Category: Sacramento Kings Blog

Ken Berger of CBS Sports reports:

Sacramento Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof are strongly considering firing GM Geoff Petrie and coach Paul Westphal in a sweeping indictment of the direction of the team, two people familiar with the situation told CBSSports.com.

Petrie is on extremely shaky ground with the Kings foundering at 5-22 and Westphal openly feuding with combustible first-round pick DeMarcus Cousins, who has proved to be a disastrous mistake whose selection will doom Petrie. There are concerns within the organization about whether Westphal is the right coach to calm Cousins and groom him into a dependable star.

But while Petrie has gone to bat for Westphal, urging the Maloofs to give him time with Cousins before making an assessment, it may be a moot point. The Maloofs have developed far more serious concerns about whether Petrie himself should be let go. It was Petrie, according to sources, who supported the decision to guarantee the 2011-12 season on Westphal’s contract months ahead of schedule – a decision that, with Westphal apparently losing the team, has become a very expensive one.

Sacramento Kings’ guard Tyreke Evans underwent a precautionary MRI yesterday in Sacramento which confirmed the diagnosis of mild plantar fasciitis in his left foot. The MRI also revealed that the plantar fascia is intact and there is no stress fracture.

Evans will continue his prescribed treatments of the combination of medication, sleeping in a night splint and walking in a boot when not playing or practicing. He has been cleared to practice and play.

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Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee reports:Kings rookie center DeMarcus Cousins was kicked out of Monday’s practice.

Cousins slipped to fifth in June’s NBA draft because of questions about his maturity and attitude. He was fined earlier this season after a verbal dispute with the Kings’ strength and conditioning coach.

“It was a necessary move in our continued attempt to help him develop,” said Kings coach Paul Westphal of removing Cousins from practice.

Westphal declined to explain why Cousins made it through only two-thirds of practice.

“I’m not going to get into details,” Westphal said. “He was asked to leave early.”

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Ed Fletcher of the Sacramento Bee reports:

On Saturday, a Yuba City man made the halfcourt shot to win a car.

John Guth’s halfcourt basket came two weeks after team owner Joe Maloof tweaked the rules to give an Army lieutenant a new car for making a shot from the free-throw line.

“I wish our players could shoot that well,” Maloof said after Guth’s impressive shot.

Before shooting, Guth told the announced crowd of 13,504 that he intended to “go glass.” Then, he expertly banked it down from half court before erupting into celebration dance that channeled former King Mike Bibby with a little two-fisted Tiger Woods fist pump action thrown in.

“That was just instinct to run around,” said Guth, 27. “It was so exciting. It was surreal.”

The new car is perfect timing, he said. He currently drives a “just get me by” Ford Taurus with no heat and a major crack in its windshield.

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The Sacramento Kings have assigned forward/center Hassan Whiteside to the Reno Bighorns of the NBA Development League, Kings President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie announced today.

Whiteside was selected by Sacramento with the 33rd pick in the 2010 NBA Draft and has made one appearance with team this year, logging two minutes in the season-opening win over Minnesota (10/27/10). He represents the second assignment of a Kings player to the Bighorns, following Donte Greene in 2009.

The AP reports:

Sacramento Kings forward Antoine Wright was arrested Thursday night for driving under the influence, the team said Friday.

The Kings, who have a home game Saturday against Memphis, issued a statement of apology from Wright. Wright’s attorney, Bill Portanova, said in the team statement that his client is cooperating fully with police in nearby Rocklin.

“I’m sorry for having gotten myself into this situation,” Wright said through the team. “I sincerely apologize to my teammates and coaches, the Sacramento Kings organization, the Sacramento community and fans and my family.”