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NBA free agency: Pelicans meet with Tyreke Evans

NBA free agency began today, with negotiations now, and signings starting in nine days. And the Hornets — excuse me — the New Orleans Pelicans — immediately expressed interest in Tyreke Evans.

Kings guard Tyreke Evans, a restricted free agent, met with the New Orleans Pelicans in Los Angeles on Sunday night, shortly after the free-agency period opened at 9:01 p.m. PDT, The Bee has learned.

Evans’ agent, Arn Tellum, is based in Southern California.

The Kings extended a qualifying offer to Evans last week, worth $6.9 million for the upcoming season. The 6-foot-6 shooting guard can negotiate with other teams and sign an offer sheet, and the Kings have until July 10 to match an offer or negotiate a sign-and-trade deal. The Pelicans could send point guard Greivis Vasquez or shooting guard Eric Gordon.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/07/01/5536297/kings-notes-evans-meets-with-pelicans.html#mi_rss=Kings/NBA#storylink=cpy

Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee

Kings enter NBA draft with little preparation time

From owner to general manager to coach, no other NBA management team has had as little time to prepare for the draft this year as the Sacramento Kings.

The Kings have had so much turmoil and turnover since the season ended that focusing on the future has been an ever-present process of acceleration. The uncertainty that clouded the franchise for so long hit its peak May 21, when Keith Smart represented the Kings at the draft lottery at the request of the Maloof family.

Smart has since been fired as coach and replaced by Mike Malone. Pete D’Alessandro took over as general manager for Geoff Petrie last week. And new owner Vivek Ranadive has wiped away just about every memory of the Maloofs inside Sacramento’s suburban arena as part of the franchise’s ”new era.”

The Kings can begin adding to that next chapter on the court come Thursday night, when they have the seventh and 36th overall picks in the draft.

”I see real potential in this draft,” D’Alessandro said.

Reported by Antonio Gonzalez of the Associated Press

Sacramento City Council puts aside $6.5 million for Kings arena

There was nothing preliminary about what the Sacramento City Council did Tuesday night.

By a 7-2 vote, the council agreed to set aside $6.5 million in public funding on a new downtown arena for the Sacramento Kings – the first large investment in a facility that city officials have touted as the most significant redevelopment project in the history of downtown.

The decision was the first push forward on a preliminary, nonbinding plan approved by the council in March to help finance a $448 million arena at the Downtown Plaza. That term sheet will not be formalized until the City Council votes on a final spending plan next year, following the conclusion of an environmental review of the arena project.

Still, Tuesday’s vote means the City Manager’s Office will immediately have $1.755 million to spend on a team of consultants as the intense predevelopment stage of the project begins. The remaining $4.7 million would be used on the arena’s eventual design and construction.

Reported by Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee

Revitalized Kings see surge in season ticket sales

The Kings basketball team has a new lease on life in Sacramento – with new owners, a new coach and plans for a new downtown arena. By week’s end, officials say they expect to have solid evidence that their fan following has dramatically swelled as well.

The team is opening Sleep Train Arena doors this week for season ticket holders to write checks and pick out their seats for next season.

More than 90 percent of last year’s season ticket holders have renewed, team spokesman Chris Clark said, and several thousand new season ticket buyers are expected to select seats as well today and Wednesday.

By Friday, Clark said the team may see season ticket sales approaching the numbers the team had in its playoff years.

Reported by Tony Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee

Kings keep Shareef Abdur-Rahim on staff

Whether in Denver or Sacramento, Pete D’Alessandro wanted to work with Shareef Abdur-Rahim.

Abdur-Rahim, a former Kings forward and NBA All-Star, was an assistant general manager under Geoff Petrie and is the only holdover from Petrie’s staff.

Abdur-Rahim and new assistant general manager Mike Bratz give D’Alessandro more of a staff than he had anticipated entering Thursday’s NBA draft.

“(Bratz was) the guy I wanted,” D’Alessandro said. “And when I thought I had a shot at the Denver job and I saw things going on here, to take it a step further, I actually wanted Shareef as well. I wanted to bring Mike and Shareef over there, and when I got the position over here, it’s just the way it lined up.”

Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee

Most-watched moments of NBA Finals Game 7 according to TiVo

According to TiVo Research and Analytics, the top 5 most-watched moments of Heat vs Spurs NBA Finals Game 7 were:

1. Game Clock 00:27:09 4th Quarter: On a crucial possession to put the game in reach, Manu Ginobili inbounds the ball to Tim Duncan. Duncan hands the ball back to Ginoboli who then streaks toward the baseline. Chris Bosh keeps Ginobili under the basket, forcing him to pass to Tim Duncan. LeBron James elevates and intercepts the pass, is fouled and is sent to the free throw line. LeBron makes both free throws increasing Miami’s lead by six.

2. Game Clock 00:39 4th Quarter: Miami has a chance to make it a two possession game with nearly 30 seconds to go. LeBron James gets the inbounds pass and calmly lets a few seconds come off the clock. James makes his move inside the 3-point line and pulls up for an 18 foot jump shot. Everyone in the arena is on their feet. The shot goes in and the stadium erupts in a sea of white and celebratory arm raises. “The King” brings another trophy to Miami.

3. Game Clock 00:23:05 4th Quarter: Following LeBron’s two free throws, Manu Ginobili receives the baseline pass and hurries down the court for a long three point attempt. Dwyane Wade recovers the rebound and is quickly fouled by Danny Green. Wade makes the first free throw, and misses the second off the back of the rim. Shane Battier tips the ball back to Mario Chalmers. The Heat run the clock out to win back to back NBA Championships.

4. Game Clock 00:46 4th Quarter: With less than a minute left the Spurs have an outstanding opportunity to tie the game up. Tim Duncan has an extreme advantage on the mismatch between himself and Shane Battier. Duncan makes a move to his right hand and rises up in the paint. The shot that he has made in so many clutch situations over his career is off slightly to the right. He gets another opportunity when he reaches over Battier for the tip back but is too strong and air balls.

5. Game Clock 3:19 4th Quarter: Following the quick transition basket, Tim Duncan has a chance to redeem himself for the unfortunate turnover, and delivers. After posting up on Chris Bosh in the paint, Duncan throws up an off-balance one handed floater, banks it in, and gets the foul (makes his free throw).

DeMarcus Cousins not discussing the Kings

So how does Cousins feel about the Kings’ new regime?

There was a pause, followed by a “no comment” and a chuckle from the 22-year-old center, who’s entering his fourth season in the NBA.

Cousins, who usually has a lot to say, is back in Sacramento this week, hosting the DeMarcus Cousins Elite Skills Camp for youths that began Wednesday and ends Friday.

The smile on his face and the rolling of his eyes showed how hard it is for Cousins to play the silent role. But he has to.

His agent, Dan Fegan, has instructed Cousins not to speak on anything relating to the Kings team, management or ownership.

Cousins is eligible for a contract extension this summer, and Fegan wants a maximum deal for his client with the threat of a trade demand looming if a deal isn’t reached.

So even with all the kind words thrown his way, Cousins is keeping quiet about the Kings. Cousins did post a congratulatory Twitter message to the city of Sacramento and Mayor Kevin Johnson once it became official the Kings would not relocate to Seattle.

Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee

Sacramento Kings say goodbye to various employees

Shortly after the Kings announced the hiring of general manager Pete D’Alessandro, the restructuring of the organization’s business and basketball departments resumed.

As expected, several employees who worked under basketball president Geoff Petrie were released, including his son, assistant basketball vice president Mike Petrie, basketball vice president Wayne Cooper, scouting director Scotty Stirling, video coordinator Joe Cook, security guard Joe Nolan, property manager Steve Schmidt and administrative assistant Sheli Gottlieb.

The biggest surprise might have been media relations spokesman Devin Blankenship, a native Sacramentan who had been with the franchise for 13 years.

During the final months of the Maloofs’ majority ownership, when employees were fleeing by the dozens, anticipating a move to Seattle instead of a sale to the Vivek Ranadive group that meant the team would stay in Sacramento, Blankenship earned praise for his consistently helpful and professional manner.

Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee

Pete D’Alessandro to be new general manager of Sacramento Kings

In a surprise twist, Nuggets assistant general manager Pete D’Alessandro, considered a top candidate for the Denver GM job, instead has agreed to take the GM job with the Sacramento Kings. Nuggets president Josh Kroenke confirmed the report tweeted by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.

The Kings, under new ownership, have a revitalized spirit and are have been looking to lock in budding talent such as D’Alessandro and coach Mike Malone.

It’s unclear what direction the Nuggets will go now. One name floated out is Tony Di Leo, a former Philadelphia executive.

Previously asked about D’Alessandro, friend and former Golden State exec Chris Mullin said: “He’s the ideal guy. He’s got the experience now and he’s the whole package. He’s like one of the players that you don’t see coming, like (the Pacers’) Paul George, a star in the making. He knows his strengths, he empowers people around him. I loved working with him.”

Reported by Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post

Larry Bird not looking to become general manager of Kings

Hall of Fame forward Larry Bird, who discussed the Kings’ general manager vacancy with new owner Vivek Ranadive and was said to be at least mildly intrigued, told team officials he is no longer interested.

Bird sat out the 2012-13 season and is considering a return to the Indiana Pacers – where he has an open invitation to resume his role as the team’s top basketball executive – or to extend his sabbatical for personal and health reasons.

Bird, 56, was the highest-profile candidate on Ranadive’s wish list. Ranadive is continuing to speak with a number of people about the team’s most important front-office position. He has already interviewed Chris Wallace, Travis Schlenk, David Morway, Mike Dunleavy and Chris Mullin, among others.

Reported by Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee