The Mid Season "What's Gone Wrong?" Grades

[Bricklayer]

A few weeks back when we hit midseason, there were some requests for midseason grades. There have been some every season, but I have generally demurred, not really wanting to step on the toes of the local paper who do their own, sometimes deferring to other posters who want to give it a shot etc. In any case, I already get my say game to game. But this time I decided to go ahead and do them, and just ran out of time during the break after our 41st game.

The key difference is that before this season we opened up a scouting reports forum on this site, and I did detailed scouting reports on each player. That gives me a good baseline to compare between then and now, and deliver grades based on the gap between what seemed possible back then and the ugly reality of today. Combined wiht the distinct possibility that a number of these guys won't be here in a few weeks, it was now or never.

So, enough prelude, the grades:

Brad Miller
Grade: C-
What I said about him before the season:

Spoiler

Offense (Scoring & Passing)
One of the best outside shooting big men in the league with range out to the three point line, although percentages plummet from that distance. Best in the 15 to 18 foot range, but in the early part of this season has increasingly spotted up out beyond the arc. Against slower centers uses fear of his jumpshot to pump fake defenders out of position and drive to the basket. As might be expected from an excellent midrange shooter, is a solid free throw shooter as well, although he draws relatively few fouls. Complements jump shot ability with excellent passing skills, especially adept at reading defenses and hitting cutters when stationed at the elbow. Sets good screens in halfcourt sets and a strong pick and pop option. Has almost no post game, especially for a 7'0" center. Struggles to even post up guards when they are switched off on him, and can be disrupted offensively when teams guard him with smaller quicker forwards rather than lumbering centers. Has improved marginally in this respect, adding a sparingly used half hook in recent years. Lack of post play also means his passing skills are primarily used when facing the basket, as opposed to passing out of the post. Lack of athleticism makes finishing inside difficult, and the same problem makes him more suited for the halfcourt than an open court game. Can dunk, and looked much better last year after losing weight, but has to get his steps right. Struggles with assertiveness and confidence, sometimes almost refusing to shoot the ball.


Defense & Rebounding
Has struggled defensively ever since arriving in Sacramento. Used to have a reputation as a bit of a thug in prior stops, but other than the occasional blind screen set upon opposing guards, rarely in evidence here. Struggles both as a man defender and a help defender. Lacks length, strength and hops. Looked quicker last year after losing weight, and showed some ability to show on screens up top and still recover back to his man. Capable of the occasional surprise block, but intimidates no one. Can be overwhelmed by big post players, and be beat by quickness when switched onto smaller players. Rebounding bounced back last season after years of decline. Getting into shape almost surely the reason. Well above average on the defensive boards last season, but perimeter play makes him a non-factor on the offensive glass.


Intangibles
A smart offensive player who can make teammates better with his passing, but nonetheless struggles with confidence. Easily perturbed on the court, and frequently gets into spats with the refs, resulting in a phenomenon known as "Bitter Brad Face". Can be distracted from the game by the arguing, take frustration fouls, and pick up technicals. Laid back demeanor makes him innocuous in the locker room, but dedication to the game often in question. Before last season was rarely in shape, and missed the first five games of this season with a drug suspension. Has struggled through much of his career with injuries, often of the lingering kind that adversely effect his performance on the court.

Where it all went wrong: before the season actually. When Ron Artest was traded the next logical move in a rebuild would be to trade Brad Miller, coming off of a bounceback season that may have made him moveable, to clear room for the young players up front. It never happened, and recent articles in the Bee suggest that Petrie once again had designs on maybe threatening .500 and had still not fully committed to a rebuild. When Brad received a 5 game suspension for drug use (marijuana) over the summer it not only got him, and us, off to a poor start, but it undercut any leadership he might be able to exert, and he was never a leader in the first place. As the losses have mounted Brad has not always brought his best game, and at times appears completely uininterested. Even when he does bring his best game, its not enough to make any difference. And under the harsh light of an 11-39 season all of the weaknesses and annoyances with Brad's poor defense, inability to control himself around the refs, etc., have become very exposed.

What has gone right: little enough, but Brad's overall stats have not fallen off so much this season as he has simply played fewer minutes. He still has nights where he's an effective defensive rebounder, has added a high percentage three point shot to his arsenal (a dubious positive for a 7'0" center), and out of nowhere came up with a career game last month with a 30-20 night in Golden State.


Spencer Hawes
Grade: B-
What I said about him before the season:

Spoiler

Offense (Scoring & Passing)
A man of a thousand moves -- already has as many moves in the post as any player in the NBA. The problem is that he can't consistently finish any of them. Obviously extensively coached, has a lot of potential inside, but touch is in question. No goto move, just seems to make it up as he goes along. Lacks strength at this stage, and can be pushed out of comfortable range. Also struggles to finish through contact. Appears to be in a hurry a lot of the time, and will rush up the first shot he can come up with rather than patiently setting something up. Combines post repertoire with excellent range all the way out to the three point line...or so he thinks. A never met a shot he didn't like player at this stage, and will cheerfully run out to the corner and shoot threes if given the chance. Problem is that he made less than 20% of them. Good ballhandler for a player his size, but nonetheless turns it over quite a bit when trying to do too much. Rounds out offensive repertoire with very good passing skills, but again still trying to sort out what is a good pass and what is one that you shouldn't force.


Defense & Rebounding
Struggled on this end of the court in his first season, but has potential to improve. Not a great athlete, but longer than advertised and has decent mobility for a big man. Not an intimidator, but able to use that length to get some blocks in there. Competitive, but dedication to defense sometimes wavers. Vulnerable to being muscled out of position and pushed under the hoop. Lack of strength hurts on the glass as well, but also seems to lack instincts. Many balls that it looks like he could have a shot at with his length just fly right by him. Streaky in this aspect of the game, playing strong one night, and getting pushed around the next.


Intangibles
Interesting character. Well spoken, and confident to the point of cocky. Could either make him a great player, or a great pain in the behind. Obviously well schooled and has worked on his game extensively. Has a balky knee that he has already had multiple surgeries on before age 20. Will see how it holds up.

Where it all went wrong: December. After a strong November established Spencer as a potential breakout player he was elevated into the starting lineup (perhaps at the insistence of the front office) and responded by flopping miserably -- shooting .339 for the month of December and eventually losing his starting position. He and Coach Natt have apparently not seen eye to eye about his minutes since that time, and in general the arrogant demeanor has not served him well and may be rubbing others the wrong way in what is obviously a tough environment. His continuing fascination with drifting outside on offense is only part of the problem there, as he shows questionable touch from in close and seems to miss an unnaturally large percentage of his shots in the paint.

What has gone right: he remains a young player with a lot of potential, and the November teaser was more than anybody expected out of Spencer this early. While not being a dominant interior defender or rebounder, he has shown he can sometimes make an impact in those areas, which were major concerns coming out of college. On offense he has shown a vast array of tools, but simply no plan of attack or consistency. Played the hero, or almost, in forcing an overtime game last month while hitting several big shots, and has the competive arrogance to perhaps become a clutch player in time.

 

[Bricklayer]

Mikki Moore
Grade: D
What I said about him before the season:

Spoiler

Offense (Scoring & Passing)
Strictly a role player. Master of off the ball movement. Little one on one ability, extremely dependent on others to set him up and hit him on cuts, but finishes at a high percentage when they do. Will punish lazy or inattentive defenders by slicing to the hoop looking to take the pass. Dunks easily, and prefers to finish this way inside. Has a very limited post game, mostly consisting of a right handed jump hook. Lacks strength and ability to hold his position to get it off though. Experiments at the beginning of last season to use him as a primary post weapon were disastrous. Has a midrange jumper that was less reliable last year than previously. Very athletic and runs the floor easily. Suffers from hands of stone, and prone to fumble any pass that does not hit him mid body. That improved somewhat as the season went along last year, but it may just have been teammates realizing how careful they had to be with the pass. Willing role player and screen setter, and rolls well to the hoop. Not a factor as a passer, and rarely has the ball in his hands.


Defense & Rebounding
Has the length and athleticism to be a shot blocker, but has not been since early in his career. Lacks timing and awareness. Prefers to run under people and try to draw charges now, and can be disruptive with this tactic. Has quickness to guard the perimeter, and saved several tight games last season by closing out on opposing guards trying to get off last second shots. Lacks strength inside, and can be easily overpowered in the post. Extremely foul prone -- in fact led the entire NBA in fouls last season (the constant attempts to draw charges do not help). On the boards, activity and athleticism offset by lack of strength and bad hands. Active around the offensive glass in particular, but fumbles numerous rebounding opportunities. On defense can be pushed under the hoop, and is frequently invisible as a rebounder.


Intangibles
One of the true journeymen of the NBA. Never good enough to stick, but makes himself valuable as a roleplayer and so keeps on finding a new team. Extremely enthusiastic on the court, clapping, yelling encouragement to teammates, and prone to letting out big yells when dunking. Sometimes enthusiasm crosses the line into the absurd with him making much more noise with his mouth than his game. Known as a good teammate and lockerroom guy, but had some uncharacteristic spats last season with the coaching staff.

Where it all went wrong: The first road trip. Mikki had the easiest job in the world to start the season. For whatever reason a favorite with ex-coach Theus, it seemed all he had to do was just be his own horribly mediocre self and he was going to keep that starting gig. But Mikki could not even do that, and instead turned in a long string of performances weak even by his own low standards. He grabbed a grand total of 4 rebounds in that first 4 game road trip, revived briefly as the league's worst starting PF (7pt 5reb), and then fell completely off the map once moved back to the bench. Along the way his rebounding has fallen off even further, and with the team in disarray he has gotten far fewer of the off the ball movement dunks that comprise the bulk of his offense. He is now barely in the rotation, and it underscores something else that may have gone wrong with Mikki: his ego. A willing roleplaying bench player for 7 years, ever since arriving in Sacramento Mikki has acted like a different man, like someone who is owed something, and has chafed whenever he is not getting his starts.

What has gone right: almost nothing. Mikki gets a D here simply because he was always such a marginal player that the fall to nearly useless one is not that extreme. There are still every once in a while flashes of enthusiasm from the bench, but they are few and far between.

Jason Thompson
Grade: B+
What I said about him before the season:

Spoiler

Offense (Scoring & Passing)
Exceptionally mobile big man that, at 6'11", may even be able to swing down for some spot minutes at SF. Had a late growth spurt and spent most of his developing years as a guard, so has unusually good ballhandling skills for a big man, but turned into a dominant inside player at at the small school level. Preseason results were mixed as to whether he will be able to continue that success at this level. Spent most of the preseason playing too fast and looking overmatched. Struggled with a midrange jumper he should eventually be able to make, and looked awkward and unprepared when trying to post or drive on defenders, frequently getting his shots knocked away. On the other hand, ran the floor well and had a few highlights centered around his speed and athleticism. At this point, a significant project while he tries to make the big jump in competition level.

Defense & Rebounding
Was a two time MAAC Defensive Player of the Year and big rebounder in college. Preseason results suggest he is more likely to duplicate the latter than the former in the pros. Struggled on defense throughout the preseason. Did not ever seem to settle himself, and again did not seem really prepared for players his own size. Would bite on fakes and could be overpowerd by some of the bigger players. As a help defender despite his height blocked only a handful of shots and showed no real instincts for clogging the lane. It was better news on the glass, where he put up strong per minute numbers. Did not show true dominance on the glass, and many of them were of the hustle variety on long boards rather than the tough ones inside, but got his hands on a lot of balls. There was still some sloppiness, but competed well in that aspect of the game and again used his mobility to get to balls slower bigs could not.

Intangibles
Rep is as a good character guy. Old for a modern rookie, and may be more mature because of it. Seems eager to learn and get better, but came off during the preseason games like a wide eyed kid in awe rather than a professional on a mission. May be able to sneak in minutes not only as a C and PF, but as a SF too. Could help his development, or hinder it if it further confuses a player who did not look quite sure how he wanted to play in preseason.

Where it all went wrong: Well, it really didn't. Maybe the only guy in this set of grades who will have a shorter gone wrong section than gone right section. Most of it is the holes in his game that are increasingly apparent. He's corrected some of the offensive rushing of late, but still gets a lot of shots blocked and stripped away because he hasn't figured out how to protect the ball yet. And the defense is a real problem right now. Its pretty clear he is not going to be much of a shotblocker at this level, and he gets beat both inside and out by most of the guys he faces, and picks up a ton of cheap fouls.

What has gone right: quite a bit actually. After starting the season looking constantly rushed and out of control on offense, he has blossomed of late, slowing it down, beginning to figure out how to finish inside, and taking his jumpers in better rhythm. He has rebounded well all season, and has been getting better the way you would like a rookie to do -- in the last 10 games he has put up legitimate starting numbers of 15.7pts 8.1rebs on 58.8% shooting. Also one of the few guys who has consistently played hard even as we spiraled into laughingstock status.

Shelden Williams
Grade: C
What I said about him before the season:

Spoiler

Offense (Scoring & Passing)
Had no real offensive role for the team last year. Core of his offensive game, like his defensive game, was just brute strength. Showed some solid meat and potatoes post moves, but keyed off of his strength and ability to get post positon and then not be rooted out. Would sometimes just opt for an amateurish but nonetheless effective plow move, getting his big shoulder into an opponent and just carrying them with him right to the hoop. Has some problems with longer opponents inside. Possesses a surprisingly smooth midrange jumper from the elbow that did not go in at a high clip last year. Can dunk, but not with ease, and is largely a below the rim player. No factor at all as a passer, and a bit turnover prone.


Defense & Rebounding
Hard to move on defense due to his strength, but easy to shoot over. Does not always use the strength to best advantage before the catch, letting guys get position that is too deep to stop. Is willing to follow guys out to the perimeter, but clearly more comfortable inside. Has the quickness of a center in the body of a power forward. As a help defender has the mentality to protect the paint, but not the length and athleticism. Stands in there, challenges drivers, but generally challenges them standing flatfooted. Notoriously long reach helps him make the occassional surprise block below the rim, but does not appear to be an intimidator at this level. Minature earthmover in there on the boards. Won't rebound too far out of his area, but is able to establish and hold position, block out, and simply shove people out of the way.


Intangibles
Was not with the team long enough to get any real feel on this front. Caused no problems, but was obviously not enthused about being pinned to the bench. Not much of a cheerleader type. You would say that coming from Duke should be an automatic commendation for his brains and character...and then you remember the history of ex-Duke PFs in the league. Fiancee of Candace Parker, so maybe some of her mojo will rub off on him.

Where it all went wrong: Basically just the minutes. Came over in the Bibby trade as a high lottery pick who appeared to be a bust, and has never really established any reason to doubt that label in his time in Sacramento. Coach Theus actively battled his bosses over whether to play him or not, and his role under Coach Natt has been no larger. At the heart of it he is just a limited interior player, athletically and skillwise, without the size to be terribly useful as a limited player.

What has gone right: Probably not much from his perspective. He has gotten a couple of real stints here in recent weeks, and generally done pretty well with them providing muscle that we otherwise lack. But they never seem to lead to anything. Best thing that might have happened to him since arriving in Sacto is eloping with Candace Parker and starting a family.

 

[Bricklayer]

Kenny Thomas
Grade: INC
What I said about him before the season:

Spoiler

Offense (Scoring & Passing)
Once upon a time used quickness to counteract his lack of size and was a 10-14ppg type scorer. The past tense will be used a lot here. Very mobile for a big...because at a non-bulky 6'7" he's not a big. Used to swoop to the hoop with quickness, but terrible touch on layups negated it much of the time. Would help if he dunked more, but despite athleticism largely plays below the rim, and his opponents all loom over him. Sometimes gets confused and thinks he's a post threat, but not at this level. In his early career and when he first arrived in Sacramento had a solid midrange jumper that he liked to take from the angles. However last made one of those in about 2006. Had solid passing skills, but again not seen in a long time. Turnover prone and decisionmaking is frequently shaky.


Defense & Rebounding
Works hard on defense, but physically ill suited to guard his position. Will body people, but gives away inches and pounds and they can shoot right over him. Does a good job slapping at balls down low for steals, which is a good thing because cannot block a shot to save his life. Has neither the size, length, nor instincts to protect the middle from opposing drivers. One thing that he always could do is rebound, although last year in limited minutes even this was erratic. Uses quickness to run down balls out of his area rather than strength. Especially active on the offensive glass. Not always able to get the big rebound on defense as taller players can reach over his back.


Intangibles
Was always going to be in an unenviable position being the man brought in to replace Chris Webber, but perceived attitude has made it worse. Almost put down Uncle Grumpy as a nickname. Seems to have a higher opinion of his abilities than anybody else in the organization. One of numerous Kings who simply can't, or won't play well off the bench. Sulky presence when not given the starting nod and inability to adapt to a bench role led him to be virtually forgotten about last season. Last seen working out privately during the season while not even being on the active roster. Still has years to go on ridiculous contract however, and so both he and the team are stuck.

Where it all went wrong: About the time he got traded for Chris Webber as a "flexible piece". Flexible being another word for anvil in this case. Could never escape the trade that brought him over, added to the issues by pouting off the bench and complaining about not starting, and found the same contract that made him a very rich man also served to bind him to an organization that did not want him but had no chance to move him. Has been largely out of commission for the last few years, earning millions of dollars from his couch. All of which has combined to make him public enemy #1 in Sacramento, even though he hasn't had a chance to do anything truly offensive in years. There was some brief experimentation with using him at the beginning of the year by Theus, but led nowhere before the coach was canned.

What has gone right: there is almost nothing to say here. Had a couple of short decent stints in the last month, but is just as often on the inactive list. Best thing that can be said is that time is ticking on that contract now and its possible it may even be moveable at this point, which I think would be a relief to all parties concerned.

John Salmons
Grade: B
What I said about him before the season:

Spoiler

Offense (Scoring & Passing)
Very good off the drive, and can be devastating on the break as a finisher. Very efficient converting once he gets to the rim (preferring high percentage layups to dunks), and has a great first step. Uses the rim well to shield his layups and rarely misses one. Used to be able to be neutralized by simply backing off of him and making him shoot jumpers, but has improved considerably in that aspect of his game. Still erratic, but when he is feeling the jumper, makes him hard to stop. Has range out to the short corner three, but the rest of the arc is beyond his comfort zone. Mostly a catch and shoot player from three. Often develops tunnel vision when he has the ball, and will dribble, dribble, dribble just looking for a chance to drive, often missing open cutters along the way. Has an effective pullup jumper, but has to decide to use it before he begins his move. Can be frustrated by teams that don't let him get all the way to the rim, and ends up turning the ball over or forcing up bad shots. Put up strong numbers as a starter last year, but has a notorious tendency (see intangibles below) to lose his aggressiveness and disappear when not starting in a featured role.


Defense & Rebounding
Good man to man defender on the perimeter. Very solid, keeps his man in front of him, fights through screens, and uses his body well. Does not gamble often, and accordingly picks up relatively few steals. Specializes in impeding and forcing his opponent into shooting contested jumpers. Not always as good as a help defender. Does not often play the passing lanes, and rotations are not always crisp. Stronger than his frame would suggest, but will be undersized at the SF position this season, and ability to defend inside against bigger SFs will be a question. Is a solid rebounder as a guard, but subpar as a SF, where he will likely be starting with Ron Artest now gone.


Intangibles
Has somewhat of a sulky demeanor oncourt that may be misleading, as he's known as a quiet inoffensive sort in the lockerroom. Impression is not helped by a career-long pattern of playing much (MUCH) better as a starter than as a bench player, where he just seems to shut down. Had an incident last season where he stormed out of the lockeroom after being told he would not be starting, only increasing the impression.

Where it all went wrong: Selfishness. Perceived, real, sometimes its hard to tell where the exact line is drawn. But John Salmons has a lot of talent. What he has never shown is any ability to sacrifice to make that talent function as part of a cohesive whole, either in Philly or Sacramento. Coming off the bench? Can't play. Have another major scorer in the lineup? Shuts down. Not getting his touches, his minutes, his whatever, and you never know what he is going to give. Has had occasional problems with his size at SF, is a poor rebounder for the position, and its never clear when he is going to be in a mood to pass the ball or when it will be all one on one. But its not his skillset that is a problem -- his overall game, when he is comfortable, has arguably been the most effective of any King. The problem lies with how much things apparently have to revolve around him for that game to emerge. Classic big numbers on bad team syndrome.

What has gone right: given the above, a "B" grade may seem excessive, but these grades are largely about acheivement vs. expectations. And John in most ways has met almost all reasonable expectations (including the expectation of selfishness). It seemed after last year that given carte blanche as a starter he might be a legitimate high teen scorer. He has been just that. He has added a three point shot to his arsenal, and he might literally be the only player on the roster who can defend his own man (or just as often Kevin's). Does not excuse the ick or the selfishness, does not mean he should be on this team going forward, but when somebody is having by far and away their career year, they can only be so disappointing.

 

[Bricklayer]

Francisco Garcia
Grade: C
What I said about him before the season:

Spoiler

Offense (Scoring & Passing)
Wants to make something happen on every possession. Sometimes that is a good thing, sometimes not. Can be extremely aggressive and confident, can also lack patience and make foolish mistakes. Has great range, and can be a lights out three point shooter, especially on the catch and shoot. Percentages sink if the shot is off his own dribble. Sometimes has a tendency to fall in love with the long bombs, and start chucking them up even if they are not falling. Very streaky, and can go ice cold. Effective driver when given a seam. Aggressive, long and can get off the ground. Unafraid of contact, but can be disrupted by shot blockers. Has the ability to pull up with nice touch, but sometimes over penetrates and leaves himself with nowhere to go. Much prefers slashing layups to the dunk. Not afraid to flop like a fish either if all else fails. Not a great one on one guy, and can be bothered by quick defenders willing to get into his chest. Confidence bleeds over into clutch situations -- wants the ball and shot. Shows desire to setup teammates with the pass, but often lacks the patience for it. Frequently forces passes or drives into traffic looking to dump the ball, only to discover there is nobody there. Despite good passing instincts, ast/TO ratio hovers at about 1:1 because of the mistakes. Gets spot minutes bringing the ball up as a PG, and has gotten better at handling pressure, but can still be trapped by an aggressive quicker PG and lacks the ballhandling skills to consistently create for teammates from that position.


Defense & Rebounding
As with most of his game, a giveth and taketh away defender. Hustler, and uses his length to make spectacular plays that can change momentum. Is a good shotblocker for a swingman. But mistake prone and can give a lot of it right back with bad gambles and sloppiness. Good competitor when challenged, and has even faced down Kobe at times, but has a tendency to fall asleep and drift off his man over the course of a game. Better help defender than man on man, where his lack of lateral quickness is sometimes exposed. Likes to jump in the passing lanes, fly over for the block. Sometimes forgets about his own man in the process. Average rebounder for a guard, subpar for a SF. Has the length, but not the strength.


Intangibles
Plays with passion, but not always with smarts. Makes a great play to lift you, and then a really boneheaded one to sink you. Welcome to the world of Francisco Garcia. Very emotional player, both the good and the bad. Teeters right on the edge of being out of control, and sometimes falls over it. Has leadership ability, whether it be leading a team back with his passion, or leading them right into the dumps with wild play. Never have to question his effort though. One of the few Kings who seems to play with the same effort off the bench as he does as a starter. Combined with his aggression, makes him a strong 6th man candidate.

Where it all went wrong: The injury. Going down late in training camp really hurt both he and the team from a morale standpoint as much as anything else. Was not there to try to help his favorite coach (Theus) keep his job, and as one of the few Kings with leadership qualities, was not there to stem the tide of apathy that quickly took hold of the season. After his return his performance has been spotty, with a large drop in shooting percentage, particularly from long range where he could be deadly last year. Like many of his teammates, annoying aspects of his game like his tendency to brainlessly quickshoot 3s, overaggresively foul 3pt shooters, or play the grimacing drama queen whenever he gets a booboo have become less tolerable in the face of failure after failure on the court.

What has gone right: Still finding ways to be useful with his versatility -- after initially looking like he might end up bumped down in the rotation once Kevin returned, Natt began to experiment with him as a PF in smallball lineups, and more recently as a PG in the face of the utter incompetence of the main guys at that position. And is one of the few Kings still playing with sputtering passion, just nobody is following his lead.

Donte Greene
Grade: D+
What I said about him before the season:

Spoiler

Offense (Scoring & Passing)
Freakishly huge wing player with great looking jump shot. Takes it up high and gets it off quick, making it almost unblockable. Problem is that nobody needs to block it because it didn't go in very often last year, and went in even less during preseason. Issue may not be lack of range so much as lack of smarts -- takes a lot of dumb shots and too often settles into a role as an Antoine Walkeresque chucker, taking fully half of all his shots from the college three last year, and more than half from three in the preseason. Question of whether he will be able to drive around NBA defenders was not answered conclusively during the preseason. Rarely took it to the rack, but when he did, looked competent. If he can ever get it to fall, fear of his jumper may make guys play him tight and open up the lanes he needs. As the preseason wore on began to occasionally foray inside where he was able to use his size and athleticsm to good effect on follows and alley oops. Displayed a smattering of post moves in college, but did not show much of that in preseason. Didn't show much inclination to pass in either college or the preseason and looks to be a finsiher rather than a creater.

Defense & Rebounding
Played at Syracuse, where they play all zone all the time, so will be entering the NBA with little man on man experience. In the preseason sometimes looked competent and comfortable, and sometimes looked completely lost when trying to guard his man. Goes for a lot of pump fakes at this stage, and does not use his size and strength to full advantage when being posted by smaller players. At his size there is some question if he wiull have the quickness to stay in front of smaller guys, but did not seem to be a major issue in preseason. On the other hand, used that size to good effect altering and blocking shots in college, and showed some instincts that way in preseason. Did a good job on the glass in his only year of college, leading his team despite mostly being a perimeter player, but was rarely a factor there during the preseason despite the size advantage.

Intangibles
This was the area which caused this highly hyped talent to slide so far in the draft. Upside is obviously incredible, and as far as raw tools he arguably has more than any other King. But played selfish and not very smart in his only year in college, which left drafters wondering if he had the brains and work ethic to get the most out of the talent. Could well be a boom or bust sort of player. Has to decide whether he wants to be great or not. Comparisons could range from Rashard Lewis to Martell Webster to Tim Thomas to Jonathon Bender. Preseason did little to resolve his potential -- was highly erratic, opening the preseason with an impressive 18pt game, and then struggling badly and even being shut out on one occasion. A project player.

Where it all went wrong: When Theus was fired and Natt replaced him. For all that there were many complaints about Theus's use of the kids on the roster (his fascination with Mikki in particular) Natt has been even worse. One of his first moves was cutting back on the minutes of the young guys, and Donte has been one of the primary recipeints of that cutback. At one time on the fringes of the rotation under Theus, under Natt he has barely touched the floor, and the return of Cisco and Kevin from injury even resulted in a stint for him down in the developmental league. Along the way he has disappointed by not showing much consistency or improvement to this point. Most discouragingly, thus far the kid cannot shoot, and that's supposed ot be one of his calling cards.

What has gone right: has shown himself to be an agreeable kid, with emphasis on kid, and has produced a series of funny videos for the marketing department. The question would be if he truly understands that he is a professional now, and truly burns with the desire to get better.

 

[Bricklayer]

Kevin Martin
Grade: C-
What I said about him before the season:

Spoiler

Offense (Scoring & Passing)
One of the league's best scorers, and scores in virtually every way, off the drive, on the break, from three, and from the line. Super efficiency has faded a bit as defenses have keyed on him, but still potent. Key to much of it is exceptional quickness and speed. Does not have great one on one or ballhandling skills, but is expert at coming off screens, and finding angles and seams if his opponent is off balance. Is also one of the tougher players to guard off the ball in the league, moving constantly and taking advantage of inattentive defense. Does have a tendency to tire and slow down in this respect late in games. Claims to have modeled his game after Rip Hamilton and Reggie Miller, and in one respect certainly has: he flops. A lot. Constantly looking for contact, and if he can't find it, will create it. Led the entire league in FTs last year, and converts them at a very high rate (87%). Sometimes perhaps too interested in drawing the foul, and can miss easy shots while searching for contact. Still has a funky windup on his shot that slows it down, but has smoothed it out over the years, and the most important thing is that it goes in. Deadeye shooter from three when left open, but less effective if challenged. His pump fake may not look like much, but the combination of fear of his outside shot along with his quickness causes many a defender to bite and regret it. Still very skinny, but has bulked up from his rookie year, and is able to finish through contact. Has particularly potent one handed floater on the drive. Loves to get out on the break and use his speed. In fact at least some of his defensive woes (see below) are because of this trait. Has solid passing skills, but rarely creates for teammates. Lack of ballhandling and scorer's mentality mean normally looking for the shot, not the pass. Will go through patches where he is consciously looking to pass, and shows some talent for setting people up, but its rarely smoothly integrated, and you are more likely to see him with 0 assists than 5.


Defense & Rebounding
Nowhere near the defender he should be, and often a liability. A bit disappointing since early in his career he showed a combination of feistiness when being posted despite his extremely skinny build combined with the quickness to guard some PGs. Rarely see that intensity anymore though, and one assumes that its because of a focus on scoring. Is mistake prone on defense, often turning his head or losing his man. Lack of strength is a problem inside. Gets some steals up top by using his speed to jump on lazy crosscourt passes, but rarely picks his own man, and gets relatively few steals for someone with his quickness. Can be very effective coming back to help on the glass with his athleticism, but just as often prefers to leak out looking for the easy score. This applies defensively as well, where he will often head upcourt before the ball is secured. While Salmons is no slouch on defense, will no longer have Ron Artest around to take the tough matchups and will have to pick it up.


Intangibles
Quiet demeanor on and off court has contributed to popularity and reputation as a "nice guy", but the impression is that there is a nasty competitor there lurking beneath the surface. Will likely have a chance to prove himself as a clutch performer this season with Ron Artest now gone. Got into several spats with the coaching staff last year about role and respect, but seemed to handle it better than his disputes with Musselman the year before, and never checked out on the team. Is now clearly the Kings best player and has stated he wants to be more of a leader this year after years of quietly following, but there is some question whether his quiet personality will allow him to be effective in that role.

Where it all went wrong: Being thrust into a leadership role. In many ways nearly everything has gone wrong with Kevin this year. He got injured, and worse than getting injured, saw a seemingly minor problem linger and cause people to begin to question his toughness and willingness to play through pain. He saw a coach he publicly backed get canned. The former efficiency king is shooting .419 this season and finding out what life is like as a #1 option that opposing teams are focused on. His rebounding has fallen off, his defense has gotten even worse, if that was possible, and there are times when you have to seriously question the effort. Five years into his career now, that is troubling, as you have to wonder if he thinks he is above playing defense, if its not worth the work, or if he just can't. His turnovers are way up as his ballhandling weakness has been exposed with him trying to create more for himself and others. His clutch play has now come into question after a long string of poor late game performances and decisions last month, and his attempt to become more of a leader this season has crashed and burned. Particularly devastating to that last bit was Kevin speaking up last month after a horrid performance on our home floor, more or less guaranteeing there would be no more games like that, and then promptly playing atrociously the very next game out. Needless to say there have been more games like that, the game on Tuesday just being the most recent example.

What has gone right: Given all of the above, why still a C-? Well, because through it all he is still averaging 24ppg, that's why. Its both a good and a bad sign that you can average 24ppg and still be a disappointment. Good in that there must be high expectations for you. Bad in that you can score 24ppg and the effectiveness of your overall performance is still very much in question.


Quincy Douby
Grade: F
What I said about him before the season:

Spoiler

Offense (Scoring & Passing)
Undersized shooting guard, sees the game as a scorer not a PG. Good range, but extremely streaky shooter. Has had a handful of explosive games, but not able to sustain. Can get into bad funks where does nothing but chuck up threes -- over a third of his shots from that distance. Bit of a black hole. Not a catch and shoot guy at all -- prefers to shoot off the dribble. In college was a bit of a one man machine on offense, and still more comfortable in that style. Bit of a problem since he will never be that guy in the NBA but does not have a roleplayer's game. Has the quickness to drive and finish up high over shotblockers, but does not consistently use it. Good FT shooter last season when he attacked and got to the line. Pedestrian passer -- appears to have to consciously decide to set somebody up rather than it being fluid. Can bring the ball up, but has not shown any PG instincts to this point, and needs to to secure minutes.

Defense & Rebounding
Quick and aggressive defender on the perimeter. Long arms for a little player, capable of surprising players on the perimeter by blocking their jump shots. Very skinny and can be overpowered by bigger SGs. Better against PGs. Non factor on the glass.

Intangibles
Quiet player who causes no problems, but may not have a role on the team. Inability to learn the PG position has left him a spot/garbagetime player. Does not make anybody better.

Where it all went wrong: A series of failed late game performances in November. Douby was another player that Theus and management did not see eye to eye on, and I got the feeling that in mid-November Reggie threw Quincy out on the court more to prove a point to management than anything else. Set him up to fail in a way. And fail he did, rather spectacularly, choking in the clutch one game and largely losing the game for us, coming back the next night with his confidence apparently shot and shooting 0-9, including 0-5 from 3pt land, and then being thrown into a late game situtation again to choke off a series of shots as we went down in defeat. Under the rule I established with Mikki it should be very difficult for a player with such low expectations as Douby to actually get an F, but in this case Quincy was given one more chance to establish himself -- if he could have performed he would have maybe carved out a niche -- and instead he collapsed and basically ended his career with the Kings, and who knows, maybe the league. It was just such an obvious turning point, such a stark failure, that F seems warranted.

What has gone right: umm...

 

[Bricklayer]

Beno Udrih
Grade: D-
What I said about him before the season:

Spoiler

Offense (Scoring & Passing)
Good offensive PG with a nice combination of driving ability and outside shooting. Fundamentally sound on the pick and roll. When driving likes to go all the way to the rim, and is not afraid to take contact in order to finish. Not a break you down one on one sort of player, so most drives come off the pick and roll or through an open seam. Has good range all the way out to the three point line. Very streaky. When on, can be the best player on the floor. When off, just disappears. Generally thinks like a PG, knows how to run an offense and how to set people up, yet assist totals remain low largely because of a lack of creativity. Generally solid, but when he gets on a cold streak can take you out of a game with unnecessary turnovers.


Defense & Rebounding
Not a great defender, with the major problem being quickness issues. Just can't stay in front of the darts, and has to play so far off of them that they can shoot over him at will despite his height. Shows good instincts however, and knows how to use angles to cut off quicker players. Size lets him alter some shots inside as well as play some SG (where he is undersized of course). Does a good job of reading plays and anticipating where his man is going to go. Is effective when diving back down into the paint to help on the glass, and has the size to compete in there. But does not do it consistently, and overall just an average rebounder for a PG.


Intangibles
Thrown into a difficult position last year, but responded well and became one of the oncourt leaders of the team. Vocal on the court, and showed an understanding of the PG's coach on the floor role, frequently calling huddles, talking to guys who were upset, etc. Responded well in several "big" games (as big as they could get in a lottery season). Had a reputation in San Antonio as a bit of a partier and not always being in shape. Showed none of that in Sacto. Did however continue career long pattern of being plagued by injuries, and whether he can hold up for a full year as the starter will have to be seen.

Where it all went wrong: Signing the big contract. I was going to say training camp, because it was intimated at the time that maybe Beno had not shown up in the best shape and ready to go, but I think the contract was the root cause. First with such a poor followup season the implication that last year's performance was just a contract year push has grown. Second, it turned a chunk of the fanbase on him and raised expectations -- where we were just happy to get anything out of him after we claimed him off waivers, with a big deal in place all of a sudden the same ole wasn't good enough. And third, I think maybe Beno got fat and sassy after inking the deal and lost his edge. He certainly has not competed at the same level this year, has spent more time fighting his teammates and coaches than opposing players, and on far far too many nights just has not shown up. The end result has been such a crisis of trust that it is virtually impossible for Beno to provide the leadership you need from your PG at this point, and Natt in particular has watched him like a hawk and so restricted his freedom to play that all spontaneity has been lost. Throw in still miserable defense and big spats of dumb TOs, and this season has gone about as bad as it possibly could have for Beno.

What has gone right: And yet not an F, and the reason why is that if you actually look at the numbers, statistically at least Beno's performance this year is only slightly down from where it was last year. His assists are actually slightly up. And so it raises some question, some, about how much worse he has been this time out, and how much of it has just been us paying closer attention. There were certainly stinker games last year, but it felt like the good ones came more often, and Beno just felt dangerous in a way that he most certainly does not this season.


Bobby Jackson
Grade: C
What I said about him before the season:

Spoiler

Offense (Scoring & Passing)
Still aggressive and occasionally explosive, but struggles on a lot of nights anymore. Mostly a jumpshooter late in his career, and takes nearly half his shots from three point range at this stage. Still fearless on his drives and able to absorb contact but the majority of the time will settle. Most of his layups come in transition now where he still likes to run. Streaky shooter, but only rarely has those explosive hot sreaks of old. Has struggled to hit the 40% accuracy mark since leaving Sacto 4 years ago, but bounced back somewhat when reunited with Rick Adelman in Houston. Can get a little shot happy -- still a shoot first guy, but that can be problematic when they do not fall. Passing remains what it always was -- not a true PG. Will hit an open player, but not see or create an opportunity that is not obviously there.

Defense & Rebounding
Tough and physical for a small guard. Starting to lose his quickness now -- still a willing defender, but can be blown by by the darts. Extremely strong player for his size -- able to credibly swing to SG despite being only 6'1" and hold his own physically. Used to crash inside fearlessly battling the tall trees for boards. Still will upon occasion, but no longer the physical freak he was during his younger years.

Intangibles
Beloved in Sacramento for his fearless play during the championship contending years. Pretty much unviersally liked. During the peak years was the oncourt leader of the bench -- played with passion and no fear. Now in his twilight years has a chance to provide veteran leadership to a young team. Still fearless off the bench, but only sporadically provides that inspirational lift he did during his prime. Has always been plagued by injuries, and now is aging as well, but actually fared a little bit better on that front since moving away from the ancient indian burial ground under Arco. Now that he's back...

Where it all went wrong: He got old man. And old age catches up to everybody sooner or later. But realistically many of us knew that he was aging and no longer the same player, that the quickness was gone and the jumper often AWOL. What has been more problematic has been an outgrowth of one of the things in the gone right column -- Bobby has been noticeably unhappy, grumpy, not happy with coaches or teammates, and in general festering from a chemistry standpoint.

What has gone right: on most nights still brings that toughness and competitiveness. Hates this losing, and has tried to provide leadership to get us out of it. Unfortunately its not been enough, and Bobby often looks, and sounds, disgusted.

 

[Bricklayer]

Bobby Brown
Grade: C-
What I said about him before the season:

Spoiler

Offense (Scoring & Passing)
Known as a scoring PG or even combo guard in college, and certainly looked much more comfortable creating for himself than for others in the preseason. Wants to run run all the time. Superquick and can get to the rim at will, or use the quickness to launch a three. Perhaps almost too easy for him to get off his shots, because he likes to do it. A lot. When he's hot, he's a hero. When he's not, people throw things at their TVs (and have a better chance of connecting than Bobby does). Ofttimes so interested in shooting seems to forget the passing part of being a PG, but not at all incompetent as a passer when he takes the trouble. Had a handful of nifty assists during the preseason that showed real potential if he ever has a mentality transplant.

Defense & Rebounding
Had supposedly shored his defense up after it was a real weakness in college, but struggled in preseason. Ironically it was not so much his lack of strength hindering him against power guards as it was fellow quick darts who he struggled to contain. Able to use his own quickness for the occasional spectacular play, but not able to consistently have impact. Despite lack of size looks like he may be a decent rebounder at PG, using his quickness to chase down balls ratehr than strength.

Intangibles
Spent a year in Europe where he apparently gained some strength and refinement, and took the summer league by storm to get himself a guaranteed deal. Was erratic during preseason, and will have to watch out for becoming too selfish with the ball. Figures to probably be behind Bobby Jackson as the #3 PG to start the season, but given how injury prone the two guys ahead of him are (Beno and BJax) will likely have his opportunities as the season goes on.

Where it all went wrong: I'm not sure there was really any turning point with Bobby, besides making the mistake of signing with this franchise for this season. Most of the gone wrong are just the weaknesses to his game, the shoot first mentality, lack of size and defensive effort, poor shot selection and shooting percentages, inconsistency etc. Has shown a remarkable ability to make bad plays to close out quarters and halves. Turnovers, bad fouls, quck shots, you name it. Has yet to establish himself as a solid dependable main backup PG in the NBA.

What has gone right: has shown flashes of impact ability, but just has not been able to sustain. Not sure there has been much growth on offense over the season, but of late he does seem to be making much more of a defensive effort to use his quickness to be a pest. That's a very positive development, and the sort of thing that could result in a journeyman career if he can sustain.

 

[venom_7]

good analysis.

a grade for Natt?

anyway. my pc is out of commission for the time being. so you will all be seeing me less often

 

[BritishColumbia]

Thanks ... it was interesting to read and the grades were fair and objective IMO

 

[6th]

Thanks, Brick! As usual, this is as complete an analysis as we'll see anywhere. I also thought the grades were fair (if a bit harsher than I would give). Then again, I'm just a big softie.