NBA And Sacramento Kings Post-Summer League 2012, Trade Rumors and Training Camp

This post will focus on the Kings and the NBA after summer league 2012 and probably up to or thru training camp.

First we have Sacramento Kings Offseason Moves & Analysis from the folks at Sheridan Hoops. as they do a good job of analyzing each team in the league quickly.

July 22nd:

Trade Rumors:  These guys at Gather say that Jimmer Fredette may be traded to the Utah Jazz.

I would not be unhappy, depending on what comes back to the Kings, but I would be surprised.  Other than his last game this summer, Fredette has not shown anything trade worthy.

The Kings however, have loaded up their back court, even adding Aaron Brooks these past few days and with another SF in the wings come training camp in Tony Mitchell it would be rough to trade guards without getting something in return and I’m not sure the Jazz have that “something”.   Brooks had Tweeted “Sacramento Kings” back on July 16th before jumping on a plane to come out to the State capitol.

“The backcourt squeeze is on. The Kings’ roster included guards Marcus Thornton (6-4), Isaiah Thomas (5-9), Jimmer Fredette(6-2) and Francisco Garcia (6-7) even before coach Keith Smart revealed plans to move Tyreke Evans (6-6) from small forward to shooting guard.”

Trading Fredette would not be a bad idea if the owners are willing to walk around with more egg on their faces for a series of bad moves in 2011…a series of bad moves.

July 23rd:

Mitchell is likely to be called in for the Kings training camp.

“Mitchell kind of separated himself a little bit,” Smart said. “He has the right size as a small forward. Obviously, we have a ton of players at that position that he plays, but nevertheless he’s not a guy you take off your radar because you see the size.

“A long athletic player that can be physical, and I like the way he attacks the rim.”

Mitchell was undrafted after leaving Alabama after his junior season following a suspension for violating team rules. In looking for a summer-league team, Mitchell believed the Kings would be a good fit because of their uptempo style.”

Read more here:

The Rumor Mill dot Com    Inside Hoops   and Hoops Hype keep track of all of the NBA rumors for you during what may be the time period with the least real-news going on.  But that will not stop folks from making things up just so we can all talk about it!!!

Although the Free Agent deals have mostly quieted down, some remain and here is a good analysis and list of the best 15 of the remaining FA’s.  Kirilenko would be a good fit for the Kings and they have good communication with hin after last season, but they have to get rid of someone to clear cap room now with their two recent signngs.

July 26th:

Former Kings Point Guard Bobby Hurley, who was so severely injured in an automobile accident during the 1993-94 NBA season, near the old ARCO Arena after a game, is now an Assistant Coach at Rhode Island.

Hurley assists his brother, Coach Dan Hurley and aspires to someday be a Head Coach.

Read more about Hurley here.

July 28th:

Jason Thompson is ready to embrace his role after re-signing with the Kings.

“On a team full of what coach Keith Smart describes as alpha males trying to define their place atop the team hierarchy, Thompson prefers simply to fit in and do the little things not associated with star players.The Kings re-signed Thompson to a five-year contract worth $30.2 million shortly after the NBA moratorium on transactions ended at midnight July 11……”Some guys are going to have to play different roles,” said Thompson, the Kings’ first-round draft pick in 2008. “Some guys can score a lot, and that’s what they’re known to do, but maybe if they can take some steps back in scoring and get more assists, rebounds and diving for loose balls, it makes a great team.”

Read more here.

“Thompson believes the addition of Aaron Brooks will help (defense) process, too. Coach Keith Smart began the process of organizing the offense and looking to shore up the Kings’ defense at the point of attack by starting Isaiah Thomas at point guard.“(Brooks) can only help Isaiah with him maturing and being that floor general that we need,” Thompson said.If the entire team doesn’t mature and learn to work together on both ends, the Kings are in for another season in the 20-win range.”

Read more here

And the Kings will open the 2012/2013 season with a three-game road trip, starting in Chicago, then in Minnesota and ending in Indiana. They won’t have a home game until November 5th against the Warriors.

The Kings will face a very difficult start to the season, and could easily be in a 3 game hole when they return home, and facing the Golden State in their firt Home Game may not be easy.

The keys may be can the Kings make a trade for veteran strength that would provide support and cohesion at Center?  Someone who can come off the bench and play strong defense, help Cousins mature into the type of All-Star player many expect him to be and have the respect of his teammates??  Is there such a player, can the Kings get him and would he want to be in Sacramento during this mess of a time?

August 1, 2012:

The Kings announce Their 2012 Pre-Season schedule as follows:

Oct. 10 vs. Phoenix, 7 p.m. Oct. 15 vs. Portland, 7 p.m.

Oct. 17 vs. Golden State, 7 p.m.

Oct. 19 at Los Angeles Lakers (in Las Vegas),

7 p.m. Oct. 21 at Los Angeles Lakers 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 22 at Phoenix 7 p.m. Oct. 25 at Los Angeles Lakers (in San Diego) 7 p.m.

The regular seasons starts for the Kings at the end of October with a thrree-0game road trip, returning to Sacramento for the first home game on November 5th.

August 8th:

The Bleacher Reports guys say Isaiah Thomas could win Most Improved Player in 2013.

How  do they decide that this early in the Pre-pre-season??  In 2012 “(Thomas) played with a ton of heart, kept up with the league’s best point guards, created shots for others and came up with big baskets seemingly every time the Kings needed one.”

In 2013 “With Thomas likely getting the nod to start at the point guard position this season, and having a full offseason this time around, he should be a strong candidate for the Most Improved Player Award.Interestingly, newly acquired Aaron Brooks received the aforementioned award after the 2009-10 season in which he averaged 19.6 points per game and 5.3 assists while starting all 82 games for the Houston Rockets.”Will Power Balance arena be renamed Sleep Train?  Just getting a name that lasts a full season and a contract that does as well would probably make the Kings happy.The Kings partnered with ARCO got 25 years in the naming of their arena.  Last year they went with Power Balance, the new company who made sports wrist bands.  More money in the five year contract, especially in year 5 when the Kings take would increase from $750,000 to $2.35 million.Problem is Power Balance filed for bankruptcy before year one was even finished.  Read more at the link above.

And the Kings extended Coach Keith Smart’s contract an additional year, thru 2013/2014.

“The Kings could have waited a few months and made Keith Smartprove himself more before deciding he was their coach beyond the 2012-13 season.

But in Smart’s first six months, Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie said he had seen enough.

The Kings announced Monday that Smart had agreed to a contract extension through the 2013-14 season.

“We had talked about it at length somewhat after the season, after the draft,” Petrie said. “We just really moved forward on it in the last couple of weeks. It’s something I’m really in favor of. He’s the right coach at the right time for the group of players.”

Hard to say, I would have let Smart coach at least half the coming season before pulling the plug but at least they didn’t fire the guy.

Read more here.August 23rd

So the Kings and the Maloofs “aren’t talking” and the NBA “has no information”????

Does that make the rumor more true?

The Kings, the Maloofs moving to Virgina Beach and Comcast is footing the bill?

This after they let it be known that local mattress makers might be the new name for Arco Arena?

And Comcast would want to keep a good name and not piss off Sacramento fans and customers?  All to move the Kings to  Resort city? To a nice but small tourist town?

Most team owners in any sport don’t want to locate in a tourist town unless it is the size and stature of say NYC or Miami or San Francisco or Las Vegas.  But no one has ever accused the MaGoofs of being smart.  Or of runnimg their team successfully.

Could be true we will know soon since the stor sas Comcast will unveil it all at the Virginia Beach City Council meeting next Tuesday (August 28th) and that the Maloofs will be at the meeting..  They are certainly going somewhere.

September 10th:

Well, no Virginia Beach.  But a few new tidbits and rumors.  Could it be the Kings without tupid rumors?

ESPN ranks the Kings 2nd to Last on their list of professional sports teams.  So the have the worst (Toronto Maple Leafs) and then the Kings.  Who is a hair better than the kings?  Who is 3rd worst?  eh, Charlotte Bobcats for sure.

I won’t spend time on the Maloof’s sister Adrienne and her divorce.  You can Google the shit out of it if ou really want to.  But apparentl the brothers think the scene will cost them money out of the family (mis)fortune.  You know?

Want to buy a ROY  Thomas Robinson jersey?  I wouldn’t mind, but I can’t!!  The Kings online store is closed.  That’s right C-L-O-S-E-D.  The are blaming a failed company, not the failing basketball team.

The store has been down since June.  The Kings say it will be up soon.