The Sacramento Kings come to town on the heels of massive news involving star guard De’Aaron Fox.
The Philadelphia 76ers host the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night, finishing a back-to-back after a 118-104 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
This will be the Kings’ first game since news broke of star De’Aaron Fox’s trade request. His agent, Rich Paul, advised the team to explore a move to a ‘mystery’ destination. Fox has been eligible for an extension for some time, but a deal with the franchise that drafted him seems unlikely.
The Kings have had a turbulent season, to say the least. By most standards, they’ve underperformed, leading to the firing of head coach Mike Brown. Since his dismissal, the team has bounced back, winning seven of their last 10 games and surpassing the Golden State Warriors for the 10th spot in the competitive Western Conference. Despite their recent turnaround, the Kings now face uncertainty with their franchise player requesting a trade, casting doubt over the team’s future.
Outside of the off-court noise, the Kings are still a very capable team. Domantas Sabonis remains one of the best bigs in the NBA, and will have plenty of room and size to work with against the short(handed) Sixers. Outside of the Fox-Sabonis duo, they have plenty of scoring options with DeMar DeRozan, Malik Monk and Keegan Murray.
The Sixers, meanwhile, continue to navigate a tough stretch without Joel Embiid, who remains sidelined with a knee injury. Despite his absence, Philadelphia has leaned on Tyrese Maxey, who appears to be turning a corner as the Sixers’ primary scoring option. Maxey is coming off a 43-point performance and has averaged 31.6 points over his last 11 games, scoring at least 28 points in every game since Jan. 6.
Outside of Maxey, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Guerschon Yabusele have been the most reliable contributors for the depleted Sixers. Oubre will likely be tasked with defending Fox, while Yabusele takes on the challenge of slowing down Sabonis. However, Yabusele’s availability is worth monitoring ahead of their matchup, after temporarily exiting last night’s game with a knee issue.
If he’s unable to go, the Sixers may turn to rising rookie Adem Bona or even Pete Nance to fill the void in the frontcourt. With a shorthanded lineup, Philadelphia will need another strong collective effort to secure a win against a Kings team looking to stay competitive despite their off-court turmoil.
Game details
When: Wednesday, January 29, 7:30pm ET
Where: The Center, Philadelphia, PA
Watch: NBC Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers