Building around a Fox/Sabonis core
- Thread starter funkykingston
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Looks like the Kings are going to get two seconds this year. Would love to come away with two of the following: Jacquez, Mayer, Juzang. Jacquez has a more well rounded game than Juzang while Mayer is somewhere between Birdman and Herb Jones. Juzang is a scorer, but doesn’t provide the other things that Jacquez does. Al. Thre3 will be 5-10 year pros.
Holmgren and Sabonis would be interesting. Chet needs to be able to hit the NBA 3 at a good clip and improve his FTA% but to me the two biggest hurdles for him will be (a) proving he can guard on the perimeter without being consistently burned and (b) showing that he can make teams pay when they guard him with a 6'5" wing. But he has a lot of tools in his toolbox and has a swagger and toughness despite his skinny frame.
He and Jabari Smith Jr are the two best fits at the very top of the draft IMO. Banchero and Ivey are good (I especially like Ivey) but neither is an ideal fit now that the team is based around Sabonis and Fox.
If the Kings are picking in the late lottery I think Tari Eason and Kendall Brown are the best fits. Eason plays a bit wild and currently isn't a playmaker at all really, but should be a major defensive disruptor. He'd need to hit outside shots consistently to be a great fit next to Sabonis, but I love watching him play on both ends. He's good athletically and picks up steals and blocks at a good clip.
Brown also needs to pick up the 3 part to be a 3&D wing which is an issue, but he's a fantastic cutter (great with Fox and Sabonis), a very smart passer, a versatile defender who can guard 1-4 and plays the passing lanes well, and a monster athlete.
On paper Keegan Murray seems like an ideal fit next to Sabonis as he can shoot from outside and has good block and steal numbers. But when I watch him I feel like he's not athletic enough for those numbers to translate to the next level. He can bully guys on the college level to put up good numbers but I don't think he'll have that success against NBA players. He's also older than Eason, despite being a sophomore and has a low defensive plus/minus. I could definitely be wrong, but I'm just not super high on him.
He and Jabari Smith Jr are the two best fits at the very top of the draft IMO. Banchero and Ivey are good (I especially like Ivey) but neither is an ideal fit now that the team is based around Sabonis and Fox.
If the Kings are picking in the late lottery I think Tari Eason and Kendall Brown are the best fits. Eason plays a bit wild and currently isn't a playmaker at all really, but should be a major defensive disruptor. He'd need to hit outside shots consistently to be a great fit next to Sabonis, but I love watching him play on both ends. He's good athletically and picks up steals and blocks at a good clip.
Brown also needs to pick up the 3 part to be a 3&D wing which is an issue, but he's a fantastic cutter (great with Fox and Sabonis), a very smart passer, a versatile defender who can guard 1-4 and plays the passing lanes well, and a monster athlete.
On paper Keegan Murray seems like an ideal fit next to Sabonis as he can shoot from outside and has good block and steal numbers. But when I watch him I feel like he's not athletic enough for those numbers to translate to the next level. He can bully guys on the college level to put up good numbers but I don't think he'll have that success against NBA players. He's also older than Eason, despite being a sophomore and has a low defensive plus/minus. I could definitely be wrong, but I'm just not super high on him.
Jacquez concerns me as a guy who isn't a great athlete and who also doesn't shoot a great percentage from 3 or the FT line. I'm more okay with Juzang this year now that Buddy and Haliburton are gone. He may last until the Kings second 2nd rounder. He could also go undrafted and would definitely be worth a SL invite if he does.
A guy I like in the 2nd is Jordan Hall. He'd provide another facilitator/connector/big PG off the bench which could work well if the Kings reserve backcourt is Mitchell and Davis.
A guy I like in the 2nd is Jordan Hall. He'd provide another facilitator/connector/big PG off the bench which could work well if the Kings reserve backcourt is Mitchell and Davis.
Eason is next on my list to check out, but agreed on the Murray take. He's fine and I think should be a good enough 9-15 pick that'll help, but I'm not super bullish on his star upside. Big issue is his team needs him to literally carry all the scoring, so we don't get to see much versatility in his offensive game. And you have to wonder if he's just bullying sub-par competition, but it's still pretty dang impressive he can handle a 30% USG rate with a 64% TS. Every opposing defense knows where the ball is going and they can't stop him. I think it's reasonable if you lessen the offensive load, that he could be a little more consistent of a spacer.
In terms of free agents I think can really help (since it looks like we'll have some potential cap space), I really like Caleb Martin as a glove fit with the starters. I'd prefer Cody Martin (and would actually love to pair them up again), but the Hornets control his RFA status and bird rights, so he may be a little difficult to pull from them. The Heat don't have Caleb's bird rights and as an over the cap team, they won't have any recourse to keep him.
But Caleb has had a real break-out this year after Cody being the better brother their first two years in the league. 6'5 with a 6'10 wingspan gives him the awesome frame you want from a wing and he's a high level defender that can check 1-4 and very switchable. He'll be able to flex with Barnes depending on the match-up, which I think is ideal for the right forward partner. The shooting has come around this season which has just sky-rocketed his overall value and impact. He's an incredibly smart player (you have to be to get on the floor for Miami) and while not near the passer his brother is, he's still a guy who will be able to move the ball in a team concept and make the right read. He'll be another excellent off-ball/cutter weapon for Sabonis too.
He'd give the Kings a truly awesome stable of wings (DDV, Holiday, Martin) that all play defense at multiple positions, high bball IQ, can space the floor, can be high level off-ball movers and should fit flawlessly with the Fox/Sabonis/Barnes/Mitchell core. These are the archetypes the Kings need to be putting around the more offense focused/weaker defense Fox/Barnes/Sabonis.
But Caleb has had a real break-out this year after Cody being the better brother their first two years in the league. 6'5 with a 6'10 wingspan gives him the awesome frame you want from a wing and he's a high level defender that can check 1-4 and very switchable. He'll be able to flex with Barnes depending on the match-up, which I think is ideal for the right forward partner. The shooting has come around this season which has just sky-rocketed his overall value and impact. He's an incredibly smart player (you have to be to get on the floor for Miami) and while not near the passer his brother is, he's still a guy who will be able to move the ball in a team concept and make the right read. He'll be another excellent off-ball/cutter weapon for Sabonis too.
He'd give the Kings a truly awesome stable of wings (DDV, Holiday, Martin) that all play defense at multiple positions, high bball IQ, can space the floor, can be high level off-ball movers and should fit flawlessly with the Fox/Sabonis/Barnes/Mitchell core. These are the archetypes the Kings need to be putting around the more offense focused/weaker defense Fox/Barnes/Sabonis.
We got top candidate in waiting right here, right now. Sitting next to papa Gentry every game, getting a few games under his belt as substitute head coach after Walton fired. DC the ultimate Pete Caril disciple who perhaps more than any other Kings player during golden era exhibited defense, passing, and toughness.
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I think if they make the play in, monte will keep gentry around TBH. That said, the guy i really want next to sabonis is Bobby Portis. 38% from the 3, good rebound, not the best shot blocker but an excellent defender. Has grit. I remember when he knocked out his own teammate (mirotic) for talking crap. The other guy is a center and probably cheaper but is Naz Reid (35% 3pt shooter, and gets 8pts/4 reb/1blk IN 15MIN!). Super athletic and a bit of a brute/enforcer to bring needed toughness and attitude.
Mo Bamba is a free agent this off season, someone like him might be good next to Sabonis. He is huge, moves well enough to guard the PF spot, and isn't a bad 3 pt shooter. He does have issues on defense, doesn't have a great motor, bites way too much on pump fakes, and positioning can be suspect at times. But he great weakside shot blocking, defends the pick and roll decently thanks to his agility and extreme length.
I think with him it might be a Harrison Barnes type situation, when he was in Dallas. He is expected to be a #1 or #2 option, but he is not that guy. Here he would be 4th at best, and he can just shoot threes and block shots, the things he is good at.
He is by no means perfect, but I saw this posted on an Orlando forum:
• When Mo is on the bench, teams take 31.6% of their shots at the rim against us - which is about 14th in the league. When Mo is on the floor it drops to 28% of their attempts which is good for 1st in the league. His differential (on/off) ranks 89th percentile amongst big men.
• As a team, we give up the 5th least points in the paint in the league. Mo allows the 2nd fewest points in the paint per 36 among starting centers, only behind Al Horford. Remember how easily Cleveland scored in the paint against us with Mo out? Yeah.
• Teams also take fewer short midrange shots (floaters etc.) when Mo is on the floor, the differential being 74th percentile.
• Teams take far more long twos when Mo is out there, the differential being 85th percentile.
• Teams shoot 4.5% worse when Mo is on the floor, which puts him 7th among starting centers
I think my main issue is that his basketball IQ would probably be the lowest on the team, and I'm kind of tired of seeing low IQ basketball.
I think with him it might be a Harrison Barnes type situation, when he was in Dallas. He is expected to be a #1 or #2 option, but he is not that guy. Here he would be 4th at best, and he can just shoot threes and block shots, the things he is good at.
He is by no means perfect, but I saw this posted on an Orlando forum:
• When Mo is on the bench, teams take 31.6% of their shots at the rim against us - which is about 14th in the league. When Mo is on the floor it drops to 28% of their attempts which is good for 1st in the league. His differential (on/off) ranks 89th percentile amongst big men.
• As a team, we give up the 5th least points in the paint in the league. Mo allows the 2nd fewest points in the paint per 36 among starting centers, only behind Al Horford. Remember how easily Cleveland scored in the paint against us with Mo out? Yeah.
• Teams also take fewer short midrange shots (floaters etc.) when Mo is on the floor, the differential being 74th percentile.
• Teams take far more long twos when Mo is out there, the differential being 85th percentile.
• Teams shoot 4.5% worse when Mo is on the floor, which puts him 7th among starting centers
I think my main issue is that his basketball IQ would probably be the lowest on the team, and I'm kind of tired of seeing low IQ basketball.
I believe the team said they set certain goals for him to be retained as head coach when they named him interim coach. I'm sure the big goal was to make the playoffs and they would bring him back next year.
If the Kings go on a great run to make the playoffs, I don't know what that would do to team morale if we ax the coach that got them there. You've got to think the team would have built some nice chemistry they would want to build on. I would think keeping the coach would be a big part of that equation.
If the Kings go on a great run to make the playoffs, I don't know what that would do to team morale if we ax the coach that got them there. You've got to think the team would have built some nice chemistry they would want to build on. I would think keeping the coach would be a big part of that equation.
