Kings News
July 1
Sacramento Bee
columnist Ailene Voisin
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Geoff Petrie hasn't completely lost his mind. It just seems that way. His edgy, new in-your-face, elbow-to-the-ribs, forearm-to-the-hip approach makes perfect sense. Mental toughness? Physical toughness? Blue-collar workers? Granted, these are not concepts normally associated with the Kings basketball president, whose conversations are dominated by references to backdoor cuts, ball and body movement, and the fluid beauty of the game - all elements he still values. But after watching his club's incremental descent to a 17-win season, coupled with its amazing capacity to chase fans out of the building with feeble, uninspired performances, Petrie underwent a not-so-subtle offseason change in ..."
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As the beginning of the free agency process approached Tuesday, Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie said the club would not extend qualifying offers to reserves Ike Diogu and Rashad McCants. Both players were scheduled to become unrestricted free agents and able to sign with any team after Tuesday's 9 p.m. deadline. While the Kings have no interest in re-signing McCants, they plan to approach Diogu about returning. The 6-foot-9 center-forward spent most of his time on the bench after being acquired at midseason. In his final five games, however, he averaged 20.0 points, 7.8 rebounds and 29.3 minutes, and provided a physical presence at both ends. "We need to add at least one more big ..."
June 28
Sacramento Bee
columnist Aliene Voisin
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The Kings didn't draft the conventional, creative point guard, the charismatic Spaniard who would have spurred season-ticket sales and whose presence immediately would have addressed the club's most glaring deficiency: someone to pass the ball to everyone else. So this is a lousy pick, right? Combo guard Tyreke Evans instead of Ricky Rubio? Instead of Jonny Flynn or Stephen Curry? Not if Evans plays to his reviews. Not if he can make his point. Not if the Kings win more than once in a while. This was a classic, definitive Geoff Petrie selection, and as close to a unanimous decision at Arco Arena as the last Urijah Faber-Mike Brown World Extreme Cagefighting match. That 6-foot-5 size. That ..."
June 28
Sacramento Bee
columnist Ailene Voisin
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So he sobbed with joy when David Stern called his name Thursday? Not a problem. Here in America, we like strong, sensitive men, those combo players who show some passion while snagging a rebound or taking a charge. What else can Omri Casspi do? He can run. We know that. He plays both forward positions. He is long and wiry, 6-foot-9 and 220 pounds, and he must be as tough as his reputation suggests, because the second of the Kings' two first-round draft choices (No. 23) is carrying an entire nation along for the ride. Forget the champagne and night-long celebration. Israeli President Shimon Peres called to offer congratulations. "I wouldn't say I feel pressure, though," said Casspi, 21, ..."
June 28
Sacramento Bee
columnist Marcos Breton
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It's all about relationships. The marriage between the Sacramento Kings and the Sacramento region grew strained over the costly prospect of building the Kings a new arena. The relationship between the Kings owners and their basketball brain trust has been affectionate but fruitless of late. Big-name Kings players couldn't click while here but contributed greatly to rival teams in the recently concluded NBA playoffs. From title contender to the worst record in the NBA: So goes the team, so goes the region. Downtown development is stagnant on K Street because key landlords chose lawsuits over making deals. The Downtown Plaza withers while Westfield, the mall landlord, fiddles around. ..."
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I spent my lunch hour Friday talking with a lot of you during a live chat on The Bee's Web site. A number of fans asked about the versatility of Kings first-round pick Tyreke Evans. How much will he play at point guard? Could he spell Kevin Martin at shooting guard or even play small forward? The problem with floating Evans is that the Kings drafted him to play the point, a spot at which he helped Memphis win 27 games in a row. Yes, Evans might be a good shooting guard. He might be better at getting the passes than giving them. Yet, if the Kings really want Evans to be an effective point guard, then he must play that spot every day in the Summer League, training camp, and exhibition and ..."
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Kings coach Paul Westphal sees Tyreke Evans as the kind of player who won't come to him during a game with an excuse. Before Westphal was hired, Evans showed Kings officials - and any other team with which he spoke - that he didn't hide from responsibility. Evans knew teams would want to know about the shooting involving his cousin, Jamar Evans, in November 2007. Jamar Evans, now 18, was sentenced Tuesday to nine to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty in January to third-degree murder and firearms charges in the death of 19-year-old Marcus Reason. Jamar Evans, a passenger in a sport-utility vehicle driven by Tyreke Evans, shot Reason as he approached the vehicle. Reports indicate ..."
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Being drafted by the Kings wasn't just about playing in the NBA for Omri Casspi. It was about making history. It was 6:30 a.m. in Israel by the time Casspi, taken 23rd overall, talked about being selected by Sacramento and knowing he would be the NBA's first Israeli-born player. Casspi was in the midst of celebrating, admittedly operating on no sleep. "It was everything for me," Casspi said. "I'm so happy right now. Nobody can even imagine. I cried like a baby, and that's something I try not to do a lot." It might be the last time Casspi is associated with sensitivity. He and forward Jon Brockman, whose rights were traded to the Kings, were coveted largely because of their toughness. ..."
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The Kings didn't draft the conventional, creative point guard, the charismatic Spaniard who would have spurred season-ticket sales and whose presence immediately would have addressed the club's most glaring deficiency: someone to pass the ball to everyone else. So this is a lousy pick, right? Combo guard Tyreke Evans instead of Ricky Rubio? Instead of Jonny Flynn or Stephen Curry? Not if Evans plays to his reviews. Not if he can make his point. Not if the Kings win more than once in a while. This was a classic, definitive Geoff Petrie selection, and as close to a unanimous decision at Arco Arena as the last Urijah Faber-Mike Brown World Extreme Cagefighting match. That 6-foot-5 size. That ..."
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The 2009 NBA draft is over. Now it's on to the next phase of the offseason. Free agency begins Wednesday, and teams will begin trying to eliminate voids in their rosters that can't be filled by rookies who are not ready to contribute. Having drafted guard Tyreke Evans and Omri Casspi in the first round and forward Jon Brockman in the second round helps the Kings at guard, on the wing and up front. Acquiring guard Sergio Rodríguez from Portland in a trade provided depth at point guard. Getting bigger will be the priority in free agency. "I think we need to try to add some additional size up front," Kings general manager Geoff Petrie said. An incumbent player who could fit into that ..."
June 26
Sacramento Bee
columnist Ailene Voisin
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Does Geoff Petrie still have what it takes? Can he still hit the long ball? We'll learn more about the Kings basketball president today, at least uncover a few clues, when David Stern announces the club's first-round draft selections at Nos. 4 and 23, or in the alternative, reveals that Sacramento has swapped picks or players in a dramatic, deadline-pressured maneuver. The old Petrie, of course, stretched for the flamboyant Jason Williams, plucked Gerald Wallace, stubbornly shook his head when peers wondered what he saw in Hedo Turkoglu and Brian Grant. He went with his instincts, relied on his personnel officials, and assembled critical pieces for the successful Kings teams earlier this ..."
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When the months of tension-filled preparation ended and the Kings were finally on the NBA draft clock Thursday in New York, they had the same five-minute allotment as the rest to deliberate their pick. But Madison Square Garden officials needn't bother with the clock. The Kings had their man. The team so badly in need of a talent boost opted for Memphis guard Tyreke Evans with the No. 4 pick, taking him without hesitation or concern for the popularity of the pick because they simply see him as special. With the Clippers taking Oklahoma forward Blake Griffin at No. 1, Memphis choosing Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet at No. 2 and Oklahoma City selecting Arizona State guard James Harden ..."
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In the end, it became a choice between style and substance. Select teen sensation Ricky Rubio of Spain with the fourth overall pick of the 2009 NBA Draft and the Kings would have instant potential to regain national and global impact with a player known as a fancy passer and teen heartthrob. Pick Tyreke Evans, the powerfully built point guard from Memphis, and the Kings get the player considered fundamentally the better choice but also someone investigated in a drive-by shooting. The popular consensus at Arco Arena on Thursday night was Rubio, who was cheered by fans every time his image appeared on the large-screen TVs at midcourt as the draft was televised from New York. But Evans was ..."
June 26
Philadelphia Daily News
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The chants of "Tyreke, Tyreke, Tyreke" followed Tyreke Evans as he ascended the steps of the Madison Square Garden theater after being selected fourth overall in the NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings.It was hard to believe he was walking. He seemed to be floating everywhere he was directed by NBA security, being whisked from one interview to another.But everything Evans wanted and envisioned since he was 7 years old all came true once NBA commissioner David Stern called his name. The 6-5, 220-pound former star at American Christian Academy and Memphis goes down as arguably the greatest high school player ever from Delaware County.He made history last night as the highest pick from Delaware ..."
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The Kings selected Memphis' Tyreke Evans with the fourth pick of today's NBA draft in New York City, adding the 6-foot-5 guard to a roster so badly in need of more talent. By many accounts, Evans was among the most talented - if not the most talented - player in the draft. And while he is not the conventional point guard the Kings sought, he is a dynamic scorer who led his University of Memphis team at the point guard spot last season and can also play shooting guard. After the Clippers selected Oklahoma forward Blake Griffin, Memphis selected University of Connecticut Hasheem Thabeet, and Oklahoma City took Arizona State guard James Harden, the Kings took Evans their other top candidates ..."
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The Sacramento Kings have all but ruled out drafting star Ricky Rubio with the fourth pick and have focused on two other guards: Tyreke Evans and Jonny Flynn, league sources said. The Kings' front office is fearful of the legal wrangling needed to free Rubio from the contractual mess with his Spanish team, and doesn't feel strongly enough about him as a "can't-miss" star to endure the saga. For now, the Kings' front office and coaching staff is largely divided on Evans and Flynn. They'll debate it well into Thursday. The Kings could be inclined to take Israeli Omri Casspi with the 23rd pick, but opposing teams say they're still interested in packaging Nos. 23 and 31 to move up."
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The shovel came flying Paul Westphal's way from the start, with his official hiring as Kings coach June 12 followed by the request to help with the rebuilding project and the reality that the NBA draft was just 13 days away. And Westphal, who longed to be an NBA coach again after nine years, has enjoyed every minute. "It hasn't been too hard to fill my days since this hurricane hit," Westphal said by phone with a laugh. "It's a 24-hour-a-day job, but it's been great. I'm really enjoying it. The organization was advertised as being first class, from the Maloofs on down, and I've been really happy with what I've been finding out about the people I'm working with." As for the next colleague ..."
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Ricky Rubio's second Sacramento visit was much like his first, a covert operation that was seen as mysterious and methodical by some, maddening and manipulative by others. But there was one significant difference this time around: he worked out. With just three days remaining until the NBA draft, and the Kings' desire to have more questions about the 18-year-old Spanish point guard answered, he stepped on the floor at the Kings' practice facility and picked up a basketball for the first time since his Euroleague season ended nearly a month before. It was silly and significant all at once, as Rubio had not worked out for any other team and clearly would not have done so in Sacramento if ..."
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If this was to be one of the last battles royal among point guards, Patrick "Patty" Mills would not be left out. So Mills called the Kings and asked to be included in Sunday's workout at the team's practice facility. The Kings have worked out every top point guard available in Thursday's draft. Only Ricky Rubio, who became ill during his visit, did not work out. Sunday's group included Memphis' Tyreke Evans and Syracuse's Jonny Flynn, both back for a second look. Evans previously worked out alone. Florida State's Toney Douglas, Florida's Nick Calathes and Davidson star Stephen Curry also were in Sacramento with Mills, the Saint Mary's standout. Curry and Evans are considered locks to be ..."
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All are point or combo guards. All offer unique skills. All are in audition mode/mood. And all together now - with Jonny Flynn, Stephen Curry, Tyreke Evans, Toney Douglas, Patty Mills and Nick Calathes crowded onto the court - there will be more passes tossed around the premises than at any time since the era of Vlade Divac, Chris Webber, Doug Christie, Hedo Turkoglu. Outlet passes, one-bounce passes, no-look passes, pretty lob passes. And more passes. The people to impress, of course, are team president Geoff Petrie and incoming coach Paul Westphal, of whom his former boss and current USA Basketball czar Jerry Colangelo said earlier Saturday: "I can tell you, Paul (Westphal) definitely ..."
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Stephen Curry knows there is a price to pay when the homework doesn't get done before the hoops. And the debt collector, more often than not, is his mother. Sonya Curry - the principal at a Lake Norman, N.C., Montessori school that she and Curry's father, Dell, founded in 1995 - wouldn't have it any other way. So even with the NBA draft fast approaching Thursday, her sharpshooting son from Davidson had work to do before heading off for today's Kings workout. "I was taught growing up that education was first," Curry told The Bee early Friday evening from his Sacramento hotel. "My mom made that a point of emphasis early, when I'd have to sit out games because I didn't do my homework or got ..."
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Arco Arena should be in lockdown mode. Doors barred. Windows covered. Sentries posted at the gates. Passwords and access codes revised.Ricky Rubio of Spain is in town, and the Kings absolutely cannot let this kid escape.Resolve his contract issues, facilitate a trade if necessary to preclude Memphis or Oklahoma City from stealing him before the Kingsat No. 4, promise him the world, and then give him the damn ball.At the mere age of 18, encased in a rangy, maturing body that stretches to almost 6-foot-5 and continues to sprout muscles at odd angles, Rubio already answers a host of critical questions confounding the Kings.His presence in Sacramento would be transformative whether he becomes ..."
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When Brandon Jennings called fellow point guard Ricky Rubio "all hype" June 12 at the Kings' practice facility, the hype machine was indeed in full effect. But it was Jennings, not Rubio, who was the guilty party. Just as the 19-year-old who played last season in Italy later admitted he was trying to play the hype game when talking about his high-profile Spanish counterpart, countless NBA draft prospects who came before him have done the same. It's an age-old tactic, an attempt to move a player's stock up mock draft boards and create big-time buzz entering the big day. And for the record, USC's DeMar DeRozan was the first to play that game in this draft season. DeRozan, the athletic ..."
June 19
The Oklahoman
columnist Ailene Voisin
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Arco Arena should be in lockdown mode. Doors barred. Windows covered. Sentries posted at the gates. Passwords and access codes revised.Ricky Rubio of Spain is in town, and the Kings absolutely cannot let this kid escape.Resolve his contract issues, facilitate a trade if necessary to preclude Memphis or Oklahoma City from stealing him before the Kingsat No. 4, promise him the world, and then give him the damn ball.At the mere age of 18, encased in a rangy, maturing body that stretches to almost 6-foot-5 and continues to sprout muscles at odd angles, Rubio already answers a host of critical questions confounding the Kings.His presence in Sacramento would be transformative whether he becomes ..."
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Arco Arena should be in lockdown mode. Doors barred. Windows covered. Sentries posted at the gates. Passwords and access codes revised. Ricky Rubio is in town, and the Kings absolutely cannot let this kid escape. Resolve his contract issues, facilitate a trade if necessary to preclude Memphis or Oklahoma City from stealing him before the Kingsat No. 4, promise him the world, and then give him the damn ball. At the mere age of 18, encased in a rangy, maturing body that stretches to almost 6-foot-5 and continues to sprout muscles at odd angles, Rubio already answers a host of critical questions confounding the Kings. His presence in Sacramento would be transformative whether he becomes the ..."
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By the time the Kings sat at the table with Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio on Tuesday night, the tables had certainly turned. They were the ones traveling great distances to see him last month, when Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie had gone to Spain to see Rubio in action and returned to the news that he was unlikely to be a realistic option. It was the May 19 NBA draft lottery, and the Kings' fate at No. 4 in the June 25 draft seemed to all but eliminate Rubio from their wish list. But it said everything that Rubio set foot in Sacramento on Tuesday, arriving from Los Angeles in the afternoon after flying from Spain the day before and eventually sitting at a downtown dinner table ..."
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The magic number drops to single digits today for the Kings, who would love nothing more than to pull a rabbit out of their purple hat in the June 25 NBA draft. With nine days remaining, the evaluations continue. As expected May 19 when the Kings learned they would pick fourth, their place in the process meant plenty of options at that spot. Nearly a month later, it is believed they still are considering more than a few players at No. 4 while rumors abound about the possibility of trading the pick. An ESPN.com report indicated the Kings had "reached out" to Boston regarding a trade for point guard Rajon Rondo for the No. 4 pick and other potential pieces, but a Celtics source with ..."
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In the NBA, respect is often tied to paychecks. Kevin Garnett was celebrated when he signed a $126 million extension. Teams create wiggle room in salary caps to entice free agents. Didn't a now-unemployed Latrell Sprewell say he couldn't "feed his family" on a three-year, $27 million contract offer? With so much emphasis on salaries, it makes you wonder if money will be an issue as Paul Westphal takes over the Kings. Now some say that in this economy, the NBA payrolls are unrealistic. That's true, but the NBA is a different reality. Westphal's salary next season is documented at $1.5 million, the low end of the league. Will Kevin Martin, who will make about six times more, listen to his ..."
June 14
Sacramento Bee
columnist Marcos Breton
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The state of the Kings professional basketball franchise in Sacramento has never been more fragile. Consequently, the hiring of Paul Westphal as the new coach last week - the team's fourth in three years - is much more than a simple sports story. Westphal must become the first piece of revival needed to keep the Kings from leaving Sacramento. Westphal has to erase the memory of three flawed coaches foolishly hired after the superb Rick Adelman was essentially chased out of town by team ownership in 2006. The relationship between Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof and team President Geoff Petrie is also depending on critical player moves Petrie must get right this summer. The Maloofs and ..."
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Paul Westphal stood away from the fray Friday afternoon, having just completed the most official portion of his four-day media tour as the new Kings coach. For nearly 30 minutes at his introductory news conference, Westphal, 58, the fourth Kings coach since Rick Adelman departed in 2006, discussed a basketball life that spanned nearly five decades and almost never involved failure. But as Westphal was pulled away after the spotlight dimmed, he was reminded of the contrasting reality: He inherits a job that one of his most famous former players, Charles Barkley, equated to being "captain of the Titanic." And, as the Kings come off a franchise-low 17-win season and record-low support in a ..."
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In the morning is the sort of draft workout that would sell tickets. It's a point guard battle that could weigh decisively on whom the Kings eventually pick at the No. 4 spot in the June 25 draft, with UCLA's Jrue Holiday, Syracuse's Jonny Flynn and Italian League professional Brandon Jennings taking part. In the afternoon, Paul Westphal will be publicly introduced after accepting the Kings' coaching job Tuesday evening. Westphal arrived in Sacramento on Thursday night and was expected to join Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie and other team representatives for dinner. The former Phoenix and Seattle head coach who was Dallas' executive vice president of basketball operations last ..."
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The comparisons between Paul Westphal and Rick Adelman began almost immediately Wednesday, when Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie sat in the practice facility and discussed at length his team's latest new coaching era. There was the similar record of achievement, with the new Kings coach and the former one regularly winning 50-plus games and guiding their teams into the playoffs only to fall short of a championship. There were the similar stories about style, with both men known as creative offensive coaches who manage with tact more than toughness. There was the reality that both coaches entered Sacramento with plenty of critics, their previous NBA head-coaching jobs (Adelman at ..."
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Ask James Harden what his greatest strength on the basketball court is and his answer might be a surprise coming from someone who averaged 20.1 points last season at Arizona State. He doesn't mention his scoring average or that he made 50.6 percent of his shots in two seasons. But what Harden's known for is scoring. Nevertheless, as Harden begins his tour of team workouts, the 2008-09 Pacific-10 Conference Player of the Year is out to prove he's not a one-dimensional player. "I don't think I gave a great strength," Harden said. "I think I do a couple of things pretty well." Harden (6-foot-5, 218 pounds), who might be the draft's top shooting guard, worked out for the Kings on Wednesday ..."
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Of the many players to visit Sacramento for a predraft workout, Tyreke Evans was the first to do so by himself. Instead of playing against other potential rookies Tuesday, Evans worked up a sweat against Kings executives Fat Lever and Shareef Abdur-Rahim on the team's practice court. Was he scared? Too good to work out against someone not considered an elite talent? Evans said the move wasn't one of arrogance or fear of being exposed by his competition. "I wanted to work out against other people," Evans said. "But the people I wanted to work out with against just didn't work out, so I just went by myself. I ain't running from nobody. I'll work out against the best." Evans also didn't run ..."
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It had been 27 days since Paul Westphal made his pitch to be the Kings' next coach, when he sat with the team's brass in a Las Vegas hotel room and assured them that he could succeed in the future just as he had in the past. Tuesday evening, the pitch paid off. Westphal, who has a record of 267-159 in six-plus seasons as an NBA head coach, was told he will be the next Kings coach. With the Kings engaged in their third coaching search in the past four off-seasons, and Lakers assistant coach Kurt Rambis and Boston associate head coach Tom Thibodeau also in the running, Kings basketball President Geoff Petrie had deemed it a horse race that would end in a photo finish. But it wasn't nearly ..."
June 10
Dallas Morning News
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Paul Westphal, a member of the Mavericks' organization the last two seasons, has been selected as the new coach of the Sacramento Kings. Maverick officials became aware of Westphal's new job Tuesday evening. He served as vice president of basketball operations, assisting president Donnie Nelson. In 2007-08, Westphal was on Avery Johnson's coaching staff. Westphal's appointment with the Kings eliminates the final year of his contract with the Mavericks. Formerly a head coach at Seattle and Phoenix, Westphal replaces Kenny Natt and is expected to be named officially today."
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If only the Kings' coaching search were this transparent. While Kenny Natt's successor hasn't been named, the Kings' predraft workouts continued Monday before a quaint media audience and with Geoff Petrie undeniably in charge. The team's basketball president directed the six players on hand, looking spry and more than mobile enough to navigate the moving prospects while evaluating their talents. After visiting seven teams before coming to Sacramento, the session's uniqueness wasn't lost on Louisville swingman Terrence Williams. "It's very unique (to have an executive running a workout), because the GM is running it like he's an assistant coach or an intern," Williams said. "(Usually), you ..."
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DeJuan Blair won't deny it. He can't deny it. The man is famous for his fanny, the sheer magnitude of his backside and how he uses it to position himself in the paint. The University of Pittsburgh product is about as wide and deep as a freezer, just as sturdy and hard to move. It's his interior prowess - specifically rebounding - that makes the power forward an intriguing Kings draft prospect. The Kings need inside toughness and nastiness. Blair offers that, and personality. The 6-foot-6 bruiser with a 7-2 wingspan (he can reach 8 feet, 10 1/2 inches standing flat- footed) was all charm and smiles after a Kings workout Saturday as the team continues to bring in prospects for the June 25 ..."
June 5
Cleveland Plain Dealer
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Although several teams have taken a hit financially, NBA Commissioner David Stern said Thursday the league has no plans to eliminate the luxury tax until the economy recovers. With his team's player payroll projected to exceed $76 million, Hornets owner George Shinn could have to pay a luxury tax bill of more than $5 million next summer. The Hornets were one of the 12 teams that received loans from the league this spring. Since 2003, 17 of the league's 30 teams have borrowed $2 billion since the league began establishing a line of credit for loans used by teams. "There's a difference between choosing to and having a need to," Stern said at state of his league address before Thursday's ..."
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You know about the local ties in the NBA Finals, which started Thursday night. There's the Magic's Hedo Turkoglu, the former Kings sharpshooter. There's Magic coach Stan Van Gundy, who jilted the Kings two summers ago. And there are Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson of the Lakers, who gave Kings fans fits in past playoff losses. There is one other tie: Robert Horry is working for ESPN as an analyst. Horry never played for the Kings, but he will always be a part of the franchise's history. Horry hit the winning three-pointer for the Lakers in Game 4 of the 2002 Western Conference finals. He was gloating about the shot on ESPN the other night, which reminded me how deep his ties are to the ..."
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The Kings' coaching search wasn't so different Wednesday from the wacky weather in Los Angeles, with the hovering clouds and rain making for an unpredictable climate. Somewhere below, Kurt Rambis and Paul Westphal had to be chuckling at the appropriateness of the atmosphere. There was, rest assured, no clarity on either front. As the Lakers prepared for today's start of the NBA Finals, their top assistant is believed to have emerged as the front-runner for the job. But sources close to the situation say Westphal's chances remain strong, with the former Phoenix and Seattle coach and Los Angeles resident having interviewed in Las Vegas on May 13. Meanwhile, Boston associate head coach Tom ..."
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The Kings' coaching search wasn't so different Wednesday from the wacky weather in Los Angeles, with the hovering clouds and rain making for an unpredictable climate. Somewhere below, Kurt Rambis and Paul Westphal had to be chuckling at the appropriateness of the atmosphere. There was, rest assured, no clarity on either front. As the Lakers prepared for today's start of the NBA Finals, their top assistant is believed to have emerged as the front-runner for the job. But sources close to the situation say Westphal's chances remain strong, with the former Phoenix and Seattle coach and Los Angeles resident having interviewed in Las Vegas on May 13. Meanwhile, Boston associate head coach Tom ..."
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Had the Kings won the No. 1 pick in the June 25 draft, they almost certainly would have taken Oklahoma forward Blake Griffin. Even with young big men Jason Thompson and Spencer Hawes improving enough last season to inspire confidence from Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie on down, the in-house consensus was most good teams rotate three quality big men and that there was plenty of room for more talent in the paint. Yet even as their fate at No. 4 means much of the focus regarding their top pick is on drafting a point guard, they may still opt to go big - particularly later in the draft. Today we look at two forward candidates for the Kings' picks at Nos. 23 and 31: North Carolina's ..."
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Kurt Rambis had come the Kings' way before, interviewing for their head-coaching job in 1998 in Sacramento and again nine years later at the Las Vegas hotel of co-owners Joe and Gavin Maloof. But the Kings came to Rambis this time around, interviewing the longtime Lakers assistant in Los Angeles on Monday so as to accommodate his busy schedule and maintain the minimal momentum in their coaching search. With the Lakers set to begin the NBA Finals against Orlando on Thursday and Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie back East dealing with a personal matter, the meeting took place despite the complications. Petrie joined in by way of conference call, while the Maloofs flew in from Las Vegas ..."
May 31
Sacramento Bee
columnist Ailene Voisin
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The coach the Kings wanted didn't want the Kings. So, OK, that's cool, and that leaves three. Tom Thibodeau. Kurt Rambis. Paul Westphal. I want to propose a fourth: Jerry Reynolds. That's right. Bring back Jerry. Sound the brigade. Hit the rescue button again. Summon the longest-tenured Kings employee out of the television booth, hand him a cape and a pair of tights, and let him fly into the locker room for another one-year tutorial, for a few totally pragmatic reasons. He works cheap. He has the résumé. He is too old to take guff from the players or be micromanaged by his boss. The community loves him. Plus, and perhaps more importantly, he buys you a year (with a crummy team) before ..."
May 31
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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He is the president's choice. That doesn't exactly count for anything in professional basketball, but Tyreke Evans' name certainly resonates in high places as the NBA draft approaches. When President Barack Obama was recently invited to the Palms Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas -- operated by Sacramento Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof -- he told their brother, Phil, whom the Kings should take with the fourth overall pick. "(Obama) liked Blake Griffin, of course, (Hasheem) Thabeet from Connecticut, and he loved the kid from Memphis -- Tyreke Evans," Palms co-owner George Maloof told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Evans' reaction? "That's big," the former University of Memphis combo guard ..."
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After three days of chatter at the NBA's predraft combine, the scenarios of Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio coming to Sacramento remained. The Clippers would take forward Blake Griffin with the first pick, and Memphis wouldConnecticut's Hasheem Thabeet, with Oklahoma City surprisingly picking USC's DeMar DeRozan or Arizona State's James Harden. That is, of course, assuming the order isn't shuffled like a deck of cards by the time the June 25 draft in New York rolls around. But it's undeniable that the Kings are looking at the point guard position in the draft, as Beno Udrih's subpar play last season left them longing for security and sizzle on that front. And whether that need is addressed ..."
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Months before the Kings' latest coaching search would officially begin, there was only one name connected to the job that was so widely expected to be open: Eddie Jordan. But on Friday, the Kings' courting of the former Washington and Kings coach came to an involuntary end as he agreed to become the next head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers. According to a source with knowledge of the situation, Jordan - who was the first to interview for the Kings' job - signed a guaranteed three-year deal in which he will be paid $2 million in the first season, $3 million in the second and $3.1 million in the third. Jordan is owed $4 million from Washington for next season, but that amount will be offset ..."
May 27
Sacramento Bee
columnist Bill Bradley
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Kings fans shouldn't feel too badly about all of their team's problems. After all, they could be fans of the Warriors. Northern California's other NBA team looks like a broken bicycle trying to navigate the hills around Napa. They look great going downhill, but the Warriors' climbs are brutal. Golden State's latest woe, as pointed out by the San Francisco Chronicle's Ray Ratto, is that the team's public relations director commented on a Warriors fan site to defend the promotion of Larry Riley to general manager - but did so anonymously. Their other issues include coach and basketball operations chief Don Nelson being a ghost, former impressive general manager Chris Mullin being slowly ..."
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The worst-case scenario happened to the Kings on Tuesday, courtesy of the pingpong balls. The fourth selection was as low as the Kings could select, and that's where they will pick in next month's NBA draft. Kings co-owner Gavin Maloof said the draft's impact players have been chosen in the top five more than once. That sounds like good public relations spin, but there have been more productive players than flops at No. 4 in the lottery era (since 1985). The Kings could parlay the pick via trade, or they could benefit from a team's infatuation with another player and let a gem fall into their lap. That's how New Orleans ended up with All-Star point guard Chris Paul in 2005. Utah traded up ..."
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