Ademan: Keep him or let him go ?

[Circa_1985_Fan]

I'm vouching for Adelman only because there is no one out there available that can do a better job than he is doing right now IMO. However if, for example, Popovich calls...

is Pop calls for what, pizza?? He's not leaving SA any time soon, unfortunately.

 

[love_them_kings]

I'm assuming its the Artest acquisition which has swung things and if so then I am actually fairly impressed with the people that have changed their minds about Rick staying, because I think having him as an Artest handler really may end up being critical.

I think that's a lot of what is going on here.

I've always liked Adelman, but before the Artest trade I had reached the point where I just didn't know if he was being effective, and if he was the best coach for the team we had. With the Artest trade, I feel like Artest could be a great thing on this team if he has a coach that will support him & help him grow. I think Adelman is the right choice right now for that exact reason.

 

[VF21]

Okay, I guess I'm going to be the one to bring up the big elephant in the room:

The whole team has looked 100% more involved, with better communication, etc. since Peja was traded.

I'm not trying to draw any concrete conclusions, but you have to wonder if those rumors about Peja simply not being happy were, in fact, based in truth and it was spilling into the team dynamic.

What I'm seeing now is a return to the excitement, the enthusiasm, the participation, etc. of what we had before the whole two years of nothing but Webber and Peja drama. I'm seeing a coach who is more animated, a team that's talking together, etc.

I think Adelman has the best shot of anyone out there to get the optimum performance out of this group of young men. I can only hope the Maloofs think so, too...

 

[nbrans]

Okay, I guess I'm going to be the one to bring up the big elephant in the room:

The whole team has looked 100% more involved, with better communication, etc. since Peja was traded.

I'm not trying to draw any concrete conclusions, but you have to wonder if those rumors about Peja simply not being happy were, in fact, based in truth and it was spilling into the team dynamic.

What I'm seeing now is a return to the excitement, the enthusiasm, the participation, etc. of what we had before the whole two years of nothing but Webber and Peja drama. I'm seeing a coach who is more animated, a team that's talking together, etc.

I think Adelman has the best shot of anyone out there to get the optimum performance out of this group of young men. I can only hope the Maloofs think so, too...

You're exactly right that the change in energy really corresponded to Peja leaving, and I think you make a great point about the excitement. I'd really hate to pin it on Pjea. Really, with Petrie trying to keep holding onto the same core from before but minus essential parts, it was just kind of depressing because the team was clearly on a downward slide and there wasn't much hope of things getting better.

I think the infusion of Artest, because he's such a singular talent, gave the team hope more than anything else -- hope that the team had turned a corner and would get better and are now just a few moves away from being back in the thick of things. It's not that Peja was such a drag, but more that the team didn't have much to be excited about.

Also, from a pure personality standpoint, the Kings were truly one of the most depressing teams in the history of the entire leauge. ZERO personality. No smiling, no joking, no anything. No pulse!! Artest brings enough personality for several teams, and you can already feel the difference.

 

[VF21]

I didn't mean to pin it all on Peja.

I think it started when Webber's return was delayed by the league suspension for lying to the grand jury AND the mysterious drug-related 5-game penalty. I think it continued throughout that entire time, with the various callings-out, the trade demand, and all the other stuff that just wouldn't go away.

I think it finally ended when Peja left. You could almost hear the whole organization exhale...

 

[Diabeticwonder]

Also, from a pure personality standpoint, the Kings were truly one of the most depressing teams in the history of the entire leauge. ZERO personality. No smiling, no joking, no anything. No pulse!! Artest brings enough personality for several teams, and you can already feel the difference.

So true! On Sunday, against the Jazz, Cisco raised up for a 3 from the right wing and you could see Reef getting off the bench and raising his hands in anticipation and when it went in he did a fist pump. It caught my eye because those kinds of things have not happened much at all this year and it was nice to see.

 

[kingkung]

I have obviously always been a relative Adelman booster, but I do have to say that this recent surge in support for him has caught even me a bit by surprise.

I'm assuming its the Artest acquisition which has swung things and if so then I am actually fairly impressed with the people that have changed their minds about Rick staying, because I think having him as an Artest handler really may end up being critical.

It seems like the Ron Artest deal has swung the pendulum from "FIRE ADELMAN!!!" to "We want Adelman back!!!". I just don't get it. Coaches' salaries are relatively inexpensive, even Adelman's, so salary wasn't a problem. And it's not like the team has gone on a huge win streak... they've gone 2-3 since Artest.

So why the sudden change of minds just for one player?? It's really bizarre to me.

 

[Warhawk]

It seems like the Ron Artest deal has swung the pendulum from "FIRE ADELMAN!!!" to "We want Adelman back!!!". I just don't get it. Coaches' salaries are relatively inexpensive, even Adelman's, so salary wasn't a problem. And it's not like the team has gone on a huge win streak... they've gone 2-3 since Artest.

So why the sudden change of minds just for one player?? It's really bizarre to me.

Probably because it's only been 5 games and fewer practices and the defense is already, what, 5-10 points better than it was before? Because Bonzi is still injured, Brad has been out, we've had the Young Guns stepping up their play, SAR is playing with a jaw wired shut and we can see an attitude difference and a new level of excitement in the team? We've been winning at home and I think folks are glad to see effort on the floor.

 

[piksi]

I think it finally ended when Peja left. You could almost hear the whole organization exhale...

And while you are probably right abut these things - It is a bitter taste.

It all rather feels like it must have really sucked to be this good all this years. It too one and half season to dismantle it and now we can exhale.

The problem is that there are big shoes to fill in. For startes - where do You find a guy like Vlade Divac ?

 

[VF21]

I think you've twisted my meaning just a bit, piksi...

It DIDN'T suck to be good. What did suck was to see the way things started to unravel...I'm not pointing fingers here or trying to assess blame. I'm simply saying that I felt as though we'd been holding our breaths since all the drama started and finally, with Peja gone, it was over. That doesnt change the good.

Where do you find a guy like Vlade? You don't...at least not more than once in a team lifetime, and that's if you're lucky.

That ship has sailed. it's over and past.

Now we're facing a new Kings team; a DIFFERENT Kings team. I don't want to recreate the past. I just want the new Kings to be able to accomplish as much, and hopefully more, than those who have gone before them.

Those are big footprints but entirely different shoes.

 

[Folsom Al]

Keep him .... has a way with HIGH MAINTENANCE players

 

[LilMissDiva]

His stubbornness has also gotten us to the playoffs every year since 1999.

I certainly hope the Maloofs don't just allow his contract to expire. They owe him a lot better treatment than that. If they aren't going to offer him a new deal, I would really hope they have the good manners and common sense to at least go to him and tell him...

Ugh! Of course VF, I didn't mean for them to just pretend it's all good then all of a sudden Rick wakes up the day his contract ends and waits for the phone to ring... LOL

I just meant that if it were to go down that RA won't be here anymore firing him would not be the best option. Basically you and I are both hoping for the best scenario for someone who brought alot to Sacramento.

Though, the fact is, so far it's not looking too good - aside from the comment in the paper of hoping to have him "for many years to come" there really hasn't been much else said or done.

 

[VF21]

Ah, that makes more sense SKFFL.

 

[kingkung]

Probably because it's only been 5 games and fewer practices and the defense is already, what, 5-10 points better than it was before? Because Bonzi is still injured, Brad has been out, we've had the Young Guns stepping up their play, SAR is playing with a jaw wired shut and we can see an attitude difference and a new level of excitement in the team? We've been winning at home and I think folks are glad to see effort on the floor.

So yes, it all revolves around Artest. Well, what makes people think Rick Adelman can control Artest, when Rick Carlisle couldn't?? I don't think of Adelman as a disciplinarian, and I like Coach Adelman, but I don't think he has the ultimate respect and unquestioned authority over his team the way Popovich and Jackson (with the Bulls) did, and a crazy man like Artest needs such a figure to maintain productivity throughout a long period of time. Just my opinion.

 

[Folsom Al]

I don't think he has the ultimate respect and unquestioned authority over his team the way Popovich and Jackson (with the Bulls) did,

Ultimate respect and unquestioned authority may or may not have anything to do with how players get along with Adelman.

IMO - Artest already has RESPECT for the game ... he knows basketball and I have no doubt he's got the HEART for the game .... that's a quality YOU CAN'T COACH OR DISCIPLINE.

I'm not saying Artest is UNCOACHABLE, cause a smart basketball player most likely has the attitude, THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING TO LEARN .. WHAT CAN I LEARN TODAY ???

 

[Evenstar]

earlier in the year i would have said kick him on the sidewalk. not anymore

i do hope the kings re-sign him. not all the kings problems are his fault. while he does have some crazy substitution patterns, and some other moves that make me scratch my head, i do think he's the best fit on our team at the moment.