Why oh why does Mike Brown keep Sasha Vezenkov on the bench?! Obviously the team is struggling offensively, Rozier cannot be stopped by anyone and arguably the best shooter in your team is getting DNP-ed? Same thing with Kessler Edwards, who I am sure will be 100× more effective than HB on both ends of the floor.
Why Isn't Sasha Playing?
- Thread starter Kraft
- Start date
Unfortunatelly , especially for me , rumours are that Sasha is already packing , just waiting to understand where they will send him ...
A friend of a friend living and working in LA (of course not the most reliable source) is former team mate with him in the national team formations u17 an u19 and they spoke often together ...
Last new are that Vezenkov had literally packed the bags although nobody has told him anything oficially ...
I still have trust he can win his place at Kings , but at this moment it looks like there will be a short love between both sides ...
A friend of a friend living and working in LA (of course not the most reliable source) is former team mate with him in the national team formations u17 an u19 and they spoke often together ...
Last new are that Vezenkov had literally packed the bags although nobody has told him anything oficially ...
I still have trust he can win his place at Kings , but at this moment it looks like there will be a short love between both sides ...
That would not surprise me in the least. Nor would it surprise me if he came back and scorched the Kings in the playoffs, were he traded to a Western Conference team. The Eastern Conference seems a more likely destination, however. There are five teams with 18 or 19 wins so far. It's a really tight race over there.
The Wizards do not really have any incentive to improve their team...they are destined for the lottery. The Cavaliers, Knicks, Heat, and Magic all have an incentive to add a sharpshooting forward to their team. The Bulls, especially, still have enough time to turn it around; their weakness this year is partly due to Zach Levine being out for the past month.
In the Western Conference, Coach Popovich would be a good man to play for.
In the Western Conference, Coach Popovich would be a good man to play for.
That is the dream destination for my kid's Godfather when we speak about eventual trade of Vezenkov ...
All the teams you listed might be looking for such profile , but what will they give to Kings , which will be interesting ... If not some 3-way trade which is too complicating for my mind
Still i hope he will stay ... For me he is still a prefect fit for Kings with Fox,Sabonis,Murray and Monk ...
That is the dream destination for my kid's Godfather when we speak about eventual trade of Vezenkov ...
All the teams you listed might be looking for such profile , but what will they give to Kings , which will be interesting ... If not some 3-way trade which is too complicating for my mind
Still i hope he will stay ... For me he is still a prefect fit for Kings with Fox,Sabonis,Murray and Monk ...
All the teams you listed might be looking for such profile , but what will they give to Kings , which will be interesting ... If not some 3-way trade which is too complicating for my mind
Still i hope he will stay ... For me he is still a prefect fit for Kings with Fox,Sabonis,Murray and Monk ...
So I’ve been wondering the same damn thing. I mean honestly I didn’t know too much about him when Sasha’s name came up a couple years ago, but then when I heard or read that Coach Brown actually flew to Greece to check him out ?? I thought ok this is the guy that will come here loves the game loves his 3 point game, they can work on his defense cause that was considered his weak area (actually he wouldn’t of been alone there’s a few others that would benefit from strengthening their defense) and now we don’t see him but garbage minutes att the very least. Reading in between the lines I think Sasha was hesitant on even coming over and now that he has WTH is Coach doing with him? NOTHING…. Yes the frustration has probably really set in his mind, feeling like he’s not able to perform with skills that he has and basically keeping the bench nice and cozy. He came here to help why are we not getting him out there??
All the questions which we are asking over here , but I suppose we will find the whole story just after the ways of Kings and Vezenkov separated ….
They reality is that he would not have come if there wasn’t some guarantee for meaning role in the roster…
Last year there were also talkings about him coming to kings but he refused without consideration because it was clear that he won’t see minutes …
And now with all the buzzing and talking , all monte , brown and few others come to see him in Greece , he is frozen ….
Best scenario for me is that he frustrated Brown with his own frustration and this DNPs are some sort of Brown saying “ I am the boss get over it” …
Worst he will be traded soon
And of course he is not fitting Coach’s plans out of a sudden
They reality is that he would not have come if there wasn’t some guarantee for meaning role in the roster…
Last year there were also talkings about him coming to kings but he refused without consideration because it was clear that he won’t see minutes …
And now with all the buzzing and talking , all monte , brown and few others come to see him in Greece , he is frozen ….
Best scenario for me is that he frustrated Brown with his own frustration and this DNPs are some sort of Brown saying “ I am the boss get over it” …
Worst he will be traded soon
And of course he is not fitting Coach’s plans out of a sudden
The problem i have with the sasha dealings is the guy was hesitant to come over here in the first place. Now he's here and he's sitting on the bench. I don't care whats going on behind the scenes, it looks bad. Any future negotiations with other european players will be contaminated by whats going on now. Just my opinion of course.
Not that much mate ….
Oly boses offered him 3.5mln euro per seasons for two seasons plus any kind of bonuses ….
He will get something like 5 in the first season at Kings … so when you add bonuses and money from advertising (believe he is like god in Athens) money gap will be funny (for people used to 7 numbers on their checks of course… )
The decision was purely motivated by his wish to prove himself , and I am 90% sure he was promised some time ….
Oly boses offered him 3.5mln euro per seasons for two seasons plus any kind of bonuses ….
He will get something like 5 in the first season at Kings … so when you add bonuses and money from advertising (believe he is like god in Athens) money gap will be funny (for people used to 7 numbers on their checks of course… )
The decision was purely motivated by his wish to prove himself , and I am 90% sure he was promised some time ….
Yeah, he joined a 48 win team, 3 seed in the West with a team that mostly kept it's core intact. And Brown has never operated as a coach to just "give" a guy playing time. You have to earn it. Duarte has shown that with his recent surge, after being out of the rotation for like a month. Keon earned that time after his Rockets game.
Sasha has been good, but he hasn't been good to the point of forcing Brown's hand to automatically give him 20 MPG. We can argue about HB all we want, but he's just not going to bench HB in lieu of Sasha. Where do you play him?
Fox 34 || Davion/Keon 14
Duarte 20 || Monk 28
Keegan 32 || Huerter 16
HB 24 || Lyles 16 || Sasha 8?
Domas 34 || Len 14
And this is being generous with Fox/Domas/Keegan minutes. Most competitive games, they're going to be closer to 36+. Right now, Duarte is showing a ton as a defensive role player too; so 20 minutes is probably extremely light for him as well.
People can want Sasha to play, (I do too), but a trade has to happen to open up that time. Or he has to overtake Duarte, basically, to get back into the rotation.
Sasha has been good, but he hasn't been good to the point of forcing Brown's hand to automatically give him 20 MPG. We can argue about HB all we want, but he's just not going to bench HB in lieu of Sasha. Where do you play him?
Fox 34 || Davion/Keon 14
Duarte 20 || Monk 28
Keegan 32 || Huerter 16
HB 24 || Lyles 16 || Sasha 8?
Domas 34 || Len 14
And this is being generous with Fox/Domas/Keegan minutes. Most competitive games, they're going to be closer to 36+. Right now, Duarte is showing a ton as a defensive role player too; so 20 minutes is probably extremely light for him as well.
People can want Sasha to play, (I do too), but a trade has to happen to open up that time. Or he has to overtake Duarte, basically, to get back into the rotation.
The way I look at it, is that they took a shot at bringing him over here...knowing that it was no certainty that his game would translate to this current roster in the NBA. They were probably thinking that a Harrison Barnes trade was a looming possibility, but may take a while. Taking calculated risks on players is part of the deal, everyone knows that. Most also realize that things can possibly change sooner or later, so always remain ready and professional. Case and point: Alex Len
That's definitely not the way to approach any calculation regarding playing time. Vezenkov can play both as SF and PF and can take Hueter's minutes at the 3 spot and play together with Lyles/HB and Domas/Len at the same time. He can be both part of a small as well as a big rotation 5, depending on where you put him.
Don't care for Huerter at all. He played well in the regular season for us last year, but he also completely crap the bed in the playoffs. Legitimately one of the worst shooting performances in the playoffs I've ever seen.
he can kick rocks unless he knows how to shoot again. 31.6% for the month of December is dreadful.
he can kick rocks unless he knows how to shoot again. 31.6% for the month of December is dreadful.
Look, I'm just as confused as the next guy about why Sasha isn't getting more opportunity (see recent post). And, I'm not sure if you mean that Sasha is hearing trade rumors about himself, or has been told directly, and if that is the case, I can understand the packing. But if that is not the case, and he is simply packing up and hoping to be traded or demanding a trade because he's not getting the opportunity he thinks he deserves here and he's not willing to work for a season the make an opportunity for himself... he can keep packing as far as I'm concerned and I'll drive him to the airport.
Of course, I don't want any of that to be true... but I'm going to side with our org on this one if they have determined this won't be a long term fit. Very disappointing if true.
Of course, I don't want any of that to be true... but I'm going to side with our org on this one if they have determined this won't be a long term fit. Very disappointing if true.
From what we know about Brown he is very clear about what roles and opportunities will be, I do not believe he promised Sasha something and reneged on it. I'm sorry if it's come to him feeling that way, I hope this is not true.
There was a better article on it written last spring, but here is one about this season's All-In Contract. For those not in the know.
https://sactownsports.com/mike-brown-emphasizes-the-importance-of-embracing-your-role/
There was a better article on it written last spring, but here is one about this season's All-In Contract. For those not in the know.
https://sactownsports.com/mike-brown-emphasizes-the-importance-of-embracing-your-role/
It's my understanding everyone on the team has a personal development coach as well and have a pretty clear path to know what they need to do. I like Sasha's shooting, his off-ball movement is an absolute delight to watch, I'd like to see him get more touches and shot attempts, and his rebounding has been up to par. But he's still slow on the defensive side and unfortunately for him right now that seems to be Brown's current point of emphasis. I really do think much is being done to figure out who those defenders will be and who we can ship out.
I'd also think if he was going to be moved that we could easily showcase him in 2-3 games and get a haul for him after he hits 7 threes in a game.
I'd also think if he was going to be moved that we could easily showcase him in 2-3 games and get a haul for him after he hits 7 threes in a game.
we have one very silly quality in Bulgaria trying to exaggerate almost everything we hear … So there is certainly nothing sure about this “packing”…
Last season Oly had double header in Eurolegue , which in this case means games Tuesday-Thursday
and a holiday weekend after those two ….
First game in Greece , second in Spain , he played 30 min each , mvp on the second , and then instead of going to relax as all of the team , he flew to our miserable country to try help our sort of a national team to win European qualification game …. And he scored 30 points for an around 30/32 minutes again ..
My point is - guy is a fighter , he won’t just quite and give up
Last season Oly had double header in Eurolegue , which in this case means games Tuesday-Thursday
and a holiday weekend after those two ….
First game in Greece , second in Spain , he played 30 min each , mvp on the second , and then instead of going to relax as all of the team , he flew to our miserable country to try help our sort of a national team to win European qualification game …. And he scored 30 points for an around 30/32 minutes again ..
My point is - guy is a fighter , he won’t just quite and give up