Latest news with #Sabonis
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Three-Team NBA Mock Trade Allows Lakers to Contend, Kings to Rebuild
According to a recent report, the Sacramento Kings are expected to shop DeMar DeRozan on the trade market. If the Kings, under a new front office regime, are serious about parting ways with their veteran talent and rebuilding, then trading DeRozan isn't enough, and Domantas Sabonis will need to be dealt away as well. With three seasons left on his contract and as the best rebounder in the league, Sabonis would trail only Giannis Antetokounmpo as the most sought-after player on the trade block. Advertisement The Los Angeles Lakers, after their first-round exit, will likely look for a player who can both maximize the end of LeBron James' prime and be Luka Doncic's long-term running mate, and Sabonis fits the bill. He won't come cheap, but a three-team trade could allow the Kings to rebuild, the Lakers to contend in the West, and the Memphis Grizzlies to bounce back after two disappointing seasons in a row. Dec 21, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) fight for possession of the ball during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. © Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images NBA Mock Trade Checks All the Boxes Assuming that the Kings are interested in a full-on rebuild, adding as much draft capital while shedding as much salary will be the priority. The Grizzlies, with Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., can compete in the West but could use an added star (or two!), and the Lakers need a paint presence and a scorer who is not that ball-dominant. Advertisement While this mock trade certainly makes the Kings less competitive, the massive haul of young talent and draft capital would make it worth it in the long run. Full Mock Trade Details Kings receive: Rui Hachimura, Dorian Finney-Smith, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kelber, Dalton Knecht, 2027 first-round pick (via MEM), 2029 first-round pick (via MEM), 2031 first-round pick (via LAL), 2031 first-round pick (via MEM) Lakers receive: Domantas Sabonis, Desmond Bane Grizzlies receive: DeMar DeRozan, Austin Reaves The Lakers get Sabonis for Knecht and a pick, which is what they were going to pay for Mark Williams during the season. They do have to give up Reaves, but replace him with Desmond Bane, who is less talented, but would fit in well with James and Doncic. Advertisement The Grizzlies, meanwhile, add a high-level scorer in DeRozan and a fringe All-Star guard next to Morant. A starting five of Morant, Reaves, DeRozan, Jackson Jr., and Zach Edey is pretty solid, and they get to keep key depth pieces as well. The Kings, meanwhile, get to shed the salaries of Finney-Smith, Kelber, Vincent, and Hachimura next offseason when they are free agents, and have only one more season after that of paying LaVine. Once LaVine is off the books, the Kings will have three first-round picks in 2027, two in 2029, and two in 2031, as well as a single pick in both 2028 and 2030, as well as plenty of cap space. It's not a fast rebuild in Sacramento, but fans of the Kings have developed more patience than any other fan base in the league. Some have criticized Sabonis' potential fit and contract in Los Angeles, and his lack of defensive prowess is certainly a concern, although his offensive fit next to Doncic in a post-James era would be pretty seamless. Advertisement While losing Reaves is a massive loss, the long-term viability of him in Hollywood is questionable, anyway, and replacing him with Bane, who is one of the best shooters in the league, is a pretty solid deal. This Kings' roster is not going to compete with their current construction, and blowing it all up for the best roster possible is hard to pass up, especially when Knecht is included in the deal, rounding out the wings long-term next to Keegan Murray. Check out the Inside the Kings homepage for more news, analysis, and must-read articles. Related: Mock Trade Sends Kings' DeMar DeRozan Home to Los Angeles in Offseason Deal With Lakers Related: Kings Predicted to Finally Land Former Top Trade Target in Offseason Deal With Bucks
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sacramento Kings 2024-2025 fantasy basketball season recap: Sabonis shines despite changes
While the NBA Playoffs are in full swing, now is a good time to recap the fantasy basketball season for all 30 teams. In the following weeks, we will provide a recap for each team, starting with the team with the worst record and concluding with the NBA champion in June. Advertisement Two years removed from ending their playoff drought, Sacramento moved on from the head coach and star point guard that led them there. With a new general manager and coach, the Kings will look for a fresh start. Sacramento Kings 2024-25 Season Recap Record: 40-42 (9th, West, lost in play-in) Offensive Rating: 115.9 (7th) Defensive Rating: 115.3 (22nd) Net Rating: 0.6 (15th) Pace: 98.91 (19th) 2024 Draft Picks: 3.8% chance at a top-four pick, 42 For the second straight season, Sacramento's season ended in the play-in tournament. However, the team that suited up looked a little different. Head coach Mike Brown, who helped the Kings end their playoff drought, was fired in December after a 13-18 start. He was replaced by Doug Christie, who was given a long-term contract by new general manager Scott Perry, who replaced Monte McNair. Of course, before firing McNair after the season, they allowed him to trade De'Aaron Fox to the Spurs. Advertisement With the coach, GM and franchise player that ended Sacramento's playoff drought all gone, a new regime still has plenty of pieces to work with. They have a 3.8 percent chance of leaping into the top-four of the draft lottery and retaining their top-12 protected first-round pick. They acquired Zach LaVine in the deal that sent Fox to San Antonio, which gave them a team that was talented enough to make the play-in tournament, where they lost to Dallas in the 9-10 matchup. The expectations were certainly much higher after they signed DeMar DeRozan over the summer, but things just didn't work out that way. Fantasy Standout: Domantas Sabonis Once again, Sabonis was the best fantasy option in Sacramento. He averaged 19.1 points, 13.9 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 34.7 minutes per game across his 70 appearances. He provided second-round value in nine-cat leagues, which he has only done twice in his career. His assists dipped, but the rebounds were a new career high for one of the best rebounders in the league, and he led the league in boards for a third straight season. There aren't too many players that can match Sabonis' combination of points, rebounds, assists and field goal percentage, and the ones that do are also among the elite players in fantasy basketball. At 29 years old, Sabonis' game should age well, so he still has many years of fantasy dominance ahead of him. Sacramento will need to make this team a contender to keep Sabonis happy, but regardless of what happens with the team, Sabonis will continue to be a dominant force in the fantasy landscape for years to come. Advertisement Fantasy Revelation: Malik Monk Monk had arguably the best season of his career, though his production was inconsistent. He had stretches of elite numbers, but he also really struggled at times. Across his 65 appearances, Monk averaged 17.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.1 three-pointers per game. The points, rebounds and assists were all the best marks of his career, which led to the first top-100 finish of his career. Monk had a few stretches where he was one of the most productive players in the league, but he also struggled after Sacramento traded away De'Aaron Fox, which was surprising. He averaged 15.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and five assists with Zach LaVine in the lineup, and he shot just 41.9 percent from the floor during those games. Monk showcased brilliant production in the middle of the season, which provided optimism to what he could be moving forward. Though we were expecting his numbers to improve even more with the ball in his hands more after Fox's departure, he was still producing at a higher level than he ever had previously. Hopefully a healthy offseason will be what he needs to put together a full season of high-level numbers. Fantasy Disappointment: Jonas Valanciunas Advertisement It's difficult to be disappointed when you don't really have any expectations, but Valanciunas best fits the bill for the Kings. He started off the season with Washington, where he signed over the summer. He was dealt to Sacramento at the deadline and made 32 appearances for them, including nine starts. He averaged 8.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists in just 16.9 minutes per game. Valanciunas had a Yahoo ADP of 89.4, but the only time he produced to that level was when Domantas Sabonis was sidelined for a few games in March. I wasn't optimistic about Valanciunas this season, but he was supposed to be the starting center in Washington, with rookie Alexandre Sarr playing power forward. Valanciunas was a part-time starter with the Wizards and played a minimal role for the Kings. He's past his days of being a significant contributor in fantasy basketball, aside from being a decent source of rebounds when he gets the chance to start. Fantasy Recaps/Look-Aheads DeMar DeRozan DeRozan signed with Sacramento last summer and played in 77 games in his first season with the Kings. He averaged 22.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.1 triples in 35.9 minutes per game. DeRozan will be 36 years old at the start of next season, so there are certainly questions about how much longer he will keep playing. However, he had another strong season, even if his production dipped slightly, and he scored 33 points in their play-in loss to Dallas. Advertisement DeRozan still has two seasons left on his contract with Sacramento, and he should at least play that out before making any career decisions. He has played at least 36 minutes per game and made at least 74 appearances in each of his last four seasons. Hopefully that trend will continue next season. Zach LaVine LaVine's time with the Bulls finally came to an end ahead of February's trade deadline. He made 32 appearances for Sacramento and averaged 22.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 3.2 threes per game. He was the main piece that the Kings got back when they moved De'Aaron Fox, and while it took him a few games to get comfortable with his new team, LaVine had some excellent performances for Sacramento. On the wrong side of 30, LaVine is still an elite athlete, but he continues to get better as a scorer, which should help him stay effective as he continues to age. The fit in Sacramento is clunky without a true point guard, but they have multiple players that are effective playmakers. LaVine is one of them, and he should have the ball in his hands a ton next season. Advertisement Keegan Murray Year three was a disappointing one for Murray, who saw his role on offense decrease. He averaged 12.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists and two triples in 34.3 minutes per game across his 76 appearances. Murray played well as a rookie and made improvements in year two, but the addition of DeMar DeRozan resulted in fewer opportunities for Murray to grow. He'll be 25 at the start of next season, so there is still time for him to improve, but even if he doesn't take drastic strides, he'll still be a solid NBA player for a very long time. Unfortunately, with the way the roster is currently constructed, Murray may end up as a low-priority option once again. We'll see what changes are made this summer, but the odds of Murray having a bounce back season are low. Keon Ellis Ellis didn't see his role increase as much as we hoped, but he still saw his minutes and production take a step forward this season. He averaged 8.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.9 threes in 24.4 minutes per game. He ended the 2023-24 season playing incredibly well as a starter, but he didn't keep the job entering this season. He saw a few starts throughout the year, but he didn't become a full-time starter again until the final few weeks of the season. He averaged 9.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.1 steals, 0.9 blocks and two triples per game across his 28 starts. Advertisement Assuming he continues to start next season, Ellis has the upside to be an excellent late-round pick. The defensive production is incredible, and he's able to space the floor without needing the ball in his hands a lot, which will allow him to fit well next to LaVine, DeRozan and Sabonis. Coach Doug Christie seems to really like Ellis, so it will depend on what moves the team makes this summer. Jake LaRavia LaRavia was dealt to the Kings at the deadline and suited up 19 times for them, averaging 6.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.1 triples in 19.3 minutes per game. Now, he's set to enter unrestricted free agency. The former Grizzly saw his role decrease with the Kings, even though he had less competition for minutes; the starters in Sacramento played more minutes than the starters in Memphis. If LaRavia returns, he'll be a young depth piece for them, but he likely won't play enough to contribute in fantasy basketball. The best path to fantasy relevance for him will be with a new team. Trey Lyles Once again, Lyles was a solid depth piece for the Kings. He averaged 6.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 threes in 19.6 minutes per game. He has spent the last four seasons with Sacramento but could opt for a new home this summer. If he returns, he'll continue to play a significant reserve role for them, though with Sabonis in front of him, that doesn't lead to much production. Regardless of where Lyles ends up, he'll only be relevant as a streaming option when the starter in front of him is injured. Advertisement Devin Carter The rookie's debut was delayed by offseason shoulder surgery, and he didn't suit up until January. He played 36 games, but he was never able to establish a rhythm. He averaged just 3.8 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 11 minutes per game. Carter was excellent during his junior season at Providence, which led to him being drafted in the lottery. He also dominated during his five G League appearances, where he averaged 26.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.6 steals, 1.2 blocks and 3.8 threes per game. He should play a larger role in year two after a healthy offseason. Restricted Free Agents: Markelle Fultz, Isaiah Crawford, Mason Jones Unrestricted Free Agents: Trey Lyles, Jake LaRavia, Doug McDermott, Jae Crowder Team Option: Keon Ellis, Isaac Jones
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Celtics beat Suns 123-103, break NBA record for 3-pointers in a season
Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) takes a 3-point shot against the Phoenix Suns during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) BOSTON (AP) — Jaylen Brown scored 31 points and hit three 3-pointers and the Boston Celtics broke the NBA record for 3-pointers in a season in a 123-103 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Friday night. Boston was 14 of 39 from 3-point range to push its season total to 1,370. Golden State held the previous record with 1,363 in 2022-23. Advertisement After having their nine-game winning streak halted in their previous game, the Celtics coasted to the victory. Jayson Tatum added 23 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Kristaps Porzingis had 15 points before he walked to the locker room holding a towel to the bridge of his nose early in the final quarter after getting hit by Cody Martin's elbow while the Suns player was driving to the basket. Porzingis raised both arms and waved to the crowd as he headed into the tunnel. He returned to the bench late in the game and the team said the cut required stitches. Devin Booker led the Suns with 37 points. Phoenix has lost five straight. Advertisement Boston opened a double-digit edge on Payton Pritchard's 3-pointer early in the second quarter, pushed it to 20 midway into the period and led by 14 at halftime. KINGS 125, HORNETS 102 CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Zach LaVine had 25 points and 10 rebounds, Domantas Sabonis added 24 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists and Sacramento rolled past Charlotte to remain in 10th place in the Western Conference standings. DeMar DeRozan added 22 points to help the Kings win for only the second time in their last nine games. Sabonis was on pace for his 68th career triple-double before leaving the game with three minutes left in the third quarter after taking a knee to his right thigh. He did not return for his normal rotation in the third quarter with the Kings well in control and the team did not announce any injury. Advertisement Miles Bridges had 22 points, and Moussa Diabate added 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Hornets. The Kings held a 1/2-game lead over Phoenix Suns for the final spot in the play-in tournament entering the game and wasted little time with the injury-riddled Hornets. Sacramento built a 19-point lead at halftime behind Sabonis, who had 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists at the break. PACERS 140, JAZZ 112 INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Myles Turner had 26 points, seven rebounds and six blocked shots, and Indiana beat Utah for their third straight victory. Pascal Siakam scored 22 points and Bennedict Mathurin had 20, going 12 for 16 from the free throw line. Advertisement Collin Sexton had 27 points and Johnny Juzang had 17 for Utah. Turner had four blocks in the decisive third quarter. Siakam had a season-best four blocks and Indiana registered a season-best 17 — two short of the franchise record set in 1979 at Washington. PISTONS 117, RAPTORS 105 TORONTO (AP) — Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 23 points, Jalen Duren had 21 points and 18 rebounds and Detroit beat Toronto to wrap up their first playoff berth since 2018-19. Malik Beasley scored 21 points for the Pistons, and Dennis Schroeder added 16. Detroit won a franchise-worst 14 games last season, enduring an NBA-record 28-game losing streak in the process. Advertisement All-Star guard Cade Cunningham remained sidelined because of a bruised left calf, missing his sixth straight game. The Pistons also were without Tobias Harris (right heel). Ja'Kobe Walter scored 22 points for Toronto. Immanuel Quickley and Jamal Shead each had 14 as the Raptors lost their third straight. ROCKETS 125, THUNDER 111 HOUSTON (AP) — Jalen Green had 34 points, Alperen Sengun added 31 and Houston snapped Oklahoma City's 11-game winning streak with a victory. Houston, which is second in the Western Conference, improved to 2-3 against the top-seeded Thunder with the win. Oklahoma City lost for the first time since March 10. Advertisement The Rockets led by 23 in the first half but the Thunder got within nine on a shot by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with about 7 ½ minutes to go. Green scored five points in a 7-2 run to make it 113-99 midway through the quarter and Oklahoma City didn't get within single digits again. Jalen Williams led the Thunder with 33 points and Gilgeous-Alexander had 22 to reach 20 points for the 70th straight game, moving past Michael Jordan for the fourth-longest single-season streak in NBA history. CAVALIERS 114, SPURS 113 SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 26 points, Evan Mobley added 25 points and 10 rebounds and Cleveland held on to beat San Antonio to move a game away from clinching the best record in the Eastern Conference. Advertisement Cleveland never trailed and led by 23 points in winning its third straight. The Cavaliers have won six of seven and are a win or a Boston loss from clinching the East's best record for the sixth time in franchise history. Despite the early dominance, Cleveland had to hold on to beat San Antonio. Spurs forward Harrison Barnes' 3-pointer with 29 seconds remaining cut Cleveland's lead to 114-113. The 3-pointer came between missed 3-pointers by Mitchell and Darius Garland in the final 43 seconds. Barnes' layup attempt failed to drop in as time expired to preserve Cleveland's victory. Devin Vassell had 24 points to lead San Antonio and Barnes added 23. Advertisement BULLS 118, TRAIL BLAZERS 113 CHICAGO (AP) — Nikola Vucevic and Coby White each had 31 points, Josh Giddey had a triple-double and post-season bound Chicago beat Portland. Giddey had 15 points, 19 rebounds and 12 assists for his sixth triple-double of the season. The Bulls are 10th in the Eastern Conference, the lowest position they can finish. Deni Avdija led Portland with 37 points. Coming off a victory in Toronto on Thursday night, the Trail Blazers went 2-3 on a five-game trip. They are 12th in the West. Dalano Banton added 21 points for Portland, and Shaedon Sharpe had 17.
CBS News
05-04-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Kings snap 3-game skid with 125-102 win over Hornets
Zach LaVine had 25 points and 10 rebounds, Domantas Sabonis added 24 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists and the Sacramento Kings rolled past the Charlotte Hornets 125-102 on Friday night to remain in 10th place in the Western Conference standings. DeMar DeRozan added 22 points to help the Kings win for only the second time in their last nine games and snap a three-game losing streak. Sabonis was on pace for his 68th career triple-double before leaving the game with three minutes left in the third quarter after taking a knee to his right thigh. He did not return for his normal rotation in the third quarter with the Kings well in control and the team did not announce any injury. Miles Bridges had 22 points, and Moussa Diabate added 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Hornets. The Kings held a 1/2-game lead over the Phoenix Suns for the final spot in the play-in tournament entering the game and wasted little time with the injury-riddled Hornets. Sacramento built a 19-point lead at halftime behind Sabonis, who had 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists at the break. Kings: Malik Monk scored 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting off the bench against his former team. Hornets: Bridges was the only opening night starter still on the floor for Charlotte. LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller have already been ruled out for the season, and were joined on the bench by Mark Williams (thoracic muscle spasms) and Josh Green (shoulder soreness). After falling behind 10-4 early, the Kings closed the first quarter on a 22-8 run to take control of the game and were never seriously challenged again. Charlotte's starters were 5 of 24 from 3-point range. Both teams are in action Sunday with the Kings visiting the Cavaliers and the Hornets hosting the Bulls.
Associated Press
05-04-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Kings beat Hornets 125-102 to maintain hold on 10th spot in the West
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Zach LaVine had 25 points and 10 rebounds, Domantas Sabonis added 24 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists and the Sacramento Kings rolled past the Charlotte Hornets 125-102 on Friday night to remain in 10th place in the Western Conference standings. DeMar DeRozan added 22 points to help the Kings win for only the second time in their last nine games. Sabonis was on pace for his 68th career triple-double before leaving the game with three minutes left in the third quarter after taking a knee to his right thigh. He did not return for his normal rotation in the third quarter with the Kings well in control and the team did not announce any injury. Miles Bridges had 22 points, and Moussa Diabate added 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Hornets. The Kings held a 1/2-game lead over Phoenix Suns for the final spot in the play-in tournament entering the game and wasted little time with the injury-riddled Hornets. Sacramento built a 19-point lead at halftime behind Sabonis, who had 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists at the break. Takeaways Kings: Malik Monk scored 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting off the bench against his former team. Hornets: Bridges was the only opening night starter still on the floor for Charlotte. LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller have already been ruled out for the season, and were joined on the bench by Mark Williams (thoracic muscle spasms) and Josh Green (shoulder soreness). After falling behind 10-4 early, the Kings closed the first quarter on a 22-8 run to take control of the game and were never seriously challenged again. Key stat Charlotte's starters were 5 of 24 from 3-point range. Up next Both teams are in action Sunday with the Kings visiting the Cavaliers and the Hornets hosting the Bulls. ____
