Sacramento Kings Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Kings Notes: Fox, Post Draft Grades, Private Jet

June 24th, 2017 at 9:17am CST by marksuleymanov

The Kings got their man when they selected De’Aaron Fox with the fifth overall pick in Thursday’s draft but even if the team had the first pick, the result may have been the same. Per Sean Cunningham of ABC 10 (via Twitter), general manager Vlade Divac said that Sacramento “most likely” would have taken Fox first overall.

“It was a guy that we all loved and in some way,” he said, according to The Sacramento Bee’s Ailene Voisin. “If we had the No. 1 pick, he would’ve been our guy. De’Aaron is our future.”

The Kentucky guard averaged 16.7 PPG and 4.6 APG in 36 collegiate contests this past season and was rumored to be taken anywhere from second overall to sixth overall. Despite working out for several teams, Fox told FOX Sports’ Aaron Torres that the vibe around the team was special and that he felt his presence could lead to bigger things.

“I know they really want a point guard, I know they need one,” Fox said. “They have the young pieces, and in a few years I do think we could be competing for championships.

Here are additional notes surrounding the Kings:

The Kings were viewed by many as one of, if not the, biggest winners coming out of the draft. In addition to Fox, Sacramento traded its 10th pick (Zach Collins) to Portland in exchange for two picks who turned out to be Justin Jackson and Harry Giles. Also, the second round yielded Frank Mason III, giving the Kings a solid young nucleus for the 2017/18 season.
Now that the Kings have secured the players on their radar, its time to jump start the development process, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee writes.
In a separate tweet, Cunningham noted that the Kings’ rookies were treated to a private jet, which is a nice first impression for the team.

Kings Release Arron Afflalo

June 23rd, 2017 at 3:55pm CST by Austin Kent

The Kings have released Arron Afflalo today, Shams Charania of The Vertical tweets. The guard had a contract guarantee that would have otherwise triggered today.

Afflalo had initially signed a two-year $25MM with the Kings last offseason but the second year, worth $12.5MM, would have only been guaranteed if he remained on the club’s roster through today.

Considering the different state that the franchise is in now versus last year, it’s no surprise that the team has decided to part ways with the veteran.

Per Bobby Marks of The Vertical, rather than pay the $12.5 that had been earmarked for the 2017/18 campaign, the Kings will instead stretch $1.5MM in payouts to Afflalo over the course of the next three seasons.

In 61 games for the Kings last year, including 45 starts, Afflalo put 8.4 points per game.

Blazers Acquire No. 10 Pick, Draft Zach Collins

June 22nd, 2017 at 9:05pm CST by Luke Adams

9:05pm: The trade is now official, according to the Blazers. The Kings used the 15th and 20th picks on Justin Jackson and Harry Giles, respectively.

7:36pm: The Trail Blazers and Kings have agreed to a trade involving draft picks, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (via Twitter). Wojnarowski reports that Portland will send the 15th and 20th overall selections to Sacramento in exchange for the No. 10 pick.

Having acquired the 10th overall pick, the Blazers will use the selection to draft former Gonzaga big man Zach Collins, according to Wojnarowski (via Twitter).

[RELATED: Complete 2017 NBA Draft Results]

The Kings had already used the No. 5 overall pick to select point guard De’Aaron Fox, but had a second top-10 pick as a result of February’s DeMarcus Cousins trade with the Pelicans. Sacramento will turn that selection into two more mid-first-rounders, and the team is now a candidate to use one of those picks on a draft-and-stash prospect.

As for the Blazers, they entered the night with three first-round picks. In this deal, they’ll send out their own pick (No. 15) and the Grizzlies’ first-rounder (No. 20), which they acquired in February in a trade with the Nuggets.

Portland will still have the No. 26 pick and will add a promising young big man in Collins with the No. 10 pick, leaving prospects like Malik Monk, Donovan Mitchell, and Luke Kennard for teams picking outside of the top 10.

Trade Rumors: Nuggets, Butler, Dudley, Drummond

June 22nd, 2017 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets, who spoke to the Bulls at the February trade deadline about Jimmy Butler, have engaged with Chicago again as the draft approaches, a source tells Jeff Goodman of ESPN. According to Goodman, any offer Denver makes obviously wouldn’t include Nikola Jokic, but would feature multiple young players and draft picks.

Butler, of course, has reportedly indicated that he wants to remain with the Bulls. And while a fondness for Chicago and his Bulls teammates may play a part in that stance, he’s also aware that he’ll no longer be eligible for a potential Designated Veteran Extension if he’s traded. Butler would be eligible for that super-max extension if he earns an All-NBA nod next year, but only if he remains on the Bulls, which is the “real reason” he doesn’t want to be moved, tweets Chris Broussard of Fox Sports 1.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA as the draft inches closer:

The Suns have talked to the Pelicans about a potential Jared Dudley trade, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link), who adds that any deal would likely involve second-round picks. New Orleans may not have the cap room to absorb Dudley’s $10MM salary outright, so the Pelicans may have to send out a contract or two in a possible swap.
Although there have been whispers about Sacramento’s interest in Andre Drummond, a deal between the Kings and Pistons remains unlikely at this point, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today. Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press adds (via Twitter) that he has been told multiple times that any Drummond trade is unlikely, though that could change.
Amick passes along another note on the Kings, tweeting that while Sacramento plans to use pick at No. 5, there’s a chance the team will move the No. 10 selection in order to land a player and a later pick.
A source tells Jason Quick of CSNNW.com (Twitter link) that there’s “no way” the Trail Blazers acquire LaMarcus Aldridge from the Spurs.

Harry Giles Could Be The Pick at No. 10

June 22nd, 2017 at 11:26am CST by Dana Gauruder

Duke forward Harry Giles could go as high as No. 10 overall to the Kings despite lingering concerns over his knee injury, according to ESPN.com’s Chad Ford. The Blazers, who control the No. 15 and No. 20 picks, are also intrigued by Giles, whose lone college season was marred by the injury, Ford continues. The Thunder, who pick No. 21, could also be a destination for Giles, who has been cleared medically by most doctors that have examined him, Ford adds.

Spurs Exploring LaMarcus Aldridge Trade Market?

June 22nd, 2017 at 9:21am CST by Luke Adams

JUNE 22, 9:21am: The Spurs have spoken to at least three teams about dealing Aldridge for a Top 10 pick in tonight’s draft, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Michael C. Wright report.

JUNE 21, 7:29pm: The Spurs appear to be exploring a number of options for possible roster moves as the offseason gets underway. In the wake of a report on the team’s willingness to entertain a Danny Green trade, multiple outlets are suggesting that San Antonio is gauging the market on LaMarcus Aldridge as well.

According to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link), the Spurs offered up Aldridge in an effort to move into the top five of the draft. While Gambadoro doesn’t specify which team the Spurs talked to, he’s plugged in when it comes to the Suns, so if Gambadoro’s report is accurate, it’s probably safe to assume San Antonio asked Phoenix about its No. 4 pick.

Meanwhile, Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net also notes (via Twitter) that the Spurs are believed to be dangling Aldridge as a way of moving into the lottery. Amico cites one executive who tells him to “watch out for the Kings.” Sacramento has the Nos. 5 and 10 overall picks.

As Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News observes (via Twitter), the Spurs will be open to doing due diligence on possible trade scenarios involving anyone not named Kawhi Leonard. So even though Aldridge’s name is out there, that doesn’t mean anything is close or that a deal will ultimately be made.

Still, as I wrote in our story on Green, it seems the Spurs – who have been linked to top free agents like Chris Paul – are exploring ways to cut costs and create extra cap room. Aldridge’s $21.46MM salary for 2017/18 is currently the largest cap number on San Antonio’s books for next season. If the team were to move him without taking much salary back, that would go a long way toward opening up maximum-salary space for a free agent.

Aldridge, who is set to enter the third year of his four-year pact with the Spurs, saw his production dip a little last season. His 17.3 PPG represented the lowest mark since his rookie season, and his .477 FG% was a career worst. He’ll be eligible to opt out of his contract in 2018.

Bogdan Bogdanovic Leaning Toward Making Leap To NBA

June 21st, 2017 at 11:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Kings draft-and-stash prospect Bogdan Bogdanovic is leaning toward making the leap to the NBA for the 2017/18 season, but has not yet informed Fenerbahce – his team in Turkey – what his plans are, sources tell Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.

Latest On Kristaps Porzingis, Knicks

June 21st, 2017 at 10:19pm CST by Luke Adams

10:19pm: The Knicks have talked with each team in the top five of Thursday’s draft about Porzingis, in an effort to extract a pick and a young potential star, sources tell Ian Begley and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. According to the ESPN report, the Knicks have had “substantive” talks with two teams, plus the Suns.

Sources tell ESPN that the Knicks have also spoken Oklahoma City about a possible Porzingis trade, but one source says the Thunder “don’t have enough” to be a viable trade partner.

8:40pm: Asked about what it would take to trade Porzingis, Jackson suggested the Knicks may be seeking two starters and a draft pick (Twitter link via Al Iannazzone of Newsday).

8:27pm: In an interview tonight on MSG, team president Phil Jackson confirmed that the Knicks are listening to calls on Porzingis. “As much as we love this guy, we have to do what’s best for the club,” Jackson said of the big man (Twitter links via Ian Begley of ESPN.com).

Jackson also suggested that he was somewhat bothered by Porzingis skipping his exit meeting. Still, he cautioned that the Knicks aren’t yet “intrigued” enough by what’s out there to make a move (Twitter links via Tommy Beer of Basketball Insiders).

8:15pm: After a flurry of Kristaps Porzingis trade rumors surfaced on Tuesday, a follow-up report suggested that the trade talk was somewhat overblown, and that the Knicks were simply listening to calls rather than actively shopping the big man.

However, on The Vertical’s Facebook Live show on Wednesday, Adrian Wojnarowski said that the Knicks aren’t simply listening to inquiries, reporting that they’ve also been making outgoing calls about Porzingis. While Wojnarwoski acknowledges that New York’s asking price is high, and that a deal won’t necessarily happen, he notes that the Knicks appeared to be legitimately exploring the possibility, and haven’t told Porzingis he’s not going anywhere.

Here’s more on Porzingis:

According to Wojnarowski, the Knicks would be seeking a top-four draft pick and a starting guard in exchange for Porzingis. Marc Berman of The New York Post (Twitter link) reports something similar, having heard that New York would want a top-four pick plus a “strong” asset for Porzingis.
We heard on Tuesday that the Knicks asked the Suns for Devin Booker and the No. 4 selection, so that sounds like the sort of package Wojnarowski and Berman are talking about. Besides Phoenix, the Celtics would seem to be the most logical trade partner for the Knicks.
If they were able to land a top-four pick in a deal for Porzingis, the Knicks would likely aim to draft Josh Jackson, says Wojnarowski.
Ian Begley of ESPN.com (Twitter link) follows up on an item he reported on Tuesday, clarifying that members of the Knicks organization have been in touch with Porzingis since the end of the season, though that contact has been “very minimal.”

Draft Notes: Jackson, Ball, Ntilikina, Smith

June 21st, 2017 at 2:27pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kansas forward Josh Jackson wanted to work out for the Celtics after they traded for the No. 3 pick, but couldn’t work out the scheduling, tweets Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald. The Celtics are reportedly deciding between Jackson and Duke forward Jayson Tatum if they decide to keep the pick, and Tatum held a workout in Boston on Monday.

Jackson added that he has spoken to Celtics rookie Jaylen Brown and believes they would form a good combination (Twitter link). The former Jayhawk also disputed a rumor that he refused to work out for the team unless he was promised Boston wouldn’t trade its pick (Twitter link).

There’s more as the top prospects met with the media today in New York:

Lonzo Ball confirmed to reporters his only pre-draft meeting was with the Lakers, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com. Ball also believes L.A. traded D’Angelo Russell to open up a spot for him and he can see that “the Lakers have a plan.” He adds that the Lakers haven’t promised to take him, relays Adam Zagoria of Fanrag Sports (Twitter link), saying, “We’ll just find out tomorrow night.” Ball also explained why he turned down a session with the Celtics when they had the top pick, tweets Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. “If it’s either play for the hometown or go No. 1, I’d rather play for the hometown,” Ball said.
Frank Ntilikina met with the Knicks front office today, including team president Phil Jackson, according to Ian Begley of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The French point guard, who is reportedly in strong consideration with New York’s No. 8 pick, said the team wanted to meet him in person.
Dennis Smith Jr. also met with Jackson and the Knicks front office, Begley relays (Twitter link). The North Carolina State point guard believes he can be effective in the triangle offense.
Indiana’s OG Anunoby said doctors have assured him that he can resume basketball activities by October or early November, according to Jake Fischer of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link). Anunoby had surgery on his right knee after a season-ending injury in January.
Arizona’s Lauri Markkanen was a Timberwolves fan growing up, and Minnesota was among the four teams he worked out for, Fischer tweets. The others were the Mavericks, Celtics and Magic, and he had a meeting with the Knicks.
Gonzaga’s Zach Collins had private workouts with the Magic, Wolves, Kings, Mavericks and Suns, and a group session with the Lakers, Fischer relays (Twitter link).
Duke’s Luke Kennard held individual workouts for the Lakers, Pistons, Knicks and Mavericks (Twitter link).
The Nets and Bulls were among the teams to work out international big man Isaiah Hartenstein leading up to the draft, tweets David Pick.

Hawks Exploring Sign-And-Trade For Paul Millsap

June 21st, 2017 at 11:49am CST by Arthur Hill

11:49am: Tyson Chandler is a candidate to go to Atlanta if the Suns are part of a sign-and-trade for Millsap, tweets John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 in Phoenix.

11:09am: After trading Dwight Howard Tuesday, the Hawks are exploring their options involving free agent forward Paul Millsap, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com (hat tip to Slam Magazine). Windhorst said Atlanta has reached out to teams about a possible sign-and-trade, with the Suns, Kings and Nuggets all expressing interest.

New Hawks GM Travis Schlenk suggested last week that the team may not be willing to make a max offer to Millsap, who turned 32 in February. The Hawks can sign Millsap to a five-year deal worth about $205MM, while other teams are limited to four seasons and about $152MM.

Millsap is coming off his fourth straight All-Star season, averaging 18.1 points and 7.7 rebounds in 69 games. He made a little more than $20MM this season.

A Millsap deal would signal a full rebuilding job for the Hawks, who are on a string of 10 straight postseason appearances.