The Sacramento Kings have just sent out a formal press release regarding second year center Hassan Whiteside.

KINGS RECALL HASSAN WHITESIDE FROM RENO

SACRAMENTO, CA —- The Sacramento Kings today recalled center Hassan Whiteside from the Reno Bighorns of the NBA Development League, President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie announced. Whiteside will rejoin the team in Sacramento prior to Saturday’s contest versus the Golden State Warriors at Power Balance Pavilion.

Whiteside was assigned to the Bighorns on January 1^st and averaged 7.8 points (.521 FG%, .343 FT%), 6.5 rebounds, 3.0 blocks and 18.9 minutes per game in 11 contests (started five). He recorded double-figure scoring in four games with his most notable performance coming versus the Sioux Falls Skyforce (1/13), where he tallied 15 points (7-10 FG, 1-2 FT), 10 rebounds, and two blocks in 29 minutes. Whiteside also registered 13 points (5-9 FG, 3-9 FT), nine rebounds, and six blocks in his first appearance with Reno versus Fort Wayne (1/3).

Whiteside has played a total of two minutes in his NBA career, spending most of last season on IR with a knee issue.  This season, he is buried on the depth chart behind DeMarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson, J.J. Hickson and Chuck Hayes.  Considered a project when the Kings drafted him, Whiteside is still young and has the physical tools to be a top flight shot blocker.

A few small, noteworthy tidbits we can pass along to you this evening.

Kevin Sherrets, executive producer of Sacramento Kings radio broadcasts, reported earlier today that Chuck Hayes returned to practice and may be able to go tomorrow night against the Denver Nuggets.  Hayes has been out for the last two-and-a-half weeks after dislocating his left shoulder against the Milwaukee Bucks.   Sherrets added this via twitter:

Chuck Hayes went through a full contact practice today. He says that he has to see how the shoulder responds tomorrow – really wants to play

— Kevin Sherrets (@KSherrets_Kings) January 24, 2012

Sherrets also added that Marcus Thornton did not practice today and is doubtful for tomorrow’s contest versus Denver.

According to Ken Berger of CBS Sports, it doesn’t look like the Kings are ready to commit to J.J. Hickson long term, at least not at this moment.  The Kings are in a bit of a pickle.  Not only did they give up Omri Casspi to get Hickson, but a protected number one as well.  Hickson has struggled to fit in with his new team and stands to lose even more time when Hayes returns from injury some time this week.

Bobcats and D.J. Augustin unlikely to agree on extension by tomorrow, and Kings’ J.J. Hickson won’t get a deal by deadline, sources say.

— Ken Berger (@KBergCBS) January 24, 2012

Last week, David Aldridge of Turner Sports reported that Jason Thompson would also not receive an extension.

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There’s something different about Jason Thompson this season.

The tension is palpable when you are near the Sacramento Kings power forward.  Where confidence once was, there is uncertainty.  Where a light-hearted soul once resided, there is angst.

Entering his fourth NBA season, Thompson knows the score.  He understands that after this year, nothing is guaranteed.  He understands he’s playing for his NBA future.

You have to feel for him on some levels.  Thompson is good people.  I’ve met his parents and they too, are good people.  The Thompsons are the type of folks you want as your neighbors or working next to you for 40 hours a week.  They took pride in raising their children, which is evident on every level.

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One of the NBA’s greatest scorers is joining the Sacramento Kings coaching staff.

Hall of Famer Alex English, who spent the last seven seasons as an assistant coach and director of player development with the Toronto Raptors, has been added to head coach Keith Smart’s staff.

From the official press release:

“Adding Alex to our basketball program is good for all and especially good for our players,” explained Smart. “He was an elite player in this league for a long time and is a very good coach. When he talks, they’ll listen. His game prep and film study aspects are some of his many strong points, and that’s only going to help our staff. We’re trying to surround ourselves with the right people that fit our basketball team who have the ability to teach our guys and also have a firm hand to get them walking in the right direction as young men.”

Prior to joining the Raptors, English enjoyed coaching stints with the Philadelphia 76ers (2003-04) and Atlanta Hawks (2002-03). The former NBA superstar began his coaching career with the D-League’s North Charleston Lowgaters, earning a birth in the finals of the first NBDL title game.

English played 14 seasons in the NBA, appearing in eight All-Star games, all as a member of the Denver Nuggets.  With 25,613 career points, he is the league’s 13th all-time leading scorer.

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports breaking the news on Twitter:

Update (4:50 pm):  The Sacramento Kings have confirmed the decision via press release.

Statement from Kings president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie:

“Keith will bring a new perspective to the team as we try to move forward with the season,” said Petrie. “He’s very well prepared and will assume the job with some new ideas and new approaches of his own. We’re all excited and looking forward to working with him.”

Statement from new head coach Keith Smart:

“I had a chance to work for Paul Westphal in the brief time that I’ve been here and really enjoyed it,” explained Smart. “He was very supportive every step of the way. I want to thank Geoff Petrie and the Maloof family for giving me this opportunity. I’m looking forward to implementing a few new things with what we want to try to do with our basketball team. Hopefully, they’ll respond to what I want them to do, and I believe they will. I think our players will be excited with some of the ideas that I have for our team moving forward.”

More to follow later tonight. Follow Cowbell Kingdom for continued coverage of the Westphal firing.

Amidst the drama surrounding DeMarcus Cousins and Sacramento Kings head coach Paul Westphal, the assignments of rookie Tyler Honeycutt and Hassan Whiteside became footnotes in the news.  However, the demotions are part of a league-wide trend over the last week.

1. December 29th: The Milwaukee Bucks assign second-year guard Darrington Hobson to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.
2. January 1st: The Washington Wizards assign second-year big man Hamady NDiaye to the Iowa Energy.
3. January 2nd: The Houston Rockets assign rookie Marcus Morris to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
4. January 3rd: The Denver Nuggets assign rookies Julyan Stone and Jordan Hamilton to the Idaho Stampede.
5. January 4th: The San Antonio Spurs assign rookie Cory Joseph to the Austin Toros.
6. January 4th: The Portland Trailblazers assign second year players Luke Babbitt and Armon Johnson to the Idaho Stampede.

Why?

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After being dismissed before the Kings 96-80 win over the New Orleans Hornets, DeMarcus Cousins made the trip out to Memphis, where the Kings begin a three-games-in-three-nights set, starting with the Grizzlies.  Kings President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie met yesterday with Cousins along with his Seattle-based agent, John Greig, who flew down from Washington to address the issue first-hand.  Petrie details some of the meeting to the Sacramento Bee’s Jason Jones:

“We talked about the important role he play in what we’re trying to do offensively an the gamut of what he needs to do going forward,” Petrie said. “…We did not agree on everything but that’s OK.”

Head Coach Paul Westphal tells Jones that Cousins will dress for tonight’s game and will not start.  J.J. Hickson is expected to once again fill the void.

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Before and after tonight’s 96-80 victory over the New Orleans Hornets, the Sacramento Kings faced a bevy of questions regarding the apparent trade demand by second-year big man DeMarcus Cousins.

“I don’t know what’s going on about that,” said Kings guard Tyreke Evans when asked if he believes the demand to be true. “I haven’t heard from him.  He might have told coach that, but hopefully you know he was just frustrated and mad at the time because we’d definitely like him on this team.”

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The Sacramento Kings have made it official:

KINGS REACH AGREEMENT IN PRINCIPLE WITH CHUCK HAYES

SACRAMENTO, CA —- The Sacramento Kings tonight have reached an agreement in principle with free agent center/forward Chuck Hayes to a multi-year contract, according to Kings’ President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Rumors have persisted throughout the evening that the Kings would bring Hayes back after voiding his contract due to an apparent heart condition.  Sports Illustrated’s Sam Amick has tweeted the preliminary figures and plenty of other information that should set Kings fans at ease following one of the most bizarre weeks any NBA player has ever had.

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The Kings just sent out a press release announcing they’ve withdrawn their offer to center Samuel Dalembert.  And according to ESPN’s Marc Stein, the free agent big man has reportedly chosen Houston over Sacramento.

Via Twitter, Yahoo! Sports Adrian Wojnarowski reports the details of Dalembert’s contract with the Rockets:

Fox Sports’ Chris Tomasson reported last night Dalembert was anticipating a return to Sacramento for a second season.

“If things work out, everything structurally (with the contact), it will be Sacramento,” Dalembert said in a phone interview with FOX Sports Florida from his Boca Raton, Fla., home. “It’s close.”

But Sports Illustrated’s Sam Amick says the Kings were caught off guard by Tomasson’s story.

The report was met with confusion from Kings officials, with everyone from owners Joe and Gavin Maloof on down saying there was no mutual understanding that he would return.

Updated: 328 pm