Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings are reportedly including guard De'Aaron Fox in trade talks for Indiana Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis.

According to Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee, Fox was off the table in trade discussions during the offseason, but the Kings have reversed course.

Sacramento is a disappointing 18-28 this season, and it wouldn't even qualify for a postseason play-in game if the playoffs started today, as it is 11th in the Western Conference.

The Kings were also rumored to have been in trade talks for Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons during the offseason, but one of the hang-ups was that they didn't want to include Fox. That has reportedly changed as well.

Per Anderson, The Athletic's Sam Amick said this week on The Athletic NBA Show podcast that he views Simmons and Sabonis as the Kings' two biggest priorities ahead of the Feb. 10 trade deadline.

Still, it would be somewhat jarring to see Fox get traded, as he is just 24 years old and near the beginning of a five-year, $163 million max contract extension he signed with the Kings in 2020.

Fox took a big leap forward last season and was arguably robbed of his first career All-Star nod, as he averaged 25.2 points, 7.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 1.8 three-pointers made and 1.5 steals per game, while shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 32.2 percent from deep.

The expectation was that Fox would match or exceed those numbers in 2021-22, but that hasn't been the case.

In 42 games this season, Fox is averaging 20.9 points, 5.1 assists, 3.7 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 0.9 three-pointers made. He is also shooting 45.7 percent from the floor and a career-worst 25.3 percent from beyond the arc.

Sabonis, 25, is a two-time All-Star who may be on track for a third consecutive All-Star selection this season thanks to averages of 18.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.0 steal per game on top of shooting 57.3 percent from the floor and 31.4 percent from three-point range.

While Sabonis' numbers are down a bit from last season when he averaged 20.3 points, 12.0 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.2 steals, he has been far more efficient, as he shot 53.5 percent from the field last season.

The Athletic's Shams Charania and Bob Kravitz reported in December that the Pacers were open to a rebuild and trade talks involving Sabonis, center Myles Turner and guard Caris LeVert.

A Sabonis-for-Fox swap could make sense for the Pacers since Fox is slightly younger and signed through 2025-26, while Sabonis is signed through 2023-24.

Like Sacramento, Indiana has been disappointing this season with a 15-29 record that leaves it 13th in the Eastern Conference. That means the Pacers are trending toward missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season after making it in each of the previous five campaigns.

Meanwhile, Sacramento hasn't reached the playoffs since 2005-06, which is the longest active drought in the NBA by 10 years.

Given the Kings' futility for nearly two decades, a big trade like Fox for Sabonis or Simmons could be needed to change the course of the franchise.

De'Aaron Fox has seen his name dangled in trade rumors over the past month, but when the Sacramento Kings point guard was asked by reporters if he wanted to remain with the team past the trade deadline, he said his priority was simple: winning. 

Kings PG De'Aaron Fox on his name attached to trade rumors, how he deals with it, & if he controlled his future, what he'd like to happen.

"I want to win; I want to be part of a winning team. We're continuing to build & work towards that."

FULL VIDEO: https://t.co/oe9VAo9WJT pic.twitter.com/62yqldpBr3

— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) January 18, 2022

"In most sports, most players come up in trade talks," Fox added. "Obviously, you don't have too many people who are really untouchable. So you always know something could happen, for sure."

As for how he deals with the uncertainty, Fox said: "I go and play basketball. There's nothing I can do about it. I handle whatever I can handle, control whatever I can control."

The 24-year-old has had something of a down season for the Kings, averaging 20.9 points and 5.1 assists while shooting 45.7 percent from the field and just 25.3 percent from three. While those numbers are solid (outside of the three-point shooting), they are a major downturn from last year's excellent production (25.2 PPG, 7.2 APG, 47.7 percent from the field, 32.2 percent from three). 

The Kings, meanwhile, are a disappointing 18-28 and have lost seven of their last 10 games, leading to rampant speculation that they may try to shake things up before the Feb. 10 trade deadline in an effort to improve their postseason chances.

On Jan. 5, The Athletic's Sam Amick reported:

Kings owner Vivek Ranadive has continued to make it clear to [general manager and president of basketball operations Monte McNair] that he has the green light to do whatever is necessary to meet those goals. And while the Kings would prefer to keep building around De'Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton, their strong appetite to improve means that no player is off the table in terms of potential talks.

The Kings figure to be a team that explores the trade market, alongside the floundering Indiana Pacers (15-29) and the Philadelphia 76ers as the Ben Simmons saga drags on, among others.

And given that the Kings have a plethora of talented guards alongside Fox, including Tyrese Haliburton, Davion Mitchell and Buddy Hield, it won't be surprising to see one or multiple of them on the move if the Kings decide to shake things up.

Sacramento Kings power forward Marvin Bagley III will not play Sunday against the Houston Rockets because of right shoulder soreness.

Bagley has developed into a solid role player for the Kings, but he hasn't lived up to the perennial All-Star expectations that come with being the second overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft.

He's averaged 9.1 points and 7.3 rebounds in 25 appearances so far during the 2021-22 campaign.

After a promising rookie campaign, the 22-year-old Duke product missed a vast majority of his second NBA season in 2019-20 because of thumb and foot injuries, which limited him to 13 appearances. He suffered a fractured left hand last season.

His limited role this year has created some extra minutes for Alex Len and Chimezie Metu as part of the frontcourt rotation.

Bagley is a work in progress at both ends of the floor and may still transform into the foundational piece Sacramento expected, but staying healthy for extended stretches will be an important part of his growth in the coming years.

The Philadelphia 76ers are reportedly looking to unload Tobias Harris' contract in order to go after bigger fish during the offseason by attaching his name to the Ben Simmons trade discussions, and it appears at least one team might be willing to work out a deal. 

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Sacramento Kings could be convinced to take on Harris' contract to facilitate a deal for Simmons. 

I've heard Sacramento described by more than one rival team as the closest thing there is to a trade partner you could class as 'favorites' to bring a resolution to the seemingly interminable Simmons standoff before the deadline (as things stand). Reason being: More than one rival team believes Sacramento, in its desire for a significant shakeup as it bumbles toward a record 16th consecutive season out of the playoffs, could be convinced to take on Tobias Harris' contract to facilitate a Simmons deal. If the Sixers can't get the top-flight player they covet, going ahead with a Simmons deal that enables them to shed the two years and nearly $80 million left on Harris' contract after this season might be too enticing to resist rather than holding out for a star in return.

This news shouldn't necessarily come as a surprise following reports that Kings youngsters De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton are not untouchable. Buddy Hield and Harrison Barnes have also been mentioned in trade rumors.

NBA analyst Bill Simmons also suggested on his podcast that the Kings could be the only possible partner for a Simmons-Harris package because they could send Hield, Haliburton and Barnes to Philadelphia in return.

The trio is making a combined $50 million, which could work to offset the $70 million combined that Simmons and Harris are making. Some other moves would have to be made, but this is arguably the most reasonable deal out there. 

The Sixers and Kings have also reportedly had Simmons-Fox trade discussions, but Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports noted the conversations were more "exploratory due diligence."

Simmons hasn't played this season after insisting on being traded for much of the offseason, telling the Sixers he has no intention to play for the franchise again, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.  

The 25-year-old returned to the Sixers facility Oct. 11 after a lengthy holdout but hasn't fully engaged in team activities since returning. He has continued to tell the team he isn't mentally prepared to play, per Wojnarowski. 

Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said during a radio interview on 97.5 The Fanatic in October that he was in no rush to trade Simmons, but things might have changed as it's clear Joel Embiid needs some help. 

The 76ers are fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 23-17 record, four games behind the fourth-place Milwaukee Bucks. 

As the Philadelphia 76ers explore trade opportunities for Ben Simmons, the Sacramento Kings reportedly could be a landing spot for the disgruntled three-time All-Star. 

Per Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes, the Sixers "canvassed the prospect" of a Simmons-De'Aaron Fox trade package "as recently as a few days ago," but those talks are only "exploratory due diligence."

While the Kings are 10 games under .500 (17-27) and in 11th place in the Western Conference, there's no indication they will look to sell before the Feb. 10 trade deadline. 

The Athletic's Sam Amick reported last week that the Kings' preference is to build around Fox and Tyrese Haliburton, but "their strong appetite to improve means that no player is off the table in terms of potential talks."

Haynes noted Sacramento has received "an abundance of interest" in both Fox and Haliburton, but the "internal plan" is to build around that duo.

Simmons' status with the Sixers came back into the spotlight this week. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Wednesday that Simmons' agent, Rich Paul, met with 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and general manager Elton Brand. 

According to Wojnarowski, Simmons "is no closer to honoring the team's hopes for a return to the court" this season. 

Simmons has yet to appear in a game as he holds out for a trade. The Sixers seek an All-Star-caliber player if they are going to move the 25-year-old, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. 

Fox hasn't made an All-Star team, but he could fit the mold of what Morey wants in return for Simmons. The 24-year-old is averaging 20.9 points per game, his third consecutive season above the 20-point mark. He has also averaged 6.2 assists per game with a 45.7 field-goal percentage in 303 career games. 

Sacramento hasn't had a winning record or made the playoffs since the 2005-06 season. The team fired Luke Walton as head coach after a 6-11 start this season. Interim head coach Alvin Gentry has gone 11-16 since taking over Nov. 21.    

Los Angeles Lakers star Russell Westbrook got the last word against the Sacramento Kings after the arena staffed trolled him Wednesday night. 

Russ’ response to the Kings trolling him 😅 pic.twitter.com/OQeZmG1t1y

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 13, 2022

Westbrook struggled in his team's 125-116 road loss to Sacramento, finishing 2-of-14 from the field and 0-of-5 from three-point range.

The Kings responded by naming him the "Ice Cold Player of the Game" on the big screen, while the house DJ played the song "Cold As Ice" after missed shots, per TMZ Sports.

"That's funny," Westbrook said of the trolling after the game. "I hope they played that the last 14 years, too."

Even with the win, the Kings are still just 17-27 on the season and on pace for their 16th straight year with a losing record. The last time Sacramento made the playoffs was in 2006 when it suffered a first-round loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

The Kings might not be best placed to be making fun of anyone in the NBA.

Westbrook may be struggling with the Lakers, but the nine-time All-Star has reached the playoffs with his teams in 11 of the last 12 years. 

The Feb. 10 NBA trade deadline is a little over a month away, and point guard Ben Simmons is still a member of the Philadelphia 76ers despite his preseason trade request and his absence from the team that has lasted the entire 2021-22 regular season.

Kyle Neubeck of the Philly Voice reported Friday that the Sacramento Kings could be a trade partner but said that a deal for De'Aaron Fox may have to be a three-teamer that would net the 76ers another player they covet:

[The 76ers] simply insisted talent and fit both matter.

Use the Kings as an example. Sacramento is now reportedly open to making De’Aaron Fox and/or Tyrese Haliburton available in the right deals, and those aren’t equal propositions for Philadelphia. In all likelihood, sources say, a deal involving Fox would almost certainly have to be a three-team deal, moving Fox to another party in order to get what the Sixers think they need. And while the Sixers like Haliburton and feel good about his potential fit, the sense is he’s not at the level they’re after for a primary piece in return for Simmons, that the Iowa State product would need to be one part in a more extravagant return.

The 76ers started the season 16-16 but have since won five straight to move into fifth in the Eastern Conference. Having All-Star center Joel Embiid, who has missed 11 games, has certainly helped.

Still, the 76ers don't look like a contender at this point, especially with the surging Chicago Bulls (winners of eight straight to move to 25-10), the star-studded Brooklyn Nets and the defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks sitting in the top three in the East.

A trade could help matters, and Simmons is the most attractive potential trade piece. Still, forming a trade that the 76ers feel is suitable for the three-time All-Star hasn't come easy.

Shams Charania of The Athletic did report Dec. 13 that "the 76ers are ramping up their efforts to spark multi-team trade scenarios to move Simmons," citing interest from the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Prior to that, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe reported that "trade conversations on Ben Simmons [were] gathering momentum in recent days" and that two- and three-team deal structures were on the table.

Ultimately, the 76ers still have time to get something done this season with the trade deadline five weeks away.

The NBA announced that the Sacramento Kings have been fined $50,000 for assistant general manager Wes Wilcox's actions in Sunday's win over the Miami Heat.

The league assessed that Wilcox violated "league rules prohibiting team owners and executives from interacting with scorer's table personnel during game play." Wilcox was also fined $15,000.

The incident occurred in the third quarter during a timeout. The league stated that Wilcox "left his seat to confront operations personnel at the scorer's table about their handling of a clock procedure during a jump ball."

Not only did Wilcox's actions violate league rules, but the league found that the "clock procedure at issue was, in fact, administered correctly by the shot clock operator."

Wilcox is in his second season as assistant general manager with Sacramento. He was previously the general manager of the Atlanta Hawks (2015-17).

After defeating the Heat, the Kings lost their next two games against the Los Angeles Lakers and Hawks. Sacramento is 16-24 and in last place in the Pacific Division. The team has the third-worst defense in the league, allowing 113.8 points per game.

The Kings will return to action Friday against the Denver Nuggets in the first of two straight road games before beginning a five-game homestand. This upcoming stretch could be crucial to Sacramento turning its season around and keeping pace in the Western Conference.

LeBron James scored 14 of his 31 points in the final eight minutes as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the visiting Sacramento Kings 122-114 on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena.

Sacramento led 96-89 with 8:11 left in the fourth after a Davion Mitchell floater capped an 11-0 run, but James took over down the stretch.

He hit two three-pointers and four layups and assisted on a pair of Malik Monk threes. The second Monk triple gave the Lakers the lead for good at 112-110 with 2:50 remaining in regulation.

James led all scorers. Monk scored 24 points and went 6-of-11 from three-point range. Dwight Howard dominated off the bench with a 14-point, 14-rebound double-double in 21 minutes.

De'Aaron Fox paced the Kings with 30 points, and Buddy Hield posted 26 points thanks in part to seven three-pointers.

The 20-19 Lakers have won three straight games. The Kings, who had won three of four entering Tuesday, dropped to 16-23.

     

Notable Performances

Lakers F LeBron James: 31 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds

Lakers SG Malik Monk: 24 points

Lakers C Dwight Howard: 14 points, 14 rebounds

Kings PG De'Aaron Fox: 30 points, 6 assists

Kings SG Buddy Hield: 26 points, 5 rebounds

    

LeBron, Monk Put on a Show in the 4th Quarter

The Kings went on an 11-0 run to take a 96-89 fourth-quarter lead. During that stretch, the Lakers went empty on five straight possessions thanks to two blocked shots, two turnovers and a missed three-pointer. Meanwhile, the Kings caught fire, causing the Lakers to call a timeout.

From that point forward, it was the LeBron James Show, with Monk acting as his sidekick.

James hit two quick buckets, but Hield responded with a pair of free throws.

Undeterred, Monk then nailed a three-pointer to cut the Kings' edge to 98-96. The Kings then scored four of the next six points, but Monk hit another three to slash the deficit to 102-101:

Big-time buckets from Malik Monk 🎯@Lakers and Kings in Q4 on NBA TV! pic.twitter.com/TVvdOBAGEl

— NBA (@NBA) January 5, 2022

The two teams then traded big blows, with Hield and James alternating three-pointers on four straight possessions. However, Monk then put L.A. up 109-108 with this huge bucket:

Malik Monk gives the Lakers the lead 🍿 https://t.co/v1KExkH1Iq

— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 5, 2022

Tyrese Haliburton then made a two-pointer, but it was Monk yet again to put L.A. back on top with another three for a 112-110 lead.

From there, the Lakers dominated the paint with a James putback layup, a Russell Westbrook layup and a James three-point play, the latter of which put the icing on the cake:

LEBRON TAKEOVER. 😤 #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/MuAFkmmsB6

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) January 5, 2022

    

The Lakers face numerous obstacles these days with their defense struggling (in part because of Anthony Davis being sidelined with an injury), forcing them to win some shootouts.

That happened Tuesday with two scorching-hot players continuing their torrid pace.

James has 34.9 points per game in his last nine. Monk has now averaged 20.7 points in his last six games. Together, they willed the Lakers over .500, perhaps for good.

    

Fox- and Hield-Led Kings Can't Overcome Lakers' Paint Prowess, Turnovers

Fox and Hield kept the Kings in this game with some fantastic shooting. The duo combined for 56 points on a 20-of-39 clip, making nine three-pointers along the way. Sacramento needed their collective effort to keep pace with James, Monk and the rest of the hot-shooting Lakers, and the Kings nearly pulled it off before James took over.

Credit goes to Fox and Hield for a valiant effort, but a few issues ultimately doomed Sacramento outside James and Monk's fourth-quarter efforts.

First, Sacramento lost the battle in the paint. L.A. outscored Sacramento 62-46 in the key. The rebounding numbers were near even (Kings 45, Lakers 44), but Howard had seven offensive boards.

The Kings had no answer for Howard, who turned back the clock to 2009 with a vintage performance. He had 12 points and eight rebounds in the first half alone as he caught numerous lobs from Monk and finished them for powerful dunks:

Dwight Howard has 12 PTS and 8 REB in the first half for the @Lakers on @NBATV! pic.twitter.com/fSULLYfiAe

— NBA (@NBA) January 5, 2022

Howard's minutes proved crucial, as the Lakers finished plus-11 with him on the court.

The other Kings issue was that they committed 18 turnovers to the Lakers' five. They were simply too sloppy with the basketball at times, and five of them occurred in the fourth quarter. Four players had at least three turnovers.

Sacramento's defense was also lacking on this night, with the team only getting two steals and blocking three shots.

In the end, the Kings were in position to win late despite numerous concerns on their end, and that's an encouraging sign for a team that appears to be turning it around based on its recent performances.

They have some things to clean up, but there's plenty of time for Sacramento to fix them in time in hopes of breaking a 16-year playoff drought.

      

What's Next?

Both teams will host the Atlanta Hawks next.

Atlanta will visit Sacramento on Wednesday at Golden 1 Center before L.A. welcomes the Hawks to town on Friday. Both games are scheduled to start at 10 p.m. ET.

The Sacramento Kings were victorious for the second time in as many nights, defeating the Dallas Mavericks 95-94 at home on Wednesday at Golden 1 Center. Chimezie Metu hit the game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Kings the victory.

KINGS WIN AT THE BUZZER. https://t.co/5t4yN3HoMd

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 30, 2021

De'Aaron Fox had a team-high 16 points and was one of six players to score in double figures as Sacramento improved to 15-21.

Dallas fell to 16-18 after its third loss in its last four games. Jalen Brunson had 25 points and Kristaps Porzingis added 24 to lead the Mavericks.

The Mavericks were playing without star point guard Luka Doncic, who is one of seven players on the team in the NBA's health and safety protocols.

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Notable Stats

G De'Aaron Fox, SAC: 16 points

G Tyrese Haliburton, SAC: 12 points, 10 assists

G Jalen Brunson, DAL: 25 points

F Kristaps Porzingis, DAL: 24 points

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Kings Win Despite Losing Focus in Second Half

Sacramento had Dallas on the ropes for most of Wednesday's contest. The Kings used aggressive defense and efficient offense to put pressure on a short-handed Mavericks team.

After falling behind by 10 points in the second quarter, Sacramento used a 30-8 run to take a 12-point lead into halftime. It was a balanced effort by the Kings led by rookie Davion Mitchell, who scored 12 of his 14 points in the first half.

After this buzzer beater to end the 1st half, Davion Mitchell (12 PTS) is a perfect 5-for-5 from the field on @NBATV! pic.twitter.com/yy1ROktu6R

— NBA (@NBA) December 30, 2021

Sacramento eventually built a 13-point lead in the second half, but defensive lapses and a lack of execution on offense allowed Dallas to claw its way back into the game. The Kings turned the ball over six times in the third quarter alone and finished with 14 giveaways in the game.

Sacramento didn't go down easily as Fox and Tyrese Haliburton made some key plays to keep the game close. Fox also had the assist on Metu's game-winner.

Tyrese Haliburton throws the lob to Richaun Holmes on @NBATV!@dallasmavs: 81@SacramentoKings: 79

4th Quarter 6:53 remaining pic.twitter.com/tvRBGj2ckA

— NBA (@NBA) December 30, 2021

https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings/status/1476427416172040192

https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings/status/1476429769105231873

Wednesday's result is something the Kings should be able to build on going forward. Sacramento has dealt with a lot of turmoil this season with the firing of its head coach and disgruntled players. But a gritty victory like this should galvanize the team and provide some confidence going forward.

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Mavericks Struggling to Win Without Doncic

Even without Doncic, it was a surprise that Dallas struggled to put away a middling Sacramento team. The Mavericks fell behind by as many as 13 points in the third quarter.

Brunson and Porzingis eventually woke up and powered Dallas' comeback. Brunson had 11 points in the third quarter and Porzingis had 13 in the fourth.

Jalen Brunson knocks down the three 👏

Mavs on a 7-0 run https://t.co/tOEC1wmMbw

— NBA TV (@NBATV) December 30, 2021

Porzingis from way back 💧 https://t.co/yGDpGWpXMV

— NBA TV (@NBATV) December 30, 2021

But the rest of the Mavericks struggled throughout the night. Dorian Finney-Smith was the only other player to score in double figures at 11 points. Dallas got to the free-throw line just 13 times, making nine of them.

The Mavericks are now 4-5 in this recent stretch without Doncic. Porzingis was expected to step up in his absence. While he has been mostly solid as the team's primary option, he shot an inefficient 8-of-19 on Wednesday ,and that's not going to cut it.

Wednesday's result will leave a bad taste in Dallas' mouth. The Mavericks have to hope to return to full health sooner than later to stay alive in a competitive Western Conference.

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What's Next?

The Kings and Mavericks will face each other again in Sacramento on Friday.