By Ailene Voisin - avoisin@sacbee.com
http://www.sacbee.com/kings/story/474104.html
The curtain went up. The curtain came down. The curtain went up. The curtain came down. For the first time since he became the Kings' coach, Reggie Theus kept members of the media in the dark for an entire practice.
"Emotions were really high," Theus would explain afterward, with a half-laugh. "No one likes to go on the road and get beat up like that. Guys were grinding each other (Monday) and beating up on each other. Things happen."
Hmmmmmm.
A fight would be interesting.
A show would be better.
A 2007-08 season that began with an 0-3 road trip isn't going to get much better from a wins and losses perspective. Even before Mike Bibby's thumb surgery, Spencer Hawes' knee injury and Ron Artest's seven-game suspension, there was little likelihood of the Kings reaching the Western Conference playoffs. Now? With no Bibby for two months, no Hawes for a few weeks, no Artest for four more games?
There's no time like the present to plan for the future. The lottery is months away.
O.J. Mayo. Kevin Love. Get out those college scouting reports. Who knows who else turns pro?
Any intrigue about the current Kings – No. 30 in Marc Stein's ESPN Power Rankings this week, by the way – will be generated by an unusual assortment of factors, including the usual issues pertaining to Artest's emotional equilibrium, and how many losses it takes for the Maloof brothers to go completely bonkers and/or ballistic.
Joe and Gavin aren't used to this.
Anymore, neither are Kings fans.
Nonetheless, with the Kings diving into Year 1 of Geoff Petrie's latest rebuilding effort, progress will be measured by such factors as energy and effort level, say, by whether the ushers at Arco Arena are asked to distribute NoDoz tablets or earplugs this season.
The logical approach – based on faith, hope, and no more of those overly charitable free-agent contracts – remains the one that has yet to be publicly acknowledged: Develop the youngsters, audition the veterans, and await Petrie's next big, bold move. He's due. The Kings' basketball president is due to negotiate the trades necessary to provide salary cap relief, which in turn will enable him to pursue prized free agents and poach one of those potential superstars who are struggling with Freshman Composition as we speak.
This is a two-, three-year process. Best to start now. Meantime, there is no reason the 2007-08 product can't be entertaining and enlightening, at least at Arco Arena.
This is what I want to learn:
Can the prolific Kevin Martin become an all-court performer, improving his defense and his rebounding, and earn All-Star status?
Can Francisco García adequately fill in for Bibby and Beno Udrih at point guard and eventually resume his role as an important reserve? García has the best court vision among his teammates, and is the only player other than Brad Miller who makes plays for others.
Can John Salmons keep his head up emotionally, as well as when driving into collapsing interior defenses?
Can Quincy Douby shed the deer-in-headlights demeanor and attack offensively? Can the other young Kings – Darryl Watkins and Orien Greene – earn playing time?
Can Miller excise his miserable 2006-07 season and re-establish himself as an exceptional high-post passer, perimeter shooter and adequate defender/rebounder?
Can Bibby regain his stroke and sustain the attitude he displayed during training camp?
Can Theus, a rookie NBA coach with a healthy ego and accompanying appetite for success, squeeze more out of ineffective power forwards Kenny Thomas, Shareef Abdur-Rahim and offseason acquisition Mikki Moore?
But as the season progresses, most of all I want to know the answer to these questions: how long until Petrie makes the moves that accelerate the rebuilding process? Before the February trade deadline? Next offseason when Artest can opt out of his deal?
"I'm going to try and put the highest energy level out on the floor," said Theus, as the home opener neared. "That's my plan. The biggest thing is to just play hard. I'm not an excuse guy, but the reality is, we go through preseason with Ron and Mike, and we start the season without Ron and Mike."
This is the new reality.
Time to embrace the future.
http://www.sacbee.com/kings/story/474104.html
The curtain went up. The curtain came down. The curtain went up. The curtain came down. For the first time since he became the Kings' coach, Reggie Theus kept members of the media in the dark for an entire practice.
"Emotions were really high," Theus would explain afterward, with a half-laugh. "No one likes to go on the road and get beat up like that. Guys were grinding each other (Monday) and beating up on each other. Things happen."
Hmmmmmm.
A fight would be interesting.
A show would be better.
A 2007-08 season that began with an 0-3 road trip isn't going to get much better from a wins and losses perspective. Even before Mike Bibby's thumb surgery, Spencer Hawes' knee injury and Ron Artest's seven-game suspension, there was little likelihood of the Kings reaching the Western Conference playoffs. Now? With no Bibby for two months, no Hawes for a few weeks, no Artest for four more games?
There's no time like the present to plan for the future. The lottery is months away.
O.J. Mayo. Kevin Love. Get out those college scouting reports. Who knows who else turns pro?
Any intrigue about the current Kings – No. 30 in Marc Stein's ESPN Power Rankings this week, by the way – will be generated by an unusual assortment of factors, including the usual issues pertaining to Artest's emotional equilibrium, and how many losses it takes for the Maloof brothers to go completely bonkers and/or ballistic.
Joe and Gavin aren't used to this.
Anymore, neither are Kings fans.
Nonetheless, with the Kings diving into Year 1 of Geoff Petrie's latest rebuilding effort, progress will be measured by such factors as energy and effort level, say, by whether the ushers at Arco Arena are asked to distribute NoDoz tablets or earplugs this season.
The logical approach – based on faith, hope, and no more of those overly charitable free-agent contracts – remains the one that has yet to be publicly acknowledged: Develop the youngsters, audition the veterans, and await Petrie's next big, bold move. He's due. The Kings' basketball president is due to negotiate the trades necessary to provide salary cap relief, which in turn will enable him to pursue prized free agents and poach one of those potential superstars who are struggling with Freshman Composition as we speak.
This is a two-, three-year process. Best to start now. Meantime, there is no reason the 2007-08 product can't be entertaining and enlightening, at least at Arco Arena.
This is what I want to learn:
Can the prolific Kevin Martin become an all-court performer, improving his defense and his rebounding, and earn All-Star status?
Can Francisco García adequately fill in for Bibby and Beno Udrih at point guard and eventually resume his role as an important reserve? García has the best court vision among his teammates, and is the only player other than Brad Miller who makes plays for others.
Can John Salmons keep his head up emotionally, as well as when driving into collapsing interior defenses?
Can Quincy Douby shed the deer-in-headlights demeanor and attack offensively? Can the other young Kings – Darryl Watkins and Orien Greene – earn playing time?
Can Miller excise his miserable 2006-07 season and re-establish himself as an exceptional high-post passer, perimeter shooter and adequate defender/rebounder?
Can Bibby regain his stroke and sustain the attitude he displayed during training camp?
Can Theus, a rookie NBA coach with a healthy ego and accompanying appetite for success, squeeze more out of ineffective power forwards Kenny Thomas, Shareef Abdur-Rahim and offseason acquisition Mikki Moore?
But as the season progresses, most of all I want to know the answer to these questions: how long until Petrie makes the moves that accelerate the rebuilding process? Before the February trade deadline? Next offseason when Artest can opt out of his deal?
"I'm going to try and put the highest energy level out on the floor," said Theus, as the home opener neared. "That's my plan. The biggest thing is to just play hard. I'm not an excuse guy, but the reality is, we go through preseason with Ron and Mike, and we start the season without Ron and Mike."
This is the new reality.
Time to embrace the future.
