What has to happen to move forward next year
- Thread starter sactowndog
- Start date
The absolute craziest thing to me is seeing how we lost in the playoffs and now in the aftermath seeing how so many on this board want to bring in smaller players...
Its like, were you even watching the playoff series? Did you not see how much damage Looney did to us? Thats not something to be addressed?
Its like, were you even watching the playoff series? Did you not see how much damage Looney did to us? Thats not something to be addressed?
we need to bring in more size but the looney thing has been over blown. Since you are asking if people watched the game, did you check the box score? We had more offensive rebounds than the Warriors in 5 of the 7 games. We are one of the best rebounding teams in the NBA. We aren’t going to sit Domas against Loon next year in favor of an 18 year old center. If Queta is ready you could make an argument we might already have the size from the center position answered already. I’m open to a guy like that (Lively/JM) but I’d also like to find someone who could play alongside Domas at the 4
I've thought about that and for me it depends who's still available at 24. I'm on board with drafting high-ceiling defenders like Bilal Coulibaly or James Nnaji if they're available but considering where we're at now with our current group, I'd rather have a player who fits a need like Usman Garuba than a college scoring wing who doesn't excel on defense.
Looney measured at 6'8.5" with a 7'1" wingspan pre-draft. Garuba measured at 6'8" with a 7'2" wingspan. They're almost the exact same size and body type.
Looney measured at 6'8.5" with a 7'1" wingspan pre-draft. Garuba measured at 6'8" with a 7'2" wingspan. They're almost the exact same size and body type.
And isn't dealing with other injuries to his midsection.
Dude just wasn't able to move like usual. Yet he still produced decent numbers overall, especially taking out his awful GM1 in terms of shooting.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. There are probably a couple dozen players around the league that can do what Looney does, and likely even better, if placed in the same situation with the same players surrounding him.
Domas is TWICE the player Kevon Looney is. Does nearly everything better. The only thing he doesn't do better is move his feet defensively and rim protection. But the same holds true about Nikola Jokić too.
Dude just wasn't able to move like usual. Yet he still produced decent numbers overall, especially taking out his awful GM1 in terms of shooting.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. There are probably a couple dozen players around the league that can do what Looney does, and likely even better, if placed in the same situation with the same players surrounding him.
Domas is TWICE the player Kevon Looney is. Does nearly everything better. The only thing he doesn't do better is move his feet defensively and rim protection. But the same holds true about Nikola Jokić too.
We already lead the League in offense. Endless discussion about trades, drafts, and coaching are pretty much beside the point.
The team is much better at rebounding than in the past.
That leaves defense where we are still mediocre. Big improvements got us into the playoffs.
Continued improvement in team defense is how you get further along in the playoffs.
If we can find a defensive player that can block shots and rebound I am in favor of it.
The team is much better at rebounding than in the past.
That leaves defense where we are still mediocre. Big improvements got us into the playoffs.
Continued improvement in team defense is how you get further along in the playoffs.
If we can find a defensive player that can block shots and rebound I am in favor of it.
Well I think this invites the question of how you evaluate a regular season and playoff series that were quite different. On one hand, you have a regular season where you have a historic offense and a lagging defense. On the other hand, you have a playoff series where the defense was ok but the offense and rebounding were not quite enough to get you over the hump (although you were right there after 6.5 games).
Normally, I’d say you weigh the 82 game sample over the 7 game sample. But do the playoffs matter more because that’s the ultimate goal? Even so, does a different playoff match up play out differently? We have not had to grapple with this question for 17 years, but it bears considering.
Normally, I’d say you weigh the 82 game sample over the 7 game sample. But do the playoffs matter more because that’s the ultimate goal? Even so, does a different playoff match up play out differently? We have not had to grapple with this question for 17 years, but it bears considering.
Stop being reasonable, obviously the 7 game sample has a lot more weight then the whole All-Nba season from the dude and playing the most demanding physical position in basketball trough a bunch of health issues is a piece of cake according to the couch commentators on this board or other social media
In the regular season the Kings did lead it, however in the playoffs it pretty much went zap and the team had to rely on Fox/Domas/Monk more and more. This franchise is already kind of at the same place the Webber Kings were by year 2-3. How does this team start adapting to playoff ball? I watched Monte's presser the other day and he's pretty much spot on with everything and I certainly heard a tone of being aggressive to get to that next step with whatever moves they made with his words being "internal" or "external". Also, sometimes defense is a combination of tougher offense. Getting higher percentage looks, or more FT's will put this Kings team on a much more even playing ground defensively IMO. The question is still whether or not the Kings defensive issues are mostly personnel or strategy? I think it's a bit of both but even in the playoffs, when coach Brown switched and played pressure ball the Kings certainly were not a bottom 5 defensive team. They definitely don't have the personnel to be elite and even Monte kind of acknowledged this iteration of the Kings was pretty dang small with that guard play.
Last year, Monte identified the Kings greatest need was 3 point shooting around Fox and Ox and he went out and got Keegan, Monk and Huerter in one off season.
I'm confident that Monte is already scouting defensive players (for draft and free agency/trade) and players with size and length to fill in our weaknesses. I'm sure he will nab 2 or 3 players that fit this mold and I'm hoping Queta also gets a shot next year.
I can see Monte letting go of some offensive firepower to fill in with defensive firepower (i.e. Naz Reid, PJ Washington, Josh Richardson, Jaxon Hayes,or Jalen McDaniels) type of players. The big difference is this summer, the Kings look like a whole lot better destination to pending free agents.
I'm confident that Monte is already scouting defensive players (for draft and free agency/trade) and players with size and length to fill in our weaknesses. I'm sure he will nab 2 or 3 players that fit this mold and I'm hoping Queta also gets a shot next year.
I can see Monte letting go of some offensive firepower to fill in with defensive firepower (i.e. Naz Reid, PJ Washington, Josh Richardson, Jaxon Hayes,or Jalen McDaniels) type of players. The big difference is this summer, the Kings look like a whole lot better destination to pending free agents.
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This is totally valid but I think our "holes" are the same regardless of how you look at it. Lack of wing defense is why when the non-Curry chuckers on GSW were clanging bricks we were losing rebounds. I think Curry tended to either sink acrobatic miracle shots as he does or miss wildly enough that they were often airballs rather than long rebounds. And the lack of the energy big to take the bully off of Domas has been a consistent problem in both the regular and post season, it's just manifested differently depending on the matchups when it gets exploited. When Domas had a bad night/matchup in the regular season he'd typically rebound the next night. In a 2 game mini-series the Kings were usually quicker to adjust so they could win night 2. In the Dubs series it seems like at least as far as Sabonis was concerned, they completely won the war of attrition. Of course it did not help that he took the stomp in Game 2 and the shot to the eye in Game 6 and followed up both of those with his worst games of the series.
Domas will never admit to it, but I 100% think he had some sort of set-back with his hand. He basically played for 4 months like nothing was the matter and once the playoffs start, he's unwilling to shoot, his handle is way looser and he's getting the ball poked away in the post. Honestly, the playoffs were the first time all season where it actually looked like he was dealing with a hand injury
I think the Luka and Tyrese experiments have shown that you draft the best player (unless the difference is close). Then fit is probably more important.
Not discounting the value of fit. Clearly, Fox and Tyrese together were not working out. Drafting Tyrese there was still the smart move, as we effectively got an all-star center with the 12th pick of the draft. Required balls of steel from Monte to make that trade though.
Not discounting the value of fit. Clearly, Fox and Tyrese together were not working out. Drafting Tyrese there was still the smart move, as we effectively got an all-star center with the 12th pick of the draft. Required balls of steel from Monte to make that trade though.
There’s one guy I would love to see on this team. Jaylen Brown. I wouldn’t mind us throwing the kitchen sink at a trade proposal for him. There’s been grumblings here and there that he may not be super happy in Boston. Obviously a great offensive player but is quite solid defensively too. Fox, Sabonis, and Brown are a powerful trio and would be a force to be reckoned with for years to come. I’d love to keep Murray but he would be gone in this scenario. I’d hate it but I’d do it for Brown. He’s a difference maker. Huerter would stay on and we could bring Sasha over to have him and Monk come off the bench. Not sure who would take Keegan’s spot (would love to see Lyles, but doubt we could afford him in this scenario) but that’s a championship contending squad right there.
Pipe dream, but if Boston fails in the playoffs again, maybe we could convince them.
Pipe dream, but if Boston fails in the playoffs again, maybe we could convince them.
Jaylen has one year left on his contract. If he signs an extension this year, he's staying in Boston. If he doesn't, they could shop him for a massive haul at the trade deadline but I'm not getting into a bidding war and I'm not giving up Keegan for him. The Fox/Domas pairing works when they have shooting around them and Keegan has already emerged as our best floor spacer. Jaylen is a great great player but one thing he's not is a consistent three point shooter.
Definitely wouldn’t give up Fox or Domas, but you do have to give up something in return. He’s a career 37% shooter from 3 which is respectable and certainly good enough. What’s happened this year and why he’s shooting a lower percentage is his 3 point attempts have went up to over 7 a game. Probably a bit too much for him. Again, it’s a pipe dream because it would be difficult for us to match salaries and super risky that he just walks away after his contract ends, but he’s a hell of a player. Would give us a real number 1 and 2 on offense, a good defensive guy, and he fits right in age wise with Fox and Domas. I’m not a huge believer in having big names on the roster and then just filling in with scraps around them, but the fit would be great. We would be deep in luxury tax though. 3 max contracts at that point.
I think the need is to upgrade as many rotational pieces as possible to players who are at least passable on both sides of the ball. The biggest issue I saw throughout the season, including the GS series, was the constant conceding of one side of the ball for the other, especially on the perimeter. HB, Keegan, Huerter, Monk, and TD all were massive defensive liabilities for one reason or another. But throw in Davion to improve your defense and you essentially have an absolute zero on the floor offensively, especially in our system where his primary role offensively is to be a floor spacer, which he can't do consistently.
Game 7 was exhibit A: put in TD because he can make the few threes that he did but concede what was matador like defense to Curry that resulted in his 50 point outburst. I know, I know, Curry is Curry and he certainly could've done the same to Davion--there were plenty of times throughout the series where Davion's perfect defending of a play still resulted in the Warriors making an extremely difficult shot--but he would've at least provided some sort of resistance and made everything tougher (especially getting into the paint, which Curry did at will).
This upgrade could certainly be internal. I hope we see Keegan grow defensively, for example, but he struggled all season to stay in front of opposing players' first steps and was hunted defensively for it consistently as a result. It could be Monk and Huerter improving their defensive awareness and not losing their man as much off (or sometimes even on) ball. Ultimately, I think the path will be upgrading Barnes' starting spot with a better 3 and D Kessler Edwards type player. This is why we talk about how incredible guys like OG or Mikal Bridges would make this team, but they're obviously not attainable. Maybe Kessler or Keon Ellis can even develop into that guy. If I'm them, I'm spending all summer becoming a catch and shoot 3 point sniper, and I think combined with the defense that could earn them a consistent rotational spot if not the starting spot in place of HB. Clearly i don't think retaining HB is the answer. His spot just seems like the most logical place to upgrade given his contract situation, age, and style of play (Keegan and Huerter's shooting being pivotal to our offense).
Find that Barnes replacement and a big with size who can protect the rim and isn't completely useless on the perimeter like Len (i like this Garuba talk or again maybe internally with Queta if he's ready and able) and I think this team takes a huge step forward.
Game 7 was exhibit A: put in TD because he can make the few threes that he did but concede what was matador like defense to Curry that resulted in his 50 point outburst. I know, I know, Curry is Curry and he certainly could've done the same to Davion--there were plenty of times throughout the series where Davion's perfect defending of a play still resulted in the Warriors making an extremely difficult shot--but he would've at least provided some sort of resistance and made everything tougher (especially getting into the paint, which Curry did at will).
This upgrade could certainly be internal. I hope we see Keegan grow defensively, for example, but he struggled all season to stay in front of opposing players' first steps and was hunted defensively for it consistently as a result. It could be Monk and Huerter improving their defensive awareness and not losing their man as much off (or sometimes even on) ball. Ultimately, I think the path will be upgrading Barnes' starting spot with a better 3 and D Kessler Edwards type player. This is why we talk about how incredible guys like OG or Mikal Bridges would make this team, but they're obviously not attainable. Maybe Kessler or Keon Ellis can even develop into that guy. If I'm them, I'm spending all summer becoming a catch and shoot 3 point sniper, and I think combined with the defense that could earn them a consistent rotational spot if not the starting spot in place of HB. Clearly i don't think retaining HB is the answer. His spot just seems like the most logical place to upgrade given his contract situation, age, and style of play (Keegan and Huerter's shooting being pivotal to our offense).
Find that Barnes replacement and a big with size who can protect the rim and isn't completely useless on the perimeter like Len (i like this Garuba talk or again maybe internally with Queta if he's ready and able) and I think this team takes a huge step forward.
Considering Monte has said Sabonis can play the 4, there is a likelihood Monte is looking at solidifying the backup 5 and wouldn't be opposed to a starting 5. The other option is a defensive 4.
The Kings inability to handle big teams in the regular season highlighted that they're a small team. This was going to bite them in the playoffs eventually.
The Kings inability to handle big teams in the regular season highlighted that they're a small team. This was going to bite them in the playoffs eventually.