Prioritizing Kings Problems

[Rowdyone]

Before making moves that don't work or are doomed to failure from the start we must decide what our deficiencies are and formulate a plan to address them. Therefore, I will list below our problems, as I see them, in order of priority that they should be addressed and it would be interesting if others would do the same.
1. Interior defense. Shoring up our interior defense stops or at least hinders offensive penetratrion which just kills us night in and night out.
2. Shot blocking. Acquiring a shotblocker with a rep would help immensely and mask some of our perimeter players inability to stay in front of their man.
3. Defensive rebounding/team defense. Nothing demoralizes more than to play defense well enough to see a missed shot go back to the opposition for another attempt.
4. Passive play. From not working hard at blocking out for rebounds, to going after loose balls, to allowing layups without any hard fouls. We're soft.
5. Offensive impatience. All too often we jack up long shots too early in the shot clock just because they're "open". Does that mean they don't think anyone else will get open closer to the basket further into the possession?
6. Footspeed/Quickness/Athleticism. Grouped together because usually if you have one you have all three. We no longer get cheap transition baskets like we used to.
7. Superstar. Someone to be the focal point for the team dealing with the press and internal team issues as well as being our go to guy when we need a bucket with the reasonable expectation that he will be successful.

After listing these for myself I must admit that the glorious part, a superstar, isn't an absolute (although one would certainly help, especially if they were a shotblocking, rebounding machine bigman). Now, the question that arises is what plan do we formulate to address this? And since I'm out of time now I'lll have to do it later. But, again, I'm very interested in your sense of priorities.

 

[bozzwell]

Nice summary, and I largely agree.

1-3 can be solved by replacing Brad or SAR with an atletic, defence oriented PF/C who can rebound and is above average blocker.
4-5 smacks of lack of leadership.
6 really difficult to fix. Only Bonzi is part of the solution and not a part of the problem on this team regarding issue 6.
7. Superstar, athletic, rebounding and blocking PF/C could solve all of the above or at least 1-5.

 

[gilly420]

1-4 and 6 are basically the same problems and equate to our lousy 10-15 record.

Im begining to think that we may need to get on into the rebuilding mode. We need to make some major moves because i cant see a team with Peja and Brad ever competing for a Championship. There just too soft. Couple that with two bad drafts in a row, and the C Webb trade that brought us back 20 DNP's and some loose change, and were in big trouble. Why wait??? This group does not have it.

 

[VF21]

Before making moves that don't work or are doomed to failure from the start we must decide what our deficiencies are and formulate a plan to address them. Therefore, I will list below our problems, as I see them, in order of priority that they should be addressed and it would be interesting if others would do the same.
1. Interior defense. Shoring up our interior defense stops or at least hinders offensive penetratrion which just kills us night in and night out.

We need someone like Tag, who at least clogs the paint. He might not even have to move that much. If he's big enough, people pretty much have to work around him instead of over or right by him.

2. Shot blocking. Acquiring a shotblocker with a rep would help immensely and mask some of our perimeter players inability to stay in front of their man.

We do have a shot blocker. Unfortunately, he appears to be in charge of changing the sign outside of Adelman's doghouse more often than not.

3. Defensive rebounding/team defense. Nothing demoralizes more than to play defense well enough to see a missed shot go back to the opposition for another attempt.

I really believe we have a couple of players capable of doing this. This is one spot where I think the only real solution is a new coach OR for Adelman to go Popovich on ALL of them, including at least one episode of him (Rick) getting kicked out for totally losing it because of some bonehead play.

4. Passive play. From not working hard at blocking out for rebounds, to going after loose balls, to allowing layups without any hard fouls. We're soft.

See reply to #3 above.

5. Offensive impatience. All too often we jack up long shots too early in the shot clock just because they're "open". Does that mean they don't think anyone else will get open closer to the basket further into the possession?

I would like to see the "three touch" rule made mandatory on most possessions. I am sick to death of seeing players (and almost each of them is guilty of it) jack up threes with 15-20 seconds left on the shot clock. I don't care if the other team is looking up at the sky and the shooter is TOTALLY unguarded. Those kinds of shots just aren't our bread and butter anymore. We have TWO players capable of posting up and why they don't take advantage of that nearly drives me to drink.

6. Footspeed/Quickness/Athleticism. Grouped together because usually if you have one you have all three. We no longer get cheap transition baskets like we used to.

We do have this in at least one player coming off the bench. Kevin Martin is very quick and athletic. He just needs to be used more effectively IMHO.

7. Superstar. Someone to be the focal point for the team dealing with the press and internal team issues as well as being our go to guy when we need a bucket with the reasonable expectation that he will be successful.

Debatable.

After listing these for myself I must admit that the glorious part, a superstar, isn't an absolute (although one would certainly help, especially if they were a shotblocking, rebounding machine bigman). Now, the question that arises is what plan do we formulate to address this? And since I'm out of time now I'lll have to do it later. But, again, I'm very interested in your sense of priorities.

Great post, BTW.

 

[CaminoChaos]

Weaknesses by the stats:

1. Kings PG's allowing Opposing PG's to distribute 2 assist more than the average team per night.
2. Kings PG's allowing 46% field goal percentage from Opposing PG's.
3. Kings Center's allowing Opposing Centers to score 3 more points per night than the league average center.
4. Kings Center getting out rebounded by Opp. Centers by 3 per game.
5. Kings bench not scoring.

 

[CruzDude]

Before making moves that don't work or are doomed to failure from the start we must decide what our deficiencies are and formulate a plan to address them. Therefore, I will list below our problems, as I see them, in order of priority that they should be addressed and it would be interesting if others would do the same.
1. Interior defense. Shoring up our interior defense stops or at least hinders offensive penetratrion which just kills us night in and night out.
2. Shot blocking. Acquiring a shotblocker with a rep would help immensely and mask some of our perimeter players inability to stay in front of their man.
3. Defensive rebounding/team defense. Nothing demoralizes more than to play defense well enough to see a missed shot go back to the opposition for another attempt.
4. Passive play. From not working hard at blocking out for rebounds, to going after loose balls, to allowing layups without any hard fouls. We're soft.
5. Offensive impatience. All too often we jack up long shots too early in the shot clock just because they're "open". Does that mean they don't think anyone else will get open closer to the basket further into the possession?
6. Footspeed/Quickness/Athleticism. Grouped together because usually if you have one you have all three. We no longer get cheap transition baskets like we used to.
7. Superstar. Someone to be the focal point for the team dealing with the press and internal team issues as well as being our go to guy when we need a bucket with the reasonable expectation that he will be successful.

After listing these for myself I must admit that the glorious part, a superstar, isn't an absolute (although one would certainly help, especially if they were a shotblocking, rebounding machine bigman). Now, the question that arises is what plan do we formulate to address this? And since I'm out of time now I'lll have to do it later. But, again, I'm very interested in your sense of priorities.

1 and 2 get solved possibly by Skinner. 3 maybe

4 and 5 are due to lack of leadership. Bonzi was possible but he looked like he kept deferring to Bibby and Miller, who were not being the leaders we need. Lack of outside scoring and 3's is hurting kings.

6 can be due to coaching, preaching to get rebounds. It can also be due to coaching not getting at least one King to break after a shot or basket by other team. But most other teams just get back better than the Kings and make those explosive fast breaks a thing of the past.

7 is dreaming. CWebb wasn't a superstar. He was a great player who go injured. Vlade was not a superstar and slow and no defender. But they caused double teams, which gets outlets to Peja for his style of 3, they passed fantastic, to team mates who worked hard away from the ball. If you want to argue that point, watch the Kings away from the ball on a typical game. Not much movement, not many screens and very little breaking to basket.

Interesting thought: Warriors have plethora of shooters at the 2 and 3; Kings have plethora of 4's who can all play down low........ hmmm.

 

[AriesMar27]

isnt 6 sort of solved while peja and bonzi are out? martin/thomas or garcia, is faster, quicker and more athletic than bonzi/peja....

and now that bonzi is gone maybe miller and reef will grab some damn rebounds... or will martin become our leading rebounder?

 

[BMiller52]

isnt 6 sort of solved while peja and bonzi are out? martin/thomas or garcia, is faster, quicker and more athletic than bonzi/peja....

and now that bonzi is gone maybe miller and reef will grab some damn rebounds... or will martin become our leading rebounder?

Martin will get 8 boards, they'll get 0.

 

[AriesMar27]

Martin will get 8 boards, they'll get 0.

at least they will be consistent....

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

7 is dreaming. CWebb wasn't a superstar. He was a great player who go injured. Vlade was not a superstar and slow and no defender. But they caused double teams, which gets outlets to Peja for his style of 3, they passed fantastic, to team mates who worked hard away from the ball. If you want to argue that point, watch the Kings away from the ball on a typical game. Not much movement, not many screens and very little breaking to basket...

Chris Webber was a superstar. From 2000-2003, he was arguably the fifth or sixth best player in the NBA.

 

[SacTownKid]

Once again, for anything to truly change players must be traded from our starting unit. If we trade for backups they won't see any time. As VF pointed out, we have a shotblocker.

 

[kingsfan916]

Chris Webber was a superstar. From 2000-2003, he was arguably the fifth or sixth best player in the NBA.

No Doubt about it

 

[SacDoug]

I think you mean a leader by #7, not a superstar. There is a big difference between the two. Kobe is a superstar but he is a terrible leader.

As far as the lack of effort goes, the ones I see most guilty of it are the core three and occasionally Kenny Thomas. I see Bonzi and Shareef trying their best every night. Hart, Garcia and Martin try their best but they all screw up for various reasons. I think sloth is now ingrained into Peja, Brad and Mike.

 

[Bricklayer]

I think you mean a leader by #7, not a superstar. There is a big difference between the two. Kobe is a superstar but he is a terrible leader.

I think all superstars inherently lead to some degree, whether it comes naturally or not. They set the tone and the table, and everybody on a team which has one knows what their team is about and how they are going to try to win. There is none of this "non-leadership by committee" thing we've got going on. No uncertainty about who's "the man", who takes responsibility, and who has a right to spout off in the locker room or on court. Kobe is not a leader, but he leads his team nonetheless. We never know night to night or likely practice to practice.