NBA Notes: Kings, Zach LaVine, Mavericks, Daniel Gafford, Pacers

Sacramento Kings' Struggles

The Kings' early season narrative took another hit after their 126-113 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. Sam Quinn of CBS Sports observed that the old joke about the Kings turning into the Bulls no longer fits. Chicago now appears younger, faster, and more modern, relying on a youthful rotation centered around Nikola Vucevic. In contrast, Sacramento remains reliant on mid-range shots, ranking 22nd in shots at the rim and fifth worst overall on offense. Their style resembles more of an All-Star nostalgia team than a cutting-edge NBA offense.

“Teams are not exactly lining up for LaVine,” wrote Quinn. Sam Amick of The Athletic added on The Carmichael Dave Show that he cannot “name one team” currently monitoring LaVine with certainty.

While the return of Keegan Murray will provide some boost, Sacramento requires much more than a minor improvement. The Kings seem to have lost their identity after trying to hold onto success by sticking with older players.

Player Updates

Daniel Gafford plans to debut this season on Saturday in Mexico City against Detroit. He has been out since spraining his ankle on the first day of training camp, according to reports from Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News and Christian Clark of The Athletic.
D’Angelo Russell is currently questionable for upcoming games.
Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, and Dante Exum remain sidelined with injuries.

Author's summary: The Sacramento Kings face an identity crisis as their aging roster struggles offensively, while key players deal with injuries impacting the team's prospects.

Hoops Wire — 2025-11-02