KINGS’ BAGLEY STILL DAY-TO-DAY
A long losing streak led to renewed speculation about his job security in Sacramento, but Kings coach Luke Walton doesn’t look or sound like a man who believes he’s about to be fired.
Walton went so far as to cast an eye to the future following a 123-120 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night at Golden 1 Center. He talked about establishing a culture, developing young players, the importance of patience and the fun the Kings will have when it all comes together.
“It’s exciting to see where this thing can go as long as we continue to build the right habits, as long as we continue to stay together and continue to work hard,” Walton said. “That’s always been the recipe to success for me.”
Walton would not say when asked recently if he has received private reassurances from general manager Monte McNair, but sources with knowledge of the situation told The Sacramento Bee Walton believes his job is safe for now. The Kings (14-21) have fallen well below .500 as they prepare to visit the Portland Trail Blazers (2014) on Thursday in their final game before the All-Star break, but this was viewed as a rebuilding year from the start.
Parting ways with Walton now would be expensive for an organization that has suffered huge financial losses due to the coronavirus pandemic. Walton has two years remaining on his contract. Walton admitted he
feels pressure to win for his players, but he believes he has the support of the front office despite the losses.
“As far as pressure from the front office, no,” Walton said. “I feel very connected with them and very locked in as far as where we’re at and where we’re trying to go as a group, and they’ve been very supportive.”
Walton looked to the future with optimism following Wednesday’s victory over the Lakers, but one of the team’s top young players wasn’t thinking that far ahead. After missing most of the 2019-20 season due to injuries, Marvin Bagley III has made big strides over the past two months. He shot 40.5% from 3-point range in January and 38.2% in February while averaging nearly 15 points and 8 rebounds per game.
Bagley, the No. 2 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, was asked if the recent growth in his game has helped him envision his fit in a longterm plan with other young players such as De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton. The question didn’t exactly capture Bagley’s imagination.
“I’m taking it one day at a time, man. It’s kind of hard to look at the future,” Bagley said. “You don’t know what can happen in the future. When I step on the court with this group of guys that we have now, I try to do my best and just give it everything I have so we can try to win. That’s my goal every time I step out there and every time I put this uniform on, so I just leave the future to God and I just take it day by day and pray that I make it to the next day, and when I do, I thank God and the cycle continues.”
Eight weeks have passed since Bagley’s father asked the Kings to trade his son on Twitter. Bagley wouldn’t offer a response when asked at the time if he wanted to dispel the notion he was seeking a trade, but he has remained professional and engaged before and after that uncomfortable moment, showing no hint of displeasure.
Bagley could be among the players discussed in trade talks as McNair looks to retool the roster leading up to the March 25 NBA trade deadline. The Kings are already known to be shopping forward Nemanja Bjelica, with multiple teams still showing interest, sources said.
Walton has repeatedly praised Bagley for his progress while acknowledging aspects of his game that still need improvement. Walton specifically mentioned Bagley along with Fox and Haliburton when discussing the team’s future Wednesday.
Fox and other players have publicly supported Walton through Sacramento’s struggles over the first half of the season. Buddy Hield, who clashed with Walton over playing time in the past, explained where the Kings found the fight to beat the Lakers in the fourth quarter Wednesday.