Tyreke Evans and Paul Westphal on Sacramento's Future

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - It's not that the Kings have already forgotten about reigning Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans. He's still considered the franchise's centerpiece talent and their ticket back to the NBA's top tier.

But he'll never be a rookie again, meaning it's only natural that they move on to someone who will be when it comes to campaigning for that particular award. That role has already been assigned to DeMarcus Cousins, the big man from Kentucky who was taken fifth overall by the Kings in the June draft.

This picture shows the movement in action, with Cousins donning a clever 'ROY-DMC' t-shirt that's a spinoff of Evans' REKE-ROY apparel from last season. There are even bigger pictures hanging from Arco Arena, where 35-by-118 feet banners showcase Evans and Cousins in a similarly not-so-subtle fashion.

But in the only big picture that matters, the Kings -- who have won just 17 and 25 games in the last two seasons, respectively -- are finally feeling as if they have a young core worth bragging about. Cousins, Carl Landry, Jason Thompson and second-round draft pick Hassan Whiteside (Marshall) join newly-acquired veteran Samuel Dalembert down low. Third-year Donte' Greene will again battle second-year Omri Casspi for the starting spot at small forward, with free agent signee veteran Antoine Wright, fellow vet Francisco Garcia and perhaps a couple of surprise candidates (more on that from Kings coach Paul Westphal later) pushing for the job, as well.

And while Evans mostly teamed up with veteran guard Beno Udrih in the backcourt last season, Westphal will surely take looks at Garcia playing alongside him, as well as new point guard Pooh Jeter. With the focus of our Evans feature published today on the saga of his jump shot, we take a peek at the Kings as a whole through the eyes of two of their most important members. Both interviews took place in mid-August.

Tyreke Evans

On the team in its updated state ...

"We've got a good draft pick this year, two of them that can help us. ... We've got Hassan who can block shots, and DeMarcus is just another big body for us to get big rebounds and set good screens. He's a big guy, and with the types of screens that he's going to put on people, they're going to get stuck and that's going to give me a lot of opportunity to get free baskets or get other guys open shots.

On the intentionally-slow start to his summer, as he took a month off after the season ended in mid-April ...

"I took the most time off ever. After the season was over, I took a month off. It was hard, because the season was still going and the playoffs. And after the game would end, I would want to go and work out but I was like, 'Nah, chill, you played hard this year. Eighty-two games, it's tough. Get some rest.'

Evans working out with trainer Rob McClanaghan

"I was home (in Pennsylvania), back and forth between home, Sacramento and LA. I haven't really got a vacation like that (before). Now I'm conditioning, shooting consistently, running on a treadmill, getting in that game shape before I go to LA Thursday to work with (trainer Rob McClanaghan).

"It's me, (Chicago's Derrick) Rose, (Memphis') OJ (Mayo), working with him (at different points during the year). (Oklahoma City's Kevin) Durant, (Russell) Westbrook. He's a great guy to work with. I'll be in LA for two weeks, then come back to Sac, work out more, then I've got to come home.

On how much better he expects the Kings to be ...

"I don' t know for sure, but for me seeing (Cousins) two days before (the team) left for summer league -- when I was in there working with him -- that's good. I know he's a hard worker. ... We're just going to worry about basketball and winning -- me, him, Hassan, and the rest of the team have a chance to be like the Thunder, an up and coming team. We've just got to come together, play together, not worrying about scoring and just play as a team and I think we can make the playoffs. That's the goal. It has to start in training camp, though. We've got to come together, practice hard, play hard, and the games you have to do the same thing.

On his added weight, his recent affinity for lifting weights after never doing so before and how he plans to use the extra bulk ...

"I'm 228 (pounds) now, and I was 220 when I was playing (last season). I like the size. It's nice for me to bully the guards around. I did it last year, but it's going to be even worse this year. I'll just have fun with it. (Now) I know how to do it. I'm used to it.

"I've been lifting weights, getting stronger. I've never been a weights guy. As you seen in my high school tapes, I was skinny. I've got natural strength, so I just did pushups and situps. I didn't really like the weights too much."

Paul Westphal

On what he hopes to see from Evans in Year No. 2 ...

"Certainly Tyreke is going to come back with an improved shot. We've already seen that it's improving. ... (But) I don't want that to be all anyone talks about with him, because he's such a dominant player at such a young age and he's only going to get better. That's all I'm looking for him to do is keep being a versatile all around player and keep improving in all aspects of his game. I think that's what he wants to.

"That's one of the things I like about him is he's not a specialist. He's an all around player who comes out there to win. And the more experience he gets, the better the players are around him, the more the team settles into a consistency, the more we'll see him be who I think he can be in this league -- which is somebody who can help you win games in a whole lot of different ways.

"He's just getting started, and there are going to be some mistakes along the way, some times when he tries things and it either works and he adds it to his game or it doesn't work and he pulls back in that area. That's just a natural progression of a basketball player. He's starting so far ahead in his game, but his journey is just beginning. The thing I like most about him besides his talent is his willingness to admit if he made a mistake and to work on the things he needs to work on and really strive to be an all around player rather than say, a scorer. I see his career as some games he'll have a big scoring game and the next game he may not need to score much. That doesn't really bother him, because he's helping his team win. That's a big strength of his game that I think will come out over the course of his career."

On the freedom he gives Evans as a coach and why he chooses that style ...

"I just know that as a player that the coaches that got the most out of me were the coaches who would live with a mistake every now and then. And as long as the effort and the will to win is there, which I never see as a problem with Tyreke, how are you going to expand your game if you don't try things? And how are you going to work on what you need to work on?

"I just think that it's important that we learn everything we can about what this kid can do, and the only way you can do that is to encourage him to try things. I think that if he was somebody who refused to play defense or was unwilling to pass his ball to his teammates or was someone who was just trying to go for stats, there would be a problem. But the fact that he is 20 years old and as versatile as he is, I think it's time for him to learn what works and what doesn't work and I don't see any reason not to encourage him in those ways."

On his overall expectations for the team ...

"I think this year is the next step in the development of this team. Since I joined the team, along with (Kings basketball president) Geoff (Petrie) and the Maloofs (the team's owners), I think we've always looked at the big picture -- trying to get this team back to being one of the special teams in the league. Last year was laying the groundwork for that. I think the groundwork is laid. I think we've added some better talent, some important pieces that any good team needs. So we've got to build on what we did last year and everyone needs to go to the next level -- wherever that level may be. We're not saying, 'Look out Miami, we're knocking off the Lakers and going to be in the Finals,' but we expect progress off what we built last year and I think that's reasonable to expect that."

On whether he sees Evans as a leader ...

"I think that's a big part of the next level of his development. He has a built-in respect for other players, and as a rookie -- particularly a rookie after one year of college -- he was reluctant to tell other people what they should be doing when he's learning what he should be doing himself and what the league is all about. Now he has a year under his belt, and the obvious success he's had, I think it would be natural for him to be a little bit more out front with his leadership and I'm sure we'll see that."

On the summertime goings-on of his players ...

"All of our players have been working in different venues. (Kings assistant) Truck (Robinson) is paying a visit on Carl Landry, and going back to work with DeMarcus. Jason Thompson and Hassan went to (Denver assistant Tim) Grgurich's camp in Las Vegas, and that was good for them. Pooh Jeter is working every day. He's mad that they closed the sand dunes in Manhattan Beach (because) he wanted to run up and down those every day. Our guys are spread out and working, and the coaches are with them when it's appropriate.

"I'm just excited for a whole new chapter. I think we've added some things that we were wishing we had last year. We should be a better rebounding team, a better shot-blocking team. We've got more veterans on the team, a better balance. I think we have better balance among the positions. ... I just think we're heading in the right direction."

On who will start at the small forward position ...

"I wouldn't say there's any clarity at all right now. I think it's a wide open competition. I don't look at just Omri and Donte' as contenders for that spot. I think that Antoine Wright and Cisco (Garcia) could play that spot, and also I want to see if either Jason and or Carl can play a little at that spot. There's a lot of different ways we can go, and we're going to give them all an opportunity to make their case there.

"There are concerns with any of those scenarios, and you can drive yourself crazy because all those players bring something different. But we do want to see what it looks like with those various possibilities. Obviously the idea is to get the best, most consistent team you can out there. You want to get your best players on the floor as much as possible."

On whether it's safe to assume Udrih and Evans will start in the backcourt ...

"Nothing is ever in stone, but that's the way we're looking at it right now for sure."

On whether Dalembert will start at center and if Cousins can play some power forward ...

"I would expect Samuel to be the starter. I'm not sure how the other positions shape up, and even that is subject to change depending on what things look like once we get out on the court. But the way it looks to me he would have to lose that spot, and I don't expect that to happen.

"I don't think (Cousins) is necessarily a four (power forward) defensively. For example, if we played Sam and DeMarcus together, I think Sam would probably guard the fours. But offensively there's no question he can play four and five. DeMarcus is a very versatile offensive player. He can move between inside and outside I think real easily."

On the hiring of Cousins' high school coach, Otis Hughley, as an assistant and how that should be perceived ...

"We weren't even necessarily going to fill Bryan's spot, other than to move some other assignments around (former Kings assistant Bryan Gates took an assistant job with New Orleans in late June). When we got to know Otis, we were really impressed with how much he cares about the kids. He's worked with young kids, and we've got several young guys on the team who I think Otis can really be good for them -- on the court and off the court. He's an experienced, impressive guy, who I think we're very fortunate to have.

"I'm not sure if having Otis on staff will change much in regards to DeMarcus. ... Otis is really on the staff for a lot more reasons than DeMarcus. It's just that we got to know him through DeMarcus and were impressed. It's not like if you want to talk to DeMarcus you talk to Otis. It's not anywhere near like that, so I don't really think of him in regards to DeMarcus as much as him being really good at working with young players and we have several right now I think he can help with. I think that if you spend 10 minutes with Otis, you learn about his passion for the game -- working with the players on and off the floor. He's gifted that way, and I think he's an addition to any staff."