Category: Sacramento Kings Blog

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Sacramento Kings sign Ade Murkey to a 10-day contract

The Sacramento Kings have signed guard Ade Murkey to a 10-day contract, according to General Manager Monte McNair.

Undrafted in the 2020 NBA Draft, Murkey is averaging 11.8 points (.436 FG%, .475 3pt%, 818 FT%), 3.0 rebounds and 27.0 minutes in 12 games for Sacramento’s NBA G League affiliate, Stockton Kings. He has earned this season’s first GATORADE Call-Up from Stockton. In 2021, Murkey also participated on Sacramento’s California Classic and Las Vegas Summer League rosters.

The 6-5, 225-pound University of Denver product accrued collegiate averages of 10.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 23.4 minutes per game in 118 games (88 starts) with the Pioneers. As a senior, Murkey was named Second Team All-Summit League and led the league in scoring in league games with an average of 22.1 points per game.

Kings sign Emmanuel Mudiay to a 10-day contract

The Sacramento Kings have signed guard Emmanuel Mudiay to a 10-day contract, according to General Manager Monte McNair.

Selected as the seventh overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets, Mudiay has accrued career averages of 11.0 points (.401 FG%, .323 3pt%, .744 FT%), 2.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 23.9 minutes per game in 300 games (165 starts) with three teams: Denver (2015-18), New York (2017-18) and Utah (2019-20).

Sacramento Kings sign Justin Robinson to a 10-day contract

The Sacramento Kings signed guard Justin Robinson to a 10-day contract today.

Robinson has appeared in 35 games through three seasons with Washington (2019-20), Oklahoma City (2020-21) and Milwaukee (2021-22). During the 2020-21 season, he accrued averages of 15.5 points, 6.0 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 15.5 minutes per game through 13 games with the Philadelphia 76ers G League affiliate, Delaware Blue Coats.

Robinson went undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft following four years at Virginia Tech, earning ACC All-Second Team honors during his junior season.

Kings center Richaun Holmes undergoes eye surgery

Sacramento Kings center Richaun Holmes underwent a successful procedure today at Kaiser Permanente to repair a right eye laceration. The injury was sustained during the second quarter of Wednesday night’s contest versus Orlando.

Additionally, Holmes underwent concussion screening and was subsequently cleared of any concussive event.

Holmes will be listed as out for the team’s next two games at Charlotte and at Cleveland

Sacramento Kings fire head coach Luke Walton

Today, Sacramento Kings General Manager Monte McNair announced that Luke Walton has been relieved of his duties as head coach of the team and Alvin Gentry has been named interim head coach.

“After a thorough evaluation of the season thus far, I decided to make a change to the head coach position,” said Kings General Manager Monte McNair. “I want to thank Luke for his efforts and contributions to our team.”

Per the Sacramento Bee, “the Kings went 5-4 to start the season despite playing the most difficult early schedule in the NBA, but they have lost seven of their last eight games to fall to 6-11. “Fire Luke Walton” chants were heard inside Golden 1 Center on Friday and Saturday during blowout losses to the Toronto Raptors and Utah Jazz. Kings owner Vivek Ranadive sat in his usual courtside seat during both games, flanked by President of Business Operations John Rinehart and Chief Operating Officer Matina Kolokotronis. Ranadive was seen peering over at the Sacramento bench at times, even when the Kings had the ball at the other end of the court.”

Gentry brings more than 35 years of experience to the Sacramento bench. Prior to the Kings, Gentry most recently served as head coach for the New Orleans Pelicans (2015-20). Gentry also has head coaching stops with the Miami Heat (1995), Detroit Pistons (1997-2000), Los Angeles Clippers (2000-2003) and Phoenix Suns (2008-2013). In 1,105 games, Gentry has garnered a career record of 510-595 (.462).

Walton was named head coach of the Kings in April 2019 after spending three years as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. During his time with the Kings, he coached the team to a record of 68-93 (.422).

Sacramento Kings exercise contract option on Tyrese Haliburton

The Sacramento Kings have exercised their 2022-23 option on guard Tyrese Haliburton.

Selected by the Kings with the 12th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft out of Iowa State, Haliburton garnered 2020-21 NBA All-Rookie First Team honors as he accrued averages of 13.0 points (.472 FG%, .409 3pt%, .857 FT%), 3.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.3 steals, and 30.1 minutes per game in 58 games (20 starts) during his rookie campaign.

Haliburton ranked third amongst all rookies in scoring (13.0 ppg), second in assists (5.3), sixth in field goal percentage (.472), third in three-point field goal percentage (.409), second in steals (1.3) and third in minutes (30.1) per game. The Oshkosh, Wisc. native was named back-to-back Western Conference Rookie of the Month for the months of December/January as well as for the month of February.

In G League, Stockton Kings make multiple hirings

The Stockton Kings, NBA G League affiliate of the Sacramento Kings, announce the completion of Bobby Jackson’s coaching staff and multiple hirings within the Basketball Operations group.

Will Scott is tabbed as the Associate Head Coach after spending the past two seasons as the Head Video Coordinator and Player Development Coach under Kings Head Coach Luke Walton. Prior to joining the Kings, Scott served as the Head Video Coordinator with Coach Walton and the Los Angeles Lakers (2016-19). The Indiana University alum began his NBA career with the Lakers in 2011-12, starting in the video room with the L.A. and South Bay Lakers, going on to serve eight seasons with the organization in several capacities.

Jimmy Alapag is named an Assistant Coach after most recently serving as the head coach for Alab Pilipinas of the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) in the Philippines. Alapag, a Filipino-American native of San Bernadino, Calif., played 14 seasons in the Philippines and enjoyed a storied career as a six-time Philippines Basketball Association (PBA) champion, two-time PBA Finals MVP, PBA MVP in 2011 and an 11-time PBA All-Star. As a head coach, Alapag won the ABL championship in 2018.

Akachi Okugo joins the Stockton Kings as an Assistant Coach after spending the past four seasons in the player development department with the Sacramento Kings and was most recently named the Player Development Manager during the 2020-21 season. Okugo is a graduate of California State University, San Marcos where he was a basketball standout, ranking second in school history for threes made. He garnered Honorable Mention All-Conference as a senior.

Sydney Haydel will serve as Director of Basketball Operations for the Stockton Kings and Player Development Coordinator for Sacramento. Haydel will assist Paul Johnson, Kings Vice President of Player Development and General Manager of the Stockton Kings, and joins the Kings after spending the past five years at the NBA league office in the Basketball Strategy and Analytics department where she played a key role in the completion of the NBA restart bubble. Haydel, a former Division 1 athlete at the University of Hawaii, also taught basketball at the grassroots level around the globe working with the Jr. NBA teaching in India, China and Leading Youth Sports and Development (LYSD) while in West Africa.

Kaiti Jones will serve as the Performance Coach and Sport Scientist for the Kings. Jones arrives in Stockton after spending the previous five seasons at the University of Louisville and four of the five seasons as the women’s basketball strength and conditioning coach. At Louisville, Jones led the development, implementation and analysis of sport-specific preparation, training, assessment, testing, screening and monitoring for athletes. Jones will join Katie Babcock, who is returning to the Stockton Kings for her fourth season as the Head Athletic Trainer.

Sacramento Kings sign center Alex Len

The Sacramento Kings have signed center Alex Len.

“It is great to welcome Alex back to the Kings,” said McNair. “Alex will add toughness, competitiveness and experience while securing our front line depth.”

Len returns to the Kings averaging career marks of 7.8 points (.506 FG%, .332 3pt%, .685 FT%), 6.0 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 1.0 blocks and 19.1 minutes per game through 531 games (225 starts) for five teams: Phoenix (2013-18), Atlanta (2018-20), Sacramento (2019-20), Toronto (2020-21) and Washington (2020-21). In 64 games for both Toronto and Washington during the 2020-21 season, Len garnered averages of 6.6 points, (.615 FG%, .320 3pt%, .629 FT%), 4.1 rebounds, 1.0 blocks and 15.3 minutes per game.