The Kings Future Might Be Brighter than One Thinks
The volcanic expressions of the Cousins trade have begun to die down having been tampered by the Nuggets game and the play of Willie, Skal and Buddy. The bench of kids that one night scored 72 points. Think about that, 72 points! And they looked good doing it.
A quick return to reality banged them in the chops in the next game against a defensive minded Hornets team. But a quick vision of possibilities had reared its head and got many of us a buzz a long time coming. Skal's rebounding aggressiveness and shooting, Willies scoring and defense, and Buddy's shot, sweet and quick from anywhere, were essential ingredients for Coach Joeger to cook up a better team.
In the Hornet game it was apparent (to me at least) that Tyreke was not a fit, he'd lost a step and reminded me of a 6-5 version of "he who shall not be named", iso's and all.
So Skal and Buddy, both first year rookies are keepers, Willie had a break out for which we'd all been waiting, Calloway was a zero in too few minutes to evaluate, and Richardson, unfortunately injured, is the new Ice Man and plays the NBA game.
Coming down the pipeline is Bogdanovich a super shooting guard who just scored 27 points in a top Euro game in Turkey and, requiring uncharacteristic luck, the remote chance the Kings could have two, yes 2, first round picks, their own and NOLA's, in the coming loaded draft. Then there is Big Papa, their 7-2 project in Reno, who has shown some really good shooting and ball handling skills along with a big bunch of D-League shot blocking. He needs to cook in the Vlade stew for awhile in Reno, but he's only 19!
So Bogs, Big Papa, Malachi, Buddy, Skal, and Willie, a young core to build around. Add in a couple of new draftees, plus vets like Lawson, Tolliver, Koufos, and a couple key FA's and next year should see the playoffs then maybe a couple slots higher the year after.
The volcanic expressions of the Cousins trade have begun to die down having been tampered by the Nuggets game and the play of Willie, Skal and Buddy. The bench of kids that one night scored 72 points. Think about that, 72 points! And they looked good doing it.
A quick return to reality banged them in the chops in the next game against a defensive minded Hornets team. But a quick vision of possibilities had reared its head and got many of us a buzz a long time coming. Skal's rebounding aggressiveness and shooting, Willies scoring and defense, and Buddy's shot, sweet and quick from anywhere, were essential ingredients for Coach Joeger to cook up a better team.
In the Hornet game it was apparent (to me at least) that Tyreke was not a fit, he'd lost a step and reminded me of a 6-5 version of "he who shall not be named", iso's and all.
So Skal and Buddy, both first year rookies are keepers, Willie had a break out for which we'd all been waiting, Calloway was a zero in too few minutes to evaluate, and Richardson, unfortunately injured, is the new Ice Man and plays the NBA game.
Coming down the pipeline is Bogdanovich a super shooting guard who just scored 27 points in a top Euro game in Turkey and, requiring uncharacteristic luck, the remote chance the Kings could have two, yes 2, first round picks, their own and NOLA's, in the coming loaded draft. Then there is Big Papa, their 7-2 project in Reno, who has shown some really good shooting and ball handling skills along with a big bunch of D-League shot blocking. He needs to cook in the Vlade stew for awhile in Reno, but he's only 19!
So Bogs, Big Papa, Malachi, Buddy, Skal, and Willie, a young core to build around. Add in a couple of new draftees, plus vets like Lawson, Tolliver, Koufos, and a couple key FA's and next year should see the playoffs then maybe a couple slots higher the year after.
