LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 09: Luke Walton coaches the last basketball game of the season between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers at Staples Center on April 09, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images) UFC 236: Conor McGregor predicts ‘stoppage victory’ for Dustin Poirier by Thomas Albano
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings have given Vlade Divac full control of basketball operations and his first move was to fire Dave Joerger. You don’t have to be a Sacramento Kings insider to know that Vlade Divac wanted full control of the basketball side of the operation. Up until recently, he’s had to share the GM duties
In this latest edition of Basketball Insiders’ “Fixing” series, we’re going to take a look at the one team that arguably has the least fixing to do: The Sacramento Kings. Just saying that feels so unordinary knowing the Kings’ reputation. In a season that had no shortage of surprises, the Kings’ sudden uprise ranks among
Harry Giles is in the air, all seven feet and three inches of wingspan completely uncoiled. To go back just moments before, Giles steps up and receives the pass from Bogdan Bogdanovic. Bogdanovic then darts down the far sideline, around a screen and toward the basket as Giles throws a slightly overthrown bounce pass back
Welcome to The Whiteboard, catching you up every morning on what’s good around the NBA. Find The Whiteboard here on The Step Back, and subscribe here to get it delivered to you by email. The playoff hopes of the Sacramento Kings have been dwindling for a while now, but their loss to the Lakers on Sunday
Last year, this writer started his tenure with Basketball Insiders writing about who had the best case for Coach of the Year. One year later, he’s revisiting the same discussion. This time with an entirely new slate of candidates. The Coach of the Year Award produces one of the most fascinating races in the NBA
The evolution of the Milwaukee Bucks’ offense has been one of the NBA’s central storylines this season — driven both by the visual impact of the changes and by the effectiveness, going from a top-10 offense to best in the league for a large chunk of the season. However, by the stylistic traits measured for our
In recent campaigns, the importance of a good, reliable bench unit has soared out the window as the rise in superteams grew larger. This is not to say that the Golden State Warriors regret not having a consistent Sixth Man of the Year contender in their second unit because, well, their back-to-back championships speak for
In recent campaigns, the importance of a good, reliable bench unit has soared out the window as the rise in superteams grew larger. This is not to say that the Golden State Warriors regret not having a consistent Sixth Man of the Year contender in their second unit because, well, their back-to-back championships speak for
It’s extremely difficult to make an All-Star team in the NBA. Only 24 guys make it a year, not counting injury replacements. It’s even tougher to make the team in the Western Conference, which is far superior to its Eastern counterpart and boasts more of the league’s best players. And it’s even more difficult to
Joe Harris’ fortunes and those of the Brooklyn Nets appear to be traveling on the same trajectory. Harris’ personality and approach embody the softer side of the Brooklyn Nets’ team persona: he is loyal, hardworking and humble. And while Jared Dudley and DeMarre Carroll provide veteran leadership and Spencer Dinwiddie and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson offer personality,
The Kings have blown their expectations out of the water this season, but Buddy Hield may have just promised more than he can deliver. With six weeks to play in the season, the Sacramento Kings are sitting a lot prettier than anyone expected. No one would have believed it if you had suggested it before
The trade deadline, for many NBA teams, represents a pivot point at which to declare their intentions for the rest of the season. Those with hopes of chasing a playoff spot or contending for a championship can use it as a means of fortifying their roster before the home stretch. Less urgent franchises can unload
Marvin Bagley is developing as he grows into a bigger role for the young Sacramento Kings. Marvin Bagley III, first and foremost, is a highlight factory. In one Monday game against San Antonio, he caught a transition lob from Yogi Ferrell with his back to the hoop and rotated completely around in midair to slam the
Close to midway through the first quarter of their Martin Luther King Jr. Day loss to the Brooklyn Nets, the young, up-and-coming Sacramento Kings were trailing by seven after six straight scoreless possessions. A few good-not-great shots and one avoidable turnover had them slipping behind their red-hot opponents before Iman Shumpert poked the ball loose
The craziness that was the NBA Trade Deadline has come and gone with multiple deals being made, including some big ones that sort of shook up the landscape of the Eastern Conference. Not only that, but buyout season has arrived as well with teams looking to add pieces for a playoff push. Here at Basketball
On Thursday, the NBA’s trade deadline hit all zeroes — along with plenty of fireworks — and now buyout season is right around the corner. But as franchises continue bolstering their roster ahead of the postseason (or lottery-bound future efforts), another deadline passed recently without much fanfare. Last month, the deadline to sign players to
Remember when the consensus with the NBA Trade Deadline was that it was going to be pretty boring with more buyers than sellers? Those were some good times, because a lot has changed since then. Suddenly, the Grizzlies decided to end their golden age of basketball, Kristaps Porzingis and the Knicks divorced and rumors are swirling
With the trade deadline fast approaching, some assets have to be used now or they lose significant value. The Harrison Barnes trade was two teams swapping that kind of asset. The Dallas Mavericks, cashing in on an asset while they still can, sent Harrison Barnes to Sacramento, getting Zach Randolph (who they may waive) and
The Rockets were looking for help and it appears they’ve found it, looping in the Cavaliers and Kings for a three-team trade. The Houston Rockets are getting some wing help, having acquired Iman Shumpert in a three-team trade with the Sacramento Kings and Cleveland Cavaliers, as first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The Rockets will
As we approach the trade deadline this season, rumors, speculation, and reports will begin to circulate on social media. Some may be grounded, others may be purely opinion-based. Regardless of what comes up, there is always one guarantee: Trades will be made. Whether teams are trying to improve their roster before the playoffs, mix up
Grit-and-Grind is unfolding, and it’s unfolding fast. After a blistering 12-5 start to the season, the Grizzlies are falling hard in the standings. The team has only won seven of its last 27 games – good for a record of 19-25 – which has them placed currently 14th in the bloodbath that is the Western
Three weeks into the season, here’s how we’re ranking each of the 30 NBA teams. Come bask in our collective love for the Sacramento Kings. 30 Cleveland Cavaliers 1-9 Last week: 1-3Last rank: 30 The Cavaliers picked up a win this week! And three losses! And a new coach! And reports that their veterans think
De’Aaron Fox looked like he might be yet another Sacramento Kings bust, until all of a sudden he wasn’t and the Kings started winning. Will that trend hold up? In 73 games and 61 starts as a rookie, De’Aaron Fox scored 20 or more points five times. Fox recorded three double-doubles as a rookie, all
Despite winning by nine points and improving to an 11-1 record, the Toronto Raptors were just relieved to leave Sacramento with a win. “I think they controlled [the tempo] more than we did,” Raptors guard Danny Green told The Step Back after the game. “I think we’re lucky to come out with this one.” There
If you read any NBA previews this fall, there were a few consensus ideas that kept appearing. Almost everyone picked the Warriors to win their third championship in a row, that LeBron James would vastly improve the Lakers, and that the playoff race in the Western Conference would be a bloodbath, albeit one that was
It’s the New Year’s Resolution season. While most are making promises to themselves that they almost never plan to keep, like going to the gym or starting a new diet, NBA teams are taking stock of themselves. Competitive teams are looking for that move that propels them into the postseason. Meanwhile, some less-competitive teams find themselves
It’s almost January and the 2018-19 NBA season is nearly halfway over. And while lots of attention is already being paid to Zion Williamson and the 2019 NBA Draft class to-be, let’s look back to June and the 2018 NBA draft and grade the rookies on their performances thus far, while making an educated guess
It’s almost January and the 2018-19 NBA season is nearly halfway over. And while lots of attention is already being paid to Zion Williamson and the 2019 NBA Draft class to-be, let’s look back to June and the 2018 NBA draft and grade the rookies on their performances thus far, while making an educated guess
The Sacramento Kings are off to a solid start this season, but Dave Joerger may not be winning the front offices’ approval with his allocation of playing time. Dave Joerger is now into his third season as head coach of the Sacramento Kings, which qualifies him as a long-term solution for a franchise on its