How you shake up the team without trading anyone

[Catalyst]

I'll get right to the point here. The Kings can shake up their roster and maybe provide new life by benching Mike Bibby.

Eric Musselman is a defensive coach, and he has two defensive PGs behind Bibby.

Both guys are capable of running the team, and providing much better defense than Bibby is.

You could argue that Ronnie Price and Jason Hart aren't going to win us anything, but how exactly is Bibby helping us to win anything when he can't stop the opposing PG?

This was never an option under Rick Adelman, as we all know, he sticks with his starting lineups.

This move could have serious repercussions, as I'm sure Bibby would HATE to be benched, but the message should be simple.

Play defense, or you're sitting.

 

[BMiller52]

I say start Salmons. Dude busted his a last night trying to get the W. Did a great job of distributing when Bibby was out and he's versatile. Defends way better and can post up too!

 

[Roman]

I'm with starting Salmons, of course I said this a month ago as well.

Bibby is either in a megaslump or still hurting to the point that he shouldn't be playing. Either way, it could give him a chance to recover.

 

[Cal-Kings]

I say start Salmons. Dude busted his a last night trying to get the W. Did a great job of distributing when Bibby was out and he's versatile. Defends way better and can post up too!

Maybe it's Jason Hart time.

Or Price.

Or Salmons, but I don't think he's at his best at the point.

Right now, Bibby is totally messed up. Something has to change.

I really like the guy, but winning is what matters.

 

[Cal-Kings]

Wasn't Francisco running the point last year before his injury? I seem to recall he and K-Mart on the floor together and were getting praises.

It can't get any worse...

 

[Cal-Kings]

Scattered thinking... sorry.

It just occured to me that if Petrie is really trying to shop Bibby, then sitting him because he's "a problem" or "injured" won't help to find a market for him.

 

[BMiller52]

Scattered thinking... sorry.

It just occured to me that if Petrie is really trying to shop Bibby, then sitting him because he's "a problem" or "injured" won't help to find a market for him.

We're actually trying to shop Mike?

 

[piksi]

Maybe it's Jason Hart time.

Or Price.

Or Salmons, but I don't think he's at his best at the point.

Right now, Bibby is totally messed up. Something has to change.

I really like the guy, but winning is what matters.

hell no

 

[Cal-Kings]

We're actually trying to shop Mike?

Read more carefully.

"that if Petrie is really trying to shop Bibby"

 

[Cal-Kings]

hell no

Hart is shooting at 52%FG and 40% from three. Plus he's playing very hard and is a decent defender.

Bibby is shooting at 36%FG and 28% from three. He's a horrible defender and is not playing with heart right now.

I don't really care if it's Hart, Price, Garcia, heck... even Douby! Something has to change.

 

[Peja]

Should Bibby come of the bench?Probably
Is coach going to bench him?No way

 

[BMiller52]

Read more carefully.

"that if Petrie is really trying to shop Bibby"

Did you hear anywhere that Petrie is really trying to shop Bibby? I hope...

 

[SLAB]

Ron Artest strangles Bibby midway through a practice, and threatens everyone else with the same fate if there is any more BS lacksadasical play on the defensive side of the ball.

Or something along those lines.

 

[piksi]

Hart is shooting at 52%FG and 40% from three. Plus he's playing very hard and is a decent defender.

Bibby is shooting at 36%FG and 28% from three. He's a horrible defender and is not playing with heart right now.

I don't really care if it's Hart, Price, Garcia, heck... even Douby! Something has to change.

that is one of the reasons why we are 9-11 going for 9-14 at least

Only thing that Hart can do is foul out with style

 

[Cal-Kings]

Did you hear anywhere that Petrie is really trying to shop Bibby? I hope...

No.

It's just a reasonable deduction based on past experience.

A player in their opt-out season MAY be shopped, especially if the team is "going in another direction", or if the team thinks the player will ask for more money than they will want to pay.

Every player is a potential trade with the right offer.

 

[Cal-Kings]

that is one of the reasons why we are 9-11 going for 9-14 at least

Only thing that Hart can do is foul out with style

At least he fouls people instead of standing around watching them waltz by.

At this point, we're looking seriously at 9-14 without something changing. Do you not agree on that?

 

[Cal-Kings]

Ron Artest strangles Bibby midway through a practice, and threatens everyone else with the same fate if there is any more BS lacksadasical play on the defensive side of the ball.

Or something along those lines.

LOL!!

 

[Catalyst]

If any of you thought my first post was knocking Bibby, just to let you know -- it wasn't.

Bibby has played with a lot of heart and effort over the years.

The way I see it is Bibby is not physically capable of playing good defense -- even when he's fully healthy. He just doesn't have the means.

Now, the fact that he's injured and afraid of getting hurt further in a contract year is a very valid and reasonable concern for him.

It also makes his defensive efforts look pathetic, because it's hard to play when you're feeling pain.

Anyone here who's tried to play hurt should know what it's like, and it's commendable that Bibby is out there trying to fight through it.

But, if you're not a good defender to start with, that isn't going to get better when you're hurt.

Mike being less than 100% seems to be hurting the team more than it's helping, and getting some rest would probably be better for the team and for him.

When Mike is healthy, he should be starting, but until then, I say rest the guy and start someone else.

 

[Cal-Kings]

Should Bibby come of the bench?Probably
Is coach going to bench him?No way

Is there a reason you think Muss won't bench him?

I can think of several reasons why he wouldn't. I was just wondering which particular ones you had in mind.

 

[Cal-Kings]

If any of you thought my first post was knocking Bibby, just to let you know -- it wasn't.

Bibby has played with a lot of heart and effort over the years.

The way I see it is Bibby is not physically capable of playing good defense -- even when he's fully healthy. He just doesn't have the means.

Now, the fact that he's injured and afraid of getting hurt further in a contract year is a very valid and reasonable concern for him.

It also makes his defensive efforts look pathetic, because it's hard to play when you're feeling pain.

Anyone here who's tried to play hurt should know what it's like, and it's commendable that Bibby is out there trying to fight through it.

But, if you're not a good defender to start with, that isn't going to get better when you're hurt.

Mike being less than 100% seems to be hurting the team more than it's helping, and getting some rest would probably be better for the team and for him.

When Mike is healthy, he should be starting, but until then, I say rest the guy and start someone else.

Honestly? I don't think Mike is still hurt.

 

[BMiller52]

Honestly? I don't think Mike is still hurt.

Why do you think he's playing so crappy then?

 

[piksi]

Why do you think he's playing so crappy then?

he is not shooting well. His defense sucks as always

 

[piksi]

At least he fouls people instead of standing around watching them waltz by.

At this point, we're looking seriously at 9-14 without something changing. Do you not agree on that?

9-14 looks much better than potential 17-28 at the end of January and I am being generous

 

[GoGoGadget]

I've never supported the idea of benching good players (and, this season's play aside, Mike is still a good player) just to send a message -- just don't think the potential message is worth the potential temper tantrum. If it can be done in a friendly, we're-concerned-about-your-wrist way, I think it would be a good idea.

Let's be realistic, though: We don't have a tremendous amount of talent waiting in the wings to back Mike up for an extended period of time. Bench Mike in favor of a lesser player, and the only message that may end up getting sent to Mike Bibby is that, even injured and in a funk, he's still a better option than Jason Hart.

 

[Cal-Kings]

Why do you think he's playing so crappy then?

I have no idea.

I only know what I see and he's playing like crap.

Something has to change (as the originator of this thread suggested) and sitting Bibby, for whatever excuse they want to use, couldn't hurt right now.

If he's hurt (which I'd ask why isn't he wearing some kind of wrist band or something) or if he's just in a monster funk, we can no longer afford to have him on the floor.

 

[piksi]

I've never supported the idea of benching good players (and, this season's play aside, Mike is still a good player) just to send a message -- just don't think the potential message is worth the potential temper tantrum. If it can be done in a friendly, we're-concerned-about-your-wrist way, I think it would be a good idea.

Let's be realistic, though: We don't have a tremendous amount of talent waiting in the wings to back Mike up for an extended period of time. Bench Mike in favor of a lesser player, and the only message that may end up getting sent to Mike Bibby is that, even injured and in a funk, he's still a better option than Jason Hart.

so is my grandmother

 

[nbrans]

I've never supported the idea of benching good players (and, this season's play aside, Mike is still a good player) just to send a message -- just don't think the potential message is worth the potential temper tantrum. If it can be done in a friendly, we're-concerned-about-your-wrist way, I think it would be a good idea.

Let's be realistic, though: We don't have a tremendous amount of talent waiting in the wings to back Mike up for an extended period of time. Bench Mike in favor of a lesser player, and the only message that may end up getting sent to Mike Bibby is that, even injured and in a funk, he's still a better option than Jason Hart.

I agree completely. Benching is high school stuff. Either Bibby's hurt and he should sit or he's not hurt and he should play better. The team isn't going anywhere with Jason Hart as point guard, might as well let Bibby try to play his way out of his slump.

 

[Catalyst]

The only message that may end up getting sent to Mike Bibby is that, even injured and in a funk, he's still a better option than Jason Hart.

Jason Hart? Yes...

Ronnie Price... I'm not so sure.

Price is young and has a lot of upside. He could use floor time to develop his game and giving him minutes will help the Kings "build for the future."

 

[Cal-Kings]

I agree completely. Benching is high school stuff. Either Bibby's hurt and he should sit or he's not hurt and he should play better. The team isn't going anywhere with Jason Hart as point guard, might as well let Bibby try to play his way out of his slump.

What if he's not hurt and it's not his typical slump?

His slumps used to last for 4-5 games. Not 20 games.

So are you saying you wouldn't do anything to shake up the team or just not this particular move of benching Bibby?

 

[nbrans]

What if he's not hurt and it's not his typical slump?

His slumps used to last for 4-5 games. Not 20 games.

So are you saying you wouldn't do anything to shake up the team or just not this particular move of benching Bibby?

I feel like this team needs a consistent rotation more than anything else. Bibby/Martin/Artest/Thomas/Miller. Time to gel, Shareef knowing that he's going his minutes so he doesn't jack up shots every time he touches the ball, everyone knowing their roles. Musselman is jerking people around enough as it is. I think this team would respond to some consistency.