Vlade Divac on Jim Rome
- Thread starter Merdiesel
- Start date
I am not interested, but I do have a question: what portion of the show does the second interview usually occur in? Because I thought I heard them say on the morning show that you guys were going to cut to baseball at the top of the hour.
Jojimbo
G-League
I really hope his magic works there too, I don't see Boogie or Karl submitting to the other.
Draft2007
G-League
Is it just me or shouldn't this kind of thing be handled behind closed doors? Beyond the pushing Karl out the door conspiracy theories what positive can come from airing the Kings dirty laundry on a national radio show?
kingjatt
Starter
With so much invested into this season(free agents, trades, going "all in" so to speak) there is no way we should be going into it with a rift between Cuz and Karl. Cuz is the type of person who absolutely needs that coach/player bond and mutual respect. With Rondo/Cuz/Rudy we already have a pretty volatile core it would be insane to move forward with Karl if he cannot get along with Cuz. Thats just a ticking time bomb, it will not end well.
I know 11 million plus paying a new coach is a lot of money to eat but in this instance it must be done if they cannot reconcile.
I know 11 million plus paying a new coach is a lot of money to eat but in this instance it must be done if they cannot reconcile.
kingjatt
Starter
Well at least we know Vlade is honest and refuses to be fake like Petey. Better it come from him directly than "sources". What we can also conclude is that the rift is definitely a big deal if it has not been dealt with yet. The more time that passes without them reconciling the lesser the chance that it ever happens.
ockingsfan
Starter
Yes. This should be kept in-house. Vlade needs to keep a tighter ship and that begins with him.
Just downplay everything and say you will work on that once he is done with free agent signings.
I have to assume it's one of two things. Either:
(1) Vlade is still just a very straight talking and upfront guy who hasn't learned how tightly GMs need to keep their cards to their vest or
(2) It's being discussed publicly because Vlade wants it out there both for Karl to know that it has to be addressed and for fans to know in case Divac is unable to mend things between Karl and Boogie and had to either trade DMC (unlikely) or fire Karl (more likely).
Personally I think the 2nd is much more likely. Vlade is firmly in charge of the S.S. Kings and he's saying in no uncertain terms what has to happen to move forward.
Generally yes, but the cat is already out of the bag here on Karl vs Boogie. By publically and proactively addressing it Vlade controls the narrative and mitigates the rumor mongering the press/agents/other gms love (that they'll slant to their purposes, not ours)
No sense risking this simmering. You do free agency then address the coaching. Plus if he has any concerns he can't fix things (sounds like he does) he's probably done his due diligence and lined up a plab b and c (I say probably because of the way he operated in free agency... when he missed on a signing he was on to the next option FAST...clearly he has a plan) and doing things publically keeps the team looking less amateurish and again prevents others from controlling narratives if we have to move on from Karl.
rainmaker
Hall of Famer
The problem I see with it is it's not worth the risk having this level of issues between Cuz/Karl going into this season. This season is far too important. In no way should we be risking another firing midseason, another blown season, Cuz demanding a trade, what have you. Things can get ugly. I'd actually say it's more likely than not.
And that is why I say fire Karl now. I'll keep beating that drum as we're the last franchise who can afford such a risk. Looking at Karl's history, he's burned bridges almost every stop along the way and that plays into it. It's hope at best that these two can make it through this season and beyond and this squad will be maximized. That's the bottom line in sports, maximize your assets, maximize your team, give yourself the best possible chance for success.
Keeping Karl doesn't accomplish that. It's hopeful at best. We're not in a position to be "hopeful". Eliminate the risk now.
BTW, Vlade also openly admitted he and Karl have issues, he had to do something he didn't want to do pertaining to Karl and Karl needs to trust him. So Karl/Vlade aren't working all that well together and the relationship between Karl/Cuz "isn't pretty". Not firing him can sabotage this thing. Risk management. Take him out. Doesn't work well with our two most important pieces, Vlade and Cuz. Step up Vivek. Learn from your previous mistake with PDA/Malone and correct this now. Show some backbone.
chasen4r1
Starter
It makes me nervous to put another questionable personality on this team.
But you cant help but look at the potential upside. 1) the chemistry between Rondo, Gay, Smith, and Cousins would be real, and I'd love to see those guys having fun out on the court. and 2) It would clearly be the most talented roster we've had in some time.
So much of this already hinges on Karl and his relationship with Cousins and company
Letsgokings13
Starter
I agree with Rainmaker. Cut the cord before it is too late if it is that bad. if you can't get along with Vlade - something is wrong. I side with Cuz because 1) He is our guy. our hope. 2) If someone can't get along with Vlade, they are the issue. 3) Karl never fully denied he wanted to trade Cuz.
It wasn't as bad as it sounds. I actually took it as a positive.
Rome asked a pretty good question and Vlade was straight to the point without sounding like a prick (PDA).
He also mentioned that DMC isn't going anywhere and that any decision made from here on out is his to make.
I definitely hear what you're saying, but Karl is the Key to Rondo's possible return to form.
This is DMC's team no doubt about it but Rondo getting back to his old self we could be looking at something way more than a fringe playoff team. If we are winning I'm sure Cousins could give a **** less as to who is coaching this team. This kid wants to win, and winning cures all.
Kingston Jamaica
Bench
First, I think Vlade wants to make sure that DMC knows that he is concerned about the relationship and intends to deal with it in the near future rather than late. Secondly, Vlade seems to create a culture in which things are on the table and are dealt with. That's the way a man in control speaks. To me, he is only adding to the confidence I have in him.
lawlman91
Starter
I like how Jim Rome gives Vlade some "break questions" in between the questions about the Kings right now.
Kingster
Hall of Famer
Westphal, Smart, Malone, Corbin, Karl. Those are the coaches Cousins has had as a King. How many worked out? One. Malone. Did anyone know ahead of time if Malone would work out with Cousins? No, they didn't. There was fear aplenty on the Malone-Cousins relations after Malone was hired. Based on history, there is a one in five chance of Cousins working out with the next coach after Karl. Maybe they luck out and they pick the one in five coach on the first roll of the dice. Maybe it's the fifth roll. Other than his Kentucky coach, who has already dismissed the idea, and Malone, who is now under contract, who could Cousins trust as his next coach after Karl? Isn't that what it's about? Cousins' trust? Is there a coach he's had other than Calipari and Malone that he trusts? Is there a coach on the Olympic team that he fully trusted that is a viable option for the next head coaching position with the Kings? What coach has Cousins had who Cousins fully trusts who has the experience necessary to be an NBA coach? For without a credible option for Coach Number 6, the next coach after Karl is just another crap shoot.
Jojimbo
G-League
Thibs, coached him and Rudy for the USA Basketball team.
Sac.Kings
All-Star
My theory to all this is that Vlade wants to fire Karl but Vivek has probably put that fire out. Vivek doesn't want to be on the hook for paying three coaches at once, and that may be the reason why Karl doesn't like Divac or get along with him. The only solution is to work it all out. However, Vlade has made his choice it's clear as day. It's Cousins. He just created a roster to 100% suit Cousins's talent and cover his weaknesses. Karl is on the hot seat. If he doesn't join the club so to speak, he's done.
rainmaker
Hall of Famer
The problem is weighing those two scenarios.
One, hoping a coach who's not working well with Vlade or Cuz and has a track record of alienating people wherever he's been, brushing all that aside and creating a positive environment with Vlade/Cuz, seeing us go on to maximize our squad/season.
Or, this thing blows up in our face.
If it was like a 10% chance of option two happening, I'd say ride it out and hope for the best. But I'd, in my unscientific opinion, say there's about a 70% chance the Cuz/Karl issues blow up at some point this season, which will likely waste the season and see us move on from one of Cuz/Karl anyway, while again becoming a laughingstock around the league.
If we blow up this season, we'll likely lose Cuz for good. Can't sit there and ask him for yet another chance and "next year will be the year". Den saw the issues after Karl won coach of the year and still fired him. At his age he ain't changing. No one can convince me this is worth the risk, keeping him on. We're basically going into another season with a stick of dynamite rolling around the locker room and being a Kings fan, I'm used to it igniting.
Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
Your entire statement makes no sense.
You can try to claim Cuz is not the premier big in the league, or you can try to claim our sucktatude is his fault. You can't claim both at the same time.
Nor can you choose an old troublemaking **** over your homegrown HOF talent. He'll wreck your future and waddle off into retirement in a few years, and you'll be lucky if you've even got a few of his patented first round exits out of it before he leaves you in the lurch having to start over, again. If he can't work with Cousins, he should never have been hired. So if need be you rectify that latest little hamhanded mistake.
Padrino
All-Star
shortsighted. simplistic. reductive. the status quo has been organizational instability and a dearth of complementary talent; it has little to do with demarcus cousins himself, who has developed into a superstar right on schedule despite this franchise's utter mismanagement across two separate regimes. with karl's advancing age and not insignificant health concerns, he was only ever going to be a temporary fix for the head coaching debacle created by last season's self-sabotage. however, if the kings can manage to put a solid supporting cast around cousins (and it would appear that vlade divac has begun to do so in earnest), we could be looking at a run of success that this city hasn't seen in more than a decade. if it comes down to cousins or karl, i'd much rather take a chance on sustainable success with cousins over a few hit-and-run seasons above .500 with karl, though i certainly hope he and demarcus can forge a playoff-caliber partnership for however long both of them remain in sacramento...
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