Kings general manager Scott Perry is in the process of filling out his roster, previously adding B.J. Armstrong as assistant general manager and Mike Woodson as assistant coach.
A Wednesday report indicated Sixers assistant Bobby Jackson will return to Sacramento (where he played and coached for multiple years), but Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee reports that’s yet to be finalized. It is a strong possibility, per Anderson, that it does in fact happen, but the Kings haven’t asked Philadelphia for permission to speak to him and there have been no formal discussions yet.
Additionally, vice president of player personnel Phil Jabour, vice president of player development Paul Johnson and vice president of basketball engagement Alvin Gentry will all remain with Sacramento moving forward, according to Anderson.
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- Buddy Hield maintained his hot shooting streak in Game 1 of the Western Conference semis and the Warriors as a whole kept their three-point shooting in tact after Stephen Curry went down to notch a win over the Timberwolves. Kevin Pelton of ESPN writes that that shouldn’t be the expectation for the series moving forward with Curry out due to injury. Pelton opines that the Warriors can still craft an offensive edge built around Jimmy Butler but cautions that the team shouldn’t run him into the ground and that their depth will need to step up.
- Without Curry, the Warriors will turn to Draymond Green on and off the court, ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk writes. “He’s our leader,” coach Steve Kerr said. “And when he’s right, like he was [in Game 7], he’s an incredible player to watch. The defense, just kind of owning the court on that side of things and then just being patient and not turning it over and being in the right spots offensively. I think the guys understood after Game 6 we were scattered, we were out of sorts.“
- Pat Spencer is one of the Warriors‘ bench pieces who stepped up in Game 1 and will be relied on moving forward, Marcus Thompson II and Shakeia Taylor of The Athletic write. “Pat is a damn good basketball player,” Green said. “And I know he don’t look like it. He don’t just jump off the page at you when you see him in a basketball jersey. I don’t think the No. 61 helps him. But he is one of the toughest guys on this team, and that includes myself.” Spencer is a former lacrosse star who worked his way up through the G League and onto the Warriors standard roster. He provided a spark of energy in Game 1 for Golden State.
- The Clippers outwardly supported James Harden after he followed an impressive regular season with a seven-point Game 7 playoff performance, Law Murray of The Athletic notes. “We really asked James to do a lot,” president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said. “And at his age, to deliver what he did … 79 games. And he does that time and time and time again. We have a deep appreciation for that sort of availability and to be able to deliver and do what he did.” The Clippers fell to the Nuggets in a first-round Game 7 in which Harden attempted only eight field goals.