Rondo to the Bulls
- Thread starter Blob
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One thing here is I hope the lines of communication are wide open between Joerger, Vlade and Cuz during this period. He's off prepping for the Olympics and getting updates on his phone and seeing all kinds of crazy numbers and big names flying about...and seeing us follow up the relatively no-name draft by picking up minor-roleplayers and letting Rondo walk. Its important he is kept in the loop on what this process is about so he doesn't react like many on this board and go WTF? How am I supposed to....!?!
If we do indeed follow this up with a Rudy trade, and quite possibly Ben and Kosta trades as well, its really a new start here under a new theory of how to build a team. We've got no choice but to trust Vlade/Joerger trying to build a scrappy young roleplaying team, because we're nto going to be able to measure it in traditional proven talent ways.
If you look a the contracts and whatnot we're handing out, I highly suspecct that what Joerger would like to do is build a scrappy defensive hard working culture around Cuz pummeling in the middle, and then have a whole crapload of capspace next year to either a) pitch to big name free agents to come join an already established strong support group of roleplayers with a major star; or 2) if it fails, to be able to bail out and go full rebuild.
If you look a the contracts and whatnot we're handing out, I highly suspecct that what Joerger would like to do is build a scrappy defensive hard working culture around Cuz pummeling in the middle, and then have a whole crapload of capspace next year to either a) pitch to big name free agents to come join an already established strong support group of roleplayers with a major star; or 2) if it fails, to be able to bail out and go full rebuild.
One thing I keep reminding myself is that Coach Joerger and his staff in Memphis lead a team that saw 28 different players suit up to a playoff birth. In the West.
This is Coach Joerger, Vlade's, and Ken Catanella's first year together shaping this franchise into whatever vision they think will return it to a position of relevance and not just an easy punchline.
Although in a vacuum a lot of moves may not make sense, the Kings are here to stay. And in the grand scheme of things, a long term vision must be employed for once if we are ever to break the cycle we have suffered for the last ten plus years.
I remain optimistic that they have a plan and that it will work, because frankly, I see no point in giving up already. Not to say anyone has.
Just my useless ramblings though so..
This is Coach Joerger, Vlade's, and Ken Catanella's first year together shaping this franchise into whatever vision they think will return it to a position of relevance and not just an easy punchline.
Although in a vacuum a lot of moves may not make sense, the Kings are here to stay. And in the grand scheme of things, a long term vision must be employed for once if we are ever to break the cycle we have suffered for the last ten plus years.
I remain optimistic that they have a plan and that it will work, because frankly, I see no point in giving up already. Not to say anyone has.
Just my useless ramblings though so..
Not too bummed about this.
Rondo's numbers belied his crappy impact. And his defense was absolute doo-doo.
Iffy attitude as well (this statement is based off his career, not just last season, in which Karl poisoned the culture of the entire team), which is why I think we're trying to move Rudy as well.
I'll miss seeing those 20 assist games though....
Anyways, good luck Rondo!
Aside: dang, are we ever thin at PG! I dig DC as the starter, but who is backing him up?
Rondo's numbers belied his crappy impact. And his defense was absolute doo-doo.
Iffy attitude as well (this statement is based off his career, not just last season, in which Karl poisoned the culture of the entire team), which is why I think we're trying to move Rudy as well.
I'll miss seeing those 20 assist games though....
Anyways, good luck Rondo!
Aside: dang, are we ever thin at PG! I dig DC as the starter, but who is backing him up?
I guess now I know how the Isaiah Thomas fans feel. $14 million a year under a $94-110 million dollar cap is a very reasonable deal. We're going to be spending 29 million dollars next season alone for Arron Afflalo, Anthony Tolliver, and Garrett Temple. That's more than what Rondo just signed for and his is spread out over 2 years. Money obviously had nothing to do with it. I can't help feeling like the writing's on the wall for us. We needed a huge off-season to restore some hope and instead we had, well, basically an average Sacramento Kings off-season. Our 2 key free agents went elsewhere and we overpaid some mid-tier veterans to fill out the roster. This is what drove me crazy about Geoff Petrie -- every year he would dole out his helping of cap space on filler instead of targeting key players. The quality of your top 3 or 4 guys more often than not is what determines your winning potential. Nobody we've signed comes close to mattering in that context.
It's great that we haven't spent crazy money, but if spending crazy money is what it takes to win, where does that leave us? Boston spent crazy money on Al Horford but now they have Al freakin' Horford on their team next season for the same amount of money we're paying Afflalo, Tolliver, and Temple. I'd rather the team overspend if that's what the market dictates and actually put a competitive product on the floor. Sure other teams are crazy to be signing these big contracts, but contracts don't play basketball. There are 30 teams trying to win so the market dictates the value of those players. And once the season starts, the numbers don't matter. What matters is who you have on the floor. If this is the strategy we're going to take, we're already re-building. It's just a matter of time before the other shoe drops.
It's great that we haven't spent crazy money, but if spending crazy money is what it takes to win, where does that leave us? Boston spent crazy money on Al Horford but now they have Al freakin' Horford on their team next season for the same amount of money we're paying Afflalo, Tolliver, and Temple. I'd rather the team overspend if that's what the market dictates and actually put a competitive product on the floor. Sure other teams are crazy to be signing these big contracts, but contracts don't play basketball. There are 30 teams trying to win so the market dictates the value of those players. And once the season starts, the numbers don't matter. What matters is who you have on the floor. If this is the strategy we're going to take, we're already re-building. It's just a matter of time before the other shoe drops.
We aren't done yet and trades can be made during the season too. Don't start counting your eggs yet because the basket isn't completely full at the moment. Even if we DO blow it up in a year or two, it's not the end of the world either. To be honest, there is one trade I keep thinking about that involves our star player that I actually would do, but it would mean some growing pains for us. Tis for another thread though, I'm afraid to even bring it up for sheer backlash haha
This is very disconcerting to me.
My slim hopes for this team have dwindled down year after year, leaving me with the potentially-false hope that Demarcus just needs the right player(s) and coach around him to get his head out of his ass and play hard every play, every night, and become a competitive team instead of wilting when the going gets tough.
If young guys who never get better, and vets like Rudy Gay AND Rajon Rondo aren't conducive to making a remotely competitive team with Demarcus, I really don't see how this season could realistically be any better than the constant failure and on-court embarrassment of the last ten years.
My slim hopes for this team have dwindled down year after year, leaving me with the potentially-false hope that Demarcus just needs the right player(s) and coach around him to get his head out of his ass and play hard every play, every night, and become a competitive team instead of wilting when the going gets tough.
If young guys who never get better, and vets like Rudy Gay AND Rajon Rondo aren't conducive to making a remotely competitive team with Demarcus, I really don't see how this season could realistically be any better than the constant failure and on-court embarrassment of the last ten years.
Which begs the question -- if we had no desire to bring him back, why didn't we attempt to sign a PG with our cap space? We signed a redundant combo forward and two shooting guards. Maybe Temple can play some PG but we have Collison here for one more year and then he's going to be getting $100 million from somebody at the rate contracts are going up. We let Seth Curry go. Leaving Isaiah Cousins -- the 59th pick in the draft -- as our only long-term option at PG right now. He's going to lead a playoff team? Sounds a lot like a re-build to me. Sure we don't know yet who Rudy Gay is going to be traded for, if he gets traded at all. But very little of this makes any sense to me from the point of view of a team attempting to get better on the floor.
And a big part of the future is that they really do have to nail the draft. Vlade really thinks Papa can be great and so he took best available in his eyes....someone who can be an all-star. I sure hope he's right.
And the other part is that this won't be the last time he dips into the Euro league to get a guy.
And the other part is that this won't be the last time he dips into the Euro league to get a guy.
Judging by the moves so far I think the plan going into FA was to use the cap space on a starting shooting guard and a stretch 4 and then let Rondo walk and adress the point guard situation by trade. Thats why we chased Ryan Anderson and Courtney Lee. We didnt get them and tuened to plan B which was Tolliver instead of Anderson and Afflalo + Temple instead of Courtney Lee. So I guess we are already working the phones to get a new point guard by trade or with the rest of our cap space.
We absolutely got creamed if talent was the goal, but I'm not convinced it was.
Now, you have to be a little careful here, because this is also what a coach will do if he is weak and insecure, but its not impossible at all for a new coach to come in and a want to change the culture and here is the key risky part: want to eliminate dissonant egos/competing voices in the lockerroom. Want to create a clean structure. Vicek stay out of it. Vlade be hands off. Joerger --> Cuz --> peons. Straight line. No competing egos. Fill the roster with roelplayers who know what their role is and don't dream big, and kids who you can mold to be that sort of player. Have Cuz be even more Cuyz than ever, the unquestioned oncourt leader. Everybody looks to him and plays off of him.
And so its a culture change, and a change in team structure. For the moment having other talented pieces next to Cuz isn't as important as getting the franchise to speak with one cohesive voice and play with one purpose. No side agendas.
On 2001-02 the San Antonio Spurs won 58 games in a season with their big C/PF averaging a very familiar feeling 25.5pts 12.7reb 3.7ast in a grinding 40.6min/gm. There was no second option. teh ghosts of David Raobinson and Steve Smith were the 2nd and 3rd leading scorers at 12.2pt and 11.6pts a game. Tony Parker was a rookie who averaged 9.2pts 4.3ast on .419 shooting.
Now none of our non-2nd/3rd options has the pedigree and residual talent of an Admiral or Smith, unless it be caron -- be interesting to see if he gets back into the rotation. But assuming the idiot doesn't miss a chunk of the season for hitting a woman, Collison, Omri and to a lesser degree Afflalo might all be able to chip in with those sort of 13-15ppg support scoring nights. If Bogdan comes over that's another weapon. Then some spot shooters to convert open looks, and length and defense to keep the opposing team under 100. If Cuz stays healthy and thumps inside for big nights its a structure that can work....at least until you are able to finally bring back in one or two major talents to support your main guy.
I can't believe we let a guy who will at least get a couple of hall of fame votes walk away without much of a whisper, for next to nothing. His contract isn't even fully guaranteed the season after this.
In any case, for a team that can't attract FAs and has drafted like crap, we have been alarmingly cavalier about letting the little talent we do get walk out the door. Of course a contributing factor to why we have been so miserable for so long.
I am rather taking it on faith than anything else that this time we have a coach with a plan to make this particular sacrifice work.
I wasn't sure until today, but I guarantee you it's going to happen at some point. No sense worrying about it any longer. Have we ever drafted a player that stayed in Sacramento for their whole career anyway? Oakland traded Yoenis Cespedes and Josh Donaldson -- they suck now but I still watch them. The Niners gutted a Super Bowl team -- they suck now but I still watch them. All this armchair GM stuff passes the time, but ultimately it matters little if I can put together a championship level team on paper or not. Sooner or later you just have to realize that sports teams rise and fall at the whims of their owners. I'm not even sure if we saved this team anymore. Vivek put up the money and got the arena built so technically he saved the team. We're allowed to believe we played a role in it so long as they can continue to sell us jerseys and season tickets. The rest of the league tolerates a team in Sacramento only because we spend money. Maybe I don't need to be a fan of a particular team to enjoy watching basketball anymore. I'm an adult now -- I can see what's actually going on. The NBA exists to make money just like Star Wars exists to make money. The only reality in any of it is the individual players working hard to make a living playing professional sports for as long as they can until their body or talent tops out and they've got to find something else to do. I don't need an arbitrary jersey to appreciate excellence, hard work, determination, failure, perseverance. Once a King, always a King. That applies to players. I wonder if it could apply to fans too?