Monte McNair Introductory Press Conference, Weds. Sept. 23, 11:30 AM PT

[Livinthedream]

All candidates knew going in that Walton was going to stay for the short term. Which may have had more to do with candidates dropping out than the Dumars part. The more time goes by, the more it feels like Dumars is a business partner/employee of Vivek than an actual FO piece. Maybe I'm being overly optimistic.

The biggest draw that the team would have for bringing in a GM is ironically a testament to what Vlade and crew did. More than half of the team is either a free agent or are on expiring contracts that can be moved at the deadline. The big money players under contract have declining salary deals. Aside from dealing with Vivek, it's a really good situation. Guys who love making deals would be salavating at the chance to play with the roster. If McNair is thinking that he doesn't know what type of coach he needs until can flip this roster over in a year, then keeping Walton may not even matter to him right now.

 

[King Baller]

One positive is that most of the role players In Houston can defend their position at least at an average level.
So defense has been a part of McNair’s player selection I would think.

 

[dude12]

Does Fox really like Luke?

Fox is the player that mentioned post game after the the first bubble blowout that basically “we are not prepared and it’s been that way all year”. To me that is a shot at the coaching staff first and foremost.

 

[24 rick barry]

All candidates knew going in that Walton was going to stay for the short term. Which may have had more to do with candidates dropping out than the Dumars part. The more time goes by, the more it feels like Dumars is a business partner/employee of Vivek than an actual FO piece. Maybe I'm being overly optimistic.

The biggest draw that the team would have for bringing in a GM is ironically a testament to what Vlade and crew did. More than half of the team is either a free agent or are on expiring contracts that can be moved at the deadline. The big money players under have declining salary deals. Aside from dealing with Vivek, it's a really good situation. Guys who love making deals would be salavating at the chance to play with the roster. If McNair is thinking that he doesn't know what type of coach he needs until can flip this roster over in a year, then keeping Walton may not even matter to him right now.

Aside of course, with the astronomical payouts and long term contracts to Barnes and Buddy.... to the tune of near $50 million for the 20-21 season. Not much of a testament with those anchors around your neck.

 

[kb02]

Aside of course, with the astronomical payouts and long term contracts to Barnes and Buddy.... to the tune of near $50 million for the 20-21 season. Not much of a testament with those anchors around your neck.

The Kings overpaid their players, but, IMO, the way they structured (declining) the contracts were fine. It is likely why Cantenella is still around.

 

[kb02]

Maybe Walton should win like 40 games or something first before he tries to tell guys to buy in to his schemes

I guess Joeger shouldn't buy him that book either. Even though Buddy arguably had his best season under Joeger yet Buddy still had issues with Joeger. I'm over Buddy. Here's his greatest hits the last 18 months:

1. Beefed with his last two coaches.
2. Went public about wanting a new contract and in the process dissed the city where he is currently playing in.
3. Actively mislead everyone about his age then corrected it before his next, big contract in order to avoid it possibly being voided for fraud.
4. Actively yearn on social media to be on a different team.
5. Became an elite shooter, who was also a turnover, matador defending, brain farting, locker room cancering machine.

 

[KainLear]

 

[24 rick barry]

The Kings overpaid their players, but, IMO, the way they structured (declining) the contracts were fine. It is likely why Cantenella is still around.

Starting in 20-21 Buddy has a guaranteed 86mil plus incentives of 20mil. The 4 year deal lays out 20-21 at 24.4 mil dropping 18.6 mil in 23-24, the final year of the deal.

Starting in 19-20 Barnes has a guaranteed 85mil. The 4 years deal lays out 19-20 at 24.1 mil dropping to 18.3 mil in 22-23.

For each, a decline of 24 mil at the beginning to 18 mil at the end.

With this financial picture, I would suggest that these long term deals present a an impediment to a trade for the immediate future.

IMHO and with respect to you, I do still continue to believe that these contracts are like anchors.

 

[bajaden]

Starting in 20-21 Buddy has a guaranteed of 86mil plus incentives of 20mil. The 4 year deal lays out 20-21 at 24.4 mil dropping 18.6 mil in 23-24, the final year of the deal.

Starting in 19-20 Barnes has a guaranteed of 85mil. The 4 years deal lays out 19-20 at 24.1 mil dropping to 18.3 mil in 22-23.

For each, a decline of 24 mil at the beginning to 18 mil at the end.

With this financial picture, I would suggest that these long term deals present a an impediment to a trade for the immediate future.

IMHO and with respect to you, I do still continue to believe that these contracts are like anchors.

If you were sitting with a player that's 29 or 30 years old who had just torn his ACL and was due to make 34 or 35 mil next season on a contract for three more years, then I would agree with you. But neither Buddy or Barnes fit that description. Both players are valued around the league, and both their contracts are movable, if the Kings indeed, do want to move them. A player like John Wall is on an unmovable contract as far as I'm concerned. He's due to make something like 41 mil next season.

 

[dude12]

I guess Joeger shouldn't buy him that book either. Even though Buddy arguably had his best season under Joeger yet Buddy still had issues with Joeger. I'm over Buddy. Here's his greatest hits the last 18 months:

1. Beefed with his last two coaches.
2. Went public about wanting a new contract and in the process dissed the city where he is currently playing in.
3. Actively mislead everyone about his age then corrected it before his next, big contract in order to avoid it possibly being voided for fraud.
4. Actively yearn on social media to be on a different team.
5. Became an elite shooter, who was also a turnover, matador defending, brain farting, locker room cancering machine.

Yep....all true. I wonder if his teammates like playing with him. I bet they like him but do they like playing with him? He’s a high maintenance dude.

 

[SacTownKid]

Does Fox really like Luke?

Fox was the only one that kind of clearly threw him under the bus after the bubble disaster talking about how they didn't know what they were supposed to do game to game. LOL.

 

[SacTownKid]

If you were sitting with a player that's 29 or 30 years old who had just torn his ACL and was due to make 34 or 35 mil next season on a contract for three more years, then I would agree with you. But neither Buddy or Barnes fit that description. Both players are valued around the league, and both their contracts are movable, if the Kings indeed, do want to move them. A player like John Wall is on an unmovable contract as far as I'm concerned. He's due to make something like 41 mil next season.

True but you can't underrate the power of total misuse however. While they may not as unmovable it can be just as hampering when you're team is over the cap anyway.

 

[Joshoua]

I guess Joeger shouldn't buy him that book either. Even though Buddy arguably had his best season under Joeger yet Buddy still had issues with Joeger. I'm over Buddy. Here's his greatest hits the last 18 months:

1. Beefed with his last two coaches.
2. Went public about wanting a new contract and in the process dissed the city where he is currently playing in.
3. Actively mislead everyone about his age then corrected it before his next, big contract in order to avoid it possibly being voided for fraud.
4. Actively yearn on social media to be on a different team.
5. Became an elite shooter, who was also a turnover, matador defending, brain farting, locker room cancering machine.

People still give that clown excuses it’s hilarious

 

[SacTownKid]

I guess Joeger shouldn't buy him that book either. Even though Buddy arguably had his best season under Joeger yet Buddy still had issues with Joeger. I'm over Buddy. Here's his greatest hits the last 18 months:

1. Beefed with his last two coaches.
2. Went public about wanting a new contract and in the process dissed the city where he is currently playing in.
3. Actively mislead everyone about his age then corrected it before his next, big contract in order to avoid it possibly being voided for fraud.
4. Actively yearn on social media to be on a different team.
5. Became an elite shooter, who was also a turnover, matador defending, brain farting, locker room cancering machine.

Somebody should have bought Vlade or Walton the book that says you don't pay core player money to a 6th man and don't take an elite shooting SG with less than average handles and make him a backup PG. Any beef with Walton is well earned and yes, it appears Vivek says "yes sir, may I have another" with another lame duck holdover coach clashing with someone you annointed as a core player. Yeesh. Adam Silver on line 1, there's a revolt in the Kings minority ownership base incoming.

 

[Telemachus]

Well that sucks. Really poor use of social media but let’s not crap on guys when there are very clear and obvious reasons for them to want out from this franchise

That isn't Buddy Hield. @buddylove242 is someone by the name of Jason Cartwright.

 

[steelevt]

That isn't Buddy Hield. @buddylove242 is someone by the name of Jason Cartwright.

It’s a different handle for instagram vs Twitter

 

[kb02]

Somebody should have bought Vlade or Walton the book that says you don't pay core player money to a 6th man and don't take an elite shooting SG with less than average handles and make him a backup PG. Any beef with Walton is well earned and yes, it appears Vivek says "yes sir, may I have another" with another lame duck holdover coach clashing with someone you annointed as a core player. Yeesh. Adam Silver on line 1, there's a revolt in the Kings minority ownership base incoming.

I don’t think anyone has complained about the money that Buddy got. Is he overpaid as a 6th man? Sure. Is it a Tobias Harris or Andrew Wiggins overpay? No.

Folks are done with Buddy, because he clearly does not want to be a six man even though his team played much better when he was coming off the bench.

 

[mac]

I don’t think anyone has complained about the money that Buddy got. Is he overpaid as a 6th man? Sure. Is it a Tobias Harris or Andrew Wiggins overpay? No.

Folks are done with Buddy, because he clearly does not want to be a six man even though his team played much better when he was coming off the bench.

His team played much better because Fox came back.

 

[SacTownKid]

I don’t think anyone has complained about the money that Buddy got. Is he overpaid as a 6th man? Sure. Is it a Tobias Harris or Andrew Wiggins overpay? No.

Folks are done with Buddy, because he clearly does not want to be a six man even though his team played much better when he was coming off the bench.

The team played better... when it didn't count and it was already heading downward prior to the shutdown. The bubble showing was a prove it or lose it campaign. And the truth was that it ended as a lose it. What we saw from a coaching and roster management standpoint was pitiful. Seriously. Just deflating in every sense you can imagine. How Walton used Buddy along with others and inflated the roles of players like Cory Joseph is the type of thing that gets coaches a plane ticket out of town unless those yielded positive results. Those are pick your poison type moves from a coach and guess what, he picked wrong. As I said before, maybe some of what we saw wasn't Waltons decision. If it was and we see more of the same next year then the damage isn't just completely self inflicted but apparently something akin to a syndrome. So far all the negatives with this franchise in the last season or two have gone fairly predictably so unless there is a major shift in the playbooks then so will the ones to come.

 

[SacTownKid]

His team played much better because Fox came back.

Not to mention that injuries helped put aside the negative effects of the positional overloading from Vlade while they somewhat feasted in a soft part of the schedule and against injured or off teams. This franchise is now clearly and correctly known as a place that odds are more than a few players can't wait to leave season after season. Hill, Dedmon, now Buddy. All players fresh off of signing big deals. Gee, wonder where the problem lies here. This stands where it does. They have a new GM and they are keeping the previous GM's boy. I don't know what the exact odds of that turning out positive are but I can imagine they aren't likely historically. I know the Kings literally just went through this same exact thing at the start of Vlades tenure and it turned into a total **** show that led to some bizarre and seemingly desperate moves that did somewhat set back the franchise. This is where Vivek has to find some shred of psychological know-how. If there was ever a time for a kumbaya moment between coach and players, it's now. Not the start of next year, not a month from now. Either start repairing those bridges or start setting the dynamite. They can add yet another title to Dumars' job description. Lead fuse technician. I'm sure he's waiting with baited breath anyway. LOL.

 

[NewArena]

Did anyone really think McNair would sit up there and start discussing trade ideas and future players he’s looking to acquire? Of course he can’t and wouldn’t be that candid publicly, and certainly not in this particular setting.

We could still have a completely different looking roster come next season and i suspect we will.

 

[kb02]

His team played much better because Fox came back.

The numbers don't support your position.

The Win Loss record of the Kings was 3 - 6 when Fox got hurt on 11/8/19.
Fox returned on 12/17/19. The Kings Win Loss record was 12 - 15. So they went 9 - 9 during Fox's absence.
Buddy's last game as a starter was on 1/22/20. The Kings W - L was 15 - 29. So they went 3 - 14 when Fox was playing and Buddy was starting.
From 1/23/20 until the stoppage, the Kings went 13 - 7.

In the bubble, the Kings went 3 - 5.

So these were the periods when the Kings played best:
1. When Buddy got moved to the bench and Fox was playing. They played 13 - 7 if we're not including the bubble games. 16 -12 if we include the bubble games.
2. When Fox was out and Buddy was the starter, the Kings played 9 - 9.
3. When Fox was in and Buddy was the starter, the Kings W - L was 6 - 20.

 

[kb02]

Not to mention that injuries helped put aside the negative effects of the positional overloading from Vlade while they somewhat feasted in a soft part of the schedule and against injured or off teams. This franchise is now clearly and correctly known as a place that odds are more than a few players can't wait to leave season after season. Hill, Dedmon, now Buddy. All players fresh off of signing big deals. Gee, wonder where the problem lies here. This stands where it does. They have a new GM and they are keeping the previous GM's boy. I don't know what the exact odds of that turning out positive are but I can imagine they aren't likely historically. I know the Kings literally just went through this same exact thing at the start of Vlades tenure and it turned into a total **** show that led to some bizarre and seemingly desperate moves that did somewhat set back the franchise. This is where Vivek has to find some shred of psychological know-how. If there was ever a time for a kumbaya moment between coach and players, it's now. Not the start of next year, not a month from now. Either start repairing those bridges or start setting the dynamite. They can add yet another title to Dumars' job description. Lead fuse technician. I'm sure he's waiting with baited breath anyway. LOL.

I think it is fair to blame Buddy, Walton, and Vlade. For me, with respect to the 2020 season, this is the order of blame Vlade. Walton/Buddy.
With respect to Buddy, it's entirely between the ears. As noted above, the Kings played best when he was in the 6th man role. Yet being moved to the 6th man role is the vary reason why he wants to cut. You can't fix me before we.

 

[King Baller]

The team played better... when it didn't count and it was already heading downward prior to the shutdown. The bubble showing was a prove it or lose it campaign. And the truth was that it ended as a lose it. What we saw from a coaching and roster management standpoint was pitiful. Seriously. Just deflating in every sense you can imagine. How Walton used Buddy along with others and inflated the roles of players like Cory Joseph is the type of thing that gets coaches a plane ticket out of town unless those yielded positive results. Those are pick your poison type moves from a coach and guess what, he picked wrong. As I said before, maybe some of what we saw wasn't Waltons decision. If it was and we see more of the same next year then the damage isn't just completely self inflicted but apparently something akin to a syndrome. So far all the negatives with this franchise in the last season or two have gone fairly predictably so unless there is a major shift in the playbooks then so will the ones to come.

The way the other teams playing the Kings in the Bubble called out their sets and were prepared only highlighted how ill prepared the Kings were. The Kings poor showing in those Bubble games are what led to Vlade leaving and McNair coming in.

Can someone please explain to me one logical reason for Walton to still be the Coach? Is it purely a cost savings decision? Does Vivek and company feel Walton deserves another chance? Is McNair taking a slower approach so the other Coaches in the league don't go too negative about him and steer clear of the inevitable Kings Coach opening? Was Walton being forced to play Buddy as a ball handler?

 

[kb02]

The way the other teams playing the Kings in the Bubble called out their sets and were prepared only highlighted how ill prepared the Kings were. The Kings poor showing in those Bubble games are what led to Vlade leaving and McNair coming in.

Can someone please explain to me one logical reason for Walton to still be the Coach? Is it purely a cost savings decision? Does Vivek and company feel Walton deserves another chance? Is McNair taking a slower approach so the other Coaches in the league don't go too negative about him and steer clear of the inevitable Kings Coach opening? Was Walton being forced to play Buddy as a ball handler?

Yea. That was frustrating as hell. I'd argue that it wasn't just in the bubble. The last few games before the bubble, the Kings would outplay an opponent in the 1Q, but the opponent would adjust, catch up, and take the lead starting in the 2Q.

The thing is, I don't think that falls entirely on Walton. It could be a lack of preparation where Walton failed to provide counters to the other team's counters. Or it could be a team full of low IQ players. I tend to lean towards the latter. There were a number of games where it pretty much became ISO ball. Where the team would just spread out the opponent and allow Fox to penetrate and create--sometimes while facing 3 collapsing defenders. While teammates continued to stand in their fixed positions on the perimeter with absolutely no movement.

One of the reasons why I rate Bogi > Buddy is versatility and BBIQ. Verstality is pretty self evident. Bogi can create for himself or others. Buddy can't. The other is actually more apparent when Giles is in the game. When Giles is in with Bogi, Bogi is good for at least one or two scores on backdoor cuts. When Giles in with Buddy, those same backdoor cuts are non-existent. The paint area is a no fly zone for Buddy. And there is no conceivable reason for it to be a no fly zone beyond what's between the ears.

But to answer your question, I'm placing my bet for why Walton remains on money and the belief that one year with a ton of disruption isn't enough to truly judge just how good Walton is. Plus the fact that, as Carmichael Dave said, Walton and McNair are both from So Cal and come from the same generation. So they naturally vibe. Might as well see where it goes.

 

[mac]

The numbers don't support your position.

The Win Loss record of the Kings was 3 - 6 when Fox got hurt on 11/8/19.
Fox returned on 12/17/19. The Kings Win Loss record was 12 - 15. So they went 9 - 9 during Fox's absence.
Buddy's last game as a starter was on 1/22/20. The Kings W - L was 15 - 29. So they went 3 - 14 when Fox was playing and Buddy was starting.
From 1/23/20 until the stoppage, the Kings went 13 - 7.

In the bubble, the Kings went 3 - 5.

So these were the periods when the Kings played best:
1. When Buddy got moved to the bench and Fox was playing. They played 13 - 7 if we're not including the bubble games. 16 -12 if we include the bubble games.
2. When Fox was out and Buddy was the starter, the Kings played 9 - 9.
3. When Fox was in and Buddy was the starter, the Kings W - L was 6 - 20.

You need to account for some adjustment period when Fox just came back because there was a huge shift in playing style and roles. The team started the season like crap to begin with - that had nothing to do with Buddy starting or whatever. I don't refute that the team played better when Buddy moved to the bench, I'm arguing that you can't say that's the only or main rason why the team was better, and one step further, you definitely can't say the team is maximising its potential that way when we saw how good Fox/Buddy were the season before. Like I said, it's not like Walton has proven he's some coaching genius. This isn't Popovich asking Hield to come off the bench. Do you think Philly would have Buddy coming off the bench handling the ball and running the offense if he was indeed traded there? Or do you think they'd want him in spacing the floor with Embiid and Simmons?

 

[dude12]

Somebody already posted this but Luke Walton is going to be a hell of a tank commander. I’m already prepared for a season of roster change and losses due to Walton being an overhyped, under qualified coach. He keeps proving these last points. Heck, he’s not even overhyped at this point. That Warriors period of interim head coach has been laid waste by he himself.

It just sucks that we are back with the hire the GM, hire the coach at different times, fire the coach, fire the GM at different times dilemma. And we just keep doing it over and over.

 

[kb02]

You need to account for some adjustment period when Fox just came back because there was a huge shift in playing style and roles. The team started the season like crap to begin with - that had nothing to do with Buddy starting or whatever. I don't refute that the team played better when Buddy moved to the bench, I'm arguing that you can't say that's the only or main rason why the team was better, and one step further, you definitely can't say the team is maximising its potential that way when we saw how good Fox/Buddy were the season before. Like I said, it's not like Walton has proven he's some coaching genius. This isn't Popovich asking Hield to come off the bench. Do you think Philly would have Buddy coming off the bench handling the ball and running the offense if he was indeed traded there? Or do you think they'd want him in spacing the floor with Embiid and Simmons?

The numbers are absolute. The Kings were a better team when Buddy was playing the 6 man role. Bringing up adjustment periods or hypotheticals about Buddy's role on the Sixers or Spurs is unnecessary noise. Simmons/Embid aren't on the Kings and Poppovich isn't coaching the Kings. What is reality is, the Kings sucked when Buddy was in the starting 5 and they played significantly better when he was moved to the 6 man role.

 

[Joshoua]

Did anyone really think McNair would sit up there and start discussing trade ideas and future players he’s looking to acquire? Of course he can’t and wouldn’t be that candid publicly, and certainly not in this particular setting.

We could still have a completely different looking roster come next season and i suspect we will.

Exactly! On Fox is safe when he’s the only mentioned without force

 

[SacTownKid]

I think it is fair to blame Buddy, Walton, and Vlade. For me, with respect to the 2020 season, this is the order of blame Vlade. Walton/Buddy.
With respect to Buddy, it's entirely between the ears. As noted above, the Kings played best when he was in the 6th man role. Yet being moved to the 6th man role is the vary reason why he wants to cut. You can't fix me before we.

Yeah, the blame can go around but in the end who cares, the question is where did the wrongs stem from and how do you correct them? If the total stupidity were limited to Buddy it would be an easy fix but we saw complete fail go on all year long in various ways which again led to yet another recently signed "big piece" banging his fork on the dinner table until he was allowed to excuse himself in Dedmon. Bogdan was unhappy first in his role. Then Buddy took his place and Buddy even came out earlier in the year and expressed his own misuse and lack of being put in catch and shoot situations. Waltons answer? We'll let Buddy play backup PG. Just ludicrous. Buddy can be a HUGE asset but he has to be used towards his strengths. In the bubble we saw misuse across the board and it led to absolute futility. I'm sorry, but if a coach can't see Fox and Buddy being perfect counterparts on paper and at least make an attempt to play them together in a proper system then this isn't fixable with that person. We will know very, very early on where this heads. Either Walton changes or his GM changes the players for him. If it's the latter then that begs another major and concerning question. If they wouldn't do that for a HOF level coach in George Karl how the F can they justify doing that for Luke Walton? Kangz.