[Game] Kings vs. Pelicans, 5 April 2022, 7pm PT/10pm ET
- Thread starter Mr. S£im Citrus
- Start date
I'm lowkey embarrassed by how old I was before I realized that the Oscar Robertson Triple-Double award was just the organization honoring Big O by naming their team Community Service award after him. I used to think it was a league-wide award, and I remember going, "Man, isn't it cool that someone on the Kings wins this every year!"
Then, the next season, I got put on to game, and I felt like a jackass.
Then, the next season, I got put on to game, and I felt like a jackass.
To which we can compare the astute-drafting Spurs, for whom over the last 20 years the following players have made it to their second contract:
Tony Parker
Tiago Splitter
Kawhi Leonard
Dejounte Murray
Derrick White
Manu Ginobili sort of (was drafted more than 20 years ago but came over less than 20 years ago)
So two of the players on there (and the sort-of) are better than the Kings' players (not like Cousins and Fox are slouches) but the count is the same. 5 (+1) have made it to the second contract.
Tony Parker
Tiago Splitter
Kawhi Leonard
Dejounte Murray
Derrick White
Manu Ginobili sort of (was drafted more than 20 years ago but came over less than 20 years ago)
So two of the players on there (and the sort-of) are better than the Kings' players (not like Cousins and Fox are slouches) but the count is the same. 5 (+1) have made it to the second contract.
Really is. And the guys even worth a 2nd contract (IT,Reke,Bogi) we let walk with no return due to incredibly poor planning from the FO or just plain stupidity. You could argue those 3 are all in the top 6 of rookie contract hits (Kevin Martin somewhere in there and Boogie/Fox 1 and 2), and we just let them go without a plan.
Thankfully, the early returns on Monte have been excellent in terms of bunking this trend. Hali at 12 got you a top 25 player in a trade (hopefully long-term) and Davion looks well on his way to being a starting quality player. Found Jones and Metu off the street and both look like NBA players. Bought extremely low on a quality rotation/starter in DDV. No idea if Trey Lyles is just a flash in the pan on his career best streak with us, but he's been excellent and still just 26.
Small steps, but this is how you start to build a team out of the dumps. Making winning transactions and finding NBA talent for very little cost investment.
Thankfully, the early returns on Monte have been excellent in terms of bunking this trend. Hali at 12 got you a top 25 player in a trade (hopefully long-term) and Davion looks well on his way to being a starting quality player. Found Jones and Metu off the street and both look like NBA players. Bought extremely low on a quality rotation/starter in DDV. No idea if Trey Lyles is just a flash in the pan on his career best streak with us, but he's been excellent and still just 26.
Small steps, but this is how you start to build a team out of the dumps. Making winning transactions and finding NBA talent for very little cost investment.