2009 Kings Playoff Bound???

[sactownfan]

Looking at our record last year, with the injury's and suspensions...

Plus Bibby, even when he was healthy enough to suit up wasn't even close to the Bibby we will all remember...

The huge shake up with a new coach Reggie and a new system...

Then the trade that brought in a bunch of guys that knew they had no future with us. (Wright, Johnson, Lue, and Kenny Thomas LOL! ! ! )

So factoring all those things in... I start to wonder... without all those things, would the line up we have right now be good enough to have made the playoffs, even with the west being as tough as it was last year???

My guess is YES... wow depressing to think about this team eek'n into the playoffs again... but i could see it happening.... with Kevin Martin, Artest, and Miller as the core. Along with a healthy confident Beno and some potential solid role players in Hawes, Samons(hes good but who knows if he pulls it together off the bench), Garcia, and Moore. Along with some real hit and miss stuff with Thompson, Singletary, and Ewing jr.

Wow i see 8th seed all over this team!

This offseason is far from over right now... i think SAR, and Kenny Thomas will have to be addressed before the season begins... i expect at least one to not make it to training camp... then you got the trade pieces starting with Artest, then salmons, then i'd say Miller and last Moore... who gets moved?

well if we stayed pat as we are now im SURE WE ARE BACK IN THE PLAYOFFS! i guess its always good to make the playoffs... i guess... hmm... i can see it now... i get my hopes up because i cant help it and we get smashed first round... hmm

 

[PurpleHaze]

50 wins is the goal. Book it... Reggie should come out and say it before Artest guarantees an NBA championship! GO KINGS!!

 

[upinsmoke]

To early to tell bro.. What if the west gets even tougher this year. Heck even if it remains the same we cant make it.

 

[sactownfan]

50 wins is the goal. Book it... Reggie should come out and say it before Artest guarantees an NBA championship! GO KINGS!!

oh my..... LOL ! ! ! oh man Artest will always get a laugh outa me! LOL! wow purplehaze super funny... Artest should have at least throw down a playoff guarantee with his opting to stay with the Kings!

 

[Rockmeister]

Its waaaaayyyyyyy wwwwaaaayyyyy too early to tell.

 

[Warhawk]

Its waaaaayyyyyyy wwwwaaaayyyyy too early to tell.

Agreed. Let's look at the roster again in October and then start guessing.

 

[captain bill]

if we were in the east, yes. unfortunately the west will still be stacked next year. w's will be out again if baron leaves, but portland and la clips will both be improved. the kings will be competitive, maybe even have a chance to challenge bottom teams like the suns and nuggs, but i think that realistically we won't be able to be a serious playoff team until 09-10 unless hawes and thompson show something big this year, or sar and thomas put together good seasons. miller, however, is getting old, and our young guys are very young. good teams out west right now:
lakers
hornets
spurs
rockets
nuggets
mavs
jazz
suns
with blazers, clippers, warriors on the outside looking to challenge for a spot. suns i can see falling out, nugs too, but i think the blazers and w's or clips (wherever baron lands) would be right there picking up the pieces. even if we managed to get in at 8, there is no way we could challenge bynum/gasol, duncan, west/chandler or whoever we would face in round 1. playing time for the young guys and a higher lotto pick is the way to go, considering in the next few years the spurs, suns, mavs, nuggets and warriors will start to fade. better to wait for a less stacked season to try to compete.

 

[hrdboild]

There is very little chance of making the playoffs this season. Portland is a long shot this season but pretty much a lock every season after that. Spurs, Lakers, Suns, Hornets, Jazz are a lock this season with Rockets, Mavs, Warriors, Nuggets close behind. This is probably the hardest season to make the playoffs in recent memory. If the Clippers get Brand back, we're likely battling with Seattle, Memphis, and Minnesota for worst in the west -- and that's if everyone stays healthy.

 

[upinsmoke]

No such thing as a playoff lock i dont care if its the kings or the celtics every team has to go out and play all over again. Thats why the game is played.

 

[Gary]

if we were in the east, yes. unfortunately the west will still be stacked next year. w's will be out again if baron leaves, but portland and la clips will both be improved. the kings will be competitive, maybe even have a chance to challenge bottom teams like the suns and nuggs, but i think that realistically we won't be able to be a serious playoff team until 09-10 unless hawes and thompson show something big this year, or sar and thomas put together good seasons. miller, however, is getting old, and our young guys are very young. good teams out west right now:
lakers
hornets
spurs
rockets
nuggets
mavs
jazz
suns
with blazers, clippers, warriors on the outside looking to challenge for a spot. suns i can see falling out, nugs too, but i think the blazers and w's or clips (wherever baron lands) would be right there picking up the pieces. even if we managed to get in at 8, there is no way we could challenge bynum/gasol, duncan, west/chandler or whoever we would face in round 1. playing time for the young guys and a higher lotto pick is the way to go, considering in the next few years the spurs, suns, mavs, nuggets and warriors will start to fade. better to wait for a less stacked season to try to compete.

You don't give the Blazers enough credit. I will guarantee right now that barring any major injury the Blazers will win 50 games and at least nab a 6 seed.

That leaves the Spurs, Suns, Mavs, Nuggets, Rockets, Jazz, Lakers, Hornets, and the Warriors all better than the Kings.

Kings will either be #10-#12 seed in the west and probably 10-15 games out of the #8. We have a dummy for a GM who thinks this team is probably fine where it is so don't look for any moves to be done.

 

[fnordius]

My guess is YES... wow depressing to think about this team eek'n into the playoffs again...

Don't get depressed, look at who the top 8 teams in the West are. Can you see anybody we'll be bumping out of the #8 spot?

Me either.

 

[ovrush]

If we make the playoffs in the West as it is we've had a borderline miracle year and we should be exstatic not depressed. The West is LOADED, and if we make the playoffs our young guys will have to make huge leaps and bounds improvements, perhaps even to the point of either Hawes or Thompson becoming outright stars. The simple truth is we aren't in the top ten in talent in the west at the moment (unless Hawes or Thompson become legit studs)

Barring that happening the Kings are a lottery team. I'm completely ok with that. We have a lot of young guys to enjoy watching develop. Hopefully a few more if we're able to move Miller and Artest.

 

[captain bill]

You don't give the Blazers enough credit. I will guarantee right now that barring any major injury the Blazers will win 50 games and at least nab a 6 seed.

That leaves the Spurs, Suns, Mavs, Nuggets, Rockets, Jazz, Lakers, Hornets, and the Warriors all better than the Kings.

Kings will either be #10-#12 seed in the west and probably 10-15 games out of the #8. We have a dummy for a GM who thinks this team is probably fine where it is so don't look for any moves to be done.

very possible on the blazers. i think they will probably start slow given that they are very young and will be incorporating 3 rookies into major roles (oden, bayless, batum). 09-10 i have no doubt they will be getting a good seed, but im just not sure that this year they can do it. they will probably challenge but the west will still be competitive so its hard to think that they will beat out the more veteran teams to get a spot. at least this next season.

 

[rhythmless]

are the kings playoff bound?

NO.

/thread

 

[hrdboild]

I guess you can add the Clippers to the list of "likely" playoff teams in 2009. How many is that now? 10 teams?

 

[tradepeja]

are the kings playoff bound?

NO.

/thread

This.



Do I hear keys jingling?

 

[CruzDude]

The Kings were 10th in the west this past year but 10 games behind the Warriors who didn't make the playoffs. Lets assume the Kings win 46 games this year. Where might they end up, who are the falling/fallen power teams of the past 8-9 years and who are "the new kids on the block" in the west?

Well, here goes. I think the Suns struggle to make the playoffs with Shaq and both the Spurs and Mavs falling down to 5-8. Don't think the Nuggets, Mavs or Warriors make playoffs. And see the Kings and Blazers looking at slots 6-8 with the Clips on the playoff bubble or higher with Baron Davis.

It's way too early to start something like this but what the hey, in TDOS we have to have something to divert our attention until the summer league starts then get more excited about in TDOS-2 (August-September).
__________________

 

[T4L3NT3D530]

In all honesty, I would love for the KINGS to be right there battling for the final spot. if they can do that, it would be a very successful season in my opinion.

 

[ForlornKing]

What is with this board?

We draft an actual full-sized PF and some atheletic 2nd round talent and people think that we're already rebuilt??? Before the draft, I was almost convicnced that alot more than half the people on this board were commited to a rebuilding phase, eliminating playoff expectations for maybe the next year or two.Don't get me wrong I have high hopes for Jason Thompson but this team is nowhere near ready for playoff aspirations. Yeah of course we were close if we had won a few close games blah blah blah yeah if we win a few more games this year than last year we get into the 8th seed thsi upcoming season blah blah blah. Cool. Because First Round playoff exits especially when you get swept are FUN!!!!!

 

[chrisnu]

Zero chance the Kings make the playoffs next season. The Lakers, Hornets, Spurs, Jazz, Rockets, Suns, and Mavericks will likely be making the playoffs next season. The Blazers, Nuggets, and maybe the Clippers or Warriors will be ahead of the Kings for the final playoff spot.

The best thing that could happen for the rebuilding process would be to trade Artest, trade Miller, and lose enough games to secure at least a top 5 pick. I think there's still a chance to have a product on the floor that fans can root for, and still be able to acquire a potentially franchise-changing talent through the draft.

 

[bajaden]

Zero chance the Kings make the playoffs next season. The Lakers, Hornets, Spurs, Jazz, Rockets, Suns, and Mavericks will likely be making the playoffs next season. The Blazers, Nuggets, and maybe the Clippers or Warriors will be ahead of the Kings for the final playoff spot.

The best thing that could happen for the rebuilding process would be to trade Artest, trade Miller, and lose enough games to secure at least a top 5 pick. I think there's still a chance to have a product on the floor that fans can root for, and still be able to acquire a potentially franchise-changing talent through the draft.

I don't think the Kings will make the playoffs next year, and frankly, I don't really care. However, there are some teams that I don't think are going to be as good next year, based on where they are right now.

The Warriors just lost Davis, and from what I've been reading, they're chances of signing Brand are slim unless he pulls a Boozer on the Clips. They didn't make the playoffs last year. Without Davis they have a very slim chance next year.

Has anyone looked at the Dallas roster. Its no great shakes. Aside from Nowitzki and Kidd, both of whom are getting up there in age, they're pretty thin. They wern't very happy with Josh at the end of the year. He's a nice player but not a difference maker. Jason Terry is a nice player, and I hope for their sake he stays one, because they have a lot of money tied up in that dude for a long time. If people think we overpaid for Beno, go check out what Dallas is paying Terry. I just don't think that Dallas is going to be as good as in the past. They also have cap problems.

I think Portland is going to be better. If all things fall the way they should, then they make the playoffs. But, in fact, Greg Oden has played as many NBA games as Jason Thompson has. Everyone thinks he's going to be the next coming. Myself included. Truth is, until he gets on the court and we see how his talent translates and we see how he's recovered from knee surgery, their playoff berth is not a given.

The Sun's are another mystery. They still have to figure out how to make the Shaq thing work. They have a new coach and a new system. They may not come out of the gate as quickly as in the past. Steve Nash, one of my favorite players is another year older. I think he will still be good, but will he be good enough? I think they make the playoffs, but with a lower seed this time.

I don't know what to say about Denver, other than I think they overacheived last year. They have talent, but not enough to win the whole banana. When they get done figuring out what they want to do, we'll have a better idea of where they might finish. I suspect they'll make a few trades this off-season.

The Clippers, if Brand returns should be good enough to make the playoffs. However, they have a knack for finding ways to screw up things, so who knows for sure..

The team I'm the most interested in is the Spur's. They haven't done much so far. It appears they beleive they have enough left for another run at the championship. I'm not so sure. They have become an old team. Their best defender is 39 yr's old. Thier sixth man, and heart and soul of the team didn't even come into the league until he was old, and injuries are starting to catch up with him. The only young star on that team is Parker. If they stay healthy, then I think they have a shot. Their window is slowly closing. Its been fun to watch though.

 

[NewMonkey]

Zero chance the Kings make the playoffs next season. The Lakers, Hornets, Spurs, Jazz, Rockets, Suns, and Mavericks will likely be making the playoffs next season. The Blazers, Nuggets, and maybe the Clippers or Warriors will be ahead of the Kings for the final playoff spot.

The best thing that could happen for the rebuilding process would be to trade Artest, trade Miller, and lose enough games to secure at least a top 5 pick. I think there's still a chance to have a product on the floor that fans can root for, and still be able to acquire a potentially franchise-changing talent through the draft.

Agreed.

 

[AyeCarly]

Zero chance the Kings make the playoffs next season. The Lakers, Hornets, Spurs, Jazz, Rockets, Suns, and Mavericks will likely be making the playoffs next season. The Blazers, Nuggets, and maybe the Clippers or Warriors will be ahead of the Kings for the final playoff spot.

The best thing that could happen for the rebuilding process would be to trade Artest, trade Miller, and lose enough games to secure at least a top 5 pick. I think there's still a chance to have a product on the floor that fans can root for, and still be able to acquire a potentially franchise-changing talent through the draft.

It's better to say that the Kings probability of making the playoffs is lower than other teams (like Bajaden illustrated in response), then to make a sweeping statement such as yours. It takes away the ability for your statement to be scrutinized. Unless, you like to look foolish. For instance, say Kobe, Paul, Duncan, Oden, Anthony, Yao, Nowitski and Davis were to succumb to season ending injuries this year (God forbid) and we were to stay intact. The probability of our reaching the playoffs would increase quite a bit, then we could end up making the playoffs and you'd look like a complete buffoon for making said sweeping statement. (Kind of like Ron guaranteeing the playoffs).

As an aside the reality of (West) teams franchise players bowing out for the season last year was 2 out of those 8 players I listed or a 25% chance (Yao, Oden). What do you think the probability of the Rockets making the playoffs without Yao was? Probably not too good, and yet they made it. While I agree, the Kings most likely will not make the playoffs, I wouldn't say they have zero chance, cause in sports anything is possible and besides our roster is not completely set yet.

 

[TTown Kings]

are the kings playoff bound?

NO.

/thread

yup

 

[Arby's Roast Beef]

We're still going to be wallowing in mediocrity when all is said and done; we can look forward to having our young players play, but we still have the same core of Artest-Martin-Miller (of course barring any changes), and we're never getting that high enough pick, nor is Geoff seemingly willing to trade for that established vet/young player that can get us over the top. We're hampered by troubling contracts such as KT's, and the fact that the majority of our producers (Salmons, Artest, and Miller) are viable trade baits tells us something about the state of our team. And all this is not even taking into account how deadly the West will be next year.

 

[bajaden]

Before we get all caught up in how mediocre we are and how the grass in the other teams playground looks greener, lets take a realistic look at a team. I've picked the Suns and it was a random choice.

Amare Stoudemire- 26yrs old - averaged 40 minutes a game last year and 25.2 points a game. No doubt a young talent, but one that has already had knee surgery. Some around the league wonder how good he would be without Steve Nash. Still, I would love to have him and he's the future of that team.

Steve Nash- 33yrs old - averaged 34 minutes a game and 16.9 points a game. He showed no signs of slowing down last year, and appears to have at least a couple of seasons left in the tank. Can he maintain the same level is the question. If he were to go down for any length of time, they have no one who can step in and do what he does.

Shaq O' Neal- 35 yrs old - averaged between both teams 29 minutes a game and 13.6 pts a game. Will he show up in shape? Can he show up in shape? How many games will he be able to play and how will he fit into the type of system the Sun's play. A lot of expensive questions. Not a sure thing that he will be of much help.

Grant Hill- 36 yrs old - averaged 31 minutes a game and 13.2 pts a game. He managed to play almost the entire season without injury last year. Do you want to take bets on how much longer he can do it. I love Hill, and its a shame that a player of his talent level lost so much time. But time is his enemy now, and its gaining on him. He was an important piece of this team last year, and if he goes down. Not good..

Raja Bell- 32 yrs old - averaged 35 minutes a game and 11.9 pts a game. Doesnt get much fanfare, but he's always been very reliable

Gordon Giricek- 30 yrs old - averaged 15 minutes a game and 5.8 pts a game. One of those guys you just hate when he gets in one of those hot streaks. If your on the other team I mean. Not much of a factor in the large scheme of things.

Up to this point, if you've noticed a theme, and the theme is that everyone except Amare is over 30 yrs of age, your right on top of it. Except for Giricek, Barbosa and Diaw, these are the core players. This is an old team.

Barbosa- 26 yrs old - averaged 29 minutes a game and 15.6 pts a game. Great change of pace player. A hustle guy, and for some reason their shopping him around. Could be the only guy with value, that their willing to part with. Right now he's the only replacement for Nash.

Diaw- 25 yrs old - averaged 28 minutes a game and 8.8 pts a game. Right now the only legit backup at the forward position they have. They really need some dept here. Hey, how about Kenny Thomas.

The only other players other than this years draft pick are Alando Tucker, a 23 yr old who was last years draft pick and D. J. Strawberry a 22 yr old. Neither of them played enough last year to have any significance on next year.

So here's the situation. Will they be a good team next year and make the playoffs? Probably. But, They're an old team thats going to fade quickly if there are any injuries to any of they're key players. They have no cap room at the moment, and their draft picks will be at the bottom of the round. As the team stands now, they have no chance of winning the NBA championship, and I see nothing that they can do in the forseeable future that will change that. So does that sound like a rosey picture to you? If your a Sun's fan, all I can say, is enjoy it while you can, because what goes around, comes around. What the hell does that mean anyway?

 

[dmj]

I'd say we have a chance of making the playoffs, but a it's a pretty small one.

Going by current rosters, I would think that two of the Suns, Mavs, and Nuggets won't make the playoffs this year.

Even then it is still a small chance, especially considering the improvements that the Blazers and Clippers will likely make. But if we can stay healthy and get a decent player for Artest, then I think it is at least possible.

 

[chrisnu]

It's better to say that the Kings probability of making the playoffs is lower than other teams (like Bajaden illustrated in response), then to make a sweeping statement such as yours. It takes away the ability for your statement to be scrutinized. Unless, you like to look foolish. For instance, say Kobe, Paul, Duncan, Oden, Anthony, Yao, Nowitski and Davis were to succumb to season ending injuries this year (God forbid) and we were to stay intact. The probability of our reaching the playoffs would increase quite a bit, then we could end up making the playoffs and you'd look like a complete buffoon for making said sweeping statement. (Kind of like Ron guaranteeing the playoffs).

As an aside the reality of (West) teams franchise players bowing out for the season last year was 2 out of those 8 players I listed or a 25% chance (Yao, Oden). What do you think the probability of the Rockets making the playoffs without Yao was? Probably not too good, and yet they made it. While I agree, the Kings most likely will not make the playoffs, I wouldn't say they have zero chance, cause in sports anything is possible and besides our roster is not completely set yet.

Do you think I care about looking like a buffoon on a fan message board?

Is saying the Kings have zero chance of making the playoffs any more outlandish than stipulating about multiple franchise players on prospective playoff teams sustaining season-ending injuries?

 

[zeke04]

they have a chance it's just not likely. Almost every guy would have to have career years, along with a rookie of the year and a sophemore center that takes a major step forward. That's not to mention the injuries other teams would have to suffer. I wouldn't bet tomorrows lunch on it.

 

[bajaden]

Do you think I care about looking like a buffoon on a fan message board?

Is saying the Kings have zero chance of making the playoffs any more outlandish than stipulating about multiple franchise players on prospective playoff teams sustaining season-ending injuries?

One is stated as being a fact. The other is stated as being hypothetical. Don't know about the outlandish part, thats subjective...