What comes before picking up the tempo?

[TaxMan]

Well, I think this is what you get after canning Joeger. That’s not a snipe at the franchise for the move. I’ve come around to Walton in general, but this team was not ready for the “jump” to the next level as evidenced by the second half last year. While there are clearly some general philosophical consistencies from last year, the move almost certainly requires at least one step back to move two steps forward by the end of the year. Joeger was doing whatever he could to squeeze out some wins as he was heading into year three with the team with not much to show. I’m sure Walton realizes he’s got at least two years unless everything turns to crap this year. He has the luxury of building a better foundation with a young core he knows will be around for the foreseeable future. The .500+ ball without fox and Bagley was a bit of fools gold (in the long run) because he got a more veteran team on the floor that could more quickly figure out the basics of what he was trying to do. Fox/Bagley both give you a huge step up in talent, but it will take time.

I’m pretty resigned that this is not a playoff team and the enjoyment this year will be watching the growth of the foundation of successful Kings basketball for years to come. Unfortunately, we’ve done this many times over the past 35 years but I guess that’s just how we roll.

 

[VF21]

The Philly trade was an effort to clear cap space to sign a big name free agent (Wesley Matthews) and get the team into the playoff hunt. Gave up a 1st round lottery pick for that. Pipe dream/shortcut. Should have been building through the draft, not free agency.

Trading in Malone for what eventually became George Karl was a Shortcut.

Sure the Barnes trade was a shortcut too. And I really like Barnes. But the "core" of the team was not ready and needed more time to gel and learn to be pros. Picking up Barnes sped up expectations, which has led to signing veteran role players who are stunting growth instead of helping the young players. It's not the role players fault. They are there to compete. But if the vision was of Fox, Bagley and Giles running the court together then that got thrown out the window the minute the organization sniffed some success. They weren't patient enough to see their vision through.

Now everyone is in panic mode. If I were an opposing GM, I'd be throwing all kinds of trade deals the Kings way right now.

Not everyone.

 

[Kangztillidie]

Not everyone.

Almost everyone tho. I admit, my patience is running thin for a lot of the issues we still display.

Bagley is a 1 dimensional black hole who doesnt make good decisions and displays an anemia to simple fundamentals of the game. It's hard to ignore the people who constantly point out that his stats are ok but he doesnt play winning basketball because he really doesnt. He gives up more on the defensive side of the court than he bring on the other end.

And Buddy right now is historically inefficient. His shooting numbers are super low for a self described shooter. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see how much better the team plays when neither is on the court.

Fox has been a bright spot. Amidst all of the garbage around the team he has been efficient and has been hustling. His d is starting to come around. If he took just a tiny bit more pride on that end he would be a top level defender. He needs to develop his 3 more tho. And he needs to have a little less of a conscience with it. I'm not saying he should jack 8 3s every game. But he needs to start putting up 5 or 6. Confidently.

 

[VF21]

I'm sorry but it seems some people only want to focus on the negatives, acting as though there haven't been any changes in personnel in a decade.

Luke is doing better than a lot expected, but it's apparently not good enough. I'm encouraged by what I've seen from him thus far. If the Kings do it his way I think we'll be a lot better off than if we try to push again for the playoffs without really having a sound footing.

 

[Livinthedream]

Well, I think this is what you get after canning Joeger. That’s not a snipe at the franchise for the move. I’ve come around to Walton in general, but this team was not ready for the “jump” to the next level as evidenced by the second half last year. While there are clearly some general philosophical consistencies from last year, the move almost certainly requires at least one step back to move two steps forward by the end of the year. Joeger was doing whatever he could to squeeze out some wins as he was heading into year three with the team with not much to show. I’m sure Walton realizes he’s got at least two years unless everything turns to crap this year. He has the luxury of building a better foundation with a young core he knows will be around for the foreseeable future. The .500+ ball without fox and Bagley was a bit of fools gold (in the long run) because he got a more veteran team on the floor that could more quickly figure out the basics of what he was trying to do. Fox/Bagley both give you a huge step up in talent, but it will take time.

I’m pretty resigned that this is not a playoff team and the enjoyment this year will be watching the growth of the foundation of successful Kings basketball for years to come. Unfortunately, we’ve done this many times over the past 35 years but I guess that’s just how we roll.

Holmes deserves everything he gets, but his breakout really derailed Walton's initial plan. I agree he has a couple of years to get the team going, but Holmes is now part of the equation. Bagley is the more versatile offensive player, so he is the one being tasked to adjust his game. There will be ugliness along the way, but I hope Walton and Vlade can stick it out until they know for sure what they have.

 

[ppine]

A new coach changes everything. I said before the season that it will take awhile for the Kings to adjust. I did not think the adjustment would be this hard. The Kings' offense is anemic. It is on life support. That needs to get fixed pronto.

 

[sergmatt]

Luke is doing better than a lot expected, but it's apparently not good enough. I'm encouraged by what I've seen from him thus far. If the Kings do it his way I think we'll be a lot better off than if we try to push again for the playoffs without really having a sound footing.

LOL This post held up well from yesterday afternoon.

Better than expected you say? I don't think even Luke's detractors figured he'd be 12-19 at this point.

This whole fluff-piece article essentially saying "you gotta walk before you can run" is just another BS excuse from the organization. If the Kings played in a bigger east-coast market they'd actually be asked some hard questions from the reporters. Sacramento is soft though so we get fluff articles essentially saying "it's ok to lose it's all part of the bigger plan".

There is no nobility in losing. What the Kings were doing at the beginning of last season (winning more games than they lose) actually inspires confidence in the players and seems to help them improve since they see the results. Going backwards and killing the offense (while losing) isn't going to help these players or the chemistry. It's a tricky thing but when you have an identity and something that's working........

 

[notoriousBEN3]

I’m all for teaching the team how to play in the half court offense, but to slow the team down to one of the lowest ranking teams in pace seems like you take away one of the teams biggest strengths.

Bagley may not be a beast on the block, but he is more than capable of running with Fox and creating mismatches in transition.

Buddy seems like he’s so much better in transition, when he can trail for the open 3 instead of creating himself.

Maybe it’s the players themselves, but I just didn’t see a lot of good offense possessions last night. There was lots of passing, but nobody was really getting open for good shots.

I understand the need to create a more multidimensional offense, but I think you also need to play to your teams strengths, and giving the ball to Bogi and letting him create in the half court is not going to lead to a playoff team.

Players need to get smarter, but seems to me like the game plan needs to get smarter as well

 

[ppine]

where is Iman Shumpert when we desperately need him?

 

[ppine]

The Timberwolves are statistically one of the worst teams in the league on defense.
They gave the Kings fits last night.

 

[Livinthedream]

The Timberwolves are statistically one of the worst teams in the league on defense.
They gave the Kings fits last night.

Both teams were running the same exact offense and both teams were garbage on offense last night. So not sure any team was giving the other fits. Not a fan of that style of play at all.

 

[ppine]

It took the Kings two OTs to get to 100 points.

 

[Warhawk]

Not everyone.

Yep, you have to care to be panicked.

Frankly, while no less of a "fan" than previous years, my interest in watching games has waned this year.

Walton was not my first choice for a replacement coach but I think he's done a bit better than I expected to this point (the bar was pretty low to start with). Not to say I'm impressed, but not really disappointed at this point either, other than the times when our team goes into hero-ball mode multiple times a game. That really needs to get fixed.

I was much more excited at the beginning of the year (despite Walton), but with the injuries to two of our stars and Buddy's struggles, I just can't muster up the same interest in watching every game. I catch the ones I can, follow most games on Twitter when I can't, and don't lose any sleep either way.

Frankly, with the early injuries, I think this season was "lost" before it really started. And by lost I mean chances of making the playoffs. That was the goal the team has been pushing (the "next step") and while it is still early and we could turn things around I'm at the point where they need to show me something before I start forking over any $$$ to go to more than a couple games this year. Admittedly, it seems like this year the record to get in for WC teams may be much lower and if we get everyone healthy we could go on a run as our schedule gets easier. At this point I'm hopeful but not holding my breath. I don't know if the few games we played really well were just a fluke or an indicator of what is to come. It seems more like a fluke at this point.