The Sacramento Kings were shorthanded going into Minnesota as the De’Aaron Fox/Zach LaVine trade was finalized earlier in the day. No matter, the Kings showed up ready to play. The Minnesota Timberwolves were also missing a few key players, but both teams came out with big energy and intensity. It seems the Kings and Wolves will give us a great game every single time they meet, no matter who sits and who plays, and this one was no different. The game came down to the wire, and the Kings held on for a 116-114 victory.
Thoughts and observations from the win:
We needed that
This was a good win. The Wolves, even without Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo and even despite their struggles this season, are a good team. Good enough to give the Kings fits even at full strength. Naz Reid lit the Kings up for 30 points. Jaden McDaniels had 22, Anthony Edwards had 21, and Rudy Gobert had 19 points to go with 13 rebounds. The Wolves showed up. It didn’t matter. The Kings showed up and matched the effort, the intensity, and got a really good win. And boy did it feel like a relief. Given the last week of drama hanging over the team, it was nice to see some good, exciting, winning basketball.
Keegan Unleashed
Keegan Murray played like a man possessed to open this game. Keegan had 17 of his 19 points in the first quarter, launching threes and attacking the basket. Even though he slowed down and was much quieter for the rest of the game, it was great seeing Keegan come out and provide the Kings with an immediate spark.
The lack of the depth is still an issue
While the Kings obviously were still without Zach LaVine, the trade still didn’t address the overall depth concerns with the Kings. The Kings dealt away both Fox and Jordan McLaughlin, leaving Malik Monk to play almost every minute of point guard. Monk played 42 minutes, and while he finished with a solid line of 26 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and 1 block, Monk looked like he was running on fumes by the end of the game. Keon Ellis played 34 minutes, the fewest of any of the starters. Domantas Sabonis had early foul trouble and still played 37 minutes in this one. LaVine will certainly help, but the Kings still need more playable depth.
To their credit, Trey Lyles, Devin Carter, and Isaac Jones all provided decent minutes, but the limitations of Jones and Carter were evident. They didn’t play poorly, but they just aren’t ready to be key minutes-eating cogs in a rotation yet. Carter in particular shows flashes, especially with his rebounding, but looks every bit the rookie and not ready for a bigger role.
DeMar DeRozan was huge
The crunch-time fit between DeRozan and Fox was always a bit clunky. Without Fox out of the picture, DeRozan stepped up and led the Kings with several timely buckets down the stretch. DDR finished a team-high 33 points, along with 7 assists and 5 rebounds. We may wonder how DeMar would be impacted by the addition of LaVine, but the two obviously have familiarity with each other from Chicago, so I’m not too concerned.
Up Next
The Kings finally return to Golden 1 Center tomorrow, 2/5, and host the Orlando Magic. Zach LaVine is expected to make his Kings debut.
OT: Dallas active in trades again.
Phones still down in G1C I guess.
Yeah, Vivek didnt want to pay for the call waiting on that rotary phone, and they have been on hold for DMV because siddy is having a hard time getting his CDL
Do the Kings really need another undersized SG/SF player? They need bigger guys.
Sixers were over the Lux cap in a down season. They needed to jettison some salary.
It’s odd though. Mavs would be over the cap if they add Martin, I believe and they just added a similar player in Max Christie. Do they something in the works to trade… PJ Washington?
PJ is redundant if they’re planning to play AD at his preferred PF position.
Sure would be a nice player to wear Kings purple.
According to ESPN, PJ is out tonight with an expected return date of Feb. 6…
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PJ for a minor contract like Colby Jones and that Hornets first (really 2 seconds) works due to the Huerter TPE and keeps the Kings just below the apron…but does put them into the tax. Just saying…
PJ Washington works the best for the current roster. He’s 6’7″ with an 8-inch reach (7’2″), 230 pounds, has a high block rate and can defend 1-4 and the occasional 5. He also has a 38% 3 point shot. He can easily complement Sabonis and helps relegate Keegan to his natural position as a 3.
How can you not love this roster:
That’s a top 6 team in the West especially with Dallas wanting to destroy their franchise.
Apparently, for the past 6 months, the phones can only call Chicago via San Antonio.
Glad they started to fix them, remember for awhile our phones only had a direct line to Houston.
That’s because we had problems..
Props for that one.
I think Wagner needs to unpack his bags and stay 7-8 seasons when he arrives… i’m sure Orlando would give them up for our two first rounders and 18,002nd rounders
He went one pick before Davion…sigh
I know I was on the Wagner bandwagon and really was hoping we would get him!
He’s too tall for a Monte pick
Wagner would have been awesome. But also would be very interesting had we just picked Sengun.
For some reason, our GMs seem philosophically opposed to 19 year old, highly skilled, high end international league MVPs with high basketball awareness and legitimate physical skills.
Yes. And as I stated below- Monte/Vivek just keep adding same shit they have. Why get DDR? He just takes ball outta Keegan’s hand and he’s not a 3 point shooter. They already had/have enough scorers. And why draft Carter? They already have that.
So, this roster is enter ally unbalanced and semi useless. Monte claimed he wants talent and flexibility to deal but when? It’s almost too late now.
He should never have picked up DDR. Should have already brought in 2 3/4s that can shoot and D.
IE-do these guys understand it’s about team? Not putting together individual talent?
I still hate Vivek and hope somehow they’ll make another deal or two to really contend but I doubt it.
Yeah that would have been strong
Over eighteen thousand nd rounders? You have gone mad.
I really enjoyed yesterday’s win. My young son is pretty down about the Fox trade, and I think I may have temporarily salvaged his fandom (not sure whether that’s a good thing). Also, DeRozan’s midrange game is unreal.
We don’t win that game with Fox. Demar was on fire and we needed everyone of those points. Fox would not have allowed Demar to shoot so much and certainly wouldn’t have been as effective.
Right? Fox’s 1 for 8 from three point range would have dropped the team to 11-32 instead of a very respectable 10-24.
I never have been so frustrated with a player after a 17 point first quarter.
Keegan, dude, if you’re reading this, you need to be more assertive and demand the ball when you’re hot. Yes, defenses will adjust and play you tighter, but come on man!
Also, the coaching staff and other players should have done more to keep him fed.
Other than that, great, gutsy win.
I was expecting him to get to that 25-30 point mark, but he just seemed to disappear after the 1st quarter. He does need to be more assertive, and his teammates/coaches need to get him more active and engaged throughout the game.
We see the flashes, then are left wanting more on a consistent basis.
This also speaks to a forever unbalanced roster and mismatched parts. Keegan has always needed more shots and he’ll get it with Fox gone but now Levine comes in.
It’s a waste of Keegan if you’re gonna have him as the 4/5th player on O. Stupid.
Tge Kings have zero vision or an inability to execute that vision.
What would you do to fix that? Would you rather have more defense-first players and not add scoring? Simply balancing the roster isn’t going to get Keegan more shots. In fact, if they add another front court player or two to balance the roster, I presume that means fewer minutes for Keegan.
Wrong. Adding DDR and scorers who need the ball limits Keegs touches. Of course balancing the roster would lead to more touches. Not sure what’s so hard to understand about that.
And, as I stated above, putting in an actual O with sets rather than this free flowing do whatever would help get Keegan shots.
Thus team did not need more ball dominant scorers.
Okay, I understand your point. There was no need to be confrontational – I was asking a legitimate question.
When you say “balance the roster”, apparently you didn’t mean it in the same way as everybody else on the site has. I took “balance the roster” to mean fewer PG/SGs and more PF/Cs when you meant fewer ball dominant shooters of any variety. Sure, we replaced a ball dominant iso player in Fox with a ball dominant iso player in LaVine.
It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out but I don’t think we took a step back in terms of the overall team. I don’t particularly care whether Keegan is scoring or anyone else, I guess. I want overall team cohesiveness and flow on offense and defense. It remains to be seen if that will be the result.
I am sure the kings have told him to be more aggressive and his teammates. I just don’t think he’s got it in him. I think he prefers to stay under the radar because that’s his personality.
Keegan needs an O that actually runs sets or constantly moves the ball. Kings play this horseshit free flowing offense. Gonna be hard for Keegs like this. It’s dumb.
And it’s frustrating seeing the Kings unable to really get enough in Fox trade. Fleeced. Can’t get Castle or young player? Can’t get a real 1st? Can’t get your swap back? I mean, what the fuck.
are Monte and Co delusional or just inept. ? Probably it’s Viveks fingerprints everywhere.
And they still need at least 1 3/4 to really have a good team. This moddle
of the pack bullshit ain’t gonna cut it.
Or maybe Fox doesn’t have that much value around the league?
Teams also knew he was only going to re-sign with SA, so why send out any good assets when he is just a rental?
That’s possible but I have little faith in Vivek and front O.
Amd the Fix leverage was Viveks fault. He fucked up.
Either way, if they don’t go all in, now that they’ve traded Fox it’s going to be a huge mistake. They are not good enough to make a run as constituted. And the only thing I care about is contention. It’s the only thing any fans care about. It’s just the owner with his head up his ass that doesn’t.
8 years of Fox with 1 playoff appearance. Sure, they could have added more with Fox, but who is that player to get them over the hump that was available?
They have more room/draft capital now to add a player to plug some holes.
Agree. I don’t think there was any one player they could’ve added with the deal to get them over the home but they could’ve at least gotten a real first round pick.
if they actually use what they got to add the one or two pieces that they need to be in real contention then I’m cool with it.
My frustration is that they won’t do it. The owners somehow thinks being OK is good enough. Fuck him.
We aren’t getting over that hump anyways. At least we could build for the future instead of constant mediocrity that constantly keeps us picking late in the lottery.
LaVine hasn’t played a game here yet. Let’s just see how the next 36 hours go before the deadline and how the Kings play out the rest of the season before we declare the hump is not surpassed.
If, however, Monte sits on his hands, the Kings remain bottom of the league in payroll, and the team flounders around .500 into off season purgatory…then sure, raise the pitchforks. I’ll be right there with you.
Because he could have sent him to a contender for a deep playoff run. Who’s to say he wouldn’t fall in love there and not want to sign in SA. If Monty had any balls he would have called their bluff.
Yes we need to run plays for Keegan, I’m ok with free flowing as long as it’s a mix .. give flexibility but start calling some plays when it stagnates etc
Agree. The first year with Sabonis they were doing this. Running plays in sets through Sabonis. Moving the ball a lot. They need to get back to that.
I think the DHO with LaVine could be lethal. Zach can come off a Sabonis screen with a step back for three, or drive it to the paint. He’s kind of a perfect combo of the best qualities of Fox and Huerter.
That is great point, and players that sag to defend Lavine after the DHO could leave Keegan open if run on his side
If the only trade we get this season is the one basically forced on us by Fox/Klutch, we’d better temper our expectations for the rest of the year.
Of course. If that’s the only move, the Kings are only what – 7 players deep? The starting 5 with Lyles and Ellis coming off the bench. There are two open roster spots for a reason, imo.
Agreed – they have money space under the luxury tax and roster space to add much needed frontcourt depth. They also have a large trade exception and some draft capital.
It could be that Ainge and Sean Marks are just toying with them- I would if I were them. Both are expensive additions to be bench guys as well. Asking for FRPs and maybe Devin Carter. Who knows? Who do the Kings have on the roster as a tradeable player other than Colby Jones? If they trade Lyles or Len they lose front court depth. Are McBuckets and Crowder tradeable? Is SIdy Cissoko tradeable?
Anyone have concerns about the report that Mike Brown felt John Collins was not a high BBIQ player? I get that vibe from Houston’s Jabari Smith, Jr. – the ol’ Ben McLemore aura.
There really aren’t any solid remaining pieces that they seem willing to part with. They’ve given no signs of being open to dealing Keegan or Carter. Ellis’s salary probably doesn’t do much in trade, oddly enough. I’d part with Len as part of a deal if a C is coming back in it. Same with Lyles, though he clearly has more value than Len.
So I think you’re right. Colby/McDermott/Crowder would only be added as salary filler. The Kings mostly just have the TPE, picks, and the ability to facilitate a multi-team deal and/or taking on a player from a team that’s over the apron.
Don’t underestimate those two unconditional picks.
Just my take, I think they’d be best to sit on the Fox TPE as using all of it would put them above the first apron, of which they are currently $14.3M below. They have a year to use it so it may come in hand this summer or next season. I feel they could use their full MLE which is $12.8M and still keeps them below the apron. Helpful dudes that fall into the space are, in no particular order:
Robert Williams
Bobby Portis
Wendell Carter Jr.
Larry Nance
Chris Boucher
Jared Vanderbilt
Oh, I’m totally not underestimating them at all. If we somehow landed one of those guys (Portis, s’il vous plait) with just a pick, I’d be delighted with the trade deadline.
I’m really hoping something is planned. Monte has positioned the team nicely with the looming Butler trade and a few apron teams to possibly swoop in as a 3rd or 4h team and capitalize on a larger deal. I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that the Fox trade was in advance to be ready from when the Butler shoe drops. Why else would Monte create that much space?
Exactly my thought.
Wendell can’t be traded this season because of when he signed his extension. Shame. I like the guy and think he would fit in very nicely.
I like Portis the most, then probably Nance.
As long as this piece of shit owner is here we need to temper our expectations.
What’s interesting is Lavine is also a Klutch client…so will this same stuff come up again in the near future?
Or has Lavine already received his big pay day, so Klutch doesn’t care as much?
That was my favorite win of the season. I made a list to be sure:
Really solid list! I would put that Miami 2OT game at the top of my list, but last night’s game was really satisfying.
I totally get putting the Miami win first–it was a proper thriller.
I went with TWolves/Warriors/Rockets as my top 3 because those were all extremely physical games with Western Conference foes.
Totally, all super fun games. I absolutely loved that Rockets game.
Juan, good to read your posts again.
Thank you, sir.
And thanks to Aykis and Blake for my reinstatement.
Will be interesting to see where Durant ends up going…
The Suns are wise to be taking calls on any of their players. As their team and cap sheet are currently constructed, and with what little draft capital they have remaining, they are dead in the water.
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