Keys to Kings' Upcoming Season

[Kings Fan]

Here are my keys for the Kings to be successful in the regular season and make a deep run in the postseason.

1) Everyone has to stay relatively healthy...ESPECIALLY MIKE BIBBY. I think we can deal with Bonzi, Peja, Shareef, and even Brad missing some games due to injury but it is imperative that Mike stays healthy because we don't have Bobby backing him up. Our offseason moves have brought versatility to SG, SF, PF, C positions but losing Bobby made Mike indispensible. While Jason Hart may do some nice things, Mike is the floor general. He goes, we go.

2) To offset the imbalance of an offensive-loaded 1st team and a defensive-minded 2nd team, I propose that Bonzi come off the bench. This way, all the pure scorers on the 1st team (Mike, Peja, Shareef, Brad) will GET THEIR SHARE OF SHOTS. Our bench (with Bonzi and Kenny) can provide offense to a 2nd team that may struggle at the offensive end. I am not sold on Martin while Garcia has yet to prove himself. Hypothetically, Bonzi can come in around the 6-7 minute mark of 1st and 3rd quarters and finish the half and game, respectively. When the game is on the line in the 4th quarter, Mike, Bonzi, Peja, Shareef, and Brad should all be on the floor.

3) Obviously, defense wins championships. I think we've upgraded perimeter D (with Hart, Bonzi, and Garcia) but we need the low-post people (especially Shareef, Brad, and Brian) to KNOCK PEOPLE DOWN so that it's not a layup drill every night.

4) GRAB SOME SERIOUS BOARDS...no need to say more.

5) Mike needs to become the vocal leader on and off the court. One of the key ingredients in Kings' success in the early 2000s was Vlade's LEADERSHIP and TEAM CHEMISTRY and CAMRADERIE. With so many new faces, Mike needs to unite the team so that we can enter a new era of Kings' championship basketball.

 

[D-Mass]

To offset the imbalance of an offensive-loaded 1st team and a defensive-minded 2nd team, I propose that Bonzi come off the bench.

Ain't gonna happen. Fratello tried it...it's a sure fire way to create an angry Bonzi. And we all know what happens when Bonzi gets angry. The key to him being happy in Sacramento is play time, and no, he's not one of those players who will realize that starters aren't always the ones who get the most PT. Bottom line...he came here to play and he came here to start. Plus, he'll be the best defender of all of our starters...we'll need him in there.

 

[ONEZERO]

I agree with most of what u say, but bonzi is gonna start.... Its a good idea, but it just doesn't work like that in the pros.... The best players start.

 

[Kings113]

Bonzi coming off the bench is the most stupid thing I've read this off-season. It's not happening at all.

He's gonna be real good for us.

It's not like Bonzi is a bad/average defender anyways.

 

[DocHolliday]

And the best, most experienced SG we have right now is Bonzi. He wills start hands down.

 

[KingKong]

Bonzi coming off the bench is the most stupid thing I've read this off-season. It's not happening at all.

He's gonna be real good for us.

It's not like Bonzi is a bad/average defender anyways.

No need to attack the poster, he's just stating his opinion.

 

[Kings Fan]

No need to attack the poster, he's just stating his opinion.

Thank you KingKong for backing me up. It's just an idea, a post, a suggestion, a desire of one Kings' fan to see championship basketball in Sacramento.

 

[Bricklayer]

There is a decent argument that one of the starters should come of the bench, although they will not (the other logical choice wouold be SAR, and of course he refused to do that too, even for a contender like the Spurs or Heat). But itf it were somebody, it would make very little sense for it to be Bonzi. If we're trying to get some balance, as of right now Bonzi is the ONLY defender/rebounder for his position in the entire starting lineup. So swapping HIM to the bench gains us very little.

 

[Kings113]

No need to attack the poster, he's just stating his opinion.

lol, okay.

 

[Kings Fan]

While I understand that Bonzi will start, there are certainly reasons for concern when you have Hart, Martin, Garcia (and maybe even Price) coming off the bench as your backcourt...many unproven commodities with little NBA experience, especially since we're so use to seeing Bobby, Jimmy Jackson, Hedo, Jon Barry provide tenacity, experience, big shots, and big moments from the backcourt for years. We can be sure that Mike and Bonzi will play heavy minutes until one of the young kids can separate himself from the boys and learn quickly to play effectively in the Kings' system.

Hart: He doesn't need to duplicate Bobby. Just play solid defense and instill high assists/turnover ratio that he has been known for in his 3-4 seasons in the NBA.

Martin: While he can light up the summer league, he needs to play with a little more passion and keep his turnovers down. I don't know how you can pack more pounds into that skinny frame but bulking up is the only way he's going to have a career in the NBA.

Garcia: We've yet to see him play but he's known for something at Louisville that I haven't seen Martin possess...passion and sheer will on the court.

Price: Let's hope Petrie found a diamond in the rough.

 

[sactown_draftpick]

we r set at the center position wen did u get another 7 footer? beats me i was waiting on good news like this one for a long tyme yea we finally got a good back up center thats 7 feet ok but who is tht? lol dont tell me brian skinner grew 3-4 inches damn wat has he bin doin lol

 

[BonziFan]

The key to this season is a full injury free training camp so all of the new guys can get a real good feel for each other. They need to work on how to play defense together.

 

[uolj]

With five starters who can score, offense will not be a problem. Adelman rarely makes full team substitutions- he'll probably leave Stojakovic and two of the other starters out there when bringing in the first wave of backups. That means there will almost always be two or three scoring starters in the game.

I don't see the bench being all that defensive though. Skinner and Hart are good defenders, but aren't Thomas, Williamson, Martin and Garcia all known more for their offense? I think it's more of an offensive-loaded first team and more balanced but much less talented second team.

I can go along with the rest of your points. I think a key will be finding some way, any way, to get as much defense out of the team as possible. Whether that takes specific rotations (of players in and out of the game), a specialized defensive scheme, practice and use of zones or other gimmicky defenses, or whatever, I don't care, but the coaching staff needs to put their heads together to get average defense from their team of below-average defensive talent.

 

[funkykingston]

I don't see the bench being all that defensive though. Skinner and Hart are good defenders, but aren't Thomas, Williamson, Martin and Garcia all known more for their offense? I think it's more of an offensive-loaded first team and more balanced but much less talented second team.

Martin has shown flashes in his limited minutes of being a very good individual defender, while Garcia was an excellent team defender in college, blocking a lot of shots and creating steals. Thomas isn't a horrible defender, but he will struggle with physical PFs or quick, perimeter oriented SFs. Corliss is a weak defender, but I hope he doesn't play much next season.

 

[Gary]

Jason Hart is no scrub. IF Bibby were injured We would be able to use hart to run the offense. He has great court vision, and a good assist to TO ratio.

IF Miller went down that is where we would have some troubles. A healthy Miller is KEY to Sacramento's success.

 

[LPKingsFan]

It's not like Adelman swaps 5 players on the court for 5 players on the bench all at one time anyway. The starters and the main bench rotation players will see a lot of time together, regardless.

 

[VF21]

1) Everyone has to stay relatively healthy...ESPECIALLY MIKE BIBBY.

Pretty obvious.

2) To offset the imbalance of an offensive-loaded 1st team and a defensive-minded 2nd team, I propose that Bonzi come off the bench.

Pretty ridiculous. Bonzi Wells is NOT going to come off the bench.

3) Obviously, defense wins championships. I think we've upgraded perimeter D (with Hart, Bonzi, and Garcia) but we need the low-post people (especially Shareef, Brad, and Brian) to KNOCK PEOPLE DOWN so that it's not a layup drill every night.

Yep, see my comment to #1.

4) GRAB SOME SERIOUS BOARDS...no need to say more.

See #1 again.

5) Mike needs to become the vocal leader on and off the court. One of the key ingredients in Kings' success in the early 2000s was Vlade's LEADERSHIP and TEAM CHEMISTRY and CAMRADERIE. With so many new faces, Mike needs to unite the team so that we can enter a new era of Kings' championship basketball.

It's not that simple. Mike isn't a vocal leader. Never has been, and from what I've observed over the time he's been here, it's not something he relishes. We, as fans, have a tendency to assume that our players can be all things for all occasions. (The debates over Peja are perfect examples.) Mike Bibby was not, is not and will never be Vlade Divac. The team chemistry issue, including the development of a new leader, will come from within - and we might actually all end up being surprised by what develops.

I'm also going to question your knowledge of Kevin Martin's passion. I seriously doubt if you know how he's felt, what's he worked on, etc. What Kevin needs is to continue to work hard and improve. He needs to develop the confidence in his NBA game that he had in his college game. That takes time. It's not about passion.
-----------------------------------------------
Now, from VF21 THE MODERATOR -

First, to Kings113: This board is not about attacking posters. Never has been, never will be. People need to remember that.

Next to KingKong: If you have a problem with something a member has posted, it's not up to you to address it. It's up to the moderators. It's our job, it's what we do. It's why there's a "refer a post" option.

Third, to Kings Fan: If you're going to start a thread like this, saying these are YOUR ideas/opinions about what the Kings need, you're going to have to be open to STRONG arguments to points you've made in your comments. You may be new to the board, but those comments aren't. For the most part, a lot of people around here have been saying pretty much the exact same thing - with the exception of having Bonzi come off the bench - for quite a while. You might want to take some time and peruse the back threads. It might give you a little better understanding on where a lot of us are coming from.

This is an extremely active board and we're blessed with a plethora of very knowledgeable basketball fans who take a lot of time on their posts. Some of the exchanges in our threads are truly classic. The amount of passion, interest, knowledge, and devotion to the Sacramento Kings is incomparable.

VF

 

[IVote4Replay]

Jason Hart is no scrub. IF Bibby were injured We would be able to use hart to run the offense. He has great court vision, and a good assist to TO ratio.

Plus, has experience starting with the Charlotte Bobcats- he should be OK with leading the 2nd string..

 

[SoupIsGood]

Front court defense

 

[piksi]

Here are my keys for the Kings to be successful in the regular season and make a deep run in the postseason.

1) Everyone has to stay relatively healthy...ESPECIALLY MIKE BIBBY. I think we can deal with Bonzi, Peja, Shareef, and even Brad missing some games due to injury but it is imperative that Mike stays healthy because we don't have Bobby backing him up. Our offseason moves have brought versatility to SG, SF, PF, C positions but losing Bobby made Mike indispensible. While Jason Hart may do some nice things, Mike is the floor general. He goes, we go.

2) To offset the imbalance of an offensive-loaded 1st team and a defensive-minded 2nd team, I propose that Bonzi come off the bench. This way, all the pure scorers on the 1st team (Mike, Peja, Shareef, Brad) will GET THEIR SHARE OF SHOTS. Our bench (with Bonzi and Kenny) can provide offense to a 2nd team that may struggle at the offensive end. I am not sold on Martin while Garcia has yet to prove himself. Hypothetically, Bonzi can come in around the 6-7 minute mark of 1st and 3rd quarters and finish the half and game, respectively. When the game is on the line in the 4th quarter, Mike, Bonzi, Peja, Shareef, and Brad should all be on the floor.

3) Obviously, defense wins championships. I think we've upgraded perimeter D (with Hart, Bonzi, and Garcia) but we need the low-post people (especially Shareef, Brad, and Brian) to KNOCK PEOPLE DOWN so that it's not a layup drill every night.

4) GRAB SOME SERIOUS BOARDS...no need to say more.

5) Mike needs to become the vocal leader on and off the court. One of the key ingredients in Kings' success in the early 2000s was Vlade's LEADERSHIP and TEAM CHEMISTRY and CAMRADERIE. With so many new faces, Mike needs to unite the team so that we can enter a new era of Kings' championship basketball.

How about Mike needs to play some D to all things You have allready mentioned

 

[Kings113]

I don't see the bench being all that defensive though. Skinner and Hart are good defenders, but aren't Thomas, Williamson, Martin and Garcia all known more for their offense? I think it's more of an offensive-loaded first team and more balanced but much less talented second team.

Bench isn't staying the way it is. That's like, a given.

 

[sactownsfinest]

i personally think bonzi wasnt the best addition to our team... i dont take a liking to him. i think kevin martin should start. but all in all, your keys are pretty accurate

 

[Kings113]

i personally think bonzi wasnt the best addition to our team... i dont take a liking to him. i think kevin martin should start. but all in all, your keys are pretty accurate

........Why? This boggles the mind, man.

 

[VF21]

i personally think bonzi wasnt the best addition to our team... i dont take a liking to him.

How can you possibly judge how he'll do as a King at this point in time? It only seems fair to let him actually step on the court in a Kings uniform before you make that decision, doesn't it?

 

[Bballkingsrock]

i personally think bonzi wasnt the best addition to our team... i dont take a liking to him. i think kevin martin should start. but all in all, your keys are pretty accurate

Why would you say that?

1. Bonzi ACTUALLY plays defense and can rebound pretty well for a shooting guard. Someone like Doug Christie but can play better offense.

2. You havent seen him play 1 minute in a Kings jersey. You cant judge him that qquickly.

3. His techincal fouls and his temper all was in Portland, just like Rasheed. Right when Bonzi and Rasheed left, their temper left them.

3 reasons why you shouldnt say that until you see Bonzi put on a Kings jersey with the Kings, and play basketball.

 

[sono]

It's his opinion, I think many would have said the same thing if we signed Walker instead of Shareef.

 

[D-Mass]

3. His techincal fouls and his temper all was in Portland, just like Rasheed. Right when Bonzi and Rasheed left, their temper left them.

I totally agree with your post, but...Rasheed's temper NEVER left him. It's amazing what two finals appearances and 1 championship will do for your attitude. And did Bonzi's leave him in Memphis? Many people will argue that it got worse! We won't know until he gets out there, but nevertheless, the acquisition of Bonzi, IMO, was the best move made so far this summer.

 

[ONEZERO]

How can u possibly want martin to start over wells????? It makes me wonder what basketball some people have been watching.

 

[sono]

we'll see that soon. Shareef is the best move for me (contract <<< player).

 

[VF21]

It's his opinion, I think many would have said the same thing if we signed Walker instead of Shareef.

Actually, once ink is set on paper, MOST people - at least on this website - are pretty fair-minded and willing to give a player a chance before they condemn him. It's one of the nice things about the membership here. We may argue and debate a player's potential when he's being bandied about as a possible King, but once he gets issued a uniform we would rather wait and judge him by his actions in that uniform.