We're really in trouble when our defensive oriented goals for the off-season netted us a border line player in Sampson, retained a second year player in Martin, and drafted a rookie in Garcia. Hart and Wells were nice pickups. Still no impact interior defender, and barring a trade, a Shareef acquisition means the front court is set.
And 8 boards is laughable for a team already in need of rebounding. Shareef was actually at around 7 the last two years.
And 8 boards is laughable for a team already in need of rebounding. Shareef was actually at around 7 the last two years.
A trade could still happen, as I said in a previous post we are potentially adding a servicable veteran who is above average for the MLE (on the cheap) who is tradable along with the other players we aquired for Webber.
There is no other player that we could get at that position for the 5 mil MLE, that is going to be better, barring injury.
I do not understand why certain people hate SAR so much. He is not KG. Duncan or Amare but he is a very good basketball player. With him on our team it adds alot more balance to the team. Here is what the team looked like in the playoffs. Brad - shot 10 - 18 ft jumpers, took it in on occasion. KT - shot 14-20 ft jumpers, took it in on occasion. Pedja - shot 17-27 ft jumpers, took it in on occasion. Mobely - shot the ball every time he touched no matter where on the court. Bibby - Dead cold most of the playoffs, too tired because of the load during the regular season.
Now we still have Pedja who seemed to find his groove at the end of the year and in the playoffs as a shooter, Brad and Bibby also very solid shooting the ball and sometimes excellent. Instead of Mobely shooting from any position on the court we have a slasher, a guy who can get to the basket and a guy who can score from the post. Shareef is also a good post player who is not going to chucking up 17 fts like KT did all game long.
The defense part has to start with the coaching. I know that people are going to argue that we do not have strong personnel on defense and I will be the first to admit that you are right. We do not have superathletic freaks like Ben Wallace and KG and Prince and we do not have a player with freakishly long arms like Duncan. But it will be the coaches job to define the attitude of the team on defense and that includes everybody. If Bibby lets someone blow by him without even putting up any resistence then you bench him. If Pedja acts like a pansy and does not go after boards then bench him. If Brad does not try to seal the lane and provide adequate help defense then once again bench him!! It is up to the coach to install the attitude that defensive shortcomings will not be tolerated. That does not mean holding teams to 85 pts per game because that is not going to happen with a team such as ours pouring in a 110. But you have to try and as long as you try and the players trust each other on defense then the team becomes tougher and meaner TOGETHER!!
Once again I expect us to challenge Phoenix for the division this year. Looking at our lineups as they stand now.
pg: Bibby pg: Nash
sg: Bonzi sg: JJ
sf: Pedja sf: Marion
pf: Rahim pf: Amare
C: Miller C: Kurt Thomas
With our bench I think we match up fairly well against Phoenix. This could all change if Joe Johnson is back but none-the-less they will not win the Pacific Divsion Title by more then a couple of games.
Now we still have Pedja who seemed to find his groove at the end of the year and in the playoffs as a shooter, Brad and Bibby also very solid shooting the ball and sometimes excellent. Instead of Mobely shooting from any position on the court we have a slasher, a guy who can get to the basket and a guy who can score from the post. Shareef is also a good post player who is not going to chucking up 17 fts like KT did all game long.
The defense part has to start with the coaching. I know that people are going to argue that we do not have strong personnel on defense and I will be the first to admit that you are right. We do not have superathletic freaks like Ben Wallace and KG and Prince and we do not have a player with freakishly long arms like Duncan. But it will be the coaches job to define the attitude of the team on defense and that includes everybody. If Bibby lets someone blow by him without even putting up any resistence then you bench him. If Pedja acts like a pansy and does not go after boards then bench him. If Brad does not try to seal the lane and provide adequate help defense then once again bench him!! It is up to the coach to install the attitude that defensive shortcomings will not be tolerated. That does not mean holding teams to 85 pts per game because that is not going to happen with a team such as ours pouring in a 110. But you have to try and as long as you try and the players trust each other on defense then the team becomes tougher and meaner TOGETHER!!
Once again I expect us to challenge Phoenix for the division this year. Looking at our lineups as they stand now.
pg: Bibby pg: Nash
sg: Bonzi sg: JJ
sf: Pedja sf: Marion
pf: Rahim pf: Amare
C: Miller C: Kurt Thomas
With our bench I think we match up fairly well against Phoenix. This could all change if Joe Johnson is back but none-the-less they will not win the Pacific Divsion Title by more then a couple of games.
For the record, I don't remember anyone saying they hate SAR. There are some people in this forum (me too, to some extent) who simply don't think he meets our needs. That's all. Good player, but unless used to get something else later, he just won't help us get that championship. Let's all take a deep breath and relax...we're just talking about a simple difference of opinion.
Also, remember...we don't even have the guy yet.
Also, remember...we don't even have the guy yet.
Who may be less of a player than Thomas? Wow, I understand the concern that Rahim isn't exactly a defensive stopper, but now you're suggesting we might have gotten worse by adding a player who is a true PF instead of an undersized guy who likes to shoot jump shots.
On top of that, I really don't understand the whole criticism about players not being "winners". He played for Vancouver/Memphis, then Atlanta, than Portland. And he was the best player on his team for most of that time. Webber never won anything at the professional level either. I don't see how that's a valid criticism. He doesn't decide who his teammates are. This whole notion that some players are "winners" and some just aren't by nature is on the same level as the belief that some players are more "clutch" than others. The statistics don't back up those theories and never have. It's an emotional interpretation - like saying your stapler hates you because it keeps jamming all the time. It's an illusion. It seems like it's true just like it seems like the sun is revolving around the earth.
How can you say that signing one player means the Kings have given up on defense? Everyone else they've signed this summer has been an athletic/defensive player. So now they add the best PF available at a bargain price and suddenly the management team has given up on building a better defensive team? It's not as easy as swapping out offensive players for defensive ones. No GM wants to get snookered. There's a good chance any trade will be a collective loss in value because the other team isn't going to do it unless it's a good trade for them. Trading top level players rarely returns equal value. See the trades in the last year alone of McGrady, Shaq, Antoine Walker (from the Hawks), Webber (from the Kings). Not to mention with a San Antonio-Detroit finals, defense is probably at a particularly high premium. What would the management have to do to "win" your trust? It's going to take more than one summer to turn one of the worst defensive teams in the league into a good defensive team. If the team still isn't playing defense in 3 years, than I could understand such an assertion.
On top of that, I really don't understand the whole criticism about players not being "winners". He played for Vancouver/Memphis, then Atlanta, than Portland. And he was the best player on his team for most of that time. Webber never won anything at the professional level either. I don't see how that's a valid criticism. He doesn't decide who his teammates are. This whole notion that some players are "winners" and some just aren't by nature is on the same level as the belief that some players are more "clutch" than others. The statistics don't back up those theories and never have. It's an emotional interpretation - like saying your stapler hates you because it keeps jamming all the time. It's an illusion. It seems like it's true just like it seems like the sun is revolving around the earth.
How can you say that signing one player means the Kings have given up on defense? Everyone else they've signed this summer has been an athletic/defensive player. So now they add the best PF available at a bargain price and suddenly the management team has given up on building a better defensive team? It's not as easy as swapping out offensive players for defensive ones. No GM wants to get snookered. There's a good chance any trade will be a collective loss in value because the other team isn't going to do it unless it's a good trade for them. Trading top level players rarely returns equal value. See the trades in the last year alone of McGrady, Shaq, Antoine Walker (from the Hawks), Webber (from the Kings). Not to mention with a San Antonio-Detroit finals, defense is probably at a particularly high premium. What would the management have to do to "win" your trust? It's going to take more than one summer to turn one of the worst defensive teams in the league into a good defensive team. If the team still isn't playing defense in 3 years, than I could understand such an assertion.
when life hands you lemons, you make lemonade...
and SAR is DEFINITELY not a lemon. he didn't have a great tenure in portland, but then again, who has? and sacramento has always seemed to make every player just a little bit better. think webber, bibby, and miller.
i say let's make this happen petrie!
and SAR is DEFINITELY not a lemon. he didn't have a great tenure in portland, but then again, who has? and sacramento has always seemed to make every player just a little bit better. think webber, bibby, and miller.
i say let's make this happen petrie!
Assuming that the Kings A) get this done for the MLE and B) SAR is healthy, I think it is a good move. Even is SAR is not the answer for what ails the team he could have pretty good trade value during the season at that price.
It's not easy to get a long, athletic, shot blocker who can rebound and play defense in the post. Why would a team get rid of that kind of commodity? I guess my point is picking up a proven player "raltively" cheap should only enhance your ability down the road to aquire another "piece" that may suit the teams needs better.
It's not easy to get a long, athletic, shot blocker who can rebound and play defense in the post. Why would a team get rid of that kind of commodity? I guess my point is picking up a proven player "raltively" cheap should only enhance your ability down the road to aquire another "piece" that may suit the teams needs better.
shreef might be good, but i dunno, but hes been a loser through-out his career...he has never made a team better.....i remember when the blazers traded rasheed for shreef and ratliff, prior to that trade the blazers made the playoffs 20 years in a row, when he got their, 2 years straight, missing the playoffs......
I hadn't thot about it that way before.
I havn't had a chance to sift through the who knows how many pages everyone has contributed to (how do you guys do it?
) but I agree with anyone saying SAR is not worth the money or the risk or whomever we trade for him.
Let's sign two-three more big guys who have potential or some exp and let this year be more focused on developing and coming together.
Look toward the future, not the present.
I havn't had a chance to sift through the who knows how many pages everyone has contributed to (how do you guys do it?
) but I agree with anyone saying SAR is not worth the money or the risk or whomever we trade for him. Let's sign two-three more big guys who have potential or some exp and let this year be more focused on developing and coming together.
Look toward the future, not the present.
T
BobbyJ_for3! said:
I hadn't thot about it that way before.
I havn't had a chance to sift through the who knows how many pages everyone has contributed to (how do you guys do it?) but I agree with anyone saying SAR is not worth the money or the risk or whomever we trade for him.
Let's sign two-three more big guys who have potential or some exp and let this year be more focused on developing and coming together.
Look toward the future, not the present.
I havn't had a chance to sift through the who knows how many pages everyone has contributed to (how do you guys do it?
) but I agree with anyone saying SAR is not worth the money or the risk or whomever we trade for him. Let's sign two-three more big guys who have potential or some exp and let this year be more focused on developing and coming together.
Look toward the future, not the present.