NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz on De'Aaron Fox, Kings, Myles Turner
Plenty of changes happen over the course of an NBA season. Among the moves that occur are trades, signings and even firings, one of which has already taken place during the 2021-22 campaign.
The Sacramento Kings fired head coach Luke Walton on Sunday and replaced him with Alvin Gentry on an interim basis. The team had gotten off to a 6-11 start, and while that was a small sample size, it was enough for the Kings to determine they wanted to go in a new direction.
What other changes could be made in Sacramento, as well as around the rest of the NBA? Here's some of the latest buzz surrounding the league.
Kings Unlikely to Make Any Major Trades, More Changes
With Walton no longer at the helm, the Kings may be done making moves for a bit. It doesn't seem there's going to be a major overhaul of the organization at this point.
Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer reported that Sacramento isn't planning on making "any other stark personnel changes." And that seems to also include its current roster of players.
Fischer reported that guards De'Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton are "still deemed unavailable." Both are currently in starting roles, with Fox leading the team in scoring (19.9 points per game) and Haliburton playing well (12.1 points per game), so it makes sense the Kings want to keep building around them.
It also seems unlikely that Sacramento could end up being the future home of disgruntled Philadelphia 76ers point guard Ben Simmons. Fischer noted that there has been "no significant current discussion" between the Kings and 76ers, even though there had been some preseason buzz about a potential Simmons-to-Sacramento deal.
So, the Kings will look to produce better results with Gentry at the helm. On Monday, they lost 102-94 to the 76ers to fall to 6-12, but there's still plenty of season ahead. It's possible Sacramento could get back on track with the talent it has on its roster.
But first, the Kings will need to put an end to their recent skid. They've lost four straight games and eight of their past nine, which has them in 12th place in the Western Conference.
Timberwolves Potentially Interested in Trading for Turner?
Myles Turner is in his seventh NBA season, having spent his entire career to this point with the Indiana Pacers. The 25-year-old center is also signed through the end of the 2022-23 season, so it's possible he could be sticking with the team for a while.
However, if Turner is made available on the trade market at any point, it appears there's at least one team that could be an interested suitor.
Darren Wolfson of SKOR North said on his podcast that there are members of the Minnesota Timberwolves' front office who are "Myles Turner fans." However, Wolfson also questioned if there's a "logical match" for a deal to take place between the Timberwolves and Pacers.
If Minnesota could swing a trade for Turner, it could provide a boost to its lineup. The Timberwolves are 8-9 so far this season, so they could be contending for a playoff spot deep into the year. And adding Turner to a post mix that already features Karl-Anthony Towns could take their inside game to another level.
Turner has twice led the NBA in blocks per game, and he's already leading the league this year, averaging 3.1 per contest. He's also averaging 12.7 points and 7.5 rebounds in 19 games.
While it's possible that a trade never materializes and Turner stays in Indiana for the time being, it's still interesting to know that Minnesota could try to acquire him down the line.
