Is anybody else worried about the Kings draft position?

[Showtime]

Looking at some of the disappointing teams in the league, and seeing how Natt is going to try to win the rest of the year, it worries me that the Kings will remain in the 8+ range.

The Clippers, Warriors, Thunder, Wolves, Grizz, Wizards, Cats, and Pacers could end up with worse records and/or higher picks.

 

[Aenadin]

not one bit... its better to instill that winning mentality on the young ones its rebuilding...

besides im not worried we have one of the best GMs in getting talent in GP

 

[Vlade4GM]

If we win on the merits of the players that are part of our future core then our draft position is what it is. However if we're winning on the merits of players that aren't going to be apart of our future (i.e. Miller and Salmons), then they are pointless wins and I'll take the higher draft spot.

 

[The Hammer]

not one bit... its better to instill that winning mentality on the young ones its rebuilding...

besides im not worried we have one of the best GMs in getting talent in GP

Could not agree more. There is no way to acheive our goal of eventually being a winning team if you don't do that. Now that said, sometimes, at the end of seasons, it is like a little bonus if you lose. But you simply can't have the players tanking. Bad for the mentality.

 

[Bricklayer]

Yep. Winning for the rest of this year is nothing short of stupid, and I root every night for all of our competitors in cruddiness to pull off upsets.

That said, I am not sure how concerned to be yet. For one thing I am not sure whether Natt is going to be anything or not -- if you read his quotes carefully, he pretty much seems determined to keep all of the same system in place, just make them play it better. Good luck with that. His big innovation seems to be that he thinks we should practice more. Good luck with that too as a solution. So not scared of the coach effect yet at least. And several of our "competitiors" are on the upswing in a way that hopefully will not apply to us. The Clippers are showing signs of considerable life post Randolph trade, Ellis is coming back for the Warriors, Memphis has started to win, and playing all kids too, and if the Wizards get back Arenas, is a playoff team last year really going to remain that awful? We could still blow it with a stupid "charge to .400, but a Top 5 slot is realistic for once. Only two that I am almost positive will finish worse are the Wolves and Thunder.

Will admit I am worried a little about the schedule -- January is maybe an easier month and Kevin should be back, although 10 of the 16 are on the road and that could still sink us. Looking forward to the point where even the Maloofs have to admit, ok, we're done this season (BTW, to take the #8 seed right now (requires at least 48 wins) we'd have to go 41-15 from here out! ). Worries me that every little delay in that realization further delays the full committment to the rebuild and the offseason. This season is lost, but the decisions we make from here until draft night could very well determine whether future seasons are lost as well, or whether this can turn out to be the bottom of the slope and we start to climb again.

 

[Sptsjunkie]

Looking at some of the disappointing teams in the league, and seeing how Natt is going to try to win the rest of the year, it worries me that the Kings will remain in the 8+ range.

The Clippers, Warriors, Thunder, Wolves, Grizz, Wizards, Cats, and Pacers could end up with worse records and/or higher picks.

I am not too worried. I think we will improve as the year goes on, but so will most of these teams. The Clippers are already playing better (won 3 of 4 and lost the fourth game on a fluky 4 point play). The Warriors will be close, but should still be better than us if Monta comes back even at 70% next month. The Grizz, Pacers and Cats are also both marginally better than us and trying to win too.

I think the 3 teams that we will really be competing with are the Thunder, Wolves and Wizards. The Thunder are probably a lost cause. They are playing better now, but are destined to finish with a worse record. The Wolves have the talent to pass us but are a poorly coached mess. And the Wizards are playing better, but are likely to give up on the season as it goes on. There's about a 70% chance that Jamison and Butler start coasting in February or March and wind up with phantom injuries that keep them out the final month of the season.

Long story short, I think our best case scenario is the 3rd seed (or whatever you want to call it) and most likely we will finish 4-6. I think 8th seed is a real worst case scenario.

 

[Jerryaki]

not one bit... its better to instill that winning mentality on the young ones its rebuilding...

besides im not worried we have one of the best GMs in getting talent in GP

because of the smiley, i cannot tell if this is in jest or not...

of the teams listed, i'm pretty sure that the pacers, and probably the clippers and warriors, will end up with a better record than us, and between the grizzlies and bobcats, one of them hopefully surpass us as well. it's realistic that we will be in the bottom 1-6.

 

[Sptsjunkie]

If we win on the merits of the players that are part of our future core then our draft position is what it is. However if we're winning on the merits of players that aren't going to be apart of our future (i.e. Miller and Salmons), then they are pointless wins and I'll take the higher draft spot.

Agree fully. If Hawes, Thompson, Martin, Garcia, Greene, etc. are good enough to win games so be it. If we're treated to Jackson, Miller, Salmons, Moore, etc. playing 35 minutes a night to win, it's pointless.

Building on this, I think the season is also a success if we can build more assets. If we can trade Miller, Salmons, etc. for cap relief, young players, picks, than that is also a good season for us. Obviously if we trade young players and and picks for veterans and bad contract, well then we can all bang our heads against our desks Piksi style.

 

[Gary]

What are we now? Tied for the 4th worst right? So we pretty much are guaranteed if the season were to end today a top 5 pick.. I don't see this group winning much more so I can definitely see a top 6 pick for us. Nothing to worry about, i think you are giving the Kings much more credit than they are due. This team sucks, and is definitely a 55-60 loss team.

 

[Vlade4GM]

What are we now? Tied for the 4th worst right? So we pretty much are guaranteed if the season were to end today a top 5 pick.. I don't see this group winning much more so I can definitely see a top 6 pick for us. Nothing to worry about, i think you are giving the Kings much more credit than they are due. This team sucks, and is definitely a 55-60 loss team.

Hopefully. Even if it is an average draft at best, it would still be nice to see our crap teams be rewarded with a top 5 pick. If we can't be relevant in the regular season, at least we can be relevant in the draft with the suck teams.

 

[ParniValjak]

The only thing that I am worried about is that we picked the wrong year to REALLY suck. This draft just doesn't appear to have any true, blue-chip franchise players. A couple of very good NBA prospects and then a bunch of so-so players to chose from.

Why can't we luck out for someone like Paul, LeBron, Wade, Howard?!

 

[Sptsjunkie]

The only thing that I am worried about is that we picked the wrong year to REALLY suck. This draft just doesn't appear to have any true, blue-chip franchise players. A couple of very good NBA prospects and then a bunch of so-so players to chose from.

Why can't we luck out for someone like Paul, LeBron, Wade, Howard?!

Haha, hey I agree about a Shaq or LeBron. However, Wade and Howard were not blue chippers coming into their respective drafts, much less by mid-December. A lot of people though Okafor should have been the #1 pick that year. Orlando showed some guts picking Howard. And Paul slipped half way down the lottery. Even Wade was the 5th pick. He was no sure thing. We should actually be hoping we get a Paul or Wade this year.

 

[Jechtsphere]

We just came off of a blow out, I'm encouraged lol

 

[Big Cuz 15]

The only thing that I am worried about is that we picked the wrong year to REALLY suck. This draft just doesn't appear to have any true, blue-chip franchise players. A couple of very good NBA prospects and then a bunch of so-so players to chose from.

Why can't we luck out for someone like Paul, LeBron, Wade, Howard?!

cuz we hired 2 boneheads in musselhead and theuss. both were shooting for their own records instead of going for what is important.. future of the team. we missed out on rose and oden

 

[gilly420]

we are bottom 5 for sure, sin duda

 

[Kingster]

I'm definitely worried. I've seen it happen over the last couple of years - "victory" snatched from the jaws of "defeat". If this draft were deeper, I'd worry less, but right now I have the worry beads out, and I'm seriously worried about ownership/management doing a Charlotte trade and making us older and a little better in the 2nd half.

 

[Nighthawk1]

Haha, hey I agree about a Shaq or LeBron. However, Wade and Howard were not blue chippers coming into their respective drafts, much less by mid-December. A lot of people though Okafor should have been the #1 pick that year. Orlando showed some guts picking Howard. And Paul slipped half way down the lottery. Even Wade was the 5th pick. He was no sure thing. We should actually be hoping we get a Paul or Wade this year.

I agree 100%, everyone is looking right now for whom will be the blue chippers of a draft and no one knows until a year or two down the road. Now in a couple months we can start to truly evaluate these kids

 

[Aenadin]

because of the smiley, i cannot tell if this is in jest or not...

of the teams listed, i'm pretty sure that the pacers, and probably the clippers and warriors, will end up with a better record than us, and between the grizzlies and bobcats, one of them hopefully surpass us as well. it's realistic that we will be in the bottom 1-6.

im sincere when i said GP is one of the talented GMs im pretty sure he will be active this coming off season and hell be doing some major trades along the way

 

[Prince_XY]

I am not worried at all, especially if it is true that this upcoming draft does not have promising Superstar players.

I would like the Kings to continue the process of rebuilding by acquiring well developed players now ( more of the Boston way when they acquire KG and Allen, or the old Kings when they acquire Webber and Divac ), than rely on acquiring the remaining important pieces through draft.

I don't like the long way ( Portland way ) of collecting young pieces that may or may not end up successful. It is just too long to wait for them to develop into an elite team.

 

[Vlade4GM]

I am not worried at all, especially if it is true that this upcoming draft does not have promising Superstar players.

I would like the Kings to continue the process of rebuilding by acquiring well developed players now ( more of the Boston way when they acquire KG and Allen, or the old Kings when they acquire Webber and Divac ), than rely on acquiring the remaining important pieces through draft.

I don't like the long way ( Portland way ) of collecting young pieces that may or may not end up successful. It is just too long to wait for them to develop into an elite team.

The long way is the only way for us.

 

[HighFlyingMonkey]

If we win on the merits of the players that are part of our future core then our draft position is what it is. However if we're winning on the merits of players that aren't going to be apart of our future (i.e. Miller and Salmons), then they are pointless wins and I'll take the higher draft spot.

Well said.