SACRAMENTO – Coach Mike Brown said he wants rookie guard Devin Carter to relax and enjoy the process now that the Kings’ 2024 first-round draft pick has been cleared for unrestricted basketball activity.
Carter, the No. 13 overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft, had been practicing in limited fashion already but got the all-clear signal nearly six months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.
That news certainly raised the hopes of Kings fans who have been yearning for some good news during this up-and-down seasons. Brown, however, has no plans to rush Carter back just to get him on the court.
“No expectation from the standpoint of he should be here by this day or that day,” Brown told reporters at Golden 1 Center before Thursday’s game against the Detroit Pistons. “I just want him to go ball and have fun. He’s a rookie, and being a rookie never getting a taste of what its like to play at any professional level can be a daunting task.
“I just want him to have fun, hoop freely and just be ready whenever your number’s called for Stockton or Sacramento.”
The Kings didn’t announce whether they would send Carter to their G-League affiliate in Stockton, although that seems the logical and likely option for the 22-year-old.
It’ll be interesting to see how much time does go by before Carter makes his debut at Golden 1. There’s a clear need for him on the Kings’ roster, though he definitely needs to sharpen a few things before he gets there.
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Carter was the Big East Player of the Year primarily due to his defense, which helped raise his stock status leading up to the draft. The Kings can use all the defensive help they can get. They went into Thursday ranked 16th in the NBA with a defensive rating of 112.9, and have had a lot of issues finishing things off in the fourth quarter.
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