I can't add much that hasn't been said. I guess you can argue that our offense is worse than our defense, but in our case, thats like saying that my cancer will kill me before my heart desease does. Hard to find optimism there. I didn't think I'd being saying this, but if Petrie doesn't do something positive besides stand in the tunnel and watch games, it might be time for some fresh blood. What we have is a group of, yes talented, but miscast players. Well, perhaps all of them aren't talented.
John Salmons is a bad fit. Its not that he's untalented, its that his talents don't lend themselves to what the team is trying to do. Whatever that is. This team needed a veteran SF that can play good defense, hit the spot up three, and be capable of passing the ball. A player that you had to defend, but didn't need, and wasn't accustomed to having the ball in his hands on a regular basis. Now to some degree, Salmons may fit some of what the Kings needed, but the parts that don't fit, completely overshadow the parts that do. Its not his fault, he's just a bad fit. And its Petrie's fault. He made the deal. I don't care if Westphal was the one pushing for the trade. Its Petrie's job to know it won't work, and to say no.
Picking up Outlaw looks to be a waste of money as well. From what I've seen so far, its not a shock that his team used the amnesty clause on him. 3 mil isn't a lot of money in the grand scheme of things, but I would have rather added that 3 mil onto our offer to Dalembert and seen what his response was. So to my mind, picking up Outlaw was another bad choice by Petrie.
I'm a huge fan of Tyreke's, but I've never said he had to be a PG. I've always said I don't care what you call him, just put him on the floor. I don't get caught up in this label thing. Do I think the team could use a Nash or a Paul to play along side of Tyreke? Sure, go get me one. What team couldn't use one of those players. I don't think Tyreke would object. I know damm well Cousins wouldn't object to someone that can get him the ball at the right time in the post.
I'd still be alright with the Hickson trade if we hadn't thrown in the first round pick. Couple of reasons. First, Hickson isn't worth losing both Casspi and a first round pick for. For me, he's been a big disappointment. But unless Casspi suddenly blossoms into the next Dirk, I'm not that upset. Secondly, by inserting that first round pick, we've esentially tied up all our future first round picks until that pick is resolved, or until, I believe 2016, when it turns into a 2nd round pick. Because of not being able to trade 1st round picks two years in a row. So it limits our trading ability to a small degree. Sometimes the other team wants a 1st round pick to top off the deal. You don't have one, and maybe you lose the deal. So to my mind, at least so far, its another bad deal by Petrie.
If I said I wasn't disappointed by our offseason, I'd be lying. Like everyone else, I wanted at least one deal with a WOW factor to it. Something to make not only me, but the league standup and take notice. I didn't expect Melo, or Wade, but I did expect at the very least, Dalembert or Kirilenko. Hell, even picking up Barea would have made a ripple. Turns out our biggest deal was resigning our own freeagent in Thornton, and then signing an earth bound 6'7" center. No offense to Hayes, and what he's accomplished with his limited abilities, but a vision of a championship didn't flash before my eyes when we signed him. I'm also sure that our signings weren't the topics of discussion around too many dinner tables in Laker land or in New York.
When Petrie came to the Kings, he was bold with his moves. He took chances! Many of which were unpopular at the time. Its part of what made him a success and GM of the year twice. As time has gone on, he's become more and more conservative. So have I in my personal life, so maybe it comes with age. And a little bit of conservatism is a good thing when your a GM. But when it becomes paralysis by analysis, your done! I don't know if thats the case, and I'm sure I can defend most of his results or lack there of to some degree. But the bottom line is that this team is a mess. Our young players have been subject to 5 coaching changes in the last 4 years if my math is correct. In that time, I've seen little progress from those players, and thats usually a direct result of bad coaching. With all due respect to those that seem to think coaching doesn't matter. If I'm going to blame the coaches, then I have to blame the man that hired them. If I'm going to blame Salmons for not fitting, then I have to blame the man that traded for him.
I think you get my point. It may be time for Petrie to go. And no, I don't have a replacement in mind. And no, I wouldn't let Petrie pick his own replacement if he decides to step down. He needs to do something to shake up this team and turn it around before the trading deadline. I'm sick of this, lets wait till the end of the season and see how Smart does. Thats crap and its not fair to Smart. I doubt anyone could turn this mess around with the current personel. I hope they prove me wrong. And by the way, Fredette and Thomas aren't the problem. They're rookies and should only be playing a few minutes a game. The fact that they're being forced into playing more than that, is more a statement about the team than it is them.
Hmmm! For not being able to add much, I found a lot of hot air somewhere. Sorry!
