Vlade Divac
- Thread starter VF21
- Start date
I'm too lazy to do go back and look for it, but you are the one who said numerous times having an encumbered future pick has not allowed us to make moves. Well, now we have two. Again, I like what he is doing for this year. I think he could have still made that trade with the sixers without giving up that pick. Stauskas and the swaps should have been enough to get it done.
Borderline crazy?
Then I will call your bluff and bet you that the Kings are a winning team next year.
You'd be crazy to turn that down, if I am really being "borderline crazy" saying so.
And I'm curious what you mean by what I highlighted.
How is the Kings team winning next year "potentially unnecessary"?
Then I will call your bluff and bet you that the Kings are a winning team next year.
You'd be crazy to turn that down, if I am really being "borderline crazy" saying so.
And I'm curious what you mean by what I highlighted.
How is the Kings team winning next year "potentially unnecessary"?
I'd say Vlade, Cuz and Rudy are pretty excited. Karl, not so sure. I think he told Vlade what he wants to do with the team, the players he'd be interested in and Vlade in no uncertain terms said no, we're going to do this my way and you're going to coach the players I acquire.
And these aren't Karl style players. Karl faces a bit of a dilemma. Change his philosophy and tailor a new system around the the style of players we now have, or kiss chasing the win record he wants and possibly his job, goodbye. Denver 2.0 doesn't work with this squad. What he did in 30 games here, doesn't work with this squad. This squad simply cannot and is not built to give up the regular 110 or 115 pt games we saw under Karl.
I'd feel pretty safe in presuming if Karl had the say he wanted in player acquisition, WCS might be the only of WCS/Rondo/Belinelli/Koufas we'd acquire. Vlade has worked this masterfully, putting the pressure both on Cuz and Karl. For Cuz, you want to be considered a top player, well I just gave you a pretty good supporting cast, you have zero excuses for not leading this team to the playoffs. Karl, I gave you that same talented squad, if you want that win record you're going to have to show you can mold your philosophy to what I just gave you and being stubborn and attempting to turn this squad of half court players into some wannabe track meet will end in you embarrassing yourself.
And these aren't Karl style players. Karl faces a bit of a dilemma. Change his philosophy and tailor a new system around the the style of players we now have, or kiss chasing the win record he wants and possibly his job, goodbye. Denver 2.0 doesn't work with this squad. What he did in 30 games here, doesn't work with this squad. This squad simply cannot and is not built to give up the regular 110 or 115 pt games we saw under Karl.
I'd feel pretty safe in presuming if Karl had the say he wanted in player acquisition, WCS might be the only of WCS/Rondo/Belinelli/Koufas we'd acquire. Vlade has worked this masterfully, putting the pressure both on Cuz and Karl. For Cuz, you want to be considered a top player, well I just gave you a pretty good supporting cast, you have zero excuses for not leading this team to the playoffs. Karl, I gave you that same talented squad, if you want that win record you're going to have to show you can mold your philosophy to what I just gave you and being stubborn and attempting to turn this squad of half court players into some wannabe track meet will end in you embarrassing yourself.
So stipulated.
Which brings me to this important point: WHO THE **** CARES?
My diagnosis is that people are missing the forest for the trees here. I could go off the reservation and speculate that people are so used to being in eternal bunkered down survival rebuild mode that they are afraid to look up. But whatever it is, the focus on oh geez, another encumbered pick can only fascinate if you aren't understanding just what a huge moment in time this is for the franchise. As soon as I heard about the trade I immediately started talking about this as the big play, This was Vlade's first and maybe last stand. He went for it. He was going to try to change the paradigm, to save a flailing and failing franchise. To me the attempt alone was worth any details. At least we were finally going to try. But some held out because being beaten down they were used to attempts always failing, and if it did the wailing and gnashing of teeth would have been deafening. But Vlade didn't fail. And so now even that is off the board. He's had huge transformative summer that renders oh geez I would have liked an extra 4 spots of protection, or oh jeez, I wish we weren't swapping picks in...I mean, WHO THE **** CARES? We are in the midst of our big play to save DeMarcus Cousins, to end a decade of futility, to matter for the first time in forever, and we are going to sit around and gnaw our fingernails over the protection on a pick that might end up as #20 or later if we win our gambit? Who cares. Seriously. We made a play. We're currently winning it. Philly can have the pick, with my compliments.
Which brings me to this important point: WHO THE **** CARES?
My diagnosis is that people are missing the forest for the trees here. I could go off the reservation and speculate that people are so used to being in eternal bunkered down survival rebuild mode that they are afraid to look up. But whatever it is, the focus on oh geez, another encumbered pick can only fascinate if you aren't understanding just what a huge moment in time this is for the franchise. As soon as I heard about the trade I immediately started talking about this as the big play, This was Vlade's first and maybe last stand. He went for it. He was going to try to change the paradigm, to save a flailing and failing franchise. To me the attempt alone was worth any details. At least we were finally going to try. But some held out because being beaten down they were used to attempts always failing, and if it did the wailing and gnashing of teeth would have been deafening. But Vlade didn't fail. And so now even that is off the board. He's had huge transformative summer that renders oh geez I would have liked an extra 4 spots of protection, or oh jeez, I wish we weren't swapping picks in...I mean, WHO THE **** CARES? We are in the midst of our big play to save DeMarcus Cousins, to end a decade of futility, to matter for the first time in forever, and we are going to sit around and gnaw our fingernails over the protection on a pick that might end up as #20 or later if we win our gambit? Who cares. Seriously. We made a play. We're currently winning it. Philly can have the pick, with my compliments.
I think that could be entirely possible, as we only won 44 games that year. If Rondo can play the way he played against Boston when he went back to the Garden for the first time, we really can surprise everyone. We don't need him to hit 5 threes, but if that passion, that fire, that defense come back even at 75%, we will be sitting pretty. I think with Rudy there, and with Cousins clearly a huge fan, he can be the guy that he was once, the guy that sees the play before it happens. He doesn't have to be exactly the same guy he was in Boston because we have Cousins, the most dominant player he has ever played with (KG was declining in 2008 already and Dirk as well). There are a lot of "ifs" but man if they fall in place, look out.
Just "liking" this wasn't enough. Please, Kings fans, READ THIS POST. And, if you must, READ IT AGAIN. And then try and remember ANY time a GM has done so much in just a couple of days to retool a franchise. DMC is happy and we've got every reason to be hopeful about the coming season.
It's a GOOD day to be a Kings fan.
It's a GOOD day to be a Kings fan.
Regarding owing another 1st round draft pick, here's the thing - the Kings haven't got much better via the draft the past 9 years. So the question begs, do you want to continue trying to build that way or try something different? Sure, the Kings aren't likely to acquire a top tier FA, especially during the period of a losing culture. But, as we're now seeing, it's likely they can still improve by acquiring some role players and a former top tier talent who is largely available due to a tarnished rep (anybody remember CWebb?). While it remains to be seen whether Rondo still has what once made him special, it is a gamble worth taking.
I get the argument that the draft pick still owed to Chicago has hampered their ability to make some trades, and, now, the loss of another 1st rounder likely does the same. But that's just the thing ... they just made their big move(s) in order to try to improve now and not 2-3 years down the line. If they need to rely on having the draft pick they sent to Philly in order to make some type of future move, then it's already too late and we've lost Boogie - who is right now our once every 10-15 year franchise type player.
If we starting winning more games, maybe even earn a bottom 4 playoff seed, there a shot to keep Boogie and continue to build around him via FA and trades. The more you win, the easier it is to get FA's to take a flier on your franchise, especially if you have an established star player and a culture of winning. The Kings have an opportunity to do that with Cousins, but they need to get it started now, not in a couple years.
Of course, there is risk in anything you do. But the riskiest thing, IMO, is staying the status quo when it hasn't been working. Everybody knows the definition of insanity.
I get the argument that the draft pick still owed to Chicago has hampered their ability to make some trades, and, now, the loss of another 1st rounder likely does the same. But that's just the thing ... they just made their big move(s) in order to try to improve now and not 2-3 years down the line. If they need to rely on having the draft pick they sent to Philly in order to make some type of future move, then it's already too late and we've lost Boogie - who is right now our once every 10-15 year franchise type player.
If we starting winning more games, maybe even earn a bottom 4 playoff seed, there a shot to keep Boogie and continue to build around him via FA and trades. The more you win, the easier it is to get FA's to take a flier on your franchise, especially if you have an established star player and a culture of winning. The Kings have an opportunity to do that with Cousins, but they need to get it started now, not in a couple years.
Of course, there is risk in anything you do. But the riskiest thing, IMO, is staying the status quo when it hasn't been working. Everybody knows the definition of insanity.
Sort of but I can never put it out of my head way that all ended - outright stolen title, CWebb collapsed under the basket, bittersweet memories as a result. This is new era with new possibilities and don't care to repeat much of anything from old glory days - fun as it was during the run. Give me the new arena, give me an NBA championship, and then one huge parade downtown with BoogieMonster and friends leading the miracle.
Vlade probably owns a lot of nice cabins in Serbia for hunting and special ops operation and also a good place to put some euro players' family as hostage. LOL
Putin probably fears Vlade as well and is now in the process to sign a contract that will give Ukraine to Vlade.
In short, trust in the VladFather Kingsfans. Vivek does not even know the monster (good for us) he just hired.
Putin probably fears Vlade as well and is now in the process to sign a contract that will give Ukraine to Vlade.
In short, trust in the VladFather Kingsfans. Vivek does not even know the monster (good for us) he just hired.
