Update: 11 pm
The Sacramento Kings lost again, this time to the Cleveland Cavaliers 123-118. Cleveland won points in the paint 52-36 and only allowed 4 points off turnovers compared to 15 for the Kings.
That Domantas Sabonis guy played well, scoring 24 points, grabbing 16 rebounds and 4 assists off the bench in 31 minutes. Wonder if he will ever start again.
From Earlier Preview:
The Kings’ most recent losing streak is up to three games, with another challenging one tonight. Let’s get to it.
Who: Sacramento Kings (12-33) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (25-20)
Where: Rocket Arena, Cleveland, OH
When: 4:30 PM PT / 7:30 PM ET
Watch: NBCSCA / League Pass
It sounds like Domantas Sabonis is returning to the lineup tonight after missing Wednesday’s loss to Toronto due to left knee injury management. So, I guess it’s worth monitoring how Doug Christie will deploy him. Back to the starting lineup? A continued diminished role? Tune in to find out.
I’ll be over here ruminating about how poorly the organization, for years, from Mike Brown to Monte McNair to Scott Perry to Doug Christie to Vivek Ranadive, fumbled the Keon Ellis situation. In case you missed it, it appears his days as a Sacramento King are coming to an end.
Prediction: Kings 117, Cavaliers 104.
On the road first time in a while
Where the losses should once again pile.
In Cleveland, beginning—
Not likely we’re winning.
Vivek’s ownership stint has been vile!
+1 The tank will be cruising out on the road!
The Kings are like, not a basketball team.
If the Kings simply did not have Lavine, Derozan, and Russ on the roster, they would probably be a better team.
Tank Watch:
Kings lose.
Pels beat the Grizzlies.
Pacers beat OKC.
Nets take Celtics to double OT, but lose.
Good stuff, but that’s a different kind of limerick than usual. I’ll still take it!
Mmm, Giannis looks like he’s gonna be out 4-6 weeks. Wonder if he’s as high on the trade market as before.
Just to convince myself that Doug is a cluless coach, I looked up who the minutes leaders on this team are. No surprise I guess, it’s DDR, LaVine, and Russ, in that order. No plan to develop the players that may actually be part of the future. Just give the mercenaries their minutes and get out of their way.
Generally, I am much more skeptical of Doug’s coaching ability than I was 6 months ago, but if you want to move players, I guess you also have to showcase them.
Zach, Demar, and Russ have over a decade each in the NBA. What do they need to showcase at this point? That they don’t play team winning basketball?
Just bench them and let the young guys play with Domas.
Yeah, everyone knows those guys’ games inside and out. IMO, the “showcasing” thing isn’t a real thing. Maybe it is to prve a guy isn’t injured, but there is hundreds of hours of tape on these guys and there are assistant coaches whose only job iss cout and prep of opponents. There are no mysteries in the NBA.
No, you really don’t. You just have to play them enough to show that they are healthy and not developing rust. Everyone knows what they’re worth, what their age is and how much they are overpaid.
And I won’t let any defense of Christie’s roster and minutes management go unchallenged. It’s putrid.
If right after the beam playoff season I had told you after two more seasons the Kings leading players would be Russ, DDR, and LaVine, you would have thought me crazy. It’s just mind boggling how much of a tailspin this franchise is in. It takes effort to be this bad with their decision making. It’s why I almost think it is intentional.
I debate that in my mind over and over – is this dismantling of the team intentional or just incompetence? I can see the case for either perspective. Vivek, being a cheap-ass, doesn’t want a successful team that he’d have to pay into the luxury tax to maintain, so he makes sure the team stays bad. On the other hand, Vivek, having an ego that’s much bigger than his brain, might have actually thought he could construct this team successfully. The answer may lie somewhere in between.
I think incompetence is more likely due to more than a decade of evidence .
The trade deadline is ten days away and no moves have been made. This is why I have said, I’ll believe SP is rebuilding when I actually see the moves being made.
Any tradeable vet should be gone by 2/5.
Sabonis, MM, DDR, Zach, Keon.
Just blow it up already. Don’t eff up this year’s pick. It needs to land in the top 4.
For anyone. Would you trade Ellis and Carter and either 2 seconds or a late protected first for Anthony Black? IMO he would be the King’s future point guard. At 6’7″ and a great passer with exceptional defense now you can focus on a big in the draft.
I don’t think Orlando trades Black. They see him the same way you described. Orlando needs playmaking, and Black has shown he can do that.
PS. I still like Sabonis to the Raptors but not including Poelti or Quickley. How about Barrett, Ogbachi, Dick and the 2026 first( somewhere around 18 to 20). I feel Raptors really value Sabonis.
Reading your comment whilst listening to the TKH pod and Jerry mentioned a guy named Jack from the TKH thread pushing for a A. Black trade lol.
I think there’s a market for Domas, Keon, and MM. As far as DDR and Lavine, I don’t know.
Keon is likely walking this offseason so may as well trade him.
Seems like there is interest in Domas from TOR and PHX and maybe another team or two.
The sad reality is if Keon and his camp have indeed told the Kings he is walking this summer, then the Kings have no leverage in trading him. He basically becomes worthless in a trade package. No one is going to give up anything of real value because the Kings have completely fucked up an asset.
The only hope would be Keon’s camp telling interested parties he is willing to sign an extension, but I just don’t know if it is in his best interest to do so when he can negotiate in free agency with 29 other teams.
Even if he hasn’t told them that, the way he has been treated shows (a) that he is not high on their priority list, and (b) that he is unlikely to re-sign with the Kings.
They have had options to increase his value and have done the exact opposite. The complete loss of leverage is entirely on the Kangz FO.
To anyone. What would a trade Ellis Carter a second or two. Maybe a protected late first for Anthony Black look like to you. At 6’7″ plays exceptional defense is a great passer and can run a team’s offense. He can be the King’s future point guard. Now the King’s can look for a big in the draft.
PS. IMO Sabonis to the Raptors is the best possible solution for the trade but do not include Poelti or Quickley. An example would be Sabonis for Barrett Ogbachi Dichk and their 2026 first( somewhere around 18 to 20). IMO the Raptors really want Sabonis.
Yeah, no Poetl or Quickley unless TOR throws in 3 FRPs or more. That the amount of salary you’d be taking back is over $200M (while only sending out a $100M)! Also, I would not
exceptaccept any protections on the picks at all.In a Sabonis for Quickley and Poetle trade, the Kings would be giving up the best player in the deal and taking back double the salary, it would be an extremely stupid move without multiple FRPs coming back to SAC. The current value of $25M in salary space is roughly one late FRP and the Kings would be taking back over $100M so even 3 FRPs isn’t really good value for the salary space taken back but I would probably still do it.
I’d seriously consider doing a Sabonis and Eubanks for RJ & CMB, with Temple and Agbaji as expirings to match salary. This seems like decent value for Sabonis.
If TOR is hesitant to include CMB, you’d have add in Dick & Mogbo to make the money work and I’d want 2 FRPs as they are likely to be late 1sts and don’t carry much value. I just don’t think TOR wants to give up anything of value (either CMB or FRPs) so I don’t see it happening even if Sabonis would be a great fit for them next to Barnes.
OT: Celtics are rumored to be in market for a “big-time” center. I remind folks it was our own Jerry Reynolds on a recent TKH podcast that thought Sabonis would make a lot of sense for the Celtics.
https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2026/01/24/celtics-nba-trade-deadline-rumors-aggressive-center/
Bring back Queta!
Not sure how the contracts would work from BOS’ end.
Domas at $44 M.
Simons would obviously be included at $28 M.
But the rest of the contracts of players that would likely be involved in the trade are small and not enough as we can only take back so many players.
I suppose it would have to be a 3 team trade but the gist would be Domas to BoS and Simons (expiring) to Sac.
The contracts are the issue. Domas for Simons, Hauser, Gonzalaz, and Walsh works. I could see Hauser being shipped to the 3rd team and the Kings getting the two prospects and Simons’ expiring. Boston’s depth would be hit hard, but if Tatum is coming back it might make sense for them. If Hauser brought them back 2 players on smaller contracts from a 3rd team, it could work
So no picks coming our way? It’s basically just getting off Domas, contract?
I’d be fine with it.
It ain’t great, but it’s akin to the Trae Young trade with a large expiring and filler. FWIW, I really like Gonzalez and Walsh, but the problem is, so does Boston.
What I don’t like about it is I’d much prefer to move LaVine, DDR, Monk, and Dennis before Sabonis.
The Wiz are reportedly interested, I guess to build around Trae and Domas.
Domas for Middleton and Tre Johnson works and both are expirings.
Suns also interested.
If the Kings want to take a flyer on Green.
I think we would get a FRP in this scenario for taking on Green’s contract, assuming PHX has any to offer.
Kings: Green, Williams, FRP
Suns: Domas
Those seem like odd teams to be interested in Sabonis. Wiz are going with a youth movement and have Sarr. PHX is humming so why would they want to rock the boat?
If they are actually interested as reported, my guess is pairing their vet star with a good PnR player like Domas to work off of.
I can see why PHX would be interested, they could basically turn Green’s contract into Sabonis’. But the Wiz I don’t get, having all that $ tied up in Trae/Domas when you’re clearly a rebuilding team.
I still like the idea of Domas in Indy playing PnR with Hali.
I think Indy just stands pat. They may land Boozer in the draft and role with him and Siakam as their front line.
February 5th – I’m talking to you…
&ct=g
Badge Legend