The Sacramento Kings are riding high right now, currently on a five-game winning streak after dropping six in a row and firing Mike Brown in the process. Sacramento’s opponents during this stretch have been missing key players, but so have the Kings, who missed both Keegan Murray and De’Aaron Fox at times this week. Now, with Fox probably coming back for Friday’s game against the Boston Celtics, it will be the first time all season that the Kings are fully healthy and Doug Christie is going to be faced with some interesting lineup decisions, in particular thanks to the recent play of Keon Ellis.
Ellis is not Sacramento’s best player or even a star, but the numbers show he might just be one of the most impactful players on the team when he gets minutes and that was evident as well in the film from this recent stretch. In these last six games since Doug Christie became coach, Ellis is averaging 11.3 points on 47.8% from the field, 44.8% from three, 3.3 rebounds, 2.5 steals, 1.8 assists and 0.8 blocks in 29.7 minutes a game. More importantly, the lineups that Ellis is in are winning their matchups handedly. Here’s a look at the five most used lineups the Kings have ran during Christie’s tenure so far (data via NBA.com):
Those top two lineups featuring Ellis have been absolutely dominating their matchups. Meanwhile, the current starting line up and one that could be slated to come back tomorrow has not been performing well. That’s not just a recent trend either. If we take a look at the entire season, this version of the starting lineup has played the most minutes of any other lineup on the team and is the only lineup among the Top 6 that the Kings run that has a negative net rating:
Meanwhile, the lineups in there that include Ellis all see the Kings win their matchup by more than 10 points per 100 possessions.
Under Mike Brown, Ellis only started four games this season. His first start came against the Miami Heat when Kevin Huerter missed a game with an injury. The Kings won that game by 1 point with Ellis being a +22 in 28 minutes of action. Alas, by the next game, Huerter was back in the starting lineup and Ellis back to the bench, where he was a +15. Brown finally tried Ellis in the starting lineup over Huerter for a three game stretch starting on Nov. 25th against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Kings went 1-2 in that stretch (it should be noted that DeMar DeRozan was out for two of those games and resorted to playing Jae Crowder straight off the street in his stead) and Mike Brown then decided to put Malik Monk in the starting lineup, which has been the case ever since.
Monk is one of the Kings best players, and the move to the starting lineup made sense at the time as the Kings needed a jolt of energy. But while Malik and the Kings had some initial success with the change as they went 4-2 in the first 6 games of that lineup, that was immediately followed by the 6 game losing streak that cost Mike Brown his job. During that stretch from losing his starting spot to when Brown got fired, Keon Ellis averaged only 16.2 minutes a game. Under Doug, he’s been playing much more but a big part of that has been guys like Fox and Murray being in and out of the lineup. In Doug’s first two games when he had each starter healthy, Ellis only played 16.7 minutes a game.
Now while I am of the belief that the Kings would probably be a better team if Malik Monk went back to the bench (where he was more efficient this season) in favor of Ellis, I don’t see Coach Christie messing with the starting lineup just yet, especially during this good stretch. But regardless of who starts or doesn’t, it seems clear that Keon Ellis needs to be playing decent minutes because almost whatever lineup you put him in does incredibly well. The Kings have so few good defenders as it is, they can’t afford to limit one of their few good ones, especially when that guy is also one of the best shooters on the team (41.7% from three).
But this is where the Kings continue to run into a roster construction issue. This team has soooo many guards, and not enough time to give all of them. Monk, even if he isn’t starting, should be seeing 30+ minutes a game. De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray and DeMar DeRozan should all be at around 35. That leaves 31 backcourt minutes and 39 frontcourt minutes to split between guys like Ellis, Kevin Huerter, Trey Lyles, Alex Len and newcomer Devin Carter. Giving Ellis the 30 minutes he probably deserves means you probably don’t have room to play one of those guys, and you’re going to be playing small ball most of the game (which the Kings under Christie have been happy to do).
I’ll be keeping a close eye on how Christie navigates these minutes over the next few games, especially as the Kings are set to face some tougher tests than they have been. This five-game streak has been a breath of fresh air, but this team’s underlying problems are still the same and Monte McNair, Wes Wilcox and company can’t afford to simply rest on their laurels. But in the meantime, get Keon Ellis in the games as often as possible and let him keep doing his thing.
Fox-Ellis-Murray-Lyles-Sabonis
all due respect, that lineup sounds tuuuuuurible.
You make a compelling argument.
Lineup maximizes spacing for Fox and Ox to pound the lane, with our best defenders. Then Second unit Monk, Debo, Cater, Huerter and Lin brings energy to bury the other team’s bench.
Been fantasizing about this lineup since last season. Quick check, this year that lineup has been played for a grand total of 7 minutes and (sss warning) was outscored by 6 pts.
Ellis is such a joy to watch. He busts his butt out there! He leads the team in blocks! That is crazy for his size and limited minutes this season.
I think we all know the answer to this equation right?
Fox has got to go.
He’s got peak(ish) value. and we can get a player and picks for him.
Fox for Scottie barnes + Picks.
Monk/DDR/Murray/Barnes/Domas
Carter/Ellis/Trey/Kevin
tight 9.
the Raptors hang up so fast they don’t even get charged for the international call
I am suspicious of Fox’s value. I have a bad feeling it is not as high as some people on here think. If Fox is on the table I think we could see a similar situation as the Hali trade where the trade partner prefers someone else.
The answer is trading DeRozan, right? I know it was fun the other night, but he’s still an awkward fit with this team.
if the Kings could flip him for a Draymond Green type it would put them on a new tier. But i’m not sure that such a trade is available
Just so long as it isn’t Draymond Green…
Yes NO Green.
Adamsite the other day had a trade idea to ponder. Derozan to the Lakers for Rui Hachumura and Jared Vanderbuilt.
I think it comes down to contracts (Fox), and what they can get in a return for either Fox or DeRozan.
Fox can return some real talent to fill roster holes, plus picks.
DeRozan won’t return as much, and may cost a pick to move out.
Trade em both
The Fox contract is the elephant in the room. The Kings are nearing a precipice of what the next season and beyond will be. Do they go all in on a Fox and Sabonis core for the next 4+ years or re-tool.
I’m starting to think that might not be a good idea. Fox’s deal is going to be massive.
I strongly believe the super max and even a max contract for Fox would be a huge mistake and future regret.
Do they use Fox to find a Wing player to add this season, plus a young guy and a pick?
That’s what I would do. A good wing or a real PF or a legit backup C and picks. I think any those and the team is more balanced and better.
Rockets make sense, but I don’t know if the Rockets want to move Jabari Smith Jr., Dillon Brooks, and Steven Adams for Fox.
VanVleet has a team option, which I am guessing the Rockets decline. That would leave them with Fox, Jalen Green, and Reed Sheppard at guard. They would still have Eason, Whitmore, and Amen Thompson as their forwards.
Spurs make no sense as a partner for the Kings if the Kings want to compete this year. Castle, Keldon Johnson, Sochan, Z. Collins all are bad 3pt shooters.
Maybe there is a 3 team trade out there where the Kings could get John Collins and a wing from some team (idk which team or player).
Also, a team taking Fox would need to think he is the guy that can get them over the hump and take them to the next level.
Rockets make sense, but I don’t know if the Rockets want to move Jabari Smith Jr., Dillon Brooks, and Steven Adams for Fox.
What if the Kings took 2 of the 3 and some picks? Again I am leery of Fox’s actual value.
I like the idea of Adams backing up Domas. IMO, getting a real backup center would solve a lot of problems because then Lyles can be the backup 4 with Domas or play small ball 5 without him. Plus, lowering Domas’ mins even a little bit would be good for the long run.
It’s a salary matching thing. Rockets need to send out about $35m to the Kings. Those 3 are nearing $33m.
Got it. I have decent basketball knowledge from playing and coaching but I just don’t put the time into thinking about salary cap, salary matching and apron stuff that all puts me to sleep TBH.
How do picks figure into salary matching? Not at all?
Not at all.
That is strange to me. So how does it work when it’s a trade of player for a pick? Thinking of more minor deals where its a bench guy for a 2nd.
Thanks for the info BTW!
I think the team that acquires the player has to have cap space (I could be wrong). Also, our good friend Cash Considerations might be involved as well.
Others on here might have more details about that.
Make sense. Thanks Hobby916 I appreciate the info
One thing I haven’t seen addressed in these trade proposals is what it will be like with Monk as our full-time starting PG. I love his energy, and he has a good connection with Domas in the two-man game; but I’ve seen too many times when his shot isn’t falling and his drives into the paint are totally out of control.
I have not been impressed with McLaughlin as an adequate backup. And it’s way too soon to think Carter can fill the role of getting the team reorganized when things are going off the rails.
I look at it as you have to take the good with the bad. In Monk’s case, he walks that line of high energy, fearless play and out of control, bone head play. I think the pros outweigh the cons. I think he can do it, there will just be some occasional WTF moments.
Also I think Keon with his wins-you-extra-possessions plays more than evens it out.
But you can also play Keon with Fox
Just a thought. Fox to the
Heat for Hero, Highsmith and Jovic. Hero is now your starting point guard and Monk stays where he is.
PS Wrong trade. Fox to the Heat for Hero, Highsmith and Ware. Sorry about that.
Fox does some of the same stuff. So it is a matter of…does the team think Monk can fill the role of Fox, and then use the Fox salary more adequately balance and improve the roster.
Also, I am thinking of good contract vs bad contract. If Fox gets a max or super max he will make 2x-3x what Monk does.
Is Fox 2x the player Monk is? I say no, not even close.
I would say Fox is better overall but Monk is better at several things; like passing and 3pt shooting and has a more consistent motor.
Counter-argument: you can say virtually the exact same about Fox.
I think Monk gets out of control much more often than Fox, and he’s much better at reorganizing the team when needed.
And my main point is that we have an adequate backup/co-PG tandem between Fox and Monk. But if we trade Fox, we will need someone to supplement Monk at the PG position. I haven’t seen anyone address that point in their trade proposals.
Keegan Murray, our point-forward. What could go wrong?
That was next on MB’s list of challenges for Keegan.
I don’t sweat the backup PG role there are lots of those guys, it is not hard to get. And it depends on what you get for Fox. That backup PG might come back in trade.
I think between Monk, Ellis, Carter, Huerter and Domas there is enough playmaking/ballhandling to make up for Fox.
Comes down to how much you value Fox. And if you think the Kings are better with Fox as constructed or better minus Fox but add what he gets you in trade. I go the latter unless Monte screws up bad.
Please don’t include Ellis as a playmaker/ballhandler. I love him as a player overall, but he has a hard time just getting a routine pass into Domas, and we’ve seen a lot of evidence of his below par decision making on fast breaks.
I did and I will. I have seen him bring the ball up. Primary ballhandler no, can do it sometimes, yes
I didn’t mean to offend you. Sorry that I did.
All good, not offended. You obviously have a much higher view of Fox than I do and that is fine.
That’s certainly going to be a challenge. There are a couple of reasons I think people are proposing Fox trades:
Personally, I think all three reasons make it virtually inevitable that Fox will not be a King to start the 2025-26 season.
In that spirit, a lot of people are proposing one-off trades of Fox where we get 3’s, 4’s, or 5’s in return to fix roster imbalances. To me, a lot depends on whether the FO thinks Carter can run the offense as a true PG or if Domas or even McLaughlin can help fill the void. That’s an open question to me.
I also think that if a trade of Fox doesn’t net a quality backup PG, there could (and possibly should) be a secondary move of Huerter or Deebo to further fill out the roster with a backup PG. If a Fox move happens in the offseason, that could also just involve picking up a FA.
Do you think the Kings should trade Fox? If so, what do you think are the best options for running the offense in his absence? I’m not a fanspo guy, so I end up speaking more in generalities, tbh.
1, 2, and 3. and I will add 4. Giving Fox a max or super max is a mistake.
And yes, I would trade him. The two recent games without him confirmed my suspicion that they would be fine without Fox. And then you are adding to the current roster with whatever Fox brings back, if it is a good haul the Kings could be much better and more balanced.
While reluctant to trade Fox, I came to believe after the post-Pistons game press conference that it is time to move on. However, I’m not in a rush to make a deal unless it’s overwhelmingly in our favor. I’m also not yet sold on Monk as our starting PG going forward. Waiting till the off season when we can bring back a quality 3/4 or 4/5 type and still have time to address the PG situation seems like a better idea.
I see this as kind of a similar situation to when GSW traded Monta Ellis. Most people thought GSW lost that trade when it went down. But they had some redundancy and exchanged it to fill a gap in their roster.
Good comp. Now let’s hope that Carter is the next Curry!
Would be amazing but I would settle for very good. I am more intrigued by what Fox could return and what gaps they could close on the roster.
Who would you say is a lengthy comparable 3 or 4 for Fox?
Markkanen?
This is where my own self-doubt comes in. I never played basketball and don’t always feel super confident in my ability to assess who would be a fit in any given roster. To me, the only thing Markkanen does well is shoot. Personally, I think I’d rather have a big who has a little more of an all around game. Obviously, Monte values him, though. So I could see him trying to work Markkanen into a Fox deal.
I was just throwing his name out.
Mainly I like the idea of adding a real PF to the starting lineup. Or add a strong back up PF/C. I think adding either/or allows Keegan to play more SF which I think is his ideal position. At some point I think DDR will need to come off the bench too, lowering his mins is better for the long term.
I played a lot up through junior college and have coached some. My lack of confidence/ignorance is with the cap rules, apron stuff, salaries,etc. I just don’t care to learn it.
That’s a fair assessment. The only thing I take issue with is the concept of a deal being overwhelmingly in our favor. Personally, I think a win-win or slightly in our favor is in the cards, but overwhelming is difficult to pull off and may not even be knowable until well after the trade is completed. But I take your point.
Maybe just a small sample of the winning streak but look at the games where Fox was absent and Ellis started in his place. I know it’s just a small sample but a sample indeed.
Should we ignore the previous two wins where Fox and Ellis started together?
No was just showing you another winning combo.
I think it’s either trading him or moving him to the bench. They just have to do a better job playing their best lineups more often. They have wild on/off splits depending on the rotation and they need to try to mitigate that as much as possible. Fox and DDR don’t fit on the floor together so their minutes need to be broken up as much as possible.
OT: Fox and Recee had dinner with Mike Brown and family last night:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DElXOiZSy53/
Fox will be moved, probably in the off season and Sabonis was actually the coach killer?
Maybe MB was recruiting Fox for the Nigerian national team now that he has plenty of time to go back to running that program.
If you are going to move Fox IMO don’t wait for the off season. His value right now gives the best results and who ever comes in has a chance to work with the other players. By trading Fox I hope the Kings are still playing for a spot in the playoffs or olayin. IMO if we could use Huerter, Lyles, Jones and a first and a second to acquire Cam Jonson and Day Ron Sharpe this would solve shooting and a backup center. IMO Nets might be willing to accept a first and second.
Mike Brown was clearly the coach killer .
Nice!
If Sabonis killed the coach he deserved it
I tend to agree. Just have read some stuff that Domas was the one pushing back against Brown the most in practices, and his response to Monk starting was “finally” and Christie was his assistant.
That is interesting. Had not heard that.
Domas always gives full effort, leaves nothing on the court and maximizes his talent so if a coach is butting heads with him I question that coach.
If Fox is moved, does Brown end up on the bench of that team next season? That would be interesting.
Any Given Sunday II
Why would he do that?
Is it a signal to the FO?
Is it an attempt to distance himself from the firing?
Is he one of these people who just wants to be liked by everybody?
Maybe I’m too cynical a person, but I find it hard to believe that it’s just a friendly dinner between a player and his ex-coach with no hidden message.
It could be just that. Fox is a different kind of person. He sounded like he really liked Mike Brown.
I’m pretty cynical and even that seems cynical to me. I think he probably had a solid relationship with Mike Brown and just grabbed dinner with him. I also found it a little far fetched that Fox was the one who had serious issues with Mike Brown.
To me as a person Fox seems pretty laid back and a cool guy. Probably wanted to make sure they are good and not burn any bridges.
On the court, I wish he was less laid back and more of a shit bird.
Yeah, he seems to be one of these people who just wants to be liked, it seems.
When he made that flagrant foul against Memphis and Bane lit in to him he seemed so eager to make up and shake hands. Then Bane told him to F off and he seemed perturbed by it.
LOL, yes I saw that too. Bane might not be the guy to change his tune with either.
Christie, like Brown, really has impossible decisions to make. Too many guards, not enough height, not enough defense. The best he can do is to keep giving Ellis as many minutes as possible. BTW, if you watched Cleveland-OKC, you saw two-way player after two-way player. Fast, physical, good passers. Those GM’s know how to pick bench guys as FA’s and 2nd rounders. We can only hope that Ellis won’t be Monte’s only good physical, fast two-way role player. Keep going Monte!
Keep going Monte!
I would say get started Monte!
Fox doesn’t have Ellis’s elite defensive capacity but he is definitely a plus defender as well as either a plus or even elite scorer. He’s a capable passer (11th among PGs in assists), even though the offense typically runs through Domas. To me, he qualifies as a two-way player along with Ellis. If Murray’s shot starts to fall, he’s a two-way player as well. If Carter turns into the two-way player he is capable of becoming, now we’re cooking with gas.
So you’re saying they’ve got a bona-fide 3 & D player staring them right in the face.
Could be.
Kevin Huerter needs to go, and that solves part of the guard logjam. Huerter is less likely to turn the ball over or make a bad play with the ball in his hands than Keon, but is far worse in every other aspect of the game. Running Huerter out is a net negative when it comes at the expense of minutes for any of the four other guards on the team (counting DeRozan here) that are far better than he is.
The one guy you need to play who isn’t clearly better yet is Carter, and it makes no sense to pin him to the bench and not know what you have in favor of a guy who maybe will get back to being an average three point shooter and giving you very little else.
Huerter doesn’t have much value. If you can move his salary without taking on anything extra, you’re a winner. If you can do it for an Alex Len level backup big and someone who is injured or who you can cut, even better.
I’m looking at the last 10 games and not just the last five, and this team still needs major changes, and not lineup or coaching changes. I think the front office looks at the last five games and does little (moving Huerter) or nothing at the deadline, and that will show itself to be a mistake.
…I’m looking at the last 10 games and not just the last five, and this team still needs major changes, and not lineup or coaching changes. I think the front office looks at the last five games and does little (moving Huerter) or nothing at the deadline, and that will show itself to be a mistake….
Agree 100%. This is my fear as well, Monte fails to pull the trigger. Again
Gotta stick with riding the successes shown by starting Ellis and Monk. They earned it and their recent numbers are proof. Add Murray, as he has (very recently) turned his confidence around, and Sabonis. Lastly, either DeRozan or Fox start with one of them coming off the bench. Starting Monk, Derozan, and Fox just leave too much of a tendency for midrange and isoball.
Good stuff, Akis. This a a great topic worthy of discussion.
My take is that this problem of a plethora of qualified guards is not Christie’s problem, but Monte’s problem. Doug has the luxury of of calling on any of Fox, Monk, Keon, Carter, Huerter, or even Jordan or Colby, for guard depth. When it comes to front court help, however, he’s potentially reaching to two-way players.
Monte needs to correct this issue because there are currently 4 to 5 guards worthy of significant minutes. IMO, this hinders the team because Doug is forced to have a player sit who is more than qualified and needed to be on the court while he may have to ask Len, McDermott, Crowder or Isaac Jones eat up minutes in the frontcourt.
Balance the roster and this team could notch things up a rung or two.
Who gets moved for what and when is anyone’s guess, but balance is needed if this team is truly turning a corner.
100%. Unfortunately Monte has a bare cupboard due to poor talent evaluation and pick management. None of the frontcourt guys you mentioned should get minutes in a playoff game. It’s Sabonis, Murray, DeRozan, (gulp) Lyles, and then prayers.
DFS (acquired for 3 seconds) would have been a nice fit, but acquiring and then dumping Chris Duarte cost us ~4 seconds. Vezenkov was a bust. Etc.
Just one plethora?
I suspect Doug will start the DDR, Sabonis, Monk, Fox, and Murray lineup against the C’s, and the Kings will quickly fall into a large deficit. Akis’ stats above show this is a failing lineup, and it could be fatal against a top-tier team, but part of Doug’s job is to manage large personalities. None of the regular starters, which now includes Monk, would likely be open to coming off the bench.
I agree. I think this will happen and the Kings will get smoked. The roster is still broken and Fox and DDR don’t fit together. It’s been the same issue all season. Their shot profile and defense just fall apart when these guys share the court with Sabonis in particular.
My take is the same as it was before the season started. Kevin Huerter is your back up SF to Demar. Period. Huerter can not get any minutes at guard. Period. Forget about roster adjustments for a moment and lets focus on the roster we have,
OX plays most of the minutes at the 5 with Lyles and Len coming in depending on matchups and foul trouble. Lyles comes in / continues to get minutes as the only back up for Spock at PF. Demar is your starting SF and unless you are playing Spock and Lyles together which is 100% doable with a tighter rotation you have Huerter picking up every single extra minute available at SF. ZERO minutes for Huerter at the SG position. ZERO. Additionally you can now go small ball as Doug has shown and include some spot minutes for Carter in a 3 guard lineup when appropriate. Carter likely guarding the opposing teams small ball SF and pulling down rebounds left and right while playing respectable defense with his tenacity, quickness, long arms and leaping ability.
For the time being the conversation with Carter needs to be – “Young man, your time will come, you are still working your way back from injury and we are very happy to have you be part of this team and contribute. At the moment I need to get our vet guards dialed in so I will be sending more minutes to Fox, Ellis and Monk. With Fox coming back now you are going to see less minutes and might even log some DNP’s over the next few weeks. DOn’t let that discourage you I need you ready and will get you in at any given moment when I feel the team needs your energy. You are my number 4 guard at the moment so you will get opportunities to impact the game. I’ll likely use you in some 3 guard lineups as well when the matchups make sense. Just keep in mind that your time will come. Be patient and be ready, we need you ready.”
Carter is a rookie coming back from injury mid season. Fox, Monk, Ellis is the priority. When Appropriate we have our promising rookie pick up minutes. Huerter simply can not be part of the guard rotation conversation any more. Period.
Fox, Ellis Monk 30 – 35 minutes each per night. If they continue buying in to the Doug balls to the wall playing style and subbing out for each other as they play hard and need a breather Carter could squeeze in 10 minutes a night when everyone is 100% healthy. Bumps and bruises to those three brings in Carter to fill the void and continue developing with an expanded roll when needed.
Spock and Demar at PF/ SF with 36 minutes a night leaves 24 minutes of forward minutes available. That goes between Lyles and Huerter.
Ox at center getting 36 minutes per night leaves 12 minutes of center minutes available. As doug has already been doing, a lot off those minutes goes to Lyles. In a perfect world all 12 of them. On occasion considering matchups/opposing big bodies Len needs to get more of those minutes. Lyles could easily log 20 minutes a night between back up Center and back up Power Forward. 10 – 15 minutes at PF and 5 -12 minutes at Center. Len filling in the rest.
With certain moments where Spock slides to SF for a bit and Lyles logs more PF minutes that night we are basically left with Huerter getting the remaining SF minutes at approximately 12 minutes per night.
This is the way.
The way to winning. Huerter is a bit of the “odd man out”, it is just the way it is. His performance over an 18 month period has earned him that. This is life.
I like your thinking, but ideally you have Murray and DDR playing less than 36 minutes/night …. more like the 30-35 minutes/night you have suggested for Fox, Monk & Ellis. Bar injury and garbage time, no minutes for Crowder, McDermott and Isaac Jones
I think if the right move or two could be done by Monte (big if) the team would be more balanced, better and reduce some of the heavy minutes by DDR and Domas in particular. I worry that long term those heavy minutes are going to have a price.
I have said on here before my inclination would be to trade Fox. Supposedly he will bring back the best package (I think it would be less than what some are thinking).
But assume it is a good haul, maybe an above average Wing, PF or C and a bunch of picks and you add that to the team who beat the brakes off GSW and won the slug fest with MIA.
I think the team is much more balanced, all on decent contracts, the supermax death trap is avoided and I think would have a real shot at a top 6 seed this year.
I have almost zero faith in Monte to pull that off though.
Without looking into anything whatsoever, what would a Johnathon Isaac for Malik Monk trade look like, other then blasphemous?
Kings would need to send out another $7m or so to make the salaries work because Isaac makes $25m this year (that goes down to $15m for the next 4 seasons).
Isaac struggles to make 3pt shots, and he hasn’t shown the ability to stay healthy throughout his career.
he does have some interesting lineup decisions to make. I think starting Keon and Keegan would be optimal, especially against the Bucks where Giannis and Dame score 56 a game.
why did I think they were playing the Bucks tonight?
One day, you’ll be right about this.
Fox is apparently out tonight.
[…] Doug Christie did an outstanding job in his first week as interim coach and did so in the most obvious way possible. Although almost by necessity due to injury, Keon Ellis has been playing an average of almost 26 mpg over the last four games, and his impact is front and center. Devin Carter is shining in his first two games, which is an amazing compliment to Ellis’s defensive playstyle. Substitutions and lineup changes have been noticeably better in the last week. The attitude of this team seems to have improved in an instant. […]
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