Kings’ McLaughlin excited to face ex-team T-Wolves in season opener originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
New Kings guard Jordan McLaughlin won’t have to wait long to face his former team of five years.
Sacramento is scheduled to host the Minnesota Timberwolves at Golden 1 Center to begin the 2024-25 NBA season.
McLaughlin, who loved his time in the nation’s Upper Midwest, is excited to work in Northern California. He discussed facing his old employer with the Kings on Tuesday with FOX40’s Sean Cunningham.
“People usually have to wait a couple of games and they circle it late on their calendar,” McLaughlin said. “The first game, it will be fun, and there will be a lot of energy.”
McLaughlin, a USC product, made a name for himself in the NBA after emerging as a trustworthy bench piece in Minnesota.
He cherished his time with the Timberwolves and made plenty of lifelong relationships that he’ll miss. McLaughlin, as a result of geography, now is roughly a 3.5-hour flight away from his old city.
Fortunately for McLaughlin, he’ll have opportunities to visit his former stomping grounds with the Kings. Sacramento will visit Minnesota on Nov. 27 and Feb. 3.
And he surely has those dates circled on his calendar.
“Oh, yeah. Absolutely,” McLaughlin said about being excited for his return to the Timberwolves’ Target Center. “You grow roots anywhere you’ve been more than a year or two. So, to be there for five years, we’ve got a lot of roots grown there. You know we’re excited to get back out there.”
McLaughlin averaged career lows in points (3.5) and minutes (11.2) during the 2023-24 NBA season.
While Minnesota is a place of comfort for McLaughlin, he likely will benefit from a change of scenery.
“[Some] mixed emotions,” McLaughlin said. “I’m excited for something new here in Sacramento. But I’m sad to be leaving a lot of good relationships that I’ve built over the last five, six years I’ve been over in Minnesota.
“It’s been great. I was able to establish myself in this league. I’m looking forward to moving on with the Kings — they got a good thing going here. I am looking to add whatever I can to help this team win and give this fan base what they deserve.”
McLaughlin has the right approach to his career change.
The veteran clearly loves Minnesota. But Sacramento is home now, and McLaughlin will have plenty of time to settle in.
The Kings will need him to do so, considering they missed the playoffs last season and could use all of the help they can get; especially from USC alumni.