Kings GM Divac in charge and filling holes

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#1
“I knew the staff I wanted to put together,” Divac said the other day. “There was always so much (drama) going on ever since I got here, it took up a lot of my time. Finally I have been able to find people who believe in what we are trying to do and who I am very comfortable with. I like our staff very much now, with Scott (Perry), Luke (Bornn), Ken (Catanella), Mike (Bratz), Peja (Stojakovic). We filled some holes.”

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/ailene-voisin/article146240159.html#storylink=cpy
 
#3
“I knew the staff I wanted to put together,” Divac said the other day. “There was always so much (drama) going on ever since I got here, it took up a lot of my time. Finally I have been able to find people who believe in what we are trying to do and who I am very comfortable with. I like our staff very much now, with Scott (Perry), Luke (Bornn), Ken (Catanella), Mike (Bratz), Peja (Stojakovic). We filled some holes.”

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/ailene-voisin/article146240159.html#storylink=cpy
Well I must admit, if I have to read an Ailene article it is refreshing that its not a total Cousins dump. It also appears that Sacramento is well on its way to shedding the laughing stock label of the NBA. I don't worry so much about having an "all-star" on the team. I am much happier with a group similar in age that know how to play together and a front office that has some respect around the league. The all-star will come from within the ranks or appear when Sacramento once again becomes an attractive destination.
 
#5
only time will tell, the drama will always be there as long as Vivek is the owner IMO. That won't magically go away. Maybe if Vlade and staff finally field together a winner Vivek will back off? one can only hope.
Your right only time will tell. But as a outspoken critic of Vivek, I think a strong, well respected front office is the best deterrent from his "unwanted" influence. Up to this point he has always had a weak front office that was easily replaceable and therefor easy to "manipulate" and one that it was easy to shift the blame to. I don't think Vivek's influence will magically go away but I think Vlade is a smart man and he has taken the steps necessary to rectify that situation.

And again you are right, one can only hope.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#7
only time will tell, the drama will always be there as long as Vivek is the owner IMO. That won't magically go away. Maybe if Vlade and staff finally field together a winner Vivek will back off? one can only hope.
If you look at this sesaon, Vivek has - for the most part -been conspicuously absent. It seems to me he has already backed off, and has put the team into Vlade's hands.
 
#10
All I care about is that we have strong leadership, and that leadership is in charge and executing his vision (Vlade). A cohesive FO to me is more important than getting the exact right basketball philosophy, etc. That stuff will sort itself out as long as you have professionals working together. Seems Vlade is creating in the FO the same kind of chemistry that he grandfathered in the locker room when he played. I can get behind that.
 
#11
only time will tell, the drama will always be there as long as Vivek is the owner IMO. That won't magically go away. Maybe if Vlade and staff finally field together a winner Vivek will back off? one can only hope.
Doesn't work that way.

Drama must be sorted out and then the winning will come. Vivek HAS ALREADY BACKED OFF. It has just taken time for Vlade to get the guys he wanted, and get rid of the ones he didn't. Vivek's problem is that he didn't know how to lead a FO, and he thought he could. He gets credit for bringing in Vlade. He also gets credit for realizing his limitations. He'll always be an enthusiastic guy with a penchant for the spotlight, but he is not creating drama, nor do I think he really did, directly But he definitely allowed it, and created the situation where it got out of hand. What Vlade is subtly doing is simply fixing the problem, without creating a big public trial for Vivek. So you can all stop trying to assign blame and demanding penance from Vivek or whoever for "sins". That is only more drama.
 
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#12
Well the usual agenda pushing from Voisin, who obviously still can't write a single column without trashing DMC.

1. DMC held the Kings hostage? Oh please....
2. Vlade is fully in charge? Well if that's the case, Vlade is also fully responsible for what happened during his tenure. No more "but Vivek" excuse than...
3. Perry fills a gaping hole in the FO? When there was a gaping hole for that long, isn't that pretty telling about Vlade's body of work? Weren't Catanella and Bleech also highly praised additions? Where was the drama last offseason, that obviously held Vlade busy?
4. Divac is enjoying an offseason winning streak? You mean failing to reach the proclaimed goals of the season twice in the row, trading the best player SAC ever had for Buddy Hield and 1 protected first rounder in a rushed move during all star game and having young players, who showed some signs, but hardly were taking the league by storm actually counts as an offseason winning streak?
5. Because we saw progress with the young players - and let's be honest the progress was on a very low level of expectations - it somehow means we don't have a weak front office? We didn't miss entirely in the draft, but that and the Joerger hire is pretty much the only thing this FO hasn't screwed up so far.
6. We don't want to built a team for the 8th seed. We want to built a contender for the title. Yeah right. After over a decade of missing the Playoffs, that's the kind of completely delusional and unwordly statement I as a fan want to hear from my FO. Maybe have some grasp for reality. The Kings are one of the worst teams of the league as currently constructed. Maybe do some work and show some results first, before you talk about building championship contenders. Maybe at least don't embarass yourself with completely lopsided trades, before you talk about building championship contenders.

I really want to support the Kings. I absolutely support our group of young players, great vets and Joerger's coaching staff. But this "oh how shiny and new everything is" rhetoric is turning me off big time. Just get to work, take the beating you deserve for your potential bad decisions and let the success you obviously believe in speak for itself, when you reached it. You don't prove people wrong by talking big or by throwing shades at the players you trade away. You prove people wrong, by building a team, that is able to win games.
 
#13
Well the usual agenda pushing from Voisin, who obviously still can't write a single column without trashing DMC.

1. DMC held the Kings hostage? Oh please....
2. Vlade is fully in charge? Well if that's the case, Vlade is also fully responsible for what happened during his tenure. No more "but Vivek" excuse than...
3. Perry fills a gaping hole in the FO? When there was a gaping hole for that long, isn't that pretty telling about Vlade's body of work? Weren't Catanella and Bleech also highly praised additions? Where was the drama last offseason, that obviously held Vlade busy?
4. Divac is enjoying an offseason winning streak? You mean failing to reach the proclaimed goals of the season twice in the row, trading the best player SAC ever had for Buddy Hield and 1 protected first rounder in a rushed move during all star game and having young players, who showed some signs, but hardly were taking the league by storm actually counts as an offseason winning streak?
5. Because we saw progress with the young players - and let's be honest the progress was on a very low level of expectations - it somehow means we don't have a weak front office? We didn't miss entirely in the draft, but that and the Joerger hire is pretty much the only thing this FO hasn't screwed up so far.
6. We don't want to built a team for the 8th seed. We want to built a contender for the title. Yeah right. After over a decade of missing the Playoffs, that's the kind of completely delusional and unwordly statement I as a fan want to hear from my FO. Maybe have some grasp for reality. The Kings are one of the worst teams of the league as currently constructed. Maybe do some work and show some results first, before you talk about building championship contenders. Maybe at least don't embarass yourself with completely lopsided trades, before you talk about building championship contenders.

I really want to support the Kings. I absolutely support our group of young players, great vets and Joerger's coaching staff. But this "oh how shiny and new everything is" rhetoric is turning me off big time. Just get to work, take the beating you deserve for your potential bad decisions and let the success you obviously believe in speak for itself, when you reached it. You don't prove people wrong by talking big or by throwing shades at the players you trade away. You prove people wrong, by building a team, that is able to win games.
Man that is one rough evaluation:) But I do understand your perspective and respect your views considering all that has happened in the last decade. I just happen to want to see a different perspective.

1. The contract this summer was going to hold the Kings hostage IMO.
2 Vlade has already stated the buck stops with him.
3. Considering the hand he was dealt when he arrived I think Vlade has done a good job. Hired Joerger, Drafted well and brought in good Free Agents. Sometimes you do have to wait to get the people you want (refering to Perry and Bornn). Things do change as time goes by.
4. The Kings had a chance to be where Portland is right now. Getting thumped by GSW in the 1st round. That is improvement over where the Kings have been this last 10 years, but Vlade has his sights set higher.
5. The Young Players progress was not low. Were we watching the same team? WCS and the Rookies performed great. Joerger is a great Coach. The Kings competed in most games thru it all.
6. See #4. IMO the trades being unequal is overstated, what has Philly reaped so far? Cousins and his Agent torpedoed his trade value. The Kings net was 3 first rounds picks and a very early 2nd for DMC (One pick was the Kings but the trade allowed the Kings to retain it.)

I agree with your statements you wrote that I highlighted in red.

The only thing I can say is give it time. You are still a Fan as you are here posting and still caring about the Kings:)

Seriously after years of being Maloofed and Vivek making mistakes early on after saving the Kings for Sacramento it is going to take time to improve this organization. IMO improvements are happening and it is all right in front of you if you are willing to accept it. I think the stage is set for a good off season for the Kings. Young talent at SF and PG is needed. A Veteran PG is needed
 
#14
Well the usual agenda pushing from Voisin, who obviously still can't write a single column without trashing DMC.

1. DMC held the Kings hostage? Oh please....
2. Vlade is fully in charge? Well if that's the case, Vlade is also fully responsible for what happened during his tenure. No more "but Vivek" excuse than...
3. Perry fills a gaping hole in the FO? When there was a gaping hole for that long, isn't that pretty telling about Vlade's body of work? Weren't Catanella and Bleech also highly praised additions? Where was the drama last offseason, that obviously held Vlade busy?
4. Divac is enjoying an offseason winning streak? You mean failing to reach the proclaimed goals of the season twice in the row, trading the best player SAC ever had for Buddy Hield and 1 protected first rounder in a rushed move during all star game and having young players, who showed some signs, but hardly were taking the league by storm actually counts as an offseason winning streak?
5. Because we saw progress with the young players - and let's be honest the progress was on a very low level of expectations - it somehow means we don't have a weak front office? We didn't miss entirely in the draft, but that and the Joerger hire is pretty much the only thing this FO hasn't screwed up so far.
6. We don't want to built a team for the 8th seed. We want to built a contender for the title. Yeah right. After over a decade of missing the Playoffs, that's the kind of completely delusional and unwordly statement I as a fan want to hear from my FO. Maybe have some grasp for reality. The Kings are one of the worst teams of the league as currently constructed. Maybe do some work and show some results first, before you talk about building championship contenders. Maybe at least don't embarass yourself with completely lopsided trades, before you talk about building championship contenders.

I really want to support the Kings. I absolutely support our group of young players, great vets and Joerger's coaching staff. But this "oh how shiny and new everything is" rhetoric is turning me off big time. Just get to work, take the beating you deserve for your potential bad decisions and let the success you obviously believe in speak for itself, when you reached it. You don't prove people wrong by talking big or by throwing shades at the players you trade away. You prove people wrong, by building a team, that is able to win games.
Just on point 1, I'm not sure how you can disagree. Practically every coach we brought in had to focus on how to handle his relationship with Cousins. We brought in an assistant just to be Cousins' buddy. Not that they were good coaches to begin with, but Westphal and Corbin were essentially let go directly because of clashes with Cousins/ Cousins just not playing for the coach. And I single Cousins out because he was both best player and leader and the team was only going as far as he would. If he wasn't going to play hard for a coach the other guys might as well call it a day.

Now would you call this being held hostage? Perhaps not exactly, as Cousins wasn't directly demanding such and such. But it was a sort of hostage to the extent that the organization had to coddle him, limit coaches' ability to discipline him and ensure he was appeased, particularly in the earlier years. We might have made the playoffs last season if Cousins didn't get all butthurt about Karl saying nobody was untradeable.

Also I'm not sure what it is that you expect. Is Vlade supposed to apologise and say he's done a bad job for the next 5 years? Is he supposed to say he doesn't want to build a contender? Do you think it could be remotely possible that you're wrong and it's not all a cover up and that Vlade actually is happy with the moves he's made overall?
 

dude12

Hall of Famer
#15
Well the usual agenda pushing from Voisin, who obviously still can't write a single column without trashing DMC.

1. DMC held the Kings hostage? Oh please....
2. Vlade is fully in charge? Well if that's the case, Vlade is also fully responsible for what happened during his tenure. No more "but Vivek" excuse than...
3. Perry fills a gaping hole in the FO? When there was a gaping hole for that long, isn't that pretty telling about Vlade's body of work? Weren't Catanella and Bleech also highly praised additions? Where was the drama last offseason, that obviously held Vlade busy?
4. Divac is enjoying an offseason winning streak? You mean failing to reach the proclaimed goals of the season twice in the row, trading the best player SAC ever had for Buddy Hield and 1 protected first rounder in a rushed move during all star game and having young players, who showed some signs, but hardly were taking the league by storm actually counts as an offseason winning streak?
5. Because we saw progress with the young players - and let's be honest the progress was on a very low level of expectations - it somehow means we don't have a weak front office? We didn't miss entirely in the draft, but that and the Joerger hire is pretty much the only thing this FO hasn't screwed up so far.
6. We don't want to built a team for the 8th seed. We want to built a contender for the title. Yeah right. After over a decade of missing the Playoffs, that's the kind of completely delusional and unwordly statement I as a fan want to hear from my FO. Maybe have some grasp for reality. The Kings are one of the worst teams of the league as currently constructed. Maybe do some work and show some results first, before you talk about building championship contenders. Maybe at least don't embarass yourself with completely lopsided trades, before you talk about building championship contenders.

I really want to support the Kings. I absolutely support our group of young players, great vets and Joerger's coaching staff. But this "oh how shiny and new everything is" rhetoric is turning me off big time. Just get to work, take the beating you deserve for your potential bad decisions and let the success you obviously believe in speak for itself, when you reached it. You don't prove people wrong by talking big or by throwing shades at the players you trade away. You prove people wrong, by building a team, that is able to win games.
On point with everything here....very good breakdown. Amazing how when the expectations are lowered, not making playoffs, people start playing the ....this guy is showing great potential game....... Too many fans are sucked into this part. Bottom line is that Vlade and company effed up the Cousins deal with the timing of it and not following through on a plan (making playoffs). The Cousins rhetoric about him holding the team hostage is so moronic. Like Corbin and Westphal and the corpse of Karl were going to lead the Kings to the promised land without Cousins. Amazing.
 
#16
Well the usual agenda pushing from Voisin, who obviously still can't write a single column without trashing DMC.

1. DMC held the Kings hostage? Oh please....
2. Vlade is fully in charge? Well if that's the case, Vlade is also fully responsible for what happened during his tenure. No more "but Vivek" excuse than...
3. Perry fills a gaping hole in the FO? When there was a gaping hole for that long, isn't that pretty telling about Vlade's body of work? Weren't Catanella and Bleech also highly praised additions? Where was the drama last offseason, that obviously held Vlade busy?
4. Divac is enjoying an offseason winning streak? You mean failing to reach the proclaimed goals of the season twice in the row, trading the best player SAC ever had for Buddy Hield and 1 protected first rounder in a rushed move during all star game and having young players, who showed some signs, but hardly were taking the league by storm actually counts as an offseason winning streak?
5. Because we saw progress with the young players - and let's be honest the progress was on a very low level of expectations - it somehow means we don't have a weak front office? We didn't miss entirely in the draft, but that and the Joerger hire is pretty much the only thing this FO hasn't screwed up so far.
6. We don't want to built a team for the 8th seed. We want to built a contender for the title. Yeah right. After over a decade of missing the Playoffs, that's the kind of completely delusional and unwordly statement I as a fan want to hear from my FO. Maybe have some grasp for reality. The Kings are one of the worst teams of the league as currently constructed. Maybe do some work and show some results first, before you talk about building championship contenders. Maybe at least don't embarass yourself with completely lopsided trades, before you talk about building championship contenders.

I really want to support the Kings. I absolutely support our group of young players, great vets and Joerger's coaching staff. But this "oh how shiny and new everything is" rhetoric is turning me off big time. Just get to work, take the beating you deserve for your potential bad decisions and let the success you obviously believe in speak for itself, when you reached it. You don't prove people wrong by talking big or by throwing shades at the players you trade away. You prove people wrong, by building a team, that is able to win games.
Voisin? Yes she has agendas but that doesn't mean that there can't be truth in there. As my preacher has said, the Truth is the truth even if a liar says it.

Were there structural weakness's in the front office? Yes. Are they being addressed? Yes. That is progress. Do you remember how Vlade was an "advisor" before he became GM. By coming in that way, he had a better lay of the land. He is slowly building the organization in a more professional way.

I can understand his moves whether I agree with them or not. He handled the Demarcus trade in a horrible way but that blight shouldn't color everything he does now.

It appears he has a plan and maybe for once the Kings can keep to it. The structural changes he has made should help in that regards. That is my hope, I'm only a fan.
 
#17
On point with everything here....very good breakdown. Amazing how when the expectations are lowered, not making playoffs, people start playing the ....this guy is showing great potential game....... Too many fans are sucked into this part. Bottom line is that Vlade and company effed up the Cousins deal with the timing of it and not following through on a plan (making playoffs). The Cousins rhetoric about him holding the team hostage is so moronic. Like Corbin and Westphal and the corpse of Karl were going to lead the Kings to the promised land without Cousins. Amazing.
In terms of not following thru on a plan like making the playoffs, why do you think that was the goal post trade? One of the things mentioned by Divac was the retaining of the Kings first round pick this draft. That goal wouldn't have been met if they made the playoffs. Goal met barring a very unlikely event.
 

dude12

Hall of Famer
#18
In terms of not following thru on a plan like making the playoffs, why do you think that was the goal post trade? One of the things mentioned by Divac was the retaining of the Kings first round pick this draft. That goal wouldn't have been met if they made the playoffs. Goal met barring a very unlikely event.
My point......they built a team to make the playoffs and dumped it when the playoffs were in reach. Then the goal was to keep the pick but kept all the expiring vets instead of trading for something of future use. I'd say that Vlade has been very lucky to point. A very poor job in executing each plan. Got fortunate on the second plan.
 
#19
My point......they built a team to make the playoffs and dumped it when the playoffs were in reach. Then the goal was to keep the pick but kept all the expiring vets instead of trading for something of future use. I'd say that Vlade has been very lucky to point. A very poor job in executing each plan. Got fortunate on the second plan.
Actually Matt Barnes and Omri Casspi were moved. Rudy Gay was out. What else should have been done? Afflalo and Mclemore were not in demand. Temple, Koufos and Tolliver are needed to maintain a quality NBA product.
 

dude12

Hall of Famer
#20
Actually Matt Barnes and Omri Casspi were moved. Rudy Gay was out. What else should have been done? Afflalo and Mclemore were not in demand. Temple, Koufos and Tolliver are needed to maintain a quality NBA product.
Collison or Lawson? Those were the 2 most attractive pieces. But to the main point, if you were going to trade Cousins, your best trade chip ever, it was mishandled on every level possible.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#21
Collison or Lawson? Those were the 2 most attractive pieces. But to the main point, if you were going to trade Cousins, your best trade chip ever, it was mishandled on every level possible.
My initial reaction was, of course, the same. As time goes by, however, I'm leaning away from the absolute. I believe the whole thing was a crapstorm, but I also believe there were forces at work that had been building for a long time that were going to make this difficult no matter how it was handled.

I cannot deny what I see with my own eyes. DMC was incredible to watch, but in all honesty even I - one of his biggest supporters - didn't realize until he was gone how much drama there was surrounding him. Always.
 
#22
Collison or Lawson? Those were the 2 most attractive pieces. But to the main point, if you were going to trade Cousins, your best trade chip ever, it was mishandled on every level possible.
And if you are wanting to keep one or both going forward? At that point in time there was still uncertainty where the picks would land (actually there still is). I think most would agree the handling of the trade was horrid and that is without even looking at the return. What they actually get in the draft will give a better idea on the return. I think they "tanked" in a "dignified" way. They kept the pieces they may want to go forward with (Afflalo still has value a trade chip), got rid of the rest and let the chips fall where they fell.
 
#23
My initial reaction was, of course, the same. As time goes by, however, I'm leaning away from the absolute. I believe the whole thing was a poopoostorm, but I also believe there were forces at work that had been building for a long time that were going to make this difficult no matter how it was handled.

I cannot deny what I see with my own eyes. DMC was incredible to watch, but in all honesty even I - one of his biggest supporters - didn't realize until he was gone how much drama there was surrounding him. Always.


You defended Cousins right until the end, I'm surprised how easily you have changed your tune ;)
 

origkds

What- Me Worry?
#24
You defended Cousins right until the end, I'm surprised how easily you have changed your tune ;)
VF's a big girl and can defend herself, but if you read back through all of her posts since the trade, there's no way you can say she EASILY changed her tune. Some of us were surprised with the trade but weary of the drama and quickly accepted it as a way to start fresh. It took her a long time to fight through her bitterness and come to her current mindset. Everyone has the right to change their mind without being admonished.
 
#26
I cannot deny what I see with my own eyes. DMC was incredible to watch, but in all honesty even I - one of his biggest supporters - didn't realize until he was gone how much drama there was surrounding him. Always.
I hate everything about the trade and yet there's a few things that make me accept it

a) no drama
b) the insane cap hit (would be tolerable if we already had a team built and good to go a la maxing out Webber, but our team hasn't sniffed the playoffs during DMC's tenure)
c) it wasn't working - we've tried. He surely is a generational talent. Damn better than many give him credit for. But we couldn't make it work. We didn't need 7 seasons for Webber's impact to be felt. Even Richmond got us into the playoffs (and tore up the all star game) in less time than DMC was here.
d) maybe, just maybe, the modern NBA game is not suited for dominant big men of years past. I've always thought "maybe this is what the Minnesota Vikings feel like with Adrian Peterson". You get a generational talent who dominates the traditional role of his position in an era that is no longer friendly to that position. It used to be there were 2-3 dominant big men in the league at any time and the teams lucky to get them were contenders for the duration of their careers. For better or worse, that's not today's NBA. It's disappointing to have a talent like DMC who should make you an automatic contender 10 years ago, but maybe it will be easier for us to rebuild after moving on in this new era.

I like our coach, I like our kids, I think the offseason FO shakeups are good on paper and I think Vlade has shown some pretty decent talent evaluation thus far even if he may not have mastered the art of the deal, hopefully Perry can help there. Then again if things had actually worked 2 seasons ago the worst parts of the Philly deal would be moot. And we still finished better than them both of the pick-swap years - yeah, they should have had top 3 protections, but that's that.
 

kingsboi

Hall of Famer
#27
If you look at this sesaon, Vivek has - for the most part -been conspicuously absent. It seems to me he has already backed off, and has put the team into Vlade's hands.
Sure, he's been absent until it got to the point where he wanted Buddy Hield in return for a Cousins trade. Either that or Vlade filling his head that he can be the next "Steph".
 

kingsboi

Hall of Famer
#28
Doesn't work that way.

Drama must be sorted out and then the winning will come. Vivek HAS ALREADY BACKED OFF. It has just taken time for Vlade to get the guys he wanted, and get rid of the ones he didn't. Vivek's problem is that he didn't know how to lead a FO, and he thought he could. He gets credit for bringing in Vlade. He also gets credit for realizing his limitations. He'll always be an enthusiastic guy with a penchant for the spotlight, but he is not creating drama, nor do I think he really did, directly But he definitely allowed it, and created the situation where it got out of hand. What Vlade is subtly doing is simply fixing the problem, without creating a big public trial for Vivek. So you can all stop trying to assign blame and demanding penance from Vivek or whoever for "sins". That is only more drama.
Has he really backed off for good though? Sure, he's been fairly silent this past season, who's to say though that he won't get a chance to meddle again? Does a Tiger all of a sudden change his stripes?
 
#29
Has he really backed off for good though? Sure, he's been fairly silent this past season, who's to say though that he won't get a chance to meddle again? Does a Tiger all of a sudden change his stripes?
Oh well guess we are doomed to fail until we get a new owner then. Let's all go home and mope unless you've got a big bank account somewhere.