Sacramento Kings news: Future of The Beam, Suns interview Kings assistant, EuroLeague MVP
By Logan Struck
With the NBA Conference Finals in full swing, the Sacramento Kings can only imagine what it would be like to be in that position. The last time the Kings were in the Western Conference Finals, nobody on this year’s Kings roster was older than 11. Expect a busy couple of years for Sacramento as they look to get back there.
But for now, the Sacramento Kings’ offseason activity is at a standstill, so we can look at a few headlines Kings readers may enjoy while not much else is happening.
Kevin Huerter speaks on the future of ‘The Beam.’
Amid another season for a struggling Sacramento Kings franchise, they had the brilliant idea to light a victory beam at their home Golden 1 Arena every time they won. Not only did this energy revive Sacramento’s fanbase, but it also fueled the team.
Now that winning should become the norm for this Kings squad, should the Beam stay? On “The Old Man and the Three” podcast with J.J. Reddick and Tommy Alter, Huerter gives his opinion on the victory beam.
"“I’m not sure how it’s going to carry over… it felt like every time we won it was a celebration… [The Milwaukee Bucks] win and it’s expected… they walk off the court and get ready for the next game. At some point you’ve got to flip the script. The expectation should change for us going forward.”"
Huerter makes it seem as if the future of the victory beam is up in the air but is more likely not to return next year.
Phoenix Suns receive permission to interview Kings assistant Jordi Fernández.
With the Suns’ head coaching position now available, they have received permission to interview Fernández. He is a veteran assistant coach in this league, most recently spending six seasons under Michael Malone in Denver before joining Sacramento’s staff this season.
Fernández played a big part in the turnaround of this Kings team, helping head coach Mike Brown lead them to the playoffs for the first time in 16 years.
The 40-year-old coach could see other head coaching opportunities this offseason, as there are four more teams with vacancies currently, and the successful assistant could be a lead candidate.
Sasha Vezenkov wins EuroLeague MVP, trending toward joining the Kings.
Sasha Vezenkov, a member of the EuroLeagues’ Olympiacos, is a 27-year-old Bulgarian forward who has become one of the world’s premier players outside the United States. Earlier in the week, Vezenkov received the EuroLeague MVP award, joining the company of successful NBA players Luka Dončić, Andrei Kirilenko, Nemanja Bjelica, and Nikola Mirotić, also winning the award.
Vezenkov is a 6’9″ forward with an impressive jump shot, and his experience would make him an immediate impact for the Kings. NBA insider Marc Stein has reported that a deal between Vezenkov and the Sacramento Kings is “trending toward inevitable.”
The MVP would be a great addition in Sacramento, as it appears the decision is up to him rather than the Kings.
