana Pacers vs (6) Detroit Pistons
P. George: 17.9 PPG, 6.2 RPG vs Greg Monroe: 16.2 PPG, 8.9 RPG
The Pacers slipped to the 3rd seed as the Bulls chased them down in the latter half of the season but are still a legitimate threat to the Heat for the Eastern crown. All-around production and a much-improved defense are quality pillars to build a title contender around, and the Pacers have both. Indiana had 4 players who averaged at least 15 PPG this season and can depend on a multitude of players in the postseason.

The Pistons were aggressive last season by adding Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings to their roster, but had their speed bumps along the way. Many consider them lucky to have achieved a 6th seed and believe their roster doesn't fit together well. Josh Smith's inefficiency failed to improve much in Detroit. He was asked to be a small forward and as a result continued to hoist the perimeter shots that make fans groan. But strong play from Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe were the bright spots in the season, and will need to play well against Roy Hibbert inside for them to upset Indiana.

(4) Brooklyn Nets vs (5) New York Knicks
D. Williams: 17.1 PPG, 5.5 APG vs C. Anthony: 20.7 PPG, 7.4 RPG
Just as it is out West, the 4-5 matchup promises physicality, rivalry, and maybe a little bad blood. The New York rivalry dominated the headlines as Dolan and Prokhorov worked to outspend each other. Prokhorov seems to have acquired more star power, with a starting 5 boasting Williams, Johnson, Pierce, Garnett, and Lopez. That lineup might have claimed a higher seed, but they still have home-court in their first-round matchup with the Knicks and might give Miami some trouble in the second round.

The Knicks seem to be on the decline, as 'Melo can opt out this offseason. If Anthony leaves, it is unlikely that J.R. Smith and an aging Amare Stoudemire will keep them in the playoff hunt. They are in salary cap trouble and are lacking 1st round picks in the next 2 drafts, so they will need to at least get out of the first round to try and convince 'Melo to stay.

by **Vespasian92** on Sat Mar 15, 2014 5:48 am

For the latest Kings
news, blogs, interviews,
and highlights.
Kings Season in Review 2013-14
Even the most ardent Isaiah Thomas supporters probably couldn't have imagined how far he has come

Season Stats
W-L: 33-49 (28-54 in 2012-13)
PPG: 101.4
PPG Allowed: 105.2
RPG: 47.0
APG: 22.7

Best Performances:
Points: D. Cousins - 37 vs WAS
Rebounds: D. Cousins - 17 vs HOU, Q. Acy - 17 vs CHA
Assists: I. Thomas - 14 vs TOR
Blocks: Q. Acy - 6 vs DAL

D. Cousins - 32 PTS, 16 REB, 5 STL vs LAC, 30 PTS, 17 REB vs HOU, 20 PTS, 17 REB vs ORL, 16 PTS, 15 REB, 7 AST vs BOS
R. Gay - 27 PTS vs CHI
I. Thomas - 35 PTS, 8 AST vs MIN, 31 PTS, 10 AST vs NYK, 30 PTS, 12 AST vs NO
B. McLemore - 30 PTS vs CHI
Q. Acy - 21 PTS, 17 REB vs CHA
D. Williams - 22 PTS, 5 REB, GW vs NO

This season in Sacramento was ultimately a honeymoon period, a massive party where all those who bled purple can celebrate a fresh start for their team. The previous regime had certainly had some positives, especially while putting together a perennial playoff team in the early 2000s. Clever drafting of players like Peja Stojakovic and Kevin Martin, as well as smart trades like the high-reward deal for Chris Webber or the controversial but benifical deal of Jason Williams for Mike Bibby marked the positive era in Kings basketball. But those memories quickly became just that, as the previous owners constantly slashed their payroll and hovered at the salary floor while attempting to relocate the team. The past 4 or 5 years were especially bad for the Kings fans as the relocation rumors came to a head with Anaheim and finally Seattle. We all know the story by now, about how the hard-working entrepreneur from India gave up his minority stake in the Warriors for the chance to own his own team. Vivek Ranadive's emergence and the hires of desired commodities Pete D'Allesandro and Michael Malone in the FO and on the sidelines gave new hope for a team that was in desperate need of it. On the court, roster pieces came and went as the new regime determined who was part of the future and who deserved a chance elsewhere. Most notable of the future pieces is Demarcus Cousins.

Demarcus Cousins: Cousins received a massive vote of confidence from Vivek in the form of a 4yr/$62M contract extension before the season even began. Likely first-ballot Hall-of-Famer and the personality who infamously declared the "Sacramento Queens", Shaquille O'Neal, was accepted into a minority ownership position and as an unofficial mentor to Cousins. With a ringing endorsement from the new regime and a legendary bigman available for advice, Demarcus was given a situation to thrive in and responded very well. Cousins posted a career year in points, rebounds, field goal percentages, free throw percentage, blocks, and minutes. He led the NBA in rebounds per game this season, and made enough positive strides to be named to his first All-Star appearance. Many fans and media alike fear for a return of the old Demarcus in terms of attitude and on-court demeanor, but Cousins' season was exactly what the Kings were hoping for when they offered him his max extension.

Isaiah Thomas: It is quite a journey to traverse the path from Mr. Irrelevant to being labeled part of a budding Big 3 in the NBA. The former 60th overall selection has beaten out a multitude of challengers to prove that he is a starting-caliber point guard. The list of players he displaced has been regurgitated before, one that includes Jimmer Fredette, Aaron Brooks, and now Greivis Vasquez. Tyreke Evans, who was coming off a successful ROY campaign and considered the face of the franchise, was gradually moved off the ball more and more with Thomas' emergence. Greivis Vasquez came to Sacramento as the presumed starter in the eventual sign-and-trade of Evans last offseason, but was jettisoned to Toronto as part of the Rudy Gay deal after half a season. Once again, Thomas was challenged by another lead guard that began the season with the starting job. But even despite starting for only half the year, Isaiah still posted career-best numbers in the scoring and assist categories. His numbers were even better as a starter after the trade, providing a three-headed monster with Cousins and Rudy Gay.

Rudy Gay: Gay was acquired for relatively little midway through the season from Toronto, who wanted to offload his hefty contract and start fresh with their own young talent. Rudy struggled offensively in Toronto as the primary option, leaving many people criticizing the Kings for taking on an $18M bricklayer. They questioned how Cousins' productive season as the offensive focus would be affected by Rudy's presence. But they needn't worry about that. Cousins, Gay, and Thomas meshed well, with Rudy and Isaiah adjusting their roles somewhat. Rudy seemed to revert back to Memphis Rudy for most of the season in Sacramento, posting efficient scoring numbers as a #2 option to dominant interior play. Thomas keeps showing improvement as a playmaker, posting a career-best 6.0 APG this season. Rudy's PPG are down from the 18-20 PPG seasons that he posted in the last 6 years after an inefficient stay in Toronto and an adjustment period here, but many believe that the Kings can look for another 20 PPG season next year as he grows comfortable with a training camp with his new squad. But no matter how many points Rudy scores, he is a legitimate and versatile scoring option on the wing to compliment Cousins.

Ben McLemore: McLemore fell into the Kings' lap on draft day at 7th overall, and is widely regarded as the future at the 2 for the Kings. With incredible athleticism and a quality shooting form, he was hyped as a potential all-around star, someone who could drive, shoot, and develop into a quality defender. Like most rookies, he had his struggles that surrounded flashes of brilliance in his first NBA season. His ball-handling proved somewhat mediocre and his shooting form inconsistent for most of the year. A string of quality performances near the end of the season brought his shooting percentages up to better levels, but he still needs to develop some of his skills. But McLemore is still just 21 and finds himself in a good situation, with three established scorers beside him to take defensive pressure off of the rookie. Considering his physical tools, his ceiling is very high and a developed McLemore would be a scary 4th option for a defense to deal with.

Jason Thompson: His position as one of the few players from the old regime not named Demarcus or Isaiah has left JT in an uneasy position. He is about as consistent as they come in the frontcourt, and the versatility to play the 4 or 5 is an attractive package to a playoff team as the first big off the bench. Thompson has been moved between the starting role and a backup role periodically in now his 6th season, which is actually the longest tenure on the team right now. With the franchise committed to Cousins, they will likely seek a better fit next to him at the power forward position than Thompson. But even at about $6M a year for two more seasons (the 3rd season has unguaranteed money) Thompson brings a package that a playoff-like shortened rotation craves.

Derrick Williams: The former #2 overall pick was traded to the Kings from Minnesota in exchange for Luc Mbah a Moute, and had some strong games as a starter before the Rudy Gay trade. The vast majority of his minutes since then have come as the backup small forward considering the glut at the power forward, but many feel the 4 is Derrick's better position. The forward rotation in Sacramento will need to be determined in the offseason, and while somebody will end up being left out of the minutes, it is unlikely to be Williams. He is entering the last year of his still hefty rookie deal ($6.7M) and the Kings will need to decide next season what his possibly still untapped potential is worth.

Quincy Acy: Acy was the prime target of the first trade made by the new FO, and the first of two deals with Toronto. Jimmer Fredette was sent north in exchange for Acy and Austin Daye. Acy has quickly become a fan favorite, as well as a favorite of Coach Malone. The former 2nd round pick averaged over 15 minutes per game in his second NBA season, posting decent numbers with his energy and a budding perimeter game, to go with an unflappable personality and team-first attitude.

Carl Landry: Landry was the first major free-agent signing of the new regime, getting a 4-year deal. He struggled with a Torn Hip Flexor early in the year and was never able to gain a lot of traction this season. He appeared in only 39 games and could use an offseason and training camp to get back to 100%.

Travis Outlaw: Outlaw's minutes fluctuated considerably this season, including a stint as the starter during Mbah a Moute's injury to accumulating DNPs at the end of the year. But he still averaged more games and minutes than he did in the previous two seasons with the Kings after being amnestied by the Nets. He will certainly be affected by the resolution of the forward quandry facing the Kings, and his $3M deal expires next season.

Omri Casspi: Part of the Marcus Thornton deal, Casspi came from Houston where he was without a major role. His minutes didn't increase too much behind Gay or Williams in his return to Sacramento where he was drafted in 2009, and something may have to give with Gay, Williams, Casspi, and Travis Outlaw looking for playing time at the 3.

Aaron Gray: Brought over as part of the Rudy Gay trade, Gray is a big bodied backup center. Outstanding lockerroom presence and reliable veteran, but won't be considered a starter, especially now as he approaches 30.

Cole Aldrich: Signed for the last 2 months of the season, Aldrich was brought in by the team both as insurance up front and as a way to test their options for their bench going forward. By the numbers game, there will likely only be room for at most just one of Aldrich or Aaron Gray next season on the Kings' roster.

Ray McCallum: The Kings' 2nd round selection last year, McCallum found some consistent playing time after the Rudy Gay trade thinned Sacramento's PG situation. He opened some eyes with his impressive play late in the season and might cause a PG rotation quandry when the Kings sign Pierre Jackson after acquiring Jackson's rights from NO.

Dequan Jones: Signed to fill some of the minutes left after Marcus Thornton's departure, Jones played 29 games with the Kings at 11 MPG. His decent defensive abilities and athleticism on the wing can be worth keeping, even if the Kings address their backup shooting guard position after McLemore in the offseason.

by **Martti.** on Sun Mar 16, 2014 9:29 pm

Pretty low scoring numbers from Gay and Thomas, but I'm glad McLemore averaged double-digits. (Y)

by **Vespasian92** on Mon Mar 17, 2014 8:04 am

Thunder beat Heat in 6 games to claim title

The Oklahoma City Thunder finally got their revenge for the 2011-12 Finals loss to the Heat with a 6-game Finals victory. Friends and MVP competitors Kevin Durant and Lebron James went back and forth at each other through the series that culminated with a game 6 win for the Thunder in Oklahoma City. The Heat struggled in the first two games of the series as Dwayne Wade didn't perform like his old self. He mustered only 24 points in games 1 and 2 combined in Oklahoma City. The Thunder moved to the brink of sweeping the Heat after Russell Westbrook scored 33 en route to the Thunder stealing game 3 in Miami. Lebron came alive after that, including a triple-double in game 4 and 39 points in game 5 to keep Miami's three-peat hopes afloat. At that point, the Heat fans had done all they could as they watched their team go back to OKC for games 6 and 7, down 3-2. Durant came back with 28 and 11 in game 6 as his team finally closed out the Heat on their home floor.

The first championship for the Western powerhouse Thunder provides justification for that title that they have held since their Finals appearance in 2012. It also silenced the doubters who questioned the value of Russell Westbrook on the Thunder and especially on Durant. Westbrook was injured against the Rockets during the playoffs last season, and could only sit by and watch his team quietly bow out in the next round. But a healthy Westbrook and a still-improving Serge Ibaka provided the help for Durant, who can now avoid the scrutiny of being a ringless superstar that chased Lebron out of Cleveland.

For Miami, this Finals loss might start to close the book on the Big 3 era, especially if they fall short again next year. Lebron, Wade, and Bosh can all opt out and leave Miami after next season. But they will even lose some of their core players this offseason. Michael Beasley was brought in for his second go-round with the Heat and contributed well off the bench, but he is likely to leave in free agency seeking a larger role. Shane Battier is an unrestricted free agent this year, and the Heat will likely commit most of their resources and effort to bringing him back. Chris Andersen and Greg Oden also will hit the free agent market, and it will be interesting to see who decides to leave Miami before giving it one more year. But most notable is Ray Allen's retirement from the NBA.

NBA Retirements and HOF inductees

As mentioned, Ray Allen decided to hang it up after falling short of a 3rd championship ring this year. He headlines the retiring
players this season, and will take his place in the Hall of Fame after 18 NBA seasons. He left the Celtics to join the Heat in 2012
and won the title with Miami the following season. Allen began his career in Milwaukee with stops in Seattle, Boston, and finally
Miami. Allen leaves the game with 10 All-Star appearances and 2 championship rings in tow, one with Boston in 2008 and Miami
in 2013.

Steve Nash was the other retiree that will receive his induction into the Hall of Fame shortly. Nash spent a total of 10 seasons
with the Suns in two separate stints, and also spent time with the Mavericks. He joined the Lakers in 2012, hoping to gain his
first title alongside Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard. Unfortunately for Nash, injuries took their toll on him and on the Lakers
since then. Howard left the Lakers after just one season, and Kobe Bryant has spent time off the court this season with injury.
Nash, approaching 40, decided to walk away from the game after another difficult season in Los Angeles. He did enjoy great
success during a 12-year span in his later seasons in Dallas and his 8-year stay in Phoenix. He claimed 5 assist titles en route
to 8 All-Star game appearances and back-to-back MVP awards in 2005 and 2006 with the Suns.

Andre Miller, Derek Fisher, and Marcus Camby are the other notable retiring players this season.

NBA Draft Lottery
Bucks win big, Jazz improve pick
A difficult year with abundant losses in Milwaukee wasn't entirely fruitless as the Bucks have won the draft lottery and will get the first overall selection in the upcoming NBA draft. Despite having only the 7th best odds, they landed the top spot in the draft and a potential star will help their rebuild. Ownership and arena rumors, along with a painful fall from a playoff squad to a 30-win team, marked the season in Milwaukee on and off the floor. But a Bucks team looking to start over with young talent like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brandon Knight has a chance to find their star with the #1 pick.

The rebuild in Utah has been a gradual process, and as a result might not last for too many more seasons. Derrick Favors was acquired back in 2010 as part of the Deron Williams trade, and the Jazz have developed more young talent next to him in Enes Kanter, Alec Burks, Gordon Hayward, and Trey Burke. Adding a 2nd overall pick in this year's draft and keeping Hayward in restricted free agency could make them a team fighting for an 8th seed next season.

The difference in the odds between picks 3 and 8 was significant, but wasn't determined until the last few games of the season. Phoenix, Cleveland, Los Angeles, and Milwaukee all finished with just 30 victories on the season, with Utah winning 29 and the Orlando Magic with 27. The Bucks' odds were lowered to 7th due to losing tiebreakers with the Cavaliers and Suns, but were the lucky ones among the group. The Cavs have experienced far less success that a team with so many top 4 picks would hope, and once again must sell future hope to their fans. The historic Lakers have fallen hard this season thanks to Dwight Howard's departure and injury woes for Kobe Bryant. This is a pivotal season that might be the beginning of a new era in Lakerland, with Steve Nash's retirement, Kobe's impending free agency, their first 1st round selection since 2009 and their highest since Andrew Bynum at 10th overall in 2005.

Free Agency Contract Options
Melo stays in NY, hopeful for Knicks turnaround
Despite salary cap woes and a lack of draft picks, the Knicks have convinced Camelo Anthony to
stay with the team. Anthony had a $23.5M player option for next season which he accepted.
The Knicks will have another season to try and add pieces around their star scorer and hope to
have a deeper playoff run than the 1st round exit they experienced this year.

Other notable players who opted into contract years with their current teams are Tim Duncan (SA),
Rudy Gay (SAC), Darren Collison (LAC), and Nate Robinson (POR).

For the latest Kings
news, blogs, interviews,
and highlights.

Rudy opts in for 2014-15

The Sacramento Kings announced that F Rudy Gay accepted his $19.3M contract option and will
remain with the team next season. Gay was acquired from the Toronto Raptors midway through
the season and appeared in 37 games with the Kings, averaging 14.9 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 3.0 APG.
He will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2014-15 season.

The Kings have also accepted the team options on F Omri Casspi and F Quincy Acy.

by **Oskar** on Tue Mar 18, 2014 12:25 am

Nice stuff you've got going on here. Looking forward to how you do next season, I've always liked the Kings a bit, but I dislike their recent additions in Rudy Gay, Derrick Williams etcetera. Also glad to see OKC winning the title and Durant winning the FMVP.

Good luck!

by **Martti.** on Tue Mar 18, 2014 6:21 pm

Yeah, Rudy picking up that option was inevitable, 20M for 15 ppg is not good. Hopefully someone will slip in the draft to you at #9 or maybe trade up, pairing Embiid with Cousins should be real nice for example.

by **Vespasian92** on Thu Mar 20, 2014 6:33 am

2014 NBA Draft

Every spring, the NBA draft offers new hope for the struggling teams who missed the playoffs as they seek a franchise-changer in the lottery. Playoff squads can add a valuable role-player in the end of the first round to help support their establish core of players. But history shows that future stars can be found like gems deep into the second round. Busts and steals always exist in every draft, and teams must depend on their scouts' information to make the correct selections. Stay tuned for analysis of all 14 lottery selections, information on all 60 draft selections, and which teams won and lost in the draft this year.

1: Milwaukee Bucks - Alex Ejiofor - PF/SF, England
Ejiofor shot up draft boards in the latter half of the NBA season thanks to increased efficiency and the emergence of leadership intangibles. The native from Great Britain brings a dominant all-around game that gives him the biggest upside in the draft. His defense and passing abilities are outstanding enough to bring up Lebron as a comparison to Ejiofor. His perimeter shooting still leaves something to be desired and some GMs were wary of his 'tweener' risk at a relatively lean 6'9", but the superstar potential is undeniable.

2: Utah Jazz - TaJuan Conway - SG, Connecticut
Conway spent the majority of his time in college playing off the ball at Connecticut next to backcourt mate Lionel Webber. That being said, his intelligence in spacing the floor and finding areas to spot up for perimeter shots should translate well to the NBA. His shooting ability is phenomenal and is rarely bothered by a defense when he gets his feet set. He doesn't bring a superstar ceiling to Utah, but his skills are NBA ready and should fit in as the starting 2 perfectly. He can space the floor for Favors inside or Trey Burke to penetrate, and lets the Jazz utilize Alec Burks as a 6th man.

3: Philadelphia 76ers - Tyrus Shelton - PF, Wake Forest
An NBA ready talent that fits with what the Sixers already have. The Sixers traded Jrue Holiday last offseason for rookie Nerlens Noel, and have Noel to go with Rookie of the Year winner Michael Carter-Williams as the basis for their rebuilding. Shelton is a quality low-post scorer, bringing an array of post moves that compliment Noel's athleticism and defense. Compared to players like David West and a young Carlos Boozer, a quality career as a reliable offensive option is clearly within reach for Shelton.

4: Atlanta Hawks - Peja Toroman - SG, Serbia
Unlike most high lottery teams, the Hawks' woeful season was a result of long-term injuries to Al Horford and Jeff Teague, instead of a lack of talent. Toroman brings a similar skillet to Kyle Korver and 2012 first round pick John Jenkins. Getting floor spacing for players like Horford and Teague is undeniably a huge benefit, but the need for a legitimate small forward might have been worth the selection more than another one-dimensional shooting guard.

5: Orlando Magic - Carlton Pearson - SG, Duke
The rush for sharpshooting 2s continued with the Magic who took Carlton Pearson from Duke. Pearson can bring the same scouting report as Conway, as a quality floor spacer who can find his spots off the ball. Just like Conway and Toroman, he is a safe selection as an NBA contributer without risk of a bust. The Magic will likely continue their search for a good trade return on Aaron Afflalo, as last year's 2nd overall pick Victor Oladipo will start at shooting guard next season.

6: Phoenix Suns - Deshawn Overton - SF, Syracuse
Overton was declared as "Melo 2.0" by scouts thanks to the many similarities to the fellow Syracuse alum. Overton has a scoring mentality and finds ways to generate points from anywhere on the floor. He sometimes gets lost in tunnel vision offensively and forces the issue, turning into a volume shooter. The star potential offensively is obvious though, and fills a need for the Suns at the 3 with a natural scorer. A star duo of Bledsoe and Overton gives Phoenix fans hope for plenty of postseason success.

7: Cleveland Cavaliers - Will Thurmond - PG, UCLA
With Overton off the board, the Cavaliers select the BPA and choose Will Thurmond from UCLA. The scoring guard is redundant with Kyrie Irving already established, but the Cavs were reluctant to reach for a small forward or center. Thurmond will likely take minutes away from Jarrett Jack and will find himself playing alongside of Irving frequently.

8: Los Angeles Lakers - Jeffrey Graham - SG, Florida
Graham is a defensive monster on the wing, with quality athleticism to match. He is a safe pick while also having the potential to be an All-Star level player. His perimeter shooting is his biggest weakness, but is still more consistent than NBA comparisons Tony Allen and Thabo Sefolosha were when they entered the league. Defense, rebounding, athleticism, and a strong work ethic guarantee that he will enjoy a lengthy career.

Trade Update:

Kings acquire Henson for #9 overall
Sacramento Kings trade: 2014 1st Round Draft Selection (9th Overall), Pierre Jackson (68)
Milwaukee Bucks trade: John Henson (74), 2014 2nd Round Draft Selection (38th overall), 2015 2nd Round Draft Selection

The Milwaukee Bucks sent John Henson and two 2nd round picks to the Kings in exchange for the rights to Pierre Jackson and the 9th overall selection in the draft. Henson started just 9 games and played 13.1 MPG in his rookie season and did not receive a larger role with the Bucks this season, averaging just 12.5 minutes and played behind Ersan Illyasova at the power forward position. With the Bucks' selection of Ejiofor 1st overall and Illyasova still under contract, Henson seemed to no longer be a part of the Bucks' future plans. Turning him into a lottery selection and another relatively unknown young commodity in Pierre Jackson is certainly a positive for Milwaukee.

Sacramento adds Henson to a crowded power forward position, but based on the price the Kings paid to acquire him, is seen at the future next to Demarcus Cousins. Henson's ability to block shots might compensate for Cousins' deficiencies on that end of the floor. The Kings were reportedly in search of defensive players to compliment Cousins, Rudy Gay, and Isaiah Thomas, and Henson seems to fit that description.

9: Milwaukee Bucks - Nate Bell - PG, Syracuse
The Bucks acquired the 9th pick from the Kings, who were known to have been targeting Graham as their desired selection. After taking Ejiofor 1st overall, Milwaukee took undersized guard Nate Bell. After playing with Overton at Syracuse, Bell learned how to create offense for himself without relying on ball movement and floor spacing. With smaller, score-first point guards like Nate Robinson, Isaiah Thomas, and J.J. Barea paving the way, Bell can find a productive career in the league. He will likely compete for starting jobs at the point, including with Brandon Knight in Milwaukee. But his most likely role in the league is as a change-of-pace guard off the bench.

10: Charlotte Bobcats - Terrence Askew - PG, Kansas
Charlotte settled on Terrence Askew at 10, whose defensive ability is fits in with that Steve Clifford is trying to instill. Askew is NBA-ready at the defensive end of the floor, and brings enough to the table offensively to contribute. He has strong ball-handling skills and passable range on his jumpshot. He has potential as a two-way contributor, while his current skills are good enough to carve out a niche defensively.

11: Portland Trailblazers - Harvey Stansbury - SG, Baylor
A playoff-hopeful Portland team fell short of the postseason this season. Yet their core of Aldridge, Lillard, Batum, and Matthews are still all under the age of 30 and under contract, and experienced veterans in FA are more likely to help the Blazers reach the postseason than untested rookies. That being said, Stansbury is a gamble on impressive athleticism and high potential in the backcourt. His outside shooting is non-existent, but an off-the-charts vertical and a good basis on defense are worth investing in the Baylor product.

12: Dallas Mavericks - Tracy Jones - PF, Kansas
Dallas succeeded in getting Dirk his championship ring in 2011, but since then they have struggled to make much noise in the postseason. Adding any kind of young talent is a plus for the aging Mavericks, and Jones, who was slated at 9th or 10th overall is a good pick at 12. Jones brings a unique skillset offensively in a 6'9" frame as a forward who can shoot from the perimeter or off the dribble. Scouts believe his best case senario is a player akin to Lamarcus Aldridge or Nowitzki himself, but a strong work ethic and consistent development are essential to see how good Jones can become.

13: Denver Nuggets - Al Galloway - PG, Illinois
With a quality starter at all positions and the consensus lottery picks off the board, the Nuggets selected the best available with Al Galloway from Illinois. He brings quickness to the lead guard position, and can take it coast to coast with ease. His court vision and defense need improvement and he will struggle to make a significant impact in the league unless he can improve those areas.

14: Toronto Raptors - Ben Slaughter - PG, Seton Hall
A pinpoint passer with incredible court vision, Slaughter slipped to the end of the lottery with concerns over shooting woes and mediocre competition in college at Seton Hall. His playmaking skills promise a potential to be an assist leader in the NBA if he gets an opportunity. With both Kyle Lowry and Greivis Vasquez being free agents for the Raptors, Slaughter might get some playing time to develop in his rookie season if either of the two leave Toronto.

Draft-Day Trade Updates

Mavericks obtain addition selection from Boston
Dallas Mavericks trade: Gal Mekel, 2014 2nd Round Draft Selection (41st overall)
Boston Celtics trade: 2014 1st Round Draft Selection (16th Overall)

The Celtics trade one of their two selections in the first round for the lead guard from Dallas. Mekel was left out of the rotation with the Mavericks behind Calderon and fellow rookie Shane Larkin. Boston's unhappiness with the production from Phil Pressey prompted them to seek a backup for Rajon Rondo. Mekel brings overseas experience to Boston, and is only the second Israeli-born player to appear in the NBA after Omri Casspi.

Wizards swing big to get Wright
Washington Wizards trade: 2014 1st Round Draft Selection (20th Overall), 2015 2nd Round Draft Selection
Milwaukee Bucks trade: Dorell Wright

The aggressive Bucks add yet a third pick in the first round for a bargain price. Wright was not in their regular rotation in Milwaukee over young players like Antetokounmpo on the wing, and so turning him into more young talent is an obvious move. The Wizards just made the postseason after their rebuilding years, and acquiring Wright gives them an adequate squadron of floor spacers on the wing including Wright, Bradley Beal, Martell Webster, and Trevor Ariza. A first rounder is a hefty price tag for Wright, but the win-now Wizards likely wouldn't find a rookie to contribute more than Wright will.

Hawks trade for unutilized prospect
Los Angeles Lakers trade: Elias Harris
Atlanta Hawks trade: 2014 2nd Round Draft Selection (32th Overall), 2015 2nd Round Draft Selection

The Hawks seem firm in their belief for a quick rebound from their tough season, and traded a pair of 2nd rounders for the young forward from the Lakers. Rumors suggest Atlanta saw something positive enough in Harris to be worth the picks. Despite being a minor deal, it is a bit of a headscratcher from Atlanta's perspective.

Portland gets wing depth from Sacramento
Sacramento Kings trade: Omri Casspi (70), 2014 2nd Round Draft Selection (39th overall)
Portland Trailblazers trade: Allen Crabbe (68)

Along with fellow Israeli native Gal Mekel, Omri Casspi was traded to a new team on draft day. The Kings packaged him with a 2nd round pick in exchange for Trailblazers' guard Allen Crabbe. Sacramento acquired the Bucks' 2nd round pick in the Henson deal, and so had the 38th and 39th overall selections. The Blazers had a need for depth at the small forward position behind Nic Batum, as they had no other primary small forwards on the roster after waiving Victor Claver. Reportedly the Kings had offered Travis Outlaw to Portland along with the pick, which is where Outlaw enjoyed the best years of his career. But the Blazers insisted on Casspi instead of Outlaw to complete the deal, which is what the teams agreed upon. Casspi is a quality perimeter shooter from either the 3 or 4 position and is experienced enough to contribute for the Blazers in a playoff run they are hoping to make next season. The 39th pick turned into 4-year collegiate Elton Barlow, who was considered one of the most NBA-ready players in the 2nd round.

Crabbe had a difficult rookie season in Portland after being selected 31st overall in last year's draft. He appeared in just 27 games for Portland and averaged 6.4 MPG in those appearances. He is a smart floor spacer who can enjoy a low-pressure situation similar to Ben McLemore by playing with offensive forces like Cousins, Gay, and Thomas. Crabbe will likely receive the backup shooting guard minutes, and can spend spot minutes at the 3.

Draft Winners and Losers
Winners:
Milwaukee Bucks - Alex Ejiofor (#1 Overall), Nate Bell (#9 Overall), Lindsey Grimes (#20 Overall)

The Bucks aren't winners because of their luck in winning the lottery, but for acquiring two additional picks in the first round in exchange for John Henson and Dorell Wright. Combining their three rookies with Giannis Antetokounmpo gives Milwaukee an exciting core to build around. They also have Larry Sanders, Brandon Knight, and Pierre Jackson who may prove themselves and stick around with the Bucks' new foursome.

Los Angeles Lakers - Jeffrey Graham (#8 Overall), C.J. Cooper (#32 Overall), James Franklin (#36 Overall)

The Lakers did well in adding the BPA during their selections. They have only two players (Nick Young, Robert Sacre) under contract, so position of their rookies did not matter to them. Graham is NBA ready and can step in right away if Kobe leaves in free agency, or is in an excellent position to learn from Bryant in his last few NBA seasons. Acquiring the 32nd pick for very little to select C.J. Cooper also makes Los Angeles deserving of a positive draft grade.

Los Angeles Clippers - Mel Goodson (#22 Overall), Dwayne Henry (#52 Overall)

Not to be outdone by the Lakers, the Clippers might have landed the steal of the draft with Mel Goodson late in the first round. Goodson was expected to be a lottery pick and likely to go in the top-10. Concerns about his weight and a back issue he dealt with at Georgetown made him a risky selection early on and made his stock slip, but Goodson is worth the selection at 22. If he can maintain good health and conditioning, Goodson can become a dominant bigman and make 21 teams look very foolish.

Losers:
Atlanta Hawks: - Peja Toroman (#4 Overall)

The Hawks drafted very scared at 4th overall with their selection of Toroman, who likely won't become a stronger player that Kyle Korver. Jenkins is still on the Hawks roster and yet to get a significant opportunity. Korver, Jenkins, and Toroman all bring the same skillset and playstyle, and there won't be enough minutes at the 2 for all three of them. Atlanta could have selected Overton who would have brought far more potential and filled a roster need, or traded down and sought a center in the 20s.

Boston Celtics: - Malcolm Simmons (#26 Overall), Stephen Hall (#41 Overall), Marvin Jeffries (#46 Overall)

Second guesses head towards Boston primarily due to their underwhelming return on their trade of the 16th overall pick to Dallas. Gal Mekel needs to have a breakout season in Boston to make the deal more palpable to be worth giving up the highest of the Cs two 1st rounders. Many wanted them to roll the dice with boom potential prospects like Jermaine Lee or Mel Goodson. The other three picks failed to bring an overwhelming return, leaving Boston fans disappointed with their offseason haul.

by **Vespasian92** on Thu Mar 20, 2014 6:50 am

Martti. wrote:Yeah, Rudy picking up that option was inevitable, 20M for 15 ppg is not good. Hopefully someone will slip in the draft to you at #9 or maybe trade up, pairing Embiid with Cousins should be real nice for example.

Unfortunately I didn't get the draft class at the beginning, so I'm using the fictional ones with the cyberfaces. At 9 I would have probably tried to get Aaron Gordon next to Demarcus. I'm happy with what I did though.

Oskar wrote:Nice stuff you've got going on here. Looking forward to how you do next season, I've always liked the Kings a bit, but I dislike their recent additions in Rudy Gay, Derrick Williams etcetera. Also glad to see OKC winning the title and Durant winning the FMVP.

Good luck!

Yeah, I'm still unsure of if and how Rudy and Derrick fit, but getting more talent in inexpensive trades has to help in the long run. It's actually not the worst thing to have Rudy opt in as both he and Derrick expire after the upcoming season, giving me the cap room to potentially resign Rudy or go another direction. I get the season to evaluate how many wins I can muster with everybody together for the whole year.

by **Vespasian92** on Thu Mar 20, 2014 7:32 am

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Making sense of the Henson and Crabbe deals
Henson's price tag was high, but the trade was the right choice for the Kings
In a somewhat surprising draft-day trade, the Kings acquired F John Henson from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for the 9th overall pick. The Kings were reportedly very interested in Henson at the trade deadline but were unable to offer Milwaukee the value they desired for the 2nd year forward. Rumors suggest Sacramento's interest cooled after the deadline passed and tried to abandon the idea due to Milwaukee's asking price. But the Kings front office couldn't pretend that Henson wasn't at the top of their wishlist.

Fastforwarding to the offseason, the Kings had the 9th pick in the recent draft and were targeting defensive players to put around their Big 3, namely Florida product Jeffrey Graham. Graham was selected by the Lakers at 8th overall, leaving the Kings unsure of what to do with the 9th pick. 10 of the next 13 selections after Graham were either point guard or small forward prospects, positions that were in no need of an upgrade. Aside from Askew, none of the next six selections were on the Kings' board to be even worth considering at 9. With Askew still somewhat of a reach by the team, as well as being redundant with McCallum, Jackson, and a surely resigned Isaiah Thomas on the team, exploring trade options for the pick and one of the guards was the smart thing to do. With the large trade chip of the draft pick back in play, the Kings' desire to acquire Henson couldn't be forgotten. Trading lottery picks is always a decision that raises questions among fans and media, but for Henson, the decision was the correct one for Sacramento for a few reasons.

Rudy Gay's upcoming free agency:
Rudy opted in for $19M this offseason, but even at that price tag, the smooth-scoring forward will remain in Sacramento for just one more season before hitting free agency. Gay will be unrestricted in the summer of 2015, and the Kings will need to come up with a large payday and a quality sales pitch if they want to retain him. Both of those will be helped by a Kings' season that at least threatens for an 8th seed. Gay enjoyed playoff success in Memphis and would be a quality addition for a playoff team with cap space in 2015 looking to get over the hump. If the Kings can offer Rudy a chance for the postseason in Sacramento, he might be convinced to resign for a smaller contract than the $80M he received from Memphis in 2010. Henson fills the biggest need for the Kings team as it is currently constructed, and already has two seasons of NBA experience and can contribute more to a postseason push than most rookies would.

Henson's custom fit with the roster:
As mentioned, Henson possesses the skillsets that the team wanted next to Demarcus Cousins up front. The North Carolina product is known as an athletic shot blocker, who can help cover up for the defensive shortcomings of Cousins and the rest of the roster. He posted impressive rebound and block per minute numbers in Milwaukee despite only playing less than 14 minutes per game in both of his first two seasons. With Cousins' interior strength and impressive hands to go with Henson's athleticism and length to secure boards, it is easy to imagine the Kings' rebounding being a major anchor for the team going forward. Henson had potential in his perimeter shooting coming out of college, and showed some improvement in that area despite not attempting a large amount of jumpshots.

Henson's age and potential:
But in the excitement of finding a player to help the Kings' defensive struggles, Henson's youth and potential is being forgotten. Henson is only entering his third NBA season at 23 years of age. To compare, Cousins, Williams, Acy, McCallum, and Kings rookie Lionel Webber are all just 23. He still has room to improve his skills and his body going forward. His biggest weaknesses are an inconsistent midrange shot and his relatively thin frame, which can certainly be improved. The Kings have Chris Jent (who was a major force behind developing Lebron's jumpshot in Cleveland) as an assistant coach to help develop Henson's perimeter shot. Henson has already started to fill out his frame in his first few seasons, and time spent in the weight room during training camp would further that process.

Henson's current talent floor is good enough to contribute:
But even if neither of those improve, Henson will still be a larger contributor than an untested rookie would have been. With the 4 position in the NBA moving away from low-post scorers in favor of mobility and perimeter shooting, Henson's strength disadvantages won't be a hindrance against most teams. Athletic shot-blockers can find a role in an NBA frontcourt without dominant strength. Henson weighs in at 220 pounds. Former Bucks teammate Larry Sanders is a full-time center, but still weighs in at just 235. Mavericks eraser Brandan Wright is only 210. Kentucky phenom and future NBA star Anthony Davis, as well as fellow UK product Nerlens Noel, both are under 230 and don't rely on strength to make an impact. Even if Henson's game does not improve, he can still be a 14-10-2 producer in a starting role.

Much-needed draft picks:
Aside from getting Henson, the value of the 2nd round picks from Milwaukee cannot be overlooked. Sacramento was due to have no picks next year, with their 1st rounder going to Chicago (via CLE, J.J. Hickson trade) and their 2nd to Toronto in the Quincy Acy trade. Pending a stunning season from the Bucks and their rookies, the 2015 pick will be fairly high in the 2nd round. The 2014 pick allowed the Kings to still add a rookie in this draft while having enough value to acquire Allen Crabbe from Portland.

Crabbe's impact:
Of course the Henson trade was the one most talked about in Sacramento, but acquiring Crabbe was a very savvy deal to make. Casspi could have been valuable to keep around, but getting a young shooter like Crabbe is worth trading the Israeli forward. Crabbe can fill multiple roles for the Kings as a backup at the 2, a perimeter shooter to space the floor for Demarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay, and as another young player to add to a quality young core. The California product will have a role he can easily slip into, moving without the ball and getting open on the outside. Even if he doesn't share the floor with the offensive focal points like Cousins and Gay, Crabbe will still have Derrick Williams and Carl Landry with him off the bench to take the defensive focus. Just like the Henson trade, Crabbe's current talent still brings NBA skills to the table if he doesn't take any significant steps forward in development.

by **Phil89** on Sat Mar 22, 2014 1:46 pm

I haven't really seen Henson play in real life, but Bucks fans seem to rate him highly. I like the trade (Y)

by **Vespasian92** on Sun Mar 23, 2014 9:36 am

NBA Free Agency Headlines
Kobe stays in L.A.
There was probably never a real chance for Kobe Byrant to leave Los Angeles after spending all 19 seasons of his Hall-of-Fame career in the purple and gold, but now Lakerland can rest easy that Kobe will retire a Laker. After an injury-plagued season, Kobe received a 2-year deal at just under $22.7M from the Lakers through 2015-16. The Lakers were unable to add another superstar in free agency this year due to the lack of available stars, but they do have Gasol, newly signed Rodney Stuckey, and some talented rookies like Jeffrey Graham. A loaded free agency class next offseason will be the best chance for the Lakers to make one more title push with Kobe on board, or to find a star for the future after Kobe's probable retirement.

Sixers land Deng, match offer for Evan Turner
The most surprising signing took place in Philadelphia as the rebuilding 76ers managed to persuade Luol Deng to join their young squad. The biggest draw to Philadelphia was a share of their significant cap space, but Deng's deal was a relatively small one. He received a 4yr/$39.95M contract from the Sixers, who will look to Deng for leadership with their developing pieces like Nerlens Noel, Michael Carter-Williams, and 3rd overall pick Tyrus Shelton. Deng had spent his entire career with the Bulls before a deadline trade sent him to Cleveland for the cap relief of Andrew Bynum's contract and a 1st round pick. The Cavs were hoping to finally finish their rebuild with a playoff seed, but fell short of the postseason and couldn't afford to commit long-term salary to Deng on their lottery squad. Despite having the worst record last season, the Sixers might have a chance to threaten for an 8th seed in the weak Eastern Conference depending on Deng's impact and the development of their young players.

In addition to Deng, the Sixers matched an offer sheet for restricted free agent Evan Turner. Turner was signed to a bargain 3 year deal by Charlotte worth $16.3M. The low salary on Turner's offer sheet made it an easy decision for Philadelphia to match, despite signing Deng as the opening-day starter at the 3. Turner will likely lead the bench unit for the Sixers as a 6th man as well as play in 4th quarter lineups at the 2 guard next to Deng and Carter-Williams.

Pistons resign Monroe to 4 year deal
The Pistons announced that they resigned Greg Monroe to a 4 year contract. Monroe remained in Detroit at the trade deadline despite rumors of a deal, and the Pistons couldn't afford to let him walk for nothing now in the offseason. Monroe's deal is for a reasonable $33M over the 4 years. Detroit's frontcourt trio of Monroe, Andre Drummond, and Josh Smith struggled to mesh for most of the season, but did play well in the postseason as the Pistons upset the Pacers (who were without David West after game 1) after 6 games in the first round of the playoffs. The first half of the upcoming season will be important in judging the possible success of the trio, otherwise Monroe or Smith may be moved at the deadline.

Bulls active in the offseason with additions of Lowry and Mirotic
Even after a trip to the Conference Finals, the Bulls refused to stand pat and made some sweeping moves in free agency. The first was the long-rumored amnesty of Carlos Boozer's $17M contract. Boozer has gradually lost playing time to Taj Gibson, especially in late game situations. Many felt the Bulls could better utilize Boozer's contract space, and did so with a pair of additions.

The Bulls scraped together the vast majority of their MLE money and the cap space from Boozer's amnesty to add free agent Kyle Lowry and bring Nikola Mirotic over from Europe. Derrick Rose has struggled to remain healthy after tearing his ACL in the 2012 playoffs, and acquiring depth at the point has been a priority for the Bulls. Lowry will join Hinrich and Rose in the Bulls' PG rotation on a 3 year contract worth $17.7M. Chicago will have plenty of legitimate depth in their PG stable if Rose cannot remain on the court going forward. Lowry had an outstanding season in Toronto as the starter, especially after they traded Rudy Gay's large contract. The Raptors gained cap flexibility after dumping Gay's deal, but chose to not handcuff themselves again by overpaying for Lowry and instead let him walk in the open market. Toronto currently has $10M in cap room and another $8M in Landry Fields' expiring contract to make a splash in next year's star-heavy free agent pool.

Mirotic was selected 23rd overall in 2011 by Houston and his rights ended up in Chicago after a pair of draft-day trades. He has spent 3 years playing for Real Madrid in Spain, but is still just 23 years of age. Mirotic is a versatile forward who can score inside or out and can be a quality offensive option for the Bulls. He will likely start on the Bulls' frontline with Taj Gibson and Joakim Noah. Mirotic's potential impact and Derrick Rose's health are the key factors that could carry the Bulls to another conference finals, while also setting themselves up better for the future.

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Kings keep Isaiah for 4 years, resign Gray

The Sacramento Kings have resigned G Isaiah Thomas to a 4yr/$30.75M deal. Thomas, 25, is coming off a career season with 14.9 PPG and 6.0 APG despite only starting 38 of 82 games. Fortunately for the Kings, Thomas' market value was reasonable due to doubts of his size and playmaking abilities. But the former 60th overall pick in 2011 plays with an underdog mentality which has spurred his consistent development in his first three seasons. Thomas also brings impressive intangibles and the respect of franchise bigman Demarcus Cousins back to Sacramento, where he remains a fan favorite. He returns to the Kings along with Cousins and Rudy Gay, letting the team retain the trio that performed well down the stretch of the season. His new contract is frontloaded, with the $8.3M salary for 2014-15 decreasing every year until it expires in 2017-18. The decreasing cap impact will help the Kings pay for Demarcus Cousins' max contract and for a resigned Rudy Gay or any other free agent signed in 2015.

The team also announced that they agreed to a single year contract with C Aaron Gray. Gray was acquired from the Raptors in the Rudy Gay trade and appeared in 17 games for the Kings, averaging 1.7 PPG and 1.4 RPG. He will have a reserve role behind Demarcus Cousins and Jason Thompson. His outstanding intangibles and work ethic around a young Kings team were reportedly deciding factors in bringing the 8-year veteran back to Sacramento.

2014-2015 Opening Day Rosters

Philadelphia 76ers
Additions: Luol Deng - Tyrus Shelton (R) - Kelly Knight (R)
Resigned: Darius Morris - Spencer Hawes
Notable Departures: None
Starting 5: M. Carter-Williams - T. Wroten - L. Deng -T. Young - N. Noel

Charlotte Bobcats
Additions: Michael Beasley - Shawn Marion
Resigned: None
Notable Departures: Ramon Sessions
Starting 5: K. Walker - G. Henderson - M. Kidd-Gilchrist - C. Zeller - A. Jefferson

Milwaukee Bucks
Additions: Alex Ejiofor (R) - Nate Bell (R) - Lindsey Grimes (R) - Pierre Jackson
Resigned: Ekpe Udoh
Notable Departures: John Henson - Dorell Wright
Starting 5: B. Knight - O.J. Mayo - Giannis Antetokounmpo - Ersan Illyasova - Larry Sanders

Chicago Bulls
Additions: Kyle Lowry - Nikola Mirotic - Jawad Miller (R)
Resigned: Kirk Hinrich
Notable Departures: Carlos Boozer - D.J. Augustin
Starting 5: D. Rose - J. Butler - N. Mirotic - T. Gibson - J. Noah

Cleveland Cavaliers
Additions: Will Thurmond (R) - Grant Bullard (R)
Resigned: None
Notable Departures: Luol Deng - Anderson Varejao
Starting 5: K. Irving - D. Waiters - A. Gee - A. Bennett - T. Zeller

Boston Celtics
Additions: Gal Mekel - Malcom Simmons (R) - Stephen Hall (R)
Resigned: Avery Bradley
Notable Departures: Kris Humphries
Starting 5: R. Rondo - A. Bradley - J. Green - B. Bass - J. Sullinger

Los Angeles Clippers
Additions: Mel Goodson (R)
Resigned: Antawn Jamison
Notable Departures: None
Starting 5: C. Paul - J.J. Redick - J. Dudley - B. Griffin - D. Jordan

Memphis Grizzlies
Additions: Carl Harrison (R)
Resigned: Ed Davis - Quincy Pondexter
Notable Departures: None
Starting 5: M. Conley - T. Allen - T. Prince - Z. Randolph - M. Gasol

Atlanta Hawks
Additions: Elias Harris - Peja Toroman (R)
Resigned: Gustavo Ayon
Notable Departures: Elton Brand
Starting 5: J. Teague - K. Korver - D. Carroll - P. Millsap - A. Horford

Miami Heat
Additions: Richard Hamilton - Caron Butler - Jay Blackman (R)
Resigned: Mario Chalmers - Shane Battier - Chris Andersen
Notable Departures: Greg Oden - Michael Beasley - Ray Allen (Retirement)
Starting 5: M. Chalmers - D. Wade - S. Battier - L. James - C. Bosh

Utah Jazz
Additions: Tajuan Conway (R) - Jermaine Lee (R) - Mike Siler (R)
Resigned: Gordon Hayward
Notable Departures: None
Starting 5: T. Burke - A. Burks - G. Hayward - D. Favors - E. Kanter

Sacramento Kings
Additions: John Henson - Allen Crabbe - Lionel Webber (R)
Resigned: Isaiah Thomas - Aaron Gray
Notable Departures: Pierre Jackson - Omri Casspi
Starting 5: I. Thomas - B. McLemore - R. Gay - J. Henson - D. Cousins

New York Knicks
Additions: Elton Brand
Resigned: Jermaine O'Neal
Notable Departures: Kenyon Martin
Starting 5: R. Felton - J.R. Smith - C. Anthony - A. Stoudemire -T. Chandler

Los Angeles Lakers
Additions: Rodney Stuckey - Jeffrey Graham (R) - C.J. Cooper (R) - James Franklin (R)
Resigned: Kobe Bryant - Chris Kaman - Pau Gasol - Wesley Johnson
Notable Departures: Steve Nash (Retirement)
Starting 5: J. Farmar - K. Bryant - R. Stuckey - P. Gasol - J. Hill

Orlando Magic
Additions: Carlton Pearson (R) - Sean McKinney (R)
Resigned: Jameer Nelson - Jason Maxiel
Notable Departures: Hedo Turkoglu
Starting 5: J. Nelson - V. Oladipo - T. Harris - G. Davis - N. Vucevic

Dallas Mavericks
Additions: Anderson Varejao - Andray Blatche - Tracy Jones (R) - Lucious Storey (R)
Resigned: Samuel Dalembert
Notable Departures: Gal Mekel - Vince Carter - Shawn Marion
Starting 5: J. Calderon - M. Ellis - L. Storey - D. Nowitzki - A. Varejao

Brooklyn Nets
Additions: Chauncey Billups
Resigned: Paul Pierce - Alan Anderson
Notable Departures: Andrei Kirilenko
Starting 5: D. Williams - J. Johnson - P. Pierce - K. Garnett - B. Lopez

Denver Nuggets
Additions: Al Galloway (R) - Andrew Reid (R)
Resigned: None
Notable Departures: Jordan Hamilton
Starting 5: T. Lawson - E. Fournier - D. Gallinari - K. Faried - J. McGee

Indiana Pacers
Additions: None
Resigned: None
Notable Departures: Lance Stephenson
Starting 5: G. Hill - P. George - D. Granger - D. West - R. Hibbert

New Orleans Pelicans
Additions: William Walton (R)
Resigned: Jason Smith - Al-Farouq Aminu
Notable Departures: Brian Roberts
Starting 5: J. Holiday - E. Gordon - T. Evans - A. Davis - O. Asik

Detroit Pistons
Additions: Uwe Kramer (R)
Resigned: Greg Monroe
Notable Departures: Rodney Stuckey
Starting 5: B. Jennings - K. Caldwell-Pope - J. Smith - G. Monroe - A. Drummond

Toronto Raptors
Additions: Ben Slaughter (R)
Resigned: Patrick Patterson - Greivis Vasquez
Notable Departures: Kyle Lowry
Starting 5: G. Vasquez - D. Derozan - T. Ross - P. Patterson - J. Valanciunas

Houston Rockets
Additions: Lance Ruffin (R)
Resigned: None
Notable Departures: Marcus Camby (Retirement)
Starting 5: J. Lin - J. Harden - C. Parsons - T. Jones - D. Howard

San Antonio Spurs
Additions: Brevin Parker (R)
Resigned: Boris Diaw - Patty Mills
Notable Departures: Matt Bonner
Starting 5: T. Parker - D. Green - K. Leonard - T. Duncan - T. Splitter

Phoenix Suns
Additions: Deshawn Overton (R) - Rob Marion (R) - Kyle Copeland (R)
Resigned: Eric Bledsoe
Notable Departures: None
Starting 5: E. Bledsoe - G. Green - D. Overton - M. Morris - E. Okafor

Oklahoma City Thunder
Additions: Devin Hopkins (R)
Resigned: Thabo Sefolosha
Notable Departures: Derek Fisher (Retirement)
Starting 5: R. Westbrook - J. Lamb - K. Durant - S. Ibaka - K. Perkins

Minnesota Timberwolves
Additions: Trey McKenzie (R)
Resigned: None
Notable Departures: Dante Cunningham
Starting 5: R. Rubio - K. Martin - C. Brewer - K. Love - N. Pekovic

Portland Trailblazers
Additions: Omri Casspi - Harvey Stansbury (R) - Elton Barlow (R)
Resigned: None
Notable Departures: Robin Lopez - Allen Crabbe
Starting 5: D. Lillard - W. Matthews - N. Batum - L. Aldridge - M. Leonard

Golden State Warriors
Additions: None
Resigned: Jordan Crawford
Notable Departures: None
Starting 5: S. Curry - A. Igoudala - H. Barnes - D. Lee - A. Bogut

Washington Wizards
Additions: Dorell Wright
Resigned: Jan Vesley - Trevor Booker - Chris Singleton - Kevin Seraphin
Notable Departures: Marcin Gortat
Starting 5: J. Wall - B. Beal - T. Ariza - Nene - K. Seraphin

by **Vespasian92** on Fri Mar 28, 2014 2:07 pm

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Sacramento Kings 2014-15 Season Preview

2013-14 Season: 33-49
Notable Additions: John Henson, Allen Crabbe, Lionel Webber (R)
Notable Departures: Omri Casspi

The expectations from fans and media for the upcoming Kings' season vary from an 8th seed to a bottom 5 lottery squad

The first season in the new era for the Kings franchise experienced significant transformation on and off the court. The new ownership, coaching staff, and front office set to work and put together a product that was an improvement over recent Kings' seasons and was undeniably a source of hope for Sacramento fans. Wins and losses aside, the biggest difference last season on the court was that team became more exciting and more watchable. Rudy Gay is capable of finishing highlight-reel dunks in addition to his scoring. Derrick Williams hasn't lived up to all of his potential as a former 2nd overall pick, but his athletic ability is obvious. Rookie Ben McLemore represented the team in the Slam Dunk contest during All-Star weekend last season. Quincy Acy shows flashes of exciting finishes over defenders as well as unquenchable energy, which fans always appreciate.

But for a team that hasn't made the postseason since the 2005-06 season, the excitement of a fresh start and an athletic roster only go so far. Wins should come sooner rather than later. The honeymoon period with new ownership and a front office is nearing completion. Large amounts of salary were put into the team in the form of Demarcus Cousins' extension and the acquisition of Rudy Gay. The addition of talent and salary is something that the Kings had rarely done since their playoff runs in the early 2000s, and showed that the new ownership group is committed to improving the team. Yet even after finding a suitor for Marcus Thornton's $8M contract at the trade deadline, the Kings threatened luxury tax territory in resigning Isaiah Thomas due to Gay's large contract. Lottery teams certainly shouldn't be paying a luxury-tax salary, so finding a way out of the basement and threatening for an 8th seed in the next year or two is important to justify the payroll and the current assemblage of talent, namely the Big 3 of Cousins, Gay, and Thomas.

With that in mind, the Kings tried to fill their biggest need in the offseason by acquiring John Henson from the Bucks. Cousins, Gay, and Thomas can provide all the offense for Sacramento, who needed defensive help more than anything. Despite a large number of power forwards already on the roster, Henson was brought in to be the starting 4. His length is expected to shore up the interior defense next to Demarcus Cousins and a budding midrange game can help give the scoring trio room to operate. Carl Landry and Rudy Gay provide the veteran leadership for their relatively younger teammates, and additional young role-players like Derrick Williams and offseason acquisition Allen Crabbe give Coach Mike Malone 7 or 8 players on his roster who combine youth and NBA-ready production. But ultimately it falls upon the Kings' star trio to determine if the team will take the next step into a potential postseason squad or slip back into the mediocrity of the lottery.

by **Vespasian92** on Thu Apr 03, 2014 3:10 pm

New King sparks a season-opening win
John Henson and Allen Crabbe wasted little time in proving themselves before the Sacramento crowd

One year ago, the first game under the new Kings regime saw an exciting 8 point win over the Denver Nuggets. The year since that time has been filled with well-documented changes in Sac-town. The year's worth of roster work culminated in the squad that took the floor for the Kings' season opener in Sleep Train Arena against the Jazz. Utah's young core is likely not ready to make the jump into the postseason this year, but their future is probably as bright as any team's in the league. They quietly had an outstanding draft, collecting huge potential forward Jermaine Lee and athletic 4-man Mike Siler in addition to the 2nd overall selection Tajuan Conway. Once they develop along with Trey Burke, Derrick Favors, and Gordon Hayward, the Jazz could easily find themselves back in the postseason and hoped to prove their potential tonight.

The Kings entered the offseason with the mindset of surrounding their three potent scorers in Thomas, Gay, and Cousins with complimentary talent. After a full training camp to mesh even further, the expectations for the trio are even higher this season. Yet they certainly didn't disappoint tonight. They all scored at least 20 in the game, led by Isaiah Thomas' 25. The Kings' hopes for the season will rely heavily on the trio, and the team will likely go as their Big 3 goes. But when the other guys produce like they did tonight, this current Kings squad might be able to achieve more than even they hope for.

The Kings had to decide between Pierre Jackson and Ray McCallum during the offseason, eventually siding with their 2nd round selection last year. McCallum seemed determined to prove that the team made the right choice. In probably his most efficient 15 minutes in the NBA, the Detroit product dropped 12 points and 6 assists while only missing one shot. The increased depth of the team allowed them to give their reserve point guard upgrades to play with him like Carl Landry, Allen Crabbe, Derrick Williams, and Jason Thompson. Tonight's performance from McCallum and his bench mob gives the Kings hope that they can stay in games even if their Big 3 aren't scoring.

But the big story was the Sacramento debut of offseason acquisition John Henson. Brought to the Kings from Milwaukee, Henson was expected to use his length and athleticism to help protect the rim and do some of the little things, not as a scorer considering the trio of offensive stars the Kings already have. His specified role was fulfilled to perfection in his first official game with the Kings, even exceeding the expectations of most in attendance. The North Carolina product earned a team-high 40 minutes, playing more than Thomas, Gay, or Cousins. He picked his spots offensively to perfection, shooting 5/6 from the field. His primary role as a weakside rim protector was completed to the tune of two rejections. A team-high 12 rebounds and 4 assists round out his impressive statline. The Kings have to be pleased if Henson makes these kinds of contributions on a regular basis, and Coach Malone should be able to trust Henson to play within his role and skillset going forward.

"John (Henson) performed well in training camp and in the preseason, yet I still wasn't planning on playing him for 40 minutes. But tonight he fit in so well and provided so much energy that I couldn't justify taking him off the floor. He earned every minute that he played out there." - Kings Head Coach Mike Malone

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