NBA Notes: Kings, DeMar DeRozan, Suns, Jalen Green, Lakers

Kings

DeMar DeRozan’s future in Sacramento is still very much a question.

After the Kings dropped their eighth straight on Thursday, the veteran forward admitted he wasn’t sure what comes next.

Following Saturday’s win in Denver, head coach Doug Christie was asked by The Sacramento Bee’s Chris Biderman how he approaches those conversations.

“When it comes to the business of basketball, I talk to all of our players,” Christie said. “I’ve been through it. It’s extremely difficult. The deadline comes, things happen, and we have to deal with it.”

Christie didn’t offer hints on where things stand, but the message was clear — everything is on the table.

Suns

Suns guard Jalen Green won’t get the chance to face his former Rockets teammates on Monday, and he admitted he’s “a little bummed” about it.

Still, Green has stayed fully engaged despite the hamstring issue that’s lingered since training camp.

“Guys got their head down, I’m always going to pick somebody up,” Green said, via The Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin. “I’m a leader of this team. My voice is important. Energy is important, too.”

Phoenix is hoping Green’s return is sooner than later, but the team appreciates the lift he’s giving from the bench.

Lakers

With LeBron James back in the starting lineup Tuesday, Marcus Smart shifted to the bench and logged a season-low 17 minutes.

Smart, though, isn’t sweating the role change.

“I like to think of myself as a Swiss Army knife,” Smart said, via Thuc Nhi Nguyen of the Los Angeles Times. “Not one thing I do great, but I do everything very well.

“People come back, people get hurt. You have to adjust to whatever the game is calling for.”