8th seed predictions (the sequel)

[jcwkings]

Basically all I'm hearing is "why should I support the team when the FO will just screw up anything it touches?" Well in the same breath you can say "why should I support a team giving a player a $230 million dollar contract when the FO will just screw everything and will never surround Cousins with the talent he needs. Thus we will be in mediocrity for the next five years Cousins is on the roster".

We can all agree now that the FO and ownership is a complete mess, something I knew for a long time but some have only turned on with the Cousins trade. I mean Vlade was a saint around here despite the stupidity of the Sixers trade and other bad moves and writings on the wall that he is completely incompetent at his job in relation to other GM's around the league.

I just think that creating a stable environment where players can come in and develop without a personality like Cousins around gives us a better chance of eventually succeeding in spite of the morons upstairs. If you hit on some picks and develop role players the right way, Joerger and the coaching staff can do that. That just my opinion.

 

[steelevt]

1. Vlade already sunk that boat.

2. Maybe you need to wait more than 24 hours to make that assumption.

The Kings aren't going anywhere this year, for the simple reason that ONCE AGAIN they found a way to turn possible victory into near certain defeat. If people want to see GOOD BASKETBALL, why not root for the team with the player we just lost to show his potential in the playoffs?

I want the front office to have this rubbed in their faces for a long time. They are dead to me. I will root for the guys wearing the jerseys but everyone else, including my namesake, can take a flying leap. They created this situation and I hope they come to realize just how bad a dumpster fire it is.

meh, id rather root for malone in denver then. this way our FO still look like the baffoons they are for getting rid of malone. the people that say "if hes so great, what has malone done since leaving sac?" can shut up, and it still wont hurt our pick. either way its not my place to tell you who to root for and who not to. i honestly wish tyreke wasnt in the trade so there would be a chance for him and cousins to win together like we all dreamed they would have here.

 

[Bricklayer]

Basically all I'm hearing is "why should I support the team when the FO will just screw up anything it touches?" Well in the same breath you can say "why should I support a team giving a player a $230 million dollar contract when the FO will just screw everything and will never surround Cousins with the talent he needs. Thus we will be in mediocrity for the next five years Cousins is on the roster".

We can all agree now that the FO and ownership is a complete mess, something I knew for a long time but some have only turned on with the Cousins trade. I mean Vlade was a saint around here despite the stupidity of the Sixers trade and other bad moves and writings on the wall that he is completely incompetent at his job in relation to other GM's around the league.

I just think that creating a stable environment where players can come in and develop without a personality like Cousins around gives us a better chance of eventually succeeding in spite of the morons upstairs. If you hit on some picks and develop role players the right way, Joerger and the coaching staff can do that. That just my opinion.

Joerger and his coaching staff are toast unless you hit on something by next year. There's always a fall guy on rebuilds. The rebuild coach is always sacrificed. And he didn't even come to Sac to rebuild. He's been betrayed too. One day being terrible long enough will accidentally produce a star, just as it did with Cousins. Its inevitable no matter how determined you are to **** everything up. Now whether you can accomplish the simple goal of building around such a star I wouldn't bet on. But one will come. And it will be the coach hired after he has started to blossom that will get to ride the elevator to the top. Meanwhile poor Dave's resume is going to get trashed by a series of 15-20-some win seasons that he didn't cause.

 

[SLAB]

Joerger and his coaching staff are toast unless you hit on something by next year. There's always a fall guy on rebuilds. The rebuild coach is always sacrificed. And he didn't even come to Sac to rebuild. He's been betrayed too.

Grant will still blame DeMarcus for instilling such a cancerous and losing culture that will take multiple multiple multiple multiple seasons to disperse.

 

[jcwkings]

Joerger and his coaching staff are toast unless you hit on something by next year. There's always a fall guy on rebuilds. The rebuild coach is always sacrificed. And he didn't even come to Sac to rebuild. He's been betrayed too. One day being terrible long enough will accidentally produce a star, just as it did with Cousins. Its inevitable no matter how determined you are to **** everything up. Now whether you can accomplish the simple goal of building around such a star I wouldn't bet on. But one will come. And it will be the coach hired after he has started to blossom that will get to ride the elevator to the top. Meanwhile poor Dave's resume is going to get trashed by a series of 15-20-some win seasons that he didn't cause.

I think Vlade would go before Joerger. At least thats the way it should be. Vlade has to hit on the 2017 draft and hope at least three of Hield, Malachi, Skal, Papa are at the least good rotational NBA players.

 

[Bricklayer]

I think Vlade would go before Joerger. At least thats the way it should be. Vlade has to hit on the 2017 draft and hope at least three of Hield, Malachi, Skal, Papa are at the least good rotational NBA players.

Ah yes, but you remember Vivek's lament about learning the hard lesson you have to let your GM come in first and select his own coach?

 

[VF21]

I could see a situation where Vlade walks away. He did not look happy or comfortable in the brief snippet of the press conference I saw. If he ever wakes up and realizes just how much of a crapstorm he's embroiled in, he may run back to Europe without bothering to pack.

 

[jcwkings]

I could see a situation where Vlade walks away. He did not look happy or comfortable in the brief snippet of the press conference I saw. If he ever wakes up and realizes just how much of a poopoostorm he's embroiled in, he may run back to Europe without bothering to pack.

At this point I would love it if Ken Cantanella was promoted to GM by Vlade and he goes back to president. Listening to Woj other execs around the league respect Cantanella and like dealing with him over the arkane Vlade.

 

[ElRey]

Unless we start dumping all our veterans, I'm not so sure the Kings are going into the freefall that people are predicting. Joerger is that good of coach to get these guys to compete every night and we will still be contention for that 8th seed. I don't think we going to be make it, but there's a good chance we will not be able to get a top 5 pick from dumping Cousins.

 

[c-webb1s#1]

Guys we just gotta settle down here! I mean who isn't absolutely PUMPED about spending another 4-6 years in the lottery? The playoffs are just a rigged tournament where the top seeds win all the time anyways. Lets be honest, we don't need anymore disappointment. Lets all just resign ourselves to futility and expect nothing...that way we can never be disappointed again!

 

[c-webb1s#1]

Unless we start dumping all our veterans, I'm not so sure the Kings are going into the freefall that people are predicting. Joerger is that good of coach to get these guys to compete every night and we will still be contention for that 8th seed. I don't think we going to be make it, but there's a good chance we will not be able to get a top 5 pick from dumping Cousins.

Well in all honesty I belive this team will play hard and compete. I just know we aint goin anywhere far with the roster though, so without Cousins I can't get excited about things.

 

[The Hammer]

I could see a situation where Vlade walks away. He did not look happy or comfortable in the brief snippet of the press conference I saw. If he ever wakes up and realizes just how much of a poopoostorm he's embroiled in, he may run back to Europe without bothering to pack.

I hope he does. I want to respect him again, and that might be the only way. Actually, damn, I don't even know about that.

 

[IfAt1st]

The 8th playoff spot is the Pelicans to lose, as I see it:

They have 3 weeks to gel before they meet the Blazers, then they get them again the last game of the season.

They have more than a month to piece things together before they meet the Nuggets, and they get them two more times after that by the end of the season.

If they pick up anyone remotely qualified to play SG before the trade deadline, I'd say they're a virtual lock for 8th (barring injury).

 

[ParniValjak]

I think the Pelicans take it, barring any injuries. Two all-star/MVP type players at the 4 and 5 with a good PG. There is enough talent to there to get the 8th certainly, but depth is obviously the huge problem. The Nuggets are my 2nd choice, but with a young center in Jokic, they are more apt to lose their grip on the 8th and drop out. Mavericks are old, but somehow I wouldn't feel right by not mentioning them. They have the experience and if the younger teams start making mistakes, they could capitalize.

One think I can see it screwing up things for Pelicans is that they have the very definition of a wrong coach for Boogie/AD combo. Gentry is Karl like and that should be the exact oposite of what the Pelicans need to do and I am not sure, how quickly they can change their offense this far into the season. Give them Joerger or Malone and they make it EASILY without ANY doubt what so ever.

 

[ParniValjak]

Revised objection: The number of the pick is irrelevant if the person making the selection isn't qualified. I've defended Vlade a lot over the years but I have to admit that I'm less and less prone to do so going forward. It can be the best draft in the world but I'm not sure Vlade has a vision right now ... or that Vlade is even calling the shots. I want to believe. I believed before, though, and then yesterday happened.

If LeBron was in this draft, this franchise would draft Darko Miličić because #Kangz!

 

[ParniValjak]

I could see a situation where Vlade walks away. He did not look happy or comfortable in the brief snippet of the press conference I saw. If he ever wakes up and realizes just how much of a poopoostorm he's embroiled in, he may run back to Europe without bothering to pack.

I highly doubt that! Vlade is in this for a pay cheque and he will not walk away as long as the dollars keep on coming.

 

[andjel]

I could see a situation where Vlade walks away. He did not look happy or comfortable in the brief snippet of the press conference I saw. If he ever wakes up and realizes just how much of a poopoostorm he's embroiled in, he may run back to Europe without bothering to pack.

I was half expecting Vlade to resign on Monday to keep some respect for him... not happened... yet....

 

[Ron]

Follow up:

The Pelicans in 12th place are struggling, and are already 5 games behind the Nuggets in 8th!
(And one ahead of us, Kings)

But still, if I have to put my money on a team to make the 8th in the WC, the Pels are still my favorites!!

(Not in the sense of "the team I FAVOR" or "the team I WISH would take the last PO spot", but "the team I THINK would take it" after the dust settles)

I'd like to hear your reactions before I explain why I think they will have the upper hand.

 

[dude12]

Follow up:

The Pelicans in 12th place are struggling, and are already 5 games behind the Nuggets in 8th!
(And one ahead of us, Kings)

But still, if I have to put my money on a team to make the 8th in the WC, the Pels are still my favorites!!

(Not in the sense of "the team I FAVOR" or "the team I WISH would take the last PO spot", but "the team I THINK would take it" after the dust settles)

I'd like to hear your reactions before I explain why I think they will have the upper hand.

You mean Pelicans take 8th THIS year? I think they are to far away and will shut down guys soon. Waiting to see your theory though.

 

[whozit]

You mean Pelicans take 8th THIS year? I think they are to far away and will shut down guys soon. Waiting to see your theory though.

I'm not sure they can do that. When I've listened to their announcers they have lowered expectations for making the playoffs and that was almost from the get-go. Both the coach and GM have reasons to give the appearance that it'll work in time. They were both on thin ice before the trade. You get an all-star player for a rookie along with spare parts that weren't doing much and you can't make it work. Why would they keep you? That is not even taking into consideration Cousins reaction to another losing season where the team raises the white flag and pulls the plug. And then you want/expect him to sign an extension?

 

[Ron]

You mean Pelicans take 8th THIS year? I think they are to far away and will shut down guys soon. Waiting to see your theory though.

Well, not a full-blown theory. I just looked at their future schedule:

1. It's very much in THEIR hands.

They meet the Nuggets 3 times, the Blazers twice, and the T-Wolves, Mavs, Kings and LAL once each, in the 16 games left until the end of the season! (That's 9 games!)
Plus, most of those games (except for the final week stretch) are home games.
If they win most of these games against their peer group - they're already AT LEAST head-to-head with all of their rivals.​

2. They have an easy schedule.

In the west:
In addition to the relatively winnable games memtioned above, they only have 4 games against WC good teams: Rockets (twice), Jazz, and then GSW in the last week of the regular season (when the Dubs are focused on the POs). They also face MEM once, but the Grizzlies are not really good...
In the east:
The Pels only get to face 2 teams from the EC (!!), and both of those are under .500 (Heat & Bulls)​

3. They have no real reason to tank to improve their our 1st round pick. They would NOT reasonably get to be top 3 in the lottery.

4. They have every reason to try and show DMC (and everyone else) that they can compete and that the combo with AD works. That's imperative if they want him to sign with them.

 

[lwc]

Well, not a full-blown theory. I just looked at their future schedule:

1. It's very much in THEIR hands.

They meet the Nuggets 3 times, the Blazers twice, and the T-Wolves, Mavs, Kings and LAL once each, in the 16 games left until the end of the season! (That's 9 games!)
Plus, most of those games (except for the final week stretch) are home games.
If they win most of these games against their peer group - they're already AT LEAST head-to-head with all of their rivals.​

2. They have an easy schedule.

In the west:
In addition to the relatively winnable games memtioned above, they only have 4 games against WC good teams: Rockets (twice), Jazz, and then GSW in the last week of the regular season (when the Dubs are focused on the POs). They also face MEM once, but the Grizzlies are not really good...
In the east:
The Pels only get to face 2 teams from the EC (!!), and both of those are under .500 (Heat & Bulls)​

3. They have no real reason to tank to improve their our 1st round pick. They would NOT reasonably get to be top 3 in the lottery.

4. They have every reason to try and show DMC (and everyone else) that they can compete and that the combo with AD works. That's imperative if they want him to sign with them.

I think that is the key. They are 4.5 games behind Phoenix for 3rd. And, imagine the crap storm if they tank, get to the 3rd worst record and the lottery balls put them 4th! It is highly possible.

 

[NewArena]

5 games out at this point is nearly impossible to overcome. forget it

 

[Ron]

5 games out at this point is nearly impossible to overcome. forget it

Except that it's only 2 games behind if they win all 3 NOP-DEN direct games...

So, I WILL (forget it) if they go worse than 4-1 in this next stretch:
3/14 - POR
3/15 - @MIA
3/17 - HOU
3/19 - MIN
3/21 - MEM

Actually, in case of 3-2 in those 5 games, I will still count them in, and wait for the next road trip + home stand to "forget it":
3/24 - @HOU
3/26 - @Den
3/27 - @UTA
3/29 - DAL
3/31 - SAC
4/2 - CHI
4/4 - DEN

If up to that point they go 8-4 (34-44) or 9-3 (35-43), then I think they'll make the 8th spot this season, with 36 or 37 wins.
Even going 7-5 (33-45) up to this point will leave them a chance, IMHO, if they take this last road trip 3-1 or 4-0:
4/7 - @DEN
4/9 - @GSW
4/11 - @LAL
4/13 - @POR

 

[Npliam]

I think the T-woles might sneak in. They are playing great.

 

[iowamcnabb]

I think the T-woles might sneak in. They are playing great.

They have a really tough schedule the rest of the way. look out next year tho

 

[Ron]

Follow up:

The Pelicans in 12th place are struggling, and are already 5 games behind the Nuggets in 8th!
(And one ahead of us, Kings)

But still, if I have to put my money on a team to make the 8th in the WC, the Pels are still my favorites!!

(Not in the sense of "the team I FAVOR" or "the team I WISH would take the last PO spot", but "the team I THINK would take it" after the dust settles)

I'd like to hear your reactions before I explain why I think they will have the upper hand.

Actually, make it 5.5 games behind after the Nugg's W on the Fakers last night!
Let's see if my far-fetched claim still holds.
If it does - please remember where you saw it first.

 

[Kingster]

I don't agree that the Pels are going to make the playoffs, but I wholeheartedly agree that it makes not a bit of sense for them to tank.