http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/13690444p-14533292c.html
By Joe Davidson
Rick Adelman is equal parts chess master and taskmaster these days.
The Kings' coach operates on the playing floor, observing, scheming, plotting, looking ahead. He has rolled out different lineups in training camp scrimmages, with the action always frenetic and exhausting and the coach trying to figure out exactly what he has.
Saturday, every matchup had intrigue. There was Brad Miller going against Brian Skinner, Mike Bibby checking Jason Hart, Kenny Thomas working against Peja Stojakovic, Shareef Abdur-Rahim finding out that Corliss Williamson still is a load inside and Kevin Martin imploring his youthful will against veteran Bonzi Wells.
That's 10 proven players and one formidable rotation.
So far, Adelman likes what he sees - players coming together and the potential.
"The guys so far have been very willing to pass to each other, and that's something that needs to carry over into games," Adelman said. "We have to find out who's going to play. It's going to be hard deciding who gets the minutes, how many minutes people will get. They've adjusted well to what we're trying to do.
"Everything is so new. We're trying to get a sense of what guys can do. So far, they've responded. Every day we've mixed it up with people playing with different people."
No knee to worry - With Abdur-Rahim, a nine-year NBA veteran, running the floor with knee braces, he might be expected to slow down a bit after an hour of scrimmaging. But then the power forward leaps and throws down a furious dunk.
The knee braces? Get used to them, but he's fine.
"I've always worn them, since I was in high school," Abdur-Rahim said. "Sometimes I ice my knees, and sometimes I don't. My knees are good."
More on Martin - Every day someone has something glowing to say about Martin, the second-year guard who continues to impress in camp. Saturday, it was Thomas.
"Kevin has been putting on a show," Thomas said. "Seeing him develop ... he's improved, attacking the basket."
Coach-speak - The brain trust was on hand for the scrimmages, from front-office men Geoff Petrie, Wayne Cooper and Jerry Reynolds to the coaches and scouts. Tucked away in the back, the only woman in the building was observing everything.
Kathy Adelman-Naro, the daughter of the Kings' coach, is the girls varsity coach at Jesuit High School in Portland, Ore. Adelman-Naro is in town for the weekend before preparing for her own training camp of sorts.
And as usual when one Adelman observes the work of another, they talked shop after practice.
"We always talk about basketball stuff," Rick said. "She'll talk to me about the practice, what she observed. She's very knowledgeable. She's been very good as a coach up there. They really do play hard, do the right thing."
Hops and quicks - Thomas said he came to camp in top shape, and five days in, he still feels that way.
In scrimmages, Thomas, who started at power forward last season, has dabbled at other positions, such as small forward.
Thomas' quickness makes him versatile, and he said he hasn't slowed during his six-year career. If anything, he's quicker, thanks to a good diet and a lot of offseason footwork with a personal trainer. "I have an advantage playing some guys with my quickness, and I might have to guard a (small forward) sometimes, like I did today," Thomas said. "I'm quick enough to do that."
By Joe Davidson
Rick Adelman is equal parts chess master and taskmaster these days.
The Kings' coach operates on the playing floor, observing, scheming, plotting, looking ahead. He has rolled out different lineups in training camp scrimmages, with the action always frenetic and exhausting and the coach trying to figure out exactly what he has.
Saturday, every matchup had intrigue. There was Brad Miller going against Brian Skinner, Mike Bibby checking Jason Hart, Kenny Thomas working against Peja Stojakovic, Shareef Abdur-Rahim finding out that Corliss Williamson still is a load inside and Kevin Martin imploring his youthful will against veteran Bonzi Wells.
That's 10 proven players and one formidable rotation.
So far, Adelman likes what he sees - players coming together and the potential.
"The guys so far have been very willing to pass to each other, and that's something that needs to carry over into games," Adelman said. "We have to find out who's going to play. It's going to be hard deciding who gets the minutes, how many minutes people will get. They've adjusted well to what we're trying to do.
"Everything is so new. We're trying to get a sense of what guys can do. So far, they've responded. Every day we've mixed it up with people playing with different people."
No knee to worry - With Abdur-Rahim, a nine-year NBA veteran, running the floor with knee braces, he might be expected to slow down a bit after an hour of scrimmaging. But then the power forward leaps and throws down a furious dunk.
The knee braces? Get used to them, but he's fine.
"I've always worn them, since I was in high school," Abdur-Rahim said. "Sometimes I ice my knees, and sometimes I don't. My knees are good."
More on Martin - Every day someone has something glowing to say about Martin, the second-year guard who continues to impress in camp. Saturday, it was Thomas.
"Kevin has been putting on a show," Thomas said. "Seeing him develop ... he's improved, attacking the basket."
Coach-speak - The brain trust was on hand for the scrimmages, from front-office men Geoff Petrie, Wayne Cooper and Jerry Reynolds to the coaches and scouts. Tucked away in the back, the only woman in the building was observing everything.
Kathy Adelman-Naro, the daughter of the Kings' coach, is the girls varsity coach at Jesuit High School in Portland, Ore. Adelman-Naro is in town for the weekend before preparing for her own training camp of sorts.
And as usual when one Adelman observes the work of another, they talked shop after practice.
"We always talk about basketball stuff," Rick said. "She'll talk to me about the practice, what she observed. She's very knowledgeable. She's been very good as a coach up there. They really do play hard, do the right thing."
Hops and quicks - Thomas said he came to camp in top shape, and five days in, he still feels that way.
In scrimmages, Thomas, who started at power forward last season, has dabbled at other positions, such as small forward.
Thomas' quickness makes him versatile, and he said he hasn't slowed during his six-year career. If anything, he's quicker, thanks to a good diet and a lot of offseason footwork with a personal trainer. "I have an advantage playing some guys with my quickness, and I might have to guard a (small forward) sometimes, like I did today," Thomas said. "I'm quick enough to do that."
