Kings notes: Ben McLemore catching Dave Joerger's attention in return

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SACRAMENTO -- After a grueling start to the week, including media day followed by two-a-days on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Sacramento Kings hit the floor for their eighth practice in five days Saturday afternoon. It was a low-key day as the players nursed the bumps and bruises that are typical from an opening week of camp.

The grind of beating up on your own team is quickly coming to an end. The Kings will break camp Sunday and head to Phoenix for their preseason opener Monday evening. 

Here are some of the highlights from the fifth day of training camp in Sacramento.

- The focus of camp has been on pushing the pace. In order to do that, the team needs to be in great shape. All week, the players spoke about the amount of running they’ve endured throughout camp. They’re not done yet.  
    
“We went pretty light today, we scrimmaged some today, but we’ll go much harder tomorrow, we’ll have a hard shootaround Monday morning and then we’ll play with whatever legs and whatever we have on Monday night,” Joerger said following practice. 

- Joerger continues to field questions about who has stood out at camp so far. He gave a more complete answer on Saturday than what we’ve heard so far.

“Ben McLemore has had a terrific camp, Willie Cauley-Stein has played very well the last two days in particular,” Joerger said. “De’Aaron Fox has done a great job. We’re trying to give him as much space and play with as much pace as possible. Those guys have been impressive. Nemanja [Bjelica] has been very impressive at the power-forward position to give us some space for De’Aaron to play. We’ve played Justin Jackson at the power forward position too today, that’s very good for us, it’s good for our pace, it’s good for our pace.”

- Frank Mason is in a dogfight for a spot in the rotation this year. He’s competing with Yogi Ferrell for minutes behind De’Aaron Fox and nothing is promised this season. Mason is fresh off a stint with USA Basketball for World Cup qualifying and he looks like he’s in great shape.

“That helped me out a lot, working with Jeff [Van Gundy] and the staff,” Mason said. “They prepared us for this moment and it really paid off for us.”

- All of the talk surrounding the team this season is on pushing the tempo and getting up and down the floor. But Mason, like the rest of the guards, needs to help slow the opposition as well. 

“I think that’s the main thing, stopping the ball, getting it slowed down so we can get back and get our defense setup,” Mason said. “We’re very athletic. We’ve got athletic bigs that can protect the rim and protect the paint. Our job as guards is to keep the ball out of the paint.”

- Joerger has mentioned McLemore a couple of times in post-practice scrums. Whether it’s the style of play or the 25-year-old wing maturing, he’s turning heads with his shooting and ability to get out and run.

“The style of play they want to play, it fits me perfect,” McLemore said. “The way I play, the things I do - shoot the ball well, run the floor, play defense, all of those caliber things. I just want to continue to do what I need to do each and everyday. Getting better, helping my teammates to get better and things like that.”

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