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After weeks of relentlessly hammering Donald Trump every chance he gets, Chris Christie switched things up a bit by aiming his brutal New Jersey fire at a new target: Ron DeSantis.

While appearing on Fox News, which has given DeSantis a noticeable amount of favorable coverage headed into the Republican primary, Christie took a minute to mock the Florida governor for falling so far behind in the polls that he’s now tied with Christie. That dynamic is all the more embarrassing because it’s happening in New Hampshire where DeSantis has spent a significant amount of time trying to build momentum for his flailing campaign that’s already seen a spat of layoffs and resets as he attempts to calm the concerns of donors who want DeSantis to stop doing “stupid stuff.”

“In just the last two days there were two more polls that have come out that now have me tied for second with Governor DeSantis, one at 11% and one at 9%, so we feel like it’s really moving in our direction,” Christie told Bret Baier via Mediaite. “Our momentum is going the right way, Governor DeSantis is going in the wrong direction, and so first job is to get past Governor DeSantis here in New Hampshire. We’ve now caught him, now we need to pass him, and then we’re gonna take on Donald Trump one-on-one.”

When Baier pointed out that Trump is consistently “up 20, 30, 40 points” in the polls, Christie waved off those concerns.

“The campaign hasn’t begun yet, Bret. The campaign’s gonna begin when you and Martha get on that stage with the rest of us two weeks from tonight,” Christie said. “The idea that the American people are really focused on this race right now in the middle of vacation season in August around America is kind of silly.”

(Via Mediaite)

The Phoenix Suns made the biggest trade acquisition of the deadline back in February, dealing Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and picks to Brooklyn to bring Kevin Durant to the desert. That didn’t yield the postseason run they were hoping for, as they got dumped out of the second round by the eventual champion Nuggets in a series that showed the Suns they needed to make some more changes this summer to add the needed depth around Durant and Devin Booker.

While most were thinking about role player depth, the Suns were thinking about adding another star and went out and got Bradley Beal from Washington, sending Chris Paul back in return. That meant free agency was about trying to add that role depth on a budget, and they did about as well as one could’ve hoped signing a number of vet minimum deals, albeit there is one major question still unanswered on this roster. With Durant, Booker, Beal, and Deandre Ayton back (although, not for a lack of trying to trade him) and a solid supporting cast on paper, the Suns are among the favorites in the West. How it all comes together remains to be seen, but for a franchise that once was rarely willing to spend, the start of the Mat Ishbia ownership era has been a welcome sight in Phoenix.

Here we’ll grade out the Suns offseason moves from the Draft, free agency and contract extensions, and on the trade market.

Draft: LOL

James Jones laughs at the concept of the Draft. The Suns traded every second rounder they had in the Beal deal and have since given up even more pick swaps to ensure the few years they do have a first, they’re guaranteed for just about the latest possible pick. It’s hard to argue with the premise though when you can pair Booker and Durant (and now Beal), but their draft strategy (or lack thereof) does mean they have to nail the vet minimum market every year.

Free Agency/Contract Extensions: B+

The good news this year was the Suns were, without question, the most coveted destination for players signing a minimum deal, and that meant they were able to scoop up some legitimately strong rotation players. In the opening hours of free agency they had signed Drew Eubanks, Keita Bates-Diop, Chimezie Metu, and Yuta Watanabe, while re-signing Josh Okogie and Damion Lee. Their biggest signing though was adding Eric Gordon, who has long been a rumored Suns target but finally lands in Phoenix after being waived by the Clippers prior to the start of free agency. Gordon gives them a legit sixth man option off the bench, something they lacked last year, and the rest of the roster has filled out nicely. Eubanks is a solid Jock Landale replacement, after he got big money in Houston, while Bates-Diop seems likely to step into the Torrey Craig role on the wing. Metu is more frontcourt depth, Okogie brings them some needed defensive versatility in the backcourt and on the wing, and Watanabe joins Lee as good floor-spacing options off the bench. They also made a lottery ticket signing with Bol Bol, who has tantalizing abilities but has never fully put it together. He won’t have a ton of opportunity in Phoenix, but that also could be good for him to have limited minutes to go all out without worrying about pacing himself. Given the resources they had, the Suns did well this summer. The only issue is they still haven’t really addressed the whole “not having a real point guard” thing, which is why they will stay at a B+. They have plenty of capable ball-handlers, but it remains to be seen if handing Booker and Beal the keys to run the offense almost entirely will yield the maximum output.

Trades: A

Anytime you can trade for a very good player without having to give up a great asset in return, you’ve done very well for yourself. Beal is an upgrade over this current version of Chris Paul, who just was not able to have the needed impact last year in the postseason, leaving Booker and Durant with an immense creation burden on offense. Beal will not replace Paul’s ability to orchestrate an offense, but his ability to play on and off the ball and impact the game as a scorer is far ahead of where Paul is right now. It will be interesting to see how he and Booker handle the lead guard duties, as losing Paul and trading Cameron Payne to the Spurs leaves them without a real point guard. I expect there to be some bumps along the way, but the potential of this team offensively is truly incredible. Aside from keeping the offense flowing enough to keep guys like Ayton and [insert fifth guy out there] engaged, Beal’s impact as three-point shooter is the main question that will determine how effective this offense will be. He had a better year last year (36.5 percent from three), but after coming into the league as a sharpshooter has seen his efficiency dip over his career (as he’s gotten much more effective inside the arc). His ability to apply rim pressure will be huge for an offense that’s lacked it, but given Booker and Durant’s propensity for operating in the midrange, Beal figures to get ample opportunity in catch-and-shoot situations as well. If he’s elite at that as he was early in his career, this offense will be a true nightmare. If not, it will take at least a little bit of the bite out of it.

While the Beal trade was big, not trading Ayton is almost just as interesting. He did not see eye-to-eye with Monty Williams and it was widely assumed he’d be gone, but with Williams gone and Frank Vogel apparently all-in on Ayton, he has a chance at a fresh start in Phoenix. Getting Ayton to buy in will be, in my opinion, Vogel’s biggest task. Ayton is the only player on the roster capable of anchoring the defense, and he and Durant have the potential to be an elite frontcourt defensive tandem (Durant’s defense has been widely underrated for some time). However, that only works if Ayton’s engaged and that’s a real question as he figures to get even fewer touches with Beal taking Paul’s place on the roster. If he can buy in to being a dominant cleanup man around the rim, finishing lobs and attacking the glass on offense and being a strong rim protector on the other end, the Suns will be a true force. If not and he sulks, their defense could be a bit flammable.

The Suns are rightfully a favorite entering the year, but this isn’t a roster without flaws or a team without questions. They also probably aren’t done making moves, as I would expect them to seek out a point guard at some point before the deadline (or buyout market) closes. For now, they’re as fascinating a group as there is in the league and, if nothing else, they’ll be very fun to watch and see how it all comes together.

London boasts so many great places to stay that it can seem daunting to find the one for you. If you’re looking for an experience fit for a king (or queen), The Stafford London is where it’s at. Nestled in the city’s prestigious St. James Square, this sophisticated “home away from home” style property offers a lavish palace-like experience to all who walk through its doors. Best of all, the actual Buckingham Palace is just an eight-minute walk away.

For me, that idyllic location is the hotel’s greatest feature. Situated at the dead end of a passageway, the lack of traffic — and therefore, noise — makes it the perfect place to lay your head and get some solid rest right in the middle of one of the world’s busiest cities. High-end boutiques (John Lobb, Lock & Co. Hatters, and Havana Cigar Exchange to name only a few), traditional pubs, and the world-renowned Berry Bros. & Rudd Fine Wine & Spirits shop are just steps from the hotel’s door. A few more steps away and the Royal Parks can be accessed via a “secret” tunnel just across from the hotel.

It’s hard to decide which of the following takes the cake as the hotel’s best feature. Its palatial suites? Iconic bar? The quaint fireplace for sipping high tea next to? Don’t worry, I’ll get to all of that.

WHY IT’S AWESOME

Simply put, there’s so much to love about The Stafford London. From the moment I walked in, I was overloaded with traditional British charm — think Victorian decor, high tea, and caffeinated beverages by a roaring fire all in a suite larger than my apartment. The hotel’s location in the heart of the city makes exploring easy as hell coupled with its neighboring location to the Royal Parks and Green Park tube station.

For food and wine lovers, enjoying a traditional British meal at the hotel’s on-site restaurant, The Game Bird, is a must. For vegetarians like myself, I recommend the mushroom Scotch egg and cauliflower risotto. Though meat eaters can enjoy a full smoked & cured fish menu, venison, game bird pigeon pie, and so more. Guests can also savor a bottle of champagne alongside a full caviar menu. Or better yet, you can sneak away to the hotel’s iconic American Bar without ever leaving the front door. The Stafford’s wine cellar also boasts some serious history, which I’ll get to in the next section.

Gatehouse suites offer private terraces with breathtaking city views, and, apparently, the hotel also has an on-site gym outfitted with Technogym equipment. But for once, I actually didn’t make it there. Oh, and the property is pet-friendly (dog lovers, rejoice).

IN-HOUSE FOOD + DRINK

A meal at the hotel’s all-day dining space, The Game Bird, is not to be missed. Expect elevated British fare produced from seasonal locally-sourced ingredients. Dishes range from signature pigeon pie to roasted root vegetables to steak and ale pudding and beyond. Prior to dinner, hitting Champagne Bar for a bottle of bubbles is always a good idea. Or start the night with a refreshing Americano at the American Bar with the promise of a stellar start to the evening.

The hotel’s best on-site food and beverage feature is the iconic American Bar, which has been an institution since its opening days. Expect well-made classic cocktails (martinis, anyone?) served up by Italian mixologists in a dimly lit room, lined with autographed photos of celebrities, and a variety of booze-forward posters and decorations.

The bar also serves up a variety of burgers, lobster subs, and other hearty pub fare, as well as a full oyster menu and snack menu. Wine aficionados, The Stafford’s got something for you, too. The hotel’s on-site wine cellar is home to over 8,000 wines from the world’s most beloved regions (Bordeaux, Burgundy, and beyond) stored in its 380-year-old cave, which was used as an air-raid shelter during the Second World War.

AMENITIES

The amenities will vary depending on which room or suite level you chose at The Stafford. Here’s a start of what to expect during your stay:

• On-site restaurant and cocktail bar
• 24-hour concierge
• Pet friendly
• Kids services
• Free WiFi
• Gym
• Room Service
• Meeting rooms
• Fireplace (depending on room level)

ROOM TYPES

Home to 107 accommodations, The Stafford offers four types of rooms and seven types of suites to choose from. Basic room types include Main House Classic Queen and Main House Classic Queen, both of which are also available in Deluxe versions. Main House rooms are individually decorated and feature marble bathrooms. Accommodations on the ground floor are found in the former Carriage House, each boasting the name of a famous horse.

Suites range from Junior, Main, Penthouse, and one-bedroom Gatehouse suites, which are scattered across different corners of the property. My Mews Master Suite included a separate (very large) common area with a couch, sitting chairs, and table, as well as a mini bar, large TV, and window overlooking the cobblestone street. The bedroom was equipped with a massive bed, ensuite bathroom, and in-room vanity. (Bonus amenity: Guests staying in the Mews Master Suites for two or more nights receive a free airport transfer to London Heathrow upon checkout.)

THE BEST THING TO DO WITHIN A 15-MINUTE WALK

One of the hotel’s biggest draws is its central location, meaning that a ton of the city can be enjoyed within a 15-minute walk of the hotel. However, accessing the Royal Parks and Buckingham Palace via the “secret” tunnel just across the street from the hotel is probably one of the coolest amenities. Sure, the tunnel is open to anyone who finds themselves on the street, but its direct location across from The Stafford makes it feel almost hotel exclusive.

Bonus points — The Green Park tube station is right through the tunnel, meaning getting to other neighborhoods in the city is super easy.

BEST THING TO DO/EAT/DRINK WITHIN A $20 CAB RIDE

Some of the city’s best neighborhoods — including Mayfair, Soho, and Covent Garden — are all within walking distance (and most definitely a $20 cab ride) from the hotel. If I had to choose one of the above, I’d probably say skip the big-brand shopping and overly packed streets of Soho and go to Covent Garden instead. The area’s smaller boutiques are much more interesting to peruse, and the neighborhood’s wine bar, The 10 Cases, offers some of the best deals in London. Wine friends, I drank a bottle of Nicolas Potel Nuits-Saint-Georges 2005 with a friend for just 85 pounds!

BED GAME — 10/10

I’m honestly not sure if there’s such a thing as a bed larger than a California King, but if there is, that’s what my suite at The Stafford had—or at least that’s what it felt like. The pillows were the perfect balance between firm and plush. And the only thing better than actually leaving the bed was leaving it for the ensuite bathroom, complete with a heated toilet seat and floors. 10/10.

SEXINESS RATING — 7/10

If we were rating luxury here, the rating would undeniably be 10/10. And luxury is always sexy. However, The Stafford’s “Old World” elegance could come off as a bit stuffy to those looking for a more “trendy” experience. However, the dimly lit cocktail bar and comfy AF bed are seriously redeeming qualities. 7/10 (upped to a 7.5 if a bottle of room service champagne is included).

VIEWS & THE PICS SPOTS

So, if you’re in the The Stafford Park Suite, the view is obviously a 10/10 thanks to the private rooftop terrace. However, for everyone else, the jaw-dropping views are pretty absent. That said, I really enjoyed the view out my living room window onto the cobblestone street below, which was incredibly charming. Save for the fact that at night what was most visible was the dude working in his apartment across the way.

Rating: 6.5/10

BEST SEASON TO VISIT

There’s really not a wrong time to visit London or stay at The Stafford. I visited in November, just as the city was lighting up for Christmas, and the hotel really played into the cozy vibes of the season (fireside cappuccinos downstairs, FTW). Staying in the spring or summer would’ve been great too as the neighborhood is incredibly charming to walk around — and strolling through the Royal Parks without 10 layers of clothing definitely would have been pleasant!

IF I HAD TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ONE THING

The classic British decor/Victorian style of the rooms is a bit antiquated and at times can come off a bit too old-fashioned. Though as someone visiting London, I found it quite charming, particularly with regards to the location of the hotel. Additionally, my suite’s living room had the facade of a fireplace that didn’t currently function. Had I been able to start a fire in my room, the sexiness factor easily would have gone up two solid points!

BOOK HERE:

Expect to pay $489 for a standard room, $771 for a Carriage House Room, and upwards of $1,040 for a suite (more on weekends).

Book Here.

INSTAGRAM IMAGES TAKEN AT THE STAFFORD HOTEL:

There is no way you can still watch DJ Khaled’s over-the-top social media videos and come away thinking he isn’t in on the joke. If you do, then the trailer for his next album, Til Next Time will hopefully finally relieve you of that mistaken notion. As ridiculous as his social media videos can get, he goes even bigger here, tapping his current obsession with golf and combining it with his usual motivational volubility.

He not only chips in an exceptional shot from fairway, but then he also smacks a drive completely off the course and around the globe, proving he’s got a sense of humor about all this. He’s joined on the links by his two sons, who look to have a firm handle on the basics. The trailer clocks in at around four minutes, reflecting his maximalist production tendencies, while the beat playing in the background promises an epic, cinematic bent to his next project.

According to a press release, the Til Next Time is Khaled’s first album under his joint venture with Def Jam, and its first single, “Supposed To Be Loved” featuring Lil Baby, Future, and Lil Uzi Vert, is dropping this Friday, August 11.

Watch DJ Khaled’s Til Next Time album trailer above.

Last year, Lionel Richie was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and received the Icon Award at the American Music Awards. His legacy persists in 2023; in May, he performed at King Charles’ Coronation alongside Katy Perry, Take That, and Andrea Bocelli.

He’s taking his songs to stages all over North America on the Sing A Song All Night Long Tour with Earth, Wind & Fire. It kicked off earlier this month, and the setlist is packed with his hits, including ones by his old band Commodores as well as covers.

Check out the setlist below for his show at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, according to setlist.fm.

1. “Hello”
2. “Running With the Night”
3. “Easy / My Love”
4. “Truly”
5. “Stuck on You”
6. “Sail On” (Commodores song)
7. “You Are”
8. “Dancing on the Ceiling” (Snippet of “Jump” by Van Halen)
9. “Three Times a Lady” (Commodores song)
10. “Fancy Dancer” (Commodores song)
11. “Sweet Love” (Commodores song)
12. “Lady (You Bring Me Up)” (Commodores song)
13. “Just to Be Close to You” (Commodores song)
14. “Zoom” (Commodores song)
15. “Endless Love” (Diana Ross & Lionel Richie cover)
16. “Brick House / Fire” (Commodores song)
17. “Still” (Commodores song)
18. “Say You Say Me”
19. “We Are the World” (USA for Africa cover)
20. “All Night Long (All Night)” (encore)

As Hawaii officials reckon with the damage from the Maui wildfires, local residents are reportedly devastated by the potential damage to the historic banyan tree in the town of Lahaina.

Thanks to a freak combination of heavy winds from Hurricane Dora, wildfire destruction spread over much of Hawaii’s Big Island and Maui, where a beloved 150-year-old banyan tree rests. Social media posts have shown the historic tree being significantly charred and satellite imagery has confirmed that the banyan tree is burnt but still standing as of this writing.

As for the chances of its survival, local officials have said the banyan tree “might be salvageable,” according to the latest update from KHON2 out of Honolulu.

The Washington Post reports:

According to the Lahaina Restoration Foundation, the tree was planted in 1873 to mark the 50th anniversary of the first Protestant mission in Lahaina. Over the years, residents have helped the tree to grow symmetrically by hanging water-filled jars on specific aerial roots.

Kaniela Ing, a former member of Hawaii’s House of Representatives, tweeted an image of the damaged Banyan tree and called it “a tragic symbol of the climate emergency.”

Outside of its spiritual significance to Hawaiians, the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the Lahaina banyan tree is not just the oldest tree on the islands, but the largest banyan tree in all of the U.S.

(Via San Francisco Chronicle, KHON2, Washington Post)

There were no stars in the sky in Los Angeles last night, for they were all at the Taylor Swift concert. The VIP tents (and the, uh, nosebleeds) during the final show of the pop star’s six-night residency at Sofi Stadium was full of famous people, including Adam Sandler, Anya Taylor-Joy, Sydney Sweeney, Emma Stone, Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, and Damien Chazelle. But none of them got a shout out from Swift herself — only Sadie Sink did.

Swift appeared to mouth the Stranger Things actress’ name while performing the 10-minute version of “All Too Well.” Sink appeared as a (lightly) fictionalized version of the singer in the song’s music video, which Swift directed.

“I did know Taylor Swift and then her team reached out, and I guess she had me in mind for this video. So I said yes, of course,” Sink said during a Late Night with Seth Meyers interview from earlier this year. “You would never think that our paths would really cross, someone being in the music industry and then in the film industry. It was like two different worlds. It was like a bizarre mashup but everyone was very excited.”

You can watch Swift’s message to Sink below. If you look extra closely, you can see that she’s tapping “when does Stranger Things season five premiere” in tap code on her guitar.

Tory Lanez was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Tuesday, August 8, nearly eight months after he was found guilty on three felony counts — assault with a semiautomatic handgun, carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence — in connection to shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the feet in July 2020.

The following day, Los Angeles legal affairs journalist Meghann Cuniff provided yet another update.

“Lanez will be credited for 231 days he’s already spent in jail, and he gets 15% credit of 34 days,” Cuniff posted to X (formerly known as Twitter). “[Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David] Herriford also is crediting his 40 days of house arrest, for a total of 305 days. He’ll request bail pending appeal, which will be heard Aug. 15. (Extremely unlikely to be granted.).”

In March, Lanez and his defense requested a new trial as “the only acceptable remedy for this miscarriage of justice,” which was denied in May. Cuniff reported in June that LA prosecutors were seeking a 13-year prison sentence for Lanez.

The week before Lanez’s sentencing, his defense filed a 41-page memo making the case for Lanez to receive probation and rehabilitation instead of prison time. Lanez received 70-plus letters of support to be presented to Judge Herriford for consideration, including one from Iggy Azalea.

Watch Cuniff’s recent appearances with BBC News and CBS News Chicago to learn more below.

Megan Thee Stallion is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Barbie and Oppenheimer are currently celebrating box-office victory, but do not forget that horror films have been not-so-quietly jump-scaring away in the background, too. This year began with the success of M3GAN, a splashy murderdoll with dance moves who already has a sequel on the way. More recently, the Insidious franchise bested the murderdoll’s debut weekend (and dethroned Indy in the process).

Now, it’s Dracula’s day in the sun. Rather, in the moonlight, and a very ominous moonlight for sure because The Last Voyage Of The Demeter swoops into theaters this week. Granted, Dracula has had a rough time lately with that Nic Cage movie not living up to expectations. Further, King Charles complicated the legend, which can always be redeemed by knowing that Dracula might have caused marriage between Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder.

To be more serious about the horror movie side of things, though, André Øvredal’s The Last Voyage Of The Demeter looks like fantastic, storm-soaked horror set in close quarters with truly inescapable confines. The film is based upon a solitary chapter of Dracula from Bram Stoker, and the cinematic adaptation revolves around a merchant ship that carries dozens of unmarked crates, one of which happens to be especially dangerous. There are trailers, and then there are trailers:

As the source material goes, no one survived this voyage after a winged Dracula ended up littering the boat with corpses every night. Will there be a last man or woman standing by the end of this film? No one is telling yet, but the film is earning high praise on with early social media reactions.

That includes praise from Stephen King, who wrote that he was “doubtful,” but found that they movie is “a throat-ripping good time. It reminded me of the best of the Hammer movies from the 60s and 70s.”

The film has earned plenty of praise elsewhere with Fangoria’s Jason Kauz praising Øvredal for “craft[ing] a new vision of Dracula” and making “ALIEN on a boat y’all!”

More gushing poured forth, including from horror director Joe Russo (not the Marvel guy, obv), who tweeted, “Dracula on a boat, baby!!”

King’s recommendation is drumming up interest:

However, someone may have missed the mark with the film’s title:

why call it Last Voyage of the Demeter when Boatsferatu is right there

The Last Voyage Of The Demeter premieres on August 11.

The 2022-23 regular season went about as well as the Sacramento Kings could’ve hoped, as they won 48 games to earn the 3-seed in the West, saw De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis put up career-best seasons together as All-Stars, and got positive contributions from youngsters and veterans alike around them.

The dream season came to an end in the first round, where their high-octane offense struggled to find its jump-shooting rhythm and they ultimately fell in seven games to the Golden State Warriors. Despite ending on a bitter note, the Kings still have plenty of optimism coming into the 2023-24 season and, while they had the money to make a splashy move this summer, they chose instead to be patient with their group and mostly run it back for another year as they take the long view coming off their best season in two decades. While understandable, we’ll have to see if they can get enough internal improvement to take any tangible steps forward as a team, particularly with others around them in the West expected to have much better regular seasons than last year.

Here we’ll grade out their summer of moves in the Draft, free agency and contract extensions, and on the trade market.

Draft: C

Using the No. 24 pick to dump Richaun Holmes’ salary on the Mavs made it seem as though there was a bigger move coming down the line for Sacramento, but they never did. As a result, the Draft didn’t yield a lot, as they took Colby Jones out of Xavier with the 34th pick (in another trade to move up from 38 with Boston) and later Jalen Slawson who is on a two-way. Moving Holmes is understandable as his skillset was redundant with Sabonis and he did not provide the defense they needed out of a backup center which relegated him to spot minutes, but they also didn’t get anything back (or use the space created for a major addition later) and didn’t use Draft night to bolster their roster in a particularly meaningful way, which leads to a middling grade.

Free Agency/Contract Extensions: B+

Giving Sabonis a max extension this summer was always going to happen and, while there’s some sticker shock at a $217 million deal, that’s the going rate for a guy who is a walking 20/10 on strong efficiency coming off of his third All-Star season. The real question was whether the Kings would use up some of their cap space before that signing to shake things up at all and go for a big time upgrade on the wing between Fox and Sabonis. The answer was not really, despite rumors of their interest in Kyle Kuzma as a free agent and OG Anunoby on the trade market. When Kuzma quickly re-signed on a $100 million deal in Washington and Toronto made it clear they weren’t interested in talks on Anunoby, the Kings proceeded to mostly get the band back together. Harrison Barnes is back after a terrific season for 3 years, $54 million. Trey Lyles likewise returns as their floor-spacing backup big at 2 years, $16 million. Alex Len also re-signed on the minimum to return as Sabonis’ backup.

The biggest addition was a signing from outside the NBA ranks, as they inked a 3-year, $20 million deal with EuroLeague MVP Sasha Vezenkov who has spent the last five years with Olympiacos and averaged over 17 points per game and hit nearly 38 percent of his threes last year in Greece. Vezenkov is not a name that will get most NBA fans excited, but it’s an interesting signing with some real upside for the Kings. The 27-year-old forward could give them some more scoring punch on the wing and is more depth for the postseason for Mike Brown to go to if some of his other wing shooters have gone cold as they did this past year. Their other signing was adding Nerlens Noel on a minimum, which I felt was a very solid use of a minimum spot as a lifelong homeowner on Noel Island. Whether Noel can stay healthy is obviously the biggest question, but he does provide them with a more athletic rim protector than anyone else on their roster and gives Brown some more flexibility with his rotation behind Sabonis against teams that might give Len some issues. Overall, free agency was not as exciting as it could’ve been for the Kings considering they had the type of cap space to make a big move, but it also was a very solid summer of signings — and they avoided overpaying someone on long-term money just to say they made a splashy move.

Trades: B-

As mentioned above, I wasn’t a huge fan of the Holmes trade simply because the value of it was opening up more space to add a big player and that didn’t end up happening and I’m not one to cheer for tax savings or avoidance. Still, it was perfectly fine and they didn’t lose anything from the rotation. Their other trade not just swapping picks was to acquire Chris Duarte from the Pacers, as they looked to consolidate some of their wing depth as they made a big run at Bruce Brown, which was a solid move from Sacramento. I’m not super high on Duarte, but the Kings have shown that they are a very good place for shooting wings to flourish and coming off a rather dismal campaign last year in Indiana, Duarte could use a change of scenery that might bring back his shooting stroke. This wasn’t a trade that will impact the playoff rotation (barring something totally unforeseen), but adding regular season depth behind the likes of Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk isn’t a bad thing.

On the whole, this was a perfectly solid summer for the Kings. They brought back their key free agents and made some solid additions on the periphery. The only concern is that they didn’t make obvious upgrades to the roster — with the caveat that we don’t know exactly how useful Vezenkov will be as an NBA player — while a number of teams that finished below them in the West last year did. I don’t anticipate this team taking a step back next year, but it’s just a matter of whether incremental improvements is enough to keep them in the top half of the West playoff race next season or if they’ll find themselves as part of the fight to avoid the Play-In. It’s always harder to play with expectations, but after 20 years without them, Kings fans should still be thrilled to be going into a season where the conversation is whether this is a top-6 team or just a top-10 team in the West.