2018 Free Agent Stock Watch: Sacramento Kings
The Kings have known they’ll be mired in a years-long rebuild for a while now — and it’s not the fun kind of rebuild in which they can flaunt the potential of their youngsters while showing glimpses of hypothetical future greatness.
Unfortunately, the team sits tied for last in the Western Conference despite some forgettable campaigns from their rookies and sophomores, three of their regular starters coming in north of 30 years old and their most productive of the bunch being a 17-year veteran.
Don’t expect a major depth chart overhaul next summer when the team hits free agency. The club’s hands are somewhat tied in terms of roster flexibility, leaving the Kings little choice but to wait on the development of their in-house assets.
Vince Carter, SF, 41 (Down) – Signed to a one-year, $8MM deal in 2017
The Kings threw a pile of money at Carter last summer to clog their depth chart and offer the occasional nugget of sage advice to the youth around him. By all accounts, they’ve gotten just what anyone might have expected. While it’s admirable that the former All-Star is still capable of dropping 20-plus points and dragging his team to random unexpected victories, such performances are of little consequence to a franchise that should be focusing on getting more out of its prospects. Carter supposedly remains intent on playing in 2018/19, but it’s rather anticlimactic to picture his 21st season coming in Sacramento.
Kosta Koufos, C, 29 (Down) – Signed to a four-year, $33MM deal in 2015
Koufos, a moderately efficient career backup, finessed a substantial long-term contract out of the Kings back in 2015, but few players have seen the value of their skillsets deflate more than Koufos. Suddenly a nine-year veteran, Koufos would be wise to accept his player option for $8.4MM.
Garrett Temple, SG, 32 (Up) – Signed to a three-year, $24MM deal in 2016
Temple has carved out a role for himself as a versatile veteran swingman. This is the type of vet that the Kings should be committing to rather than paying top dollar for novelty greybeards. The market will be squeezed next summer, so expect Temple back on board for his $8MM player option. Still, if next offseason’s economy looks similar to last year’s, he could benefit from testing the waters.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Hornets Notes: Clifford, Cho, Walker
The Hornets will welcome head coach Steve Clifford back to the bench next week, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer writes. The coach has been out of action with an undisclosed medical condition since early December.
Per Bonnell, The Observer has learned that Clifford has struggled with severe headaches since prior to the season and has been seeking to establish the best course of preventative treatment going forward with doctors.
When Clifford left his post, the Hornets were 8-13. Under the tutelage of associate head coach Stephen Silas, the squad went 7-11.
Clifford is expected to return for practice with the Hornets next Tuesday and make his first return to the sidelines on Wednesday night.
There’s more out of Charlotte tonight:
- There’s no clear indication that Hornets general manager Rich Cho is on the hot seat because it’s hard to tell how team owner Michael Jordan regards his performance thus far, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer writes in a question-and-answer with fans. Cho has made some solid moves, such as trading for Dwight Howard, but also some head-scratchers, like trading for Miles Plumlee.
- Hornets swingman Jeremy Lamb has taken advantage of the opportunities he’s been given to showcase his skills in Charlotte, David Yapkowitz of Basketball Insiders writes. The sixth-year veteran thrived in place of Nicolas Batum and has made a case for himself as Sixth Man of the Year. In 26.4 minutes per game so far this season, Lamb has averaged a career high of 14.4 points per game.
- Last week we gauged what readers thought about the idea of the Hornets trading Kemba Walker. Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer has plenty of reasons why he thinks that would be a mistake.
Southwest Notes: McLemore, Ennis, Randle
The Grizzlies are gauging trade interest in swingmen Ben McLemore and James Ennis, Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders writes.
The Grizzlies signed McLemore over the offseason to a two-year, $10.7MM deal, presumably hoping that they would be able to tap into something in the former Kansas product that the Kings hoped to find when they drafted him seventh overall in 2013.
McLemore has played just 17.2 points per game this season, adding just 6.5 points per contest in what’s been his least effective NBA campaign since his rookie year.
Scotto adds that the Grizzlies are also dangling Ennis and his expiring $3MM deal, hoping to yield at least one second-round pick.
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- The Pelicans are said to be interested in upgrades on the wing, but finding a logical trade scenario is easier said than done. William Guillory of the Times-Picayune writes that it may prove difficult to make the salaries match in a deal for supposedly available perimeter players like Kent Bazemore or Evan Fournier.
- Rumors that the Mavs could be in pursuit of Texas native Julius Randle were shot down by Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News. His reason? Acquiring a good player ahead of the trade deadline this season is the last thing the presumably lottery-bound club should be doing.
- Offseason Grizzlies addition Tyreke Evans has thrived this season, proving that, for now at least, he’s healthy and capable of being a prominent producer. As a result, his name has been floated as a possible trade piece, including in a recent media scrum with Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal.
And-Ones: International Games, Basketball In The UK
The NBA is considering bringing additional games to Europe, but scheduling logistics represent the biggest challenge to making that happen, an Associated Press report states.
Prior to Thursday’s Celtics-Sixers tilt in the United Kingdom, commissioner Adam Silver was asked by journalists in other countries when the league would send games to their parts of the globe. The most significant issue is figuring out a way to schedule the trips without interrupting the participating teams’ season schedules.
In order to make Thursday’s game in London work, for example, the Celtics had to stuff 44 games into the first half of their season. The Sixers, in contrast, have played the fewest games in the league – 39 – and will have the busiest part of their season in the second half.
Given that the NBA lacks the established off days that the NFL has, there may never be an easy to way to implement international games. At a time when teams are adamant that the league needs to cut down on their stateside back-to-backs, finding an organic way to give a team four days off before and after an international game, as was the case today, is no small task.
There’s more news from around the NBA:
- A report by ESPN’s Motez Bishara takes a deep dive into why Britain doesn’t have a larger presence in the NBA. For one, a 2016 survey revealed that just 175,000 Brits between 14-25 years old play basketball once a week. That contrasts with the 1,200,000 who play soccer. The feature also goes into the politics at play in a country where the majority of basketball is played in the inner cities.
- Being a loyal NBA fan in the United Kingdom prior to the arrival of the international version of League Pass was difficult, Motez Bishara of ESPN writes. “It’s still a struggle, purely because of the time difference,” one British fan interviewed said, “but it was impossible back then.“
Season-Ending Surgery Expected For Dion Waiters
January 11, 5:01pm: After having received a second opinion in Los Angeles, Waiters is expected to undergo season-ending surgery on his left ankle, Shams Charania of The Vertical tweets.
January 10, 4:10pm: Heat guard Dion Waiters has been nagged for much of the season by a left ankle injury, an issue that has kept him out of action since December 22. While the club has moved forward with a non-surgical rehab program so far, Waiters recently sought out a second opinion, and a season-ending surgical procedure is one of the options he’s considering, an associate tells Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). No decisions have been made yet, however.
Waiters’ camp and the Heat figure to work in tandem to figure out the best approach for the 26-year-old, who has received multiple medical opinions, per Jackson. Waiters had suggested last month that offseason surgery may also be an option if he can make it through the 2017/18 campaign without having to go under the knife.
The injury has likely contributed to Waiters’ dip in production so far this season. After posting a .424 FG% and .395 3PT% in 2016/17, the former fourth overall pick has seen those shooting rates decline to .398 and .306 this year.
Waiters, who inked a new contract with the Heat back in July, is under contract through the 2020/21 season at a rate of nearly $12MM annually, so the club will be motivated to find the best long-term solution, rather than trying to rush him back onto the court. Still, ESPN’s Zach Lowe indicated in his latest piece that Waiters’ injury situation has created some tension in Miami. The two sides hope to have some clarity on the issue this week or next week, per Lowe.
No matter how the Heat and Waiters choose to address his ankle injury, the veteran guard appears extremely unlikely to cash in on his $1.1MM games-played bonus for this season. Waiters would have to appear in 70 games to receive that money, and he has already missed 10 of 40 contests.
Celtics Notes: One-And-Dones, Hayward, Morris
The Celtics may represent the best example of one-and-done collegiate players thriving at the NBA level, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston writes, citing the recent success of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum as the reasons why.
“I’ve been real impressed with our last two guys who came from college, played one year,” said Celtics head coach Brad Stevens. “They were obviously ready for a lot of the demands of the NBA.”
Of course not every player that comes out of college early can step up for their team out of the gates, Blakely mentions former first overall pick and current Celtics G League affiliate player Anthony Bennett as one particularly notorious example.
There’s more Celtics news this afternoon:
- Although an image circulated today of Gordon Hayward not wearing an ankle brace, the timeline for his recovery hasn’t changed, Abby Chin of NBC Sports Boston says. Per president of basketball operations Danny Ainge, the organization is still of the mindset that Hayward will play next year.
- Since his return from a knee injury last month, the Celtics have been cautious with Marcus Morris. Now, NBC Sports Boston’s A. Sherrod Blakely writes, his minute restriction has been lifted.
- While he could have made more money by continuing to play in Europe, Celtics rookie Daniel Theis didn’t want to miss his opportunity to play in the NBA. Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald spoke with the forward about his decision to come over.
Northwest Notes: Faried, Muhammad, Mirotic
While his days with the team have appeared numbered for a while now, Kenneth Faried‘s role with the Nuggets seems particularly tenuous now that he has failed to see action in 10 of the club’s past 12 games. A discussion piece at the Denver Post covers the Manimal’s future in Denver.
There are plenty of things that Faried does well when he’s active with the Nuggets. His energy level is contagious and he fares well in certain efficiency metrics given his ability to fill the stat sheet in limited minutes. Alas, defensive shortcomings, paired with the fact that Denver has plenty of other suitable forwards, have led to a lack of opportunity for the 28-year-old veteran.
A trade for Faried could be forthcoming, although such a revelation doesn’t exactly qualify as groundbreaking. Unfortunately for the Nuggets, Faried’s stock could be lower now than when he was first floated as a possible trade piece.
There’s more from the Northwest Division today:
- Timberwolves forward Shabazz Muhammad has signed with agents Happy Walters and George Langberg of Catalyst Sports, Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders tweets.
- While Nikola Mirotic‘s name has been linked to the Jazz, team beat writer Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune tweets that he’d be surprised if Utah gave up a first-round pick for him.
- The Timberwolves are actively looking at the buyout market, Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News reports, but there hasn’t been much trade talk in the organization.
Kings’ Frank Mason To Miss Several Weeks
After initially being ruled out for at least a week last Tuesday due to a heel contusion, rookie Kings guard Frank Mason has been re-evaluated and received a new diagnosis, according to an announcement from the team. That MRI showed that Mason suffered a partial tear of the right plantar fascia.
According to the Kings, Mason will continue receiving treatment on his heel and will now be re-evaluated four to six weeks after the injury initially occurred. That timetable puts him on track to miss most or all of January, and perhaps a portion of February as well.
Mason, the 34th overall pick in the 2017 draft, was a regular part of the Kings’ rotation for the first half of the season when he was healthy, averaging 7.6 PPG, 2.9 APG, and 2.1 RPG in 29 contests (18.6 MPG). Although his .385 FG% may be a little lower than he’d like, he has been effective from three-point range (.419 3PT%).
The Kings are currently jockeying for lottery position rather than playoff position, so they’ll take their time with Mason’s rehab and ensure he’s 100% before he gets back on the court. When he does return, the 23-year-old figures to see plenty of minutes for a Sacramento team that will likely be prioritizing the development of its young players over playing time for its veterans.
Hawks Set Asking Price On Belinelli, Ilyasova
The Hawks are looking to acquire a high second-round pick in exchange for either guard Marco Belinelli or forward Ersan Ilyasova, league sources tell Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier this week that Belinellii and Ilyasova are among the Hawks veterans who are expendable as the team looks to stockpile more draft picks and young players.
While the Hawks are well out of the playoff race in the East, both Belinelli and Ilyasova have been their usual productive selves this season. Belinelli has matched his career high in scoring with 11.8 PPG so far, converting 38.6% of his three-point attempts. Ilyasova has also been effective from long-range, posting a .400 3PT% to go along with 11.2 PPG.
Neither player has an exorbitant salary, making them attractive trade pieces for contenders in need of another rotation piece. However, both veterans would likely be rentals for any team acquiring them — Belinelli is on a $6.6MM expiring contract, while Ilyasova is earning $6MM before becoming eligible for unrestricted free agency in July.
Scotto likens the Hawks’ situation to the Suns shopping P.J. Tucker at last season’s deadline. Tucker, who was in the final year of his contract, was sent to a contender in Toronto, with the Raptors surrendering a pair of second-round picks for him. Like last year’s Suns, who acquired Jared Sullinger‘s expiring salary in that Tucker deal, the Hawks wouldn’t want to take back any undesirable multiyear contracts.
Of course, if Atlanta wants to land a high second-round pick for Belinelli or Ilyasova, working something out with a playoff team may be tricky. For instance, would-be contenders like the Timberwolves and Thunder hold their own second-rounders, but those picks figure to fall in the 50s, or at least the late-40s. The Sixers, who hold multiple 2018 second-round picks, including the Nets’ selection, are among the clubs that might make more sense as potential trade partners for Atlanta, given the Hawks’ asking price.
Injury Updates: Harden, Millsap, Allen, Turner
James Harden is showing signs of improvement as he recovers from a strained hamstring, but the Rockets‘ star guard won’t get the chance to lobby for a quicker return to the court, Mike D’Antoni said on Wednesday, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.
“I walk into there to the trainers,” the Rockets head coach said. “‘Can he play?’ ‘No.’ Then he can’t play. There is no challenge. He’s going to try to push the envelope because he wants to play. That’s on trainers and doctors. I don’t figure into it. He’d beat me up.”
The Rockets announced on January 1 that Harden would be re-evaluated in two weeks, so he’s likely still at least a few days away from returning to action.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Paul Millsap has been out of the Nuggets‘ lineup since undergoing wrist surgery in late November, but he recently had his cast removed and is progressing toward a return, writes Gina Mizell of The Denver Post. According to Mizell, Millsap is on track to get back on the court around the time of the All-Star break next month.
- Pelicans guard Tony Allen suffered a setback in his recovery from a fibula fracture, per Jennifer Hale of FOX Sports New Orleans (Twitter link). Allen, originally expected to be back around this time, will likely miss another two to four weeks, says Hale.
- Pacers center Myles Turner, who sat out last night’s game against Miami with a right elbow injury, will also miss Friday’s contest vs. Cleveland, the club announced in a press release.