http://www.sacbee.com/kings/story/321394.html
Kings Insider: Right now, it's Miller time
Reggie Theus is pleased with the center's hard work and desire to have a better year
By Sam Amick
Published 12:00 am PDT Sunday, August 12, 2007
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C10
If anyone in the Theus family knows how to spot a reality television show setting, it's Roqui Theus.
While her father, Reggie, is long past his acting days and settling in as the new Kings coach, the teenager is a star of the Los Angeles-based reality show "Baldwin Hills" on the BET channel. Dear old dad, meanwhile, may have stumbled onto an intriguing scene setter himself.
During his summer of transition from college upstart coach to NBA rookie all over again, Theus has made a point to connect with most of his core players to start the getting-to-know-you process. But by far the most remote locale he visited was Kendallville, Ind., home of Brad Miller and not usually the sort of place the Los Angeles-born and bred Theus heads for.
The 7-foot center showed his new coach around his vast property, one that's equipped with a backyard dock on Big Long Lake and is only a boat ride away from the Shady Nut bar. So it was there that Theus and Miller hopped in the boat and headed for the nearest lakeside restaurant to discuss the upcoming season. And despite the laidback surroundings, Theus said there were serious matters to discuss.
From missing a combined 19 games because of injury and personal reasons to missing shots at a rate before unknown, Miller's 2006-07 campaign was his worst since coming to the Kings in 2003. Coming to October training camp in prime shape, Theus said, would go a long ways toward a happy beginning between the two.
"Brad knows that he didn't come into training camp in the best of shape last year," Theus said. "His goal is to be in much better shape, to be dedicated and have a different frame of mind.
"He had a lot of things going on in his life (last season), and it took the focus off of him. ... He's a very prideful person who felt like there were a lot of things going on last year that he's not particularly happy about it, and being in shape was one of them."
While Miller spent much of the offseason working out in Kendallville, Theus said he returned to Sacramento earlier this month.
"He seems very focused and very dedicated," Theus said. "He's been working hard."
And as for the left foot injury that plagued him for so much of last season? "I haven't heard him complaining about it," Theus said. "I don't know exactly where it is, but I haven't heard him complaining about it."
Moving along
Theus said his house hunt in Sacramento has begun in earnest, just the latest item on the to-do list.
His coaching staff, meanwhile, will receive more add-ons beyond the hirings of Kenny Natt, Chuck Person and Randy Brown. Theus said he will hire one more assistant coach and an assistant video coordinator. Damon Archibald, a former Theus assistant at New Mexico State, was on the Kings' summer league staff and is expected to be on staff.
After retaining assistant Jason Hamm, Theus has promoted former video coordinator Bubba Burrage to an advance scout/assistant coach role similar to the one he held under former Kings coach Rick Adelman.
Off the floor recently, Theus found his way back into the Hollywood spotlight in two episodes of "Baldwin Hills." In one episode, he lectures his daughter on the importance of focusing on school and a potential college basketball scholarship. As it turns out, Roqui is headed to UC Irvine on a free ride to play for the Anteaters.
Pressley leaves
According to numerous sources, Harold Pressley recently resigned as the Kings' director of player development.
Pressley, who played for the Kings from 1986 to 1990, was hired on March 30 to fill the role. His job was wide-ranging, from helping players with matters on and off the floor to serving as a liaison between the Kings and the NBA regarding any player issues.
Pressley, who traveled with the team, did not return numerous calls for comment. Theus said he hopes to fill the position. Before Pressley's hiring, those duties were handled by committee.
Money talks
From the new faces like Mustafa Shakur to the familiar one of Justin Williams, Kings training camp in October will have no shortage of competition for jobs.
Despite Williams' strong second half of last season, the one-year qualifying offer ($862,456) he signed in early July is not guaranteed. Williams surely helped his case by adding muscle to a now 245-pound frame that was once so frail, and there has never been much doubt about his ability to defend, rebound and block shots. His camp cause, at least in part, will be to prove that he has advanced his hoops IQ and skills on the offensive side.
It is, then, a repeat of last training camp for Williams, who entered last October needing to play his way onto the team and was cut with Louis Amundson late in the process. Williams, of course, flourished in the NBA Development League and finally made the Kings' roster after playing under two 10-day contracts in the season's second half. Barring any roster reshuffling, Williams will be banging with plenty of bigs in Kenny Thomas, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Brad Miller, Spencer Hawes, and the recently signed Mikki Moore.
Shakur, the undrafted rookie point guard out of Arizona, would earn $427,163 if he sticks for the season but is only guaranteed $20,000. Shakur posted a solid assist-to-turnover ratio during summer league (six to 2.4), but shot just 27.8 percent from the field in five games (10 of 36).
Going undrafted was certainly not in Shakur's plans. After his junior season in 2006, he was expected to be selected but pulled out of the early entrant pool just 10 days before the draft. His best-case scenario would be landing the backup point guard position.
Moore money
The fine print on the Moore signing could give the Kings more financial flexibility for the possibly pivotal 2009 offseason. While Moore's deal was reportedly three years for $18 million, it is actually three years for $17.4 million with only $2 million guaranteed in the final season. Moore's third season is only fully guaranteed if he is not waived by June 20, 2009.
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at samick@sacbee.com.
Kings Insider: Right now, it's Miller time
Reggie Theus is pleased with the center's hard work and desire to have a better year
By Sam Amick
Published 12:00 am PDT Sunday, August 12, 2007
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C10
If anyone in the Theus family knows how to spot a reality television show setting, it's Roqui Theus.
While her father, Reggie, is long past his acting days and settling in as the new Kings coach, the teenager is a star of the Los Angeles-based reality show "Baldwin Hills" on the BET channel. Dear old dad, meanwhile, may have stumbled onto an intriguing scene setter himself.
During his summer of transition from college upstart coach to NBA rookie all over again, Theus has made a point to connect with most of his core players to start the getting-to-know-you process. But by far the most remote locale he visited was Kendallville, Ind., home of Brad Miller and not usually the sort of place the Los Angeles-born and bred Theus heads for.
The 7-foot center showed his new coach around his vast property, one that's equipped with a backyard dock on Big Long Lake and is only a boat ride away from the Shady Nut bar. So it was there that Theus and Miller hopped in the boat and headed for the nearest lakeside restaurant to discuss the upcoming season. And despite the laidback surroundings, Theus said there were serious matters to discuss.
From missing a combined 19 games because of injury and personal reasons to missing shots at a rate before unknown, Miller's 2006-07 campaign was his worst since coming to the Kings in 2003. Coming to October training camp in prime shape, Theus said, would go a long ways toward a happy beginning between the two.
"Brad knows that he didn't come into training camp in the best of shape last year," Theus said. "His goal is to be in much better shape, to be dedicated and have a different frame of mind.
"He had a lot of things going on in his life (last season), and it took the focus off of him. ... He's a very prideful person who felt like there were a lot of things going on last year that he's not particularly happy about it, and being in shape was one of them."
While Miller spent much of the offseason working out in Kendallville, Theus said he returned to Sacramento earlier this month.
"He seems very focused and very dedicated," Theus said. "He's been working hard."
And as for the left foot injury that plagued him for so much of last season? "I haven't heard him complaining about it," Theus said. "I don't know exactly where it is, but I haven't heard him complaining about it."
Moving along
Theus said his house hunt in Sacramento has begun in earnest, just the latest item on the to-do list.
His coaching staff, meanwhile, will receive more add-ons beyond the hirings of Kenny Natt, Chuck Person and Randy Brown. Theus said he will hire one more assistant coach and an assistant video coordinator. Damon Archibald, a former Theus assistant at New Mexico State, was on the Kings' summer league staff and is expected to be on staff.
After retaining assistant Jason Hamm, Theus has promoted former video coordinator Bubba Burrage to an advance scout/assistant coach role similar to the one he held under former Kings coach Rick Adelman.
Off the floor recently, Theus found his way back into the Hollywood spotlight in two episodes of "Baldwin Hills." In one episode, he lectures his daughter on the importance of focusing on school and a potential college basketball scholarship. As it turns out, Roqui is headed to UC Irvine on a free ride to play for the Anteaters.
Pressley leaves
According to numerous sources, Harold Pressley recently resigned as the Kings' director of player development.
Pressley, who played for the Kings from 1986 to 1990, was hired on March 30 to fill the role. His job was wide-ranging, from helping players with matters on and off the floor to serving as a liaison between the Kings and the NBA regarding any player issues.
Pressley, who traveled with the team, did not return numerous calls for comment. Theus said he hopes to fill the position. Before Pressley's hiring, those duties were handled by committee.
Money talks
From the new faces like Mustafa Shakur to the familiar one of Justin Williams, Kings training camp in October will have no shortage of competition for jobs.
Despite Williams' strong second half of last season, the one-year qualifying offer ($862,456) he signed in early July is not guaranteed. Williams surely helped his case by adding muscle to a now 245-pound frame that was once so frail, and there has never been much doubt about his ability to defend, rebound and block shots. His camp cause, at least in part, will be to prove that he has advanced his hoops IQ and skills on the offensive side.
It is, then, a repeat of last training camp for Williams, who entered last October needing to play his way onto the team and was cut with Louis Amundson late in the process. Williams, of course, flourished in the NBA Development League and finally made the Kings' roster after playing under two 10-day contracts in the season's second half. Barring any roster reshuffling, Williams will be banging with plenty of bigs in Kenny Thomas, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Brad Miller, Spencer Hawes, and the recently signed Mikki Moore.
Shakur, the undrafted rookie point guard out of Arizona, would earn $427,163 if he sticks for the season but is only guaranteed $20,000. Shakur posted a solid assist-to-turnover ratio during summer league (six to 2.4), but shot just 27.8 percent from the field in five games (10 of 36).
Going undrafted was certainly not in Shakur's plans. After his junior season in 2006, he was expected to be selected but pulled out of the early entrant pool just 10 days before the draft. His best-case scenario would be landing the backup point guard position.
Moore money
The fine print on the Moore signing could give the Kings more financial flexibility for the possibly pivotal 2009 offseason. While Moore's deal was reportedly three years for $18 million, it is actually three years for $17.4 million with only $2 million guaranteed in the final season. Moore's third season is only fully guaranteed if he is not waived by June 20, 2009.
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at samick@sacbee.com.
The way I look at it, last year was a disaster. Musselman had that team so confused I think they barely knew what positions they were playing. So, yes, Brad performed poorly. Bibby was a mess. Etc.,etc. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying we have a championship quality team (or anywhere near), but I felt all season long that we have a little more talent than we were showing. 
