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Kings GM Scott Perry asks for patience amid rough start to 2025-26 NBA season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Scott Perry knew he had his hands full when he took the job as Kings general manager.

But perhaps even he didn’t realize how tall the task would be initially. Sacramento (4-13) has the second-worst record in the Western Conference and is among the six worst teams in the entire NBA to begin the 2025-26 season.

The rough start has sparked trade speculation and “blow it up” outcries from fans just one month into the season. So, Perry, just a few months into his second stint with the organization, spoke to The Athletic’s Sam Amick to clarify where things stand on his end and reassure Sacramento fans that his end goal hasn’t changed.

“I totally understand their frustrations to this point,” Perry told Amick via phone call. “It hasn’t been what they wanted. But again, it’s the old saying that Rome wasn’t built in a day — and that’s a fact. If you look at a number of the top teams in the league, they all went through a very tough stretch when they were trying to lay a foundation and create an environment that led to sustainable winning.

” … All I’ve ever asked from the very beginning is just: buckle up, be patient for the ride. We definitely have a plan in place, and we’ll do this thing together.”

Queue the eye rolls from Kings fans, who are tired of hearing about patience.

Their favorite team has made one playoff appearance in the past 19 years. After consecutive NBA Play-In losses over the last two seasons, Perry — and his players — confidently vowed to bring competitiveness and a playoff berth back to Sacramento.

DeMar DeRozan, before his second season with the Kings, warned that the Kings would have a bounce-back year. Russell Westbrook signed with the team and shared that one of the reasons why was because of the “doubt” weighing over the Kings from the outside.

But not even a team full of multiple All-Stars, All-NBA players and future Hall of Famers has been able to back up their words.

“This season was about evaluation and also creating an environment that could lead to potential sustainable success,” Perry told Amick. “And we went into this season laser-focused on (the notion that) we want to compete at a high level and we want to create identity in how we want to play. We wanted to play fast. We wanted to be tough, and we wanted to become a better defensive team. Now, obviously, at this juncture, we have not been successful in that goal or that vision. So has that been disappointing? Yeah, that’s been disappointing. But again, part of the evaluation is that you learn about everyone and everything here.

“It’s still relatively early, with a lot of basketball left to play, and there’s still an opportunity to work on developing an identity in becoming a much more competitive team. That is what I will continue to do moving forward. So that’s where I’m at right now. And, just for the record, I think it’s important to note that I have the autonomy to do so, and to be able to do those things.”

The deflating start to the season — which included an eight-game losing streak and a 41-point blowout loss to the Memphis Grizzlies playing without Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. — led to several emotional public statements.

Kings coach Doug Christie went viral for his passionate and fiery press conferences in consecutive days.

DeRozan recently told The Sacramento Bee’s Chris Biderman that the team was in a “s—–y place” and that “everything right now for us is just s—-y” after the Kings dropped their eighth game in a row.

Perry shared how the players are handling the rough patch and what the vibes are like in the locker room during these uncertain times.

“I’ve been in the league 25 years. I’ve been a part of all kinds of teams during that 25 years — from the highest of highs, winning a championship and being a consistent contender in Detroit, to other teams that had some of the worst records when you’re trying to rebuild,” Perry told Amick. “Losing brings frustration. That’s nothing unique to this team. That element will exist. But when you go through difficult times and adversities, you learn more about everyone — players, coaches, front office —because adversity doesn’t build character. It reveals character. So that’s my challenge to everybody in the organization, including the players.

“What’s your character really about? When things are going well, it’s easy to be at your best. But when things are going difficult, how do we respond? And so that’s what I’m going to be looking for. I see this as a great opportunity to do things the right way and set the foundation from the ground up. It’s tough going through it. But because I’ve had experience going through difficult times, I’m extremely confident that we will navigate these tough waters and we’ll come out on the other side in due time to start showing the necessary improvement that we need to do. But that’s going to take some time. I’m committed to that, and I’m committed to getting the job done for this Sacramento community and fan base.

“We’ve got some young players here that I’m excited about and want to develop — and will develop. As we move through the season, that will be an important part too, in terms of our long-term vision of building a winner. It’s important that our younger players develop this season, and we will be working diligently to make sure that that occurs during this season as well.”

Again, we’re just one month into the season. Yes, things are ugly but it is early. There still is a lot of basketball to be played.

With that in mind, the trade deadline is still three months away.

Could Sacramento’s underwhelming performance change the way Perry approaches the deadline?

“Well, again, part of my job was always to examine what is here and be open to making the necessary changes to improve the roster. That is owed to the organization. That is owed to the fan base,” Perry told Amick. “But one of the things I stress is having the necessary patience as we embark upon this journey. If you’re going to build something sustainable, you have to be very candid and open to what you see as it plays out. And then you make the necessary moves. That’s what me and the front office will do. We’re going to do that not only this season, but in subsequent seasons.

“You’re always looking for ways to improve the roster, to attract guys that are gonna fit the identity that we want to establish. Historically in the league, when you’re trying to do that and change the culture and build a culture, that takes time. That’s just a fact. There’s no escaping that. There’s no quick fix or quick elixir to doing that if you’re going to try to build it the right way. … Even if the team was playing better, I still would have that same mindset. Obviously, we’re not playing well right now, but that’s just how I’ve always been wired.”

There’s that patience word again.

Less careful with his words and more outwardly blunt is Sactown Sports 1140 radio host Carmichael Dave, who recently shared that the team was undergoing a full-on rebuild.

Perry wouldn’t word it that way.

“Well, look, everybody has their choice of language,” Perry told Amick. “Like I said, when I came in here, it was about observing this year and then being able to make the necessary decisions and build from that point. I’m not a big label guy, but I’m just telling you that it’s going to take time to build this the right way. I never kidded myself about that. I always knew coming in here that this was going to be a lift to get this team to become a sustainable winner. Would you like to have it happen without some of the early noise? Sure, but life is never perfect.

” … I’m as confident as ever that we’ll get there.”

Just a little more patience, Kings fans.

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Celtics survived Magic without Queta, but what if he misses more time? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

It might feel like hyperbole to suggest Neemias Queta is the most irreplaceable player on the Boston Celtics roster given what Jaylen Brown is doing on a nightly basis. But for a team lacking pure size in an overhauled frontcourt, it sometimes feels like a healthy Queta is vital to Boston’s overall success.

The numbers through the first 17 games of the 2025-26 season seem to confirm as much. 

Queta owns the best net rating on the team, with the Celtics outscoring opponents by 16.8 points per 100 possessions in his 396 minutes of court time. Perhaps more noteworthy: Boston has been outscored by 6.3 points per 100 possessions in Queta’s 372 minutes off the court. He’s the only player on Boston’s roster in the negative for off-court net rating.

Which, stated more simply, suggests the Celtics play their best basketball with Queta on the court, and their worst basketball without him.

The team’s rebounding percentages plummet without Queta, while Boston’s defensive rating spikes by 20.3 points per 100 possessions when he’s not on the floor.

So, when Queta limped off the court after landing awkwardly trying to block a shot early in Boston’s win over the Orlando Magic on Sunday, it put the Celtics in a precarious spot.

With Orlando operating without key frontcourt personnel, the Celtics were able to lean into small-ball lineups, often featuring Josh Minott at the center position. Boston built a 26-point first-half lead, then held on at the finish line for a 138-129 triumph at TD Garden.

A lineup featuring Minott alongside the remaining starters of Brown, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, and Jordan Walsh was a team-best +9 in just under eight minutes together. Another lineup that paired Minott, Pritchard, and Brown with Anfernee Simons and Hugo Gonzalez was also +6 in just under four minutes together.

Mazzulla admitted the Celtics were able to get away with going small given the limited personnel that Orlando had available. If Queta were to miss any additional time, the ability to stay small gets a bit more daunting, especially with size-filled teams like Detroit, Minnesota, Cleveland, and New York looming on the schedule.

The Celtics essentially have five “bigs” on their roster this season. Queta is the only pure 7-footer in the bunch. Luka Garza, Chris Boucher, Xavier Tillman and Minott have filled minutes at center, too.

Here’s how the top-used big combinations (20+ minutes) have fared this season, per PBPStats tracking: 

Queta’s impact, regardless of lineup, is emphasized yet again. The Celtics elected to keep Garza on the bench Sunday and just ride the smaller lineups with Minott. The soon-to-be 23-year-old forward (his birthday is Tuesday) produced one of his best outings of the season with 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting with seven rebounds over 19:30.

If Queta misses additional time, the Celtics will face tough choices. They could try to stay small and ride the trio of Minott, Garza, and Boucher. They could consider recalling 6-foot-11, two-way big man Amari Williams, who is averaging 12.7 points and 10.6 rebounds per game in seven appearances for Maine this season but has seen just seven minutes of NBA floor time. 

The injury to Queta, regardless of how long it keeps him out, stresses again just how razor-thin the margins are for the Celtics. Last season, it didn’t matter if Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford were getting rest days, as the team could navigate with Queta and Luke Kornet.

Now, things get tricky even with just one starter absent.

Blazers coach Chauncey Billups pleads not guilty in rigged poker games case originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Portland Trail Blazers coach and basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges he profited from rigged poker games involving several Mafia figures and at least one other former NBA player.

The five-time All Star, who won a championship with the Detroit Pistons, was arraigned in a federal court in New York City on money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy charges, both of which carry a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison. Some of Billups’ co-defendants are also charged with running an illegal gambling business and engaging in an extortion conspiracy.

Chris Heywood, his attorney, has said Billups is a “man of integrity” and denies the charges.

“To believe that Chauncey Billups did what the federal government is accusing him of is to believe that he would risk his Hall of Fame legacy, his reputation and his freedom. He would not jeopardize those things for anything, let alone a card game,” Heywood said after Billups appeared in federal court in Portland, Oregon, when prosecutors first announced the indictment on Oct. 23.

Billups wore a dark gray suit during the brief arraignment and spoke only to answer the judge’s yes or no questions. He has been free on bond since his initial court appearance in Oregon.

Billups was arguably the most prominent name among more than 30 charged in last month’s sprawling federal takedown of illegal gambling operations linked to professional sports. The other defendants were also expected to appear in the Brooklyn court for Monday’s proceedings, in which the judge, prosecutors and defense lawyers will likely discuss next steps in the case.

Prosecutors say the 49-year-old Denver native, who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame last year, was involved in a scheme to rig Mafia-backed illegal poker games in Manhattan, Las Vegas, Miami and the Hamptons.

Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones was also nabbed in that alleged scheme, which prosecutors say utilized a range of sophisticated technology that allowed the gambling to be rigged, such as altered card-shuffling machines, hidden cameras in poker chip trays, special sunglasses and even X-ray equipment built into the table to read cards.

Jones was also charged along with Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier in a separate scheme at the same time that allowed gamblers to exploit insider information about players to win bets on NBA games.

Prosecutors say the poker scheme Billups was involved in defrauded victims of an estimated $7 million starting in at least 2019.

They say he served as a celebrity “face card” that could draw wealthy, unsuspecting players to the games. Prosecutors said during one game, the scheme’s organizers exchanged messages saying one of the victims “acted like he wanted Chauncey to have his money” because he was “star struck.”

Prosecutors say Billups, who earned about $106 million from his playing days, received a portion of the ill-gotten gains. After one rigged game in October 2020, for example, they say he was directly wired $50,000.

The scheme organizers also had to share a portion of their proceeds with the Gambino, Genovese and Bonanno mob families for operating within the illegal poker games run by the New York criminal enterprises, prosecutors said.

Mafia members, in turn, helped commit violent acts, including assault, extortion and robbery, to ensure repayment of debts and the continued success of the operation, they said.

Billups was selected as the third overall pick in the 1997 draft by the Boston Celtics after starring in college for the Colorado Buffaloes. He played 17 years in the NBA, with stints with the Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers.

But he is perhaps most beloved in the Motor City, where he earned the nickname “Mr. Big Shot” for his knack of making clutch shots.

Billups was named the NBA Finals MVP during the Pistons’ title run in 2004 and had his No. 1 jersey retired by the team.

After retiring in 2014, Billups embarked on a career as a TV analyst before pivoting to coaching.

He was hired as Portland’s coach in 2021 and signed a multiyear extension with the Trail Blazers earlier this year after the team missed out on the playoffs for the fourth straight season in 2024. Billups previously served as an assistant coach on the Clippers.

After his arrest, he was placed on unpaid leave and the Trail Blazers named assistant coach and former NBA player Tiago Splitter as interim coach.

Blazers coach Chauncey Billups pleads not guilty in rigged poker games case originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Portland Trail Blazers coach and basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges he profited from rigged poker games involving several Mafia figures and at least one other former NBA player.

The five-time All Star, who won a championship with the Detroit Pistons, was arraigned in a federal court in New York City on money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy charges, both of which carry a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison. Some of Billups’ co-defendants are also charged with running an illegal gambling business and engaging in an extortion conspiracy.

Chris Heywood, his attorney, has said Billups is a “man of integrity” and denies the charges.

“To believe that Chauncey Billups did what the federal government is accusing him of is to believe that he would risk his Hall of Fame legacy, his reputation and his freedom. He would not jeopardize those things for anything, let alone a card game,” Heywood said after Billups appeared in federal court in Portland, Oregon, when prosecutors first announced the indictment on Oct. 23.

Billups wore a dark gray suit during the brief arraignment and spoke only to answer the judge’s yes or no questions. He has been free on bond since his initial court appearance in Oregon.

Billups was arguably the most prominent name among more than 30 charged in last month’s sprawling federal takedown of illegal gambling operations linked to professional sports. The other defendants were also expected to appear in the Brooklyn court for Monday’s proceedings, in which the judge, prosecutors and defense lawyers will likely discuss next steps in the case.

Prosecutors say the 49-year-old Denver native, who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame last year, was involved in a scheme to rig Mafia-backed illegal poker games in Manhattan, Las Vegas, Miami and the Hamptons.

Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones was also nabbed in that alleged scheme, which prosecutors say utilized a range of sophisticated technology that allowed the gambling to be rigged, such as altered card-shuffling machines, hidden cameras in poker chip trays, special sunglasses and even X-ray equipment built into the table to read cards.

Jones was also charged along with Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier in a separate scheme at the same time that allowed gamblers to exploit insider information about players to win bets on NBA games.

Prosecutors say the poker scheme Billups was involved in defrauded victims of an estimated $7 million starting in at least 2019.

They say he served as a celebrity “face card” that could draw wealthy, unsuspecting players to the games. Prosecutors said during one game, the scheme’s organizers exchanged messages saying one of the victims “acted like he wanted Chauncey to have his money” because he was “star struck.”

Prosecutors say Billups, who earned about $106 million from his playing days, received a portion of the ill-gotten gains. After one rigged game in October 2020, for example, they say he was directly wired $50,000.

The scheme organizers also had to share a portion of their proceeds with the Gambino, Genovese and Bonanno mob families for operating within the illegal poker games run by the New York criminal enterprises, prosecutors said.

Mafia members, in turn, helped commit violent acts, including assault, extortion and robbery, to ensure repayment of debts and the continued success of the operation, they said.

Billups was selected as the third overall pick in the 1997 draft by the Boston Celtics after starring in college for the Colorado Buffaloes. He played 17 years in the NBA, with stints with the Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers.

But he is perhaps most beloved in the Motor City, where he earned the nickname “Mr. Big Shot” for his knack of making clutch shots.

Billups was named the NBA Finals MVP during the Pistons’ title run in 2004 and had his No. 1 jersey retired by the team.

After retiring in 2014, Billups embarked on a career as a TV analyst before pivoting to coaching.

He was hired as Portland’s coach in 2021 and signed a multiyear extension with the Trail Blazers earlier this year after the team missed out on the playoffs for the fourth straight season in 2024. Billups previously served as an assistant coach on the Clippers.

After his arrest, he was placed on unpaid leave and the Trail Blazers named assistant coach and former NBA player Tiago Splitter as interim coach.