Sacramento Kings Blog – Page 63 – NBA Blog

DeMarcus Cousins scores 41 but Kings lose to Suns

Marcin Gortat had 20 points and 10 rebounds and Steve Nash added 18 points and 12 assists and the Phoenix Suns defeated the Sacramento Kings 109-100 on Tuesday night.

The Suns won their second straight and third in four games to move over the .500 mark (27-26) for only the third time this season.

The Suns moved within 1 1/2 games of Houston for the Western Conference’s eighth and final playoff berth.

DeMarcus Cousins scored a career-high 41 points and had 12 rebounds for the Kings, who have lost three of four.

Isaiah Thomas had 25 points and seven assists, and Terrence Williams had another big game off the bench with 16 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Michael Redd had 16 points and both Channing Frye and Jared Dudley had 15 for Phoenix. Shannon Brown had 12 points for the Suns.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Kyrie Irving and Isaiah Thomas named Rookies of Month for March

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ Kyrie Irving and the Sacramento Kings’ Isaiah Thomas were today named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played in March. The award is the third for Irving this season and the second for Thomas.

Irving led all rookies in scoring (19.9 ppg), assists (6.7 apg), and was second in free throw percentage (.881). He also led all Eastern Conference rookies in fourth-quarter scoring (7.4 ppg). Irving scored 20 or more points in eight games in March, shooting .500 or better six times. He and had a career-high 12 assists to go along with nine points against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 9, snapping the Thunders 14 game home winning streak.

Thomas led all Western Conference rookies in assists (4.9 apg) and was second in scoring (13.6 ppg). He also led all rookies in fastbreak points (64) in March and was ranked first in free throws made (54), second in assists (89), third in points (245) and steals (24).

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month were Charlotte’s Kemba Walker, Denver’s Kenneth Faried, Detroit’s Brandon Knight, Houston’s Chandler Parsons, New Jersey’s MarShon Brooks and San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard.

Kings sign Terrence Williams for rest of season

The Sacramento Kings have decided they like guard/forward Terrence Williams enough to keep him around. The team today signed Williams for the remainder of the season, according to Kings’ President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie.

Williams, currently in his third NBA season, is averaging 7.5 points (.500 FGs, .286 3FGs, .667 FTs), 3.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.0 steals per game through four outings with the Kings off the bench. He was originally signed to a 10-day contract with Sacramento on March 21, 2012.

The 18-33 Kings are currently 14th in the Western conference.

Kings sign Terrence Williams to 10-day contract

The Sacramento Kings have signed free agent guard/forward Terrence Williams to a 10-day contract, President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie announced today.

Williams averaged 4.5 ppg (.351 FG%, .421 3PT%, .500 FT%), 2.3 rpg, 0.8 apg and 15.1 mpg in 12 contests for the Houston Rockets this season before being waived on March 16th.

The 11th overall pick out of Louisville in the 2009 NBA Draft by New Jersey, Williams has posted career averages of 7.4 ppg (.394 FG%, .319 3PT%, .695 FT%), 3.8 rpg, 2.4 apg and 20.1 mpg through three seasons with the Nets and Rockets.

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Kings waive forward J.J. Hickson

The Sacramento Kings today waived forward J.J. Hickson, according to Kings’ President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie. It was reportedly a contract buyout. As details emerge they’ll be posted here later tonight.

Hickson, a 6-9, 242-pound forward, averaged 4.7 points (.370 FG%, 0-1 3pt, .638 FT%), 5.1 rebounds, 0.6 assists, and 18.4 minutes per game in 35 contests of which he started nine for the Kings.

The Kings’ roster now stands at 13 players.

Larry Ellison inquires about buying Grizzlies

Californian Larry Ellison, ranked as the third-richest person in the U.S., has inquired about buying the Memphis Grizzlies with apparent hopes of moving the team to San Jose.

But team owner Michael Heisley today downplayed the possibility of a sale — and of a relocation, citing a lease that ties the franchise to Memphis and FedExForum until 2021.

“I can’t downplay it enough. If it happens I’ll be surprised,” said Heisley, a Chicago-based billionaire who added that talks had not become serious. “It’s in the initial stages. We’ve handled this just like we’ve handled several other dozen requests. My situation in Memphis has not changed a lick. My preference will always be for somebody in Memphis to buy the team. There’s not any interest in Memphis. But we’ve always made it known that if somebody wants to buy the team, we’ll listen. If they’re real buyers we’ll probably be sellers. So far there hasn’t been anyone willing to buy the team under my terms and for my price.”

— Reported by Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal

Through agent, DeMarcus Cousins denies sending nude photo

STATEMENT FROM JOHN GREIG, DeMARCUS COUSINS’ AGENT:

“Rest assured that DeMarcus Cousins has not sent any nude photos to any woman at any time. Allegations that he has and internet websites that are reporting such are erroneous. These websites should take the images claiming to be DeMarcus down and apologize. It is a sad reflection of where our culture is that someone can send and post these type of things without any accountability.”

Kings exercise option on coach Keith Smart for 2012-13 season

The Sacramento Kings today exercised the option on Head Coach Keith Smart’s contract for the 2012-13 season, according to President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie.

“Keith has done a terrific job of taking control of the direction of the team,” explained Petrie. “He is active, engaged and working hard to develop our young players along with a complimentary style of play.”

The Kings have a 12-25 record and are in 14th place in the 15-team Western conference. The team is led by Marcus Thornton (18.3 ppg), Tyreke Evans (17.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 5.1 apg), and DeMarcus Cousins (16.6 ppg, 11.6 rpg).

Andrew Bynum thinks it’s terrible that DeMarcus Cousins has to play in Sacramento

DeMarcus Cousins

Must tolerate being on Kings

Lakers All-Star center Andrew Bynum was asked for his opinion of Kings center DeMarcus Cousins.

I guess he feels bad for Cousins.

“He’s a good player, definitely coming up,” Bynum said. “It’s terrible that he has to play in Sacramento. He could take his talents somewhere and really help a team.”

Terrible?

“Yeah,” Bynum said. “It’s not working out.”

— Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee

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Arena in Anaheim ready, waiting for NBA team

If they renovate it, will the NBA come?

The groundbreaking ceremony outside Honda Center on Wednesday was for a $20 million arena renovation project, which will benefit customers who attend NHL games, concerts and other events in a building that will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year.

But there also appeared to be a not-so-hidden message behind the carefully staged photo op in which Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli, arena executives and Anaheim politicians wearing yellow hardhats posed with gold-plated shovels:

Let’s show the NBA we’re ready and waiting.

And it’s safe to assume the photos and video already have reached Sacramento and the NBA offices in New York.

It was nine months ago that the Sacramento Kings owners ended protracted negotiations with Anaheim Arena Management, the Samueli-owned company that owns and operates Honda Center for the City of Anaheim, on the morning of the relocation deadline in May.

But Henry Samueli made it clear Wednesday that he remains committed to bringing an NBA franchise to Anaheim, even if it’s not the Kings.

— Reported by Randy Youngman of the Orange County Register