Alvin Gentry next to coach Kings

#65
Yeah, there is a very short time to turn this around now, and truthfully this isn't totally fair to Gentry. Last year he could have had a McMillan turnaround. Now he's up against it. There is no amount of showcasing possible with Bagley. Teams are 100 percent sure the Kings won't match a deal on him this summer. They'll wait. Or they should at least.
I don't think Gentry is capable of a turnaround, I think he is an interim ride out the season guy. That was fine after the first or second losing streak last season. Unacceptable with 65 games remaining.
 
#66
oh no. I don't understand the fascination around Bobby Jackson being HC. He has no proven track record.

Bobby Jackson's resume:
  • 2010-2012: Kings player developmental coach and regional scout
  • 2013: T-Wolves player developmental coach
  • 2015-2018: Kings college scout
  • 2018-2020: Kings assistant coach
  • 2021: Stockton head coach
We need to look outside of the organization for help. Vlade and Peja were failures for the team.
How exactly does one get a proven track record? Mike Malone's first head coach stop was here, and firing him was a reactionary mistake. What in Bobby's resume prevents him from getting consideration as a head coach in Sacramento? What would you say he needs to get consideration from you?
 
#67
"proven track record" we aren't getting someone who doesn't fall into "retread" category. A lot of the old guard is out of ideas. You just have to be careful finding a top assistant vs. a HOF guy coasting on name.
 
#70
How exactly does one get a proven track record? Mike Malone's first head coach stop was here, and firing him was a reactionary mistake. What in Bobby's resume prevents him from getting consideration as a head coach in Sacramento? What would you say he needs to get consideration from you?
And just like a young player that hasn't proven to suck yet as opposed to one that has, they have "upside". It's an actual thing that matters when you are sputtering along like this franchise has been. The difference with Bobby is that he's already been a part of this organization, has worked in coaching for nearly a decade now at some capacity, and just led this team to the only success it has seen since a previous summer league title, which was captured under Mike Malones head coaching watch BTW. The difference is Bobby actually went AGAINST the main teams coaches system to win it. And Bobby wasn't a part of Lukes coaching staff this year BTW. This all seems so odd to me. Bobby isn't on Luke staff this season yet he won. Hmmmm....
 
#71
I don’t know if Bobby would be a good coach but I won’t out right dismiss him just because he is a long time King. Monte needs to find a coach that can motivate in the right way and make adjustments throughout the game. To me that is the main role of an NBA head coach.
Exactly, him being a long time King is irrelevant tbh. Making decisions based off if he was a long time King or not seems about as poor of an evaluating move as any. He should be evaluated on his merits and ability as a coach.

Let's see what he does in Stockton this year
 
#72
Fine I'll do it.

I'll be the 1st to jump on the gentry train. We are going to be in the play in this season. We are going to play faster and funner. The team is going to run people out of the gym. He will finish with a winning record this year. WRITE IT DOWN
 
#74
Exactly, him being a long time King is irrelevant tbh. Making decisions based off if he was a long time King or not seems about as poor of an evaluating move as any. He should be evaluated on his merits and ability as a coach.

Let's see what he does in Stockton this year
And if he does succeed considering all of his major talent is on the yank back and forth/two way/rookie list, then them not hiring him is crazy, lol.
 
#75
I don’t know if Bobby would be a good coach but I won’t out right dismiss him just because he is a long time King. Monte needs to find a coach that can motivate in the right way and make adjustments throughout the game. To me that is the main role of an NBA head coach.
Setting a competent rotation and rewarding success, calling a timeout during a cold streak, and sitting a guy who gets cold these are things Walton struggled with. I didn't think Joerger was really great at these either, but Walton was a massive downgrade. We've been starved for a long time fam.
 
#76
Fine I'll do it.

I'll be the 1st to jump on the gentry train. We are going to be in the play in this season. We are going to play faster and funner. The team is going to run people out of the gym. He will finish with a winning record this year. WRITE IT DOWN
I share your enthusiasm too. Simply put, I've always looked at Luke Walton as a dumpster fire and he was definitely not utilizing our roster to its fullest, which makes me feel that the team, this roster that we were raving about a month ago, is capable of much more. I'm not sure if coach Gentry is the long term answer but the way I see it, he's as much a player's coach as Walton was and he has about a couple decades worth of experience over Walton in coaching. Frankly I just can't see this not at least goes in the right direction from now on.

Plus, this is now officially the "McNair era", there will be no more obvious scapegoat and having seen his trades (ones that gone thru and the ones that didnt) and his drafts, I am confident to see how he really wants to mold the team.
 

Warhawk

The cake is a lie.
Staff member
#77
The Kings are like a patient in the ER. The patient has a serious infection, a non-lethal gunshot wound, and a broken bone. Everyone saying firing Luke isn't the answer because of the roster and (mis-)management is basically saying don't treat the infection with antibiotics because the patient has other serious medical issues as well.

Maybe so, but it is the easiest to take care of and still needed to be done. You can do more than one thing at a time. And if the doctor isn't in to re-set the bone or fix up the gunshot wound, at least you can start getting the infection under control first.

Nobody is saying that Gentry is the cure-all. But maybe he's the antibiotic that gets the infection under control in the short term. Luke never should have been hired. It's been a 2+ year infection that we are now finally deciding to treat.
 
#78
I am going to briefly delurk to unleash a ferocious SMH and remind everybody one more time why this fanbase is so tortured:

Of 37 years of Kings basketball, the Sacramento Kings have been in the bottom half of the league defensively 31 of the 37 years. They have been in the bottom half of the league defensively for 16 (SIXTEEN) straight years since firing Adelman.

Now you are going to place Alvin Gentry in charge of the league's least defensive, and not coincidentally least successful franchise. Here are the ranks of Alvin's scoring defenses as a head coach (full year only) for the past 15 years:

19-20 NOP 27th in NBA
18-19 NOP 27th in NBA
17-18 NOP 29th in NBA
16-17 NOP 17th in NBA
15-16 NOP 26th in NBA
-----------
11-12 PHX 21st in NBA
10-11 PHX 29th in NBA
09-10 PHX 26th in NBA

Maybe the old man surprises and reinvents himself, but ever since being exposed to Mike D'Antoni, uptempo defenseless play has been his trademark, and if he's had any more success than the average Sacramento coach it has solely been due to the presence of several first ballot HOFs on his rosters. His teams with A.D. in the middle and Jrue Holiday at the point, STILL couldn't stop anybody. It's because he valued running and scoring above all else. Which puts him solidly in the 37 year long tradition of the Sacramento Kings.

Good luck guys.
Defense wins.
 
#80
How exactly does one get a proven track record? Mike Malone's first head coach stop was here, and firing him was a reactionary mistake. What in Bobby's resume prevents him from getting consideration as a head coach in Sacramento? What would you say he needs to get consideration from you?
Just in the NBA alone, look at where Malone was before he got here:

  • 2001-2005: Knicks assistant
  • 2005-2010: Cavaliers assistant
  • 2010-2011: Pelicans assistant
  • 2011-2013: Warriors assistant
He spent 13 years as an assistant for 4 different teams. That's a lot different than Bobby Jackson who spent all but 1 year with the Kings in differing positions from player development, to scout, and an assistant.

Hiring him would just feel like an in-house hire of a big unknown. Personally, for me to consider him, I'd want to see him coach a couple years with Stockton. There are better candidates out there. If we're looking at former NBA players-turned-coaches, Sam Cassell is a much better candidate.
 
#81
While it is early season and plenty of games left. I’m tossin this season out unless they start playing consistently which I will check in and see what you guys say. Next years draft doesn’t seem all that great either but tanking for a top pick would get us a wing!
 
#83
In the playoffs yes, in the regular season, no. I mean, look at the Bucks last year. They adapted their game to suit the regular season and then went more defense in the postseason. Last year in the regular season they dropped from 1st to 9th in defensive rating but they jumped nearly 5 points in offensive rating as well. In the playoffs they jumped back to 1st in defense.
 
#84
In the playoffs yes, in the regular season, no. I mean, look at the Bucks last year. They adapted their game to suit the regular season and then went more defense in the postseason. Last year in the regular season they dropped from 1st to 9th in defensive rating but they jumped nearly 5 points in offensive rating as well. In the playoffs they jumped back to 1st in defense.
If it works in the playoffs, it’ll work in the regular season.
 
#85
Well….we do have a bunch of guards to speed up the game. There have been complaints that Fox doesn’t go fast enough anymore. Monday is the first test
I wanted Luke gone as much as anyone, but will note that he repeatedly said the team had to run more, play faster. But it's very hard to ramp up that transition offensive game if you can't control your defensive boards - and the Kings rank 29th out of 30 team in defensive rebound %.

And an important part of the reason the Kings are so terrible on the defensive boards, by the way, is that our guards are terrible. Fox grabs 3.4 boards/36; Davion gets 3.7. By comparison, Chris "One Foot in the Grave" Paul gets 4.7 per 36.
 
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#86
If it works in the playoffs, it’ll work in the regular season.
It depends on your talent. Being a small team, or antiquated big team depending on the desperate move of the day, of mostly offensive talent puts them in a position where it makes more sense to probably go all in on offense than trying balance or defense. They lack the size on the wing necessary to be a versatile defensive team and are imbalanced in general. I agree though, defense is a good idea but you have to understand the modern game basically only allows one style of defense and that is a versatile switch scheme. Don't believe me? Ask the Jazz. DPOY Gobert cost them a shot at a western finals all by himself when the Clipps put PG13 up against him head to head. I think if the Kings do what Bobby did in summer league and play a pressure scheme, even with the guards available, they can be unique on that end.
 
#87
I agree with Monte which is why I was pushing for a D'Antonni change last year. But if Gentry still remember his playbook for that Western Conference run with PHX, Kings could be in for a good show. That PHX team with Amare at C and Nash on full throttle can compete pretty well in this era of NBA which guard heavy and undersized Cs.

I have a feeling that Hali-Holmes free throw line pick-and-roll was from Gentry, it just smells very Nash-Amare play to me. And it was one of the efficient plays called this year. Luke would just call a Buddy or a Fox 3 down the last 3 mins of the game.
 
#88
Just in the NBA alone, look at where Malone was before he got here:

  • 2001-2005: Knicks assistant
  • 2005-2010: Cavaliers assistant
  • 2010-2011: Pelicans assistant
  • 2011-2013: Warriors assistant
He spent 13 years as an assistant for 4 different teams. That's a lot different than Bobby Jackson who spent all but 1 year with the Kings in differing positions from player development, to scout, and an assistant.

Hiring him would just feel like an in-house hire of a big unknown. Personally, for me to consider him, I'd want to see him coach a couple years with Stockton. There are better candidates out there. If we're looking at former NBA players-turned-coaches, Sam Cassell is a much better candidate.
he also was recommended by jerry west. that's kind of a big deal
 
#90
It depends on your talent. Being a small team, or antiquated big team depending on the desperate move of the day, of mostly offensive talent puts them in a position where it makes more sense to probably go all in on offense than trying balance or defense. They lack the size on the wing necessary to be a versatile defensive team and are imbalanced in general. I agree though, defense is a good idea but you have to understand the modern game basically only allows one style of defense and that is a versatile switch scheme. Don't believe me? Ask the Jazz. DPOY Gobert cost them a shot at a western finals all by himself when the Clipps put PG13 up against him head to head. I think if the Kings do what Bobby did in summer league and play a pressure scheme, even with the guards available, they can be unique on that end.
Talent matters, sure. But half the team is leaking out, missing assignments, failing to box out, half heartedly staying in front of their man, not fighting through screens…that’s perspective, grit, and work ethic.