Kings extend coaches contract

 Keith Smart is getting the closest thing he's ever had to a long-term deal as an NBA coach.

The Sacramento Kings extended Smart's contract Monday through the 2013-14 season. Smart's deal had been set to expire after the upcoming season.

The 47-year-old Smart took over for the fired Paul Westphal in January after a 2-5 start. The Kings went 20-39 the rest of the way under Smart during the lockout-shortened season.

The Golden State Warriors decided not to extend Smart's contract last year after he hastily replaced Don Nelson before training camp. Smart also had a stint as the Cleveland Cavaliers' interim head coach for the final 40 games in 2003 after taking over for John Lucas.

Coach Keith Smart Extended.

Yesterday the Kings' organization extended coach Keith Smart through the 13-14 season. Smart took over the coaching position last year after Paul Westphal was fired following a 2-5 start. Smart's record for the rest of the year was a disappointing 20-39 (.339), Keith did manage however to strike up a rapport with Kings' center DeMarcus Cousins. It is likely that this deal was made so as to prevent Smart from becoming a lame duck next year.

Sacramento's Guard Glut.

With the recent acquisition of point guard Aaron Brooks the Kings find themselves with an extremely overcrowded back court. At the point is Brooks, last year standout Isiah Thomas, and the underwhelming Jimmer Fredette. Consensus is that it's Thomas's job to lose, but it's well known how much Kings GM Geoff Petrie has coveted Brooks over the years so it certainly wouldn't be unexpected for him to have the starting job come November. The obvious odd man out is Jimmer, who performed disappointingly last season and didn't really blow people away during the NBA Summer League despite a 30 point game against the Rockets. Jimmer seems to have major problems running the team's offense and features a worse than advertised stroke behind the arc.

At shooting guard it seems a moral certainty that Tyreke Evans will start. He's by far the best the Kings have available at the position. His defense is above average and his ability to get to the rim is unquestioned, unfortunately his jump shot is terrible and a lack of athleticism (no doubt helped by a year long bout with plantar fasciitis) means  he can struggle finishing at the rim. Marcus Thorton is likely Tyreke's primary backup. This leaves John Salmons and Francisco Garcia. Both are listed as shooting guards but Salmons started at small forward most of last year and Garcia has had a history of playing positions one through three. However, the addition of James Johnson is going to likely limit either players opportunity to play at the three this upcoming year, which means both are likely to see their minutes drop significantly.

The King's over exuberance in collecting under performing guards means some sort of trade is likely in order, although just who might be available for whatever paltry offer Sacramento can present is anyone's guess.

The Sacramento Kings defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 84-72 for their first win of Summer League.

The big story for Kings fans is Josh Akognon's continued hot streak with 25 points. He was aggressive throughout the contest and his main focus was attacking. Akognon played just 21 minutes but managed to put up 16 shots. This is the downside to his brilliance. He didn't record an assist so getting other teammates involved so he obviously wasn't interested in making his teammates look good. But then again, the point of Summer League is to showcase yourself, right?

Jimmer Fredette continues to struggle. His three made shots were just one more than yesterday's game. In two days the former Brigham Young University superstar has made just one of his 14 shot attempts from beyond the arc. Fredette is struggling mightily at the moment and he's lucky Isaiah Thomas isn't participating, or else he would lose his starting spot again. But he's a good enough shooter to be stuck in a slump for too long.

The Kings' next game is Monday against the Houston Rockets.

First Summer League Game Impressions

The Sacramento Kings took on the Charlotte Bobcats yesterday in their first Summer League game. It was an ugly affair, as Sacramento was blown out of the gym 121-87. Kings fans shouldn't panic too much because this is the first time in a while these guys have played a real game and also many of the guys on the Summer League team won't make the team for the regular season. With that being said, here are some impressions from last night's game.

Thomas Robinson Is Skilled - We all knew the Kansas product was a great rebounder and defender. What we didn't know was how much of a handle he has on the ball. There were several times during the contest when he would lead the break and make the correct pass. Robinson is also extremely explosive. He's not as polished with his back to the basket, but that will come with time. Considering this was his first game, he was a little nervous. He tried to do too much as his eight turnovers suggest. But in the end he had 19 points and five rebounds for a solid first game.

Fredette Still Struggling - With Isaiah Thomas on the sidelines as he tries to finish his degree at the University of Washington, this was Jimmer Fredette's opportunity to show what he can do. To be simple, Fredette did a face plant on NBA TV. Out of 11 shots he connected on two of them and missed every one of his eight shots from beyond the arc for a total of seven points and two assists. Fredette looks like a player low on confidence and swagger, at the moment. What he needs is a veteran player who can show him the way and to learn from. Unfortunately, the Kings don't have veterans like that except for maybe Chuck Hayes and John Salmons.

Impressive Rookie - Not many people will have heard of Josh Akognon out of Cal State Fullerton but the kid did have an impressive performance last night. He scored 15 and generally looked much more confident and comfortable than Fredette, though he played wild and out of control at times.

Center of Attention - Hassan Whiteside is still struggling, even in Summer League. His seven points, eight rebounds and four blocks were nice, but the stat sheet doesn't indicate how many times he was late on rotations. Whiteside still has a ways to go until he can make a positive impact during the regular season, but will the Kings' brass give him the time he still needs? Stay tuned, Kings fans.

Pick No. 2 Shines - After his performance last night, it's no wonder Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was selected second overall by the Bobcats. The Kentucky product was everywhere. He went anywhere he wanted to and the stat sheet was stuffed with 18 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals. Charlotte appears to finally have a great player on the team.

For highlights of the game, follow this link to NBA.com: http://www.nba.com/summer-league/games/20120713/SACCHA/gameinfo.html

2012-13 Pacific Division Predictions

1. Los Angeles Lakers - The division will once again go to the Lakers now that Steve Nash will be setting up plays. Nash is easily the best point guard Kobe Bryant will have played with during his career. With a starting lineup of Nash, Bryant, Metta World Peace, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum, the Lakers will be a difficult team to deal with, especially in the playoffs. This team is a contender and it might be the last time both Nash and Bryant will be able to chase a championship. Record: 52-30


2. Los Angeles Clippers - Superstar Blake Griffin hurt his knee during team USA practice and now has to have surgery. He'll be out about eight weeks and will have to miss the Olympics, but should be back for the regular season. But that shouldn't worry Clipper fans too much because of the additions of Lamar Odom, Jamal Crawford and the return of Chauncey Billups from an achilles injury. Along with Chris Paul, one of the best point guards in the game, this team should challenge the Lakers for the division. Record: 45-37


3. Sacramento Kings - Much like the Warriors, the questions about the Kings will be on the defensive end. Offense won't be a problem, as Sacramento can score with the best of them. The addition of Thomas Robinson through the draft is a huge addition because his ability to rebound is impressive. He'll likely forge a fearsome combination with DeMarcus Cousins, who had a reality check at team USA tryouts recently when he was told he wasn't mature enough to be selected. Hopefully, that comment by Jerry Colangelo will have lit a fire under Cousins. Record: 35-47


4. Golden State Warriors - The Kings and Warriors could easily switch positions here by season's end. This is because, with the summer off, the Warriors will have had plenty of time to get healthy. Stephen Curry's ankle will be much better, David Lee will be healthy and center Andrew Bogut will be healthy enough to play his first games for Golden State. Along with Harrison Barnes, the seventh overall pick in the draft, the Warriors will have a nice starting lineup. The only question will be how much better the team will be defensively now that Bogut is on the team. If the defense does improve, the Dubs could be a dangerous team. Record: 35-47


5. Phoenix Suns - The Steve Nash era in Phoenix is over. Since 2004 Nash made the Suns go. He gave them firepower. He was the reason the team just missed the playoffs. Now that he's gone, the time is now for rookie Kendall Marshall. Even though the team does have a promising young point guard, the problem of not having a guy who can consistently create his own shot still remains. This will be a difficult season for the Suns. Record: 23-59

Four Kings Summer League Players To Watch

The Sacramento Kings' first Summer League match up is tomorrow night against the Charlotte Bobcats. The team has been practicing hard all week and head Summer League coach Bobby Jackson has had some good things to say about the players and it appears the style of play will be quick and aggressive. With the first game coming up quickly, here are four players to look out for during the next seven days in Las Vegas.

Jimmer Fredette - The Brigham Young University product had a somewhat disappointing season last year after Isaiah Thomas grabbed the starting spot from him and never let go. Fredette has been handling the point guard duties so far during this mini camp and has been quick getting the ball up the floor. Jackson has also revealed that Fredette will be given the ball with the game on the line. Fredette needs to have a successful Summer League so that he'll have some confidence going into the regular season. Sacramento could really use a consistent jump shot from him.

Hassan Whiteside - Now in his third year in the NBA, Whiteside still hasn't made a huge impact for the purple and black. But he has said that he understands the game of basketball more than ever and he understands what it takes to be a professional, both mentally and physically. We should expect some ferocious defense from the center, as that is both his specialty and what the Kings desperately need. His responsibilities are to rebound, block shots and run the floor. That shouldn't be too difficult, right?

Darnell Jackson - This is his third year in the league since coming out of Kansas and he's been sparingly used so far. He spent part of last season playing in Ukraine for BC Donetsk. But this will be a chance for Darnell to impress because he'll probably be a starter tomorrow. He's a big man at 253 pounds so expect some banging down low.

Thomas Robinson - Kings fans are eager to see the fifth overall pick of the 2012 NBA Draft take to the floor. As arguably the second-best player in the draft, there are some high expectations for the Kansas product. But things have gone well for him so far in this mini camp and some are calling him a leader already. Bobby Jackson's first impression of him is that he's a warrior. However, he did say that Robinson needs to slow down and let the game come to him. That's normal for a young player so it shouldn't be too concerning. Expect Robinson to be a force in the paint tomorrow and hopefully he'll forge a powerful combination with DeMarcus Cousins.