Sacramento Kings

Kings' Casspi credits relationship with George Karl for re-signing

Published Aug. 27, 2015 4:38 p.m. ET

foxsports

With the volatile mix of star power and rumors bottled up inside the Sacramento Kings, it can be easy to lose track of some of the lower-profile players on the team. But when pictures emerged of Omri Casspi caked in mud alongside teammate DeMarcus Cousins (and Iman Shumpert), it served as a powerful reminder of how much every player in the NBA can matter.

Casspi's trip to his native Israel along with his teammate helped deepen an already strong bond between the two, as well as Casspi's relationship with the Kings. And it's that familiarity with the city and the organization that led Casspi to re-sign in Sacramento this offseason, he told CBS Sports' James Herbert:

"I like Sacramento. I felt like I had a really good connection with the coach last year. I feel like the direction of the team is going, it's finally moving and getting some speed in the right direction. I feel like we have a good team. I felt I want to be a part of something that's growing and competing for the playoffs next year and being in the playoffs, putting ourselves in a position to win championships. And I didn't want to leave. I trust our organization, I trust our coaches. We have the best center in the league. Obviously we're going in the right direction."

Casspi went on to explain why he considers Cousins a "brother for life," saying that the two entered the league at more or less the same time and developed an instant trust that allowed them to be open and honest with each other.

As for the Kings in 2015-16, Casspi told Herbert that the team isn't trying to prove anything. They want to put their best foot forward, give it their all and play as well as they call. "I always dedicate my energy and emotion to the good instead of the bad," Casspi said.

With a perspective like that, Casspi might make a great coach some day. But for now, it's his outlook and relationships that kept him a member of the Kings.

(h/t CBS Sports)