SLAB's King Player analysis.

[SLAB]

Well, I did this last year around this time, and I'll do it again...Here we go.
And I'll update this as anymore moves are made!

--Point Guard--​

Starter: Mike Bibby---As we know, Mike Bibby is one of the most reliable offensive point guards in the league...Sweet stroke, good passer, runs our offense to perfection...However, he does lack in defense...Badly...A key for this team this year is if Mike Bibby can step up from being a borderline All-Star player, to a bona-fide All Star player...I think he has all the tools to take another step up, and I'm seeing a very nice year out of Bibby.

Backup: Jason Hart---A nice change of pace from what we've been used to...A nice under-control player, who's number one skill is his defense...Also, he is a good passer,with a pass-first mentality, so he should be able to fit right into our offense.

Backup: Ronnie Price---Unfortunatly I don't know anything about his game...Petire wanted him, and he impressed with his Summer League performance...Diamond in the Rough potentially?

Overall Grade: B---This could be an "A" if Bibby takes the next step up...A nice offense/defense 1-2 PG punch will be nice to good for this team.

--Shooting Guard--​

Starter: Bonzi Wells---In my honest opinion, one heckuva pickup...Adds a diverse offensive game, rebounding, toughness, and attitude to the starting line-up...I see Bonzi turning into a fan-favorite with his play, as he will be the only starter to be doing the dirty work, of course barring a (God forbid) Bonzi-esq explosion...A big improvment over either Cat or Christie.

Backup: Kevin Martin---Will he show his summer-league form, and turn into the offensive force that people think he can become? His season is definatly a question, and we are all awaiting the answer.

Backup: Fransisco Garcia---Will he be a steal with the number 23 pick? Already showed good off-the-ball defnesive skills in the summer-leagues, and if he can take those skills into this year, I could potentially see Kevin losing his time to Cisco...Defense is good.

Overall Grade: C plus/B minus---Bonzi will be great, but with two completly unproven players backing him up, it's tough to give anything much higher...Kevin and Cicso can be a very good offense/defense combo if they live up to expectations, and they can both get into Adleman's lineup.

--Small Forward--​

Starter: Peja Stojakovic---Possibly the best shooter in the league, and also a pretty decent defender...Unfortunatly he does nothing else, and doesn't make much of an impression come playoff time...Hopefully playing under the pressures of a contract year, he will suck it up, and become more of a gutsy all-around player out there.

Backup: Corliss Williamson---As of now, he wil be out number 2 SF...I really don't like Corliss' game, on THIS team...He's a one-on-one type of guy, and when the ball goes to him in the post, he's most likley taking the shot...Also a weak defender.

Overall Grade: C plus/B minus---We'll get our fair share of offense out of these two, but unfortunatly, the rest of the game doesn't come as easily to them...I would like for a tough defensive roleplayer to be brought in as a backup, and for Corliss to be shipped...I just dont think he fit's.

--Power Forward--​

Starter: Shareef Abdur-Rahim---What an addition to an already loaded offensive team...Potentially having a 20-10 guy starting at the PF is great, and it's something that we as Kings fan's had grown accustomed to...I think Reef' may have a career year this year because for the first time in his career he is playing for a winner, which in turn may pump up the motivation...An unhappy Shareef in Portland averaged 17 and 7...So what will a happy motivated Shareef be able to accomplish?

Backup: Kenny Thomas---Will he stick around to be a backup? If he does, I think we will have one of the better back-up PF's in the game...When given his minutes, K-9 has proven to be a double-double kind of guy, and to have someone who can do that coming off the bench would be a very nice sight...But will his attitude allow himself to play second-fiddle?

Backup: Brian Skinner---A shotblocking and rebounding presence with limited offensive ability...I think when he's given consistent minutes, he can be a nice player coming off the bench...A potential fan-favorite sparkplug, if he can avoid the dreaded injury bug.

Overall Grade: B plus---A 20/10 starter, a double-double backup, and if he's given minutes a potential energizing sparkplug...This group would be an "A" if it weren't for SAR's softness, and K-9's lack of size.

--Center--​

Starter: Brad Miller---One of the best center's in the league...If he actually trusted his shot, I think he could have a near 20 PPG season...Unfortuantly he's quite passive with that. I think that their will be a nice combo with SAR/Miller's inside/outside combination...For the last few years Miller hasn't worked with a consistant low-post presence, and I think with one, his game could potentially reach a new level.

Backup: Jamal Sampson---As we have it now, he's out backup...I definatly see something happening to change this (or heavin-forbid it'll be Hobbit-ball again)...An extremly raw shotblocker/rebounder that can potentially be a very-nice backup...

Overall Grade: B---I think having one of the best center's in the game is enough to warrant a B...All-Star center's are definatly something that don't come around everyday...And given a decent backup this grade could be a strong A...

--Question Marks--​

Darius Songaila---I think he will be traded...With K-9/SAR/Skinner, there just isnt any room for the guy...Unless, of course, someone takes up K-9's contract...He would make a consistant-servicable backup.

Mo Evans---A sparkplug off the bench...Does everything that we would want, unfortuantly it's looking like we may not be able to get him back...And is it for the better? I think we should develop our 2's of the future, even if it costs us some ability now.

Matt Barnes---I've read it's down to the Spurs and us...Would definatly be nice to have him coming off the bench behind Peja, as long as he REMAINS N CONTROL...And just think. If this kid could learn how to shoot a basketball...We would have a perfect compliment to Peja.

 

[Gary]

I agree mostly. BUT you let the backups influence the grades too much.

 

[Kings113]

Disagree on Evans, if we could have him back as back-up SG, they'd do it in a second. As would I.

I read earlier in July, and while at Philly Barnes was really working on his offense and shooting.

I think a few of those grades will go up once the bench progresses in tweaking, and then is set.

 

[AriesMar27]

^^^thats what i was thinking.... what team would get a "a" grade at the point guard position? the suns have a mvp all-star point guard with no back up and plays no defense whatsoever..... would the suns get a "a" grade at the point?

 

[sono]

nicely done SLAB, Shareef's motivation could give us a big leap. Even he's undersized Skinner should backup Brad.

 

[funkykingston]

Just a little addition: Ronnie Price is a scorer at the PG spot and was t He has good size (6'2") and has the potential to be a good defender. He certainly defended well on the college level. He was named Div I Independent player of the year.

I think this pickup, as well as the drafting of Ricky Minard last year are Petrie's attempts to get a BJax-lite type player on the cheap. Price isn't nearly the athlete that Bobby is, but he plays all out and could really fill it up in college.

Petrie said he was at the top of his list in terms of second round picks, so here's to hoping we picked up a gem rather than just training camp fodder.

 

[CruzDude]

Good early summary of what we've got. I think that Skinner is a unique backup, equal at both the 4 and 5. However, having him come in at the 5 and moving Brad to the 4 for a bit can be awesome against many matchups. And yes, Corliss is NOT a Peja backup in our systems, his range is very limited and his jumper is rather ugly. But his 245 lb and ability to bang with the best of them gives us someone to bring in against any 3, 4 or 5 playing inside too much.

 

[Jerryaki]

Disagree on Evans, if we could have him back as back-up SG, they'd do it in a second. As would I.

I read earlier in July, and while at Philly Barnes was really working on his offense and shooting.

evans would be nice to have back, but i think it's a big positive that we're forced to play martins/cisco. i want to give them more of a chance to develop rather than wonder "what if?"

as for barnes, would love to have him back. would be a nice feel-good story, and he'd bring heart to the team.

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

I agree mostly. BUT you let the backups influence the grades too much.

Oh, just an f.y.i., its ABDUR-Rahim, not Abdul, as you have it in your Sig..

 

[Kings113]

evans would be nice to have back, but i think it's a big positive that we're forced to play martins/cisco. i want to give them more of a chance to develop rather than wonder "what if?"

as for barnes, would love to have him back. would be a nice feel-good story, and he'd bring heart to the team.

Evans likely isn't coming back anyways, unless he changes his mind back to the LLE and a 2-3 year deal.

I just hope we aren't forced to start either of the youngsters if Bonzi gets hurt. Which is why I'd like to see a more experienced SG brought in, as well as possibly for a back-up, either during the season, or during the off-season for insurance/better behind Bonzi.

Though if Martin impresses and has solid added weight, I'd feel better about all that.

I think regardless, it's going to be a good battle between the two for minutes, whether it's for the back-up spot if that's how it goes, or just in general/for athleticism.

 

[Bricklayer]

Evans likely isn't coming back anyways, unless he changes his mind back to the LLE and a 2-3 year deal.

Not at all bad Slab, and much less verbose than my own traditional ramblings. I do however think we probably rank a half grade higher at most positions, but then again its well knwon that I beleive in grade inflation and consider a C+/B- almost "average".

As for Evans and the LLE -- I believe that we (the Kings) were waiting to hear how tht would play out in the new CBA, but that it worked out that the rule was the same as the old one. And that rule says you can only use the LLE every OTHER year, and we already used it last year on Darius. So no LLE for us this year, and therefore now really no way we can resign MO at all for anything more than the minimum or qualifying offer we had to make (which isn't going to happen). So I think basically, he's gone. The only way we could sign him, or sign and trade him, was to use the MLE (we did not have Bird rights so do not have the ability to go over the cap to match offers to him outside of our exceptions). The full MLE went to SAR, so unless I'm missing something (always possible) that should be it for Mo returning.

 

[ONEZERO]

I've got nothing to add cause u pretty much got everything right on que, but don't u think(not to take anything away from the time u put into this) that most of this is pretty obvious and most of us already know all of this?

 

[Kings113]

Not at all bad Slab, and much less verbose than my own traditional ramblings. I do however think we probably rank a half grade higher at most positions, but then again its well knwon that I beleive in grade inflation and consider a C+/B- almost "average".

As for Evans and the LLE -- I believe that we (the Kings) were waiting to hear how tht would play out in the new CBA, but that it worked out that the rule was the same as the old one. And that rul4e says you can only use the LLE every OTHER year, and we alreayd used it last year on Darius. So no LLE for us this year, and therefore now realyl no way we can resing MO at all for anything more than the minimum or qualifying offer we had to make (which isn't going to happen). So I think basically, he's gone. The only way we could sign him, or sign and trade him, was to use the MLE (we did not have Bird rights so do not have the ability to go over the cap to match offers to him outside of our exceptions). The full MLE went to SAR, so unless I'm missing something (always possible) that should be it for Mo returning.

Ah, did not know that about the LLE. Obviously knew about the MLE though.

Yeah, he'll be a Wolve/Piston/Spur. NOT a Sonic though, they have too much of their own free-agents to deal with.

 

[Omaha-King7275]

Nice job, My friend is cousins with matt barnes and he says that he desperately wants to play for this team and that hed sign for the minimum, I've seen him playing in the rec leagues against b-jax and bibby and he looks great. A guy with that kind of talent doesnt ask for 600,000 everyday. So get rid of williamson and get barnes as pejas backup.