Sacramento Kings Blog – Page 62 – NBA Blog

Kings extend qualifying offer to Jason Thompson

The Sacramento Kings today extended a qualifying offer to Jason Thompson, making him a restricted free agent, according to Kings President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie.

Thompson averaged 9.1 ppg (.535 FG, .602 FT), 6.9 rpg and 1.2 apg through 64 outings with the Kings last season, of which he started 47. He was selected by Sacramento with the 12th overall pick of the 2008 NBA Draft and is averaging 10.5 ppg (.498 FG, .663 FT), 7.2 rpg, and 1.3 apg over his four-year career.

In accordance with the league’s collective bargaining agreement, in order for a team to retain its right of first refusal with respect to a restricted free agent, the team must tender the player a qualifying offer prior to June 30. A restricted free agent may sign an offer sheet with any team, but is subject to a right of first refusal with the team for which the player last played.

Kings may not offer Tyreke Evans a contract extension

The team’s leading scorer is guard Marcus Thornton, who has three years left on his contract and is due approximately $24 million.

Tyreke Evans was the Rookie of the Year in the 2009-10 season. But heading into his fourth season, the Kings are not expected to offer him a contract extension, though he will be eligible for one this offseason.

John Salmons had one of the worst seasons of his career in 2011-12 before being benched. After that, he started showing flashes of the player the Kings traded for last June.

The Kings also have Francisco Garcia and Travis Outlaw under contract and still could re-sign Terrence Williams.

Even with all the players on the wing, none in the group is an established star and all could be challenged for his spot.

— Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee

Warriors plan move, new arena in San Francisco for 2017-18 season

Mayor Edwin M. Lee today announced that the Golden State Warriors plan to build a new sports and entertainment arena on the waterfront in San Francisco in time for the 2017-18 NBA season. The privately financed arena will be located at Piers 30-32 on San Francisco Bay, south of the Bay Bridge, between the Ferry Building and AT&T Park.

“We are working with the Warriors to get a state-of-the-art, multi-purpose arena built on the waterfront in San Francisco and completed in 2017,” said Lee. “The Warriors have been the Bay Area’s basketball team for 50 years, and today sets the stage for the Warriors to be the Bay Area’s team for another 50. This project will provide millions of dollars in new tax revenue for San Francisco over the long term for services local residents need, including public safety, parks, public transit, pothole repair, youth programs and senior services.”

“Building a world-class, state-of-the-art sports and entertainment facility will create thousands of new jobs for local residents,” said Warriors Co-Executive Chairman and CEO Joe Lacob. “We are pleased to be privately financing the arena – with no money from the City’s general fund and no new taxes – and look forward to providing an incredible entertainment experience for Bay Area fans.”

The new facility will host the Bay Area’s NBA basketball team, as well as provide a spectacular new venue for top-tier concerts, cultural events and conventions, prominent events the City currently cannot accommodate. The new arena will be located in an incredibly transit- and pedestrian-rich location, with a Muni Metro stop at its doorstep, and only a few blocks from Embarcadero Station and the new Transbay Transit Center.

“With convenient options for BART, Muni, CalTrain and ferry service, this will be one of the most transit-friendly facilities in the nation,” said Warriors Co-Executive Chairman Peter Guber. “We know that’s important for our fans and a real positive to this location.”

Under the agreement, the City will provide the land and the Warriors will pay to repair the crumbling piers, and privately finance the arena project. The cost of repairs is estimated at $75 to $100 million.

In addition to the creation of thousands of new jobs for Bay Area residents, the new arena will generate hundreds of millions of dollars in new economic growth and activity for the City.

“Games, concerts, conventions and other events will bring people from all over the region, and the money they spend will directly benefit local businesses,” said San Francisco Travel President & CEO Joe D’Alessandro.

Shareef Abdur-Rahim about to graduate with college degree in Sociology

Former NBA All-Star, 2000 Olympic gold medalist and third overall selection in the 1996 NBA Draft Shareef Abdur-Rahim can now add “college graduate” to his impressive resume.

Abdur-Rahim will graduate Monday, May 14 from the University of California at Berkeley – the school where he played his freshman season of NCAA basketball. He’ll receive his degree in Sociology having recorded a 3.8 grade point average.

Entering the NBA following his freshmen year at Cal, Abdur-Rahim continued to pursue his education through off-season summer courses as well as extension programs during his NBA playing schedule. He played 12 seasons in the NBA with the Vancouver Grizzlies, Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings.

Abdur-Rahim announced his retirement as a NBA player in September of 2008 and immediately joined the Kings coaching staff. After two years of coaching, he was promoted to the position of assistant general manager with the organization.

With education as his longstanding focus, Abdur-Rahim launched the Future Foundation in 2001 in his home state of Georgia. Through its mission, the foundation continues to provide support systems for Atlanta’s disadvantaged youth in order to increase their options for post-secondary education.

Since its inception 11 years ago, the foundation has enjoyed great success due to Abdur-Rahim’s support, guidance and passion for education. Future Foundation’s teen center in Atlanta boasts a 100 percent graduation rate.

“Much of my work outside basketball has been dedicated to my non-profit organization. The Future Foundation’s focus is to help young people reach their educational potential,” said Abdur-Rahim.

“Although I left Cal after only one year, it has always been my goal to complete my degree,” he said. “Receiving my degree will be an extremely proud moment for me and my family. I hope it will also help inspire many of the students our foundation proudly serves and encourages. “

Sacramento spent $680,000 in unsuccessful arena drive

The city of Sacramento spent $680,000 between September and April in its unsuccessful effort to build a sports and entertainment center in the railyard, according to an analysis to be presented to the City Council tonight.

The expenditures, preapproved by the council, include $8,000 in travel costs to Los Angeles, Dallas, Orlando, Fla., and New York where city officials attempted to negotiate agreements with the Kings, the NBA and private partners for a $391 million facility.

Those expenses do not include Mayor Kevin Johnson’s travel bills, which Johnson paid for himself, a city staff report indicates.

City officials said they knew in September when they asked the council for initial funding that the deal might not pan out, but felt the project was worth the investment.

— Reported by the Modesto Bee

Beno Udrih expected to exercise $7 million Bucks option

Earlier this season, Beno Udrih said he might not pick up the $7.32 million option on his contract for next season.

At the time, Udrih was obviously upset about his lack of playing time. Today, he still isn’t exactly a happy camper, especially considering he’s averaging only 18 minutes a game compared to 35 minutes last season when he played for Sacramento.

But Udrih fully realizes his market value has taken a major hit and that he wouldn’t come anywhere close to making $7 million as an unrestricted free agent this summer.

As such, Udrih, the Bucks’ second-highest paid player, said he will pick up the player option for next season.

— Reported by Gery Woelfel of the Journal Times

Charlotte Bobcats losing streak reaches 20 games

Jetlagged or not, the Sacramento Kings were determined not to be the team the Charlotte Bobcats beat to end their long losing streak.

The Kings made the most of a rare late-season cross country trip to the East coast and throttled the hapless Bobcats 114-88 Sunday night behind a dominant effort from DeMarcus Cousins, who had 29 points and 10 rebounds. It was Charlotte’s franchise-record 20th straight loss.

The Kings had lost nine of their previous 10 games, but this one was never in doubt as they scored 78 points inside the paint and led by 35 in the fourth quarter.

Cousins did most of the damage in the lane, but Tyreke Evans was masterful in slicing his way through a non-existent Bobcats defense, hitting 10 of 11 shots from the field – most of them on drives to the lane – and finishing with 22 points.

Jason Thompson flirted with a triple double, finishing with 14 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists for the Kings…

If the Bobcats (7-56) lose their final three games, they’ll finish with the worst winning percentage in league history. They travel to face Washington and Orlando before closing the regular season at home Thursday night against New York.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Former NBA player Dwayne Schintzius dead at age 43

Former NBA and University of Florida basketball player Dwayne Schintzius died Sunday afternoon from respiratory failure. He was 43.

The 7-foot-2 Schintzius, who starred at Brandon (Fla.) High School east of Tampa, had been battling complications from a bone marrow transplant he received as treatment for chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, the Tampa Tribune reported.

Schintzius played at Florida from 1987-90 and helped lead the Gators to their first three NCAA tournament appearances in school history (the first two were later vacated by the NCAA). Schintzius is sixth on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,624 points and still holds the school record for blocked shots (272). He was named an All-American by The Associated Press, UPI and the Sporting News in 1989 after averaging 18.0 points and 9.7 rebounds per game.

— Reported by Michael DiRocco of GatorNation/ESPN

Schintzius still became a first-round NBA pick, the 24th overall selection by the San Antonio Spurs in 1990. He also played for the Sacramento Kings, New Jersey Nets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers and Boston Celtics, averaging 2.7 points and 2.5 rebounds overall. But injuries haunted his nine-season NBA career. Off the court, Schintzius played the role of a Russian basketball player in the movie “Eddie,” a film that starred Whoopi Goldberg. Schintzius also played himself in an episode of the cable television series Arliss. He later worked in sports marketing while maintaining his free-spirited attitude. He recently published a fitness book.

— Reported by the Tampa Tribune

New Sacramento NBA arena update: Deal appears to be dead

Sacramento’s arena deal appears dead.

NBA Commissioner David Stern told reporters today the sides were “not able to make a deal,” adding “there’s nothing further to be done.”

“It’s not going to happen, but I can say the city has stepped up,” he said. “We have nothing further to give, to cajole, to yell, or all the various ways I’ve tried to keep the parties on track to get what we thought was a win win in Sacramento.”

Stern said the Maloof family and Mayor Kevin Johnson will meet today, but that he is not optimistic that meeting will result in a resolution. He said the Maloofs, concerned that the deal would add to their debt load, had developed second thoughts about the deal framework hammered out in Orlando in February.

Stern said the NBA had wanted the deal to happen, and had gone so far as to commit $7 million league funds and $67 million that the Maloofs could borrow on the NBA’s credit line.

Stern repeatedly complimented the city for its work on putting an arena deal. Of the Maloofs, he simply noted that they had the right as owners to reject the plan.

— Reported by the Sacramento Bee

High school star Shabazz Muhammad will attend UCLA

Shabazz Muhammad, who grabbed nearly every award a high school basketball player can earn this season, said Wednesday that he plans to sign with UCLA. He chose the Bruins over Duke and Kentucky.

“Just making the decision was really difficult,” Muhammad said. “It’s a lot of jitters going through my mind. I thought how comfortable I was with the coach (Ben Howland). I chose to be a Bruin, so I’ll be at UCLA next year. I just think it’s a challenge, knowing how bad they were the last two years. It’s a challenge to get them back up to the top. With Kyle Anderson coming with Jordan Adams and hopefully Tony Parker, it will be a great team for the future.”

Muhammad, a 6-6 small forward for Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), averaged 29.8 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists while leading the Gaels to a state 4A title. Though most recruiting services list him as the No. 2 player behind Nerlens Noel, he won the Morgan Wootten Award and Naismith Award as the nation’s top high school player.

— Reported by Jim Halley of USA Today