Mike Brown says Keon Ellis in Kings starting unit to start camp
- Thread starter Tetsujin
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I mean, if DeMar is big enough to be a SF then Kevin is as well. Based on combine measurements DeRozan came into the league about 15 lbs heavier, but Huerter is slightly taller (6'6.25" vs 6'5.5" barefoot) and their standing reaches (8'5.5" vs 8'6.5") and wingspans (6'7.5" vs 6'9") are pretty similar.
I would also consider DDR a bit small at the 3. Again, is it what it is. To the extent that it matters, I would guess that we will infrequently field a lineup with an overall size advantage. We will have to make it up on talent, and fortunately, we have a lot of that and DDR just brought us up a level.
Just as a matter of curiosity, I looked at last season to find out how well the team did when Monk had a negative +/- number on the night. When he had a negative number, the Kings won 5 games and lost 28. When he had a positive number, the Kings won 34 games and lost 2. There were two games where the number was zero, both wins, plus the game against Dallas where he was hurt early on.
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Might also be a way to massage the egos.
Not saying that it is, or that Kevin's ego needs massaging. However, you want to keep your players in good humor, and making politically correct statements is usually a good way to go.
Keon also needs to prove that he can carry his success to a full year after being more scouted. My guess is that he does too many things well, so that he'll be able to contribute even if some aspect of his game falls off.
Finally, at some point, team will need to look for a trade. Unless Kevin can play significant minutes at the 3, there are just not enough minutes at the 2 spot to divide between him, Keon, and Monk. Keon/Monk will likely play a little PG too, particularly with Carter out in the beginning. Still, with us needing help in the front court, we will likely showcase someone. What comes out of it remains to be seen.
Not saying that it is, or that Kevin's ego needs massaging. However, you want to keep your players in good humor, and making politically correct statements is usually a good way to go.
Keon also needs to prove that he can carry his success to a full year after being more scouted. My guess is that he does too many things well, so that he'll be able to contribute even if some aspect of his game falls off.
Finally, at some point, team will need to look for a trade. Unless Kevin can play significant minutes at the 3, there are just not enough minutes at the 2 spot to divide between him, Keon, and Monk. Keon/Monk will likely play a little PG too, particularly with Carter out in the beginning. Still, with us needing help in the front court, we will likely showcase someone. What comes out of it remains to be seen.
Sean Cunningham doubled down on Huerter starting once healthy on their most recent podcast. He always says it in a way that makes me think he has been told that’s the plan as opposed to just his opinion.
I’m cool either way and understand the appeal of Huerter given he is the superior offensive player but I think Keon can be an all defense level player and I think he is a great catch and shoot guy. I guess it will work itself out one way or the other.
I’m cool either way and understand the appeal of Huerter given he is the superior offensive player but I think Keon can be an all defense level player and I think he is a great catch and shoot guy. I guess it will work itself out one way or the other.
That would not surprise me in the least. Mike Brown does not always seem to be a results-oriented coach when it comes to personnel. I am not exactly sure how to put it, though. Perhaps he has a vision of how he wants things to work, and then he plugs people into the system to try to make it work. Part of that vision was having Keegan Murray become a true two-way player last year. That has not happened yet, but I have some confidence it will.
Last season was less successful in terms of "system" than his first season. I could tell already in pre-season, in those supposedly "meaningless" games; the team did not really click. Coach Brown kept experimenting during the first three months of the season. I have a feeling that this time around, the Kings will surprise people once again, especially if Ellis keeps his starting job. Also, I really like that the coaches are teaching a different way of defending threes, one that takes better advantage of the skills and abilities of the current roster.
Last season was less successful in terms of "system" than his first season. I could tell already in pre-season, in those supposedly "meaningless" games; the team did not really click. Coach Brown kept experimenting during the first three months of the season. I have a feeling that this time around, the Kings will surprise people once again, especially if Ellis keeps his starting job. Also, I really like that the coaches are teaching a different way of defending threes, one that takes better advantage of the skills and abilities of the current roster.
Brown putting Davion back in over Keon last season was a pretty big indication on his philosophy and it's obvious he is going with the player that was there first even if being out performed by the player filling in. However, if that established player fails Brown doesn't tend to sit and watch it spin as long as some other Kings coaches of the past. When it comes to needs and gaps that's a very good thing when conference seeding is this tight.
Well, part of that reason was because the Kings might have scored rare talent in the draft but yeah, and Monk was always the backup PG essentially. The most interesting thing to see is how Monk fits in now with DeRozan on the team. Monk was the 2nd best pnr player the last few seasons and now's he's moved to number 3. His role might be a bit different this season depending on how Brown staggers Fox and DeRozan.
It's kind of hard for Brown to preach defense and then bench the guy most responsible for the Kings getting respectable on that end of the floor to add in another shooter/scorer who is poor defensively.
I love Huerter, but this would be a mistake that would make both the starting unit AND the bench far less balanced.
I love Huerter, but this would be a mistake that would make both the starting unit AND the bench far less balanced.
Yeh I’m very much in the start Ellis camp but if it’s KVon who starts I think it’s because Monte/Wes/Mike believe that the change in physicality that the League allowed at the end of the year was the driving force behind our defensive turnaround, not Keon even though he was outstanding. If that’s true, they may believe that those changes may fit Brown’s coaching style better and that he can coax a top 12 defense out of a lineup featuring KVon AND go back to being a top 3 offense. That isn’t a crazy theory.
Yeah, I don't get it. Brown wants to be known as the defensive-tough minded head coach, but then look away from the one guy who far and away is most effective and gives the most effort on defense? Especially for a team that's been extremely poor defensively?
I'm no NBA head coach and I never will be, but stuff like this is where I really start to question who is advising Brown or why he's overthinking this. You have 4 projected big USG offensive players in the starting 5 locked in: Fox, DDR, Keegan, Domas. All of them are going to be over 20% USG. We just saw a full season of Huerter really take a step back in the offense on the pecking order and struggle to keep his impact up because he wasn't as involved in the offense. We likewise just saw Keon greatly impact the defensive end of the floor and be effective on 5-7 shots a game.
From a lineup and roster balance perspective, this just isn't close. It should be Keon. Now, that doesn't mean Keon HAS to close or anything over Monk or Huerter. Doesn't even mean he's better than them (although I think he can easily flip that this year). But we should be trying to give our starting unit the best possible chance to succeed at incorporating a big USG player like DDR into the mix. That happens easier with a Keon type.
I'm no NBA head coach and I never will be, but stuff like this is where I really start to question who is advising Brown or why he's overthinking this. You have 4 projected big USG offensive players in the starting 5 locked in: Fox, DDR, Keegan, Domas. All of them are going to be over 20% USG. We just saw a full season of Huerter really take a step back in the offense on the pecking order and struggle to keep his impact up because he wasn't as involved in the offense. We likewise just saw Keon greatly impact the defensive end of the floor and be effective on 5-7 shots a game.
From a lineup and roster balance perspective, this just isn't close. It should be Keon. Now, that doesn't mean Keon HAS to close or anything over Monk or Huerter. Doesn't even mean he's better than them (although I think he can easily flip that this year). But we should be trying to give our starting unit the best possible chance to succeed at incorporating a big USG player like DDR into the mix. That happens easier with a Keon type.
I like Huerter - but dude was getting hunted on the defensive end last year. Every team’s strategy seemed to be “Attack Huerter”.
I think he could be very good with the second unit. But Keon absolutely killed it last year with his opportunity (except that last Pelican’s game). And Keon actually talks on defense - which underrated on this board for some reason.
I think he could be very good with the second unit. But Keon absolutely killed it last year with his opportunity (except that last Pelican’s game). And Keon actually talks on defense - which underrated on this board for some reason.
Unless the team got direct confirmation from the league that this would be the case then I think you have to start Keon and see what happens.
Obviously as a coaching staff you have to react as the league changes and evolves, but I don't think you make lineup changes based on a guess of how games may be officiated.
Obviously as a coaching staff you have to react as the league changes and evolves, but I don't think you make lineup changes based on a guess of how games may be officiated.