Karl's hiring will not be formally announced [until] after the All-Star Game, according to sources, because team officials don't want the hire to distract from center DeMarcus Cousins' first appearance in the annual game on Sunday.
Jason Jones, also of the Bee, tweeted out the following even before Ailene Voisin's report was published:
George Karl as new Kings coach is official. Tyrone Corbin will coach tonight at Milwaukee as planned.
Karl instantly becomes one of the most high-profile coaches the Kings have ever had, with more career wins (1,131) than the entire Kings franchise in the Sacramento-era (1,014). He'll have 30 games this season to try to establish some rapport with the players and begin laying the foundation to bring the Kings back to the playoffs after 8 seasons and counting.
An MRI revealed only a strain, but it's unclear if Butler will play against the Cavaliers on Thursday.
When one key Bulls player comes back, another gets hurt. It's science. Mike Dunleavy returned to the floor against the Kings on Tuesday, but Jimmy Butler didn't play in the second half after aggravating a right shoulder injury originally suffered close to halftime in Orlando, a game in which Butler played his customary 40 minutes anyway.
Luckily, the MRI only confirmed a strain and Butler is day-to-day:
Jimmy Butler had an MRI on his shoulder. It's nothing worse than a strain but it's still sore. No decision on tomorrow.
It's unclear just when Butler hurt the shoulder again, but it may have been on a hard screen set by Reggie Evans in the second quarter. Butler went on to play 22 minutes in the first half before being ruled out the rest of the game.
Butler struggled with his shooting against the Kings, going 2-of-8 overall and missing his lone three-point attempt. Most of those misses came in the first quarter before the hard screen, but he easily could have been feeling it from last game.
Butler had been playing really well prior to the Kings game, though, getting out of his recent shooting slump by averaging 25.8 points on the road trip while shooting 49.4 percent overall and 36.4 percent from three. He had 27 points in the Magic win and had some huge plays down the stretch despite the shoulder injury, and while his resurgence didn't necessarily lead to great offense by the Bulls on the trip, it was at least a plus to see him escape his offensive doldrums after some natural regression.
Tony Snell got big minutes against the Kings with Butler ailing, playing a season-high 41 minutes. Snell delivered in a big way, pouring in a career-high 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting overall and 4-of-6 from three. It was the second big game out of three for Snell after a mysterious DNP-CD against the Rockets, as the youngster had 19 points in New Orleans. The second-year man is 11-of-19 from three in his last three games.
It would be a huge bummer if Butler is once again unable to go against LeBron James and the Cavaliers on Thursday, but it would represent another big opportunity for Snell to impress. Snell shot well in the Bulls' ugly loss to the Cavaliers in January, but he also had a handful of pitiful turnovers. Hopefully we see good Snell and not bad Snell if he gets significant minutes, which may happen anyway even if Butler plays. Dunleavy is sure to still be on a minutes limit, and Kirk Hinrich is out again.
This injury to Butler could also call into question his All-Star availability. He's set to participate in the Skills Challenge and the All-Star Game itself, and if the shoulder is still bothering him, it probably would be better for him to sit out. Or perhaps he could just play for a few minutes in the All-Star Game just to have that honor.
Two teams not used to garnering national attention have eased into the spotlight... for two very different reasons.
When you think about it, the Sacramento Kings are the Western Conference's kindred spirit to the Milwaukee Bucks, aren't they? Two small markets, two previously rabid fan bases attempting to work back in to the mix, two franchises experiencing the trials and tribulations of long-term stability. And for the first part of the season, two fun, entertaining nuisances to the rest of the league.
Things have changed.
The Bucks (29-23) eye their sixth-straight home win against a Kings (18-33) team that has lost twelve of their last fourteen games tonight in Milwaukee. But the recent losing has nothing on the turmoil upstairs in Sacramento, though they are inextricably linked.
After firing coach Mike Malone in December for... reasons... the Kings are poised to oust Ty Corbin following tonight's game in favor of George Karl, whom we know around these parts and like a lot. None of these are massive problems until you look at the details. Malone was fired because his owner, Vivek Ranadive, wanted a different look to how the team played, including considering playing 4-on-5 defense for cherry-picking. And the Kings have been as discreet as an elephant riding a moped in their pursuit of Karl, all while Corbin sits sheepishly in the corner waiting for his nightmare to end.
It'll end tonight, one way or another, and the Bucks are looking for their 30th win... which is insane! Having surpassed most everyone's predictions on win-loss record already, including all of us here, the Bucks look to close out the unofficial first half of the season winners of eight of their last nine. If a victory is in the cards tonight, it would be the first time since the 1990-91 season the franchise hits the 30 win mark at the All-Star break.
But if it's possible for a team to not want a long break while subsequently needing one, it's the Bucks. They are rolling, but man do they look exhausted. This team has had to grind out victories over Brooklyn, Boston and the LA Lakers over the last week, clubs the Bucks would like to handle with relative ease at this point in the year. Sacramento is in the same category.
The Kings possess something those three teams don't... an all-star center. DeMarcus Cousins, now the face of the franchise, has found himself the center of attention with the upheaval around him. Despite all that, and missing time with viral meningitis in December, Cousins has been a force this year, average 23.6 points and 12.3 rebounds a game. Can John Henson, Zaza Pachulia and others contain him? Unlikely, so the second-best defensive team in the league will have to work on limiting what Rudy Gay does, who put up 24 in last night's loss in Chicago.
Then again, a massive disadvantage down low was not a problem in the Bucks one-point win in California in December. Brandon Knight, Jared Dudley and O.J. Mayo were lights out that night, and will likely need to be again tonight.
How will Knight play now that he is officially not in the All-Star Game? Will he play like a man possessed, or a man who kills possessions? And will Giannis play in the fourth quarter, which he did not do against Brooklyn on Monday? While you ponder that, read this glowing report on Giannis from SBNation's Mike Prada.
You should also read this piece from Grantland on Giannis, Dudley and Khris Middleton, because it's been awhile since the Bucks got so much good national press.
Don't take that for granted, Bucks fans. Just ask the Kings.
With the news today that George Karl will be taking over the team after the All-Star break, this makes it very likely that today's game against the Milwaukee Bucks is Tyrone Corbin's last with the Kings organization. Our time with Tyrone has been rough for everyone involved, so let's try to end it on a happy note. Today's action tips off at 5:00 pm on Comcast SportsNet California and on KHTK 1140.
3 THINGS TO LOOK FOR
1. I know the Hawks are everyone's surprise team this year but Milwaukee has been an incredible story as well. Just a year removed from winning just 15 games and holding the NBA's worst record, the Bucks are 29-23 with a top-5 defense and that's even with their lottery pick, Jabari Parker, only playing 25 games this season due to injury. The Bucks have seen improvement from a lot of their young players, namely Brandon Knight, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton. They aren't a team to take lightly.
2. Milwaukee is one of the longest teams in the league. "The Greek Freak" is a 6'11 athlete who can defend big men and handle the ball like a guard. The Bucks' defense lies largely in forcing turnovers (3rd in steals, 2nd in opponent turnovers) and that length allows for a lot of disruption.
3. The Bucks are a very good three point shooting team, ranking 4th in the league in percentage. Surprisingly though, they don't shoot all that many threes at just 26th in attempts. Still, with guys like Jared Dudley, Middleton, Knight and O.J. Mayo, they can light it up if you leave them open (which has been the case far too often lately).
There's an argument to be made that Brandon Knight deserved to be on the Eastern Conference All-Star team this year. He's having a career year in many categories, and he's Milwaukee's most prolific scorer at 17.7 points a game. Sessions is not a good defender but he will have to try much harder than he did yesterday in Chicago against Derrick Rose.
PREGAME LIMERICK
So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, good night Tyrone, you're swell, but this fit just isn't right George Karl is here, so beat the Deer, and make your weekend a little more bright.
PREDICTION
Kings 123, Bucks 106 as Derrick Williams decides to play even though he sprained his ankle tripping over a cord yesterday (note: That's a real thing). Williams then proceeds to drop 64 points on Milwaukee thanks to a new hitch in his shot.
At the end of a timeout in the second half, Giannis Antetokounmpo was standing on the court in front of the Sacramento Kings bench. Reggie Evans--seated right in front of him--found himself with a chance to get an answer to a burning question of his. The following conversation ensued
Evans: "Hey. How old are you?"
Giannis: "20."
Evans: "20?...Damn."
Been there before, Reggie. We can't really process the rapid rise of Giannis, either.
The Ty Corbin era finishes in a way that represents his tenure, as the Kings fall yet again.
The Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings are inverse representations of NBA teams. The Bucks are a team without a true star. Giannis Antetokounmpo is on his way, but is still early in his path to true stardom. Brandon Knight was worthy of an All-Star selection this season, but isn't necessarily a star you build around. And yet the Bucks are a well-coached team, and they demonstrate what's possible when a team buys in and plays together. The Bucks achieve a level of success that is greater than the sum of their parts. It's a stark contrast to the Kings, who have a legitimate star in DeMarcus Cousins, and an excellent supporting star in Rudy Gay. And yet the Kings underwhelm and fail to execute. They achieve less than the sum of their parts.
The Kings lost to the Bucks 111 to 103 in the presumed final game of the Tyrone Corbin era. The game was a microcosm of his tenure as coach. The Kings started the game with a confusing lineup change, with Omri Casspi starting instead of Jason Thompson. They scrapped along despite not playing particularly well, and then fell apart in the third quarter. And the Kings racked up 18 turnovers while shooting 42.9% from the field. It was everything we've come to expect over the last few months, and all the things we hope will soon be fixed.
But while Kings fans will surely celebrate the arrival of George Karl and the dismissal of Tyrone Corbin, it seems necessary to appreciate Corbin for what he's done here. Corbin was unexpectedly thrust into an impossible situation. His team was checked out on him almost immediately. None of the players blamed Corbin, but his voice was lost on the Kings roster in the wake of Michael Malone's firing. Even as a shadow loomed over Corbin, and as the shadow grew larger over the last week, Corbin remained the epitome of class of and professionalism. He would have been within his rights to be upset at the insane manner in which the Kings have held public and messy negotiations with Karl, and yet Corbin remained a pro. He's not a great head coach, that seems clear. But damn if I don't respect the hell out Corbin, and wish him the best on the rest of his NBA coaching career.
As for the game itself, Cousins led the Kings with yet another double-double, putting up 28 points and 19 rebounds. Despite those gaudy totals, Cousins was frustrated throughout the game. Zaza Pachulia, who always seems to get under Cousins' skin, gave Boogie fits, and Cousins struggled against the length of John Henson. Rudy Gay finished with 18 points, and birthday boy Ben McLemore added 16.
Ray McCallum had a surprisingly nice game, fueling a Kings run in the first half. He finished with just 10 points, but had a definite impact on the game beyond what the box score shows.
For Milwaukee, Brandon Knight started slow and was held to just three points in the first half. But he exploded in the second half, leading the Bucks run in the third, and finished the game with 20. OJ Mayo led the Bucks in scoring, with 21 points off the bench.
The Kings now enter the All Star break with a record of 18-34. DeMarcus Cousins will appear in the All Star Game on Saturday. Sometime this weekend the Kings are expected to make the George Karl hire official. The Kings resume their season on Friday, February 20th when they'll host the Boston Celtics.
For the opponent's perspective, visit our friends at BrewHoop.
The Milwaukee Bucks' improbable season still has a long way to go, but it's now officially one for the history books.
On Wednesday the Bucks became the first team in NBA history to double its prior year win total before the all-star break, recording their 30th win of the season in a 111-103 decision over the Sacramento Kings at the Bradley Center. As usual the Bucks' strength was in their diversity, leaving Sacramento to play defensive whack-a-mole for most of the night.Khris Middleton (11 of his 15 points in the first half) and John Henson (all of his 12 points plus four blocks in the opening half) did the business early, Brandon Knight (20p/6r/5a) couldn't be stopped in the third (14 pts), and O.J. Mayo (21 points on 14 shots) was all the Bucks needed in the fourth (10 pts). Giannis Antetokounmpo added another 13 points and seven boards, a bit pedestrian by some of his recent performances but certainly solid by mere mortal standards.
The only obvious bright spot for the Kings was a rather familiar one. All-star big man DeMarcus Cousins put up another monster statline with 28p/19r/5a/4b, though Henson and the Bucks' help defense did frustrate him at times, limiting him to 4/13 shooting in the first half and five turnovers overall. Rudy Gay added 17 points on 12 shots, but the Kings never showed more than a wandering focus on the defensive end and didn't really threaten the Bucks after drawing within a 66-64 margin midway through the third quarter. That's when the Bucks reeled off a 21-5 run to break the game wide open, with Knight shaking off an anonymous first half to score 14 in the period including the Bucks' final 10 points. Sacramento then hung around in the fourth, but the game never seemed like it was too close to slipping away, assuring Tyrone Corbin a losing end to his brief tenure leading the Kings' bench.
It's the first time the Bucks have cracked 30 wins before the all-star break since 1991, which speaks volumes about just how far (and quickly) this team has come in the 10 months since Larry Drew's trainwreck squad finished the 13/14 season a miserable 15-67. The Bucks' scrambling defense didn't have its best night against the Kings, but the offense picked up the slack with timely shooting (49% overall, 7/15 from three) and drew enough fouls to keep Sacramento comfortably out of reach for most of the second half. It marks the Bucks' sixth straight win at home overall, and the first one in a couple weeks that actually felt fairly comfortable. The only downside? With the newly extended all-star break beckoning, they now have to wait nine days to keep their momentum going at the Bradley Center a week from Friday against the Nuggets.
Stats/Observations
-- It was revealed during the game that the NBA had officially reinstated Larry Sanders following his 12-game drug suspension, which meant his absence tonight was once again due to personal reasons. So when will Sanders be back?
Jason Kidd says there will be discussions during the break about a potential return to the team by Larry Sanders.
-- Gutierrez's second 10-day contract will expire next week before the Bucks' return to action Friday against the Nuggets, at which point they would have to sign him for the remainder of the season or waive him. Unfortunately, Jerryd Bayless also left Wednesday's game in the first quarter with a hip flexor injury, so Milwaukee's need for point guard depth isn't getting any less acute, and Sanders' possible return only further complicates matters. The team was only able to initially sign Gutierrez due to Sanders' roster spot opening up midway through his 10-game suspension, so the fact that both were on the roster tonight meant another exception had to be used. Presumably the injury exception was granted due to Milwaukee missing four players for at least four games: Kenyon Martin's absence for a fifth straight game and the season-ending injuries to Jabari Parker, Kendall Marshall and Damien Inglis. What happens when Martin returns? Your guess is as good as mine (should Johnny O'Bryant be worried? I don't know).
-- Giannis wasn't a real focal point of the offense tonight, though he still managed to scrape together a solid line in his usual Giannis ways. He got to the rim for a couple tidy finishes in the first quarter, then collected a steal and monster slam as part of the Bucks' key third quarter run:
He also spent much of the night right in Rudy Gay's grill defensively, limiting him to 12 total shots and four turnovers in 38 minutes. Gay took it to him a couple times and shot a solid 7/12, but his overall impact was muted.
-- Henson was terrific early on, hitting 5/6 shots in the first half and swatting four Sacramento shots to help Milwaukee to a 52-47 halftime lead. He handled Cousins' bulk about as well as could be hoped, challenging shots in the paint and relying on help defenders to gang tackle Boogie into a poor shooting half. Unfortunately, Henson then picked up a couple quick fouls (and a technical) early in the third to send him to the bench, but the Bucks managed to make their run without him.
-- Is Khris Middleton the Bucks' new go-to post guy? After a shaky first half on Monday, Middleton got himself into the game against the Nets by burying turnarounds on three post-up plays in the third quarter; tonight he got into it right away, shooting over the likes of Ben McLemore and Nik Stauskas in the first quarter. In case you're curious, Middleton isn't eligible for an extension right now, but the Bucks will have matching rights on any offer he receives when he hits restricted free agency on July 1. Considering what he's doing at the moment, don't be surprised if Middleton demands a deal in the $8-10 million range.
-- Even Johnny O'Bryant had his share of moments tonight, grabbing a Herculean (by his standards) four defensive rebounds and scoring four points in 14 minutes. And while the Bucks have recently seemed to be at their worst with JOB on the court, tonight they were a team-best +14.
Jordan Hamilton is one of the best prospects in the NBA since Quincy Miller's NBA departure. But what does the former NBA player need to add to his game to make it back to the League?
The insane paced offense of the Reno Bighorns has already landed Quincy Miller back in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings. Miller has achieved the goal of every player in the NBA D-League, even if he’s coming back to the D-League for the All-Star Game. While Miller was a substantial part of the Bighorns, former NBA forward Jordan Hamilton had no problem replacing him in the lineup.
The 6’7" forward is a former first-round pick of the Mavericks (traded to the Nuggets on draft night) back in 2011. Jordan Hamilton has logged over 120 games in the NBA with the Rockets and Nuggets, but found himself in the D-League to start the 2014-15 season.
While Quincy Miller was all over the D-League as the No. 1 prospect, Hamilton has filled those shoes since his departure. In the Bighorns first game without Miller, Jordan Hamilton took it upon himself to score 40 points on nearly 77% from the field. It only took him 22 shots to reach the 40-point mark, with only one made triple. That game against RGV on January 18 set the tone for what Hamilton was expecting to do with more shots being thrown his way.
Besides filling the scoring sheet up, Hamilton has shown his value as a multi use forward. He’s had at least a double-double in six of his last seven games, including an 11-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist triple-double on February 7 against the OKC Blue. His shooting wasn’t there that night (5-of-15), but he still impacted the game, compiling those 10 assists with only a single turnover. Considering the pace the Reno Bighorns play at (138.6 ppg), that’s quite impressive for the 6’7" forward.
To get back into the NBA, Jordan Hamilton realizes he will have to transform his game into something of a stretch-four. He’s always been a decent 3 ball shooter, knocking down 36% of his attempts in the NBA and 33.6% this season in the NBADL. Showing a consistent ability to knock down the trey ball will increase his chances of becoming the next man signed to a 10-day contract.
Peering into his shot chart, it reveals the strengths and weaknesses of Hamilton’s beyond-the-arc shooting. His 33.6% mark from deep is compacted by his weakness to knock down the corner three (23% from left corner, 29% from right corner). Take away those corners and he’s shooting close to 36% from three, which doesn’t seem like a substantial increase, but it moves him closer to the average percentage in the NBA.
The ability to stretch the floor as a big and still be able to bang down low is becoming more and more valuable in the NBA. Floor spacing is necessary in the League to open up all phases of an offense. Look at successful teams like the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks that consider the 3-point shot biblical. The Warriors have a stretch-four in Draymond Green (33% 3PT) who can knock down triples, as the Hawks do in Paul Millsap (35% 3PT). Notice that these two aren’t prolific downtown shooters. However, they do have the ability to space the floor and open up lanes for penetrating guards.
That could be the difference between Jordan Hamilton making his way back to the NBA or staying in Reno for the season. Robert Covington’s 37% mark from three lead him to a deal with the Philadelphia Sixers and he’s becoming more recognized and respected as a shooter. This might not have been the path Hamilton wanted to take, but it might be necessary.
One thing is clear: Jordan Hamilton has NBA experience and has been putting up numbers in the D-League all season. He’s one of the best — if not the — best prospect left in the D-League and it should be sooner, not later, that his phone rings from one of the 30 teams in the NBA.
Lost in all the George Karl hubbub is the fact that the NBA Trade Deadline is just a week away. One player that Sacramento is reportedly interested in actually has a history with Karl. From Ramona Shelburne:
Among teams Nuggs have discussed Afflalo w/ -- Portland, Chi, Clips, Mia, Sac. He's got a player option next year, so FRP is a lot to ask
Arron Afflalo played for the Nuggets for three years with George Karl before being traded to Orlando as part of the deal that brought Andre Iguodala to Denver. Two years later, the Magic traded Afflalo back to the Nuggets for Evan Fournier.
Denver has really struggled since George Karl has left, finishing 36-46 last year and holding a current record of 20-33. Afflalo has seen drops in most categories this year as he's become more of a primary option. The Nuggets are reportedly seeking a first round pick for him, but considering that he could choose to exercise a player option this summer and become a Free Agent, that's a lot to ask. Afflalo is making $7.5 million a year, and could probably get more on the open market, making free agency a realistic option for him. As such, any trade could come with some risk for the team acquiring him.
As such, even if the Kings don't trade for Afflalo this week, he could be a player that they give a serious look at this offseason if he is a free agent. He'd be a big upgrade to a team that is lacking shooting (he's a career 38.4% three point shooter and had two years above 40% with Karl) and depth.
Acquiring Afflalo would impact Ben McLemore and Nik Stauskas the most. Afflalo would most likely take over the starting SG spot, moving McLemore to the bench. Stauskas would have even less opportunity to play than he does now, which is why I could see him being part of an actual trade for Afflalo, as the Kings don't have many other assets to use.
There's almost certainly going to be a trade or two for this team before Karl coaches his first game on Feb. 20th, and acquiring a guy like Afflalo would probably be a bigger splash than most people are expecting. Still, this team could use a veteran player like him, and if Sacramento does better than expected over these last 30 games, they could have a good opportunity to re-sign him this summer.
We'll know soon enough what Sacramento is planning to do by the deadline. The clock is ticking.
The Sacramento Kings announced this morning that Tyrone Corbin has been relieved of his coaching duties, thus learning the valuable lesson of maybe not saying things like "he's our coach for the rest of the season" or "we're going to make the playoffs with Tyrone".
From the Kings press release:
The Sacramento Kings announced today that Tyrone Corbin has been relieved of his head coaching duties, according to General Manager Pete D'Alessandro.
Corbin will continue working with the organization and has chosen to serve as an advisor to the front office.
"I have the utmost respect for Tyrone as a coach and person," said D'Alessandro. "He's a man of great integrity, a consummate professional that managed a difficult situation with class and professionalism. I look forward to continuing to work with Tyrone moving forward."
It is a nice touch that Corbin is able to stay with the organization, although he no longer will be a coach and is moving to the front office. Corbin was thrust into an impossible situation and handled it with dignity and class.
Corbin will be replaced as head coach by George Karl, with an official announcement expected to come shortly.
Could the Rock be joining Sacramento's bench once more?
Comcast SportsNet's Bill Herenda has learned that Kings-legend Mitch Richmond is being considered by new head coach George Karl as an addition to the coaching staff. From Herenda's report:
One of the short term objectives for George Karl is assembling his coaching staff in Sacramento and it's likely that the Kings existing assistants will remain intact -- with perhaps one addition, CSNCalifornia.com is learning.
According to league sources, Mitch Richmond and Coby Karl are possible additions.
Richmond -- a Hall of Famer, former King, and current scout for the franchise -- may be in the mix to join Karl's staff.
According to Herenda, Coby Karl is currently playing professionally in Germany and would be unlikely to join the team this season, making Richmond a more realistic probability. Chris Haynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer has also suggested another possible addition:
Once a deal is reached between George Karl and Kings, I'm told offensive guru Vance Walberg is expected to be brought on as an assistant.
Walberg is currently an Assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers, and as such, wouldn't join the team this year either. Because it is mid-season, I wouldn't expect wholesale changes to the coaching staff, with maybe one or two minor additions. Richmond would be that, although another Hall of Famer wants to join the staff as well: Gary Payton, who told SiriusXM today that he'd be reaching out to Karl.
We scour the interwebs for reactions to the Kings hiring George Karl.
With the relationship between the Sacramento Kings and George Karl finally official, we take a look around the web for reactions. Obviously the process was very public and very messy, so there's going to be some coverage from that angle. Overall, though, people are generally high on the move. The common thinking is that Karl is a good coach with a proven history of improving teams. We know that, of course, but it's great seeing it echoed by so many established analysts and writers.
Without further ado, here's a roundup of the day's reaction to the hiring:
A daily glimpse of Arizona Wildcat performances in the NBA
Wednesday was the last night of NBA Wildcat action for a week due to the All-Star break. Here's how the former Cats did:
Aaron Gordon: Gordon was moved back to a bench role for this game, and he only played 7 minutes. He had 2 points and a rebound.
Channing Frye: Frye did get the start on Wednesday, but he played just 10 minutes. His only shot attempts were three pointers and he went 1-3 from behind the arc.
Jerryd Bayless: Bayless suffered a right hip flexor strain after playing just 5 minutes, but there is no timetable for his return yet. Hopefully he can return after the All-Star break without missing much time.
Jerryd Bayless suffered a right hip flexor strain in the first half tonight. He will not return. #MILvSAC
Derrick Williams: While Bayless didn't play much in this game, Derrick Williams had a solid game. Surprisingly, Williams played 31 minutes, scored 11 points, had 4 rebounds, and dished out 3 assists, but the Kings lost to the Bucks 111-103. The Kings made another coaching change, this time hiring former Nuggets coach George Karl. Karl is known for running an up-tempo system, and it'll be interesting to see how Williams plays after this change.
Chase Budinger: After three straight DNPs, Budinger finally saw some playing time. Unfortunately, he still got just 6 minutes. He scored 1 point on a made free throw and had a rebound.
Solomon Hill: Solo was reinserted into the Pacers' starting lineup on Wednesday, and he had a very efficient game. He scored 12 points on 4-5 shooting, including going 2-3 from behind the arc. He also had 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal. Hill has had a great February so far. In 5 games, he's averaging 9.4 points per game on 55% shooting including an impressive 46% from downtown.
Richard Jefferson: Jefferson played 2 minutes and grabbed a rebound.
Jason Terry: JET played 13 minutes and didn't really light up the box score. He made his only shot attempt, which was a three, and had 2 assists.
Nick Johnson: Johnson only got in for 2 minutes in garbage time late in the 4th quarter, but the good news was that it was the first time he appeared in an NBA game since January 2nd.
The new arena won't be the only major project under construction in downtown Sacramento leading up fall 2016.
The 16-story, mixed-use Downtown Plaza Tower that will stand next to the new downtown Sacramento arena has cleared a major milestone.
The Sacramento Planning Commission gave its approval of the project Thursday night, which will set construction in motion. The tower is slated for the space in between 4th and 7th Streets to the east and west, and J Street to L Street on the North and South. It will include a public lobby, retail and office space, 250 hotel rooms and residences at the top of the tower, 35,000 square feet of office spaces and approximately 45,000 square feet of retail/restaurant spaces. The tower will share the new arena's plaza area.
The construction of the project is expected to be complete by the time the new arena opens.
"Construction crews have demolished the section of Downtown Plaza where the hotel will stand. Groundbreaking for the tower is expected this spring, and the hotel is scheduled to be open by the time the new arena is completed in fall 2016, said Todd Chapman, president of JMA Ventures, the firm developing the retail, hotel and office space around the arena.
Chapman said JMA is in talks with hotel operators and said the group was also in discussions with potential tenants for the planned retail space next to the arena."
In addition to the glowing nightscape above, here are some other renderings of the Downtown Plaza Tower project that were released.
As for the arena site, work continued this week on the pouring of concrete mat slabs and pile caps (the third of eight mat slab pours was completed). Construction of the arena's perimeter concrete walls that are below the street and plaza level, construction of the columns for the practice facility structure and construction of driveway ramps for the practice facility parking garage also continued.
Nate Timmons of Denver Stiffs joins us to give a full rundown on what to expect from the new Kings coach.
The Sactown Royalty Show is back! This week I'm joined by Nate Timmons of Denver Stiffs. Nate gives us a full breakdown of what to expect from new Kings coach George Karl. The highs, the lows, the strengths, the weaknesses. We also got into specifics, like how Karl will fit with players like DeMarcus Cousins, Rudy Gay, Ben McLemore, and Nik Stauskas.
It was a really good conversation with lots of good insights about our new coach. Be sure to check it out.
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Now that new coach George Karl is in place in Sacramento, sources told Sporting News this week that the Kings have stepped up their focus on re-arranging the roster in order to bring in the type of athletic, versatile players that suit Karl's aggressive and up-tempo style of play.
Even before the hiring of Karl, the team has been shopping big man Jason Thompson, reserve forward Derrick Williams and-in lieu of a first-round pick-rookie Nik Stauskas.
Deveney mentions that the Kings are particularly focused on the Power Forward spot (a rumor we've heard before) and shooting, as the team is one of the worst at making three pointers in the league. Deveney mentioned a few specific targets that Sacramento could be interested in: Milwaukee's Ersan Ilyasova, Detroit's Jonas Jerebko, Denver's Arron Afflalo and Wilson Chandler, and Oklahoma City's Reggie Jackson.
The rumor involving Milwaukee and Ilyasova is notable only because Milwaukee Bucks beat writer Gary Woelfel tweeted the following a couple days ago:
Bucks still being linked in trade rumors for Kings rookie guard Nik Stauskas.
Milwaukee has a few players that Sacramento could be interested in, with a nice mix of shooting ability and length. Ilyasova could potentially offer both, but he hasn't been able to find the shooting stroke he displayed a few years ago when he was hitting 44% from three for two years straight. Instead, over the last two years, Ilyasova's shooting percentage from long range has dropped precipitously as he's dealt with several injuries. Given his sizeable contract, trading for him would be a risk.
Regardless, it would be very surprising to see the Kings remain quiet this deadline. This has been one of the most aggressive front offices in the NBA over the past year and a half, and while I wouldn't expect any blockbuster moves, there's plenty of opportunities to create some sort of change that could hopefully help this team in the long run.
This summer, Dragic is expected to decline his $7.5 million player option and become an unrestricted free agent, and Phoenix is feeling increased pressure that it could lose him without compensation if it doesn't move him before Thursday's trade deadline. Dragic is considered by most to be the team's best player, but he seems more and more like the odd man out in Phoenix's three point guard rotation because Eric Bledsoe and Isaiah Thomas are both under long-term contracts.
Dragic has history in Houston after Phoenix traded him there in 2011, only to sign back with the Suns in 2012. Even with the increased rumors, though, Ethan Rothstein at The Dream Shake wonders if any trade package will be good enough to convince the Suns to pull the trigger.
Color me very skeptical that this deal gets done, however. I think the Suns hold onto him unless they get an offer they can't refuse, and I don't think anything but D-Mo the first-rounder and maybe a second rounder gets it done, and even then, it might not do the trick.
Still, it's fun to dream, and this is the first report we've heard in a while that the Suns are still at least looking at moving the Dragon.
Stein also reports that the Lakers are planning to offer Dragic a max contract this summer when he does reach free agency.
George Karl could shake up the Kings roster
With Karlofficially on board in Sacramento, the Kings may be poised to make some changes before the trade deadline hits next week. Karl favors an up-tempo, athletic style and the Kings, while light on assets, could attempt to tweak the roster more to his liking.
Putting a more versatile power forward next to star DeMarcus Cousins is the main thing Sacramento will look to address, according to Sporting News. Jason Thompson hasn't quite cut it as a starter, averaging 5.6 points and 6.3 rebounds a game. Since the Kings don't have a first-round pick to trade, the likely package they could offer would be Thompson, Derrick Williams and last year's first-round pick, Nik Stauskas.
Milwaukee's Ersan Ilyasova is a possible stretch forward candidate, but if the Bucks and Kings can't find an agreement, Sacramento may look to deal with Denver, Karl's former team. Sactown Royalty has some interest in the idea of Arron Afflalo joining the Kings.
As such, even if the Kings don't trade for Afflalo this week, he could be a player that they give a serious look at this offseason if he is a free agent. He'd be a big upgrade to a team that is lacking shooting (he's a career 38.4% three point shooter and had two years above 40% with Karl) and depth.
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There's almost certainly going to be a trade or two for this team before Karl coaches his first game on Feb. 20th, and acquiring a guy like Afflalo would probably be a bigger splash than most people are expecting. Still, this team could use a veteran player like him, and if Sacramento does better than expected over these last 30 games, they could have a good opportunity to re-sign him this summer.
SB Nation presents: Three ways to fix the dunk contest
Nelson has now played for three NBA teams in less than two months since being traded for Rajon Rondo in December. He could be headed to his fourth before next Thursday's trade deadline, as both Washington and Miami are rumored to have interest in the 33-year-old point guard.
Nelson started in Dallas and was underwhelming, but not terrible. In 11 games with Denver, he's scoring nine points and dishing 4.5 assists per game. While he's not a starter on a playoff team, he could definitely provide depth to a team in the hunt.
The Nelson-for-Blair trade seems like the only scenario that would make sense for the Wizards. Given Blair's struggles in Washington this year, it might be a move that both he and the Wizards would welcome. Plus, it would allow the Wizards to shore up their guard depth with another ball-handler, and at the same time keep a roster spot open to address another need, if they so chose.
Trail Blazers still actively looking to improve roster
Portland still has interest in making a trade with Denver (likely for Afflalo or Wilson Chandler) or acquiring a free agent big man, either current free agent Jermaine O'Neal or possible buyout candidateAmar'e Stoudemire.
O'Neal has been a candidate to sign with Dallas for some time now because he and his family live there, while it was reported the Mavericks are also favorites for Stoudemire should he hit the open market. Dallas has said it'd be interested in signing both veterans, but there's still time for Portland to get in the mix on one or the other.
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It's Valentine's Day and let's face it, you procrastinated once again. Well don't worry friend, because If there's one thing we know about here at StR... it's romance.
Great news Kings fans. This year you won't need to put on pants and make the last minute trek to CVS to buy a bucket rose and a Ziggy card. You can be a hero this Valentine's Day by simply printing out one of these Kings-themed Valentines and giving it that special someone in your life.
Warning: May Cause Extreme Intimacy (You're Welcome)
This Valentine's Day, Nik Stauskas wants to make you a Belieber.
Jason Thompson's been around the block a couple of times but he's still got room in his heart for you.
Don't take chances. Stick with the steady hand of Darren Collison this Valentine's Day.
Rudy Gobert shining brighter than Trey Burke and Dante Exum; Kevin Hart is the 4x Celeb game MVP; Max Ergul isn't great; Tyrone Corbin coaches as he played; and the 2015 Hall of Fame class
I love how crazy things are in Utah Jazz land right now. The most unlikely star, in terms of previous exposure, ends up being the one whose stock rose the most in the Rising Stars challenge:
Player A: #3 in ROY voting, Rookie of the Month (3x), All NBA Rookie 1st Team, NBA Skills Challenge Champion, NCAA Division I Player of the Year (NCAA, AP, Sports Illustrated, NABC, USBWA, Big 10 Conf), All American 1st Team (Consensus, AP, Sports Illustrated, CBS Sports, Sporting News, NABC, USBWA, Big 10 Conference, State Farm, Lute Olson), Naismith Award winner, John R. Wooden Award winner, Oscar Robertson Trophy, Bob Cousy Award winner, Big 10 Freshman of the year, Ohio Mr. Basketball, Four star recruit out of high school, team traded up for him with two 1st round picks
Player B: Teen aged national team member, selected #5 right out of high school, various National TV ads for big companies like Adidas and Footlocker even BEFORE being drafted, lots of pre-draft hype, did not have to play at the NBA Draft combine, just take questions
Player C: Late 1st round pick, from a 2nd tier International league, draft team traded him away for table scraps
Player A is obviously Trey Burke, and B is Dante Exum. The two lotto picks do well in front of the camera, and by now must be getting used to all the attention. Player C is the guy who many felt should have been MVP of the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge . . . . Rudy Gobert. Ideally all three will turn into stars, and help Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors do their thing. This season has been so topsy-turvy that it only makes sense that Gobert wowed everyone. He has been playing great all season long, and is on a really long hot streak. He finished last season (when he could get on the court) with confidence, and that confidence only rose and rose with his great play in Las Vegas and then in the FIBA World Cup. Right now Gobzilla (a name which he likes, and apparently gave himself years ago) can one day become the best two-way center in franchise history.
Our two starry point guards? Time will tell. All in all, two of these guys are 22, and one is 19. If they are going to turn into stars they still have a long time to burn.
And Jazz fans, check out Moni's excellent site Jazzfanatical.wordpress.com for even more awesome All-Star Weekend pictures, videos, and quotes!
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You may or may not care, but the Celebrity game was also last night, and it finished with a 57-51 win for the West. Kevin Hart was the MVP, and he kinda got schooled at times by little league star Mo'Ne Davis, a 15 year old girl. NBA.com 's Lang Whitaker writes:
Early on, Hart and Little League star Mo'Ne Davis battled one-on-one, in a matchup that appeared to pit equals -- well, at least their heights -- against each other. Hart managed to get to the basket often, and finished with 15 points in 29 minutes. Hart's signature play may have happened halfway through the third quarter, when he battled Arcade Fire lead singer Win Butler for a rebound and nearly flipped the much taller Butler. Atlanta Dream guard Shoni Schimmel added 17 for the East.
The West presented a balanced attack, with 13 apiece from Diggins and Grizzlies owner Robert Pera, as well as 8 each from Butler, Hall of Famer Chris Mullin, and actor Jesse Williams, who left the game early after suffering what appeared to be a leg injury. Pera was the game's leading scorer at the half, with 8 points on 4-for-5 shooting. Pera, 36 years old, has never been shy of promoting his love for the game, once publicly challenging Tony Allen to a game of one-on-one.
Following the game, Hart announced his retirement. "It's my fourth MVP," he said. "I can't do no more."
This game is usually horrible, but somehow it was played at Madison Square Garden. And well, I guess that's fitting as New York Knicks fans are used to watching bad basketball, and paying a lot of money to see it live. In the other side show of this event, the Indian dude, an Actor from Bollywood who has never -- to me -- displayed any hint that he even plays the game, did not play well. That is not a surprise. I do know that he is a huge Kobe Bryant fan, and has a lot of fans all over the world.
Perfect. I couldn't have said it any better myself.
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Who is worse at his job, Enes Kanter's agent Max Ergul, or Barry Zuckerkorn, the fictional lawyer of the Bluth Family from the TV show Arrested Development?
George Karl has reached an agreement in principle to become the next coach of the Sacramento Kings, general manager Pete D'Alessandro announced Thursday.
Terms have not been released, but Karl, an ESPN analyst, will get a four-year deal worth an estimated $15 million, sources said. The Kings will hold a formal news conference when the deal is finalized after All-Star Weekend.
Karl, who is attending a private funeral service for former North Carolina coach Dean Smith on Thursday, will take over as Tyrone Corbin's successor and Sacramento's third coach of the season starting next week.
Corbin was relieved of his duties Thursday, but will remain with the Kings in an advisory role, D'Alessandro said in a statement. Corbin had a 7-21 record since taking over after the Kings abruptly fired Mike Malone in mid-December.
The Sacramento Kings announced this morning that Tyrone Corbin has been relieved of his coaching duties, thus learning the valuable lesson of maybe not saying things like "he's our coach for the rest of the season" or "we're going to make the playoffs with Tyrone".
This news was expected, and as the common parlance places it; yes, Ty Corbin was fired from another coaching job. I love how the Kings made such sweeping statements when they announced that he would succeed Mike Malone; but it reminds me of the whole "Stand on Jerry Sloan 's shoulders" song and dance number we all bought a ticket for.
Corbin is an NBA-Lifer, and will stay on his feet, even if his position changes make him wobble at times. For those keeping score at home he has now been a part of the coaching staffs of an NBA-DL team, the New York Knicks, the Utah Jazz (assistant and head), and Sacramento Kings (assistant and head). Verily, his coaching career mirrors his playing career.
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The Class of 2015 Basketball Hall of Fame Finalists were announced today as well. They are:
The Hall of Fame also announced Saturday that ABA star Louie Dampier, Australian national team coach Lindsay Gaze, former Boston Celtics coach Tom Heinsohn [already elected as a player], former New York Rens player John Isaacs and former college coach and current Nike executive George Raveling have already been elected for induction and will be part of an enshrinement ceremony in August.
In addition to the nominees, the Hall of Fame announced that NBA executive Rod Thorn will receive the John W. Bunn lifetime achievement award. Photographer Rich Clarkson and University of North Carolina broadcaster Woody Durham were named as recipients of the Hall of Fame's Curt Gowdy Award.
Great, Bavetta in the HOF? Yuck. I don't know how the voting process goes for the finalists, and I do know that some or many of these guys may not make the Hall. Which of the finalists do you think SHOULD be a lock for the Hall?
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I love how crazy things are in Utah Jazz land right now. The most unlikely star, in terms of previous exposure, ends up being the one whose stock rose the most in the Rising Stars challenge:
You may or may not care, but the Celebrity game was also last night, and it finished with a 57-51 win for the West. Kevin Hart was the MVP, and he kinda got schooled at times by little league star Mo'Ne Davis, a 15 year old girl. 
Who is worse at his job, 
The Sacramento Kings have fired 
The Class of 2015 Basketball Hall of Fame Finalists were announced today as well. They are:
