DeMarcus Cousins Watch
- Thread starter Tetsujin
- Start date
Cousins' appearance in the second half has, thus far, been much better than his run in the first half. Chris Marlowe and Scott Hastings have been very complimentary of his physicality, particularly his screen-setting... And, don't say it too loudly, because some posters might not believe you, but they've lowkey been impressed with Cousins' awareness out there (dare I call it basketball IQ?).
That in my opinion was the worst move of all time.
Nothing quite came close to that, not even passing on Luka.
I have yet to see the Kings play defense like they did under that last Malone season.
Players had bought in, defensive rotations were crisp, players were utilized in a way that maximized their abilities.
Landry in the deep post, Rudy Gay in the post, Thompson operating in the deep middle, Ben Mac playing the 3+D role.
The dude was just a good guy, tough, but a good guy.
He had Demarcus's full respect.
I could see a similar thing with Doug.
Good guy that players will love but also tough.
Nothing quite came close to that, not even passing on Luka.
I have yet to see the Kings play defense like they did under that last Malone season.
Players had bought in, defensive rotations were crisp, players were utilized in a way that maximized their abilities.
Landry in the deep post, Rudy Gay in the post, Thompson operating in the deep middle, Ben Mac playing the 3+D role.
The dude was just a good guy, tough, but a good guy.
He had Demarcus's full respect.
I could see a similar thing with Doug.
Good guy that players will love but also tough.
Well, that's weird, because after 106 games in Sacramento, Malone's record was 39-67. And, after his first 106 games in Denver, Malone's record was 42-64, a whole three games better. And who was his center during those 106 games, when he went 42-64? The "best center since Shaq," according to you.
If Malone had been held to the same standards in Denver that you held him to in Sacramento, he would have been out of there, a quarter of the way through his second season. And we (read: non-Serbians) would probably be talking about Jokic in the same context right now, that you're talking about Cousins.
If Malone had been held to the same standards in Denver that you held him to in Sacramento, he would have been out of there, a quarter of the way through his second season. And we (read: non-Serbians) would probably be talking about Jokic in the same context right now, that you're talking about Cousins.
I thought that the end of Malone’s tenure had as much to do with the limited window left for the team. At the end of Malone’s term at Sacramento, Cousins had ~ 2 seasons left in his career as a full time starter. Same with Gay.
The exact values are hindsight, but it was obvious that the window of that team was closing, and a rebuild was imminent. When it’s two minutes ti midnight, why not take a risk by shaking up the Head Coach position? It’s not like he would have been able to grow the team organically.
The exact values are hindsight, but it was obvious that the window of that team was closing, and a rebuild was imminent. When it’s two minutes ti midnight, why not take a risk by shaking up the Head Coach position? It’s not like he would have been able to grow the team organically.
It may, as you say, seem "obvious" in hindsight, but I disagree that a rebuild was imminent. There was no reason to believe, in 2014, that Cousins was going to become injury-prone, as he has. And Malone has proven, in my opinion, that he can create a winning system around the talents (and limitations) of his best player, if you give him enough time. Not only did Sacramento not give him that time, but he also had to deal with a general manager that was determined, come hell or high water, to have the team run a system that was not compatible with his best player's limitations. Malone understood that, D'Alessandro refused to accept that, hence the quick hook. He was looking for a reason to fire Malone, and Cousins' illness gave him one.
In my opinion, it had less to do with a closing window (because your window is nowhere close to be in danger of closing, when your best player is a 24 year-old All-Star, who's still getting better), and more to do with D'Alessandro and Divac being utterly unwilling to maximize their best player's abilities.
In my opinion, it had less to do with a closing window (because your window is nowhere close to be in danger of closing, when your best player is a 24 year-old All-Star, who's still getting better), and more to do with D'Alessandro and Divac being utterly unwilling to maximize their best player's abilities.
I shouldn't have implied that it was obvious that Cousins was going to be injured. (Though, I am not somebody who thinks injuries are acts of God. If so, then God hates overweight players with high usage and minutes [ZAP. Take that Zion!])
The team under Malone was even money to make the playoffs with a couple of vets surrounded by journeymen. Demarcus was pretty close to his peak; Rudy was at his peak and starting his decline. There was no expectation of talent infusion from the draft, the Kings had to recklessly gamble with their future to get one year of Rondo. Cousins' supermax extension was coming due, which would have made trading for talent harder (and with hindsight was a bullet dodged.) That's why I think that team reached its potential. Nothing to do with Malone, he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I don't disagree with the rest of your post, except that I think Karl did adjust his system to accommodate Cousins' limitations. They started running plays to give Cousins a step in 3; it practically became Demarcus' trademark. This let Cousins be a trailer, so the rest of the team could pick up the pace, and Cousins wouldn't have to run as much. Demarcus' miles travelled per game stayed pretty constant from the previous year, despite the team pace picking up significantly.
I think Vlade tried to do right by Demarcus with the last couple of years, but there wasn't much left to do. I blame the Maloofs.
The team under Malone was even money to make the playoffs with a couple of vets surrounded by journeymen. Demarcus was pretty close to his peak; Rudy was at his peak and starting his decline. There was no expectation of talent infusion from the draft, the Kings had to recklessly gamble with their future to get one year of Rondo. Cousins' supermax extension was coming due, which would have made trading for talent harder (and with hindsight was a bullet dodged.) That's why I think that team reached its potential. Nothing to do with Malone, he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I don't disagree with the rest of your post, except that I think Karl did adjust his system to accommodate Cousins' limitations. They started running plays to give Cousins a step in 3; it practically became Demarcus' trademark. This let Cousins be a trailer, so the rest of the team could pick up the pace, and Cousins wouldn't have to run as much. Demarcus' miles travelled per game stayed pretty constant from the previous year, despite the team pace picking up significantly.
I think Vlade tried to do right by Demarcus with the last couple of years, but there wasn't much left to do. I blame the Maloofs.
Mileage varies, of course, but I refuse to believe that a 24 year-old, about to be first-time All-Star, was "pretty close to his peak." I think that, had he continued to be coached by Malone, he would have gotten in better shape, and that he would have continued to develop, maybe even into the player that @Bricklayer always thought he could be.
Aside from the fact that Karl and Cousins were never going to work, because their personalities are oil and water, the reason why that run was doomed to fail is because D'Alessandro refused to find a viable backup for Cousins, to take some of the strain off him. Demps made the same mistake, in New Orleans, and it ultimately cost Cousins his career.
Aside from the fact that Karl and Cousins were never going to work, because their personalities are oil and water, the reason why that run was doomed to fail is because D'Alessandro refused to find a viable backup for Cousins, to take some of the strain off him. Demps made the same mistake, in New Orleans, and it ultimately cost Cousins his career.
Jokic didn't explode until his 3rd season he was underused and forced to compete with Nurkic (often playing less minutes than Nurkic) and also they tried playing the two together which never worked. I'm of the belief literally any coach from Gentry to Walton if they had Jokic after his 3rd season would have the same results as Malone.
No because what he does and the way he plays you can't teach. I think in general coaching at the pro level is overrated (how many elite coaches are there?) to me it's about roster build and getting lucky hitting on a elite player. Greg Popovich has had a amazing career but the moment he does not have 2-4 All Star caliber level players surrounded by veterans he's a sub 500. coach. I guess you could argue Dwight Howard/Embied are the best since Shaq but neither has won an MVP and both were playing in a way weaker conference until this season in Embied case.
- Cousins would have grown into a generational talent if the team was better designed around him
- Cousins needed a backup so he could play fewer minutes/games and extend his career.
I have a hard time squaring those two statements with each other. A 30 minute per game player is not going to win the MVP.
I think player development and health is mostly the player’s responsibility, as they have the most skin in the game there.
- Cousins needed a backup so he could play fewer minutes/games and extend his career.
I have a hard time squaring those two statements with each other. A 30 minute per game player is not going to win the MVP.
I think player development and health is mostly the player’s responsibility, as they have the most skin in the game there.