What has happened to Mike Bibby?

[PoundForPound]

the guy used to be a playoff beast, played like a superstar in a pg's body and suddenly he's changed. some might say it's the players around him who are no longer there but i don't believe that, if you're as good as he is you should be able to score in numerous ways. where on earth did he go wrong?

 

[hey_gripboy]

a good player in a bad situation

 

[RaY Z]

his confidence....

at an all time low atm... and im sure muss being a the coach doesnt help his confidence at all...

 

[Kingfanpaul]

he spends too much time at Thunder Valley. lol. Since he was not good enough to go to vegas he has been at thunder valley the last two nights.

 

[tjobrien]

Quite simply, everyone overvalued Bibby. No doubt, he is a clutch shooter. And he's a really great open shooter. But he doesn't do too much else. He's not a great penetrator. He's not a great finisher. He's not a great passer. He's a horrid defender.

The thing is, a great shooter like Bibby can seem like a great player when in the right situation. When he is the 3rd or 4th option on the team. He is the ideal 3rd option, really. He would flourish on a team like Miami. He would get so many open looks it would be ridiculous. Everyone would say, "Bibby's back!" Well, no. He's the same he's always been. But he cannot be The Man on a team. He just can't. It's not in him.

I do like Bibby, but I wish he was traded because he's going to waste on this team. He needs to go somewhere that he can play his role. And we need to develop young kids, get a better draft pick, and get under the cap.

 

[GoGoGadget]

I think the injury, and his decision to play through it, had a much bigger impact on his game than anyone thought it would.

Also think that there's a lack of confidence in the coach/team that's having an affect on his playing and on his decision making. Too often he tries to force it, but when he doesn't he's very seldom put it a position to do anything. Despite the popularity of calling him out for being a ball hog this year, I've actually noticed far more often that when he's not making an attempt at hero mode he'll go for several possessions at a time without even touching the ball. Or, he'll bring the ball up and make the entry pass only to watch someone else's clumsy attempt at one-on-one.

With the exception of a few individual performances, there's been a lot of ugliness going on this year and Mike's only a part of it. He may never have been as good as we've seen, but I certainly don't think he's as bad as we're seeing right now. Good players don't normally wake up one morning and suddenly suck.

 

[whozit]

I think the injury, and his decision to play through it, had a much bigger impact on his game than anyone thought it would.

Also think that there's a lack of confidence in the coach/team that's having an affect on his playing and on his decision making. Too often he tries to force it, but when he doesn't he's very seldom put it a position to do anything. Despite the popularity of calling him out for being a ball hog this year, I've actually noticed far more often that when he's not making an attempt at hero mode he'll go for several possessions at a time without even touching the ball. Or, he'll bring the ball up and make the entry pass only to watch someone else's clumsy attempt at one-on-one.

With the exception of a few individual performances, there's been a lot of ugliness going on this year and Mike's only a part of it. He may never have been as good as we've seen, but I certainly don't think he's as bad as we're seeing right now. Good players don't normally wake up one morning and suddenly suck.

I'll agree with this and add another possible factor you didn't mention. This year, IMHO he may have had a personal agenda that seems to not have worked out for the benefit of the team or him. Going into the season his (according to his agent) intentions were to opt out at the end of the year and I think this may have had an adverse affect on his decisions. While it was noble for him to go and play hurt in the beginning, were his intentions/motivations noble? Having a sizable amount of games lost to injury, doesn't look good going into free agency. On the other hand, playing hurt undoubtedly was a factor in the early poor play. After he had healed, it seemed like he was trying to make up for the early poor showing in the stats resulting in what appeared to be selfish boneheaded decisions on the court. Is there any truth in this? I don't know but irregardless the problems lie on more than just one player, more than just the coach, management or the owners.

 

[SCKingsfan]

I agree he is a good player in a bad situation. It's been a long time since he's been on a crappy team, and it's often a hard transition to make. I think you move him to another (better team), and you probably see him doing what Webber is doing with Detroit - percentages up, better shot selection, a key player that makes the team much better. I bet you see him with the production he had a few years back for us.

 

[Packt]

Mike's been exposed the past two-three years. With no interior defenders, he is the focus of opponents attack. This year offensively, he played hurt which was a mistake, and on top of that, the coaching staff used him wrong. I don't think he should've been on-the-ball as much as he was. He said he didn't like how the previous regime was always setting him up in the corner, but guess what; it worked, and should still work. He still was allowed to work in a few drives, and drive-and-dish plays. Earlier in the year, I'd say he was playing selfish-- running up the court one-on-one against a defender and throwing up a jumper early in the shotclock. He's toned it down as the year went on, but the shooting still isn't good. His game slipped, the trade talk got louder, boos continue, and I don't think the organization gave him any reassurance that he was still their guy.

His confidence is at an all time low it seems. He doesn't even look like the Mike we know, and it looks like he is just going through the motions. These are the times where a veteran who knows his game would useful, but none are to be found. Brad Miller is still on the team, but his game is lost, too.

 

[KingDog]

IMHO, Mike was hand picked for the offense that we used to run. I think the team that we HAD was a true work of art, nearly a masterpiece.
That team and offense are long gone now and that shows off the weaknesses that Mike has had all along. Just as changes in the team structure changed Peja and so on.
I don't think there is anything so to say "wrong with Mike other than being like a fish out of water on this team.
I truely do believe that Mike has the same heart and desire to win. He just does not have the tools any longer to complete the task.
Just MHO
KD

 

[VF21]

IMHO, Mike was hand picked for the offense that we used to run. I think the team that we HAD was a true work of art, nearly a masterpiece.
That team and offense are long gone now and that shows off the weaknesses that Mike has had all along. Just as changes in the team structure changed Peja and so on.
I don't think there is anything so to say "wrong with Mike other than being like a fish out of water on this team.
I truely do believe that Mike has the same heart and desire to win. He just does not have the tools any longer to complete the task.
Just MHO
KD

You know, I've read about a gazillion explanations of what's "wrong" with Mike...

And this one, IMHO, says it all and does so without having to take snipes at either Bibby or anyone else.

Bravo.

 

[Padrino]

Quite simply, everyone overvalued Bibby. No doubt, he is a clutch shooter. And he's a really great open shooter. But he doesn't do too much else. He's not a great penetrator. He's not a great finisher. He's not a great passer. He's a horrid defender.

The thing is, a great shooter like Bibby can seem like a great player when in the right situation. When he is the 3rd or 4th option on the team. He is the ideal 3rd option, really. He would flourish on a team like Miami. He would get so many open looks it would be ridiculous. Everyone would say, "Bibby's back!" Well, no. He's the same he's always been. But he cannot be The Man on a team. He just can't. It's not in him.

I do like Bibby, but I wish he was traded because he's going to waste on this team. He needs to go somewhere that he can play his role. And we need to develop young kids, get a better draft pick, and get under the cap.

when motivated, bibby's an excellent penetrator despite his lack of quickness. he used to split defenses all the time. remember just last year? the guy had added a wonderful tear-drop type of shot to his repetoire. he would penetrate and either score with that shot consistently, or kick it out to someone else for an open shot as the defenses collapsed on him. you are right, though, that bibby's not an exceptional passer, by any means. still, he's plenty capable of distributing the ball...and once again, when properly motivated.

i think part of the problem is bibby's confidence. it can't be real good for a veteran of bibby's caliber to be playing on a losing team with a losing coach while watching management ship out all of the veterans he used to play with and constantly wondering when his own welcome will wear out in sacramento. the guy's head is in all the wrong places these days. muss has reduced him to an outside shooter rather than a facilitator for the offense to function. this really exposes bibby's defesive weaknesses, because he's not able to do much offensively.

bibby may not be the best passing point guard in the league, but he is a solid floor general when you let him play his game. of course, the big ??? comes when you talk about "his game." as has been mentioned before, bibby's game was catered to the specific adelman kings of recent memory. "his game" and the current "kings game" don't coincide real well. mike's just lost in the shuffle, and i'd like to see him traded before the deadline, if only for his sake. he's wasting away in sacramento. as much as he claims to like it here, i think it'd do wonders for his confidence to play on a team--and for a coach--who could really utilize his talents.

 

[PoundForPound]

why is everybody saying we need to rebuild? that's not even guarunteeing that we will end up successful down the road. we'd be lik the celtics, watching a young team for years. just trade for the present and start winning a.s.a.p.

 

[Hella916]

I hate to be sooo bold when I say this but Mik Bibby sucks... Sorry, I have never really liked the guy.... Right after he signed that huge contract with us he really changed... Stop playing with heart, stopped driving into the lane for layups, definitly stopped playing defense years and years ago... I have also heard from many people who have tryed talking to him and stuff claim he is an jerk( from what I hear)... I am also sick of hearing about his crew team dime or whatever they are called...Trade him for Jason Kidd already...Jeezzzz

 

[Padrino]

why is everybody saying we need to rebuild? that's not even guarunteeing that we will end up successful down the road. we'd be lik the celtics, watching a young team for years. just trade for the present and start winning a.s.a.p.

no ****. nobody's guranteeing success. what people are pointing out is the potential for success. if i had the motivation, i'd hunt down one of many of bricklayer's posts that outlines every team who has won a championship in recent memory...and how they got there. i don't have the motivation, though, so i'll just say this: what you'll notice in examining the evidence is that the successful teams snagged a superstar in the draft, developed the youth they already had in place, traded with other teams to build aroung the superstar, and signed veteran free agents to fill in the remaining gaps. that process is what we call a REBUILD. nothing is guaranteed in the nba. just ask the dallas mavericks, heavy favorites to win the championship last season.

the point is, as a franchise, you want to put yourself in the best possible position to win a championship, and sometimes that means compromising the mediocrity of the present in order to achieve success in the future. success ain't guaranteed, but "winning asap" doesn't guarantee a championship, either. i'd much rather watch a young ****ty boston celtics team with potential for a future than a 40-45 win kings team who have reached the cusp of their potential. this revolving door business has to stop in sacramento. shuffling players in and out of the lineup every year gets you nowhere. you have to find a group of guys that can play together, and stick with them. rebuilding is an excellent way to achieve this, because it allows a front office to focus on the future rather than on the immediacy of competing right now.

kings management is kind of caught in between those two modes of thinking, and that is a very dangerous place to be, because all they're doing is straddling the fence. they can't decide if they want to try and win now or if they want to start over. this kings team is so mismatched and patched together that it seems like no two pieces fit together. no amount of further patchwork can save this team in the current state, so rebuilding is highly advisable. groom the young players, draft smart, liquidate your assets so you can bring in more youth, sign veteran players to fill in the gaps, and do it all in the spirit of trying to build a TEAM that can play together. if they can't, then you tried your best, you blow up the clown (as is the current zeitgeist around here these days), and try again.

 

[BudWright]

Mike Bibby

King Dog said it best! I agree. And I also think Mike Bibby can go out for enjoyment during this break for the players--with no judgement from anyone!!! Good grief. Annie.

 

[PoundForPound]

forget rebulding and just go out and get some talent. buy your way to the finals like mark cuban. geez ..

 

[VF21]

I hate to be sooo bold when I say this but Mik Bibby sucks... Sorry, I have never really liked the guy.... Right after he signed that huge contract with us he really changed... Stop playing with heart, stopped driving into the lane for layups, definitly stopped playing defense years and years ago... I have also heard from many people who have tryed talking to him and stuff claim he is an jerk( from what I hear)... I am also sick of hearing about his crew team dime or whatever they are called...Trade him for Jason Kidd already...Jeezzzz

And he won't talk to you at recess either, will he?

 

[VF21]

forget rebulding and just go out and get some talent. buy your way to the finals like mark cuban. geez ..

Are you going to just keep posting this same comment in slightly different words? We get it... you don't want the team to rebuild. You'd much rather they wallowed forever in the hell known as "barely making the playoffs"...

Mark Cuban hasn't bought his way into the finals. Mark Cuban has had players like Dirk Nowitzki to build his team around. I may hate Cuban and detest the Mavericks but you can't deny the success of their actions in recent years to build a top contending team.

 

[PoundForPound]

u never know, VF21, the team we have may just need another player or two to become a contender. think about it.

 

[DaMan]

I agree with Padrino, Packt, and tjobrien with all the points they have made.

 

[VarianSyn]

IMHO, Mike was hand picked for the offense that we used to run. I think the team that we HAD was a true work of art, nearly a masterpiece.
That team and offense are long gone now and that shows off the weaknesses that Mike has had all along. Just as changes in the team structure changed Peja and so on.
I don't think there is anything so to say "wrong with Mike other than being like a fish out of water on this team.
I truely do believe that Mike has the same heart and desire to win. He just does not have the tools any longer to complete the task.
Just MHO
KD

I totally agree with this post. He's still the same Mike, but amongst different faces and personalities.

 

[Jerryaki]

u never know, VF21, the team we have may just need another player or two to become a contender. think about it.

best. joke. EVER! totally made my morning.

 

[VarianSyn]

best. joke. EVER! totally made my morning.

It's feasible. We have the tools already in place. Some shining young stars, a few bench players worth a damn. Some hungry bench players none the less.

A few strategically placed moves could make us a contender. Maybe not this year, but at least it'd be a start. I still think with 2 baseline moves the Kings could definitely make the playoffs and possibly compete.

 

[Merdiesel]

Hes not being Coached correctly.

The same time last year, right before the Peja/Artest trade he was killing.. I think he put up 50 one night. Adelman new how to use him.

When you have so many players with talent that are playing like garbage, it has to fall back in the lap of the coach. Muss needs to step up or get out!

 

[Kingster]

the guy used to be a playoff beast, played like a superstar in a pg's body and suddenly he's changed. some might say it's the players around him who are no longer there but i don't believe that, if you're as good as he is you should be able to score in numerous ways. where on earth did he go wrong?

His shooting has been off, beginning with the wrist injury. He still doesn't hit open shots that he should. And, he's never been good at getting his own shot against the more athletic point guards of the league. To shine, Bibby needs to play with 4 athletic players on the floor to make for his defensive deficiencies (Currently, he plays on maybe the most non-athletic team in the league). He also needs an offense that gives him either screens to get open or a legitimate down-low threat so that he can feed off of him, or both. Bibby was overated by many fans after the Laker playoff series, and he was overated by Petrie when he offered him a huge contract. He wasn't as good as people thought back then and he's not as bad as he's showing now.

 

[ESP47]

Bibby might be a 3rd option now. But what about last year when he was jacking up 40 points a week as the first option? The team hasnt changed a whole lot from last year when it comes to the starters.

 

[VF21]

It's feasible. We have the tools already in place. Some shining young stars, a few bench players worth a damn. Some hungry bench players none the less.

A few strategically placed moves could make us a contender. Maybe not this year, but at least it'd be a start. I still think with 2 baseline moves the Kings could definitely make the playoffs and possibly compete.

A few strategically placed moves? Care to elaborate? sorry, but this team as currently constructed is NOT going to ever do anything except break our and their hearts. It is not an elite team. It is not a championship caliber team. And it's not just a matter of one or two auxiliary shifts.

We MUST do something about the front court. That means looking seriously at both the 4 and the 5. Kenny Thomas is an ongoing problem that is not going to get better. SAR isn't going to become Karl Malone. And Brad, although a classic center in some ways, has ongoing physical problems with his foot and has never been a rebounding/shotblocking machine by anyone's definition.

And we (meaning MS&E) have to do something about Mike. I firmly believe that if we did manage to acquire a talented big we'd see the old Bibby. But, in the classic Catch-22, we aren't going to be able to acquire a talented big without most likely giving up Bibby.

We have pieces on the roster (whisper Jason Hart and Vitaly Potapenko) that are worst than useless. Thankfully they're expiring contracts.

We have tons of room for improvement. We may have "tools already in place" but you can't fix a car with carpentry tools. What we need are the right tools for the right job.

 

[Bibbilicious]

I dont truly believe that he has just randomly been bad. Im sure you guys all remember in January when he got great for what was it, like 8 games? shooting 50 percent, averaging like 25 points, and the reason was that mussleman said that they were trying to find plays to run for mike, and I think that must have brought his confidence back up, however the rest of the team at the time couldnt keep up with him and we lost a bunch of games, this probably made the coach try new things, and thus those specific plays might have been lost, now as I watch Im seeing mroe of him just making the entry pass and let artest or martin attemp their one on one games...sometimes it goes, sometimes it doesnt, artest is worse with it. Martin does plently more to help our team. but anyway, unless hes selfish and plays one on one, he never even really gets a shot. thats gotta kill his confidence, please dont take this as biased because of my name, this is my honest opinion.