Category: Sacramento Kings Blog

When a player is on fire like Rudy Gay is lately, there’s reason for optimism, even if it is just the warm-up period that is NBA preseason. Here’s the Sacramento Bee reporting:

Rudy Gay looks comfortable in George Karl’s system.

For the second consecutive preseason game, Gay shot 10 of 13, this time tallying 26 points as the Kings defeated the San Antonio Spurs 95-92 Thursday night at Sleep Train Arena.

Gay has hit 8 of 10 three-point attempts in the past two games. He made 2 of 3 beyond the arc on Thursday.

“He wasn’t shooting the ball very well for most of training camp,” said Karl, the Kings’ coach. “He didn’t play very well in Portland (on Monday). I think it was just pride that he said he wanted to come out and start playing better.”

Here’s the Sacramento Bee reporting on the Kings, who like the league’s other 29 teams are just getting their feet wet in preseason:

Darren Collison missed a three-pointer that would have given the Kings the lead with 3.8 seconds to play, and Sacramento fell to 1-1 in the preseason with a 102-98 loss to the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena.

The Kings committed 21 turnovers. Kings coach George Karl said many of them were unforced errors.

“I think we’ve had 40 turnovers in two nights and bet 60 percent, 70 percent are unforced,” Karl said. “Some of that’s not knowing each other; some of that’s trying to do a little bit too much in a crowd, putting yourself in difficult decision-making places. I think we’ll get better at it.”

Rudy Gay led the Kings with 30 points. He made 10 of 13 shots, including 7 of 8 on three-pointers. DeMarcus Cousins added 15 points on 3-for-12 shooting and eight rebounds. T.J. Warren and Jon Leuer led Phoenix (1-0) with 17 points apiece.

Marco Belinelli scores 32 in preseason win for Kings

Here’s the Sacramento Bee reporting on the Kings in NBA preseason, which is a mere tuneup for the regular season but still useful as a gage to see which players are in shape, or may have added something to their game, etc:

The plan was not to play anyone in the rotation anywhere near 30 minutes, but Marco Belinelli and Darren Collison forced Kings coach George Karl to re-evaluate.

Belinelli scored a game-high 32 points and Collison had 21 points and 10 assists to lead the Kings to a 109-105 overtime win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night at Moda Center. It was the preseason opener for both teams.

After a slow start by the Kings, the bench, led by Collison and Belinelli, outscored the Blazers’ reserves 29-15 in the fourth quarter to force overtime.

Here’s the Sacramento Bee reporting on the Kings, whose new point guard Rajon Rondo is reportedly trying to step up early as a leader and mentor. Rondo is coming off an extremely disappointing season, so it’ll be interesting to see how he bounces back, especially in a new environment:

Even on a day at training camp when he sat out because of an injury, Rondo couldn’t be still or keep quiet. He walked around the court at UC San Diego’s Rimac Arena, pointing out spots on the floor where David Stockton might be able to better execute a play.

After Saturday’s practice, Rondo asked assistant coaches to help him show teammates how to run a set properly.

The Kings signed the four-time All-Star to a one-year deal to help them solidify the point guard spot and boost an offense short on players adept at passing.

Rondo already has taken the reins as a vocal leader, something the Kings have lacked for years.

“He’s a guy who just talks, talks, talks and tries to make the team better,” said forward Rudy Gay, who has known Rondo since high school. “That’s what you need out of your point guard.”

Here’s the Sacramento Bee providing insight on a key Kings big man:

One player whom coach George Karl has raved about during training camp says he can help the Kings’ offense without scoring or making an assist.

Kosta Koufos says a good screen can be just as important as finding an open shooter, which he learned by dedication to his craft.

“Patience, experience and just being efficient – those little things (translate) to big things.” Koufos said after Friday’s practice at UC San Diego. “If you’re rolling to the basket and you’re not getting the ball, you’re still getting other guys open on the wings. Little things like that carry over in the long run.”

Koufos wasn’t Sacramento’s flashiest free-agent signing during the offseason. The 7-foot, 265-pound center enters his eighth season averaging 5.4 points and 4.7 rebounds. But Koufos’ patience in refining his game could prove to be exactly what the Kings need. His presence on offense could allow DeMarcus Cousins more freedom to play away from the basket.

Minutes  may be tough to come by, however

Here’s the Sacramento Bee reporting on new Kings guard Seth Curry, brother of Stephen, who now has his best opportunity so far to solidify himself as a true NBA’er:

Seth Curry can relax a little, right?

Since going undrafted out of Duke in 2013, the 6-foot-2 guard has played in the NBA Development League and had brief stints in Memphis, Cleveland and Phoenix.

He now has a two-year guaranteed contract for $1.96 million with the Kings, assuring he will be on the opening night roster against the Los Angeles Clippers. But that’s not how Curry, the younger brother of Golden State star Stephen Curry, is approaching the season.

“I wouldn’t say more relaxed,” Curry said after Thursday’s practice at UC San Diego. “I think it just gives me a sense of trying to fit in with the team and find my role instead of just trying to make the team. But I still have the same sense of urgency that I’ve had in the past.”

Curry caught the Kings’ attention with a spectacular showing during summer league in Las Vegas, where he averaged 24.3 points for New Orleans. Curry impressed with his savvy and perimeter shooting, two assets coveted by Kings general manager Vlade Divac while revamping the roster.

A prove-it year for Rajon Rondo

Here’s the Boston Herald discussing former Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo, who now finds himself on the the Sacramento Kings, and lower on the league-wide point guard hierarchy than in the past:

Rajon Rondo fully had expected to be the object of a free agent bidding war and come out of this offseason with a maximum contract from a marquee team of his choosing.

Instead, the former Celtics point guard has a one-year, $9.5 million deal — a paycut of nearly $3.5 million — from Sacramento and the burden of proof squarely on his slender shoulders.

And maybe that’s the best possible outcome for Rondo under the circumstances.

Things didn’t work out in a colossal crash-and-burn manner in Dallas after he was dealt there last December. And while we’ve reported that a number of league sources lay a portion of blame for that with coach Rick Carlisle, it is incumbent upon Rondo to find a way to make this work with the Kings. That there already have been issues between George Karl and DeMarcus Cousins may not make it easy, but those who decide how to spend their team’s money when the salary cap rises next summer will very much want to know how Rondo navigates these waters.

Here’s the Sacramento Bee with news on the Kings broadcast team:

Former Kings guard Doug Christie, who played 15 NBA seasons, has joined Comcast SportsNet California as an analyst for the team’s pregame and postgame shows.

Christie will team with returning anchor Guy Haberman and analyst Bobby Jackson, another former Kings guard.