Kings Sign Jae Crowder
NOVEMBER 27: The Kings have officially signed Crowder, the team announced today in a press release.
Assuming Crowder signed for one year and the veteran’s minimum, which is highly likely, his deal would pay him $2,620,232 for the full season, with Sacramento taking on a cap hit of $1,655,619.
NOVEMBER 26: The Kings are close to signing veteran forward Jae Crowder, Shams Charania of ESPN tweets.
Sacramento worked out Crowder back in September. Crowder spent a season-and-a-half with the Bucks beginning in February 2023 and averaged 6.2 points and 3.2 rebounds in 50 games last season while making 25 starts.
Crowder has appeared in over 800 regular season games since making his NBA debut in 2012. The 34-year-old has averaged 9.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 25.0 minutes per contest across 12 seasons, posting a shooting line of .419/.348/.777. In his prime years, he played a key three-and-D role on contending teams in Boston, Cleveland, Utah, Miami, and Phoenix.
The Kings have an open roster spot and are $3.7MM below the luxury tax line, Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter).
The news regarding Crowder coincides with an injury update from the club. Trey Lyles has a Grade 1 right calf strain after undergoing an MRI, James Ham of The Kings Beat relays (Twitter link). He’ll be reevaluated in three-to-four weeks.
Lyles has appeared in 18 games this season, including two starts. He’s averaging 5.4 points and 3.9 rebounds in 19.6 minutes per game.
Sacramento has lost its last four games, dropping to 8-10 on the season.
Pacific Notes: Monk, DeRozan, Curry, Harden, Miller
Kings guard Malik Monk said the team would hold a meeting before Wednesday’s game in Minnesota. Sacramento enters the contest saddled with a four-game losing streak.
“We’re gonna say something,” Monk told Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee. “I feel like we always say something after every loss, so (Tuesday) we’ll probably say something when we get to Minnesota.”
Monk’s comments came after the Kings gave up 130 points to Oklahoma City on Monday.
Monk said the team’s veterans need to speak up, specifically mentioning De’Aaron Fox, DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis.
“I feel like we’ve got a veteran team now with a few young guys, so we know how to turn it around,” Monk said. “Domas is going to say a few things, I’m going to say a few things, Fox will say a few things and DeMar will say a few things. We’ve got to turn it around quick, though.”
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- Speaking of DeRozan, he won’t suit up on Wednesday. He experienced lower back muscle inflammation following Sunday’s game, Anderson tweets. DeRozan, noted for his durability, will be missing his fourth game this season.
- Warriors star Stephen Curry is listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game against OKC due to bilateral patellofemoral pain — patella soreness in both knees, The Athletic’s Anthony Slater tweets. Jonathan Kuminga, who participated in Tuesday’s practice, is also listed as questionable due to illness.
- The Clippers had a five-game winning streak snapped by Boston on Monday but they’re still three games above .500. James Harden said good chemistry has led to their success, despite the absence of Kawhi Leonard. “We’re coming around, and we’re understanding who we are,” Harden told Law Murray of The Athletic. “Understanding that in order for us to have a chance at anything, we know we have to do it every single night. And that’s the most exciting part. And then, one thing about this team, we’re all happy for each other. Literally, it can be anybody’s night, on any given night. Nobody’s going to be upset; everybody’s going to be happy for each other. And things aren’t always going to be perfect to win games. But even when we lose, we’re still happy for each other. Good things will happen most of the time.”
- Jordan Miller, a 2023 second-round pick, has received steady playing time over the last six Clippers games due to injuries. The two-way player has averaged 8.2 points per game during that stretch. “I’m trying to leave a good impression because I don’t know what it’s going to look like when (Norman Powell) gets back,” Miller told Janis Carr of the Orange County Register. “But they can see that I’m a solid player, and if anything ever goes wrong (injuries) or if we need a spark, Coach will be more confident in me moving forward versus me not playing.”
Central Notes: Ivey, Thompson, Middleton, Haliburton
Jaden Ivey is eligible for a rookie scale extension after this season and the Pistons guard has bounced back from a subpar sophomore campaign. With Cade Cunningham sidelined by a hip injury, Ivey scored the game-winner against Toronto on Monday. He finished with 25 points and eight assists and is now averaging 18.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game on the season.
“(Ivey) played a complete basketball game (Monday),” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said, per Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. “He’s good enough to do it again and again. He’s just got to trust it like he does and keep putting the confidence in the work that he’s put in.
“… For me, it wasn’t just that last shot. He was phenomenal to start the game and for all of his minutes, setting the tone and attacking when he needed to be aggressive. But I thought he did an unbelievable job of playing the complete floor (Monday), making sure his teammates were involved, getting us organized. Just from a point guard perspective, that was a huge step for JI.”
We have more from the Central Division:
- Pistons second-year forward Ausar Thompson made his season debut on Monday. He was medically cleared to play this month after his rookie campaign was cut short by blood clotting issues. He had five points, four assists and three rebounds. “I was able to play free,” Thompson said. “I’ve done a lot of conditioning over the past eight months. It was just, first game in eight months. 260-something days. Just don’t know what to expect. And first time playing with a new coach. My guys had my back, they showed me what to do out there. Just played basketball.”
- Khris Middleton, who has yet to make his season debut for the Bucks, participated in full 5-on-5 scrimmages on Monday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports (video link). Middleton, who is recovering from an ankle injury, been cleared medically to play and the club is hopeful he’ll return to action shortly after Thanksgiving.
- Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton made nine 3-pointers on Monday and has now knocked down 18-of-39 attempts in his last three games, breaking out of a perimeter slump. Even with the recent surge, he’s only made 32.9% of his long-range attempts this season. “I think my individual performance and how I view that, I mean, if we’re winning, I really don’t care. I’ve been frustrated with myself because I feel like the games we’ve been losing, if I was myself, then we would be winning. I care more about us winning than what my numbers are looking like necessarily. But obviously, it feels good to see the ball go in,” he told Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star.
Trail Blazers’ Thybulle, Clingan Sidelined Multiple Weeks
Trail Blazers wing Matisse Thybulle suffered a right ankle sprain while ramping up in an effort to return to the court. He’s now expected to miss an additional three-to-six weeks, the team announced in a press release.
Thybulle underwent an MRI which confirmed a Grade 2 sprain of the ankle. He has yet to make his season debut due to a right knee injury that cropped up during training camp.
Thybulle, who was acquired by the Blazers in a trade at the 2023 deadline, appeared in 65 games in his first full season in Portland in 2023/24, making 19 starts and averaging 22.9 minutes per night. He holds an $11.55MM option on his contract for next season.
Rookie center Donovan Clingan received additional imaging on the left knee which revealed a Grade 2 MCL sprain. Clingan will be reevaluated in two weeks, according to the Blazers.
The lottery pick has appeared in 17 games, including six starts, averaging 5.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.2 blocks. He was injured during the Blazers’ game against Houston on Saturday.
Additionally, veteran center Robert Williams has been placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol. Williams left Monday night’s game at Memphis and did not return for the second half. Williams has appeared in seven games since rehabbing from knee surgery.
Western Notes: Lakers, Vassell, Thompson, Malone
The Lakers are near the bottom of the league in defensive field goal percentage, with opponents shooting 48.5% against them. They know they need to improve their defense and rebounding to be a true contender. The Lakers face Phoenix in an NBA Cup matchup on Tuesday.
“Our personnel isn’t, you know, I think if we’re going to be honest with ourselves, isn’t the best defensively,” Austin Reaves told Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times. “Obviously we’ve got AD (Anthony Davis). That covers up a lot. But we have to be physical out on the perimeter and especially when boxing out. We got to be a better defensive rebounding team and transition as well.”
We have more Western Conference news:
- The Spurs have officially listed Devin Vassell (left knee bone bruise) as out for Tuesday at Utah, according to Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News (Twitter link). It’s not a cause for concern, as he’s expected to return Wednesday against the Lakers. Vassell hasn’t played since Nov. 15.
- Mavericks guard Klay Thompson missed his first game this season on Monday due to left foot plantar fascia, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon tweets. Thompson is averaging 13.2 points per game in 17 starts for Dallas this season. Without Thompson and Luka Doncic, the Mavs still defeated Atlanta, 129-119.
- Michael Malone passed Doug Moe as the winningest coach in Nuggets history with his 433rd regular-season victory on Saturday as his team defeated the Lakers. Malone reached that win total in 56 fewer games than Moe, according to the Denver Post’s Bennett Durando.
New York Notes: Nets Injuries, Martin, Fernandez, Anunoby
The Nets are riddled with injuries heading into their game at Golden State on Monday. Noah Clowney and Dorian Finney-Smith are nursing ankle sprains, while Day’Ron Sharpe (hamstring) and Ben Simmons (lower back injury management) are also sitting out, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets.
Clowney rolled his ankle during the fourth quarter of Brooklyn’s game against Sacramento on Sunday, according to Lewis. Dennis Schroder, who didn’t play Sunday, was listed as questionable with right ankle soreness but he’ll play.
We have more on the New York teams:
- Nets two-way forward Jaylen Martin suffered a potentially serious right knee injury while playing for the G League Long Island Nets on Sunday, Scott Mitchell of NetsDaily.com relays. Martin was writhing in pain after injuring the knee during a game against Raptors 905. The injury was so severe that his teammates quickly formed a shroud of towels around him to shield him from view. He was carried off on a stretcher.
- Brooklyn’s 108-103 win over Sacramento on Sunday was special for first-year Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez. The Kings are coached by his mentor, Mike Brown. “First of all, I wanted to get the victory for our players. And then with all my respect to [Brown], because he is more than my mentor. Obviously, you want to beat everybody, and they were in front of us. So, with that said, we did our best to win. It means the world to me, because he’s the person that brought me here,” Fernandez told Lewis. “So, circle of life that we got back together. And I would not be where I am today without him. So, special moment for me.”
- OG Anunoby nailed seven 3-pointers while scoring 27 points in a loss to the Jazz on Saturday. That was his highest offensive output since joining the Knicks last season, Peter Botte of the New York Post notes. Anunoby added three steals and two blocked shots, giving the team something positive to take from the game. “All-around [game],” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “I want him to be decisive. When he plays like that, it’s much more effective for all of us. When he’s cutting decisively, when he catches, and he’s down and ready and balanced and takes shots. … He gets into a good rhythm.”
Southwest Notes: Durant, Rockets, Cuban, Udoka, Williamson
The Rockets’ interest in Kevin Durant has been overstated, Marc Stein reports in a Substack post. Stein wrote last month that there was a strong belief around the league that the Rockets were interested in a Durant deal.
Stein hears now that Houston is determined to prioritize internal development this season rather than looking to make a big move before the February trade deadline. Houston’s front office intends to prioritize timeline considerations, as much as talent and fit, when they do make their next major trade. The Rockets’ roster is loaded with younger players, featuring seven first-round picks who are 23 or younger.
Kelly Iko of The Athletic previously reported that the Rockets aren’t interested in breaking up their young core to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo. Of course, it’s worth noting that neither Durant nor Antetokounmpo is available at this time.
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- Mark Cuban has essentially ceased going to Mavericks games on the road and there’s a big reason why, he told Stein. “The NBA got really, really, really petty and said that I can’t sit behind the bench anymore,” Cuban said. Stein points out that Cuban’s presence in the second row behind the bench was a violation of league rules but the league ignored it for many years when he was the franchise’s controlling owner. Cuban sold his majority stake in the Mavericks last year. Cuban talks to Mavs general manager Nico Harrison frequently but Patrick Dumont is the Mavericks’ official governor and operates as day-to-day owner, according to Cuban.
- The Rockets’ strong start has been fueled by an improved defense and that’s no accident. Head coach Ime Udoka firmly believes that defense wins championships. “We’re only as good as our one-on-one defense,” Udoka told The Ringer’s Michael Pina. “We’re only as good as all our five on the court, and any weak link is exploited. Everything flows out from that philosophy, which makes a ton of sense on paper but is quite grueling in practice. It’s not a lot of schematics to it. There’s a lot of will and want to it, for sure. But it’s also very eye-opening when you show them the numbers from the previous few years in those areas. If you’re honestly tired of losing and want to change the perception of the team, I mean, that’s where we all start.”
- The Pelicans have a lot of hard decisions to make in the coming months and offseason, Spotrac contributor Keith Smith opines. One thing they should seriously consider, in Smith’s view, is moving on from oft-injured Zion Williamson via the trade route or by getting out of his contract. He’s a dominant offensive force when healthy but his rebounding and defense is subpar, Smith notes. Due to a games played clause, the Pelicans can get out of Williamson’s contract after this season with no more than $7.8MM owed to him if he doesn’t appear in at least 41 total games this season. Williamson is currently out with another hamstring injury.
Southeast Notes: Suggs, Brogdon, Coulibaly, Williams, Salaun, Diabate
Magic guard Jalen Suggs won’t play in Monday’s game against Charlotte due to a left hamstring strain, Marc Spears of ESPN tweets. Suggs has started all of Orlando’s previous 18 games, averaging 14.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists. Suggs signed a five-year, $105.5MM extension last month.
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- Malcolm Brogdon has provided a calming influence on the Wizards since returning from a thumb injury, Varun Shankar of the Washington Post writes. Brogdon has scored 33 points with six assists over the last two games. “When things go awry or things are feeling sticky … Malcolm is a surefire way for us to get back in the groove of what we’re trying to do,” teammate Corey Kispert said. Brogdon will be an unrestricted free agent after the season.
- Wizards forward Bilal Coulibaly says he’s improved defensively in his second season by “not respecting” his opponents as much and “getting more physical with them,” he told Wizards reporter Bijan Todd (Twitter link). Coulibaly has racked up eight steals and three blocks over the past four games.
- With Grant Williams suffering a season-ending knee injury, Hornets coach Charles Lee will have to try to replace Williams’ production in the short term with Tidjane Salaün and two-way player Moussa Diabate, Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer points out. That’s because Mark Williams and Nick Richards are still on the mend from injuries. Williams hasn’t played for nearly a year and Richards is recovering from a rib injury.
Central Notes: Mitchell, Allen, Giannis, Lillard, Sheppard
Signing Donovan Mitchell to an extension was crucial to the Cavaliers’ stability, center Jarrett Allen told Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype. Mitchell inked a three-year, maximum-salary extension in July. Cleveland owns the league’s best record, having improved to 17-1 with a win over Toronto on Sunday.
“Donovan is a star. He’s a top-10 player in the league, some would say, and I would say,” Allen said. “Cleveland needs someone like that. Cleveland needs someone to hold onto like that and root for. It got the city excited again knowing that we had one of the best players in the NBA to stick with us. For the Cavs, you can see how it’s helping us now. He’s able to take over games and lead the team to victory.”
We have more from the Central Division:
- If Greece qualifies for Eurobasket 2025, Giannis Antetokounmpo intends to play with his national team, HoopsHype relays via an interview with Antonis Kalkavouras from Gazzetta. “Not (just) to be with them. To see them and play with them again (in the summer),” the Bucks superstar said.
- The Bucks have won four straight and six of their last seven. It’s an indication that Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are feeding off each other, Eric Nehm of The Athletic details. “I think (we’re) just kind of honestly are getting to the point where we’re tuning everybody else out,” Lillard said. “It’s just a lot of communication between the two of us, you know? It has nothing to do with people saying, ‘Oh, y’all need to do this or let’s try that.’ It’s like he sees what he sees. I see what I see. And we gotta use each other in that way, and I think it’s just leading to more times where when I’m having it, we’re putting people in position to where I’m throwing the ball to him.”
- Don’t expect to see Ben Sheppard back in the Pacers rotation any time soon. Coach Rick Carlisle says it’ll be “weeks, not days” before he returns, indicating that the MRI results were worse than anticipated, Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star tweets. Sheppard, who has appeared in 13 games including five starts this season, is recovering from an oblique injury.
New York Notes: Simmons, Nets, Thibodeau, Towns
The Nets want Ben Simmons to be a bigger factor on offense but it’s not happening. Simmons, who is in the final year of his contract, is averaging 5.4 points and 6.6 assists in 24.6 minutes per game. On Friday, Simmons contributed only two points and four assists in 26 minutes against Philadelphia.
“That’s the normal minutes he’s played. Again, we need him to rebound, we need him to push the pace and to find his teammates. We need him to be aggressive,” first-year head coach Jordi Fernandez told Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “Again, it was probably not a great game by him and by us as a team.”
We have more on the New York teams:
- After losing six of their last eight games, the Nets began a difficult three-game journey to the West Coast, starting with Sunday night’s contest at Sacramento. “It’s the NBA. We know who we’re playing against,” Cameron Johnson said, per Lewis. “We know what Sacramento brings. We know what Golden State brings. We know what Phoenix brings — and it’s really good, high-level players. So, yeah, we do. It is a bit of a wake-up call. But we understand what we’re getting ourselves into.” Dennis Schröder missed the game with right ankle soreness, Marc Spears of ESPN tweets.
- It may come as a shock to some people but Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau has never been ejected by the officials as a head coach, a span of over 900 games. How is that possible? The Athletic’s James Edwards discusses that subject with a trio of prominent retired referees — Steve Javie, Danny Crawford and Bill Spooner. “He wasn’t complaining on every play and didn’t cross the line, so when he did start complaining a little bit, you’d show him respect because he treated us with some respect,” Javie said.
- Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns is questionable to play against Denver on Monday due to a left calf contusion, Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype tweets. Towns is averaging 26.1 points, 12.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists in his first season with New York. He shot just 6-for-19 from the field, scoring 16 points in 39 minutes, against Utah on Saturday.