Kings Weekly Podcast

Ray and Nick give their report cards for every significant rotation player for the Sacramento Kings this season, breaking down how they graded each of them on a curve against their expectations for the players heading into the season. Also, Ray and Nick open the episode by talking about the recent news that former NBA player and agent B.J. Armstrong has been hired as an assistant general manager.

Ray and Nick break down the recent news for the Sacramento Kings. They start out by discussing Monte McNair and the Kings mutually agreeing to part ways, before talking about the team's new lead executive, Scott Perry. Finally, they discuss the recent decision to remove the interim tag from Doug Christie and officially name him as the team's head coach.

Ray and Nick preview the upcoming NBA Play-in Tournament for the Sacramento Kings. They start out with an in-depth breakdown of the 9/10 seed game between the Kings and the Dallas Mavericks, including the matchups, rotations for both teams, potential injury absences, and key factors for each squad. Then, they briefly look ahead to the potential 8/9 seed battle that could send the Kings to the NBA playoffs, before wrapping up by discussing the G League Championship victory for the Stockton Kings and the potential outcome for Sacramento's Top 12 protected pick.Sign up for the Kings Weekly play-in meetup here: https://theassist.nyc/invite/389acc65-3e4f-4644-9add-74f31b88367e

Ray and Nick start out by recapping the recent 3-0 stretch from the Sacramento Kings, a great stretch of basketball that stood out in stark contrast from their previous week. They also preview the remaining three regular season games for the Kings, including the Denver Nuggets and their recent firings of Michael Malone and Calvin Booth. Finally, they look ahead to the play-in, and potential matchups for the Kings in their potential run into the playoffs.

Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press joins Ray and Nick to preview the upcoming game between the Pistons and the Sacramento Kings, as well as discussing the fateful last meeting between the teams that led to Mike Brown's dismissal. Then, Ray and Nick recap a miserable 1-3 week for the Kings, and wrap up by previewing the remainder of the regular season.

Philip Rossman-Reich of the Locked on Magic podcast and Orlando Magic Daily joins Ray and Nick to preview the upcoming game between the Magic and the Sacramento Kings. They discuss the state of the Magic and their struggles with injuries this season and discuss the key matchups for the upcoming game, including the next iteration of the Paolo Banchero/Keegan Murray showdown and Domantas Sabonis against the Magic frontcourt. Then, Ray and Nick discuss some recent Kings news, with Isaac Jones signing a two-year deal and Wes Wilcox leaving the front office to be the GM for the University of Utah. Finally, they recap a brutal 1-4 stretch from the Kings, before previewing some of the upcoming games and looking ahead to the Western Conference playoff picture.

Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com joins Ray and Nick to preview the upcoming game between the Sacramento Kings and the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers. They discuss the changes to the Cavs since last season, Evan Mobley and his injury status, and the impact of Kenny Atkinson, among other topics. Then, Ray and Nick recap the last three games for the Kings, including Monday night's win over the Memphis Grizzlies, before previewing the most difficult week of the season for the Kings.

Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area joins Ray and Nick for this episode to preview the upcoming game between the Sacramento Kings and the Golden State Warriors. Also, Ray and Nick recap a tough 1-2 stretch for the Kings before previewing the brutal upcoming slate for the Kings and what it might mean for their positioning in the Western Conference playoff picture.

Ray and Nick start off the episode by discussing Domantas Sabonis and his recent injury, as well as his potential timeline for a return to the Sacramento Kings, hopefully in the near future. Then, they recap the three most recent Kings games before looking ahead and previewing the upcoming slate for the Kings.

Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle joins Ray and Nick for this episode to break down the Houston Rockets and their season thus far in advance of the upcoming game between them and the Sacramento Kings. Ray and Nick also recap the last three games for the Kings, and preview the upcoming schedule beyond the Rockets game and how those games might impact the Kings in the Western Conference playoff race.

Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee joins Ray and Nick to discuss the season for the Sacramento Kings. They review the pre-trade deadline version of the Kings, including the Mike Brown-Doug Christie swap, and discuss the changes made to the roster at the trade deadline, with Zach LaVine, Jonas Valanciunas, Jake LaRavia, and Markelle Fultz joining the team. Finally, they look ahead to the remainder of the season for the Kings, including their current spot in the Western Conference playoff race and their hopes for the remainder of the season.

Ray and Nick open the episode by talking about the early returns on the Zach LaVine Era after the trade deadline, recapping the three most recent games for the Sacramento Kings and discussing the interesting wrinkles so far on both ends of the floor. They also discuss the Jake LaRavia trade that happened after the previous episode, including LaRavia's electric Kings debut. Then, they briefly cover Domantas Sabonis and the Sacramento Kings (but not Isaac Jones and the Stockton Kings!) being shut out of All-Star Weekend, before wrapping up with a brief preview of the two Kings-Pelicans games between now and the All-Star break.

Ray and Nick break down the recent Sacramento Kings trades as the trade deadline approaches, with a discussion of the Zach LaVine/De'Aaron Fox trade and a live on-air reaction to the Jonas Valanciunas trade. They also briefly recap the recent games and preview the schedule up to the All-Star break, before being joined by Jason Quick of the Athletic to discuss the recent hot streak for the Portland Trail Blazers and preview the upcoming game between the Trail Blazers and the Kings.

Ray and Nick break down the 11-4 start to the Doug Christie era in Sacramento, including some of the key games that stood out to them during Christie's tenure as Head Coach of the Sacramento Kings. Then, they cover the recent De'Aaron Fox trade rumors, and potential destinations and trade packages. Finally, they wrap up by previewing the upcoming games before the All-Star break, including critical matchups against the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Orlando Magic.

Jared Weiss of the Athletic joins Ray and Nick to preview the upcoming game between the Sacramento Kings and the Boston Celtics. They discuss the differences between the Celtics so far this season and last season's title team, talk about the potential impact of Kristaps Porzingis, and cover Jared's thoughts on the Keon Ellis question. Then, Nick wraps up the pod with a brief solo segment about the 4-0 stretch for the Kings since the last episode and some of the early standouts of the Doug Christie era, before previewing the upcoming games in the week ahead.

Ray and Nick break down the recent news in the world of Sacramento Kings basketball, starting with the firing of Head Coach Mike Brown. They discuss Mike Brown's tenure, the playoff highs, and the rocky start to the season. Then, they try to figure out the main reasons why Keon Ellis might not have had a consistent role under Mike Brown to start the season. They also cover Devin Carter's promising G League debut, and his potential debut in the NBA. Finally, they recap the recent games, including Doug Christie's coaching debut and first win as an NBA head coach, before wrapping up by previewing the first Kings games of 2025.

Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal joins Ray and Nick for this episode to preview the upcoming game between the Sacramento Kings and the Memphis Grizzlies. They discuss the successes for Memphis in the Ja Morant/Taylor Jenkins/Zach Kleiman era, and the team's success this season after a lost season the year before. They also discuss the rookies for the Grizzlies, including Sacramento's own Jaylen Wells and his rise to a starting spot in the lineup. Finally, they wrap up by previewing some of the key matchups for Friday's game.

Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press and the Pistons Post podcast joins Ray and Nick for this episode to preview the upcoming game between the Detroit Pistons and the Sacramento Kings. Then, Ray and Nick wrap up by recapping a brutal 0-4 stretch for the Kings, talk about the recent buzz among Kings fans, and preview the remaining Kings games in 2024.

Ray and Nick dive deep into the State of the Kings in this episode, covering the storylines that have stood out to them most about the Sacramento Kings this season. Then, to wrap things up, they briefly recap the 4-1 record for the Kings over their past five games and look ahead to preview the rest of the 2024 schedule for Sacramento.

Ray and Nick reunite to recap a rough 1-3 effort for the Sacramento Kings in Week 6, discussing some of the key trends from the four-game stretch. Then, they preview an incredibly difficult week ahead, including a brutal road back-to-back and a game against the Houston Rockets over the next four games.

Nick flies solo for this episode, covering the last week and a half of Sacramento Kings basketball before previewing the week ahead. He breaks down a brutal 1-4 stretch for the Kings in the last week plus before discussing some concerning season-long trends. Finally, he briefly previews the upcoming week of games, including tonight's outing against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Jim Petersen, color analyst for the Minnesota Timberwolves, joins Ray and Nick for this episode to preview the upcoming game between the Timberwolves and the Sacramento Kings. Also, Ray and Nick recap a 2-2 week for the Kings, discuss a couple of early-season trends for the squad, and preview the rest of the week's games for the Kings.

Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports joins Ray and Nick to preview the Phoenix Suns in advance of their upcoming games against the Sacramento Kings. Ray and Nick also break down a 3-1 stretch for the Kings in their last four games, before preview the rest of the schedule for the Kings in the week ahead.

Atlanta Hawks announcer Bob Rathbun joins Ray and Nick to preview Friday night's game between the Hawks and the Sacramento Kings. Then, Ray and Nick break down the 2-2 start for the Kings, as well as previewing the games in the week ahead.

Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee joins Ray and Nick for Part Two of the Kings Weekly Opening Day Preview. They discuss the recent news surrounding Kevin Huerter replacing Keon Ellis in the starting lineup, as well as Huerter's and Trey Lyles's health heading into the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. They also talk about the early season schedule for the Sacramento Kings and the outlook beyond the first game of the season.

Chris Hine of the Minnesota Star Tribune and Frankie Cartoscelli of Sactown Sports join Ray and Nick to preview the first game of the 2024-25 season for the Sacramento Kings against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

NBA.com senior staff writer Shaun Powell joins Ray and Nick for this week's episode to preview the Pacific Division, with the start of the NBA regular season just around the corner. They discuss the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Phoenix Suns, before going in depth on their preview of the Sacramento Kings.

Jasmyn Wimbish of CBS Sports joins Ray and Nick for this episode to discuss the biggest question facing the Sacramento Kings and each of the other Pacific Division teams. They talk about Brandin Podziemski's big season ahead for the Warriors, the questions ahead for the Clippers and the Lakers, and what impact Mike Budenholzer might have on the Phoenix Suns. Then, they break down the DeMar DeRozan trade in detail, what it means for the Kings, and where the Kings might end up in the Western Conference playoff picture.

Frankie Cartoscelli of Sactown Sports joins Ray and Nick to cover the ups and downs of the Kings schedule, including their relatively easy start to the year, some of the seemingly more difficult parts, their In Season Tournament group, and more.

Ray and Nick wrap up their Western Conference Offseason Overview with Part Two, covering the offseasons so far of all the teams in the Northwest and Southwest Divisions.

In Part One of this week's episode, Ray and Nick dive deep on the offseasons of the Sacramento Kings and each of the other teams in the Pacific Division, starting with the Golden State Warriors and wrapping up with the Kings, including their most recent signings.

Ray and Nick break down their thoughts on the DeMar DeRozan sign-and-trade in detail, including his offensive fit, his impact on the defense, and his effect on the timeline for the Sacramento Kings. Then, they highlight some of the deals that interested them the most in free agency, including Paul George to the 76ers, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the Magic, Monte Morris to the Suns, and Jordan McLaughlin to the Kings (along with a brief discussion of Devin Carter's recently announced shoulder surgery). Finally, they wrap up with a dispatch from Nick about Day One of the California Classic, including Nick's in-person experience at Golden 1 Center.

Stephen Gillaspie comes back on the show to talk about the NBA Draft and the Kings selection of Devin Carter at #13. They discuss Carter at length, the UDFA signing of Isaiah Crawford by the Kings, and the draft as a whole. Finally, Ray and Nick wrap up the episode by discussing their thoughts on the recent trade where the Kings sent Davion Mitchell, Sasha Vezenkov, and two second round picks to the Raptors in a salary dump trade.

Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports joins Ray and Nick for this episode to preview the 2024 NBA Draft. They discuss some of the best options for the Kings at #13, some recent risers in the draft as Draft Day approaches, and some second round sleeper pick options at #45. Finally, to wrap up the episode, Ray and Nick discuss Malik Monk re-signing with the Kings on a four-year contract, and what it might mean for the rotation for the Kings going forward.

Fran Fraschilla of ESPN joins Ray and Nick for this week's episode. They start out by discussing the career and legacy of Arvydas Sabonis following the announcement that his son Domantas will be wearing #11 for the Kings next season in honor of his father. Then, they discuss some of the key events in basketball history that helped to globalize the game. Finally, Fran and Nick break down some of the top international prospects in the 2024 NBA Draft Class.

Ray and Nick speak with Law Murray of the Athletic about Jerry West, as well as fellow NBA legend and greatest player in Royals/Kings franchise history Oscar Robertson. They discuss the remarkable basketball player, NBA executive, and person who was Jerry West, including Law's personal interactions with Jerry as a beat writer covering the Clippers in Jerry's later years. They also discuss Oscar Robertson, his Hall of Fame career, his Royals teammate Mo Stokes, and the friendship between Robertson and West.

Ray and Nick open up the podcast with a round-up of recent Sacramento Kings news, including Mike Brown signing a contract extension and Sasha Vezenkov's Kings tenure likely coming to a close. Then, for the second half of the episode, Nick brings on his No Ceilings colleague Stephen Gillaspie to discuss their recent article previewing the possible options for the #13 overall pick for the Kings in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Nick and Ray bring Nick's No Ceilings NBA colleague Tyler Metcalf on the show to preview the upcoming draft for the Sacramento Kings now that the lottery has passed. They discuss team needs and potential options for the #13 overall pick, including Sacramento native Jared McCain, Rob Dillingham, Dalton Knecht, Ja'Kobe Walter, and Devin Carter among other options. Then, they wrap up by speculating about some potential options for the #45 pick, including San Francisco Dons big man Jonathan Mogbo and Kentucky sharpshooter Antonio Reeves.

Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee joins Ray and Nick for this episode to discuss the 2023-24 Sacramento Kings. They start out by breaking down the biggest factors in this season, including the defensive revolution and the shifting focus of the team's offense. Then, they wrap up by looking ahead to a vital offseason for the team, including the Malik Monk contract situation and some potential targets for the #13 overall pick.

Mike Shearer of Basketball Poetry and Basketball Intelligence joins Nick and Ray again to preview the upcoming Kings/Pelicans play-in showdown for the 8th seed. They discuss why the brutal Kings record against the Pelicans this season might not tell the story of tonight's game, and break down the key matchups in detail. Then, they wrap up by speculating about the potential 1-8 showdown between the Kings and the Thunder if Sacramento triumphs against New Orleans.

Mike Shearer from Basketball Poetry and Basketball Intelligence joins Ray and Nick for this episode to preview the Kings/Warriors play-in game. They discuss rotations and X-factors for each team, and wrap up by speculating about the matchups going forward if the Kings manage to defeat the Warriors and advance to the second play-in game and beyond.

Frankie Cartoscelli of Sactown Sports joins Ray and Nick for this episode to discuss all things Kings this season and look ahead to the remaining slate. They discuss the differences between this year's team and last year's, the emergence of Keon Ellis, the consistency of Domantas Sabonis, and the much-improved Kings bench. Then, they discuss the remaining regular season schedule for the Kings in the last week before the play-in, and how the Malik Monk and Kevin Huerter injuries will impact the team. Finally, they talk about the outlook for the team going forward, including potential offseason moves and the current stability as opposed to some of the chaos of Kings seasons past.

Ray and Nick break down a tough 2-2 Week 23 that looked much better in the win column than it did on the court. Then, they wrap up by previewing the week ahead and discussing the road to the playoffs for the Sacramento Kings.

Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News joins Ray and Nick on the show again to preview the upcoming Sacramento Kings game against the Dallas Mavericks, as well as briefly recapping Tuesday's game. They discuss the current state of the Mavericks, and look ahead to what might happen in Friday's game.

Ray and Nick preview a critical Week 23 ahead for the Sacramento Kings, including two games against the Dallas Mavericks that may well determine the Western Conference playoff seedings between the two teams. They also discuss a 3-1 Week 22 for the Kings that was much rockier than the overall record for the week suggests.

Toronto Raptors analyst joins Ray and Nick for this special mid-week episode to preview the upcoming Kings-Raptors game. They discuss the current state of the Raptors and their outlook going forward before breaking down some of the key matchups for the game ahead.

Ray and Nick review a great 2-1 Week 21 for the Kings before previewing the upcoming week's four-game slate.

Marques Johnson, Bucks analyst and five-time NBA All-Star, joins Ray and Nick again to preview the upcoming game between the Kings and the Bucks. Also, Ray and Nick recap the up-and-down 2-2 Week 20 for the Kings and preview the rest of the Week 21 slate.

Matthew Tynan of the Corporate Knowledge newsletter joins Ray and Nick to preview the upcoming rematch between the Kings and the Spurs. Also, Ray and Nick recap the week that was and the end of the Nasty Nine before wrapping up with a preview of the week ahead.

Timberwolves analyst and former Kings center Jim Petersen joins Ray and Nick again for this special episode to preview the upcoming Timberwolves/Kings game. They discuss the current state of the Timberwolves, and talk about how they will match up against the Kings in advance of Friday's game.

Vinny Benedetto of the Denver Gazette joins Ray and Nick to preview the upcoming Nuggets/Kings game, including an update on the current status of the Nuggets and some of the key matchups for the upcoming game. Then, Ray and Nick recap the 2-0 Week 18 slate for the Kings and preview the upcoming Week 19 games.