Community Shootaround: Kings’ Outlook
If the Kings weren’t considered to be a playoff contender at full strength, they certainly aren’t without Rudy Gay. After averaging 18.7 points on 45.5% shooting in 30 games, Gay tore his left Achilles’ tendon against the Pacers on Wednesday; a season-ending injury.
Gay has vowed on Twitter to come back “stronger than ever,” but the Kings will still face a myriad of issues in 2016/17. Now 11th place in the Western Conference, the Kings sit at 16-26 following a lopsided loss to the Grizzlies. What’s more, the Kings’ roster is full of veterans preventing rookies Malachi Richardson, Georgios Papagiannis, and Skal Labissiere from receiving court time. Willie Cauley-Stein recently voiced grievances on the lack of opportunity in his sophomore season.
“I feel I was showing stuff at the end of last season that would make people say, ‘Oh, damn, they got a steal in the draft,'” Cauley-Stein told Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee. “Now it’s like I took 25 steps forward and 30 steps back. It’s like my whole rookie season didn’t matter and I’m back at square one. Nothing I did last year is having an effect on my career. It’s been very frustrating.”
The team appears unlikely to trade DeMarcus Cousins, but they have several assets who could help another team’s playoff run. With a lack of direction for the 2016/17 season, several on-and-off the court controversies, and no clear path to minutes for younger players, we want to know…
Should the Kings trade off assets and start a complete rebuild? Is there any hope in salvaging the season to grab a No. 7 or 8 seed? Will Gay – who has a player option for the 2017/18 season – opt to remain in Sacramento, or is he a lock to test the market even after his injury?
Stein’s Latest: Nurkic, Millsap, Gay, Tucker
The latest column from ESPN.com’s Marc Stein is filled with fresh rumors as next month’s trade deadline approaches. We’ve already shared the Bulls’ interest in Chris Bosh and the Magic’s offer for Goran Dragic. Here are some more intriguing trade tidbits:
- Nuggets big man Jusuf Nurkic is almost certain to be traded before the February 23rd deadline. Denver officials admitted that pairing Nurkic with Nikola Jokic didn’t work, and they want to ship him to a team where he has a chance to be a starting center.
- Teams are very skeptical about the Hawks‘ assertion that All-Star forward Paul Millsap has been pulled from trade consideration. The 31-year-old has a player option worth nearly $21.5MM for next season and is expected to test the free agent market.
- The Kings had numerous offers for Rudy Gay, mostly during the offseason but also more recently, but elected to keep him in hopes of earning a playoff spot. The Thunder, Heat and Blazers were the most interested teams last summer. Gay is out for the season after tearing an Achilles tendon Wednesday night.
- The Kings would like to find teams willing to take Ben McLemore and Arron Afflalo.
- The Clippers offered the Suns a future second-round pick for P.J. Tucker, but Phoenix is holding out for a first-rounder. The Clippers owe their first-round pick this year to Toronto and in 2019 to Boston, so the next first-rounder they could offer would be in 2021.
- Tucker and Brandon Knight are considered the most available Suns. Coach Earl Watson said this week that the team will not trade veteran center Tyson Chandler.
- The Nuggets would like to sign Alonzo Gee to another 10-day contract once Mo Williams clears waivers. Gee’s first 10-day contract expired Wednesday, the same day Williams was waived after being acquired in a trade with the Hawks.
MRI Confirms Rudy Gay Tore Achilles Tendon
JANUARY 19th, 4:24 PM: Gay’s MRI confirmed full tear of his left Achilles, Kings radio reporter Sean Cunningham tweets. He’ll have surgery in the coming days, Cunningham adds.
JANUARY 18th, 11:50 PM: Kings star Rudy Gay suffered a torn left Achilles tendon in Wednesday’s game against the Pacers, tweets James Ham of CSNBayArea.com.
That was the preliminary diagnosis from the Kings’ medical staff. An MRI will be conducted Thursday to confirm the injury.
Gay had to be carried off the court after being hurt on a non-contact play late in the third quarter.
If the diagnosis is correct, it would mean the end of Gay’s season and possibly his time in Sacramento. He had proclaimed before training camp that he planned to opt out of his $14,263,566 deal for next year and test the free agent market. However, that could change now depending on the severity of the injury.
It would also remove a big name from the trade market barely a month before the Feb. 23rd deadline. The Kings were widely expected to find a taker for Gay rather than lose him for nothing once the season ended.
Sacramento will not be able to file for a Disabled Player Exception to replace Gay, tweets Bobby Marks of the Vertical, who notes that the deadline passed on Sunday.
This is Gay’s fourth year with the Kings after being acquired in a trade with Toronto midway through the 2013/14 season. He is averaging 18.7 points and 6.4 rebounds in 29 games.
Casspi Out Up To Two Weeks With Calf Injury
The Kings will be without forward Omri Casspi for up to two weeks, writes Matt Kawahara of the Sacramento Bee. Casspi injured his calf on Monday and underwent an MRI later that night.
Said to have strained the plantaris tendon in his right calf, Casspi will look to get back to action as soon as possible in an effort to reclaim his spot in the team’s rotation. Casspi has seen his role fluctuate over the course of the season and has appeared in just six of the Kings’ last 15 games.
In 22 games for the Kings this year, Casspi has averaged 5.9 points and 4.1 rebounds per.
Timberwolves Actively Shopping Ricky Rubio
The Timberwolves are “actively shopping” point guard Ricky Rubio in trade discussions, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. According to Wojnarowski, Minnesota has attached Rubio to Shabazz Muhammad in trade offers to several NBA teams.
Rubio, who is under contract through 2018/19 and will earn $14MM+ in each of the next two years, has been viewed as a potential trade candidate since the Wolves selected Kris Dunn with the fifth overall pick last June. According to Wojnarowski, the Wolves have been seeking a sort of “bridge” guard in their trade discussions — such a player would be capable of starting in the short term before eventually giving way to Dunn.
[RELATED: Trade Candidate: Ricky Rubio]
The Kings have “a strong interest” in landing Rubio, but there’s currently no movement toward a deal between those teams, league sources tell Wojnarowski. According to The Vertical’s report, the Wolves are making an effort to exhaust the market in search of an offer stronger than what Sacramento could put on the table.
Minnesota is currently well below the salary cap, as our 2016/17 Salary Cap Snapshot shows, and moving Rubio could free up even more future cap room. However, the Wolves value him and won’t give him away unless they’re getting solid value in return, as Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press and Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News observe (Twitter links).
Rubio, 26, got off to a poor start this season, slowed by an elbow injury, but he has been thriving for the Wolves over the last couple weeks. In his last five games, the Spaniard has averaged 11.4 PPG, 12.6 APG, and 2.6 SPG, improving his full-season averages to 7.6 PPG, 7.9 APG, and 1.9 SPG.
NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 1/15/17
Here are the D-League transactions for the day so far:
5:21pm:
- The Nets have recalled Chris McCullough from Long Island, according to a team-issued press release. McCullough was assigned to the D-League earlier in the day.
- The Kings have recalled rookies Georgios Papagiannis and Skal Labissiere from Reno, the team announced over Twitter.
2:15pm:
- After a good showing Saturday night, the Cavs recalled guard Kay Felder from their D-League affiliate, the Canton Charge, Cleveland announced via its team website. Felder scored a team-high 27 points while grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out five assists Saturday. He has played in 22 games for the Cavs this season, averaging 5.1 points in 10.6 minutes per game.
- The Nets assigned Chris McCullough to their D-League affiliate, the team announced via Twitter.
- The Celtics recalled Demetrius Jackson from the Maine Red Claws, the team announced via Twitter.
- A decision will be made after the Mavs‘ game on whether or not Nicolas Brussino sent back to the D-League after he was activated, Earl K. Sneed of NBA.com relays on Twitter.
The Downside Of A Max Deal For Cousins
Clippers forward Blake Griffin is showing signs that he is getting closer to a return, tweets Dan Woike of The Orange County Register. Griffin went through a “pretty extensive” pregame workout today without a brace or sleeve on his injured right knee. Griffin had minor surgery on the knee in December, and a report on Friday said he could be back in action by the end of the month.
There’s more news from the Pacific Division:
- The Clippers may soon have rookie power forward Brice Johnson back on the court as well, according to Woike (Twitter link). The 25th pick in the 2016 draft has been playing one-on-one games and is close to being ready for “true on-court activity,” says coach Doc Rivers. Johnson suffered a herniated disc in his lower back in October and hasn’t played yet this season.
- One positive in the Lakers‘ blowout loss to the Spurs on Thursday was the performance of rookie center Ivica Zubac, writes Mark Medina of The Orange County Register. Zubac, who was taken with the second pick of the second round in 2016, had a season-high eight points to go with four rebounds in nearly 15 minutes. Zubac has seen most of his action in the D-League this year, and the Lakers want him to drop weight to become more mobile. “When you can run more, you can do everything better on the court,” Zubac said. “It definitely helps to stay in shape. I’m not playing a lot with the Lakers. It’s easy to get out of shape. Playing in the D-League really helps.”
- Andy Furillo of the Sacramento Bee looks at the downside of possibly investing more than $209MM to keep DeMarcus Cousins in Sacramento. In addition to being the top player on a losing team for 6 1/2 seasons, Cousins checks in as the slowest player in the league, has had his shot blocked more times than anyone, is tied for first in technical fouls and is second in personal fouls, ranks sixth in turnovers and is only tied for 33rd in offensive rebounds.
International Notes: Bennett, Greene, Kelly
Anthony Bennett, who was recently waived by the Nets, may head overseas to pursue his next basketball opportunity, sources tell Sam Amico of Pro Basketball Digest. Amico adds that the former No.1 overall pick is also considering the D-League as an option with an eye on signing a few 10-day contracts with NBA clubs.
Bennett flashed promise at UNLV but struggled mightily during his three stops in the NBA. Amico notes that Bennett’s poor performance during his rookie season played a role in Cleveland’s decision to fire then-GM Chris Grant during the middle of the 2013/14 campaign.
Here are a few more international updates on players with NBA ties:
- Former Kings big man Donte Greene, a 2008 first-rounder who last played in 2012, has joined Puerto Rican team Capitanes de Arecibo, according to an announcement from the club (hat tip to Sportando). Greene, who turns 29 next month, said back in August that he continues to hope for one more shot from an NBA team.
- Maccabi Kiryat Gat of Israel has released former Nets guard Tyshawn Taylor, according to international journalist David Pick (Twitter links). The team will use the roster spot to bring Josh Selby aboard. Selby, who was the No. 49 pick in the 2011 draft, previously played in Israel for Bnei Herzliya.
- Sasha Djordjevic, the coach of Bayern Munich, is recruiting Nicolas Laprovittola to play for his team, Pick reports (Twitter link). Laprovittola was waived by the Spurs last month.
- Ryan Kelly has garnered interest from Reggio Emilia, a team in Italy, but it’s unlikely he joins the club as he prefers to pursue NBA opportunities, according to Emilio Carchia of Sportando. The Hawks waived Kelly last week.
Luke Adams contributed to this post
Kings Notes: Cousins, Free Agents, Rookies
The Kings and DeMarcus Cousins are reportedly on track to work out a long-term extension during the offseason. Cousins was asked about the breaking news after the team’s win over the Pistons on Tuesday and he responded by expressing his desire to remain with the franchise, as Sean Cunningham of ABC10 Sacramento passes along (Twitter video link).
“I love Sacramento,” Cousins said. “It’s where I want to be.”
The big man could make upwards of $209MM with a new extension, though the exact figures won’t be known until the salary cap for the 2017/18 campaign is determined.
Here’s more from Sacramento:
- The Kings will likely never be a free-agent destination for the league’s top stars, but in signing Cousins to a long-term deal, the franchise could be appealing to second-tier free agents, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer contends. O’Connor notes that the team could have as much as $50MM in available cap space this summer.
- If the Kings and Cousins end up working out a long-term contract, the organization will end up regretting the deal, Mitch Lawrence of The Sporting News argues. Lawrence continues to question Cousins’ leadership ability and he doesn’t believe the team can become a contender with the big man as its franchise player.
- Sacramento’s quest to make the playoffs this season has led to less playing time for the team’s young prospects, Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee writes. The Kings are utilizing their D-League in order to give their rookies court-time and they are making communication a priority as well. “We keep tabs on them,” coach Dave Joerger said. “We watch their games and make sure we reach out to them and say, ‘Hey, we watched the game last night.’ So that there’s always a connection when you’re out there.”
DeMarcus Cousins, Kings On Track For Offseason Extension
A report last week indicated that the Kings are prepared to offer DeMarcus Cousins a designated veteran extension when the new CBA goes into effect this summer, and it seems the All-Star center is receptive to that idea. Barring a late change in direction by the player and the team, Cousins and the Kings intend to work out a long-term, maximum-salary extension during the offseason, a league source tells James Han of CSN California.
Under the NBA’s old Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Kings would still have been in a position to offer Cousins in an extension this summer, but the team can put a far more tantalizing proposal on the table under the new CBA. The new agreement between the NBA and NBPA will introduce the “designated veteran extension,” which allows for players who meet certain criteria to sign extensions that start at 35% of the salary cap. If Cousins were to be traded, he wouldn’t be eligible for such an extension, which is one reason why the trade rumors surrounding him have died down in recent weeks.
The designated player extension is only available to certain players who are coming off an All-NBA season, or who have made an All-NBA team twice in the last three years. Because Cousins has earned an All-NBA nod in each of the last two seasons, he doesn’t have to earn that honor again in 2016/17 to qualify for the designated player extension, though he’s on track to do so anyway.
Heading into tonight’s game, Cousins had averaged a career-high 28.1 PPG to go along with 9.9 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.4 BPG, and 1.4 SPG in 36 contests. The longtime King has even become a threat from beyond the arc — his .372 3PT% and 1.8 3PG are both career bests.
The NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement won’t go into effect until July 1, so the Kings and Cousins won’t finalize anything before then, and it’s possible one side or the other could have a change of heart over the next several months. Still, while the relationship between the franchise and the former fifth overall pick hasn’t always been perfect, it’s hard to imagine Cousins turning down a designated player extension if the Kings put it on the table, since he could earn far more from Sacramento than from any other team.
The exact value of that extension won’t be known until the salary cap is set for the 2017/18 season, but based on the NBA’s latest projections, a five-year extension would be worth upwards of $209MM. In Cousins’ case, it would go into effect for the 2018/19 campaign, tacking five new years onto his current deal, which is set to expire in ’18.