2 years, look out!

[reid1boys]

After watching this team have a chance to win all 4 games on this 4 games in 5 night escapade it is obvious to me that the Kings could be an elite team in 2 years.

In the 4th quarter of tonights game the Kings had Tyreke, Omri and JT all on the court at the same time. 2 rooks and a 2nd year player, and maybe even Donte as well.

How much better are all of those guys going to be in 2 years?

Ive said that you must have a superstar to be an elite team, and without a doubt, Tyreke is going to be a superstar in this league.


This is a GREAT time to be a Kings fan. A little disappointed we lost these games, but you can see the future people, and it is looking bright.

As long as they dont leave

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

After watching this team have a chance to win all 4 games on this 4 games in 5 night escapade it is obvious to me that the Kings could be an elite team in 2 years.

In the 4th quarter of tonights game the Kings had Tyreke, Omri and JT all on the court at the same time. 2 rooks and a 2nd year player, and maybe even Donte as well.

How much better are all of those guys going to be in 2 years?

Ive said that you must have a superstar to be an elite team, and without a doubt, Tyreke is going to be a superstar in this league.


This is a GREAT time to be a Kings fan. A little disappointed we lost these games, but you can see the future people, and it is looking bright.

As long as they dont leave

Oh, I've been saying this all along too...we're going to be even better NEXT season...we might make the playoffs next year and surprise a team or two. I think that with the direction of the team now, add another lottery pick, a decent free agent with the good chunk of money we'll have next summer, and a year's experience under the kid's belts...damn straight we should be there in 2 years. I just hope the team's still HERE in 2 years!

 

[VF21]

Guys, you really need to just let go of the "if they're still here" crap IMHO. Enjoy each step of this journey, and let the future take care of itself. I'll tell you one thing - if the fans return as I think they will, the Maloofs will move heaven and earth to stay here because Kings fans truly are some of the most vital fans you'll ever find. And that kind of vitality is contagious...and the team feeds off it every single night.

 

[Showtime]

I'm not sold on anybody except Evans, and that hinges on him actually developing a jump shot.

I actually think JT's max potential is a McDyess type forward who will probably never be an all star.

Hawes will be lucky to be a double double center.

Casspi will be a great utility guy once he fixes his FT stroke, but right now, he's a physical forward who gets to the line, but can't finish there.

Brockman can't even get on the court ahead of KT. So I don't know what to say there.

I don't think this team is great, or even good. They are still a lottery team, it's just that we are coming off witnessing a 17 win season, and any positive strides seem like huge progress, and they have made progress. But they still have a LONG way to go.

 

[Prince_XY]

I'm not sold on anybody except Evans, and that hinges on him actually developing a jump shot.

I actually think JT's max potential is a McDyess type forward who will probably never be an all star.

Hawes will be lucky to be a double double center.

Casspi will be a great utility guy once he fixes his FT stroke, but right now, he's a physical forward who gets to the line, but can't finish there.

Brockman can't even get on the court ahead of KT. So I don't know what to say there.

I don't think this team is great, or even good. They are still a lottery team, it's just that we are coming off witnessing a 17 win season, and any positive strides seem like huge progress, and they have made progress. But they still have a LONG way to go.

Kill-joy.

Sorry, but with the kind of effort the kids are giving in imroving themselves, I have to disagree with you and think otherwise.

Effort move mountains my friend.

Did I phrased it rightly? ......

 

[=LarryLegend=]

I am one of the biggest JT supporters.....but it pisses me off that he never finishes with a two habded dunk. Seeing him always try to lay it up is annoying to me.

That being said, he CAN be better that mcdycess.

 

[Bricklayer]

I am one of the biggest JT supporters.....but it pisses me off that he never finishes with a two habded dunk. Seeing him always try to lay it up is annoying to me.

That being said, he CAN be better that mcdycess.

I hope and assume those people who are citing McDyess are referring to old bum kneed roleplaying McDyess, and not the hyper-talented jumpin jack of a perennial All Star (or would have been) of the late 90s before the injuries.

 

[SacTownGrantFan]

I'm not sold on anybody except Evans, and that hinges on him actually developing a jump shot.

I actually think JT's max potential is a McDyess type forward who will probably never be an all star.

Hawes will be lucky to be a double double center.

Casspi will be a great utility guy once he fixes his FT stroke, but right now, he's a physical forward who gets to the line, but can't finish there.

Brockman can't even get on the court ahead of KT. So I don't know what to say there.

I don't think this team is great, or even good. They are still a lottery team, it's just that we are coming off witnessing a 17 win season, and any positive strides seem like huge progress, and they have made progress. But they still have a LONG way to go.

You would be overly self-assured if you were an actual college scout, don't you think? These guys are so young, and have different complex and promising elements to their games, it is unrealistic to bottle up their potential and specifically label them so early in their young careers.

Especially when you specifically categorize the team's future.

Buzzkill.

 

[ParniValjak]

I hope and assume those people who are citing McDyess are referring to old bum kneed roleplaying McDyess, and not the hyper-talented jumpin jack of a perennial All Star (or would have been) of the late 90s before the injuries.

I was just about to post something along those lines.

If people are comparing JT to the pre-injuries McDyess they are absolutely kidding themselves.

Dice was an all-star early on and would have been a perennial all-star if not for the injuries. He was jumping jack PF that was averaging 20/10/2bpg before blowing his knee.

 

[acisking]

I was just about to post something along those lines.

If people are comparing JT to the pre-injuries McDyess they are absolutely kidding themselves.

Dice was an all-star early on and would have been a perennial all-star if not for the injuries. He was jumping jack PF that was averaging 20/10/2bpg before blowing his knee.

And he still had a useful career even after the injuries. McDyess has always come across to me as a player who just had a knack for being at the right place at the right time...snagging that key rebound or making that key shot.

 

[Showtime]

it is unrealistic to bottle up their potential and specifically label them so early in their young careers.

I see what they do well, and what they don't do well. Even if they improve what they don't do well, it doesn't mean a player has unlimited potential. There is only so much one player is capable of doing, and right now, I don't see how JT can be called a future star at all.

Buzzkill.

I prefer realist.

 

[Showtime]

If people are comparing JT to the pre-injuries McDyess they are absolutely kidding themselves.

Dice was an all-star early on and would have been a perennial all-star if not for the injuries. He was jumping jack PF that was averaging 20/10/2bpg before blowing his knee.

That's why I said MAX potential, as in, the very very very best he could be is at a McDyess level, and IMO, he's not going to reach that point. He's a 14/9 player right now, and if he improves, he could potentially be a 18/10 guy once he figures out some things. But I don't think he will ever make an all star team.

 

[SacTownGrantFan]

I see what they do well, and what they don't do well. Even if they improve what they don't do well, it doesn't mean a player has unlimited potential. There is only so much one player is capable of doing, and right now, I don't see how JT can be called a future star at all.

I prefer realist.

(I don't think this team is great, or even good. They are still a lottery team, it's just that we are coming off witnessing a 17 win season, and any positive strides seem like huge progress, and they have made progress. But they still have a LONG way to go.)


Well you see, we were last in the league last season. Now we are widely considered to be the surprise team of this year. Criticize if you will, but we jumped about 15 spots in the power rankings so far this season. We are gaining national coverage. Beno Udrih came out of nowhere this season. If these factors don't excite you or make you optimistic, then really...how much more would it take? A second round playoff appearance?

I think that you are really underestimating how nice the turnaround has been.

 

[VF21]

...I prefer realist.

Random observation: People who delight in raining on parades generally call themselves realists...

/random observation

 

[Kingsguy881]

I hope and assume those people who are citing McDyess are referring to old bum kneed roleplaying McDyess, and not the hyper-talented jumpin jack of a perennial All Star (or would have been) of the late 90s before the injuries.

Me too, McDyess pre-injury was a freaking STUD.

 

[bajaden]

I hope and assume those people who are citing McDyess are referring to old bum kneed roleplaying McDyess, and not the hyper-talented jumpin jack of a perennial All Star (or would have been) of the late 90s before the injuries.

You beat me to that one. I was goint to say that if Thompson reaches the level that McDyess was at before getting injuried, I'd be happy as a clam.

 

[Showtime]

Well you see, we were last in the league last season. Now we are widely considered to be the surprise team of this year. Criticize if you will, but we jumped about 15 spots in the power rankings so far this season. We are gaining national coverage. Beno Udrih came out of nowhere this season. If these factors don't excite you or make you optimistic, then really...how much more would it take? A second round playoff appearance?

I think that you are really underestimating how nice the turnaround has been.

You seem to be equating my comments with saying the Kings have made no progress or improvement. I have come out and said that individuals, as well as the team, has improved. But some fans take it too far. Some have said the rebuilding is over. Some don't think this is a lottery team. Some fans think this team is ONE player away from contending. That's ridiculous IMO. There's a difference between optimism, and drinking the cool aide. This team IS improving and getting better, but I'm not going overboard.

 

[VF21]

You seem to be equating my comments with saying the Kings have made no progress or improvement. I have come out and said that individuals, as well as the team, has improved. But some fans take it too far. Some have said the rebuilding is over. Some don't think this is a lottery team. Some fans think this team is ONE player away from contending. That's ridiculous IMO. There's a difference between optimism, and drinking the cool aide. This team IS improving and getting better, but I'm not going overboard.

I'm a little puzzled, as I haven't seen more than a very occasional comment in that vein. Could you be talking about a different message board perhaps? Here what I see for the most part are fans who are just delighted to see the team going back in the right direction...

And I don't think that's Kool Aid. I think that's being a fan. If people want to celebrate every little step of the way, why should it bother you? If I - as a doting parent - wanted to take a picture of every single step my child took and you - as a doting parent - only wanted to take pictures of your child when he/she broke a 4-minute mile which is right or wrong? Neither, of course. There are different kinds of people who mark occasions in different ways.

 

[bajaden]

That's why I said MAX potential, as in, the very very very best he could be is at a McDyess level, and IMO, he's not going to reach that point. He's a 14/9 player right now, and if he improves, he could potentially be a 18/10 guy once he figures out some things. But I don't think he will ever make an all star team.

So do you think that Thompson has to be an all-star to be a keeper, or if he's not an all-star then he's just run of the mill? I've never said that Thompson is going to be a star. I've said its possible. I've seen too many players in my almost 50 years of watching basketball that I wrote off early in their careers as busts or average at best, only to have them prove me wrong.

Steve Nash never averaged more than 9.1 PPG and 5.5 APG in his first four years in the league. In his first two years his assists were half of that. But in his fifth year he broke out and started to look like the player we know today. Point guards and Big's traditionally take longer to develop. You'll get the rare exception, but the Oscar Robertson's of the world don't come around all that often. To be patient is very frustrating at times, and there are times when you guess wrong. And painful as it may seem, when you draft a player, you want to be the one to find out whether you were wrong or not. Or, its possible that your the Warriors with Joe Barry Carroll and the Celtics are there with Robert Parish.

 

[bajaden]

You seem to be equating my comments with saying the Kings have made no progress or improvement. I have come out and said that individuals, as well as the team, has improved. But some fans take it too far. Some have said the rebuilding is over. Some don't think this is a lottery team. Some fans think this team is ONE player away from contending. That's ridiculous IMO. There's a difference between optimism, and drinking the cool aide. This team IS improving and getting better, but I'm not going overboard.

So there are five people in a room all talking about the same subject. One of them makes what the other four think is a somewhat outrageous statement. The other four try and refute that statement by stating their opinion and adding facts to the argument. The person with the outrageous statement then tries to justify his statement by quoting non-named persons, that aren't in the room and aren't involved in the disscussion. Very weak mi amigo...

 

[Showtime]

So do you think that Thompson has to be an all-star to be a keeper, or if he's not an all-star then he's just run of the mill?

No, I'm saying that the people who think he will be a star are wrong IMO. He can be a good player, but not a great one.

 

[bajaden]

No, I'm saying that the people who think he will be a star are wrong IMO. He can be a good player, but not a great one.

So, can you be a star and not be a great player? And, how do you know for a fact that he can't be a star. What enlightenment do you have that I don't have. Don't get me wrong, I've never said he will be a star. All I've ever said is that he might be, or thats its possible. Thats because in all my infinite wisdom, I don't know. Now ask me one year from now, and I'll probably have a better answer. And with all due respect, you don't know either.

Now I'll answer my own opening question. Stars are made by the fans, and great players are created by their own hard work. Sometimes the two things become exclusive of each other. There have been a lot of great players that for whatever reason never make it to the all star game. It practically took a conspiricy and an act of god to get Mitch Richmond into the all star game. By the same token there have been players that get voted into the all star game that in my opinon aren't truely great players. So I guess its a matter of who is doing the defining of what a great player is, and who is or isn't a star.

 

[NME]

If JT is an 18/10/3/1 player that never makes an All-Star game, are we supposed to feel bad or something?

 

[kings4lyfe32]

That's why I said MAX potential, as in, the very very very best he could be is at a McDyess level, and IMO, he's not going to reach that point. He's a 14/9 player right now, and if he improves, he could potentially be a 18/10 guy once he figures out some things. But I don't think he will ever make an all star team.

Charles Barkley was a 14/9 player in his first season, as well as Karl Malone, or how about Kevin Mchale his first 3 seasons he never averaged over 14 points and never over 6.8 boards. Point being, JT is young, give him a chance

 

[Showtime]

So, can you be a star and not be a great player?

No. Every star who isn't great has been great at one time. Case in point: McGrady and Iverson, who are still stars as far as popularity, but not stars based on ability and production atm. In order for JT to become a star, he has to be great, and IMO, he will never be a great player.

Now, as far as all star selections, JT might be able to sneak in if the Kings return to elite status, but other than that, I don't think he will ever earn a spot. For example, during their 56 win season, West got in over Big Al, even though Al was the superior big man.

And, how do you know for a fact that he can't be a star.

I said I don't think he ever will become one based upon observations of his game. Even if he improves in areas where he struggles, it's not enough IMO to reach that level.

 

[Showtime]

Charles Barkley was a 14/9 player in his first season, as well as Karl Malone, or how about Kevin Mchale his first 3 seasons he never averaged over 14 points and never over 6.8 boards. Point being, JT is young, give him a chance

Barkley, McHale, and Malone were more talented players with a bigger upside. JT has more limitations IMO, therefore he doesn't have as high of a ceiling.

 

[ParniValjak]

Charles Barkley was a 14/9 player in his first season, as well as Karl Malone, or how about Kevin Mchale his first 3 seasons he never averaged over 14 points and never over 6.8 boards. Point being, JT is young, give him a chance

Please tell me that you are not trying to compare JT to the 2 hall of famers.

Point is, JT is no where near as talented as 3 of all time greats. To even suggest so is laughable. It was ridicilous to compare JT to pre-injuries McDyess who was a STUD but to compare his production to the likes of Barkley, McHale and Malone is beyond any reasonable expectation. Its insane.

 

[DeaconBlues]

After watching this team have a chance to win all 4 games on this 4 games in 5 night escapade it is obvious to me that the Kings could be an elite team in 2 years.

In the 4th quarter of tonights game the Kings had Tyreke, Omri and JT all on the court at the same time. 2 rooks and a 2nd year player, and maybe even Donte as well.

How much better are all of those guys going to be in 2 years?

Ive said that you must have a superstar to be an elite team, and without a doubt, Tyreke is going to be a superstar in this league.


This is a GREAT time to be a Kings fan. A little disappointed we lost these games, but you can see the future people, and it is looking bright.

As long as they dont leave

I'd like to point out that two years ago that's pretty much what most Portland fans were thinking. A lot can go wrong in two years, and to quote Dylan Moran again "[potential is] like your bank balance, there's always less in there then you thought."

That said, the Kings are definitely a team to watch.

 

[kings4lyfe32]

Please tell me that you are not trying to compare JT to the 2 hall of famers.

Point is, JT is no where near as talented as 3 of all time greats. To even suggest so is laughable. It was ridicilous to compare JT to pre-injuries McDyess who was a STUD but to compare his production to the likes of Barkley, McHale and Malone is beyond any reasonable expectation. Its insane.

no, i was just saying the guys young? Rarely anyone looks like a Lebron James type player coming out, he needs time, thats what i was saying

like Bajaden mentioned Steve Nash earlier, however he wasnt comparing JT to Nash??

 

[dbfish]

Oh, I've been saying this all along too...we're going to be even better NEXT season...we might make the playoffs next year and surprise a team or two. I think that with the direction of the team now, add another lottery pick, a decent free agent with the good chunk of money we'll have next summer, and a year's experience under the kid's belts...damn straight we should be there in 2 years. I just hope the team's still HERE in 2 years!

You said a mouthful there.