Sacramento Kings Blog – Page 49 – NBA Blog

DeMarcus Cousins enters pivotal week

This is when it starts, this new day for DeMarcus Cousins.

His return visit with the U.S. national team – the chance to enhance his prospects as a future Olympian – is also his latest and perhaps best opportunity to obliterate the past and sketch a more favorable, embraceable image.

The suspensions. The locker room feuds. The verbal tangle with a television analyst. The communication dust-up a year ago with the USA Basketball czar.

With issue-free participation in this week’s minicamp, Cousins redirects his career. He wins over his critics, empowers his advocates and delivers a strong message to his new bosses and his curious fans back in Sacramento.

But he has decisions to make and thoughts to be shared. He has undertaken a strange vow of silence – his feelings about the dramatic developments in Sacramento are unclear – while his new agent (Dan Fegan) privately seeks a five-year maximum contract before the Oct. 31 deadline.

Reported by Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee

DeMarcus Cousins aims to become a better defender

Cousins will return to Las Vegas next week as part of the USA Basketball minicamp.

Cousins did not speak with the media, except for an interview on NBA TV. He was asked about the changes to ownership, the front office and coaching staff as he enters his fourth NBA season.

“To be honest, we came into every season with something to deal with,” Cousins said. “Just make the best of it and try to stay focused and play your game.”

Cousins said he continues to work on his overall game but with a special emphasis.

“I really want to improve the defensive end this year,” Cousins said. ” … That’s my main thing – just being better on the defensive end.”

Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee

Carl Landry signs four-year deal for $26 million to return to Kings

Kings principal owner Vivek Ranadive was pleased with the team’s first free-agent signing since his group took over in May.

It also helps that Ranadive knows Carl Landry well. He signed a four-year, $26 million contract Monday.

Ranadive saw Landry up close as a minority owner with the Warriors last season and spoke highly of Landry as a player and person.

“(Landry) is symbolic of the new era of the Kings – Kings 3.0,” Ranadive said. “Excellence on the court, excellence off the court. To me, the power forward position is a 21st-century position. It’s a big man with skills, and Carl is really the personification of everything that is good about our sport.”

Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee

Kings to meet with Greg Oden tonight

The Kings will meet with center Greg Oden tonight, The Bee has confirmed.

Oden was the first overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, but has played in just 82 games in his career to due various injuries.

Oden did not play in the NBA last season.

The Kings would already have 14 players under contract for the 2013-14 season after signing Carl Landry this morning and adding rookies Ben McLemore and Ray McCallum.

Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee (Blog)

Mbah a Moute likes new home with Kings

“I kind of saw from afar a new owner, a new coach, and I saw the moves they were making,” [Luc] Mbah a Moute said. And I was one of the moves that they were making.

“When I found out I was a part of it, I was really excited. I feel like I fit right in. What I bring to the team is something the team needs and values, and I’m looking forward to it.”

Mbah a Moute was acquired for his defense. The Kings were bad in most defensive categories last season and allowed a league-worst 105.1 points per game.

The 6-foot-8, 230-pound Mbah a Moute is expected to play small forward, adding length on the perimeter defensively.

Mbah a Moute, who averaged 6.7 points last season, said he continues to work on his offense and becoming a player who can make the corner three-pointer. He shot 35.1 percent from beyond the arc last season.

Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee

Bucks trade Luc Richard Mbah a Moute to Kings

The Milwaukee Bucks have traded forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (6-8, 230) to the Sacramento Kings, General Manager John Hammond announced today. The Bucks will receive the more favorable of two 2016 second round draft picks (Sacramento’s own pick or one acquired from New Orleans) and future considerations from the Kings in the transaction.

A five-year NBA veteran, Mbah a Moute appeared in 58 games (45 starts) last season and averaged 6.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per contest. Drafted by Milwaukee in the second round (37th overall) of the 2008 NBA Draft, the 26-year old native of Cameroon has played in 335 career games for Milwaukee with averages of 6.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists, while shooting 46.0 percent from the field and 67.9 percent from the free throw line.

Sacramento Kings still seek a small forward

The Kings had a plan at the start of free agency July 1 in their quest for a new small forward: Go after Andre Iguodala, the best available player at the position in this year’s market.

But by the following night, the Kings had moved on.

Iguodala hesitated about accepting the Kings’ offer of $52 million for four years, and the Kings, unwilling to wait for him to commit, pulled the offer and focused on other priorities. Last week, Iguodala agreed to join the Warriors.

Now, a week after free agency began, the Kings’ small forward position looks a lot like it did last season.

Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee

Kings, Carl Landry agree to four-year deal

Carl Landry knows the “new” Kings better than most players.

Landry played for coach Michael Malone while he was an assistant coach in his previous two jobs at New Orleans and Golden State.

Landry also is familiar with principal owner Vivek Ranadive, a former Warriors minority owner. And point guard Greivis Vasquez was a teammate of Landry’s in New Orleans.

So when Sacramento reached out to the 29-year-old free-agent forward, Landry jumped at the chance to return, agreeing to a four-year, $26 million contract Saturday.

The six-year veteran officially can sign Wednesday, when the league moratorium on transactions is lifted.

Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee

Tyreke Evans says he wanted to stay with Kings

Tyreke Evans said it still hasn’t fully set in that at the start of his fifth NBA season he will not be a King.

His hope when free agency began July 1 was that he would reach an agreement to stay in Sacramento. Instead, Evans will head to New Orleans in a sign-and-trade on Wednesday, when the NBA moratorium on transactions is lifted.

“It’s been interesting just going through the process figuring out what was going to happen,” Evans said. “But at the end of the day, it was business. We (agent Arn Tellem and Evans’ family) did what was best for my career. We definitely wanted to stay in Sac, but that didn’t work out, so I have an opportunity to go to New Orleans.”

Evans will sign a four-year contract worth $44 million, the sum New Orleans offered him as a restricted free agent, and be dealt to the Pelicans in a three-team trade that will bring point guard Greivis Vasquez to Sacramento.

Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee

Tyreke Evans plans to meet with Hawks

Is Tyreke Evans starter-worthy in the NBA? Or would he be better as a sixth man? Ponder that as you read the latest free agency report regarding Evans:

After meeting with the Kings and Detroit Pistons Monday, Kings restricted free agent guard Tyreke Evans plans to meet with the Atlanta Hawks Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Evans has a four-year offer worth at least $44 million from the New Orleans Pelicans that he has not agreed to accept. Should Evans accept the offer and sign an offer sheet July 10 when the league moratorium on deals ends, the Kings would have three days to match the offer.

If the Kings do not match the offer they would lose Evans without compensation.

Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee (Blog)