Breaking down Trey Lyles contract situation, long term fit with Kings

Thanks for visiting The Kings Beat, an independent credentialed news source covering the Sacramento Kings. We have plenty of new exciting upgrades to the site, including a comments section that has been added to the bottom of the posts. Feel free to chime in and thanks for supporting The Kings Beat!

Rarely do you see a free agent put it out there in the way that Trey Lyles did at the end of the Kings’ playoff run. He spoke about wanting to return to Sacramento in the locker room following the team’s Game 7 loss to the Golden State Warriors and then once again when he took the stage as part of exit interviews with local media.

“Returning is honestly my No. 1 priority,” Lyles said. “The fellowship, the relationships that I’ve been able to create with these guys has been above and beyond anything I’ve had in the past.”

Lyles wasn’t done heaping praise on his experience in Sacramento this season. He feels a real bond to his teammates and the city. His comments were some of the more raw and open that we’ve seen from a player.

“On a personal side, I went to De’Aaron’s [Fox] birthday dinner this year and that’s the first time that I’ve ever hung out with, I guess you could say a teammate, outside with a personal matter like that at a house, just having dinner, just hanging out. For me, that’s my No. 1 priority, just to continue to be here and build those relationships with these guys and be part of something special.”

“They embraced me, the city embraced me, the city, the coaches, the teammates and the organization,” Lyles added. “Like I said, this is the most at home I’ve felt, so it’s definitely something I want to continue to come back to and be a part of.”

This was a moment for Lyles. He’s always a good quote, but you need a strong mic to pick up his interviews as he usually gets quieter and quieter as the questions roll in.

There is a uniqueness to Lyles. He, like many of his Kings teammates, is a bit introverted. He carries a book with him wherever he goes with titles ranging from American Psycho to one of Cormac McCarthy’s bestsellers. He recommended The Road if anyone is up for starting the Trey Lyles Book Club.

Subscribe to Premium to read the rest.