Kings gameday live: Luke Walton answers ‘hot seat’ question; skid ends in win over Pistons
Kings coach Luke Walton responded to reports he is on the hot seat in Sacramento while his players provided a response of their own, snapping a four-game losing streak with a win over the Detroit Pistons on Monday night at Little Caesars Arena.
Buddy Hield came off the bench to score 22 points in a 129-107 victory for the Kings, who led by as many as 32 after staging a 24-2 run to end the first quarter. De’Aaron Fox had 19 points, nine assists, six rebounds and three steals with zero turnovers for the Kings (6-8), who shot 53.1% from the field.
Saddiq Bey scored 28 points for the Pistons (3-10). Rookie Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA draft, finished with 25 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
Walton was asked during his pregame news conference about a report suggesting his job could be in jeopardy. The Kings have emphasized the need to improve defensively and avoid prolonged losing streaks, objectives they struggled to achieve over the first 13 games.
“We’re a much better defensive team right now than we were last season and we’re going to continue to trend in that direction with the group and how they work,” Walton said. “Look, the hot seat stuff, it’s the same thing — it’s outside. The way we build something is to go through hard stuff together, to continue to work hard as a group, and that’s what we do every day. Through that, there’s going to be tough times, there’s going to be great times, and it’s our job to stay consistent with it. That’s what we’re going to do now, that’s what we did yesterday in practice and that’s what we’re going to do going forward.”
The Kings turned in their best effort since beating the Charlotte Hornets 140-110 on Nov. 5. Richaun Holmes had 19 points on 9-of-10 shooting with nine rebounds. Tyrese Haliburton had 17 points and 10 assists. Chimezie Metu recorded his first career double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
After the game, Holmes and Haliburton were asked about the pressure on Walton and the rest of the team.
“Regardless of anything, we always stick together,” Holmes said. “We’re never going to let outside noise affect what’s going on in the locker room. We just stick together. Coach has done a great job of putting us in good positions and we’ve got his back.”
Haliburton expressed similar thoughts.
“We’re coming out here playing for each other all as one team,” Haliburton said. “He’s the coach and leader of our team, so we’ve got his back just like he’s got ours.”
Pistons reportedly interested in Bagley
Marvin Bagley III has been a topic of conversation in Detroit over the past couple of days as the Kings arrived to face the Pistons.
The Kings are searching for answers after losing their last four games. They’re also searching for a trade suitor willing to take Bagley, a player the rebuilding Pistons are reportedly interested in acquiring.
Longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein recently pointed to the Pistons as a potential trade partner for Bagley, the former No. 2 pick who has fallen out of the rotation in Sacramento in his fourth season out of Duke. Bagley has only appeared in one game for the Kings this season — and he apparently refused to enter a game last week against the Phoenix Suns.
“While in Detroit, I was advised to put the Pistons down as a team to watch as a trade suitor for the Kings’ disgruntled Marvin Bagley III,” Stein wrote. “No trade anywhere is considered likely, sources stressed, until after Dec. 15 arrives and the league’s pool of players eligible to be dealt grows considerably. That’s the date trade restrictions on numerous players who signed new contracts in free agency in August gets lifted.”
This would not be the first time the Kings and Pistons have discussed a deal involving Bagley. The Pistons reportedly turned down a deal that would have sent Bagley to Detroit in exchange for Saddiq Bey at the trade deadline last season.
The Pistons probably still wouldn’t be willing to part with Bey, who has started all 12 games for Detroit, averaging 12.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.1 steals. However, The Athletic recently speculated the Kings and Pistons might be able to find common ground on a deal involving the likes of Josh Jackson, Hamidou Diallo and Trey Lyles.
Jackson and Lyles have appeared in all 12 games this season. Jackson, a 6-foot-8, 207-pound shooting guard/small forward, is averaging 9.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 22.3 minutes per game. Lyles, a 6-9, 234-pound power forward, is averaging 7.5 points and 4.2 rebounds in 15.8 minutes per game. Diallo, a 6-5, 202-pound shooting guard/small forward, has appeared in six games, averaging 4.3 points and 1.8 rebounds.
No. 1 draft pick
The Kings got their first look at Cunningham, the top pick in July’s NBA draft.
Cunningham missed the start of the season after spraining an ankle early in training camp, but he has started the past eight games for Detroit with mixed results.
Cunningham went into the game averaging 11.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists. He was shooting a paltry 31.5% from the field and 23.4% from 3-point range. He seemed to settle in a little over the previous three games, making 16 of 36 (.444) field-goal attempts and 7 of 19 (.368) from beyond the arc. He scored 20 points in a win over the Rockets last week. He had 18 points and 10 rebounds in a Nov. 4 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Bagley sighting
Walton called on Bagley in the first quarter and Bagley did not refuse, entering the game with 2:31 to play in the opening period.
Bagley was rusty but active in his first appearance since Oct. 22. He went scoreless on 0-of-4 shooting with one rebound and one steal over a seven-minute stint as part of a bench unit that helped Sacramento build a 26-point lead early in the second quarter.
Bagley finished with seven points, three rebounds and one blocked shot in 18 minutes.
Halftime report
The Pistons are an inferior opponent, but the Kings appear to be playing hard for Walton, whose job security was called into question earlier in the day when reports surfaced that he is already on the hot seat in Sacramento.
The Kings led 68-44 after shooting 56.3% in the opening half. They knocked down 9 of 16 from 3-point range, including three 3-pointers from Buddy Hield.
The Kings were active and engaged at both ends of the floor, responding to Walton’s call to finish possessions with defensive rebounds. They held the Pistons to 31.4% shooting from the field and 6-of-27 (.222) shooting from 3-point range.
Sacramento Kings at Detroit Pistons
When: 4 p.m.
Where: Little Caesars Arena
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sports 1140 KHTK
Odds: Kings -5
Over/under: 215
Morning injury report
Kings: OUT — Louis King (G League); Neemias Queta (G League); Robert Woodard II (G League).
Pistons: OUT — Saben Lee (G League); Isaiah Livers (G League); Kelly Olynyk (knee); Jamorko Pickett (G League); Chris Smith (G League).
Note: Check back for updates with the latest news, notes, quotes and injury updates before, during and after tonight’s game between the Kings and Pistons.
This story was originally published November 15, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
