Detroit Pistons power forward/center Marvin Bagley III (ankle, trade) has not been cleared in time to suit up for Friday's game vs. Charlotte. Bagley has not taken the floor since Jan. 29, having seen his minutes monitored during the final weeks of his Kings tenure. Averaging career lows of 9.3 points, 7.2 boards, and 21.9 minutes per outing, Bagley's fantasy prospects desperately needed him to find a new organization, with the Pistons' second unit providing that opportunity. He will compete with Kelly Olynyk for boards and offensive usage in the frontcourt, but his season-long value is almost certainly in better hands with Detroit, whenever he eventually makes his debut.

Sacramento Kings forward Marvin Bagley III has been traded to the Detroit Pistons in a four-team trade. The Kings will acquire Trey Lyles and Josh Jackson in part of this deal. Bagley never seemed to fit in Sacramento since the day he was drafted there. However, now he'll get a legitimate chance to compete for playing time. Isaiah Stewart and Kelly Olynyk are his main competition. Both Jerami Grant and Olynyk are reportedly on the trade block. Bagley could end up getting significant playing time in Detroit. He's not a must-have standard league option, but is certainly worth monitoring. A change of scenery appears to be a smart move for his long term value.

Sacramento Kings forward Marvin Bagley III (ankle) is questionable for Saturday's meeting with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Bagley has sat out during the Kings' previous three games because of a sprained left ankle. However, it appears he has a good chance of making it back, which would impact the workload of Chimezie Metu and Maurice Harkless, who had 18 points and six steals against the Golden State Warriors on Thursday evening.

Sacramento Kings forward Marvin Bagley III (shoulder) won't play on Sunday against the Rockets. He is dealing with soreness in his right shoulder, an unfortunate development considering how well he's played as of late. Luckily, the team will get Richaun Holmes back after he missed over a month due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols, while Chimezie Metu should continue to receive a hearty workload.

Sacramento Kings point guard De'Aaron Fox and forward/center Marvin Bagley III have cleared health and safety protocols, meaning they are available for Sunday's contest against Memphis. Fox is back in the starting unit and will make his first appearance since Dec. 15. Tyrese Haliburton has been crushing it with Fox unavailable and his fantasy stock takes a hit, although the young guard will still play an active role and won't fall off the map completely. The two have also had some fine games together as the starting backcourt. Bagley III recently found his way out of the coach's doghouse and will eat into the minutes of Chimezie Metu and Tristan Thompson.

Sacramento Kings forward Marvin Bagley III has entered the league's health and safety protocols. That means, Bagley will miss Wednesday's game against the Washington Wizards. Also, fantasy managers should expect him to miss more time unless he can return two negative tests in 48 hours. Chimezie Metu, Tristan Thompson, and Alex Len should all see more minutes without Bagley available. Thompson might be the best option for fantasy purposes because of his above average rebounding ability.

Sacramento Kings forward Marvin Bagley III will move into the starting five for Saturday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He'll join De'Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton, Harrison Barnes and Alex Len, which means Terence Davis heads back to the bench. Possibly, Richaun Holmes (eye) being sidelined has something to do with Bagley starting. Nonetheless, Bagley is worth starting in most formats while Holmes is out. Davis should continue to have value off the bench and is worth holding at the moment.

Sacramento Kings forward Marvin Bagley III (illness) has been removed from the injury report ahead of Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. He was able to get through Friday's practice and appears over his illness. Chimezie Metu has seen an increased usage with Bagley sidelined. However, Metu should remain involved with Harrison Barnes (foot) ruled out. Bagley has had moments of success in Sacramento, but isn't consistent enough to trust in fantasy leagues right now.

Sacramento Kings small forward Harrison Barnes (foot) and power forward Marvin Bagley III (illness) have been ruled out for Wednesday's contest against the Clippers. Barnes' absence has been extended to four games due to a sprained right foot, while Bagley is out for a second straight contest. While interim coach Alvin Gentry has spread the minutes across the frontcourt, Chimezie Metu has been the primary beneficiary, with Tyrese Haliburton and Terence Davis also seeing increased offensive roles. Although Bagley has reentered the rotation after an early-season freeze, he has not yet merited season-long fantasy relevance in the vast majority of formats. The next chance for either he or Barnes to suit up comes Saturday in a rematch vs. LA.

It was reported that Sacramento Kings power forward/center Marvin Bagley III refused to enter Monday's game against Phoenix, per Sean Cunningham of ABC10 in Sacramento. When head coach Luke Walton was asked Wednesday to address the report, he sidestepped the matter, saying, "anything that happens within our group, that's between our group." The Bagley situation has spiraled since the beginning of the year, with the 22-year-old appearing in just one game this season. At this stage, there's no reason for Bagley to be rostered in any season-long league, although if a trade is worked out, his new situation could unlock a player that many believed was a top-75 option entering 2021-22.

Phoenix's Deandre Ayton had Guy Fieri leaping out of his courtside seat with a thundering dunk. Atlanta's Trae Young had Spike Lee leaving early in disappointment. Dallas' Luka Doncic impressed Paul George so much that the Clippers’ veteran insisted on trading jerseys with the youngster. They’re all part of the NBA’s draft class of 2018. And that group, so far, might be the class of these playoffs. Doncic is gone, but plenty of others — Young, Ayton, Michael Porter Jr., Mikal Bridges, Kevin Huerter, Bruce Brown and more — from the group that got drafted three years ago remain. And they’ve seemed right at home in this postseason, even though for many it’s the first time on this big a stage. “I think it’s the best class in NBA history,” Ayton, the Phoenix center who went No. 1 overall in that class three years ago, said after the Suns won their first-round series over the 2020 NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers. “That’s how I feel. ... Guys like Luka, MPJ and Trae, it’s been great to watch us... [More]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Even in a year during which the NBA expanded the postseason and added a pair of play-in games, the Sacramento Kings weren’t good enough to get in. The Kings have now failed to make the playoffs for 15 consecutive seasons, tying the league's mark for futility previously set by the Los Angeles Clippers. Hailed as a hero in Sacramento when he purchased the team in 2013 and saved it from a possible move to Seattle, Kings owner Vivek Ranadive is now once again facing another long offseason with some tough questions to answer. The future of coach Luke Walton is one. How to get an underachieving roster to play better is another. Sacramento went 31-41 for a second consecutive season. That the Kings went into the final week still clinging to playoff hopes despite a pair of nine-game losing streaks was an anomaly. As was the case a year ago, injuries played a major role in Sacramento’s struggles. Point guard De’Aaron Fox missed the final 12 games while in the NBA’s health... [More]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The struggling Sacramento Kings were dealt another big blow when forward Marvin Bagley III broke his left hand in Monday’s night’s 122-116 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. The Kings announced that an X-ray taken at the Spectrum Center after the game confirmed Bagley sustained a fracture of the fourth metacarpal in his left hand. Bagley will undergo further medical evaluation and an update regarding course of treatment will be provided in the coming days. It's unclear how Bagley sustained the injury. “I still just really feel for him," Kings coach Luke Walton said. “He’s put in so much hard work this year. I’ve said all year long, he’s continued to make really big strides and he was putting together a heck of a game tonight. We’re going to miss him, miss him out there on the floor with us. We feel for him, but that’s what being part of a team is about. We’ll be there for him and we need to find a way to get some other players to step and try and fill in for what he was... [More]

New Sacramento Kings general manager Monte McNair said he is looking forward to working with coach Luke Walton to revive a franchise that has the longest current playoff drought in the NBA. McNair was hired last week after a long tenure as an executive in Houston to replace Vlade Divac. He backed Walton publicly during his introductory news conference Wednesday. “I’ve got to know him the last few days, we’ve had some good conversations,” McNair said. “I’ve heard great things. So far I think we’ve had a great rapport. Luke’s going to be our coach next year. I’m really excited to work with him. I think we’re aligned with our vision and we’re gonna start implementing it.” Walton is the team’s 10th coach since the Kings last made the playoffs in Rick Adelman’s final season in 2005-06. Sacramento went 31-41 in Walton's first season at the helm. McNair and Walton will work together to end the 14-year playoff drought that is one year off the longest one in NBA history. “I understand the frustrations... [More]

The Sacramento Kings have hired former Houston Rockets executive Monte McNair as their new general manager. The team announced the move to replace Vlade Divac on Thursday, making McNair the team’s top basketball executive reporting to owner Vivek Ranadivé. “Monte is one of the NBA’s top basketball minds who has played an instrumental role in building several winning teams in Houston,” Ranadivé said. “I am excited to bring his extensive experience and vision onboard to lead our basketball operations department, and it is my pleasure to welcome Monte and his family to Sacramento.” McNair has a tough task ahead with the Kings having missed the playoffs for 14 straight seasons. That’s the longest active drought and one shy of the NBA record. The Kings went 31-41 this season in the first year under coach Luke Walton. McNair is a Southern California native who spent 13 years working for the Rockets. He has been the assistant general manager since 2018 and also was integral in the team’s analytics... [More]

All the momentum the Sacramento Kings had when the NBA season shut down in March disappeared when they arrived in the bubble.The disappointing performance in Florida has left the Kings on the outside of the playoffs for the 14th straight season. That's the longest active drought in the NBA and led to change in the front office with Vlade Divac stepping down as general manager.“I feel like you’re always trying to play your best basketball late into March and April and I thought we were on our way to doing that,” first-year coach Luke Walton said. “So that part of it, I thought it was a success. We hit a bunch of lows this year too. Some came from injuries, some came from the way we were playing and that, we don’t want to see.”Those lows were evident in the bubble when the Kings lost five of their first six games to get eliminated from postseason contention. The team was hampered by Harrison Barnes, Buddy Hield, Jabari Parker and Alex Len all positive for COVID-19 and missing practice time... [More]

Vlade Divac has stepped down as general manager of the Sacramento Kings and will be replaced on an interim basis by Joe Dumars.The Kings announced the move Friday, a day after they ended their 14th straight season without a playoff berth. That’s the longest active drought in the NBA and one shy of the record.“This was a difficult decision, but we believe it is the best path ahead as we work to build a winning team that our loyal fans deserve,” Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé said. “We are thankful for Vlade’s leadership, commitment and hard work both on and off the court. He will always be a part of our Kings family.” Divac was initially hired by the Kings in March 2013 as vice president of basketball operations and franchise operations. He became general manager in August 2015 but was unable to get the Kings back into the playoffs.He traded DeMarcus Cousins to New Orleans in 2017 and made the decision to draft Marvin Bagley III second overall in 2018, one spot ahead of Luka Doncic.The Kings... [More]

Deandre Ayton strolled around the practice court, talking and laughing with coaches and teammates following a two-hour workout with the Phoenix Suns.It is clear he is comfortable operating in lofty surroundings, even on a morning in the mountains of Flagstaff, despite a sign on the wall that warned of the dangers of physical exertion at 7,000 feet of altitude."What's that, 7,000? Nah, I need more like 15. That was pretty light," Ayton quipped. "I don't have that little chest burn feeling when you're at such a high altitude. It was fun."So is winning. And the expectations are high for the former No. 1 draft pick, who is part of a promising 2018 NBA draft class that teams are looking at becoming the faces of rebuilding franchises.Dallas guard Luka Doncic was the rookie of the year after averaging 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and six assists per game. Atlanta's Trae Young finished second in the voting, averaging 19.1 points and 8.1 assists. Ayton was third."This summer, I've never worked so hard... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Add Miami's Tyler Herro to the list of rookies who look ready for the regular season.Herro scored Miami's first 14 points on Monday night, going 5 for 5 in that stretch, and finished with 23 points in a 120-87 Heat victory over the Atlanta Hawks.Through three games in this preseason, Herro — the No. 13 pick in this year's draft — is shooting 18 for 33 from the field for 49 points."The kid can play," Heat assistant coach Malik Allen said in a televised halftime interview. "He has a confidence but he's a student of the game, he's smart, he's an extremely quick learner and you're seeing that."Among those taken in June's draft, some have wasted no time in announcing their presence to the NBA world.New Orleans' Zion Williamson, the No. 1 pick, is averaging 23.3 points and shooting 71% in the Pelicans' four preseason games — all wins. Ja Morant, the No. 2 pick for Memphis, is among the league's assist leaders in exhibition season with 23 in his first three games.No. 3 pick RJ Barrett... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Add Miami's Tyler Herro to the list of rookies who look ready for the regular season.Herro scored Miami's first 14 points on Monday night, going 5 for 5 in that stretch, and finished with 23 points in a 120-87 Heat victory over the Atlanta Hawks.Through three games in this preseason, Herro — the No. 13 pick in this year's draft — is shooting 18 for 33 from the field for 49 points."The kid can play," Heat assistant coach Malik Allen said in a televised halftime interview. "He has a confidence but he's a student of the game, he's smart, he's an extremely quick learner and you're seeing that."Among those taken in June's draft, some have wasted no time in announcing their presence to the NBA world.New Orleans' Zion Williamson, the No. 1 pick, is averaging 23.3 points and shooting 71% in the Pelicans' four preseason games — all wins. Ja Morant, the No. 2 pick for Memphis, is among the league's assist leaders in exhibition season with 23 in his first three games.No. 3 pick RJ Barrett... [More]