Kings Blog and Q&A

Coach Keith Smart on how the team has to approach this season:

"They're going to have to be a group to win. We don't have the dominating player. We have players that potentially can be dominating but I don't have that one guy that I can sit back and say he's going to carry us for 82 games. "

Forward Travis Outlaw on what starting games to end the season did for him:

"The enjoyment of the game came back....I didn't really have confidence in my shooting because of my hand."

(Outlaw broke his hand working out during the lockout and had to wear a protective glove to start the season).

Forward/center Chuck Hayes on last season:

"Yeah, a lot of things were just different. It was just a different season for me. Health wise, team wise. I never had a change in coaches in the first seven games....As a pro I'm ready to get thisseason started. I'm refreshed and I'm excited."

"You set high expectations for yourself. And for myself, I didn't meet them. That's why you've got another year to do that. And let's hope I do that."

Hayes on his offseason workout program that started with bike riding, Bikram hot yoga, swimming and tennis

Bike riding, bikram hot yoga, swimming, tennis.

"I'm just trying to stay fit, trying to do something new, work on the body."

"Gradually over time as the summer goes along you start to get into basketball shape, you do your running, you do your conditioning and you work out there on the court. But in the beginning of the summer you try to enjoy everything else besides basketball."

Hayes on critics of his play last season:

"I was new to the Twitter world last year and they are some tough critics. They really let you have it, but I just started agreeing with them. 'Yeah, you're right, I suck, I'm terrible, I had a bad game. I can't move, right.' And if I agree with them they don't have nothing else to say."

Guard/forward John Salmons on recovering from the hip injury that ended his season:

"I don't know if it will be 100 percent but to get back to where I can play it took about two months."

Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie on Hayes:

"You go back to the lockout from last season, he shortened training camp and in Chuck's case he had the heart issue and he hurt his shoulder right away. So I think to large extent that's sort of a throwaway year for him and I think he's going to come back and play an important role for us and we need him to."

Guard Aaron Brooks on playing for assistant coach Bobby Jackson, who was his teammate in Houston:

"I've just got to watch the way I talk to him now because that's my coach. Bobby's put on a couple of pounds and I like to poke fun at that but I have to remember he's my coach and he's not my peer anymore. He delegates minutes somewhat, I don't how important he is on the food chain. But I'm definitely going be nicer to him than I was (in Houston). Well I was nice to him then, I was pretty young so I was nice to him back then."

Guard Tyreke Evans on expectations for the Kings:

"A lot of people say that we're young. I don't think that's an excuse anymore. We've just got to go out there and show teams we're good and show teams we can win."

Evans on what he has to do this season to help the Kings improve:

"It just starts by me and with my teammates and being a leader. I think that's going to be the most important thing. Along with DeMarcus (Cousins), I think it's time for him to be a leader too even though he's only couple years in but he's a good player. We've just got to start with that point."

Center DeMarcus Cousins on he and Evans being the leaders:

"It starts with us and Coach tells us that all the time. We've got to come in, lead this team and it goes as far as we carry it."

Cousins on the youth excuse:

"It was never a thing for me. I played for many young teams....can't really blame youth."