[Grades] Grades v. Suns 2/13/11

[Spike]

Wow! So let me get this straight. In a summer where Evans was supposed to get a shooting coach, train for endurance like a boxer, and get in overall physical fitness, he in reality did NONE of those things. Choosing to not get into shape or train in the offseason to improve his shot or his play making ability.

Dude, you're crazy if you think even the top conditioned athletes can go all those minutes without needing a break. There are plenty of things to fault with Evans' game, but he's carried this team the past two games. If anything, the excessive minutes point out that we DO need a third guard to give him an honest rest from game to game.

 

[Bricklayer]

Wow! So let me get this straight. In a summer where Evans was supposed to get a shooting coach, train for endurance like a boxer, and get in overall physical fitness, he in reality did NONE of those things. Choosing to not get into shape or train in the offseason to improve his shot or his play making ability. Sure, Evans is a good one on one player. But this isn't a one on one league.

Indded, all those times when various coaches around the league actually take their main players out of the game occasionally and give them litle rests? Just for show. Just because the backups' moms are in the stands and the coaches feel like it would be a nice gesture to give them a few pity minutes. Has nothing at all to do with the fact that guys get tired when playing every minute of a game, in particular when doing so just the night before as well.

 

[Glenn]

My biggest beef with Tyreke: his jumpshots. First half he's taking them in good rhythm, not fading away and whowouldaguessedit he makes em. Second half comes, and he turns on the KobeBryantFadeAwayShow, minus the actual footwork, and POOF there goes his shot. I really do not understand what can make a player change his shooting form halfway in almost every game. Tired legs or something?

The day before he played 46 minutes. Maybe he's tired.

 

[Agent23]

Wow! So let me get this straight. In a summer where Evans was supposed to get a shooting coach, train for endurance like a boxer, and get in overall physical fitness, he in reality did NONE of those things. Choosing to not get into shape or train in the offseason to improve his shot or his play making ability. Sure, Evans is a good one on one player. But this isn't a one on one league. It is team basketball, and all hands are needed on deck. Lets hope that the entire team gives the next game and all the games after that their best effort and go on some sort of win streak that will put Sacramento back on the NBA Map! Cousins incident aside, this team has been looking better each night. Greene needs to be more consistent. Coasting for 4 games then playing hard in one is no way to run an NBA Career. Coming into camp FAT and using camp to get into shape is unacceptable for a young player who dont know what it takes to compete in the league at a high level. Donte came to camp 25 lbs overweight. We can not ignore that kind of lack of dedication. I am willing to believe that Petrie didn't forget Greene coming to camp fat and expecting to be handed the starting spot. Geoff Petrie watched a promising young player just give up over the summer and not get in shape for a team that Donte knew wasn't going to be a contender because they didn't acquire anyone and didn't try to become competitive. Next season however, after the Kings shoot their proverbial free agent wad of cash, Petrie may see Greene's lack of dedication and contribution to the poor play of the team this season, and package Greene and Casspi and a bag of chips for a real small forward who can consistently hit shots and play NBA quality defense.

There are all sorts of swing man tweeners who can fill up the basket on the open market. The Kings need a real small forward and a real backup at the guard positions. Not CBA Scrubs like they have this year. Pooh is Poo, and Head is dead. Kings need real bench production from the guard spots. Look at Dallas! They bring in Jason Terry off the bench. Terry would be a starter on the Kings. Geoff Petrie has a ways to go to improve this roster. Hopefully the Maloofs decide how they want their franchise to look and spend the money to bring in veteran talent like 99% of the other teams have. If the Maloofs DONT spend that free agent money and remain at the bottom of the salaries in the league, then they want to move the team and are saving money to do so. This offseason is put up or shut up for the Maloofs. Let's see if all their posturing is lying or if it is a reality. We will get another good draft pick this year and we should have enough free agent cap space to bring in a veteran guard who can score from 3 and defend. They also need to trade or acquire in free agency a small forward who can consistently score and defend. And what they cant get in free agency they need to get in trades. Kings have a lot of young pieces who may or may not fit on this roster. Either way there needs to be a significant turnover on this roster to make the Kings competitive once again. Keep Cousins and Evans, and swap out the rest for real NBA talent. The Bottom payroll team in the league should finish in last place. Maybe the Maloofs knew this? Time will tell where this team is headed. Hopefully heading into next season as a contender for a playoff spot.

He actually did work on all the stuff. What happened? He hurt his ankle during the TEAM USA tryouts and wasn't able to train anymore after that. He came into the season a tad bit pudgy because of that (hence the slow start and the plantar fasciitis). Since the begininng of 2011, he has actually been playing better than he did last year. His jumper looks improved, despite what the rest of you guys think. Let's see if he can make the Derrick Rose jump next year.

 

[kingsboi]

I attended this one and finally they won in Phoenix, I mean it feels like centuries since the last time they won here. It was a very good feeling to walk out finally knowing your team won and not the other way around, there were a lot of Evans jerseys that's for sure. Besides that, you could obviously tell Tyreke was really getting winded I mean do you blame him? He played the entire first half and didn't get rest until the 4th quarter with 10 something minutes left in the game. We really need to go out and get ourselves a scorer off the bench ala Jason Terry, Crawford, J.R. Smith, it will be very helpful. Carl was playing like garbage in the first half missing lay ups and wide open jumpers, I am glad he decided to show up in the second half because we sure needed it. This was a fun game to watch and I enjoyed it very much. I'm with the person that said it seems the Kings play better on the road than at home, don't the Kings have a four game winning streak on the road or something?

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

One thing you have to give Reke a semi pass on is conditioning. Because,

A) I think he is in fine shape

B) Its hard to get into that 'elite' level of conditioning with a foot problem

I dont see how anyone can make that into an issue.

 

[Agent23]

One thing you have to give Reke a semi pass on is conditioning. Because,

A) I think he is in fine shape

B) Its hard to get into that 'elite' level of conditioning with a foot problem

I dont see how anyone can make that into an issue.

Hate to break it to you, but they are. They are finding anything to take digs at both DMC and Tyreke. I can't F'n believe what's happening already. Didn't think it would happen this soon.

 

[pshn80]

Hate to break it to you, but they are. They are finding anything to take digs at both DMC and Tyreke. I can't F'n believe what's happening already. Didn't think it would happen this soon.

You've got a point. However, it is either feast or famine ----- most of the year you couldn't say anything negative about either without suffering the ire of those on this site. Not too useful and certainly unrealistic. Now many have jumped all over each of them in turn. Again, overkill in the opposite direction. They each are good, need to get better and are slowly doing that with spectacular results. Neither is or ever will be above criticism in my book.

 

[Agent23]

You've got a point. However, it is either feast or famine ----- most of the year you couldn't say anything negative about either without suffering the ire of those on this site. Not too useful and certainly unrealistic. Now many have jumped all over each of them in turn. Again, overkill in the opposite direction. They each are good, need to get better and are slowly doing that with spectacular results. Neither is or ever will be above criticism in my book.

No one is above criticism especially since we expect alot out of these 2. The thing thats happening now is people are taking sides and pitting one against the other and using their current weaknesses as players as why we don't need them. Reke and Cuz HAVE to get better but not only individually but better together. The Kings have quite an opportunity in being able to draft 2 potentially top 5 players at their position. If done right, they will be contending for a championship for at least a decade. Can the fan base please understand this and enjoy it?

 

[Sluggah]

I feel like we were less harsh on the players when the team was playing like crap.

Somehow we went from "rest Tyreke, he's hurting" to "trade Tyreke, he sucks" overnight.

I suggest therapy. And possibly medication. Or we can all meet in Santa Cruz for some holistic healing.

 

[Spike]

I feel like we were less harsh on the players when the team was playing like crap.

Somehow we went from "rest Tyreke, he's hurting" to "trade Tyreke, he sucks" overnight.

I suggest therapy. And possibly medication. Or we can all meet in Santa Cruz for some holistic healing.

It's a function of the close losses. A basket here, a basket there, and we have a few more wins. Because of that, it's easier to place blame on the person (or persons) that are causing that one or two fewer baskets per game that result in the loss. Hence, the finger pointing. Everyone deserves the blame in a blowout...which should be true in a close loss, but fans are nutty at times.

 

[pshn80]

Wasn't last night's win terrific? Makes me feel good all over. And, in reality, it's all the more terrific because the Kings haven't done it very often this season. How sweet it is.

It's good to see our coaches and players and announcers and even the equipment guy all smiling. I can even believe that the win made for a few laughs and some good cheer at the Petrie/Cousins meeting today. Maybe Petrie even bought Cousins' lunch before he put a smiling Cousins on the airplane.

Nothing like a good win and now was a good time. Cheers.

 

[ParniValjak]

I am just wondering if there is anyone else left that doesn't want us to re-sign Dalembert?!

The dude has been flat out balling and can actually play with Cousins to cause all sorts of issues for the opponent.

I have said it for a while and his play in the last month or so has only strengthened my belief that re-signing Dalembert should be our #1 priority this off-season.

For years we have hoped to get a player like Dalembert on our team and now that we do have him, we should do everything in our power to keep him.

 

[Arkitect]

I am just wondering if there is anyone else left that doesn't want us to re-sign Dalembert?!

The dude has been flat out balling and can actually play with Cousins to cause all sorts of issues for the opponent.

I have said it for a while and his play in the last month or so has only strengthened my belief that re-signing Dalembert should be our #1 priority this off-season.

For years we have hoped to get a player like Dalembert on our team and now that we do have him, we should do everything in our power to keep him.

I have been of the opinion that Dalembert should be the keeper of our bench big platoon for awhile now. He compliments our front court much better than Landry. He has a very rare skill set and it is one that winning teams need. Him and Cousins together give us the most talented center combo in the league. Now we just need to combine JT and Landry into one player and we would have a great big man rotation going forward. Jarl Thompandry would be a great PF.

 

[Bricklayer]

Jarl Thompandry would be a great PF.

Guy would have to work on that name though. Not nearly as smooth off the tongue as Cason Landson.

 

[Glenn]

I am just wondering if there is anyone else left that doesn't want us to re-sign Dalembert?!

The dude has been flat out balling and can actually play with Cousins to cause all sorts of issues for the opponent.

I have said it for a while and his play in the last month or so has only strengthened my belief that re-signing Dalembert should be our #1 priority this off-season.

For years we have hoped to get a player like Dalembert on our team and now that we do have him, we should do everything in our power to keep him.

Gee, someone who agrees with me. I think he gives us a unique frontline and frankly, going into next season with Cousins, Whiteside, and Thompson as our centers is just a little bit scary. I suspect people would object to paying him what he is worth and I meant that the way I said it. He is worth a lot to this team and not simply because of the last game. He is the best defensive center that we have had since 1985 (if you ignore Joe Kleine) and he is proving that his offense isn't as pitiful as advertised. He missed his first game of his career (am I right?) this year and missed training camp. He has been adjusting to the team and coach on the fly. Not learning; adjusting.

That's not as simple as people would like to think.

 

[Spike]

Unfortunately, we will most likely be in a bidding war for Dalembert's services, since we'll likely let him go to release the cap hold going into the CBA. The bonus may be that he sees the playing time and opportunity to be on a team in the upswing is here, even with DMC's continued emergence. My gut is we'll lose him to a team willing to make him the starting anchor. I don't think it'll be a money issue.

 

[Bricklayer]

Unfortunately, we will most likely be in a bidding war for Dalembert's services, since we'll likely let him go to release the cap hold going into the CBA. The bonus may be that he sees the playing time and opportunity to be on a team in the upswing is here, even with DMC's continued emergence. My gut is we'll lose him to a team willing to make him the starting anchor. I don't think it'll be a money issue.

Perhaps. Some of that depends on what happens from here on out. Daly has wanted to come to Sacramenot for a long time. Let me repeat that remarkable statement -- Daly and his agent have been trying to get him to Sacto for a long time. And after Westphal got realy stupid whht his minutes there at one point maybe that built in good will was washed away. But things have been going well now, and if he likes his teammates, is having fun playing without the *******s who pass for fans in Philly riding him all the time, and maybe most importantly sees a chance to be major part of a team that he thinks is going to win, we could have a shot as long as we keep the money in the ballpark. Liek a lot of guys in the 30yr old range, he may well be willing to sacrifice a little, but only a little, of the other stuff for a chance to win rather than take the absolute biggest offer he gets to go be the center in Detroit. But we have to continue our upward ascent, and he has to continue as a major cog in that for us to gain that advantage.

 

[Glenn]

Unfortunately, we will most likely be in a bidding war for Dalembert's services, since we'll likely let him go to release the cap hold going into the CBA. The bonus may be that he sees the playing time and opportunity to be on a team in the upswing is here, even with DMC's continued emergence. My gut is we'll lose him to a team willing to make him the starting anchor. I don't think it'll be a money issue.

We can get rid of the cap hold by signing him. If the Maloofs are willing to spend the money, why should we doubt them, then let them get us a giuy who already has proven he can fit in.

 

[Spike]

We can get rid of the cap hold by signing him. If the Maloofs are willing to spend the money, why should we doubt them, then let them get us a giuy who already has proven he can fit in.

I'm not sure how the cap hold works with the timing of the new CBA. I think it'd be crazy to sign him now, without knowing what the new agreement holds.

 

[Glenn]

I'm not sure how the cap hold works with the timing of the new CBA. I think it'd be crazy to sign him now, without knowing what the new agreement holds.

I didn't say "now!"

 

[Sluggah]

I'm pro re-signing dalembert.

 

[ESP47]

I've been wanting to resign Dalembert since the first time he stepped on the floor for us this year. Just gives us that interior D that we havent had for years and years. Where this offense is coming from, I don't know, but I'll take it. We can be scary good with Demarcus and Dally on the court at the same time. Westphal needs to make this happen more often.

Even with all that, the players seem to love him. Look how they reacted when he drove from the top of the key and made that layup in crunch time for us. Even in Cousins interviews they'll be talking to him and he wont look happy at all...then they'll mention something Dalembert did on the court and even Cousins will get a smile on his face.

If we want any kind of shot at the playoffs next year, we need Dalembert.