Category: Sacramento Kings Blog

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Part-owner Shaq wants playoffs for Kings

Can the Sacramento Kings make the playoffs this season? Sure seems like a tough goal when you look at their roster. But new part-owner Shaquille O’Neal says a postseason spot is within the realm of possibility. Here’ the Sacramento Bee:

Part-owner Shaq wants playoffs for Kings

A postseason berth would be the franchise’s first since the 2005-06 season.

“Looking at the personnel here and the Western Conference, I think we can do it,” O’Neal said. “We can get a playoff spot. Our goal should be the playoffs.”

Bigs together – O’Neal said he will continue to work with DeMarcus Cousins, offering wisdom for the young center’s development on and off the court.

But only to a point.

“I won’t micromanage him,” O’Neal said. “He’s a young guy who is still growing up. I know he wants to be a great big man. I can show him the keys.”

Big victory for Sacramento is keeping the Kings

The big victory for the Kings in recent years, as far as Sacramento is considered, is that the team is still in town and did not wind up being relocated to Seattle or elsewhere. Here’s the Sacramento Bee:

Kings

Standing at center court in Sleep Train Arena on Wednesday night amid smoke from exploding fireworks, new Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, microphone in hand, uttered a few words.

“Sacramento, I have just one thing to say to you,” he said, pausing, his face a mask of seriousness. “This is your team. And it is here to stay.”

A standing-room-only crowd in Sleep Train Arena exploded in cheers. It was a moment many here thought just six months ago would never happen. And yet, the Kings hosted a noisy, purple-hued celebration Wednesday in Natomas, launching their 29th and most improbable season in Sacramento.

The game, which the Kings won 90-88 over the Denver Nuggets, capped a triumphant night.

Many in the crowd said they had come to bask in the fact that Sacramento had somehow, over the last three years, fended off serious attempts by two cities to take the team – both of which seemed, at points, to be done deals.

Assistant coach Brendan Malone leaves the Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings announced today the team has accepted the resignation of Assistant Coach Brendan Malone, effective immediately. No replacement will be made at this time and moving forward, Chris Jent will assume responsibilities as the lead assistant on Head Coach Michael Malone’s staff.

“As a veteran of 27 seasons in the NBA coaching ranks, Brendan brought a wealth of experience and knowledge to our organization, and we were all fortunate to have had an opportunity to work with him,” said Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro. “His departure is not indicative of a loss of passion for the game or his desire to help our franchise succeed, but rather a decision based on factors associated with the rigors of coaching in the NBA.”

“I’m thankful that I had my father on our staff during the summer and throughout training camp as I transitioned into a head coaching role,” said Michael Malone. “He was my father long before we became colleagues, and while I’ll miss his presence on the bench, he will always be an invaluable source of counsel on all matters basketball and otherwise.”

Malone Sr. joined the Kings in June after five seasons with the Orlando Magic under Head Coach Stan Van Gundy. During his tenure in Orlando, the Magic notched four straight seasons of 50 or more wins, three consecutive Southeast Division titles (2007-08 – 2009-10), and a 2009 NBA Finals appearance. Malone also worked under Hall of Famer Chuck Daly and was part of two NBA championships with the Detroit Pistons (1989 and 1990), where he orchestrated defensive sets to thwart Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. He spent seven seasons (1988-89 – 1994-95) with the Pistons before becoming the first-ever head coach of the expansion Toronto Raptors.

His coaching career includes three stints with the Knicks as an assistant coach (1986-87 – 1987-88, 1997-98 – 1999-00, and (2003-04). In between his second and third stays in New York, he served as an assistant coach with the Indiana Pacers for three seasons (2000-01 – 2002-03). In 1996, Malone worked as a consultant for the Seattle Supersonics during their run to the 1996 NBA Finals.

Kings forward Carl Landry out 3-4 months

Kings forward Carl Landry out 3-4 months

The Sacramento Kings need all the help they get. But their situation just got even tougher.

A recent MRI taken at Kaiser Permanente revealed that Kings forward Carl Landry suffered a tear in his left hip flexor muscle (rectus femoris) during a recent training camp practice. Surgery to repair the injury has been scheduled for Tuesday morning and will be performed by Dr. William Meyers in Philadelphia. Landry is expected to miss approximately three to four months of action.

A six-year NBA veteran in his second stint with the Kings, Landry is averaging 11.9 ppg (.536 FG%, .784 FT%) and 5.3 rpg in 389 career contests.

The Kings are going to struggle this upcoming season. Competing for a spot in the playoffs is not likely. And this just makes things even rougher.

DeMarcus Cousins operating down low is a total team effort

DeMarcus Cousins

Scoring around the rim isn’t as simple as telling DeMarcus Cousins to camp out 5 feet away and bully his way to the basket.

For Cousins to work better in the post, the entire offense has to flow, which it did in the Kings’ 104-86 exhibition win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.

Kings coach Michael Malone would like to play inside-out, with Cousins working as a facilitator for teammates in some halfcourt sets, but said it’s not only Cousins’ responsibility to post up and make something happen.

“We have to do a better job of occupying the defense when he does post up,” Malone said before Cousins collected 16 points and 12 rebounds against the Lakers. “We just can’t sit there.”

Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee

Rookie Ray McCallum fighting hard for Kings in preseason

The competition for minutes at point guard is in all likelihood still a two-man race between Isaiah Thomas and Greivis Vasquez.

But Kings coaches and management have remained pleased with the progress of the point guard Sacramento picked in the second round of June’s NBA draft, Ray McCallum.

Coach Michael Malone maintains McCallum is having one of the better showings in training camp, and his teammates have noticed, too.

McCallum had seven points, five assists, two steals and just one turnover in 18 minutes in the Kings’ loss Monday at Golden State in the preseason opener.

Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee

Kings starting lineup will change throughout preseason

NBA preseason is a time for experimentation. Like college. Only different.

demarcus cousins

DeMarcus Cousins starting at center was certain. The other four starters for Monday night’s preseason opener against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena were more of a mystery.

Kings coach Michael Malone started Isaiah Thomas and Marcus Thornton at guard with Jason Thompson and John Salmons at forward.

The only difference from the usual starting lineup in the second half of last season was Thornton in place of former King Tyreke Evans.

Malone reiterated that nothing should be read into Monday’s starting lineup.

“The starting lineup is going to change for all of our seven preseason games,” Malone said.”

Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee

Most teams have pretty clear-cut starters at most spots, but not the Kings, so the regular changes throughout preseason aren’t a surprise.

Shareef Abdur-Rahim is a busy man

Shareef Abdur-Rahim is a busy man

The lone front-office holdover from last season is a busy man.

Shareef Abdur-Rahim was an assistant general manager under Geoff Petrie and was retained by new general manager Pete D’Alessandro as director of player personnel.

Abdur-Rahim is also the general manager for the Kings’ D-League affiliate, the Reno Bighorns. Abdur-Rahim’s primary focus is on the Kings during training camp, but he is always monitoring players that might fit in with Reno.

“With Reno, we’re always in the process of keeping our eyes open in regard to guys who might fit what we’re doing here (with the Kings),” Abdur-Rahim said. “It’s a different process because we have to let what happens in the NBA training camps materialize first before you can really identify all your guys.”

Now that the Kings run the Bighorns, there is more emphasis on finding young players the Kings can develop in the D-League into contributors in Sacramento in the future.

Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee