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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>The Kings Herald</title> <atom:link href="https://kingsherald.com/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://kingsherald.com/</link> <description>Independent Sacramento Kings News</description> <lastBuildDate>Fri, 17 May 2024 17:29:10 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <image> <url>https://kingsherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/bg-home-feat2-150x150.png</url> <title>The Kings Herald</title> <link>https://kingsherald.com/</link> <width>32</width> <height>32</height></image> <item> <title>Season Review: Jalen Slawson</title> <link>https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-jalen-slawson/</link> <comments>https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-jalen-slawson/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Wissinger]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 17 May 2024 17:27:10 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Commentary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[G League]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Season Review]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Jalen Slawson]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://kingsherald.com/?p=41338</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The Sacramento Kings selected Jalen Slawson with the 54th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, and signed Slawson to a Two-Way contract. The Two-Way contract allows teams to have players develop with heavy minutes in the G League, while also playing opportunistic minutes with the parent NBA club. For Slawson, that ended up being […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-jalen-slawson/">Season Review: Jalen Slawson</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Sacramento Kings selected Jalen Slawson with the 54th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, and signed Slawson to a Two-Way contract. The Two-Way contract allows teams to have players develop with heavy minutes in the G League, while also playing opportunistic minutes with the parent NBA club. For Slawson, that ended up being heavily skewed towards G League minutes. Although Slawson appeared in 12 games for the Sacramento Kings, he totaled just 37 minutes, for an average of 3.1 minutes per game.</p><p>In his brief appearances with Sacramento, Slawson averaged 0.7 points, 0.6 rebounds, and 0.2 assists. Its unsurprising that Slawson didn’t put up much in the stats department in such limited runs in Sacramento. A more telling indicator is his time with the Stockton Kings.</p><p>With Stockton, Slawson averaged 34.4 minutes per game, averaging 13 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 1.2 steals. Slawson’s highlights are filled with dazzling displays of athleticism:</p><p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yFwQAXnG0Jw?si=l86Qt6A0Q39B5YkY" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p><p>But for all his physical gifts, Slawson struggles as a shooter. In the G League, he shot 26.4% from 3 on 3 attempts per game, and shot 47.8% overall.</p><p>At 24 years old, despite his size and athleticism, it’s hard to see a path for Slawson to find NBA success in the Kings organization. Mike Brown desperately needed options at the wing this past season, and yet Slawson still didn’t warrant extended run. Slawson performed well enough in the G League, especially for a late 2nd round pick, but I’m not getting my hopes up for him as a piece for Sacramento’s future.</p><p> </p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-jalen-slawson/">Season Review: Jalen Slawson</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-jalen-slawson/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>23</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Season Review: Mason Jones</title> <link>https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-mason-jones/</link> <comments>https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-mason-jones/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Wissinger]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 16 May 2024 16:30:30 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Commentary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[G League]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Season Review]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Mason Jones]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://kingsherald.com/?p=41332</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Part of the fun of doing these Season Reviews is the opportunity to spend a few minutes thinking and writing about players we otherwise don’t spend much time on. Mason Jones is a perfect example. Following Keon Ellis’ ascension from Two-Way player to a full roster spot in February, Mason Jones was promoted to a […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-mason-jones/">Season Review: Mason Jones</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Part of the fun of doing these Season Reviews is the opportunity to spend a few minutes thinking and writing about players we otherwise don’t spend much time on. Mason Jones is a perfect example. Following Keon Ellis’ ascension from Two-Way player to a full roster spot in February, Mason Jones <a href="https://x.com/wojespn/status/1756078999665610849">was promoted to a Two-Way deal</a> after having spent some time playing for the Stockton Kings. Jones didn’t get much opportunity in Sacramento, appearing in just 5 games for an average of 5.6 minutes per game. In those limited minutes, Jones averaged 1.4 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist, with shooting percentages that are better left unmentioned.</p><p>Jones performed better in his games with the Stockton Kings, where Jones averaged 16 points, 8.4 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 47.6% from beyond the arc on 6.3 3PAs per game. His performance <a href="https://stockton.gleague.nba.com/news/mason-jones-named-to-all-nba-g-league-second-team">earned Jones Second Team All G League honors</a>.</p><p>But for me, the numbers and the G League honors aren’t going to be what I remember about Mason Jones. I’ll remember him as the guy who was absolutely <strong><em>electric</em> </strong>cheering on his teammates from the bench. Few Kings players in franchise history have exuded the kind of bench enthusiasm that Jones brought to every contest. He was the first guy to jump to his feet for every big shot, even the ones that missed. His towel-waving was elite. And while it may seem like I’m making fun of Jones, I promise I am not. I love a good bench dude, and Jones was a <em>great</em> bench dude.</p><p>Jones turns 26 in a few days, and I don’t expect him to develop into much more than he is. I think there are likely better ways for the Kings to use their Two-Way spots for next season. But I will always remember Jones for his bright blonde hair and even brighter bench energy and presence.</p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-mason-jones/">Season Review: Mason Jones</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-mason-jones/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>28</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Season Review: Sasha Vezenkov</title> <link>https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-sasha-vezenkov/</link> <comments>https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-sasha-vezenkov/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tony Xypteras]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 15 May 2024 16:16:22 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Commentary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Season Review]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sasha Vezenkov]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://kingsherald.com/?p=41311</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>2023 EuroLeague MVP Sasha Vezenkov was Monte McNair’s biggest acquisition last offseason, and to say it wasn’t enough to propel the Kings forward would be an understatement. To be completely fair, McNair and the Kings banked on internal improvement and continuity to drive the organization forward in 2023-24. We now know that the bets on […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-sasha-vezenkov/">Season Review: Sasha Vezenkov</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>2023 EuroLeague MVP Sasha Vezenkov was Monte McNair’s biggest acquisition last offseason, and to say it wasn’t enough to propel the Kings forward would be an understatement.</p><p>To be completely fair, McNair and the Kings banked on internal improvement <em>and</em> continuity to drive the organization forward in 2023-24. We now know that the bets on internal improvement and continuity didn’t hit, but if you were an optimistic Kings fan, you were counting on several factors to swing in Sacramento’s favor: Keegan Murray was going to have a massive offensive leap. Every young player that had career years in 2022-23 would stay on the same upward trajectory. The Kings would once again have incredible injury luck. The defense would improve in year two under Mike Brown. And Sasha Vezenkov would have an immediate impact.</p><p>Some of those things happened. A lot of them didn’t. But we’re here to talk about Sasha. Because Sasha was the only notable addition, it probably put some unrealistic expectation on his immediate impact, and the Kings’ depth couldn’t really afford Sasha to not be effective. Unfortunately for much of the season, Sasha was either injured or not very effective.</p><p><strong>Sasha Vezenkov</strong>: 5.4 PPG, .440 FG%, .375 3P%, 2.3 REB, 0.5 AST, 0.5 STL, 0.2 BLK</p><p>On his best days, Vezenkov was an exceptional outside shooter with a lightning-quick release and one of the best off-ball movers on the roster.</p><p>On his worst days, Vezenkov was a 3-point chucker that got repeatedly targeted and torched on defense, and didn’t show the athleticism required to be an impact NBA player.</p><p>He also missed 22 games in the middle of the season with an ankle injury, and it never felt like he earned Mike Brown’s full confidence. Vezenkov will turn 29 in August. You could argue that his rookie season in the NBA was just plain bad and expecting anything from him moving forward would be a mistake. That is a perfectly fair position. You could also argue that Sasha’s rookie season was cursed with injuries, inconsistent playing time, and that he needed more time than the Kings could afford to adjust to the NBA style and pace. That is also a fair position.</p><p>This is where I admit that I’ve been a Sasha Vezenkov truther in the past. I was excited when the Kings traded for his rights. I was excited when Monte McNair signed him to a 3-yr/$20M contract last summer. I thought he’d have a bigger impact in year 1. I was wrong.</p><p>All that being said, I’m not ready to abandon Vezenkov island just yet. I see effort on defense despite mixed results. I see the deep volume shooting potential. I see the way he finds his spots and moves without the ball. I see him sprinting in transition. I see a reality where he is better next season and lives a little bit closer to the hype of a EuroLeague MVP.</p><p>And if it doesn’t work out, the Kings can get out of his contract with a team option at the end of the 2024-25 season.</p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-sasha-vezenkov/">Season Review: Sasha Vezenkov</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-sasha-vezenkov/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>47</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Season Review: Kevin Huerter</title> <link>https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-kevin-huerter/</link> <comments>https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-kevin-huerter/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tony Xypteras]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 14 May 2024 17:02:22 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Commentary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Season Review]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Kevin Huerter]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://kingsherald.com/?p=41300</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The 2022-23 Sacramento Kings had one of the best offenses in NBA history, and Kevin Huerter’s emergence as a full-time starter, elite volume floor spacer, and dynamic off-ball mover, was a big reason why. Unfortunately for both Huerter and the Kings, he was not the same player in 2023-24. Huerter in 2022-23: 29.4 MPG, 15.2 […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-kevin-huerter/">Season Review: Kevin Huerter</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The 2022-23 Sacramento Kings had one of the best offenses in NBA history, and Kevin Huerter’s emergence as a full-time starter, elite volume floor spacer, and dynamic off-ball mover, was a big reason why. Unfortunately for both Huerter and the Kings, he was not the same player in 2023-24.</p><p><strong>Huerter in 2022-23</strong>: 29.4 MPG, 15.2 PPG, .484 FG%, .402 3P%, .603 eFG%</p><p><strong>Huerter in 2023-24</strong>: 24.2 MPG, 10.2 PPG, .443 FG%, .361 3P%, .553 eFG%</p><p>I’ll start from the end of Huerter’s season, and work my way back: Kevin Hurter suffered a shoulder injury just two minutes into a game against the Memphis Grizzlies on March 18. Said shoulder injury would eventually require surgery, forcing Red Velvet to miss the remainder of the season and the play-in tournament. He is expected to make a full recovery before training camp in September.</p><p>But Huerter’s injury really just forced Mike Brown to do what already needed to be done: promote Keon Ellis into the starting lineup. Prior to the injury, Huerter’s minutes were already in decline due to poor shooting performances, defensive targeting, and an overall lack of positive impact. Brown just wasn’t willing to remove him from the starting lineup yet. Ellis provided the Kings with a major lift defensively, immediately. Sacramento had one of the best defensive ratings in the NBA once Ellis started playing consistent minutes. Ellis also<em> </em>shot the ball more efficiently than Huerter from beyond the arc, putting Kevin’s future with the Kings in a fascinating spot.</p><p>If I can play armchair sports psychologist for a second here, I would argue things started trending in a bad direction for Huerter in last years’ playoff series against the Golden State Warriors where he shot just 20% from three over the course of seven games, but I digress. The most interesting Huerter conversation you can have right now is this: what happens next?</p><p>Huerter has two years left on the fair 4-yr/$65M contract he signed in 2021. I would imagine his value isn’t the highest its ever been, but at the same time, it wouldn’t be difficult for a team to convince themselves that Huerter is still an elite NBA shooter with some positional versatility. For those reasons, plus the fact that the Kings have a cheap replacement in Ellis, it’s fair to assume Huerter is one of the more likely Kings to be traded this summer as Monte McNair hunts for upgrades.</p><p>An alternative, scarier timeline is one where Sacramento loses Malik Monk in free agency, Ellis resumes his role in the starting lineup, and McNair builds a new bench unit around Huerter as the sixth man while attempting to regain a little bit of the trade value his down season and injury may have caused. But we’ll cross that bridge if we get there.</p><p>While Huerter’s season was a disappointment, I still believe there is a decent NBA player there if his shot can return to form. I just can’t shake the feeling that his time with this organization has run its course, though. The Sacramento Kings <em>need</em> to get <em>different</em>, and Huerter’s season represents what the Kings need to change about their alignment. They need to get bigger, they need to get more physical, they need to defend, and if they’re going to insist on chucking threes, they need to go in.</p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-kevin-huerter/">Season Review: Kevin Huerter</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-kevin-huerter/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>120</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Season Review: JaVale McGee</title> <link>https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-javale-mcgee/</link> <comments>https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-javale-mcgee/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Wissinger]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 13 May 2024 19:03:25 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Commentary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Season Review]]></category> <category><![CDATA[JaVale McGee]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://kingsherald.com/?p=41299</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Everything about the JaVale McGee experience is odd. It’s been that way for years, so it should have come as no surprise, but it was weird from the very beginning of his tenure with the Sacramento Kings. When the Dallas Mavericks waived McGee, the Kings were quickly at the forefront of his possible destinations, and […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-javale-mcgee/">Season Review: JaVale McGee</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Everything about the JaVale McGee experience is odd. It’s been that way for years, so it should have come as no surprise, but it was weird from the very beginning of his tenure with the Sacramento Kings. When the Dallas Mavericks waived McGee, the Kings were quickly at the forefront of his possible destinations, and within days McGee had decided on joining the Kings over teams like the Golden State Warriors. On paper, the move made sense. JaVale would provide size, length, and shot-blocking, and bolster Sacramento’s big man depth. But signing him also meant abruptly ending the expected training camp battle between Neemias Queta and Nerlens Noel, with both players being waived to allow them other opportunities.</p><p>Looking back on the 2023-24 season, and it’s hard to argue that it was a good or bad move. McGee is a beloved figure in the NBA, and seems like a truly lovable bench presence. On the court, he’s less impactful these days. McGee appeared in 46 games, averaging 4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.4 assists while averaging 7.4 minutes per game. JaVale is a perfectly fine 3rd-string center. Break glass in case of foul trouble.</p><p>The issue with McGee this season was that for much of the year Mike Brown tried to use him as the team’s second-string center. McGee played regular rotation minutes until early February. Even when Alex Len would get an opportunity and look better than McGee, and even though Len had played great for the Kings down the stretch of the previous season, Brown stuck with McGee for way too long. It’s hard to know what makes a coach decide these things, and in the grand scheme it’s probably not worth fretting too much about how a coach allocates 7-10 minutes per game among his backup centers, but it was really, really confusing to watch this season.</p><p>McGee, who turned 36 this season, said in his exit interview that he has no interest in retiring:</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">JaVale McGee, who just completed his sixteenth season in the NBA, says he has “no interest in retiring at all.”</p><p>— Brenden Nunes (@BrendenNunesNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrendenNunesNBA/status/1782487119036035422?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p><p>McGee was only on a one-year contract with the Kings and is now an unrestricted free agent. I’d be surprised if the Kings retained McGee, as there will likely be cheaper options for a third center. If this is the end for JaVale in Sac, I’ll wish him well. I have no bad feelings towards him, but I also don’t really have great feelings either.</p><p> </p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-javale-mcgee/">Season Review: JaVale McGee</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-javale-mcgee/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>17</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Sacramento Kings will pick 13th in 2024 NBA Draft</title> <link>https://kingsherald.com/articles/nba-draft-lottery-results-sacramento-kings-pick/</link> <comments>https://kingsherald.com/articles/nba-draft-lottery-results-sacramento-kings-pick/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Wissinger]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 12 May 2024 19:28:11 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Draft News]]></category> <category><![CDATA[NBA Draft Lottery]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://kingsherald.com/?p=41296</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The NBA held its annual draft lottery on Sunday, and the Sacramento Kings will pick 13th in the upcoming 2024 NBA Draft. The Kings had low odds of moving up in the draft, so these results aren’t surprising. They were, however, several surprises in the draft order. The Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets, and San Antonio […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/articles/nba-draft-lottery-results-sacramento-kings-pick/">Sacramento Kings will pick 13th in 2024 NBA Draft</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The NBA held its annual draft lottery on Sunday, and the Sacramento Kings will pick 13th in the upcoming 2024 NBA Draft. The Kings had low odds of moving up in the draft, so these results aren’t surprising. They were, however, several surprises in the draft order. The Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets, and San Antonio Spurs all moved into the top 4 via the lotto.</p><p>The Spurs moved up to the 4th pick, the Rockets moved up to the third pick, and the Atlanta Hawks jumped all the way up to the first overall pick, despite just a 3% chance.</p><p>While this draft isn’t considered top-heavy with stars, it is expected to be a fairly deep draft for role-players. And of course there are always surprise stars found later in the draft that nobody saw coming. In the coming weeks we’ll find out if the Kings will keep the pick and add some cost-controlled bench depth, or package the pick in a trade. Because of the draft pick owed to the Atlanta Hawks, the Kings cannot officially trade this year’s pick until after the selection is made.</p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/articles/nba-draft-lottery-results-sacramento-kings-pick/">Sacramento Kings will pick 13th in 2024 NBA Draft</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://kingsherald.com/articles/nba-draft-lottery-results-sacramento-kings-pick/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>61</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>NBA Draft Lottery 2024 Schedule, Odds, and More</title> <link>https://kingsherald.com/articles/nba-draft-lottery-2024-schedule-odds-and-more/</link> <comments>https://kingsherald.com/articles/nba-draft-lottery-2024-schedule-odds-and-more/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Wissinger]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 12 May 2024 15:00:52 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[NBA Draft]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Open Thread]]></category> <category><![CDATA[NBA Draft Lottery]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://kingsherald.com/?p=41293</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The 2024 NBA Draft Lottery will be held today at 12:00 PM PT. The Draft will air on ABC, and will likely include about 45 minutes of chatter before the lottery results are actually revealed. The Sacramento Kings will be represented on the telecast by Keegan Murray, according to James Ham: According to a league […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/articles/nba-draft-lottery-2024-schedule-odds-and-more/">NBA Draft Lottery 2024 Schedule, Odds, and More</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The 2024 NBA Draft Lottery will be held today at 12:00 PM PT. The Draft will air on ABC, and will likely include about 45 minutes of chatter before the lottery results are actually revealed.</p><p>The Sacramento Kings will be represented on the telecast by Keegan Murray, according to James Ham:</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">According to a league source, Keegan Murray will represent the Sacramento Kings at the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery.</p><p>— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/James_HamNBA/status/1789009894018011417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p><p>The Kings have just a 0.8% chance at the top pick, and a 3.8% chance at landing in the top 4. For a full breakdown of the odds, my go-to site is <a href="https://tankathon.com/pick_odds">Tankathon</a>. Once the broadcast begins revealing the draft order, we’ll know very quickly if the Kings have moved up. If the Kings are announced first, it means the Golden State Warriors moved up from 14. If the Warriors are announced first and any other team is announced next, it means the Kings have moved up.</p><p>Prior to the lottery, I always like to give the <a href="https://tankathon.com/">Tankathon simulator</a> a single spin and see where the Kings land. In my official spin for this year, the Kings stayed at 13, the Spurs lept to the first overall pick, with Portland and Memphis also moving up, while Detroit and Washington both slid to 5th and 6th, respectively. Feel free to give it a spin and share your result in the comments below.</p><p>This will also serve as the open thread for the lottery telecast, and we’ll have a new article up with the results.</p><p> </p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/articles/nba-draft-lottery-2024-schedule-odds-and-more/">NBA Draft Lottery 2024 Schedule, Odds, and More</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://kingsherald.com/articles/nba-draft-lottery-2024-schedule-odds-and-more/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>26</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Season Review: Colby Jones</title> <link>https://kingsherald.com/season-review/season-review-colby-jones/</link> <comments>https://kingsherald.com/season-review/season-review-colby-jones/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Akis Yerocostas]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 10 May 2024 19:36:55 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Commentary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Season Review]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Colby Jones]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://kingsherald.com/?p=41289</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The Kings had a fairly underwhelming draft day back in June of 2023 following their first playoff series in almost two decades. Sacramento ended up trading their 1st round pick to Dallas in order to salary dump Richaun Holmes and free up cap space. They did later trade up in the 2nd round however to […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/season-review/season-review-colby-jones/">Season Review: Colby Jones</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Kings had a fairly underwhelming draft day back in June of 2023 following their first playoff series in almost two decades. Sacramento ended up trading their 1st round pick to Dallas in order to salary dump Richaun Holmes and free up cap space. They did later trade up in the 2nd round however to take Colby Jones, a guard from Xavier that many pundits expected to be a 1st round pick talent.</p><p>Given the Kings new situation of being actually good, it was always going to be a tough task for a rookie like Jones to crack the rotation, especially with guys like Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk playing the same position. The Kings also traded for Chris Duarte in the offseason, crowding the backcourt even more.</p><p>Still, Jones generated some hype from Kings fans that he could be ready for a role right away, particularly with his play in preseason where he averaged 9 points on 47.4% from the field and 40.9% from three, to go along with 1.8 assists, 1.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 15.5 minutes a game.</p><p>Jones didn’t get much time in the first few games of the season, finally getting a chance to play a bit more when De’Aaron Fox got injured. Eventually though, it was Keon Ellis who earned a rotation spot as he was more consistent on both ends of the court.</p><p>Jones spent most of the rest of the season riding the bench or playing in Stockton, where he played particularly well. Jones played 13 games for the Stockton Kings and averaged 19.8 points on 51.3% from the field and 37.5% from three to go with 7.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 0.8 blocks in 36.1 minutes a game. Colby’s best performance came in a game against the Mexico City Capitanes in March where he dropped 43 points, including 8 three pointers, while also dishing out 7 assists.</p><p><iframe title="Colby Jones GOES OFF For 43 PTS, 7 AST & 8 3PM In Stockton Win" width="1080" height="608" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4vW8NnTPm9o?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://kingsherald.com" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p><p>Jones ended up getting some more run with the main team towards the end of the season as the Kings dealt with injuries to both Huerter and Monk. In a 30 point win on the road in Brooklyn, Jones played 23 minutes and scored 7 points to go with 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks. That ability to do a little bit of everything on both ends of the court showed when Jones was able to get any kind of extended run. Defensively he’s a pest, with a good nose for the ball and getting steals, and offensively, he’s an excellent ballhandler who is able to create for both himself and others.</p><p>One area where Jones really needs to work on this summer however is his three point shot. He shot just 2 for 22 (9.1%) in the brief time he played with the big boys this season and that just won’t cut it long term. Of course, it’s hard to get into any kind of rhythm when playing time is sporadic or only in garbage time so I’m leaning towards him being more of the shooter we saw in preseason or in Stockton.</p><p>The Kings are in a better position than they have been traditionally, allowing for them to bring along young players a bit more slowly instead of just throwing them right into the fire. We saw this pay off already this season with Keon Ellis’ development. Ellis had a very similar situation to Jones last year, spending most of the season with Stockton and rarely getting any extended opportunity, only for him to come in this season and win not just a rotation spot but potentially a starting spot full time.</p><p>The Kings are invested in Jones future, making him the first player to be signed with the NBA’s new second round pick exception and giving him a four year deal. Considering Malik Monk’s free agency, Jones could be given a ton more opportunity next season should Monk leave. And even if Monk stays, Jones will likely be competing for a rotation spot with the likes of Chris Duarte, who played almost four times as much but didn’t really produce enough to warrant that.</p><p>Colby Jones rookie season won’t go down in any record books, but his story is just beginning. I have a feeling we’ll be talking about Jones in a far more glowing light next summer if he gets the opportunity to shine.</p><p> </p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/season-review/season-review-colby-jones/">Season Review: Colby Jones</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://kingsherald.com/season-review/season-review-colby-jones/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>61</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Season Review: Trey Lyles</title> <link>https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-trey-lyles-2/</link> <comments>https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-trey-lyles-2/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Greg Wissinger]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 09 May 2024 20:05:59 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Commentary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Numbers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Season Review]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Trey Lyles]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://kingsherald.com/?p=41285</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Trey Lyles had a weird year. In many ways, it was a better year than last season, and yet it still felt like a little bit of a letdown. In that way, Lyles’ year mirrors that of the Kings as a whole. The numbers aren’t bad, they just don’t seem to have the same impact […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-trey-lyles-2/">Season Review: Trey Lyles</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Trey Lyles had a weird year. In many ways, it was a better year than last season, and yet it still felt like a little bit of a letdown. In that way, Lyles’ year mirrors that of the Kings as a whole. The numbers aren’t bad, they just don’t seem to have the same impact that we were looking for. For comparison on the numbers:</p><p><strong>2022-23:</strong><br />7.6 PTS, 4.1 REB, 0.9 AST, 0.4 STL, 0.4 BLK, 36.3 3P% on 3.2 3PA</p><p><strong>2023-24:</strong><br />7.2 PTS, 4.4 REB, 1.2 AST, 0.3 STL, 0.3 BLKL, 38.4 3P% on 3.8 3PA</p><p>Overall, Lyles put up similar numbers, but increased his 3 point volume and efficiency. But Lyles put up those similar raw numbers despite playing more minutes per game, jumping from 16.9 to 20.0 minutes per game. Lyles also struggled with injuries this season, missing a lengthy stretch with a lingering calf injury. In all, Lyles played in just 58 games this year, as opposed to 74 the season before.</p><p>Lyles by no means had a bad season, and he’s not the reason for the Kings woes this year, but he also didn’t help the way many of us (myself included) expected him to this season. For me, the biggest issues with Lyles’ season was inconsistency. <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/lylestr01/gamelog/2024">For the season</a> Lyles had 31 of 58 games this season where he registered fewer than 5 rebounds. He had 16 games where he scored fewer than 4 points. 39 games where he scored 9 points or less. For a Kings team that desperately needed bench production, Lyles had a plenty of opportunity and often failed to deliver. For all our complaints about Harrison Barnes’ slumps, Lyles’ offensive slumps often slipped under the radar.</p><p>For all the inconsistency on offense, it’s worth taking a moment to recognize Lyles’ defense. Trey would often be tasked with guarding bigger opponents, or fast wings, and Lyles performed well against whatever was thrown at him. <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/advanced?TeamID=1610612758&dir=A&sort=DEF_RATING">For the season</a>, Lyles posted a defensive rating of 110.2, better than any Kings big man other than Alex Len. Lyles’ Net Rating of 7.7 was also second only to Len (excluding players who only played a handful of minutes).</p><p>Lyles had a good season for the Kings overall, but it could have been even better. If Lyles can find consistency, he’d be a huge factor for Sacramento’s success.</p><p>Trey enters next season as an <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/player/_/id/17840/trey-lyles">expiring contract</a>. On a very reasonable $8 million expiring deal, Lyles could be a valuable trade chip in the offseason or at the trade deadline, especially if the Kings are concerned about losing Lyles next summer. It’ll be a challenging decision for the front office, and it’ll be something to keep an eye on as we move into next year.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-trey-lyles-2/">Season Review: Trey Lyles</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://kingsherald.com/articles/season-review-trey-lyles-2/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>34</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Season Review: Kessler Edwards</title> <link>https://kingsherald.com/season-review/season-review-kessler-edwards/</link> <comments>https://kingsherald.com/season-review/season-review-kessler-edwards/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Akis Yerocostas]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 07 May 2024 20:32:22 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Commentary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Season Review]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Kessler Edwards]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://kingsherald.com/?p=41275</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>In today’s NBA, one of the most valuable assets for any NBA team is length, particularly on the wing. Just take a look at what the Minnesota Timberwolves have done this season and are currently doing in the playoffs, or how much the Kings struggled against tall athletic teams like the New Orleans Pelicans and […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/season-review/season-review-kessler-edwards/">Season Review: Kessler Edwards</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In today’s NBA, one of the most valuable assets for any NBA team is length, particularly on the wing. Just take a look at what the Minnesota Timberwolves have done this season and are currently doing in the playoffs, or how much the Kings struggled against tall athletic teams like the New Orleans Pelicans and Houston Rockets.</p><p>The Kings don’t have much length of their own, but they were able to add Kessler Edwards, a 6’8 wing with a 6’11 wingspan, a season ago in a trade with the Nets. The Nets were simply looking to dump salary, but for the Kings it was an opportunity to take a look at a young player who could give them that added dimension they were lacking. Edwards showed flashes early on with the Kings, particularly in a game against the Phoenix Suns where he scored 12 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and played excellent defense against Devin Booker. He became a regular part of the rotation after that but ended up not seeing much time in the playoffs.</p><p>Coming into this season, the hope was that Edwards could build up from last year’s experience and become a more regular rotation player, but the opportunities came infrequently as the team seemed to prioritize newcomer Sasha Vezenkov instead. His first real opportunities of the season came during injuries for other players or during garbage time of blowouts. From Thanksgiving to February, Edwards didn’t have a single game played with double digit minutes, either coming in only at the end of already decided games or spot minutes when the Kings needed an extra possession of defense. That didn’t change much throughout the rest of the season either, with no opportunity or increased role like the end of the prior season.</p><p>By the end of the season, Edwards finished with averages of just 1.7 points, 0.8 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.2 steals in just 5.1 minutes a game. He did shoot a career-high 38.5% from three, making 20 of his 52 attempts as his offense largely came down to spot up shooting (he only shot 30 two-pointers in comparison, most of which came at the rim).</p><p>Should the Kings have played Edwards more? There’s definitely an argument for it, especially given how ineffective Chris Duarte was despite a much larger opportunity. Edwards’ on-off numbers are hard to judge considering most of his minutes came in garbage time, playing with other players who struggled to create for themselves or others, and as such the Kings offense was 11.8 points per 100 possessions worse when Edwards was on the floor. It’s definitely fair to say that Edwards is a limited player offensively, mainly focused on catch and shoot jumpers with little ballhandling or playmaking ability.</p><p>But the defensive potential is real, and the Kings were better on that end of the floor with him by 5.7 points per 100 possessions. Again, these numbers were mostly garbage minutes, but Edwards was subbed in several times for defensive matchups.</p><p>Edwards enters the offseason as an unrestricted free agent and will be just 24 years old this offseason. It seems unlikely that the Kings retain his services given how little they played him, but it also probably wouldn’t cost much to do so. If the Kings can’t find better options at the wing in free agency or by trade, another flier year at the minimum for Edwards could be in the cards, but I doubt we’ll see the Kings or any team pick him up for a multi-year deal. Edwards still needs to prove himself, and it doesn’t really seem like that opportunity is going to come here.</p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/season-review/season-review-kessler-edwards/">Season Review: Kessler Edwards</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://kingsherald.com/season-review/season-review-kessler-edwards/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>29</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Season Review: Harrison Barnes</title> <link>https://kingsherald.com/season-review/season-review-harrison-barnes/</link> <comments>https://kingsherald.com/season-review/season-review-harrison-barnes/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Akis Yerocostas]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 06 May 2024 17:56:42 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Season Review]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Harrison Barnes]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://kingsherald.com/?p=41262</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Harrison Barnes has been with the Sacramento Kings longer than anyone else on the team aside from De’Aaron Fox. He’s played more games in a Kings uniform than Chris Webber, Bobby Jackson and Doug Christie, and started every single one he’s suited up for. He’s 6th in Sac-era history in 3 pointers made and 9th […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/season-review/season-review-harrison-barnes/">Season Review: Harrison Barnes</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Harrison Barnes has been with the Sacramento Kings longer than anyone else on the team aside from De’Aaron Fox. He’s played more games in a Kings uniform than Chris Webber, Bobby Jackson and Doug Christie, and started every single one he’s suited up for. He’s 6th in Sac-era history in 3 pointers made and 9th in points. Yet over there years there might not be a player on the Kings who has been bandied about more in potential trade discussions among fans, or who gets more vitriol when he underperforms.</p><p>It wasn’t so long ago that the phrase “but can he play SF” was a meme among Kings fans who had been searching for a quality starting Small Forward for years before finally finding one in first Rudy Gay and then Harrison Barnes. Barnes was acquired for essentially free in one of Vlade Divac’s rare trade heists for his tenure; For the low, low price of Zach Randolph and Justin Jackson, the Kings got a starting Small Forward and a veteran leader for a young group. The risk lay in if the Kings could re-sign him, and they did, not just once, but twice, as they inked him to a new three year, $54 million deal last summer after four seasons of solid, if unspectacular, play.</p><p>Barnes proceeded to have statistically the worst season of his Kings tenure this year after signing his latest deal, averaging just 12.2 points with 3 rebounds and 1.2 assists. He also posted the worst net rating of any Kings rotation player at -7.8, with the Kings being better on both ends of the floor when he was off the court.</p><p>Part of this declining performance was likely by design however. With Keegan Murray now aboard, Coach Brown and co. drew up a lot of plays for Murray and relegated Barnes to essentially play a role as a spot-up shooter, rarely if ever calling specific plays for him. In seasons past, Barnes would have his number called as both a driver and post-up player, and those touches were now instead going to Murray. Barnes saw his attempts at the rim drop in frequency by almost 8%, and his Free Throw Attempt rate fall from 52.2% last season (the most of anyone on the team) to just 26.8% this season. 52.6% of his total attempts came from beyond the arc, the highest rate of his career.</p><p>Barnes’ biggest games of the season all came when he got wildly hot from distance. A 39 point performance against the Warriors saw him go 7-12 from distance, and he only had two games where he scored 17 or more points and didn’t hit more than one three. Unfortunately there were just too many games where Barnes disappeared when the three point shot wasn’t falling, and the Kings usually lost as a result. Barnes’ shooting efficiency difference between wins and losses was staggering: In Kings wins, Barnes shot 50.9% from the field and 43.6% from three (for comparison Steph Curry shot 40.8% from three this year). But in losses, Barnes shot just 42% from the field and 30.9% from three. This “live by the three, die by the three” mentality was a problem for the Kings in general, but no player epitomized this more than Barnes this season.</p><p>Barnes also doesn’t provide a ton in other areas to make up for a lack of scoring. Defensively, he tries, and often is given defensive assignments way above his paygrade simply because the Kings have so few options upfront, but he doesn’t possess the length or athleticism to be a true plus defender, and this is becoming worse with age as he has slowed down in recent years. While never a great rebounder, this season he only pulled down 3 a game, his lowest total of his career by far. Part of that is playing next to a rebounding machine in Domantas Sabonis, but even still, you expect more than 3 rebounds a game from a frontcourt player who plays as often as Barnes does.</p><p>Barnes can still be an effective player for the Kings, and by all accounts is an excellent teammate. But it seems clear at this point in his career that the Kings need an upgrade in the frontcourt, especially in the starting lineup, and Barnes is the odd man out with both Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray secure in their rotation spots. As a bench player, Barnes could potentially thrive with more energy to come in and have some plays run for him as a primary scorer. But Barnes’ contract also makes him the most likely piece to be moved in order to create that potential upgrade in the frontcourt. It seems an unlikely scenario that the Kings would be able to acquire a replacement frontcourt starter for Barnes while retaining Barnes on the team.</p><p>Harrison Barnes has been a model Sacramento King, and will always be remembered for helping this team break a 16 year playoff drought. But in order for the Kings to progress once more, Barnes and Sacramento’s time together might be coming to an end sooner rather than later.</p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/season-review/season-review-harrison-barnes/">Season Review: Harrison Barnes</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://kingsherald.com/season-review/season-review-harrison-barnes/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>74</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Season Review: Alex Len</title> <link>https://kingsherald.com/season-review/sacramento-kings-season-review-alex-len-3/</link> <comments>https://kingsherald.com/season-review/sacramento-kings-season-review-alex-len-3/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Akis Yerocostas]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 18:20:17 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Commentary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Season Review]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Alex Len]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://kingsherald.com/?p=41112</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>There’s little glory in being a backup big, especially when the guy you’re backing up is one of your team’s best players. The best backup bigs make a name for themselves with their hustle and energy, coming in off the bench to provide some good defense, rebounding and the occasional bucket. Scot Pollard is a […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/season-review/sacramento-kings-season-review-alex-len-3/">Season Review: Alex Len</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>There’s little glory in being a backup big, especially when the guy you’re backing up is one of your team’s best players. The best backup bigs make a name for themselves with their hustle and energy, coming in off the bench to provide some good defense, rebounding and the occasional bucket. Scot Pollard is a fan favorite to this day for his role as a hustle big back in the glory days despite only ever averaging about 6 points a game.</p><p>Alex Len has been on the Kings for four seasons now, including the last three in a row, mostly as a backup for Richaun Holmes and then Domantas Sabonis. His stats are pedestrian, averaging just 2.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in 9.3 minutes a game this season, but he was a positive for the Kings when he came in to relieve Sabonis.</p><p>Despite seemingly winning the primary backup big role towards the end of last season, Coach Brown tended to go back and forth between Len and the newly added JaVale McGee at the beginning of the season. Len eventually fully won the role over the older McGee about midway through the season and kept it because of his consistency. McGee tended to be flashier but also more erratic, whereas Len was quiet, steady and more importantly, effective in his limited minutes.</p><p>As one of the only true rim protectors on the team, Len gave the Kings a much different look than when Domantas Sabonis was in. Defensively, the Kings were 11.4 points per 100 possessions better defensively with Len in the game, by far the biggest on-off defensive impact of any single Kings player. Len’s size and length actively deterred opponents around the basket, and he actually posted a career-high block rate of 6.8% this season. <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/203458/defense-dash">Per NBA.com</a>, opponents shot 8.7% worse from the field than average when they were within 6 feet of the basket and guarded by Len.</p><p>Len was also a positive for the Kings offensively, with the Kings offense performing about 3.3 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor, giving him a total net rating of +14.7, the best on the team <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/SAC/2024/on-off/">per Basketball-Reference</a>. Sacramento’s offense tended to be more guard and Pick & Roll oriented when Len was in the game, and most of his offense came from finishing off dunks as the roll man or hitting the short jump hook in the paint (86.4% of his total attempts came from within 10 feet).</p><p>It’s not that Len can’t shoot from outside, as he has clearly demonstrated an ability to be able to hit the occasional jumper. There was one memorable shot late in the season against the Lakers where he faked a dribble hand off and instead turned and shot from just inside the three point line to hit a long jumper at the end of a quarter.</p><div style="width: 1080px;" class="wp-video"><!--[if lt IE 9]><script>document.createElement('video');</script><![endif]--><video class="wp-video-shortcode" id="video-41112-1" width="1080" height="608" preload="metadata" controls="controls"><source type="video/mp4" src="https://kingsherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Alex-Len-Jumper.mp4?_=1" /><a href="https://kingsherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Alex-Len-Jumper.mp4">https://kingsherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Alex-Len-Jumper.mp4</a></video></div><p>Len has shown in the past, particularly in his final full season in Atlanta where he shot 36.3% from three on 204 attempts, that he can hit the outside shot, but his time in Sacramento has largely seen him avoid that. Under Mike Brown, Len has only shot five total threes and not made any.</p><p>Len enters the offseason as an unrestricted free agent and while much of the focus is on bringing back Malik Monk, I would like to see the Kings bring back Len too if they can. He’s not flashy, but he’s reliable, knows the team and the system, and he probably won’t be too expensive.</p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/season-review/sacramento-kings-season-review-alex-len-3/">Season Review: Alex Len</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://kingsherald.com/season-review/sacramento-kings-season-review-alex-len-3/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>86</slash:comments> <enclosure url="https://kingsherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Alex-Len-Jumper.mp4" length="7688059" type="video/mp4" /> </item> <item> <title>Dissecting the end to the Kings season, and an early offseason preview, with Jerry Reynolds</title> <link>https://kingsherald.com/articles/dissecting-the-end-to-the-kings-season-and-an-early-offseason-preview-with-jerry-reynolds/</link> <comments>https://kingsherald.com/articles/dissecting-the-end-to-the-kings-season-and-an-early-offseason-preview-with-jerry-reynolds/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tony Xypteras]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2024 17:04:47 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Podcasts]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Jerry Reynolds]]></category> <category><![CDATA[The Kings Herald Show]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://kingsherald.com/?p=41109</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The Kings Herald Show returns with Jerry Reynolds, Will Griffith, and Tony Xypteras to reflect on the Sacramento Kings’ 6th loss of the season to the New Orleans Pelicans, and look ahead to a very important offseason for the entire organization. If you enjoy The Kings Herald Show, the easiest way to support us is […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/articles/dissecting-the-end-to-the-kings-season-and-an-early-offseason-preview-with-jerry-reynolds/">Dissecting the end to the Kings season, and an early offseason preview, with Jerry Reynolds</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Kings Herald Show returns with Jerry Reynolds, Will Griffith, and Tony Xypteras to reflect on the Sacramento Kings’ 6th loss of the season to the New Orleans Pelicans, and look ahead to a very important offseason for the entire organization.</p><p><iframe style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px); height: 315px;" title="The Kings Herald Podcast Network" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=msqdy-7570df-pbblog-playlist&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=654771&font-color=ffffff&logo_link=episode_page&order=episodic&limit=10&filter=all&ss=a713390a017602015775e868a2cf26b0&btn-skin=1b1b1b&size=315" width="100%" height="315" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-name="pb-iframe-player"></iframe></p><p>If you enjoy The Kings Herald Show, the easiest way to support us is to subscribe, rate, and review the show on your preferred podcast platform.</p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kings-herald-show-sacramento-kings-podcast-featuring/id661990239">Apple.</a><br /><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3Ty6DxMvk37iOzGauAyDju?si=ABGAjYwwT0SQeeJFe4uwMQ">Spotify.</a><br /><a href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2tpbmdzaGVyYWxkL2ZlZWQueG1s?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwigvMnCmPbsAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQBA">Google.</a><br /><a href="http://stitcher.com/s?fid=35581">Stitcher.</a></p><p>In addition to our bi-weekly podcast with Jerry Reynolds, we also record a Patreon exclusive Q+A once a month where Patrons at any level can Ask Jerry Anything.</p><p><strong>You can submit questions for Jerry on Patreon, or write your questions in the comments below this post! Or you can just yell questions to <a href="https://twitter.com/TonyXypteras">Tony</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/WillofThaPeople">Will</a> on Twitter. </strong></p><p><a href="https://www.patreon.com/kingsherald">And finally, you can sign up for our Patreon here</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/articles/dissecting-the-end-to-the-kings-season-and-an-early-offseason-preview-with-jerry-reynolds/">Dissecting the end to the Kings season, and an early offseason preview, with Jerry Reynolds</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://kingsherald.com/articles/dissecting-the-end-to-the-kings-season-and-an-early-offseason-preview-with-jerry-reynolds/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>5</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Season Review: Malik Monk</title> <link>https://kingsherald.com/articles/sacramento-kings-season-review-malik-monk-2/</link> <comments>https://kingsherald.com/articles/sacramento-kings-season-review-malik-monk-2/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Bryant West]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 02 May 2024 18:12:26 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Commentary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Season Review]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Malik Monk]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sacramento Kings]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://kingsherald.com/?p=41023</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>We continue our Season Review series, in which we look back at how the season went for each Sacramento Kings player. Today we look at Malik Monk. Malik Monk was far more than a super 6th man this season for the Sacramento Kings – he was one of the squad’s best and least-replaceable players. A […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/articles/sacramento-kings-season-review-malik-monk-2/">Season Review: Malik Monk</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>We continue our <a href="https://kingsherald.com/category/season-review/">Season Review</a> series, in which we look back at how the season went for each Sacramento Kings player. Today we look at Malik Monk.<br /></em></p><p>Malik Monk was far more than a super 6th man this season for the Sacramento Kings – he was one of the squad’s best and least-replaceable players.</p><p>A year removed from setting an NBA record for highest offensive rating and scoring the most points in the league, the Kings offense dropped to 13th in offensive rating and 9th in points per game. Kevin Huerter’s deep shooting numbers fell from a career high in 2022-23 to a career low in 2023-24. Harrison Barnes struggled to consistently make an impact offensively, scoring 11 or fewer points in more than half his contests. And while Keegan Murray took strong steps forward on defense and diversifying his offense, <a href="https://kingsherald.com/season-review/season-review-keegan-murray/">he also had his own offensive consistency issues</a>.</p><p>Malik Monk wasn’t more efficient than any of Huerter, Barnes, or Murray, but he was more consistent. He averaged 15.4 points and 5.1 assists per game, third on the team in both categories, and he led the Kings to many victories they probably wouldn’t have won without him. He hit the game winner against Golden State in late November. He had 37 points and 9 assists – 17 of those points in the 4th quarter and OT – in a barn burning win against Orlando in January. With Fox in street clothes with a knee injury, Monk scored 35 of his 39 points in the 2nd half to lead the Kings to a victory in Minnesota in early March. His ability to thrive as both an on- and off-ball scorer and on-ball playmaker let Mike Brown stagger the minutes for Fox and Domantas Sabonis. But come crunch time, Monk was almost always in the ball game, starting lineups be damned.</p><p>Both Monk and Kings fans were frustrated when Malik lost the 6th Man of the Year Award to Minnesota’s Naz Reid. Monk finished first among reserves in the association for points, assists, and clutch points. Reid was certainly a deserving candidate, and his run <i>as a starter </i>helped the Timberwolves secure the 3rd seed in the West despite the injury to star Karl-Anthony Towns. Some NBA media folks noted that Monk’s shooting numbers towards the end of the season – he averaged 16.9 points and 4.7 assists in March, but shot 43.3% from the field and 27.9% from deep – were a reason against his candidacy. But one wonders if, had Monk avoided the injury against Dallas on March 29, if he’d have stuck at the top of the ballots and won the award.</p><p>Indeed, it’s impossible not to wonder if a healthy Monk could have helped the Kings avoid their eventual play-in outcome. The Kings were 41-31 and 7th in the West before the game against the Mavericks where Monk got hurt. When Luka Doncic <a href="https://twitter.com/SeanCunningham/status/1773901000677749173/video/1">went foul hunting and landed on Monk’s knee in the process</a>, the Kings’ season changed. The squad went 5-7 in their remaining 12 games (including the two play-in contests), the offense took a real step back (dropping from 116 PPG to 111 PPG), and the Kings fell to 9th in the West. <a href="https://kingsherald.com/season-review/season-review-domantas-sabonis/">Sabonis’ efficiencies dropped </a>in those final 12 games without his best pick-and-roll partner.</p><p>Would Monk have helped the Kings avoid some of their most egregious late season losses – such as the 2nd half meltdown in New York, or the 2nd half meltdown in Oklahoma City, or maybe the 2nd half meltdown against Phoenix? Who knows – Monk was certainly on the court for plenty of the Kings’ meltdowns throughout the season. But it’s hard not to wonder how the Kings could have finished the season with their third best player, arguably their most clutch player of the season, and one of their few true on-ball creators healthy. Avoiding just one of those losses, especially the April 12th home loss against Phoenix, would have altered the playoff/play-in seedings.</p><p>Malik enters the summer facing a ton of questions about his future, but there’s no question as to his value to the Sacramento Kings. In a year where the Kings offense faltered at times, Monk kept Sacramento in many games. Fox and Sabonis may be Sacramento’s best players, but Monk was the most electric King this season, and his ability to thrive with and play off of both Fox and Sabonis was a huge catalyst for their success. Here’s hoping this is just the beginning for Malik’s time in Sacramento.</p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/articles/sacramento-kings-season-review-malik-monk-2/">Season Review: Malik Monk</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://kingsherald.com/articles/sacramento-kings-season-review-malik-monk-2/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>76</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Season Review: Keegan Murray</title> <link>https://kingsherald.com/season-review/season-review-keegan-murray/</link> <comments>https://kingsherald.com/season-review/season-review-keegan-murray/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Akis Yerocostas]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 01 May 2024 17:32:59 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Commentary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Season Review]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Keegan Murray]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://kingsherald.com/?p=40984</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>We continue our Season Review series, in which we look back at how the season went for each Sacramento Kings player. Today we look at Keegan Murray. Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox are the faces of the Sacramento Kings, but there may not be a more important player for the near future of this franchise […]</p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/season-review/season-review-keegan-murray/">Season Review: Keegan Murray</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>We continue our <a href="https://kingsherald.com/category/season-review/">Season Review</a> series, in which we look back at how the season went for each Sacramento Kings player. Today we look at Keegan Murray.</em></p><p>Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox are the faces of the Sacramento Kings, but there may not be a more important player for the near future of this franchise than one Keegan Murray.</p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Keegan Murray had an excellent rookie year. Murray was drafted with the expectation that he could come in and help out both now and in the future. Unlike most other lottery picks who got given a ton of freedom to find themselves and play through mistakes on bad teams, he was asked to step in and play a very specific role on a team trying to break a 16 year playoff streak.</span> The Kings needed Murray to excel in his role as a spot-up shooter to complement Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox and he delivered. In his rookie season, Murray started 78 of 80 games and set the NBA record for most threes made by a rookie in a season with 206, and did it with extreme efficiency, shooting 41.1% from distance. However he was a fairly one dimensional player, which is fine for a rookie.</p><p>Murray’s growth was a huge focus for the Kings coming into this season. While it was fine for him to be fairly one-dimensional as a rookie, his growth hinged on becoming more of a well-rounded player. That meant being able to create shots for himself and others as well as playing defense. We saw him play in Summer League at the California Classic where the Kings had him play the role of primary scorer. De’Aaron Fox took Murray under his wing over the summer and spent the offseason training with him and playing games of one-on-one to hone his two-way game. All that hard work in the summer paid off this season.</p><p>Whereas Murray was asked to focus mostly on one thing (shooting) as a rookie, his sophomore season saw him become more of a jack of all trades. He was still relied on to hit his outside shots, but now he was also asked to create a bit more offense for himself. In his rookie season, 60.6% of his total shots were just catch and shoot, while only 10.7% were pull ups. 74.4% of his total attempts came with no dribbles at all. That changed dramatically in his sophomore season. Only 46.4% of his total attempts were catch and shoot, and his pull up percentage increased to 25% while just 56.9% of his shots come with no dribbles.</p><p>He also focused more on developing the midrange. In his rookie year, only 6.9% of his total attempts came from between 10 feet and the 3 point line. This year that went up to 18.7%. Murray’s three point efficiency took a hit as he made just 35.8% of his total three point attempts (a decrease of almost six percentage points from his record setting rookie season), but his 2P% went up from 52.7% to 56%. His finishing at the rim, which was an issue during his rookie season, also improved as he opted to finish with authority instead of trying to finesse his way around the basket. He ended up with 72 total dunks compared to just 39 as a rookie and his FG% at the rim went up almost 5% as a result.</p><p>Murray’s expanded offensive game led to more extreme performances. In his rookie season, Keegan scored 20+ points just 13 times and only scored 30 once. This season, Murray scored 20+ 18 times, including three times over 30, none better than his 47 point effort against Utah where he made 11 consecutive three pointers (an NBA record), including 12-15 overall.</p><p><iframe title="Keegan Murray Makes Kings Franchise HISTORY! 👀 | December 16, 2023" width="1080" height="608" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4e19p6IuvNE?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://kingsherald.com" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p><p>But Murray wasn’t just asked to contribute more offensively, he was also tasked almost nightly with the toughest defensive matchups. Right from the start of the season it seemed clear that Murray was going to be asked to be a stopper. We saw it as early as the first week of the season when the Kings switched him on to Steph Curry as the primary defender. Just six months earlier, the Warriors had hunted that matchup in the playoffs, but Murray’s offseason work trying to stay in front of Fox paid off and Murray made life as tough on Steph as anyone possibly can.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Keegan Murray drew the Steph Curry assignment on Wednesday night and did about as great of a job as you could ask for. Cannot overstate how impressive his development has been. <a href="https://t.co/Ypy0RUPKz2">pic.twitter.com/Ypy0RUPKz2</a></p><p>— Skyler (KFR) (@SacFilmRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/SacFilmRoom/status/1720535128001356246?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2023</a></p></blockquote><p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p><p>Throughout the season we continued to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQoQAV7rfSQ">see this defensive growth</a>, which proved particularly effective when Keegan was matched up against guys smaller than him as his length allowed him to bother their shots. Per NBA.com, opponents shot 2.7% worse against Keegan once inside the three point line, and 5% worse when they were within 10 feet. Murray also ended up leading the Kings in blocks (59) and finished 2nd in steals (79).</p><p>It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for Murray though. There would be many games where his shot just wasn’t falling. There were 30 games this season where Murray hit one or fewer three pointers. That’s not a huge issue in itself, but it is when he’s often tasked with shooting three pointers at volume. Many of those games weren’t just 1/2 from three, but instead 1/8, or 0/7. In those 30 games, he shot 20 of 147 (13.6%). That’s a lot of empty possessions that add up over a season where the Kings missed the playoffs by one game. Murray particularly got into trouble when shooting threes on the move or off pullups, where he made just 26% of his total attempts, whereas he shot a respectable 37.5% on set catch and shoot threes (still lower than last season but still good).</p><p>Murray also has a ways to go to develop himself as a ballhandler, particularly with a defender nearby. While not exceedingly turnover prone, Murray could get in trouble when having to dribble through traffic. Better ballhandling will lead to better quality shots and also open up the ability to make plays for others, something he has rarely done in his first two seasons. There was a funny moment late in the season against the Clippers when Keegan found Domas for a dunk with a bounce pass off a drive and Domas reacted as if he didn’t know Keegan had it in him.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">"What a pass!"</p><p>Domantas Sabonis is all smiles after this dime from Keegan Murray! <a href="https://t.co/gRhHuTkZac">pic.twitter.com/gRhHuTkZac</a></p><p>— Matt George (@MattGeorgeSAC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattGeorgeSAC/status/1775369671010877546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p><p>Murray’s importance to the Kings future cannot be understated. His growth could mean the difference between this team being a true contender or merely just a good team that shows occasional flashes. Against the Warriors in the first Play-In game, it was Keegan Murray that was the hero, not Domantas Sabonis or De’Aaron Fox. Murray scored a game-high 32 points to go with 9 rebounds while also guarding Steph Curry for a large part of the game. But the following game against the Pelicans, Murray struggled, scoring 11 points on just 4-12 from the field.</p><p>Consistency will be the name of the game for Murray in year three. Depending on what happens with Malik Monk this summer, Murray could be tasked with even greater offensive responsibility. Murray has shown flashes of stardom over his first two seasons but now it will be up to him to turn those flashes into something that the Kings can rely on night in and night out.</p><p><em>(Statistics sourced from NBA.com and basketball-reference.com)</em></p><p>The post <a href="https://kingsherald.com/season-review/season-review-keegan-murray/">Season Review: Keegan Murray</a> appeared first on <a href="https://kingsherald.com">The Kings Herald</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://kingsherald.com/season-review/season-review-keegan-murray/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>73</slash:comments> </item> </channel></rss> <!-- plugin=object-cache-pro client=phpredis metric#hits=28372 metric#misses=162 metric#hit-ratio=99.4 metric#bytes=133222758 metric#prefetches=7399 metric#store-reads=125 metric#store-writes=2 metric#store-hits=7404 metric#store-misses=146 metric#sql-queries=31 metric#ms-total=1898.49 metric#ms-cache=280.55 metric#ms-cache-avg=2.2266 metric#ms-cache-ratio=14.8 --> If you would like to create a banner that links to this page (i.e. this validation result), do the following:
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