[Game] Kings v. Blazers 11/08/13 Game Thread

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Except no, we didn't, and no, we don't. D'Alessandro did not assemble this team the way he did to set us up to lose. He thought he was addressing our weaknesses; he just happens to have been wrong, but being wrong does not equal tanking.

 

[VF21]

I think people get confused about tanking. It's not that players don't try, or that anyone actively roots to lose. You just assemble the kind of players where losing is the inevitable result. We have that kind of roster right now.

But not because we wanted it.

And I'm sorry to disagree, but there were those who did actively root to lose. That's what the incredibly stupid "lin" (loss that's really a win in the long run) and "woss" (win that's actually a loss in the long run) was all about.

 

[The Hammer]

It is deliberate, but it's not tanking: if you play him, you might luck up and get a good game or two out of him, which might just make him trade bait. If you don't play him, all GM's see is that albatross of a contract, with another year left on it.

Thank you for explaining this to the class and saving me the work.

 

[sdballer]

I think people get confused about tanking. It's not that players don't try, or that anyone actively roots to lose. You just assemble the kind of players where losing is the inevitable result. We have that kind of roster right now.

No that isn't tanking. Tanking is deliberately shedding salary, moving veteran contributors for draft picks/loading up on young talent. We didn't do that.

 

[Chubbs]

I don't think they thought we would be good. I do think they misjudged our problems and got stuck on needing to make certain moves, but I think there were obvious challenges getting rid of our dead weight.

I think they wanted to make a splash, struck out in every direction, and just decided to take it on the chin this season and try to make something out of nothing, knowing that if the team failed miserably it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. I guess it's not exactly tanking. But it's not going all out to win either.

 

[sdballer]

I think they wanted to make a splash, struck out in every direction, and just decided to take it on the chin this season and try to make something out of nothing, knowing that if the team failed miserably it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. I guess it's not exactly tanking. But it's not going all out to win either.

How would they have gone all to win with the parts on this team? Again, I'm not impressed with the front office and didn't like the moves they made but they didn't have to pieces to go "all-in" to win.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

No that isn't tanking. Tanking is deliberately shedding salary, moving veteran contributors for draft picks/loading up on young talent. We didn't do that.

As a matter of fact, we did the opposite of that, by signing Landry and Mbah a Moute.

 

[VF21]

Amazing how a perfectly good game thread has turned into another discussion of tanking. Couldn't we all just agree to limit that discussion to the thread already in existence?

 

[Chubbs]

Except no, we didn't, and no, we don't. D'Alessandro did not assemble this team the way he did to set us up to lose. He thought he was addressing our weaknesses; he just happens to have been wrong, but being wrong does not equal tanking.

The fact that our hot shot gm thought this would work does NOT makes me feel better.

 

[Chubbs]

As a matter of fact, we did the opposite of that, by signing Landry and Mbah a Moute.

Yeah, so, what exactly were they trying to do? Cause at best, those moves were unlikely to put us in the playoffs.

 

[cuad]

For who? Unless you totally, bench Thornton (which won't happen) then you'd be taking away minutes from 3 of the only other non-Cousins productive people

Don't be a fool. Malone could easily bench Salmons for Jimmer.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

The fact that our hot shot gm thought this would work does NOT makes me feel better.

I don't think it makes any of us feel better.

 

[VF21]

The fact that our hot shot gm thought this would work does NOT makes me feel better.

He did what he could. I'm not going to blame him for the crapfest he inherited. You cannot turn things around over night. Remember, prior to May 17, we didn't even know we were going to have a freaking team. PDA didn't come on board until June 17. That's not much time to try and forge a master plan for the Kings, much less find ways to improve a horrible roster.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Yeah, so, what exactly were they trying to do? Cause at best, those moves were unlikely to put us in the playoffs.

D'Alessandro was pretty clear that he thought that, by bringing in Landry, he would add leadership and low-post scoring. He was also clear that he was bringing Mbah a Moute in to add leadership and defense. You don't make moves like that if you're tanking. And, as I said, you're no-selling the fact that he tried to get Iguodala, he tried to get a legit big man, he tried to move our glut of talentless swingmen. Just because he failed on all counts does not mean he set the team up to tank.

 

[cuad]

Apparently you don't remember the last time somebody (ahem Westphal ahem) asked Jimmer to guard Batum. I think it was three successful post-ups in a row while Jimmer was throwing his hands up at the coach asking what the hell he was supposed to do.

At least Salmons only gave up three points to Batum while guarding him tonight.

Salmons in
guards SF: Salmons
guards SG: MT
guards PG: GV

Salmons out
guards SF: GV
guards SG: Ben
guards PG: MT

Taking Salmons out does not mean his replacement has the guard the SF! When IT was in the game for Salmons in the 4th quarter of tonight's game, was he guarding Batum? No he wasn't!

 

[upinsmoke]

mamma said there'll be seasons like this. Don't worry yourselves to much this new regime needs time to rebuild the rubble left behind by you know who. On a side note MT probably officially lost his starting gig tonight.

 

[TyFreak Evans]

This is depressing. Very depressing. My one month vacation to Vegas followed by my two month vacation to Houston and Atlanta might not seem like a bad idea after all.....C'mon, Kings, get yo heads screwed back on and play the game of BASKETBALL...

 

[TyFreak Evans]

And yes, I understand we are rebuilding, but when you have shooting nights like that one we had tonight (esp MT) and when you have a dude like John Salmons jacking up shot after shot after shot with defender after defender after defender all over him, you become somewhat depressed. On a better note, DMC is beastly.

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

Blazers only hit 10 3's...but felt like they hit 20, seems like they were wide open most of the night, and has happened every game with the exception of the first...and teams know this is one of our glaring weaknesses.

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

At some point...we need to start hearing trade rumors again...hopefully involving Thornton/Salmons/JT/Jimmer. lol

 

[upinsmoke]

Honestly I feel JT's contract is the one which needs to be moved with the most urgency.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

I'll bite: based on what?

 

[The_Jamal]

The fact that our hot shot gm thought this would work does NOT makes me feel better.

Yes, Yes. Landry and Mbah have been atrocious. Remember when in the GSW.....

They're hurt my dude. 2 out of 3 PDA's guys have played a grand total of 2 minutes this season. The other one is still rehabbing from off-season ankle surgery.

 

[MizzouKing]

Our problem tonight wasn't IT, it wasn't GV and it wasn't even JT. It was that we might as well have put two chairs out there instead of Salmons and Thornton. Starting them is like having a one-legged monkey as the first leg of your four-man relay. There is no way on earth they would be starting on ANY other team in the league, including D-League. They need to trip over chairs or get lost on the way to the arena or something... Maybe aliens could abduct them?

THANK you! I completely agree. And can you imagine how many assists GV could've had if either had made even half their shots???

DMC was a beast and the PG's did their jobs. But MT and JS were terrible.

 

[MizzouKing]

I just hope that some talented free agents are paying attention to the changes being made at all levels, how Boogie is responding, and the commitment/competence of our new FO and decide this is an organization they could get on board with. Then we can let JS & MT take s seat on the bench where they belong.

 

[upinsmoke]

I'll bite: based on what?

The majority of this teams roster falls off the books either this summer or next but JT has recently signed an extension with us as you know and imo he's simply not very talented and I think that money would better be spent elsewhere.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

I just hope that some talented free agents are paying attention to the changes being made at all levels, how Boogie is responding, and the commitment/competence of our new FO and decide this is an organization they could get on board with. Then we can let JS & MT take s seat on the bench where they belong.

You know what we really have to look forward to about next season? Not this tanking nonsense. Not "Rigging for Wiggins." What we really have to look forward to for next year is Thornton, Salmons and Hayes' contracts coming up. And then, we won't have to play them; we won't have to "showcase" them. Because they'll be expiring contracts; their value to other GM's will be $22M worth of expiring contracts.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

The majority of this teams roster falls off the books either this summer or next but JT has recently signed an extension with us as you know and imo he's simply not very talented and I think that money would better be spent elsewhere.

I dare you to find a better big for less than what we're paying Thompson.

 

[upinsmoke]

I dare you to find a better big for less than what we're paying Thompson.

JT makes more money than A. Davis. Point being I feel that's bad money tied up there.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

JT makes more money than A. Davis.

How about someone who's not on their rookie contract?

Point being I feel that's bad money tied up there.

We still need a backup big: he's better than anybody else we've got to fill that role, and anybody we're likely to be able to get. Thompson gets paid a perfectly acceptable amount of money for what he's being asked to do.