Sasha Watch 2022-2023

I’ve flip flopped so much on the forward position but I feel like I’m now back to where I started: I don’t think we have room for Sasha, Lyles and Barnes. If we don’t bring Barnes back that doesn’t really solve the problem either in my view as I think Sasha and Lyles play a similar role with Lyles having the additional ability to play small ball 4. That leaves starting one of Sasha/Lyles and bringing the other off the bench or just signing one. If we start Sasha, we will be worse defensively on the wing even if one believes Keegan takes a leap on that end. Lyles at least gives you size and length and his advanced stats are above average overall. Maybe you could then use the remaining space on a defensive role playing wing to give you a different look off the bench. I dunno
 
I’ve flip flopped so much on the forward position but I feel like I’m now back to where I started: I don’t think we have room for Sasha, Lyles and Barnes. If we don’t bring Barnes back that doesn’t really solve the problem either in my view as I think Sasha and Lyles play a similar role with Lyles having the additional ability to play small ball 4. That leaves starting one of Sasha/Lyles and bringing the other off the bench or just signing one. If we start Sasha, we will be worse defensively on the wing even if one believes Keegan takes a leap on that end. Lyles at least gives you size and length and his advanced stats are above average overall. Maybe you could then use the remaining space on a defensive role playing wing to give you a different look off the bench. I dunno
I think something to keep in mind with Vezenkov is we're the only NBA team with his rights. So it's a binary call; he stays in Europe, or he comes over to us. There's real value in that imo, especially if we think he's going to be a good NBA player
 
I believe we are bringing him over. It at least gives us another shooter with size to stretch the floor. I like Barnes but we need to improve the roster to move forward and of the starters to me he is the most expendable at this point.

I will leave it up to the the front office as what we are going to do.

a decent big that is not currently on the roster would be a start. We pretty much held the line with our roster at the trade deadline and we got exposed in the playoffs but we’re close.
 
I believe we are bringing him over. It at least gives us another shooter with size to stretch the floor. I like Barnes but we need to improve the roster to move forward and of the starters to me he is the most expendable at this point.

I will leave it up to the the front office as what we are going to do.

a decent big that is not currently on the roster would be a start. We pretty much held the line with our roster at the trade deadline and we got exposed in the playoffs but we’re close.
Yeah, when a team goes that many times it's not a fluke. This like Petrie going to talk to Bodiroga back in they day. The Kings wanted him, he just didn't want to come. It sounds to like Sasha has the NBA dream so now it's agent stuff.
 

pdxKingsFan

So Ordinary That It's Truly Quite Extraordinary
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I think something to keep in mind with Vezenkov is we're the only NBA team with his rights. So it's a binary call; he stays in Europe, or he comes over to us. There's real value in that imo, especially if we think he's going to be a good NBA player
I think even if we don't want him there's more value in signing him because I am sure when we acquired the rights someone thought "we've tried for a few years to get this guy over here, he won't come". But it's also true that he sort of blew up the minute we acquired his rights.
 
Watching Vezenkov move without the ball is alluring. A Fox, Huerter, Murray, Vezenkov, Sabonis lineup could be unguardable.

And maybe they would be bad on defense. But I really want to see this lineup - at least during the regular season.
For such a terrible defensive team, allegedly, the KINGS came awfully close to taking out the defending champs with Andrew Wiggins back in the fold. Like a missed HB three away from it.

They say styles make a fight, and I firmly believe that had the KINGS beaten GSW they’d be running the transition defense deficient LAL out of the gym.

While defense definitely needs to be played in spots and bursts, it’s not as essential as it used to be given the ruleset of the current game.

You just need to be able to play good enough defense to allow your offense to outscore the opponent. The KINGS offensive rating in the playoffs was nowhere near where it was during the regular season yet they still went 7 games and could have won the series.

If their offensive rating gets better or closer to their regular season numbers while playing the same defense they played during the postseason, they could really have something and go places.
 
I think something to keep in mind with Vezenkov is we're the only NBA team with his rights. So it's a binary call; he stays in Europe, or he comes over to us. There's real value in that imo, especially if we think he's going to be a good NBA player
Exactly….he just so happened to take a huge leap this year while we own his nba rights. There is a ton of value that we have in having his rights. Other than convincing him to come to the nba, there is no free agent bidding war involved in potentially getting an elite shooter coming into his prime years.

If his skills translate, he’s a perfect fit for our offense. Someone has probably already posted this link somewhere, but take a look at the off ball movement. He potentially slides into Keegan’s spot up role in the offense, with significantly more off ball movement than we saw from Keegan early in his rookie year. If then Keegan takes a leap to become a more well rounded offensive weapon, they could be a lethal pairing offensively around domas and fox.

 
I think the question is can he play defense? He is a high IQ player, and they usually can play smart team defense if they are willing. We will have to wait and see.
Make no mistake, I hope he can play D and I really want us to play great defense. That said, if Vezenkov comes to the Kings and shoots the way he does for Olympiacos, will his defense matter? We might end up eclipsing this year's offensive rating. What I want to see is if Murray can replace Barnes' ability to get to the basket and create contact.
 
I’ve flip flopped so much on the forward position but I feel like I’m now back to where I started: I don’t think we have room for Sasha, Lyles and Barnes. If we don’t bring Barnes back that doesn’t really solve the problem either in my view as I think Sasha and Lyles play a similar role with Lyles having the additional ability to play small ball 4. That leaves starting one of Sasha/Lyles and bringing the other off the bench or just signing one. If we start Sasha, we will be worse defensively on the wing even if one believes Keegan takes a leap on that end. Lyles at least gives you size and length and his advanced stats are above average overall. Maybe you could then use the remaining space on a defensive role playing wing to give you a different look off the bench. I dunno
Shooting ability at that size is valuable. If he can be signed to a reasonable contract, he will be a valuable trade chip. He might not be a great fit for us if we think some of our guys duplicate him, but if his offense translates, he will have value.
 
Euroleague Final Four begins tomorrow, May 19.

Vezenkov and "Olympiacos" to play "Monaco" (Chima Moneke). The game will begin at 18:00 EEST (08:00 Sacramento time).
In US all Final 4 games to be streamed on ESPN 3.

I expect an incredibly difficult time for Euroleague' MVP, as he will be playing against one of the TOP Euroleague defenders John Brown III.
Greeks lost both games to "Monaco" this season.

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somehow more than the offball movement and pure shotmaking, Sasha’s sheer confidence to attempt some of these shots is what stands out to me. Guy isn’t shy for sure. Also has some nice passes in these highlights.
And his willingness to get in the paint and carve out some space on mismatches in the post. If the Kings do end up letting Barnes go that would definitely soften the blow a little.
 

somehow more than the offball movement and pure shotmaking, Sasha’s sheer confidence to attempt some of these shots is what stands out to me. Guy isn’t shy for sure. Also has some nice passes in these highlights.
Everyone says he is slow, but looking at his clips on D, I think he is quicker than people give him credit for. Plus he is tough, he will put his nose in the action, and hustle for loose balls.