My interest level in the kings just got a bump from 30% to 50%. Now, please give us an inspired, forward looking new GM who has a clear plan, understands hidden value beyond surface level stats, can extract value from bad contracts, and understands the strategy for building a team in a small market is not the same as LA.
VLADE GONE
- Thread starter SLAB
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Sounds like Walton is safe for now. Well, next season is on path to be wasted. I give him 25 games before that "domino" drops anyway. No more mid-season crap Vivek! Good god. When you ****ing fire your GM, HIS coach HAS to go with him. Especially when that coach is on a direct path to incinerating your locker room as it is. For the first time ever the Kings finally had a scenario where at least the coach and GM were in lockstep. There is no smart way to make roster moves with any consideration to Luke Walton. None.
The new GM won’t have traded my favorite player of my lifetime, picked Not Luka at #2 and then declined my current favorite players option for no reason at all. I can take bad, I have for years. I can’t take soul-sucking ineptitude and it will take at least years to get back that point again. 
The new GM won’t have traded my favorite player of my lifetime, picked Not Luka at #2 and then declined my current favorite players option for no reason at all. I can take bad, I have for years. I can’t take soul-sucking ineptitude and it will take at least years to get back that point again.
I look at Dumar's later track record and destroying the Pistons franchise and I just get bored. Milquetoast bad contracts and trades.
Boring.
Meanwhile, Vladés moves are just brainmeltingly stupid. Like you can't even comprehend how this was a thing that happened.
Talking about fit with your #2 pick, picking an inferior talent and the worst fit available then manufacturing reasons for why to go against the consensus.
Trading a recent lotto pick, a FRP, and 2 swaps for absolutely nothing.
Panic trading your star and losing out on a better deal because you literally don't know how to work a phone.
Declining the option on a recent FRP to motivate him into a better contract even though that is FACTUALLY not a thing.
Vlade Divac. Good basketball player. Great man. Not so good GM. Thank you, Vlade.
As for GM. Jump all over Morey the second he is available.
No thanks to Hinkie - his draft records is spotty. Yeah he got #1 picks and selected the correct players in Embiid and Simmons. But he took Okafor over Porzingis. Also, the Noel pick was not so hot (could have taken Giannis - but who knew what he would become?).
I think Luke has to be gone. We can't really afford to have a lame duck coach - unless he is going to be a tank commander.
As for GM. Jump all over Morey the second he is available.
No thanks to Hinkie - his draft records is spotty. Yeah he got #1 picks and selected the correct players in Embiid and Simmons. But he took Okafor over Porzingis. Also, the Noel pick was not so hot (could have taken Giannis - but who knew what he would become?).
I think Luke has to be gone. We can't really afford to have a lame duck coach - unless he is going to be a tank commander.
If I remember correctly the talk was that Darko would take some time to develop but ultimately be a top five big in the league worthy of going at the second overall pick and that fit perfectly with the Pistons timeline since they were already contenders with a really good big man rotation already in place. Unfortunately Darko had the mental toughness and maturity of a middle schooler and just flamed out.
Has to, just on the basis that he's clearly already lost his team. Factoring in he was the total choice of your ousted GM this isn't a workable situation and just common freaking sense that he has to go. This is also unfortunately a team you can't tank command. They are too talented and too experienced to completely tank and if they do you're watching all trade value drain if the idea is to rebuild.
Now the worst part of sticking with Luke and playing the long game is there will likely be a few legit candidates hitting the market this summer and ones out there already that were more highly valued than the guy your ousted GM chose. Quit wasting time Vivek. Don't let people trying to gain a foothold on a position by using clock mess this up more than it already is. You already watched what was OBVIOUSLY your backup coaching option in Igor get tired of waiting. Jump on it Vivek! Before it's too late.
Now the worst part of sticking with Luke and playing the long game is there will likely be a few legit candidates hitting the market this summer and ones out there already that were more highly valued than the guy your ousted GM chose. Quit wasting time Vivek. Don't let people trying to gain a foothold on a position by using clock mess this up more than it already is. You already watched what was OBVIOUSLY your backup coaching option in Igor get tired of waiting. Jump on it Vivek! Before it's too late.
Hinkie's asset collection was phenomenal, true. Other GMs had done similar things, but Hinkie basically took that philosophy to the extreme. Asset collection is great - but you have to draft well, too. And I think that's where Hinkie did not shine. But hey - if he learned from his poor draft choices and gets some great scouts...sure give him another shot.
Hinkie's process lead to finding 2 of the best young players in the league, one of the top role players in the NBA in Covington and the best accumulation of draft capital in NBA history. Not his fault his amazing work got botched by the GM's after him. Even still, the Sixers have been a 50+ win team the last 2-3 years.
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