Sacramento Kings Lean on Rajon Rondo; DeMarcus Cousins

The Sacramento Kings have options as to who they start alongside DeMarcus Cousins in the frontcour, t but right now it looks like Kosta Koufos is the favorite.

Karl had mentioned he wanted guys to be committed when the turmoil between him and Cousins had surfaced. Vlade Divac is around to keep George Karl in line, Boogie is way more focused on working than bickering at the moment, Rondo wants to stick around if things go well and Vivek Ranadivé has stepped back and let his employees run the team.

That’s all in the past now according to both, though each also sounded cautiously optimistic while discussing the issue during the Kings’ media day on Monday. “I can’t deny it – I thought it was a pretty good practice”. “But they’ll learn to play with a few pace and (make) good decisions”.

“But you know it’s not a light switch. It’s going to take a few time, there’s going to be a few falls and as a coaching staff that’s what we’ve got to be ready for”. “It’s going to be about my voice, Rondo’s voice, Rudy’s voice, even a few of the rookies”. But it’s also a challenge to get players to understand playing fast does not mean play carelessly.

The fifth-overall pick in 2010, Cousins is coming off the best season of his young career. And the shot clock will not return to 24 seconds in practice in the near future. The camp extends from Tuesday, September 29 until Saturday, October 3 and gives Head Coach George Karl the first chance to have his whole team at his disposition for their first full season together. Mike Malone went 11-13 and was replaced by assistant Tyrone Corbin, who stuck around for 28 games before Karl was brought aboard in February to coach the final 30 games.

Whatever happened then is not an issue now, says Cousins.

Cousins followed up by agreeing with Karl that things are “solid” between the two.

“We have different looks, we have different types of big men”, said Karl. At the end of the day, it’s about winning, winning games.

When asked how nice it was to have shooters around him, Cousins answered: “I’m a shooter”.

Contrary to previous National Basketball Association training camps held at RIMAC Arena, the Kings’ training camp was open and inviting to the media.

Kosta Koufos seems like the favorite to start alongside DeMarcus Cousins in the Kings frontcourt.

“I think everybody is going to get their opportunity”, Karl said. “We made a lot of changes, but I think it’s for the better”.