bajaden
Hall of Famer
It seems that an opportunity was lost to redux Iron Chef as a process to hire our coach.
Actually, in theory, that's not a bad idea...
Will the Kings have a consistent rotation this season?
- Thread starter King Baller
- Start date
Actually, in theory, that's not a bad idea...
King Baller
All-Star
First two games bring a few questions to be answered:
PG - We have to see GV play. Has he healed? Were all those dimes in NO a mirage? IT looks OK, works hard but gets over matched by size. Ray Mac looks good for a Rookie. Who ends up as the #2 PG? Will the Kings feature both GV and IT since they are both enders?
SG - In the first two outings Thornton has yet to impress, but we have seen what he can do. will his defense be enough to make the starting unit? Ben Mac will get minutes. He moves very well and the shot is money. Salmons has looked pretty good. He can defend the big guards. Jimmer's defense is a work in progress. Can he improve enough to be the fifth guard?
SF - Mbah has played OK. Seems to be as advertised, good on defense and the boards. Who is the real Outlaw? The player we have seen in the past here in Sac or are we going to see the Portland Outlaw? Salmons can play here to defend big guards in a small ball set.
PF - JT is very coachable and his defense looks improved. Hayes looks a little like the Houston version. PPat's game has looked off. He may find his way as the games progress. Landry - N/A - Coaches guy.
C - Cousins is the Man. I have faith he will get it done on both ends. But there will be foul trouble. JT plays an athletic version of Center and I like him here as long as its not against really Big Big's. Hayes is the guy to come in and bang the big bodies. For this we need to see The Chuck Wagon from the Houston days.
So for me the biggest question is who plays at PG and when? Thornton probably starts the season as the #1 SG. But if MT cannot defend the way Coach wants will Salmons take the starting spot? When will Ben Mac take over here? Is MBah healthy enough to log heavy minutes? I hope he is. If Outlaw plays D and continues to hit the open shots will he get minutes? Will incumbent JT hold off the incoming hoard as usual? Surely Landry is the designated post scorer coming in when DMC sits??? PPat can play but will his shot heat up enough to overcome weak rebounding? Can DMC stay on the floor 32 minutes a game? We need him to as he is the Man. Can Hayes bring back the Chuck Wagon? How many minutes at center will JT end up playing in a reserve role?
Phew!!! All these questions can give a guy a headache
And I have not even brought questions on the Coaches and Front Office.KB
bajaden
Hall of Famer
First two games bring a few questions to be answered:
PG - We have to see GV play. Has he healed? Were all those dimes in NO a mirage? IT looks OK, works hard but gets over matched by size. Ray Mac looks good for a Rookie. Who ends up as the #2 PG? Will the Kings feature both GV and IT since they are both enders?
SG - In the first two outings Thornton has yet to impress, but we have seen what he can do. will his defense be enough to make the starting unit? Ben Mac will get minutes. He moves very well and the shot is money. Salmons has looked pretty good. He can defend the big guards. Jimmer's defense is a work in progress. Can he improve enough to be the fifth guard?
SF - Mbah has played OK. Seems to be as advertised, good on defense and the boards. Who is the real Outlaw? The player we have seen in the past here in Sac or are we going to see the Portland Outlaw? Salmons can play here to defend big guards in a small ball set.
PF - JT is very coachable and his defense looks improved. Hayes looks a little like the Houston version. PPat's game has looked off. He may find his way as the games progress. Landry - N/A - Coaches guy.
C - Cousins is the Man. I have faith he will get it done on both ends. But there will be foul trouble. JT plays an athletic version of Center and I like him here as long as its not against really Big Big's. Hayes is the guy to come in and bang the big bodies. For this we need to see The Chuck Wagon from the Houston days.
So for me the biggest question is who plays at PG and when? Thornton probably starts the season as the #1 SG. But if MT cannot defend the way Coach wants will Salmons take the starting spot? When will Ben Mac take over here? Is MBah healthy enough to log heavy minutes? I hope he is. If Outlaw plays D and continues to hit the open shots will he get minutes? Will incumbent JT hold off the incoming hoard as usual? Surely Landry is the designated post scorer coming in when DMC sits??? PPat can play but will his shot heat up enough to overcome weak rebounding? Can DMC stay on the floor 32 minutes a game? We need him to as he is the Man. Can Hayes bring back the Chuck Wagon? How many minutes at center will JT end up playing in a reserve role?
Phew!!! All these questions can give a guy a headache
KB
A lot of good questions. Of course Thornton and Mbah a Moute have only played in one game, but the major question for me is how available will Mbah a Moute be during the regular season. I don't think playing for his national team this past summer was the best idea for a guy recovering from injuries. But that was his decision. When healthy, he's one of the best defenders in the NBA, but he's of little value sitting on the bench. As for the battle, if one chooses to call it that, between Thornton and McLemore, I think that's solely a two man competition. I only see Salmons being used at SG in the case of injury to one of them. The question you have to ask, is does Salmons have a future with the Kings? The answer is no! So there's no point in giving him minutes instead of McLemore.
The PG situation is the tricky one. What was supposed to be a two man competition has suddenly turned into a three man competition. If McCallum continues to play the way he has in the first two games, there's no denying him minutes, which I see as a good thing for the Kings. We would then have a PG that's expendable. For instance, I noted that Trey Burke, the first round draft pick of the Jazz broke a finger the other day, leaving them very thin at the PG position. Burke was expected to start for them this year. I'm sure they'd love to have IT, or perhaps even Jimmer, since he's very popular there. The question is, whom would we want in return? Please, all you potential GM's, don't suggest Derrick Favors!
In the pleasant surprise dept, Both Hayes and Outlaw win the award. Especially Outlaw. He actually played well in both games, although he only got a few minutes at the end of the first game. His defense was solid as well. If Hayes can give me 10 boards, and play solid post defense every night, I don't care how many points he scores. Just hold down the fort while Cuz in on the bench.
Before the preseason started I suggested, along with some others that perhaps Patterson would be the best front court partner for Cousins. But so far, I have to give the nod to JT. Of course its still early, and things could change. Originally my thought was that JT would be a better backup center coming off the bench than Hayes, but if Hayes can play like he did in the last game, then perhaps were better with JT in the starting lineup. Which could make Patterson expendable. However, there's a part of me that really likes Patterson, so I'd hate to see him go.
Anyway, all fun speculation at this time. For the most part, I see improvement, and that's whats important. Especially on defense. Were a long way from beating the Spurs in a 7 game competition, but I do think we'll be a lot more competitive this season. And that's a step in the right direction.
randymoss1881
Starter
Getting a 1st for IT is great value in this draft if it's a top 20 pick. I don't think you could be a good playoff team with IT as a starter.
Kingster
Hall of Famer
The article in today's Bee on the Phoenix game had a quote by Malone in which he indicated he's going to be playing the matchup game when it comes to the guard rotation this year. In that respect, it sure sounds familiar to last year. When there is no clear cut best at the position that's usually the result.
Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
I don't know that is really a question though.
You'd do well in a normal draft to get a guy as good as IT in the 15-20 range. Most of those guys wash out. The one advantage of trading IT for a pick would be that you would have that pick at a set salary for years, whereas IT is going to get paid next season.
What IT is really auditioning for is change of pace guard off the bench. It would actually probably be better for both us and him if he understood that fairly soon and dedicated himself to it. You could certainly be a playoff team with him in that role. doesn't mean that he would make you into a playoff team, but he's certainly as competent as any number of backup PGs who make the playoffs every year. Swap him in for DJ Augustin and the Pacers still go just as far.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
I totally agree with you! The problem is, would IT agree? My gut tells me he'll do whatever is asked of him, but he wouldn't be happy until he started again. If not with us, then somewhere else. What you don't want, is for the team itself to take sides in this matter. Like having two good quarterbacks on a team, and the locker room being split in its allegiance to them. Your backup PG should be someone that's happy to be the backup PG. I'm sure that IT is well aware that both he and Vasquez are going to be restricted freeagents at seasons end, and that in all likelihood, the team won't be resigning both of them.
I don't blame IT for trying to retain his starting job, but what happens if he looses out to Vasquez? Will he be the good soldier, and do his best to run the plays drawn up, or will he try to impress Malone, or perhaps opposing coaches, with impending freeagency on his mind. Don't know! Perhaps I'm underestimating IT's potential. I've done it before, and will probably do it again. But I do know that his opinion of his abilities exceeds mine. Which isn't a surprise. I've yet to meet a good player that wasn't dragging a big ego along with him. I can see IT starting on the right team, or as the backup on this team. But I don't see him as the starter on this team. Its in his nature to score, and right now, that's not what we need from our starting PG. I'm glad its Malone's problem...
For Sunday's game only. And GV only starting because coach wants to make sure he stays warm when getting minutes.
Final preseason games will showcase our starting 5
Chupacabra
Starter
My money is on Vasquez as starting pg. I'd like to see Vasquez/Mclemore/Outlaw(sigh)/Thompson/Cousins as the starting lineup for the home opener.
CruzDude
Senior Member sharing a brew with bajaden
While I agree with your "starters" we should not lose track of what Malone is trying to accomplish. First, playoffs are farthest from his mind right now. Second "starters" are still a work in progess. He has to make a selection based on only 5 pre-season games with as many as 4 new players in the rotation (one could say 5 counting Jimmer finally getting a serious look). I look at the "starters" as a beginning reference group for the team and a focal point for developing a rotation.
Now the $64M question becomes: Is it better to set a rotation for consistency or is it better to set a rotation for progress in developing a team that allows for "matchups"?
.... A day later the answer to my own question is, "Neither". Better is a starting rotation that works well together switching on defense, spreading on offense, sharing, communicating on the floor, help defense, covering the passing lanes, on and on. Making open shots. Will it be the best 5 players? Seriously doubt it. But it will be the best "team" to start.
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