What the hell happend to this team?

[Lafayette]

The team/GM needs to realize a few things...

1. You want Cousins around for a long time and Smart's RUN SYSTEM isn't going to fit his game in the long run. He's not Dwight Howard sprinting up and down the court. Sign him and find a coach that makes him the focal point like Ewings Knicks, Shaqs Lakers, Howards Magic, you see where I'm going.

2. Trade - Who? Well that's not to hard. We have a combo guard that shout 5/20 nightly and fans love him but why? Thornton is the SG and Jimmer or Thomas are the point players so where does he fit in, oh yea, just like Salmons his job is to get the ball and never give it back. When he learns what his role is then just maybe we'll win more games but TYREKE (you knew who I was talking about) thinks to win he needs to score 25 points a night, NO. I'd trade JT, Reke, Salmons and Garcia for a BIG and a SG. Your thinking, know SF, no unless its worth it because we have money and we can get one in FA.

3. Injuries - I think it helps when Hayes comes back and Thornton is healthy. I do believe that it hurts having Crazy Arms JT, No D Hickson and Shoot First Tyreke on the court at the same time. The team of course wants to see how it goes with everyone healthy at the same time and with a player like Hayes out there that doesn't want shots and Thornton, a SG that knows how to play his role. We'll see...

4. Rookies - Jimmer is shooting now, great. Thomas is a fine pg, perfect. Honeycutt will blossom into something solid. Everything went right in that department but what about a certain 7 foot center in D league. I know, he's not ready but is he ready to play defense, can he in the big boy league? I'd call him up and cut/trade/slice dice the Ginsu knife is only $7.99 if you call now! There has to be a role for him to where he can come in and just play D.

5. I made it to 5, wow, I've basically ripped the team apart and still want to keep it going. I'll leave it like this, going forward this team just focus on the players that they have and want for the future and unload the baggage. I'd keep Cousins, Jimmer, Thomas, Thornton, Hayes, Honeycutt and that's about it, I know I'm missing someone but we'll move on. Those guys are either under contract for a while or rookies. You take your core 5 or 6 and you make moves with the other peices. We know some are free agents like JT, Hickson and Whiteside after this year, fine, let them go (maybe not Whiteside, he'll be cheap) but you can only keep 2 SF on this team and let the others go. Amnesty is nice, don't forget to use it next year and that guy with the fish name. So in conclision, GO KINGS! No, can't leave it like that because as a dies hard fan since '86 (when I moved to this country via Canada) I root for this team win or lose but to watch a team in such a mess you just get frustrated with the same excuse day in and day out "It's a young team", really, do they know how to play basketball in a system? Can you plug them into the system and if they don't perform could you bench them. I hate the idea of a "Young Team" because it's a sorry excuse for a coach that doesn't know how to get guys to work into a system. The Kings aren't the worse team in the league based on record but you know it like I know it, when you watch them, holy turd nuggets, they suck.

More typos then I can shake a stick at!

 

[Spok22]

Salmon's may be one of the teams biggest problems. When we are winning, he looks like he doesn't give a damn. When we're losing he refuses to pass or play D and resorts to one on one whenever he can. I don't know what Petrie was thinking when he traded salmons for one of our most consistent players AND a higher pick. We haven't improved in SF. Weve gotten far worse. Again Im not saying he is the team's problem, but he is a big problem and a reason for the lack of passion imo.

 

[RookieOfTheDay]

Away with your logic!

Also, note that Fredette alone had more college experience than Evans, Cousins, and Greene combined. Not for nothing, but we have the youngest of the young in critical positions on our team.

Man, I am so tired of this "they're young" bit as an excuse for basketball that wouldn't even be acceptable by most college standards. you know who else is young? OKC is young. Memphis is young. Minnesota is young. The Kings' problem isn't their age, it's their lack of talent collectively. We've been seriously overrating the talent on this team for years. It's time to call a spade a spade. They just suck, plain and simple. Half of the roster would not get meaningful minutes on a playoff team. Even their best players have glaring issues.

 

[RookieOfTheDay]

Salmon's may be one of the teams biggest problems. When we are winning, he looks like he doesn't give a damn. When we're losing he refuses to pass or play D and resorts to one on one whenever he can. I don't know what Petrie was thinking when he traded salmons for one of our most consistent players AND a higher pick. We haven't improved in SF. Weve gotten far worse. Again Im not saying he is the team's problem, but he is a big problem and a reason for the lack of passion imo.

I just don't think it's as simple as being one guy being the bulk of the problem. Granted, Salmons sucks, but the rest of the team is nothing to write home about either.

The way I see this team is this...

Bright spots

Cousins: He’s clearly their most talented player. He’s still raw but he rebounds every night and will be a very good player once his offensive game is refined a littel bit.

Thomas: Brings great effort every night, steal for a 60th pick.

Jimmer: Seems to be finding his confidence and shot, finally.

Dim spots

Tyreke: Obviously talented but still can’t shoot, disappears for several games at a time, etc.

Thornton: Classic hot/cold scorer. Can win some games when he’s “on” but isn’t worth much when he’s “off”. Also is a black hole.

Hayes: Good leader, effort guy, etc.

Thompson: Has finally found “his game”, which may not be spectacular, but at least he knows what he can do and does it.

Greene: underwhelming but at least he’s cheap and expiring soon.

Hickson: See Greene

Dark spots, black holes, negative energy vacuums, etc.

Salmons: Not much to say here. Dude sucks now and looks done.

Outlaw: Hard to believe this guy was pretty decent a few years ago. He's not even that old so you can't say he "hit the wall" or anything. Don't know what his problem is, but he' garbage.

Garcia: Never was that good to start with but has regressed to new lows.

 

[Kingster]

There were two primary needs on this team: point guard and small forward. To get a small forward, Kings management sacrificed the only point guard they had on this team - Beno. So instantly one of the great needs - ballhandling - got even greater. Then, Kings management compounded the error by getting in return a lousy small forward - Salmons. And not only that, they got a small forward who likes to pound the ball. So now their ballhandling got even worse. Add to that the injury of Hayes. Add to that the abscence of Dalembert. Add to that the fact that Kings management couldn't EVEN sign Barrea, who was signed by Minni of all places. Add to that the non-growth of Tyreke, who in his third year, is just a tad better than his first year. Then compound things by the fact that opposing teams know how to play Tyreke due to his one-dimensional game. In addtiion, the overall team is just raw, not coached in the fundamentals of the game, in part due to their youth, lack of college coaching, and lack of NBA player development. Lastly, there just isn't enough veteran glue on this team.

All of the above are just symptoms, however. It all begs the question of: WHY? And the obvious answer is that all of the mess starts at the very top with the Maloofs and their penny-pinching and whatever lousy soup they've made with Petrie.

 

[RookieOfTheDay]

There were two primary needs on this team: point guard and small forward. To get a small forward, Kings management sacrificed the only point guard they had on this team - Beno. So instantly one of the great needs - ballhandling - got even greater. Then, Kings management compounded the error by getting in return a lousy small forward - Salmons. And not only that, they got a small forward who likes to pound the ball. So now their ballhandling got even worse. Add to that the injury of Hayes. Add to that the abscence of Dalembert. Add to that the fact that Kings management couldn't EVEN sign Barrea, who was signed by Minni of all places. Add to that the non-growth of Tyreke, who in his third year, is just a tad better than his first year. Then compound things by the fact that opposing teams know how to play Tyreke due to his one-dimensional game. In addtiion, the overall team is just raw, not coached in the fundamentals of the game, in part due to their youth, lack of college coaching, and lack of NBA player development. Lastly, there just isn't enough veteran glue on this team.

All of the above are just symptoms, however. It all begs the question of: WHY? And the obvious answer is that all of the mess starts at the very top with the Maloofs and their penny-pinching and whatever lousy soup they've made with Petrie.

I had forgotten that they failed to sign Barea as well. That's embarrassingly inept. It's even worse when you factor in that he didn't even sign for a huge deal (4 years 16$ million) and the Kings STILL couldn't secure him despite having the most cap space in the league and supposedly being interested in Barea.

 

[Big Cuz 15]

I had forgotten that they failed to sign Barea as well. That's embarrassingly inept. It's even worse when you factor in that he didn't even sign for a huge deal (4 years 16$ million) and the Kings STILL couldn't secure him despite having the most cap space in the league and supposedly being interested in Barea.

who needs barea when you have isaiah thomas? hes 3.5 mill cheaper per year

jimmer wouldn't get any minutes with barea here also.

 

[Kingster]

who needs barea when you have isaiah thomas? hes 3.5 mill cheaper per year

jimmer wouldn't get any minutes with barea here also.

Barea is an IT who can shoot. And we certainly need shooting, don't we? I like IT a lot, and I think his shooting and overall game will get considerably better in the future, but as a rookie he's not close to Barea.

 

[RookieOfTheDay]

who needs barea when you have isaiah thomas? hes 3.5 mill cheaper per year

jimmer wouldn't get any minutes with barea here also.

The point wasn't whether getting Barea was necessary, a good idea or not, etc., though. The point was just that despite them wanting Berea and having ample money to get him, they still failed to acquire him. It speaks volumes about the ineptness of the organization. Either A, they want players but can't/won't pay them enough to get them, or B, players see Sacramento as an NBA wasteland and don't want to come here, even if it means playing for the freaking Timberwolves in -10F weather.

 

[Bricklayer]

Man, I am so tired of this "they're young" bit as an excuse for basketball that wouldn't even be acceptable by most college standards. you know who else is young? OKC is young. Memphis is young. Minnesota is young. The Kings' problem isn't their age, it's their lack of talent collectively. We've been seriously overrating the talent on this team for years. It's time to call a spade a spade. They just suck, plain and simple. Half of the roster would not get meaningful minutes on a playoff team. Even their best players have glaring issues.

NOBODY else is as young as us. NOBODY.

Its why the excuse isn't an excuse. We are composed basically 100% of extremely young players and extremely washed up vets. There is not a single solid veteran on the entire team you can turn to. The closest guy will be Hayes when he gets back, but he's a terribly limited roleplayer that is only going to be able to help within the little sphere of things he does. Our 3 guys with any PGish ability are all 22 years old. Our injured shooting guard is the grizzled vet at 24. Our center is 21, his backups/PFs are a 23yr old and a 25 yr old. Our best SF may be a 22/23 yr old who rarely plays. The other 3 guys are 3 washed up veterans who are collectively the worst platoon in the NBA.

Saying they are young is not an excuse, its a fact. The only other team so young, or in the range of so young at every key position/role, is the Wizards. And guess how they are doing?

 

[ESP47]

So you don't believe his "Stick by your team" talk? I think he was being sincere but by the time he's a FA he'll probably be so tired of losing that he'll be on the first plane out of town, and i won't even blame him.

I didn't say it based on his personality or that quote. When you look at the box score and you see one guy putting up 18 and 15 every night with a bunch of scrubs scoring in single figures...you pretty much have to realize that once he gets the chance to take off to a better situation, he's going to take it. I don't blame him one bit. If I was a player I wouldn't want to play here either.

I just hope he continues to play the way he has this last week. He hasn't been forcing 1 on 1 selfish drives and he's been taking what the defense gives him.

 

[RookieOfTheDay]

NOBODY else is as young as us. NOBODY.

Don't care. You're talking about a difference in average ages of less than a year in some cases. Do you really except anyone to buy that the reason the Kings suck and OKC doesn't is that OKC is a whopping six months older? give me a break. You're right that there is not a single solid veteran on the entire team you can turn to. But that's compounded by the fact that the young guys are not as good as advertised, either. This team lacks talent across the board.

 

[Vlade4GM]

The team hasn't gotten worse, so nothing has happened to it. It was just that your expectations were too high.

 

[RookieOfTheDay]

The team hasn't gotten worse, so nothing has happened to it. It was just that your expectations were too high.

So expecting them to not be absolute garbage was expecting too much, eh?

 

[Section 101]

From Hollingers chat today:

Mike (MKE)


I've watched the Bucks go through extended periods of only jump shots, almost no points in the paint or drawing fouls. Is this the players settling or a poor offensive scheme by Skiles?


John Hollinger
(1:23 PM)

Actually, it's the roster -- Milwaukee has very few players who can get to the basket. One ray of hope however is Udrih's return; you saw how much more easily the second unit has flowed the past few games with him running the point. Yet another reason the Salmons trade was highway robbery.

 

[Kingster]

From Hollingers chat today:

Oh, the pain!

Salmons last night: 2 of 6 from field, 1 rebound, 1 assist.

 

[Hoovtrain]

I think Petries had a long enough time to turn this team around.
I'm starting to think we need a new GM..

The problem is, if the Maloofs are still in charge, can you imagine what kind of bargain basement loser they would bring in as the new GM? Its frightening to think about.

 

[RookieOfTheDay]

The problem is, if the Maloofs are still in charge, can you imagine what kind of bargain basement loser they would bring in as the new GM? Its frightening to think about.

Memo to Maloofs: I'm available for 50K a year.

 

[pshn80]

We are a young team with potential...we have had some good wins this season (Pacers, Spurs, etc.) and some ugly losses like tonight..you have to give it time. I understand the frustration, but the team IS heading in the right direction (IMO).

Yes but they're not going to make it unless they show improvement now, one way or another. The depression will get down to the bottom of their toes. No longer time for comment. Something has to happen or these guys will be uncureable.

 

[LWP777]

Oh, the pain!

Salmons last night: 2 of 6 from field, 1 rebound, 1 assist.

Seriously. How the hell does this guy still start every game, let alone get any minutes. This is a typical stat line for Salmons! Our starting ****ing SF scores 5 pts and pulls down 1 board and gets 1 assist. This is just about every game for him! If I was a player on the team, I would be losing respect for Coach Smart right now. Have the balls to sit this scrub down. Who cares if his feelings get hurt! He'll GET OVER IT! He makes millions of dollars!

 

[pshn80]

Oh yeah you can, and we have seen it on display for most of the season pre coaching change. NOBODY was producing, at least now some of the better players on this team are getting some footing and are finding a flow. It's all about stages and steps. The next step is to put in a real half court system, ditch the half assed pick and roll crap, give your role players a role, and start using your franchise guys to their strengths.

They have not improved. They have gotten worse. Can they get better? I don't know. I hope so. I'm now afraid they'll hurt themselves irrepairably. After a game like that it's just touch and go. Very sensitive time. Concede the rest of the games or play and humiliate our guys and heaven knows what.

Right now I wish Petrie all the luck in the world because he/we need it now.

 

[pshn80]

Good, I agree. Do you think we have much of a prayer ever seeing that fully developed Cousins on the hoped for rising Kings? Or for that matter a "better, "more experienced," Reke after his rookie contract? It seems if one and certainly if both leave which could happen, Kings are back to yet another endless rebuilding cycle. Depressing, wouldn't ya say?

I don't think we have a prayer right now. Hope I'm wrong. It's getting so bad that maybe it's not so bad loosing Evans and DMC and rebuilding. Rebuilding teams are more interesting and more fun than this one.

 

[mcsluggo]

trading Beno AND shifting down draft places to get back Salmons (and his longer/richer contract) is grounds for immediate termination.

there is no way around it... even if he was "GM of teh year" LAST year, and pulled that crap he should be canned. A developmentally challenged billiegoat with a ouija bord would've had better sense than that....

 

[mcsluggo]

NOBODY else is as young as us. NOBODY.

.... Our best SF may be a 22/23 yr old who rarely plays. ....?

who is this "gem"?

 

[pshn80]

I just don't think it's as simple as being one guy being the bulk of the problem. Granted, Salmons sucks, but the rest of the team is nothing to write home about either.

The way I see this team is this...

Bright spots

Cousins: He’s clearly their most talented player. He’s still raw but he rebounds every night and will be a very good player once his offensive game is refined a littel bit.

Thomas: Brings great effort every night, steal for a 60th pick.

Jimmer: Seems to be finding his confidence and shot, finally.

Dim spots

Tyreke: Obviously talented but still can’t shoot, disappears for several games at a time, etc.

Thornton: Classic hot/cold scorer. Can win some games when he’s “on” but isn’t worth much when he’s “off”. Also is a black hole.

Hayes: Good leader, effort guy, etc.

Thompson: Has finally found “his game”, which may not be spectacular, but at least he knows what he can do and does it.

Greene: underwhelming but at least he’s cheap and expiring soon.

Hickson: See Greene

Dark spots, black holes, negative energy vacuums, etc.

Salmons: Not much to say here. Dude sucks now and looks done.

Outlaw: Hard to believe this guy was pretty decent a few years ago. He's not even that old so you can't say he "hit the wall" or anything. Don't know what his problem is, but he' garbage.

Garcia: Never was that good to start with but has regressed to new lows.

Team? What team? The team is the thing. Is the team "bright spots", or "dim spots", or "dark spots"? Whatever you answer it has to get better, at least up to bearable, now.

 

[pshn80]

The team hasn't gotten worse, so nothing has happened to it. It was just that your expectations were too high.

Mine were not high and I'm still grossly disappointed. It should be illegal in NBA terms to field a team this bad at this moment.

 

[ESP47]

The team hasn't gotten worse, so nothing has happened to it. It was just that your expectations were too high.

No they are much worse. Their W-L record is kind of an anomaly right now. They have more wins than they should. At least last year they ran some sort of an offense and were able to score 90+ points a game on a regular basis. Plus they were in games until the final shot on many occassions. This year they're getting blown out by 15+ points on a regular basis. They either win or get completely blown out.

 

[Vlade4GM]

So expecting them to not be absolute garbage was expecting too much, eh?

I don't know, but the answer to the question what has happened to the team, is that nothing has happened to it. You can argue that that's the problem.

 

[Bricklayer]

No they are much worse. Their W-L record is kind of an anomaly right now. They have more wins than they should. At least last year they ran some sort of an offense and were able to score 90+ points a game on a regular basis. Plus they were in games until the final shot on many occassions. This year they're getting blown out by 15+ points on a regular basis. They either win or get completely blown out.

I mentioned this in the last grades thread, albeit belatedly. But people have to remember that we have played the toughest schedule in the NBA thus far. 14 of our 19 opponents have had winning records. Against the 5 who have not, we are 3-2. We are also tied for the most road games in the NBA. Small sample size, but there is reason to believe that once the murderer's row is done and the team gets to finally start playing some games against teams at its level, that it will start to look better. That obviously will not make them a good team. But the extreme thumpings should subside and its possible we could even get in a rhythm as we start getting a lot of home games strung together against weaklings.

 

[Larry David]

Last year they closed strong when, they played a point guard (Beno), with two other guards that like to chuck it, and two centers. That lineup worked together.

This year, they've got no point guard. Evens is back on the ball. Between Salmons and Jimmer, they've got 4 guys itching to chuck it in the backcourt and Cousins wants more shots.