I'll stay a Kings fan but I don't know if I'll watch Kings basketball this season. Maybe next season, but not now. Maybe the first game coming back from ASB. But I might watch some Pelicans to see how my man is doing. Maybe some Nuggets because the Malone + Jokic combo is pretty cool, reminds me of what we could have had. Sigh...
Are You Still a Kings fan?
- Thread starter Bosnian Diehard
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I've said many times in the past, that I root for the Sacramento King's, not the Sacramento Cousins. Now that statement has nothing to do with whether I like Cousins or dislike Cousins. God knows I've defended his actions as much or more than anyone else on this forum. And my defense of him wasn't intended to absolve him of his personal responsibilities. He needed to be held accountable for his actions. But holding someone accountable doesn't equal hatred of that person. Quite the contrary. As a parent you hold your children accountable, and punish them when necessary. You don't hate them!
So with that said, I could make a decent argument for trading Cousins. I could also make a counter argument. I think most people with an open mind would agree, that anyone can be traded for the right deal. That's where the rub comes in for me. My personal preference would have been to build the team around Cousins. At times my emotions took me to anger with some of his antics and I was ready to trade him for Jimmer and a bag of chips. But when my anger subsided, I realized what a great player he was, and that replacing a player of that stature would be extremely difficult, if not impossible for a team like the Kings.
So today, my pain doesn't come from trading Cousins, although I'll really miss him, just like I missed Peja when he was traded, or Webber when he was traded. My pain comes for what we got in return for Cousins. Is that the best we could do? Really? I mean, what the hell happened? Did Cousins go to dinner with Vivek and insult him? Did he tell Joerger to go F himself? What changed in the last week or so where we went from offering him a 200 million dollar extension, to trading for an unproven rookie and a couple of draft choices? I can't wait for the press conference and the explanation.
So with that said, I could make a decent argument for trading Cousins. I could also make a counter argument. I think most people with an open mind would agree, that anyone can be traded for the right deal. That's where the rub comes in for me. My personal preference would have been to build the team around Cousins. At times my emotions took me to anger with some of his antics and I was ready to trade him for Jimmer and a bag of chips. But when my anger subsided, I realized what a great player he was, and that replacing a player of that stature would be extremely difficult, if not impossible for a team like the Kings.
So today, my pain doesn't come from trading Cousins, although I'll really miss him, just like I missed Peja when he was traded, or Webber when he was traded. My pain comes for what we got in return for Cousins. Is that the best we could do? Really? I mean, what the hell happened? Did Cousins go to dinner with Vivek and insult him? Did he tell Joerger to go F himself? What changed in the last week or so where we went from offering him a 200 million dollar extension, to trading for an unproven rookie and a couple of draft choices? I can't wait for the press conference and the explanation.
I am without a doubt still a Kings Fan! I have been one since way back in the day posting on the espn boards. We as kings fans have been through worse with almost losing our team. I am heart broken to lose Cousins, but I am hoping this ownership saw something I didn't see in Hield. He is shooting a good 3p% in the new year and was arguably one of the best shooters to come out of college since Curry. So we shall see.....
Yes, I am a Kings fan. I was not born in Sacramento or California or even America, I do not live in Sacramento area but I am still a fan and always will be. It is not an easy time to be a fan of this team, I understand.
I understand that we are going to lose some people but the fans are going to stay. I was raised in Europe where people often say - ONE HEART, ONE TEAM. Queens Park Rangers team does not have many fans, London has powerhouses like Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and yet there are people in this city that support teams like QPR, Brentford, Millwall, Charlton Athletic. And my friend says that yes, there are not many of us but we are ALL diehards and ONLY diehards.
I am not trying to offend people, we all can do whatever we want to do; it is not like they are leaving their families. But I am a fan and I will stay. I am pissed off, sad, angry, devastated but I will stay until the end with my team. One day we will celebrate!
I understand that we are going to lose some people but the fans are going to stay. I was raised in Europe where people often say - ONE HEART, ONE TEAM. Queens Park Rangers team does not have many fans, London has powerhouses like Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and yet there are people in this city that support teams like QPR, Brentford, Millwall, Charlton Athletic. And my friend says that yes, there are not many of us but we are ALL diehards and ONLY diehards.
I am not trying to offend people, we all can do whatever we want to do; it is not like they are leaving their families. But I am a fan and I will stay. I am pissed off, sad, angry, devastated but I will stay until the end with my team. One day we will celebrate!
This is the same ownership that sat at the table chanting "Stauskas, Stauskas, Stauskas!".
They're forever trying to find themselves a Steph Curry or Klay Thompson. One is the best shooter of all time and the other is one of the best shooters of all time + a good defender. Two extremely rare players where you could try to draft someone similar for a decade straight and never get close.
They're forever trying to find themselves a Steph Curry or Klay Thompson. One is the best shooter of all time and the other is one of the best shooters of all time + a good defender. Two extremely rare players where you could try to draft someone similar for a decade straight and never get close.
First, yes I am still a Kings fan. I started supporting this team before Demarcus Cousins turned up, during Demarcus Cousins time on this team, and I will continue to support this team now that he is gone. He is simply a player. A damn good player. But one player of many that have and will pull on a Kings' uniform.
As for the Cousins trade itself, we were not going anywhere with Cousins on the team. At best the ceiling for this team was the 8th seed and that's if we displace an ascending young team in the Denver Nuggets. Realistically they potentially have a higher ceiling than us when you consider the young talent on their roster and how our own team is built. We haven't happened upon another star to pair with Cousins in the draft, we don't have the assets to trade for one, and we aren't a team that is likely to attract one in free agency. Thus, the ceiling for this team with Cousins was limited and everyone knows that. Would it have been nice to re-sign Cousins and have him stay here long term? Sure, but unless we found someone in this year's draft that becomes a star fairly quickly (working on the basis we lose enough or get lucky enough in the lottery to retain our pick), or somehow manage to persuade a star in free agency to join us, then unfortunately Vlade and co would be fighting a losing battle because this team with Cousins is going nowhere.
It might be hard to read that, but even I as a big Cousins fan realises that this team's ceiling is fairly low. I wanted nothing more than to see this team lift a championship with Cousins, but that just was never going to happen. Even if Vivek took his hands totally off this team and let Vlade do his thing, that wasn't going to make us a championship team. Sadly Cousins plus his supporting cast of misfits were never going to amount to anything more than an 8th seed team that might get to .500 if they are lucky. The other teams in our conference like the Nuggets, Timberwolves and Trail Blazers are all teams with ascending young talent. Granted they are a bit inconsistent at this time, but they are trending in the right direction and potentially have a higher ceiling than us. The Pelicans needed a running mate for AD, but even without one they managed to get to the play offs the other year. In the end, even with my Kings hat on, I am fairly confident when I say that this team was not trending upwards.
This team was fighting against the tide and they have done the right thing in moving on from Cousins. Does that mean this team will become better without him? Not necessarily. If we don't get lucky in the draft, or our front office make the wrong decisions, then nothing will change. But we just have to hope that Vlade will make use of his draft picks and get lucky. And if he makes any further trades, that he acquires talent or picks that can help us. It is tough to stomach that we could be facing some more losing years, but if things are done right and we get lucky, perhaps in a couple of seasons time we can be in a position like the Nuggets or Jazz with a young exciting team with a potentially high ceiling.
Did we get robbed of the best center in basketball? Not really. After this season he had one year left on his deal. We were always on the clock with Cousins. If this was another thirty odd win season with no play off basketball, would that look positive to him going into a contract year? Not really. If we lost our draft pick, or got an average talent with our pick, or didn't happen upon a franchise changing talent via free agency or a trade - again, that wouldn't look positive. There is a good chance Cousins might not have extended his deal this off season and instead preferred to see how things go and then test free agency if things didn't go as planned. Sooner or later we had to make a move if we didn't feel confident about this team's future with Cousins, or if we didn't feel confident that he would sign a new deal. At the end of the day as well as he is playing, and as good a player as he might be, there was always a limit to what we could get for a player with his reputation and contract status. Could we have got a better deal? Maybe, but we have acquired two decent young talents, a solid veteran, and hopefully the draft pick will turn into a useful player. If all goes well, this might be the trade that starts off a bright new era in Kings' basketball. Maybe it doesn't. But something had to be done and personally I think they have made the right decision in moving on from Cousins.
Now it is time for Vivek to trust totally in Vlade and co to get this team rebuilt post-Cousins.
As for the Cousins trade itself, we were not going anywhere with Cousins on the team. At best the ceiling for this team was the 8th seed and that's if we displace an ascending young team in the Denver Nuggets. Realistically they potentially have a higher ceiling than us when you consider the young talent on their roster and how our own team is built. We haven't happened upon another star to pair with Cousins in the draft, we don't have the assets to trade for one, and we aren't a team that is likely to attract one in free agency. Thus, the ceiling for this team with Cousins was limited and everyone knows that. Would it have been nice to re-sign Cousins and have him stay here long term? Sure, but unless we found someone in this year's draft that becomes a star fairly quickly (working on the basis we lose enough or get lucky enough in the lottery to retain our pick), or somehow manage to persuade a star in free agency to join us, then unfortunately Vlade and co would be fighting a losing battle because this team with Cousins is going nowhere.
It might be hard to read that, but even I as a big Cousins fan realises that this team's ceiling is fairly low. I wanted nothing more than to see this team lift a championship with Cousins, but that just was never going to happen. Even if Vivek took his hands totally off this team and let Vlade do his thing, that wasn't going to make us a championship team. Sadly Cousins plus his supporting cast of misfits were never going to amount to anything more than an 8th seed team that might get to .500 if they are lucky. The other teams in our conference like the Nuggets, Timberwolves and Trail Blazers are all teams with ascending young talent. Granted they are a bit inconsistent at this time, but they are trending in the right direction and potentially have a higher ceiling than us. The Pelicans needed a running mate for AD, but even without one they managed to get to the play offs the other year. In the end, even with my Kings hat on, I am fairly confident when I say that this team was not trending upwards.
This team was fighting against the tide and they have done the right thing in moving on from Cousins. Does that mean this team will become better without him? Not necessarily. If we don't get lucky in the draft, or our front office make the wrong decisions, then nothing will change. But we just have to hope that Vlade will make use of his draft picks and get lucky. And if he makes any further trades, that he acquires talent or picks that can help us. It is tough to stomach that we could be facing some more losing years, but if things are done right and we get lucky, perhaps in a couple of seasons time we can be in a position like the Nuggets or Jazz with a young exciting team with a potentially high ceiling.
Did we get robbed of the best center in basketball? Not really. After this season he had one year left on his deal. We were always on the clock with Cousins. If this was another thirty odd win season with no play off basketball, would that look positive to him going into a contract year? Not really. If we lost our draft pick, or got an average talent with our pick, or didn't happen upon a franchise changing talent via free agency or a trade - again, that wouldn't look positive. There is a good chance Cousins might not have extended his deal this off season and instead preferred to see how things go and then test free agency if things didn't go as planned. Sooner or later we had to make a move if we didn't feel confident about this team's future with Cousins, or if we didn't feel confident that he would sign a new deal. At the end of the day as well as he is playing, and as good a player as he might be, there was always a limit to what we could get for a player with his reputation and contract status. Could we have got a better deal? Maybe, but we have acquired two decent young talents, a solid veteran, and hopefully the draft pick will turn into a useful player. If all goes well, this might be the trade that starts off a bright new era in Kings' basketball. Maybe it doesn't. But something had to be done and personally I think they have made the right decision in moving on from Cousins.
Now it is time for Vivek to trust totally in Vlade and co to get this team rebuilt post-Cousins.
This is how I feel right now. (Subject to change at any moment.) Vlade used up all his passes with me. If Vivek said he was leaving town, I'd walk to Sacramento to help him pack. I am bitter, I am angry, I am stunned and I am fed up. I don't think that's what being a fan should be about. But I, like others, will support the guys wearing the uniform as long as they give they best.
1) Cousins had the least-talented roster alongside him than any other playoff contender.
That's not his fault, and that's not impossible to change.
That sad fact is that this same FO you are now putting your trust in has been incompetent for many years.
2) Wanna know what could change that sad fact?
Making the playoffs.
Not having a FO that's the laughingstock of the league, providing stability that supports its good players and not having a disgraced owner who can't keep his hands off of basketball decisions.
THAT could convince better players that Sacramento is a worthwhile place to play.
We'll never know if they would have made the playoffs this year and take that critical fist step towards a championship, because Vivek AGAIN immediately sabotaged the team as soon as it became a viable possibility.
That's not his fault, and that's not impossible to change.
That sad fact is that this same FO you are now putting your trust in has been incompetent for many years.
2) Wanna know what could change that sad fact?
Making the playoffs.
Not having a FO that's the laughingstock of the league, providing stability that supports its good players and not having a disgraced owner who can't keep his hands off of basketball decisions.
THAT could convince better players that Sacramento is a worthwhile place to play.
We'll never know if they would have made the playoffs this year and take that critical fist step towards a championship, because Vivek AGAIN immediately sabotaged the team as soon as it became a viable possibility.
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I love my Kings, despite everything. Having said that, it's very disheartening and depressing to support a team as long as Vivek is the one calling the shots and hiring incompetent people by his side. As of now, I'm undecided on how I feel about the Kings moving forward. I need a break from this team, I love being on this board so I will still be around posting. From the get go, I wanted to see more of the rookies get playing time. There is no excuse now to not get them some significant playing time, unleash the rookies and let them learn and stumble along the way.
I'll probably always be a fan but I don't plan on watching the team at all until they manage to get a couple quality young guys. Its probably going to take a long time...
Boogie was literally the player I dreamed of having on my team when I watched a young Orlando Shaq. I didn't really mind watching the bad team that much because I really enjoyed watching Boogie.
Boogie was literally the player I dreamed of having on my team when I watched a young Orlando Shaq. I didn't really mind watching the bad team that much because I really enjoyed watching Boogie.
It is not only about one player being traded, it is also about the front office that burned all credibility in the eyes of all like me that trusted that Vlade is the man of his word and in charge of the operations.
We did not only lose a player, we lost a front office too, possibly Joerger.
That might be even longer term debacle than Cuz trade.
We did not only lose a player, we lost a front office too, possibly Joerger.
That might be even longer term debacle than Cuz trade.
1) I have previously said that this front office has not managed to pair Cousins with another star. Likewise it is pretty evident that our front office has not built a suitable supporting cast. That is on them. So sure it is difficult to trust them, but as I said in a previous post, I would rather be optimistic than be negative.
2) I don't think making the play offs would make much of a difference. To compete for a championship you arguably need more than one star. We have one star. Which free agent this year would come here?
I doubt Durant, Curry, Griffin or Paul would consider this team. These players are already on championship contenders, and in Currys case he already has one ring and could add more if they keep their team together.
Perhaps if we are lucky Gordon Hayward or Kyle Lowry would consider us, but arguably their chances of competing for a championship are better served remaining at the Jazz and Raptors respectively.
So that leaves players like Paul Millsap, Jrue Holiday, Danilo Gallinari, Serge Ibaka, Dwayne Wade, Otto Porter, Jeff Teague, Derrick Rose, Nerlens Noel (etc). Some of them might prefer to remain on their existing teams if they feel they have a better chance (e.g. Ibaka pairing himself with Lowry and DeRozan in Toronto; Millsap with Howard and co in Atlanta), but perhaps we could sign one of them if they saw improvement from us and wanted to play with Cousins. Someone like Millsap would be an excellent addition, but him alone wouldn't necessarily boost us from the eighth seed. We'd arguably need to acquire another player from this tier unless we keep Rudy Gay and sort out the backcourt via other moves. But would a team built with a star and a couple of borderline all stars be enough to make us a title contender? I'm not convinced it would.
3) Yes, we'll never know what might have happened had we kept him. But as I said, unless we managed to happen upon another star to pair with Cousins, or we managed to put three or four borderline all stars next to him, then arguably this team was never going to be anything more than an eighth seed. Be realistic. The chances of us acquiring another all star are limited at best. Our best chance is borderline guys like Rudy Gay but would require a few of them and a system and culture that promotes winning basketball. This year some progress has been made but at the same time it's been the same old Kings. Perhaps making this move can change that?
I know I'm being optimistic there in believing in this front office, and perhaps that's rather misguided, but change needed to happen because this team was not heading towards championship contender under its current construction.
2) I don't think making the play offs would make much of a difference. To compete for a championship you arguably need more than one star. We have one star. Which free agent this year would come here?
I doubt Durant, Curry, Griffin or Paul would consider this team. These players are already on championship contenders, and in Currys case he already has one ring and could add more if they keep their team together.
Perhaps if we are lucky Gordon Hayward or Kyle Lowry would consider us, but arguably their chances of competing for a championship are better served remaining at the Jazz and Raptors respectively.
So that leaves players like Paul Millsap, Jrue Holiday, Danilo Gallinari, Serge Ibaka, Dwayne Wade, Otto Porter, Jeff Teague, Derrick Rose, Nerlens Noel (etc). Some of them might prefer to remain on their existing teams if they feel they have a better chance (e.g. Ibaka pairing himself with Lowry and DeRozan in Toronto; Millsap with Howard and co in Atlanta), but perhaps we could sign one of them if they saw improvement from us and wanted to play with Cousins. Someone like Millsap would be an excellent addition, but him alone wouldn't necessarily boost us from the eighth seed. We'd arguably need to acquire another player from this tier unless we keep Rudy Gay and sort out the backcourt via other moves. But would a team built with a star and a couple of borderline all stars be enough to make us a title contender? I'm not convinced it would.
3) Yes, we'll never know what might have happened had we kept him. But as I said, unless we managed to happen upon another star to pair with Cousins, or we managed to put three or four borderline all stars next to him, then arguably this team was never going to be anything more than an eighth seed. Be realistic. The chances of us acquiring another all star are limited at best. Our best chance is borderline guys like Rudy Gay but would require a few of them and a system and culture that promotes winning basketball. This year some progress has been made but at the same time it's been the same old Kings. Perhaps making this move can change that?
I know I'm being optimistic there in believing in this front office, and perhaps that's rather misguided, but change needed to happen because this team was not heading towards championship contender under its current construction.
The Nuggets aren't your prime concern anymore even if you truly thought what's left of the franchise could still rally.
And Vlade might just walk up and Spock Joerger if he tries to win any games. They're going to dump as many vets as they can because those guys were trying too damn hard to win. All in an effort to get the best pick possible for Philly. Which is sweet I think really when you get down to it. Philly is one of my favorite towns. Lots of history. Houses the Liberty Bell and my alma mater. Great vibe in Center City. Gorgeous art museum that still has Rocky's footprints out front.
And Vlade might just walk up and Spock Joerger if he tries to win any games. They're going to dump as many vets as they can because those guys were trying too damn hard to win. All in an effort to get the best pick possible for Philly. Which is sweet I think really when you get down to it. Philly is one of my favorite towns. Lots of history. Houses the Liberty Bell and my alma mater. Great vibe in Center City. Gorgeous art museum that still has Rocky's footprints out front.
I'm stepping away from the team for now. Too many heartaches through the years has left me drained emotionally and mentally. Sport should be fun. Even before the trade, all my friends were amazed at how I was able to remain a fan of the Kings. To be filled with anticipation every time they have a game. But enough is enough. The Cousins trade was the straw that finally broke the camel's back.
I won't be moving on to another team though, not even the Pels (though i would always root for Cousins to be successful in NO and crush the Kings every time they meet). It just feels weird to root for another team when you have been rooting for a team that long.
I know I am not a very active poster on this site, but I am always lurking almost every single day. I may not follow the Kings for now(watching games, following the news(would remove them on my Bleacher Report app team stream)) but I will still come on this site once in awhile, though not as often as I used to. I think I'd miss the discussions(more like arguments the past few seasons
) more than i'd miss the Kings games, the last few seasons have really been difficult to watch.
So, I maybe stepping away for now, but am not totally closing the door on the Kings, I might start to follow them closely again if any one of the following happens:
- They miraculously make the playoffs
- They become a good team again
- Vivek is ran out of town
- Vlade steps down
- We get another DMC
I won't be moving on to another team though, not even the Pels (though i would always root for Cousins to be successful in NO and crush the Kings every time they meet). It just feels weird to root for another team when you have been rooting for a team that long.
I know I am not a very active poster on this site, but I am always lurking almost every single day. I may not follow the Kings for now(watching games, following the news(would remove them on my Bleacher Report app team stream)) but I will still come on this site once in awhile, though not as often as I used to. I think I'd miss the discussions(more like arguments the past few seasons
) more than i'd miss the Kings games, the last few seasons have really been difficult to watch.So, I maybe stepping away for now, but am not totally closing the door on the Kings, I might start to follow them closely again if any one of the following happens:
- They miraculously make the playoffs
- They become a good team again
- Vivek is ran out of town
- Vlade steps down
- We get another DMC
- Status