Power Rankings, Week of 4/13

[Spike]

On to the rankings!​

Sports Illustrated
#26 (NC)
With Vlade Divac reportedly taking over basketball operations, your guess is as good as mine as to where the Kings are headed. Vivek Ranadive’s short tenure as team owner has been entertaining, but not successful. With DeMarcus Cousins entrenched as the franchise cornerstone, it’s time for the rest of the puzzle to start to come together in Sacramento. Divac is a strange way to start.

USA Today
#25 (NC)
Sim Bhullar, a 7-foot-5 center, became the first player of Indian descent to play in an NBA game

NBA.com
#26 (-1)
Pace: 97.9 (8) OffRtg: 102.2 (16) DefRtg: 106.7 (27) NetRtg: -4.6 (25)
If he believes in the success (plus-16.4 NetRtg over 427 minutes) of his starting lineup, new Kings decision-maker Vlade Divac needs to focus on finding defenders for the bench. All other Sacramento lineups allowed 108.6 points per 100 possessions and overall, this was the only defense that ranks in the bottom five in defending shots and forcing turnovers.
This week: vs. LAL, @LAL

CBSSports
#25 (-1)
Back to the drawing board, again, I guess. That's OK. It's only the 11th year in a row.

Yahoo! Sports
#25 (NC)
New Kings executive Vlade Divac was scouting at the Hoop Summit in Portland last week but politely dodged direct questions about his decision-making power.

ESPN
#26 (NC)
So much chaos to chronicle in this lost season of three coaches, loads of front-office friction, porous D and so little to cheer beyond DeMarcus Cousins' first All-Star berth that we've been shamefully delinquent in trumpeting the progress of our beloved Omri Casspi. So please click here.

Hollinger Daily Ranking
#24
Rating: 96.362

Mean (Final?) Ranking: 25.29

 

[rainmaker]

CBSSports
#25 (-1)
Back to the drawing board, again, I guess. That's OK. It's only the 11th year in a row.


Pretty succinct and on point description of life as a Kings fan. And some wonder why patience wears thin.

 

[Bricklayer]

and Spike soldiers through to the end. And to think, I tricked him into this gig back during those few short weeks that we were allowed hope the Kings were an actual NBA franchise again. MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

 

[Spike]

and Spike soldiers through to the end. And to think, I tricked him into this gig back during those few short weeks that we were allowed hope the Kings were an actual NBA franchise again. MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

Perilously does the sword of Damocles swing, oh great one.

 

[King Baller]

NBA.com
#26 (-1)
Pace: 97.9 (8) OffRtg: 102.2 (16) DefRtg: 106.7 (27) NetRtg: -4.6 (25)
If he believes in the success (plus-16.4 NetRtg over 427 minutes) of his starting lineup, new Kings decision-maker Vlade Divac needs to focus on finding defenders for the bench. All other Sacramento lineups allowed 108.6 points per 100 possessions and overall, this was the only defense that ranks in the bottom five in defending shots and forcing turnovers.
This week: vs. LAL, @LAL

NBA.com says Vlade Divacs needs to focus on finding defenders for the bench! That is a nice goal but I think we all also would like upgrades at the 2 and 4 spots in the starting lineup. Then with Ben and JT on the bench the bench has better defenders

My dream off season additions are to offer Jimmy Butler a max deal and to draft Willie Cauley-Stein.

 

[King Baller]

My consolation guys would be Draymond Green and one of Wes Matthews/Aaron Affalo. One of the latter two may be available after Portland signs LMA for a Max deal.

 

[Bricklayer]

My consolation guys would be Draymond Green and one of Wes Matthews/Aaron Affalo. One of the latter two may be available after Portland signs LMA for a Max deal.

I think you may have to aim short of All NBA team members and DPOY candidates.

 

[twslam07]

My consolation guys would be Draymond Green and one of Wes Matthews/Aaron Affalo. One of the latter two may be available after Portland signs LMA for a Max deal.

Butler, Dray. Green, & Matthews will not be coming to SAC. Afflalo is a possibility IF he opts out which I don't think he will do. I think he'll opt in, play with a very competitive playoff team, and look for his big payday next offseason when the cap rises to $91.2 mil.

Middleton & Dan. Green will not be coming either.

Belinelli, W. Chandler, & Shumpert I think are the most realistic options to bring in as a veteran, starting SG next season.

SA might be in a tough spot next season when it comes to the cap and all of their FAs. Depending on who they want to keep (Duncan, Ginobli, Green, Leonard, Joseph, Baynes), they might have to renounce Belinelli next offseason. If they do that, then obviously we won't have to compete with one of the most successful franchises to sign him (we'll still have to compete with others, but we'll all be in the same boat in trying to bring him to a new destination rather than bringing him back to a familiar situation).

Wilson Chandler is another possibility IF the Nuggets don't pick up his team option. However, I think the Nuggets will pick up his option considering it's a good value and he seems to be valued in the trade market. Not expecting him to be there, but if he is, he might have had a lasting connection with Karl that might give us an edge in bringing him here.

Shumpert is intriguing to me. He's a good defender, athlete, ball-handler, 3pt shooter (set shots), and he's young. He would fit in nicely with our team. However, he is a restricted FA. Cleveland is not going to want to bleed talent so I'm assuming they aren't going to let him go without a fight. I'm assuming it would have to be a heavy offer sheet to lure him away, but depending on how much money they are spending on their other FAs, they might be more lenient to part ways with Shumpert.

I think Shumpert would be my first offer. If we are able to sign him, I think I look at trading McLemore for a PF or backup PG since I think Stauskas' game compliments Shumpert's game where I think McLemore's game would be too similar.

If we are unsuccessful at getting Shumpert, I would probably then target Belinelli. He would hurt us on the defensive end a bit, but he would be a consistent vet offensively. If we were to get him, I would probably look to trade Stauskas for a PF or backup PG and develop McLemore as the 3 and D SG we hope to takeover the starting role. When McLemore's ready, we can then move Belinelli to the bench giving us a good scoring punch off the bench while McLemore's defense is more valuable in the starting role.