[Game] 38/82: Kings @ Warriors 09 JAN 2026, 7pm PT/10pm ET

[Tetsujin]

Man, the tank is one thing but legit, this might be the biggest waste of a season the Kings have had. There isn't really even anything that can be cited as something they are building on. If Perry doesn't hit on this draft pick and this season continues this way he's in serious trouble. We have to see what the deadline brings but this is pure nothingness right now. Almost everyone at the top of the rotation won't even be here short term if they're lucky, lol.

I mean, there’s really nothing to build on. Aside from Max and Nique and Carter, every other guy on the roster is either a vet or onto their first big money contract.

 

[SacTownKid]

Scott Perry before the season: “This is going to be a gap year where wins aren’t really going to be the top priority”
Scott Perry before the season: “This is a gap year where wins aren’t really going to be the top priority”
Scott Perry to literally any reporter who will listen: “This a gap,year and the first year in a multi year rebuild.”
kings fans on the internet: “Why aren’t the Kings winning?”

Scott Perry: Signs Dennis Schroder to a full MLE contract and Westbrook starts. Something isn't jiving here. hmm....

 

[pdxKingsFan]

Is now the right time for me to point out that I was right when I said that Kings fans could never handle a Hinkie Style Process Rebuild?

Nobody cares. The only people acknowledging this are the 3 or 4 of us who all said it too and have tuned out waiting for the deadline and then we'll probably tune out until the lottery.

 

[Jdbraver137]

Scott Perry before the season: “This is going to be a gap year where wins aren’t really going to be the top priority”
Scott Perry before the season: “This is a gap year where wins aren’t really going to be the top priority”
Scott Perry to literally any reporter who will listen: “This a gap,year and the first year in a multi year rebuild.”
kings fans on the internet: “Why aren’t the Kings winning?”

No, fans are saying why are you playing the vets for 48 minutes and not developing the young guys.

 

[Joshyjosh31]

Scott Perry before the season: “This is going to be a gap year where wins aren’t really going to be the top priority”
Scott Perry before the season: “This is a gap year where wins aren’t really going to be the top priority”
Scott Perry to literally any reporter who will listen: “This a gap,year and the first year in a multi year rebuild.”
kings fans on the internet: “Why aren’t the Kings winning?”

This is nonsense a gap year should be playing the young guys and seeing what we have going to next season. What have we gained with westbrick and the other vets besides loosing trade value for Carter and Ellis while not learning anting about the team

 

[SacTownKid]

I mean, there’s really nothing to build on. Aside from Max and Nique and Carter, every other guy on the roster is either a vet or onto their first big money contract.

Then build on that. You know, the players that might ACTUALLY BE HERE? haha. Nah, this is a **** show beyond a typical Kangz level. And like usual, they'll regret wasting this time.

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

Dennis/Russ/Monk are playing with 3:48 left down 29?

And people still defend Doug for some reason?

If he isn't fired, like I don't believe he will be, what do you base it on? Just a figurehead to get through another tank season?

 

[pdxKingsFan]

No, fans are saying why are you playing the vets for 48 minutes and not developing the young guys.

because we have a lot of booty talent on multiyear deals that we have to trade.

and because if we don't play those guys the league will say we're intentionally losing and fine/dock picks.

and because we did not have a single true PG on the roster and like it or not, those matter when trying to showcase players for trade.

 

[Rob-The-Great]

If we can trade all the vets.

Dennis
Westbrook
Debo
Monk
(Keep Zach if we must)

Then.

Start Carter
Get kaminga

Ill actually be happy and call it a successful season. Then draft our future star 1st round. The season will be worth it

 

[Capt. Factorial]

Katie and Mark seem to be foreshadowing a trade.

Kuminga and Buddy

For

Demar

But why Buddy? Ick.

We would not *have* to include a min contract like Eubanks going the other way, but it would be that or waive a guy, which would be worse on the financial front.

Also, even including another min contract would push us almost $2M into the tax, which it seems like Vivek is hellbent to avoid, so unless we had another deal lined up to save $2M, Buddy seems unlikely. Unless we immediately waive and stretch him and enjoy five years of dead money.

 

[Tetsujin]

No, fans are saying why are you playing the vets for 48 minutes and not developing the young guys.

What young guys?

there are literally four young guys on the roster and three of them are in the rotation and players over twenty minutes tonight. Even if you managed to play all four young guys 48 minutes, you’d still be stuck playing a vet or two big minutes

 

[pdxKingsFan]

But why Buddy? Ick.

We would not *have* to include a min contract like Eubanks going the other way, but it would be that or waive a guy, which would be worse on the financial front.

Also, even including another min contract would push us almost $2M into the tax, which it seems like Vivek is hellbent to avoid, so unless we had another deal lined up to save $2M, Buddy seems unlikely. Unless we immediately waive and stretch him and enjoy five years of dead money.

One of the supposed reasons GSW did not want Monk is because Buddy was there on a multiyear deal. But they can let DeMar go next year so that makes no sense for us to pivot that direction.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

Scott Perry: Signs Dennis Schroder to a full MLE contract and Westbrook starts. Something isn't jiving here. hmm....

Schröder did start the first 12 games of the season. But Russ basically ripped away the starting spot from him.

 

[SacTownKid]

What young guys?

there are literally four young guys on the roster and three of them are in the rotation and players over twenty minutes tonight. Even if you managed to play all four young guys 48 minutes, you’d still be stuck playing a vet or two big minutes

It's not just that, it's about focus. The young guys are all ancillary to what the vets want to do. Max has looked good, in the dunkers spot. Yay. This team is 8 and freaking 30, good franchises are already headed towards the transition at this point.

 

[SacTownKid]

Schröder did start the first 12 games of the season. But Russ basically ripped away the starting spot from him.

And in a "gap year" no less.

 

[gunks]

I think that in a league that is well aware of tanking and trying to prevent it, the fact that so many people are convinced the FO went into this season believing in this roster even when the GM came right out and said this is a gap year from the jump, I just don't give a crap. Don't watch. That's the solution if you are going to agonize over this. There is no player development happening during this stretch. We are in a purge.

I absolutely believe Russ and Schroeder were signed this offseason with the intent to compete (our record wasn't horrible post Fox trade). It smacks of the Vivekian quest for perpetual mediocrity.

And while I don't think it was intentional at the time, I do agree that Russ and Zach are just the guys you want out there if you're gunning for a high pick. Smooth pivot by Perry to embrace rebuilding and I'm glad he's sold Vivek on it.

But alas, as fun as it is to watch Westbrick and Zach try to outshoot Steph while freezing out Max, I'll likely tune out until those goobers are traded. Max, Niq (for better or worse), Cardwell, and Carter are the guys I want to watch play ball.

 

[The_Jamal]

I mean, there’s really nothing to build on. Aside from Max and Nique and Carter, every other guy on the roster is either a vet or onto their first big money contract.

What are you talking about there's nothing to build on? There's nothing to build because Doug is winging this as he goes. Keon rotating between starting, DNPs and 5 minute stints. Carter plays once a month. Monk is benched, but now he's back? Precious started to give us more size, but now we're back to 4 guards starting?

But sure, continue to make excuses for how poorly this season is being run. It's infuriating. Absolutely nobody cares about Wins and Losses. Everyone cares that there's no attempt at a coherent plan or how to consistently involve our young guys into the rotation EVERY game.

The team is 8-30. Sorry Russ/Dennis/DDR/Monk/LaVine. Yall will be out soon, but we're going to dimish your roles going forward and prioritize the young guys getting real playing time. Start there eh and maybe you'll be able to actually build on something to go into next season

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

who are they playing?

At the moment I'd typed that, I believe it was Luniz.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

I absolutely believe Russ and Schroeder were signed this offseason with the intent to compete (our record wasn't horrible post Fox trade). It smacks of the Vivekian quest for perpetual mediocrity.

Nobody on this board saw any reason these guys would help, other than so we could say we have a PG.

I trust Perry who has been openly critical of players on this roster as losers before taking the job understood this.

 

[Tetsujin]

This is nonsense a gap year should be playing the young guys and seeing what we have going to next season. What have we gained with westbrick and the other vets besides loosing trade value for Carter and Ellis while not learning anting about the team

We ARE playing the young guys.
Max has been playing over 30 minutes a night since December. Nique is at 21.4. Cardwell is playing pretty much all the minutes Max isn’t playing and in some cases that’s too many minutes.

I’m starting to feel like there’s a distinct possibility Devin might suck (at least in terms of how NBA teams see him) so the Kings refusing to play him IS them trying to maintain his value.

 

[sactowndog]

But why Buddy? Ick.

We would not *have* to include a min contract like Eubanks going the other way, but it would be that or waive a guy, which would be worse on the financial front.

Also, even including another min contract would push us almost $2M into the tax, which it seems like Vivek is hellbent to avoid, so unless we had another deal lined up to save $2M, Buddy seems unlikely. Unless we immediately waive and stretch him and enjoy five years of dead money.

Because we aren’t sending them a pick and the money doesn’t work otherwise. Plus Mark was talking him up. I’m sure we could waive Doug or Saric to get below the tax if needed.

 

[sactowndog]

We ARE playing the young guys.
Max has been playing over 30 minutes a night since December. Nique is at 21.4. Cardwell is playing pretty much all the minutes Max isn’t playing and in some cases that’s too many minutes.

I’m starting to feel like there’s a distinct possibility Devin might suck (at least in terms of how NBA teams see him) so the Kings refusing to play him IS them trying to maintain his value.

Maybe or maybe they want him to learn how to run a team and that is best done in Stockton.

Or he could suck.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

We ARE playing the young guys.
Max has been playing over 30 minutes a night since December. Nique is at 21.4. Cardwell is playing pretty much all the minutes Max isn’t playing and in some cases that’s too many minutes.

I’m starting to feel like there’s a distinct possibility Devin might suck (at least in terms of how NBA teams see him) so the Kings refusing to play him IS them trying to maintain his value.

far be it from me to give credit to @sactowndog maybe he was just right about Monte all along. What if instead of drafting Carter we had used him to get that wing that Fox wanted instead of DeMar and picking Devin?

We really wouldn't be any worse off than we are now.

or we could have drafted any big wing or what's his name in Miami or Ryan Dunn or I dunno anyone that actually played last season and looked useful.

 

[SacTownKid]

We ARE playing the young guys.
Max has been playing over 30 minutes a night since December. Nique is at 21.4. Cardwell is playing pretty much all the minutes Max isn’t playing and in some cases that’s too many minutes.

I’m starting to feel like there’s a distinct possibility Devin might suck (at least in terms of how NBA teams see him) so the Kings refusing to play him IS them trying to maintain his value.

No, it's more like they're just playing. Clifford is basically in the scraps role Carter was in last season. And BTW, Carter coming off injury was more productive and impactful. Just don't tell Perry that.

 

[SacTownKid]

far be it from me to give credit to @sactowndog maybe he was just right about Monte all along. What if instead of drafting Carter we had used him to get that wing that Fox wanted instead of DeMar and picking Devin?

We really wouldn't be any worse off than we are now.

That wing was Cam Johnson IIRC. Yeah, the same dominoes would have fallen and they'd be left with more pieces to try and flush out.

 

[sactowndog]

Man, the tank is one thing but legit, this might be the biggest waste of a season the Kings have had. There isn't really even anything that can be cited as something they are building on. If Perry doesn't hit on this draft pick and this season continues this way he's in serious trouble. We have to see what the deadline brings but this is pure nothingness right now. Almost everyone at the top of the rotation won't even be here short term if they're lucky, lol.

At two with Indiana at one who doesn’t need a point guard Flemings is likely our worst case scenario.

 

[Tetsujin]

Maybe or maybe they want him to learn how to run a team and that is best done in Stockton.

Or he could suck.

Yeah I’m neither here nor there in Devin right now but it’s pretty clear that the front office and coaching staff sees something in him that they don’t really like and I’m not sure getting a token ten minutes a night as the third PG is going to really change that.

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

Maybe or maybe they want him to learn how to run a team and that is best done in Stockton.

Or he could suck.

We've seen what they've seen. I highly doubt some grand revelation has occurred in the few practices they get during the season. Are you ready to write him off at this point?

 

[SacTownKid]

Yeah I’m neither here nor there in Devin right now but it’s pretty clear that the front office and coaching staff sees something in him that they don’t really like and I’m not sure getting a token ten minutes a night as the third PG is going to really change that.

And so far, whatever they see? Probably a wise bet to choose what the other guys might have seen at this point lol.

 

[gunks]

We ARE playing the young guys.
Max has been playing over 30 minutes a night since December. Nique is at 21.4. Cardwell is playing pretty much all the minutes Max isn’t playing and in some cases that’s too many minutes.

I’m starting to feel like there’s a distinct possibility Devin might suck (at least in terms of how NBA teams see him) so the Kings refusing to play him IS them trying to maintain his value.

Playing but not featured, our vets are taking and bricking most of the shots. Which is fine if we're trying to showcase/tank, but it's still a bummer to not see the rookies get some more looks.

I'd certainly be more enthused about tuning in if we trade Deebo, Westbrook, and Zach. Not sure anybody wants them though haha

Hopefully the ends justify the means come lotto day!