SEARCH

Assistant coach Bob Beyer is leaving the Sacramento Kings to join Stan Van Gundy with the New Orleans pelicans, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. He joined head coach Luke Walton’s staff back in 2019, bringing more than 35 years of coaching experience with a focus on defense. Beyer previously worked under Ven Gundy during stops with the Orlando magic and Detroit Pistons. It is expected that Walton will look to fill that vacated spot. Perhaps with someone from new Associate Head Coach Alvin Gentry’s former assistant coach pool when he was the Pelican’s head man.

Former Sacramento Kings TV play-by-play announcer and local sports radio talk show host Grant Napear has reemerged onto the sports talk scene with a new pod cast following his sudden dismissal due to what was deemed insensitive comments on social media last Spring. “If you don’t Like that with Grant Napear” debuted in early October and has quickly built up a large following from fans across Northern California and the world. The first three episodes have already drawn more than 25,000 downloads. NBA legend Charles Barkley was the first guest on the pod. The two old friends discussed the current state of sports in America and the challenges everyone is facing when it comes to publicly speaking one’s mind. Charles also recalled a funny story involving a dispute between former Kings’ head coach Paul Westphal, a troublesome young star name Demarcus Cousins, and which one of them ultimately won the battle. Sirius FM’s Chris Russo, a childhood friend of Nap ear’s, appeared on episode 3 and the two recalled their lives together and the paths they both took to build successful careers in sports broadcasting. Grant is clearly trying to move on from the unfortunate events that led to his dismissal and rebuild his career, but it will take some time. He will need to get comfortable back in front of a mic and just talk sports without feeling the need to confront the situation that derailed what was a highly coveted position in sports broadcasting. Back on May 31, Napear responded to a series of tweets by Cousins regarding the BLM movement. His response caused an immediate uproar and the long-time Sacramento sports personality was fired by KHTK Radio the very next day and he was asked to resign his position as the Kings play-by-play announcer shortly after that. Regardless of whether Napear’s response was an intentional slam on the social injustice raging across America, or if it was just a case of someone not truly understanding the movement and the slogans of the various sides, the swift actions of his employers left a bitter taste in his mouth that he is unlikely to forgive. He and his wife have since sold their home in El Dorado Hills and moved to Miami, FL to get away from the negative situation and start a new phase of their lives. Its unclear if he’ll ever return to Northern California, where much of his family still resides, but for now he is happily enjoying the ocean view from his Highrise condo and doing what he loves best, talking sports again. He will eventually resurface again to call play-by-play for a regional or national sports network, but for now you can catch his podcast every Tuesday and Friday.

We are happy to announce the opening of the SacKings Shop. An online store where you can find some stylish, high-quality swag featuring our new 2020 branding. We decided it would be fun to bring back the SK Swag. We first introduced our Tees back in 2004 and they sold out in weeks. Today we are offering a much wider variety of items and more will be added every week. This time, we have decided to just sell everything at cost. Its our way of saying thank you for being an SK supporter for all these years. That combined with worldwide free shipping means the price you see is the price you pay. So, come have a look around the Shop and grab something to show your support of the original Sacramento Kings fan site.

New Kings GM Monte McNair is wasting no time in assembling his new front office staff. The team announced the hiring of Wes Wilcox as Assistant GM, Phil Jabour as VP of Player Personnel, and Paul Johnson as Director of Basketball Operations. The trio will join Ken Catanella as the group prepares for the November 18 NBA Draft and free agency shortly thereafter. Wilcox is the most prominent name of the three. He recently served as the general manager of the Atlanta Hawks and was a finalist for the head job with the Kings. He brings a wealth of experience and is well-connected in the NBA universe. Jabour most recently worked with the Philadelphia 76ers and spent five years with McNair when they were both with the Houston Rockets. He will primarily focus on scouting and talent evaluation. Johnson Leaves the Oklahoma City Thunder front office and will assume the general manager role for the Stockton Kings of the G-League as well as several other responsibilities with the parent club. “I am excited to have Wes, Phil and Paul join the front office,” said McNair. “Wes’ background as an executive in the league combined with Phil’s veteran leadership through the scouting ranks and Paul’s proven experience in evaluating talent will be strong additions to the basketball operations group. Their diverse skill sets, and unique perspectives will add valuable knowledge and innovative thinking as we focus on executing our vision of building a winning culture in Sacramento.”

Sacramento Kings head coach Luke Walton got his guy. The team announced on Wednesday that former New Orleans Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry would be joining the Kings as their new associate head coach for the 2020-21 season. Gentry, 65, has previously held five head coaching positions in the NBA including time with the Miami Heat, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns, and the Pelicans. He and Walton were both assistant coaches under Steve Kerr during the Golden State Warriors’ 2015 NBA championship title run. Known for his up-tempo and creative offensive coaching style, Gentry should fit right in with the young Kings’ desire to run and gun with starting point guard De’Aaron Fox. His philosophy also meshes with new GM Monte McNair’s plans to pick up the pace next season. “I’m excited to add Alvin’s valuable experience and leadership to the team,” said Walton. “His veteran coaching perspective will be a great addition and I look forward to working with him again to continue developing our group.” Gentry steps in to fill the spot vacated by former associate head coach Igor Kokoskov who left Sacramento last summer to take over the head coaching duties of European powerhouse Fenerbahçe in the Turkish league. Many may think Alvin is the obvious heir apparent to Luke as the team’s next head coach, but he hasn’t really shown the ability to build and maintain a winning team in the NBA. He was unable to take advantage of four seasons with superstar Anthony Davis in New Orleans, and rookie sensation Zion Williamson fizzled out at the end of the season prompting Pelicans’ management to look elsewhere for their next head coach. Either way you look at it, The Kings landed a quality coach and will benefit from his extensive experience and respect across the league.

New Kings General manager Monte McNair was formally introduced to the Sacramento media Wednesday via a Zoom call. Aside from it being a rather awkward solo press conference up on the stage, he answered most of the obligatory first-time questions with poise and very careful wording. Basically, he said a lot without saying anything. This new era is going to be very different than the Vlade Divac or Pete D’Alessandro regimes.

The Sacramento Kings announced on Thursday that Monte McNair will be the team’s new general manager and head all aspects of basketball operations. He replaces Vlade Divac, who resigned back in August. “Monte is one of the NBA’s top basketball minds who has played an instrumental role in building several winning teams in Houston,” Kings owner Vivek Ranadive said. “I am excited to bring his extensive experience and vision onboard to lead our basketball operations department, and it is my pleasure to welcome Monte and his family to Sacramento.” McNair served under Houston Rocket’s GM Daryl Morey as an Assistant GM since 2018 but has held various roles with the organization since 2007. He is known as an analytics-driven basketball mind and is expected to bring that philosophy to Sacramento. He joins a franchise desperate for a return to respectability in the NBA. The Kings have not been to the playoffs in 14 seasons, and McNair’s #1 job will be to build a team that will break that streak. “I am thrilled to join the Kings organization and honored to shape the franchise’s bright future for the team’s loyal fans,” McNair said. “I would like to thank Vivek for this opportunity and look forward to becoming a part of the Sacramento community.” Several major decisions will loom during his first couple months on the job. The De’Aaron Fox extension, the Bogdan Bogdanovic restricted free-agency, and what to do with Buddy Hield. He also has an NBA Draft to prepare for, where Sacramento currently has the 12th, 35th, 43rd, and 52nd picks. He also needs to build out his front office staff quickly. Assistant GM Peja Stojaković resigned shortly after Divac’s departure, leaving just assistant GM Ken Catanella as the lone hold out from the previous administration. However, reports have surfaced that McNair will ask the team’s cap guru to join his new staff in the same role. In another move, it was announced that Interim Vice-President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars has been named Chief Strategy Officer. Basically, he’ll fade off into the distance and not really be an active member of the basketball ops moving forward but provide his input from afar here and there. All in all, a positive move for the Sacramento Kings. Monte McNair brings instant credibility to the front office from his time with the Rockets and should help the Kings start the long climb out of NBA purgatory.

The economic crisis resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic has finally started to hit the basketball side of the Sacramento Kings. On Wednesday, Interim Executive Vice-President Joe Dumars announced that furloughs were issued to a number of full-time employees in the Kings’ basketball operations department. The furloughs are expected to be in effect for at least the next 8-10 weeks. During their absence those employees will continue to receive medical benefits and are expected to return to their duties with the team once the NBA future is clearer. “Given uncertainty about the start of next season due to the ongoing impacts of the pandemic, we have made the difficult decision to furlough a handful of full-time positions across our basketball operations departments primarily around support roles,” Dumars said. It was not immediately known who was affected by this move, but senior members of the front office, scouting, and analytics were spared as they need to prepare for the upcoming NBA Draft and free-agency season.

The lottery gods did not come through this year. The Sacramento Kings will have the 12th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, and they really have nothing to complain about, as that is where they were supposed to pick according to the odds. Starting point guard De’Aaron Fox represented the team via the virtual draft lottery and seemed rather chill by the results. Two years earlier, he was present for the Kings’ surprising move up to the second position, where they later selected Duke standout Marvin Bagley. New Interim Executive Vice-President Joe Dumars has a lot of options at 12, and the prognosticators will spend the next two months making all sorts of wild guesses on what the Kings will do on the night of the NBA Draft. The team could trade the pick with another player for some quality talent in return. Trade up for a better pick. Trade down for multiple picks. Or even keep it and try to find a nice role player in the late lottery range. No one can say they truly know what Sacramento will do this year. At least you are not a fan of the New York Knicks. They were slotted to pick sixth, but hoped to sneak into the top spot, and ended up at eighth when both Charlotte and Chicago jumped them in the lottery. Now, that is a cursed team. The Minnesota Timberwolves ultimately snagged the top spot with the Golden State Warriors coming in at number two. The NBA Draft is currently slated to take place on October 16, but recent reports have indicated that the date might slip by a few weeks to give the league more time to determine the revenue implications on the forthcoming salary cap. Either way, Sacramento will have picks 12, 35, 43, and 52 to work with. It should be another fun night.

The Sacramento Kings received a little good news this morning. The coin flip to determine where the team would rank in Thursday’s NBA Draft Lottery came up tails, or heads, or who really cares. The Kings won the tiebreaker with the New Orleans Pelicans. Sacramento will have the 12th best odds to land one of the top four spots in the 2020 NBA Draft at 6.1%. The Pelicans’ chances will be just 5.7%. Both teams finished with identical 28-36 records when the 2019-20 season was initially called due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Even though the Kings ultimately finished with a better overall record following the 8-game restart in Orlando, the team’s original records were the determining mark. Sacramento last had a coin flip situation in 2018, when they lost the toss to the Chicago Bulls and ended up with the seventh pick. Of course, that turned out to be the lucky position as they then moved up to the second spot when they jumped up to the top three in the lottery. The Marvin Bagley draft. The NBA Draft will be held on October 16 and it will be very interesting to see wha new Interim VP of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars does with the pick. And, the free agency frenzy starts just two days after that on October 18. Buckle up, the current NBA season may be over for the Kings, but this Fall is sure to be a wild ride.

The house cleaning of the old Sacramento Kings glory days continued Saturday when it was reported that assistant GM and Kings’ legend Peja Stojakovic would be departing the organization along with GM Vlade Divac. Stojakovic joined the team back in 2015 when Divac first landed the GM role. He initially spent time as the general manager of the team’s D-League franchise in Reno and as the Kings Player Personnel Director, before stepping into the assistant GM role in 2018. Vlade needed someone he could trust completely in a league of backroom deals and backstabbing agents. The fellow Serbian was his most trusted advisor. Peja was originally drafted by the Kings in 1996, but played for two more seasons for team PAOK of the Greek League before coming to Sacramento in 1998 to start what would ultimately become Sacramento’s most dominant period in the NBA. It was never entirely clear if Peja was fully invested in his role with the Kings, as he was involved in many business ventures overseas at the time he was summoned to Sacramento. But his loyalty to Vlade was unquestionable and he would do anything for his good friend and NBA mentor. “It has been a great joy and honor to work in the Kings front office for the past five years. I want to thank the organization and especially the incredible fans around the world for the support over the years", said Stojakovic via a statement released by the Kings. "Sacramento will always be home to me and I wish the franchise nothing but the very best.” Ken Catanella, the lone remaining assistant GM holdout is expected to stay with the organization through the draft and free-agency process as he has a history with the new Interim VP of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars during their time together with the Detroit Pistons. However, his future role with the Kings is unclear beyond that.

After five years at the helm, Vlade Divac’s crusade to revitalize the Sacramento Kings has officially ended. It was announced today that the Kings legend would be stepping down as General Manager effective immediately. Joe Dumars, who was named Special Advisor to the GM back in June 2019 will assume the title of Interim Kings Executive VP of Basketball Operations moving forward. “It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as the General Manager for the Kings. I want to thank Vivek for the opportunity & recognize all of the incredible colleagues who I had the great pleasure of working with during my tenure", said Divac in a released statement by the team. "Sacramento and the Kings will always hold a special place in my heart, and I wish them all the best moving forward.” Divac, a member of the basketball Hall of Fame, an NBA All-Star, and Euro basketball legend endured a challenging tenure as the leader of the Kings’ front office right from the start. While he was politely applauded as a world basketball leader, he was never accepted by the NBA GM fraternity. Mocked for his front office inexperience, thick accent, and often misunderstood dry sense of humor, the NBA insiders considered him an outsider and the team was just further seen as a third-rate franchise. Despite his total and complete loyalty to the team, city, and its fans, he was ultimately destined to fail in Sacramento. Vlade was initially hired by Kings governor Vivek Ranadive back on April 8, 2015 to replace the then disgraced general manager Pete D’Alessandro, who over a series of bad trades, poor coaching hires, and awkward fan interactions was run out of town less than two years after he replaced long-time GM Geoff Petrie. Divac’s first duty was to find a way to get the team’s highly talented, but volatile star DeMarcus Cousins, an equally ego-driven head coach George Karl, and a handful of moderately talented, but disinterested players to form some semblance of an NBA team. Not an easy task for any GM. By the end of the 2015-16 season, Vlade had fired Karl, and less than a year later, he traded Cousins to the New Orleans Pelicans for Buddy Hield and draft picks. It was obvious that the Kings could not improve with what they had and needed to blow it all up and start over. This was when Divac was finally able to put his fingerprints on his franchise and started to implement his vision of what makes a successful team. Quality players with quality character. Disruptive or selfish egos had no place in Sacramento. If you did not want to come to Sac for a pre-Draft workout, the Kings would not waste their pick on you (Emmanuel Mudiay). Over the years Sacramento continued their youth movement, acquiring more picks and young talent through trades and erasing any semblance of the team Divac was handed back in 2015. He was able to collect a promising war chest that ultimately produced De’Aaron Fox, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Harrison Barnes, Richaun Holmes, Harry Giles, and Hield. There were definitely some unfortunate draft selections and trades over those five years, but it was one pick in particular that ultimately sealed his fate. In 2018, through the urges of then assistant GM Brandon Williams, the Sacramento Kings selected the super-athletic Marvin Bagley over the highly touted Luka Doncic in the NBA draft with the second overall pick. From the moment the selection was announced, the national media mocked Divac's apparent ignorance, and Kings fans and local media bemoaned the pick. Two years later as Doncic has continued to rise to the top of NBA stardom while Bagley has been grounded by injuries, fans continued to call for Vlade’s head for that one fateful decision. To this day, Divac stands behind his choice, even if it ultimately buried him. As the 2019-20 season wrapped up for the Kings and a 14th-straight playoff absence staring the team in the face, Ranadive and the myriad of impatient minority owners felt that five years was long enough. Divac was asked to step back from his position of ultimate authority and relinquish the decision-making reins to Dumars moving forward. He would still be part of the front office, but nothing more than in name. Vlade Divac, a proud man, would never accept such a demotion and decided it was better to completely step away from the Kings organization rather than be cast into the abyss of the Golden One Center where he would have no role. He will be paid the remaining three years on his contract, so do not cry for him Sacramento. But I am sure he would gladly trade all that money for three more years to try and make his ultimate vision work. “This was a difficult decision, but we believe it is the best path ahead as we work to build a winning team that our loyal fans deserve. We are thankful for Vlade’s leadership, commitment & hard work both on and off the court", said Vivek Ranadive. "He will always be a part of our Kings family.” Ranadive went on to praise Joe Dumars efforts with the Kings so far and what he hopes is a smooth transition of power and a positive step forward for the team. "Joe has become a trusted & valued advisor since joining the team last year, & I am grateful to have him take on this role at an important time for the franchise.” Initial reports indicate that the permanent GM job is Dumars’ if he wants it, but it is uncertain if that will happen as he was very clear with the team last year that he was only interested in an advisory role based out of his Southern California home. If he chooses to look outside the organization for the next general manager, it likely will not happen until next season. Head coach Luke Walton has been assured by the team that his job is safe for the 2020-21 season. He is signed through 2022-23 and it would make no sense for the team to start a coaching search before a permanent GM can be put in place first. He is also a highly touted coaching talent and could still be the right man for the job moving forward. Assistant GMs Peja Stoijakovic and Ken Catanella’s futures are not yet known, but Catanella did work under Dumars during their time together with the Detroit Pistons and is a respected salary cap guru around the league. However, it is expected that no further major front office shake ups will occur until the conclusion of the 2020 draft and free-agency season with Dumars having the final say on all fronts. The Kings have a lot of major decisions to make and it is unclear at this point which way the franchise will go now. So, there you have it. Vlade Divac came back to Sacramento in 2015 to try and save his beloved Kings. He was probably the only man who loved the team enough to step into that firestorm and believe he could tame the flames. But ultimately, he too got burned. Running the Sacramento Kings is probably the hardest job in the NBA, aside from the New York Knicks, and whoever takes the reins next needs to accept that position with their eyes wide open. It is different in Sacramento.

Buddy Hield is never shy about expressing his opinions, and Thursday afternoon was no exception. Following the Sacramento Kings 136-122 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers to wrap up the 8-game Bubble league and the 2019-20 season, Hield was very brief with the media during his post-game Zoom session. He looked like a man ready to get the hell out of Disney. While the fourth-year sharp-shooter did not come right out and explicitly say it, he responded to questions about his feelings regarding being content with his role with the team as a sixth man very clearly. “Ya’ll know me. Ya’ll know how I talk. Ya’ll know how I feel…I will let Ya’ll answer that for yourselves”, snapped Hield. The truth is, Buddy is about to enter a four-year extension with the Kings that will pay him a reported $86 million, with individual and team performance incentives worth an additional $20 million. He does not have much leverage at this point. He can mope and whine, but in the end, he will have to play for a chance to get those$5 million in first-year incentives. Vlade Divac and the front office will likely need to consider Hield’s attitudes this summer when they make their decision on whether to bring back starting shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic. They have several options. Let Bogi go and start Buddy. Sign Bogi and trade Buddy. Or sign Bogi and keep Buddy, and one of them will need to come off the bench next year. Whatever they choose, someone will be unhappy. But this is the NBA, it is a business, and no one is ever truly happy when the game they love is turned into a business. I honestly believe this is just another case of Buddy being Buddy. Sure, his ego tells him that he is a starter in the NBA, but his defense says otherwise. Once Hield can stop being the weak link on defense in the opponent’s scouting report, he can earn that starting role back. He should look at this as a challenge to be better, not as a right that was taken away from him. But do not get me wrong. I love Buddy, and look forward to him bombing three-pointers for the Kings next season. Whenever that is.

In a game that was originally touted as the probable showdown for a chance at the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, the Sacramento Kings defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 112-106 Tuesday night in Orlando. Despite the victory, the contest was anything but the pinnacle of the 8-game bubble restart. Two days earlier both squads were officially eliminated from playoff contention after rather lackluster showings during the first half of the NBA restart. New Orleans was labeled the media darlings with rookie sensation Zion Williamson posed to take the Bubble by storm and rise the Pelicans to an anticipated first-round series with the Los Angeles Lakers. Well, that did not even come close to happening and Williamson had already been shut down for the season prior to Tuesday’s game. The Kings had much lower expectations from the national brass, but locally, fans had hoped that the team that went 13-7 to close out the end of the regular season before it was cut short by the Covid-19 outbreak, could maintain their hot play and keep rolling in the Bubble. That did not happen either. So, there you have it, two teams more interested in going home to their families than playing a meaningless game on TNT in front of an empty arena. The excitement was palpable. Sort of. Harrison Barnes led Sacramento with 25 points, eight rebounds, and two steals, while Bogdan Bogdanovic continued his hot play of late with 16 points, six rebounds, and seven assists. De’Aaron Fox, Richaun Holmes, and Kent Bazemore did not suit up due to various ailments and are not expected to see any more action this year. Check out the game highlights and interviews with coach Luke Walton and swingman Bogdan Bogdanovic for all the action and postgame insights.

With two games remaining in the Orlando Bubble and the Sacramento Kings officially eliminated from playoff contention, it looks like De’Aaron Fox’s season is now over. The third-year guard was listed as OUT for the team’s contest against the New Orleans Pelicans Tuesday night due to shoulder soreness and it is unlikely he will make some sort of miraculous recovery in time for the team’s Thursday finale against the Los Angeles Lakers. In six Bubble games, Fox averaged a team-high 26.1 points, 7.3 assists, and 1.7 steals, while shooting a blistering 50.4% from the field. That was after he missed a week due to yet another sprained ankle. But seriously, we all know what is going on here. With nothing to play for, De’Aaron’s thoughts have now turned to his impending max deal contract extension expected to be offered by the Kings later this summer. He padded his stats nicely and now does not want to risk a major injury that could threaten his pay day. We will just have to wait and see if he stays as hungry next season once he is locked up through the 2025-26 season, or will he pull a Buddy Hield and just cruise.

Sacramento Kings starting point guard De’Aaron Fox spoke with the media Sunday morning prior to the team’s game against the Houston Rockets. He discussed life in the bubble, Buddy Hield’s struggles, and what he felt the team had done well so far and what they needed to improve on. A very candid discussion by a player knowing his season is likely over in just a few days.

Tired, short-handed, and a little too nonchalant on defense, the Sacramento Kings were roughed up by the Brooklyn Nets 119-106 Friday afternoon at The Arena in Orlando. The loss put the Kings on the brink of official elimination from playoff contention in the 8-game Bubble League. This was not much of a game to watch. Sacramento was clearly outmatched by Brooklyn in nearly every aspect of the game, but most importantly effort and the desire to win. I will admit, during multiple stretches of the game, I found myself focusing on my day job rather than the early afternoon broadcast on NBA League Pass. Bogdan Bogdanovic had another solid offensive outing with 27 points and six rebounds, but he was a team-worse -20 on the +/-. De’Aaron Fox added 21 points and seven assists, while Harrison Barnes contributed 16 points and six rebounds. Richaun Holmes left the game after just 11 minutes of action with hip soreness that had been bothering him prior to the game. Kent Bazemore missed the contest with right calf soreness. The game was Sacramento's third in the last four days.

The Sacramento Kings are not only facing an uphill battle to stay alive in the Bubble, but now they may have to do it without two of their key role players. Richaun Holmes had to exit the Kings’ 106-119 loss to the Brooklyn nets after just 11 minutes of action with a sore right hip. He is not expected to be available for Sunday’s game against the Houston Rockets. Kent Bazemore missed the Nets’ game with left calf soreness but may possibly be available for the Houston game. The injuries should allow an opportunity for centers Alex Len and Harry Giles to show what they can provide to the team as both are free-agents this summer and need to prove to the front office that they are worth bringing back next season. Rookie DaQuan Jeffries will likely get some more run at the forward position in his quest for making the parent squad next year. We will probably see more Corey Brewer at the small forward spot as well if Bazemore is not able to go in the next few games. If the Kings do get officially eliminated from playoff contention, expect more minutes for those players the coaching staff would like to see to evaluate their future worth with the team. That would include rookies Justin James and Kyle Guy. Jabari Parker may also see some significant run at times now that he is healthy. We may be shifting into talent evaluation mode soon.

Bogdan Bogdanovic exploded for a career-high 35 points Thursday afternoon as the Sacramento Kings blew out the New Orleans Pelicans 140-125 at the HP Fieldhouse in Orlando. The Kings scored a Sacramento-era record 49 points in the first quarter and held a 77-70 lead at the half. The Pelicans stayed close during the third, but Sacramento pulled away for good in the final quarter. De’Aaron Fox had another impressive outing with 30 points, 10 assists, and three steals for the day. Harrison Barnes contributed 22 points and six rebounds as the third member of the Kings 20+ club. The victory was the Kings first during the bubble restart and pulls them even with the Pelicans in the standings. However, both teams still trail Memphis, Portland, San Antonio, and Phoenix for the 8th and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. At this point, its win or go home for the Kings with four games left in the season.

Center Alex Len made his long-awaited Bubble appearance Tuesday afternoon in the Sacramento Kings’ 110-114 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. The 7-foot big man saw three minutes of action and scored a quick three points in his return. His size and defensive presence will be a much-needed factor if the Kings expect to make any noise during their five remaining games in Orlando. Len missed nearly all the team’s training camp sessions after it was announced on June 24 that he had tested positive for the Coronavirus. Unlike teammates Buddy Hield, Jabari Parker, and Harrison Barnes, Alex was hit hard and could not maintain a consistent level of activity while he awaited to rejoin the team in Orlando. As a result, the Kings have chosen to bring him back slowly to ensure he is ready for action. Assuming he experienced no setbacks following his activity today, he should be ready for Thursday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Sacramento Kings wrapped up their brief 3-game scrimmage season in the Orlando Bubble with a come-from-behind 106—102 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers Monday afternoon at The Arena. The game marked the return of Richaun Holmes and Harrison Barnes, who had been away from the team for various chicken wing and Coronavirus reasons. Both looked good, finishing with six points and five rebounds, and 12 points and six rebounds, respectively. Both should be ready to go with no limitations on Friday when the Kings kickoff their 8-game restart against the San Antonio Spurs. De’Aaron Fox played in his second scrimmage and is looking more comfortable on the floor, as he contributed 12 points, six assists, and four rebounds in 27 minutes of action. He too will be fully ready for Friday’s game As for the contest itself, Sacramento was again outplayed by the opponent’s starters and fell behind early. But the Kings are one of the league’s deepest teams and the reserves stabilized things and eventually pulled ahead of the Clippers’ reserves in the final minutes with a little help from Mr. Big Shots Nemanja Bjelica who delivered the long-distance dagger once again to seal the win. But, enough talk, check out the highlights and see it all for yourself.

Sacramento Kings head coach Luke Walton talks about his team’s health, including updates on Richaun Holmes, Harrison Barnes, and De’Aaron Fox during a Sunday morning Zoom call with the media. Also hear from rookie Kyle Guy and Harry Giles as they discuss the opportunities the NBA restart is providing them.

Sacramento Kings head coach Luke Walton revealed on Sunday morning that center Richaun Holmes would see action Monday afternoon when the Kings take on the Los Angeles Clippers in their final tune-up before the NBA restart kicks off for real. Holmes was sidelined for 10 days after being caught leaving the perimeter of the Orlando bubble to get some chicken wings. He has been practicing with the team for the past few days and should provide some much-needed size down low for the Kings who have been rotating Harry Giles and Nemanja Bjelica at the 5 spot. Harrison Barnes may also see some court action after a lengthy quarantine back in Sacramento. He has participated in just one practice but has stayed in shape during his layoff as he never developed any symptoms of the virus during his isolation from the team according to Walton. Center Alex Len is still working himself back into shape and is unlikely to see action on Monday but is expected to participate in the 8-game restart.

The Sacramento Kings made a game of it late, but still fell to the Milwaukee Bucks 131-123 Saturday afternoon in Orlando. But if you caught the game, you would have said it was never close. Milwaukee’s size, strength, athleticism, and outside shooting dominated Sacramento’s patchwork lineup throughout the first half of the contest as they dropped 80 on the Kings to lead by 20 at the break. With Harry Giles being their only one true center on the active roster, the Kings looked like boys against men out there. The Bucks would attack the paint, the Kings would collapse to help the not-so-big bigs, and the ball would be kicked outside for a wide open three. By the end, Milwaukee splashed 20 three-pointers, including six by the Lopez brothers. When 7-footers are doing that to your team, its game over. But this was a scrimmage, and the outcome was not really the priority for Sacramento. De’Aaron Fox made his Orlando debut and appeared rusty at times, but there were no signs of his ankle slowing him down. In 19 minutes of action, he finished with seven points and six assists, and most importantly showed the speed this team needs to be successful. Afterwards, he told the media that he felt good and expected to play in the team’s final scrimmage on Monday. Buddy Hield had another solid game with 19 points off the bench, while Corey Brewer added 12 on an efficient 5-6 shooting, including 2-2 from deep. Probably the most noticeable improvement over their last game was how they took care of the ball. After committing 16 turnovers in a 40-minute game three days earlier, the Kings had just ten in today’s regulation contest. The only better news that could trump that is no one got hurt, and Richaun Holmes is expected to participate in Monday’s scrimmage finale against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Kings are slowly getting back to full strength. Will it be enough? Post-game Interviews Pre-game Interview

Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox makes his first appearance in more than a week following the left ankle sprain that kept him out of practices and the team’s first scrimmage. He talks about the injury and his hopes for the team’s success in the upcoming 8-game sprint to the playoffs. Rookie Justin James and head coach Luke Walton also spoke with the media via a Zoom call Friday morning.