Aleksandar

Vezenkov

Duarte injured his knee in the same game that he took over as the starting shooting guard. During practice on Tuesday, he was running with the backups, which means that Kevin Huerter should start the season in the starting unit. With Lyles out, Sasha Vezenkov should see the majority of the backup power forward minutes, but it won’t be enough for him to be worth streaming.

Duarte came off the bench Wednesday night, with Harrison Barnes and Sasha Vezenkov serving as the starting forwards. The latter filled in for the banged-up Keegan Murray (thumb), finishing with seven points, three rebounds, one assist, and one 3-pointer, shooting 3-of-11 from the field. Meanwhile, Duarte played well enough in the first half to replace Vezenkov to start the third quarter. The key for both players, as far as rotation minutes are concerned, is whether or not Kings coach Mike Brown has Vezenkov locked into the power forward position. If so, the coach’s comments about Sasha not being a lock to be in the regular season rotation weren’t just “coach speak,” as Trey Lyles (five points, two rebounds, one assist, and one 3-pointer in 18 minutes) will play. That would be good news for Duarte, who’s a three capable of playing some two-guard. That said, fantasy managers should look elsewhere for late-round fantasy value.

With Murray ruled out for Wednesday’s game with a sore right thumb, Vezenkov will make his first (unofficial) start as an NBA player. The EuroLeague MVP scored 11 points in Sunday’s loss to the Raptors, but Kings coach Mike Brown said Tuesday that he wasn’t sure if Vezenkov will be in the rotation when the regular season begins. Maybe Brown was legitimately unsure, or maybe it was simply a case of a coach looking to light a fire under a player. Either way, the move into the starting lineup gives Vezenkov another opportunity to show that he should be locked into the rotation come October 25.

Well, this is an interesting development. Vezenkov was signed to a deal worth $20 million over three years in July, and the feeling of many was that he would be a key member of the Kings’ bench rotation. That could ultimately be the case, but Brown said Tuesday that he didn’t know if the rookie forward would be in the rotation once the regular season begins. Fantasy managers who have yet to draft should keep an eye on how Vezenkov is used in Sacramento’s remaining preseason games, but he was productive in Sunday’s loss to the Raptors. In 12 minutes, he produced 11 points, two rebounds, one assist, and two 3-pointers, shooting 4-of-7 from the field.

The EuroLeague MVP averaged 17.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.9 triples for Olympiacos last season. He’ll add length, athleticism and floor spacing for a Sacramento team that’s on the rise.

With it being reported in May that Vezenkov was strongly considering a move to the NBA, this latest development is no surprise. Per the report, the Kings have offered a salary slightly below what Keegan Murray is due to make next season (around $8.4 million). Should Vezenkov come over, he would provide the Kings with additional depth at the forward spots. And that would be key since Harrison Barnes and Trey Lyles will both be free agents.

The 57th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Vezeknov could be headed stateside to play for the Kings next season. However, nothing has been finalized, and the knee injury he suffered during Game 2 of the Greek League Finals series with Panathinaikos could influence the Kings’ thinking. Vezenkov suffered the injury during the third quarter, and there are plans for an MRI to determine the severity of the injury. Should Sacramento look to bring him over for next season, Vezenkov’s buyout of $1.5 million would have to be resolved.

Vezenkov, the 57th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, has yet to play in an NBA game, instead remaining in Europe. The current Olympiacos star is considering a move to the NBA next season, with the Kings still holding his rights. Kings coach Mike Brown was among those in attendance to watch Vezenkov play earlier this week. The talented forward has a buyout of $1.5 million, but there’s a path to playing time in Sacramento should he decide to come over. Starter Harrison Barnes and reserve Trey Lyles will be free agents this summer, and the departure of either (or both) would free up rotation minutes at the forward positions.

This is a change, as it was reported on July 3 that Vezenkov would head to Las Vegas in order to speak with the Kings regarding his NBA future and a possible contract offer. Instead, he will remain in Europe and wait for the Kings to tender their offer before making a decision. Having most recently played for Olympiacos, Vezenkov’s NBA opt-out clause expires on July 20.

Selected by the Nets with the 57th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Vezenkov has still yet to make his debut in the Association. Sacramento acquired his rights from the Cavaliers on draft night in exchange for the 49th overall pick and has since invited him to meet with the team in Las Vegas. Vezenkov, who most recently played for Olympiacos, is under contract with the Greek powerhouse through 2024, but his contract has NBA out clauses for this summer and the next. Adding Vezenkov, who was a first-team all-EuroLeague performer this season, to the mix would give the Kings another option on the wing.