Kings Bench Needs Major, Major Help!!!

I agree our bench isn't strong yet, and whether that happens is a question mark. I think they just need time to get familiar. Last night was an example of that, and on the other side I think it brought confidence into them.

I definitely agree about our swingman depth, I think we need/should go after a guy who has experience and can provide a spark. Whether it's a trade, or signing someone off the FA-board, which isn't too bad. Long-term this season, I am just not that taking to on SK being Bonzi's back-up.

Here are guys off free-agency that stick out to help with swing depth:

Latrell Sprewell: http://www.hoopshype.com/players/latrell_sprewell.htm


Wesley Person: http://www.hoopshype.com/players/wesley_person.htm

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/wesley_person/?nav=page


George Lynch: http://www.hoopshype.com/players/george_lynch.htm

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/george_lynch/


Rodney White: http://www.hoopshype.com/players/rodney_white.htm

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/rodney_white/


Adrian Griffin: http://www.hoopshype.com/players/adrian_griffin.htm (not a non-scorer)

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/adrian_griffin/?nav=page


Lucious Harris: http://www.hoopshype.com/players/lucious_harris.htm

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/lucious_harris/


Felipe Lopez: http://www.hoopshype.com/players/felipe_lopez.htm

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/felipe_lopez/?nav=page


Thomas I'm not writing off yet, simply because he's still fitting in. I think he can possibly be traded somehere though, like Portland/NY/Hornets/Jazz.
 
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Re: Spreee

I would pick up Spree for the Vet's Minimum. That's a steal. I think thats all we can sign him for. If there was some sort of sign and trade involving KT that would be cool. Thats up to Petrie to make it work, but Spree would be a huge offensive spark off the bench.
 
maybe sprewell isn't the answer but petrie needs to do something. our bench let the jazz back in it last night in the first half after the starters had built a 20+ lead. it wasn't until the 4th when they started scoring. maybe this teams goal isn't to make the playoffs. if that's the case then don't change a thing.
 
Yeah, bench looked better against a Jazz team minus 3 or their starters and on a 2nd game of a back-to-back :\ I aint sold until we've played Milwaukee and San Antonio.
 
chelle said:
OUR BENCH HAD
34 PTS
17 REBS
7 TO'S
7 BLOCKS
3 STLS
4 ASSISTS

WE WERE AHEAD BY 28 WHEN THEY CAME IN IN THE FOURTH. WE WON BY 36.

I know that we were playing the Jazz - and not even their best. Our bench is a BIG weakness, but they did not hurt us. There is need for improvement, but, tonight, they did their job.
7 blocks is awesome. I think our bench has good paint defense w/ corliss, brian and kenny. Our bench is also a good rebounder but again, we were playing UTAH.
 
chelle said:
That is my point. THEY are bench players, not starters. Everyone agrees that we do not have a strong bench. I just think that we expect too much of them when they are all in together. They are NOT starters. I do not understand why they are ever in at the same time unless it is a blow out like last night.

They have a LOT of work to do. Nobody could say otherwise. I just think that when they have any positives at all in a game like last night, I would rather focus on them instead of the negaives. We have had 5 other game to look at the bad.

I actually disagree completely. If used properly, this can be one of the best and deepest benches we've had. But right now, the bench isn't being used as a bench. It's being used more like a second string starting lineup. I still think it's Adelman testing the guys out and putting them in different situations, and/or finding when and how to insert them.
 
problem with staggering the bench 1 at a time with the starters is the fact that our starters are still trying to be a cohesive unit and to be complete they need all the time together they can get. So if you stagger the bench that means the minutes get more spread apart which leads to less minutes of all the starters in at the same time.
 
Entity said:
problem with staggering the bench 1 at a time with the starters is the fact that our starters are still trying to be a cohesive unit and to be complete they need all the time together they can get. So if you stagger the bench that means the minutes get more spread apart which leads to less minutes of all the starters in at the same time.

Not necessarily. You could still play the starting five as a unit for a major portion of time and then just stagger in the bench one or two at a time, instead of five... Considering Adelman generally makes his substitutions in the latter part of quarters, this could still be effective. The starters as a unit could continue to play most of the first and portions of the second. They could play most of the third and then as much of the fourth as necessary.

It could be done...
 
I never knew we had a bench until this year. I thought Rick never played anyone except Bobby Jackson off the bench. Our bench just seems unbelievably bad -- I miss the towel wavers, the big men in the warm-up suits who had plenty of team spirit. I like Skinner (who hasn't quite made it into Adelman's doghouse but is trying) and KMart (sort of), but Corliss should see action just for his leadership and veteran play. Trade Kenny Thomas. I like signing George Lynch and Felipe Lopez being ex-Grizzlies -- too bad we couldn't get Antonio Daniels. I'm for signing Spree -- the man can play, but can he be coached?
 
Latrell Sprewell is sitting at home for obvious reasons. Can he be coached? That depends on what you mean by coached and whether or not you think that alone is the reason he's not on a team.

You want to totally destroy whatever is left of the "Kings"? Bring Latrell Sprewell to town...
 
pejafans said:
1.agreed
thomas is a starter and he always play bad when coming off the bench
but which team would want a undersized and overpaid PF?

Good question. I am sure 76ers were asking the same question last year, but they not only found a team that would want him but also got a superstar in return!
 
VF21 said:
Latrell Sprewell is sitting at home for obvious reasons. Can he be coached? That depends on what you mean by coached and whether or not you think that alone is the reason he's not on a team.

You want to totally destroy whatever is left of the "Kings"? Bring Latrell Sprewell to town...


You got that right, Latrell Sprewell is a queen not a King. We wouldn't be able to feed his family on a measly 350k anyways:D
 
If there is any coach or team in the NBA that could help Spree become somewhat close to a model citizen it would be Adelman and the Kings. I'm not saying that Spree is the answer, but something definately has to be done. Martin is nowhere near ready to fill the role he has been thrust into and neither can Garcia. If George Lynch was healthy then that may be an option, but other than him and perhaps Spree there isn't really anyone on the FA market that would be worth considering. These guys are all sitting at home for a reason.
 
CaminoChaos said:
I would pick up Spree for the Vet's Minimum. That's a steal. I think thats all we can sign him for. If there was some sort of sign and trade involving KT that would be cool. Thats up to Petrie to make it work, but Spree would be a huge offensive spark off the bench.


Vet's minimum? :eek: How will he feed his family? :D
 
Wow, I kind of think everyone needs to take a deep breath and be patient with the bench. It has certainly been a weakness thus far, but it's going to take a while for the bench to gel and for people to get used to their new roles. And it's way way way too early to start drawing ironclad conclusions from just the few games that have been played.

It's going to take a lot longer for the bench to come together than it is for the staters to come together. They don't have as much time on the floor in game situations as the starters and they have to adjust to playing with a wide variety of personnel. Moreover, if you look at each bench player's individual situation there's plenty of promise and a good explanation for their current struggles:

Hart has to adjust to the Kings' offense and has to learn how to initiate. He had a bit more freedom to fast break and improvise in Charlotte, with the Kings he has to learn the offense. So far not so good, but give him some time.

Martin is adjusting to actually playing. He's been very very solid keeping the offense moving, not trying to force the issue too much, and he's shown some great flashes of potential in getting to the rim. I don't know if he's ever going to develop an outside shot with that hideous form, but at the very least he has the makings of a solid bench player.

Garcia needs to calm the F down and stop shooting so much. If he gets the memo he could be a deadly outside shooter within the confines of the offense. Right now he's a chucker and an offense killer -- he could potentially be the offensive spark the Kings need.

Thomas has shown some decent per-48 rebounding numbers off the bench, but he's suffered offensively because the offense hasn't been flowing very well and he's not great at creating his own looks. He was great off the bench for the Kings last season before he became the starter, hopefully he can get it all together.

Skinner... not sure what's going on there.

And Corliss is Corliss, he's going to give you solid play, questionable defense and some toughness.

I really think once the bench gets some more time in they're going to be a good, if not great, bench. But it's going to take a while.
 
ok everyone, i think we should lay off the sprewell cracks. no doubt he's still a talented player and we won't have to worry about coughing up 10 point leads when players like martin and skinner come in the game. now i'm the 1st to admit his attitude stinks, but if he's willing to come off the bench for us we should take him.
 
tyrant said:
ok everyone, i think we should lay off the sprewell cracks. no doubt he's still a talented player and we won't have to worry about coughing up 10 point leads when players like martin and skinner come in the game. now i'm the 1st to admit his attitude stinks, but if he's willing to come off the bench for us we should take him.

Lay off the Sprewell cracks?

Sorry, but that's gonna be pretty tough to do.

He's the one who choked Carlisimo, not any of us.

He's the one who whined about not being able to feed his family on a multi-million $$ a year salary.

In most cases, I would agree that player bashing isn't warranted. In this case, however, it's not really bashing when we're simply reviewing the facts...

The logic that if he's willing to come off the bench we should be glad to have him escapes me. We already have ONE discontented player coming off the bench. Two would be a recipe for disaster IMHO.

At one point, I would have been pretty safe in saying the Kings would NOT go down that road. Now, however, I can only hope and pray they don't because sometimes the possible result just isn't worth the price you might have to pay.
 
I'd bring back Keon Clark before I'd choose to let Sprewell wear a Kings uniform...

;)
 
I still say sign a swingman off free-agency.

Doesn't have to be Spree, as there are clearly others.
 
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Aren't we the same team who takes in the bad-boys and turns them into choir boys? Whats the difference with Spree?
 
thesanityannex said:
Aren't we the same team who takes in the bad-boys and turns them into choir boys? Whats the difference with Spree?

I'd honestly take him. Would regardless of how our bench is, simply because of swingman depth.
 
I really do not believe that I would want Spree on our team. Of course, I did not think that I would like Bonzi either, but he has already started winning a place in my heart.

I do wonder about that fact that NO team has signed him. Does make you wonder what else is wrong with him (besides the whole choking thing;) ). One would think that SOMEBODY would take the chance on signing him for a season unless he is an even bigger hassle than we know.
 
It's his askings, he wanted the MLE, and now he's down to a two-year deal now. Orlando turned him and his agent away. Bulls was just a false rumor.

I also wonder why no one has picked up Wesley Person yet. Lynch also, though he is/was working out and taking care of a minor injury since he was waived.
 
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I do hope we trade Thomas and get something for him, but I don't think Spree is the answer. I think Corliss is playing better than him and deserves more minutes.
 
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