Kings Rumors

2016/17 NBA Over/Unders: Pacific Division

The 2016/17 NBA regular season gets underway just a couple days from now, which means it’s time to start getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign. With the help of the lines from offshore betting site Bovada.lv, we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division, and having you weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic. Having looked at the Atlantic, Northwest, Central, Southwest, and Southeast divisions so far, we’re moving on to the Pacific today…

Golden State Warriors

How many games will the Warriors win?
Over 66.5 67.32% (311 votes)
Under 66.5 32.68% (151 votes)
Total Votes: 462

(App users, click here for Warriors poll)


Los Angeles Clippers

How many games will the Clippers win?
Over 53.5 61.96% (228 votes)
Under 53.5 38.04% (140 votes)
Total Votes: 368

(App users, click here for Clippers poll)


Sacramento Kings

How many games will the Kings win?
Under 34 58.10% (226 votes)
Over 34 41.90% (163 votes)
Total Votes: 389

(App users, click here for Kings poll)


Phoenix Suns

How many games will the Suns win?
Over 30 52.60% (192 votes)
Under 30 47.40% (173 votes)
Total Votes: 365

(App users, click here for Suns poll)


Los Angeles Lakers

How many games will the Lakers win?
Over 24.5 65.92% (325 votes)
Under 24.5 34.08% (168 votes)
Total Votes: 493

(App users, click here for Lakers poll)


Previous voting results:

Atlantic:

  • Boston Celtics (52.5 wins): Under (54.59%)
  • Toronto Raptors (50.5 wins): Over (54.63%)
  • New York Knicks (38.5 wins): Over (71.41%)
  • Philadelphia 76ers (23.5 wins): Under (54.62%)
  • Brooklyn Nets (20.5 wins): Under (60.74%)

Northwest:

  • Utah Jazz (49 wins): Under (68.72%)
  • Portland Trail Blazers (45.5 wins): Over (69.92%)
  • Oklahoma City Thunder (43.5 wins): Over (65.71%)
  • Minnesota Timberwolves (40.5 wins): Over (50.11%)
  • Denver Nuggets (37 wins): Under (68.81%)

Central:

  • Cleveland Cavaliers (56.5 wins): Over (66.5%)
  • Detroit Pistons (44.5 wins): Over (55.03%)
  • Indiana Pacers (44.5 wins): Over (73.06%)
  • Chicago Bulls (38.5 wins): Over (61.9%)
  • Milwaukee Bucks (34.5 wins): Over (67.48%)

Southwest:

  • San Antonio Spurs (58.5 wins): Under (57.4%)
  • Houston Rockets (44 wins): Over (52.76%)
  • Memphis Grizzlies (42.5 wins): Over (59.69%)
  • Dallas Mavericks (38.5 wins): Over (69.71%)
  • New Orleans Pelicans (37 wins): Under (70.9%)

Southeast:

  • Atlanta Hawks (43.5 wins): Over (59.84%)
  • Charlotte Hornets (42.5 wins): Under (62.22%)
  • Washington Wizards (42.5 wins): Over (51.6%)
  • Orlando Magic (37.5 wins): Over (54.42%)
  • Miami Heat (34.5 wins): Under (61.45%)

Rudy Gay Isn't Fond Of The Kings

  • George Karl writes in his upcoming book that upon meeting Rudy Gay, the forward warned him about the dysfunctional nature of the Kings, calling the franchise “basketball hell,” Stein relays in the same piece. Gay seemingly has no interest in staying with the team long-term, as he announced last month that he plans to opt out of his contract at the end of the season.

Kings To Re-Sign Lamar Patterson

The Kings intend to re-sign swingman Lamar Patterson, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders reports (via Twitter). The length and terms of the pact are unknown, nor if it includes any guaranteed money. Sacramento had waived Patterson on Wednesday.

Patterson played in four preseason games for the Kings, averaging 5.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game. He shot 45.5% from the field, including 33.3% from behind the arc.

The Bucks drafted Patterson with the 48th overall selection in the 2014 draft and dealt his rights to the Hawks on draft night. He played overseas during the 2014/15 season before signing with Atlanta during the 2015 offseason. He spent much of the 2015/16 season playing in the D-League and the Hawks waived him in July.

NBA.com: Kings A Fit For Mario Chalmers?

  • Several NBA.com scribes – including David Aldridge, Scott Howard-Cooper, Fran Blinebury, and others – gave their two cents on the best fit for point guard Mario Chalmers, with the Cavaliers getting the most votes. The Clippers and Kings were also mentioned as potential suitors that would make sense for Chalmers, who is still recovering from an Achilles injury.

Kings Pick Up 2017/18 Option On Willie Cauley-Stein

The Kings had only one rookie-scale option to make a decision on in advance of the October 31st deadline this year. In a move that comes as little surprise, Sacramento has exercised its third-year option on Willie Cauley-Stein, the team announced via press release.

Cauley-Stein, who is earning $3,551,160 this season, will be on the Kings’ books for $3,704,160 in 2017/18. The big man would be due $4,696,875 in the final year of his rookie deal, should Sacramento elect to exercise his fourth year option next fall.

The 23-year-old is entering his second season in the league after being selected with the sixth overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. Cauley-Stein was named to the All-Rookie Second Team last season, notching 7.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.00 blocks in 21.4 minutes per contest over 66 games played.His shooting line was .563/.000/.648.

Spoelstra Tells Dragic He's Not Going To Kings

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told point guard Goran Dragic during a morning shootaround Thursday that rumors regarding a potential trade to the Kings were untrue, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports. Miami was reportedly discussing a deal in which Dragic would head to Sacramento in exchange for forward Rudy Gay and guard Darren Collison. “Spo came over and did that today,” Dragic told Winderman. “He just said those rumors, they’re not true.” Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald confirms that the Heat are not pursuing such a trade at the moment but might go after Gay in free agency next summer as a secondary option (Twitter link).
In other developments around the league:
  • E’Twaun Moore will start for the Pelicans at shooting guard entering the season ahead of lottery pick Buddy Hield, John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune tweets. Moore was one of the first unrestricted free agents to make a commitment in July, agreeing to a four-year, $34MM contract after playing a backup role with the Bulls.
  • The projected salary cap for the 2017/18 season has been slightly raised from $102MM to $103MM, sources told Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com (Twitter link). That will give teams a little bit more elbow room as they make roster decisions.
  • Shannon Brown has signed with the NBA D-League and will be eligible for its draft, Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor tweets. The 30-year-old guard last appeared in the NBA in 2014/15, when he played five games for the Heat.
  • Swingman Jordan Hamilton has left the Turkish team Tofas Bursa after just one game, Emiliano Carchia of Sportando relays. Hamilton appeared in 11 games with the Pelicans last season. A former first-round pick, Hamilton spent his first few NBA seasons with the Nuggets, but has bounced around since 2014, spending time with the Rockets and Clippers as well as the Pelicans.

Kings Buy Controlling Interest In D-League Affiliate

The Kings have been affiliated with the Reno Bighorns since the D-League squad’s inaugural season in 2008/09, and the two teams have had a single-affiliate relationship since the 2013/14 campaign. However, 2016/17 will be the first season in which the Kings own a controlling interest in the Bighorns. Sacramento announced today in a press release that it has purchased a controlling interest in the D-League team, becoming the 15th NBA team to own and operate its D-League affiliate.

“We’re excited to deepen our relationship with the Bighorns and the Reno/Tahoe community,” Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé said in a statement. “This is an incredible opportunity to develop players, front-office staff and future business executives for the Sacramento Kings, while simultaneously contributing meaningfully to the Reno entertainment, commercial and non-profit ecosystem.”

The Kings’ already controlled the basketball operations for the Bighorns, but will control the business side of the franchise now as well, allowing the D-League squad to become an extension of the NBA team’s brand. Sam Amick of USA Today, who first reported the story, indicated that the Kings may eventually move the Bighorns closer to Sacramento, though he added that the Kings are “strongly indicating” publicly that they have no plans to relocate their affiliate (Twitter links).

For 2016/17, the Bighorns are set to play their home games in Reno, with a few games set to take place in Sacramento as well, Amick tweets. The Kings are carrying several young players on their roster, having selected Georgios Papagiannis, Malachi Richardson, Skal Labissiere, and Isaiah Cousins in this year’s draft — some of those draftees may end up being assigned to Reno for parts of this season to ensure that they receive regular playing time.

Wolves Keeping Ricky Rubio For Now

The Wolves are turning away trade offers for Ricky Rubio until they see how Kris Dunn performs, Adrian Wojnarowski of the Vertical reports. Coach Tom Thibodeau doesn’t anticipate Dunn taking over as the starting point guard position until approximately 20 games into the season, Wojnarowski adds. Until then, Rubio will be the team’s starter and remain on the roster, barring a substantial offer.

Several teams have expressed interest in Rubio, with the Kings being the most determined to land the 25-year-old. Sacramento has been looking to acquire a young point guard to lead the team for some time.  It’s not clear what the Kings are willing to offer, but the team was engaged in serious trade talks with the Thunder on a deal that would have sent Rudy Gay to Oklahoma City in exchange for Cameron Payne. Those talks broke down after Payne injured his foot last month, sources tell Wojnarowski.

Thibodeau is determined to win games and make the playoffs this season. Such thinking could factor into what transactions the franchise makes this year.

Rubio, who has three years and slightly under $43MM left on his contract, has been solid during his time in Minnesota.  Yet, Dunn has a much higher upside and it’s only a matter of time before Rubio takes a backseat to the rookie, as I discussed in Minnesota’s Offseason In Review.

Kings Waive Lamar Patterson

The Kings have waived Lamar Patterson, according to a team press release. Sacramento entered the day with 18 players under contract, as the team’s depth chart at Roster Resource indicates, so the franchise has at least two more cuts to make before it can set its opening night roster,

The swingman out of the University of Pittsburg played in four preseason games with the Kings, averaging 5.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game. He shot 45.5% from the field, including 33.3% from behind the arc.

The Bucks drafted Patterson with the 48th overall selection in the 2014 draft and dealt his rights to the Hawks on draft night. He played overseas during the 2014/15 season before signing with Atlanta during the 2015 offseason. He spent much of the 2015/16 season playing in the D-League and the Hawks waived him in July.

Kings Notes: Lawson, Cousins, Team Chemistry

There are no lingering issues between the Kings and Ty Lawson in regards to Saturday’s missed flight, according to the point guard, as Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee relays (Twitter links). Lawson said it was a “personal” matter and added that he hadn’t been told that he would be fined for the incident.

Here’s more out of Sacramento:

  • Lawson’s teammates are supportive of him and they are ready to move past the incident, James Ham of Comcast Sportsnet writes. “It’s a family situation, this is a family and when you say family in the huddle, you don’t just mean it, you’ve got to show it,” new addition Matt Barnes said. “He’s going through stuff right now off the court. I reached out to him because I’ve been through everything off the court personally. We’ve been talking a lot lately and this is something we’re going to help him get through because he’s a very important member of this team. Family is most important for us and we realize that sometimes it’s bigger than basketball.”
  • The Kings are a work-in-progress and there was a noticeable disconnect with the team during Tuesday’s preseason loss to the Clippers, as Ham writes in a separate piece. Ham notes that the defensive effort wasn’t consistent and players were quick to take contested shots rather than find the open man. Despite the issues, DeMarcus Cousins remains optimistic about the team. “I think we took a step back tonight, but I think we’re on the right path, that’s the positive thing about it,” Cousins said. “We’re going to be as good as we decide to be.”
  • Cousins continues to stress that it will take time for the Kings to come together, as Ham passes along in that same piece. “Patience would be very important,” Cousins said. “Especially for me. But it’s going to be a process. It’s a new system. A new group of guys. I mean, it’s tough for me. I can be honest, it’s tough for me. It’s going to be a process.”