Kings’ McLaughlin excited to face former T-Wolves team in season opener originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Jordan McLaughlin, new leader of the Kings won’t have to wait long to face his old team of five years.

Sacramento is planned to accommodate the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Golden 1 Center to begin the 2024-25 NBA season.

McLaughlin, who loved his time in the country’s upper Midwest, is excited to be working in Northern California. He discussed the possibility of facing his former employer in the Kings on Tuesday with FOX40’s Sean Cunningham.

“People usually have to wait a few games and they book it late in their schedule,” McLaughlin said. “The first game will be fun and there will be a lot of energy.”

McLaughlin, a USC product, made a name for himself in the NBA after becoming a trusted player off the bench in Minnesota.

He enjoyed his time with the Timberwolves and made many lasting connections that he will miss. McLaughlin, due to geography, is now about a 3.5-hour flight from his old town.

Luckily for McLaughlin, he’ll get a chance to visit his old stomping grounds with the Kings. Sacramento travels to Minnesota on Nov. 27 and Feb. 3.

And he probably has those dates circled on his calendar.

“Oh, yeah. Absolutely,” McLaughlin said of his excitement about returning to the Timberwolves’ Target Center. “We put down roots wherever we’ve been for more than a year or two. So, being there for five years, we’ve got a lot of roots there. You know we’re excited to get back there.”

McLaughlin average career lows in points (3.5) and minutes (11.2) during the 2023-24 NBA season.

While Minnesota is a comforting place for McLaughlin, he will likely benefit from a change of scenery.

“[Some] “I have mixed feelings,” McLaughlin said. “I’m excited to experience something new here in Sacramento. But I’m sad to leave a lot of good relationships that I’ve built over the last five or six years in Minnesota.”

“It’s awesome. I’ve been able to establish myself in this league. I’m looking forward to continuing with the Kings, they’ve got a great thing going here. I’m looking to do 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 now home and McLaughlin will have plenty of time to settle in.

The Kings will need him to do that, given that they missed the playoffs last season and could use all the help they can get; especially from USC alumni.

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