Will Vlade Be Fired/Step Down?
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I think that if you resign Bogi, then Buddy has to go, which is fine with me. As for running some plays for Buddy, I think when your making that much money, you should be able to get your own shot. Buddy has the BBIQ of a brick at times and he's a God awful defender. I lost count of the mistakes he made in the Houston game. Three times he didn't switch when he was supposed to, and the team ended up with two players guarding one player. four times that I counted he left his man and cheated toward the ball, leaving his man wide open on the perimeter. Oh yeah, two of those times his man was some dude named Rivers.
Whether he's lusted after by some other teams or not i'll leave up to people smarter than I. A year ago Joerger kept Buddy on a tight leash where he took mostly catch and shoot shots. He wasn't asked to handle the ball much or make any creative decisions. Walton has given Buddy a green light to do whatever he pleases him and that was a huge mistake. It's one thing to have a vision for a player, but it's another to not realize your vision isn't going to work. Can you imagine Buddy playing the way he plays under Pop's?
As far as Vlade goes, regardless of Dave's opinion, I'll be shocked if Vivek lets him go. If memory serves, Vlade just signed an extension through the 2022/23 season, and in a down financial year is he willing to eat the salaries of both Walton and Vlade. Remember, that if you fire both of them, your probably firing every person in the front office and the entire coaching staff. And you would be doing all this in the chaos of a very short free agent period that follows a couple days after the draft.
By no means am I saying that Vlade doesn't deserve to be fired, I just don't see it happening. My preference would be to keep Vlade for at least another year but fire Walton, who I think is a terrible coach. Yeah, I know, Vlade hired him. As you stated, it's a mess...
Whether he's lusted after by some other teams or not i'll leave up to people smarter than I. A year ago Joerger kept Buddy on a tight leash where he took mostly catch and shoot shots. He wasn't asked to handle the ball much or make any creative decisions. Walton has given Buddy a green light to do whatever he pleases him and that was a huge mistake. It's one thing to have a vision for a player, but it's another to not realize your vision isn't going to work. Can you imagine Buddy playing the way he plays under Pop's?
As far as Vlade goes, regardless of Dave's opinion, I'll be shocked if Vivek lets him go. If memory serves, Vlade just signed an extension through the 2022/23 season, and in a down financial year is he willing to eat the salaries of both Walton and Vlade. Remember, that if you fire both of them, your probably firing every person in the front office and the entire coaching staff. And you would be doing all this in the chaos of a very short free agent period that follows a couple days after the draft.
By no means am I saying that Vlade doesn't deserve to be fired, I just don't see it happening. My preference would be to keep Vlade for at least another year but fire Walton, who I think is a terrible coach. Yeah, I know, Vlade hired him. As you stated, it's a mess...
Oh, I understand it completely. I have done auctions on a few occasions. Is it really any different?
Right now Mr. Vivek and his management team for the Kings aren't held in very high regards to me, not that my opinions matter much, not being a direct paying customer. I don't want to wish ill will on someone/something but I sometimes I still do. Something about a sin nature and battling the flesh.
Right now Mr. Vivek and his management team for the Kings aren't held in very high regards to me, not that my opinions matter much, not being a direct paying customer. I don't want to wish ill will on someone/something but I sometimes I still do. Something about a sin nature and battling the flesh.
Not true at all. Not in theory at least. This team is deep, has defensive potential role players, has scoring ability, has high potential young players. It's just amazing that Sac continues to be the place where players watch their potential die. In this type of era of basketball skill can triumph over talent to at least make you a decent squad that is a playoff contender if you check all the boxes. In theory this team should be checking a ton of boxes yet we watch the same failed play calls game after game. Some times after they finally commit to playing small and playing 4/5 out spread pick and roll.
If there isn't at least some commotion then something points to a completely unsolvable problem. If I'm an owner I'm seething. Unfortunately the owners will look to Vlade for the way the team played on the floor. However, there is a person responsible for what happens on the floor and it isn't Vlade. Now, if Vlade is directing the play calls, etc. then it's on him. In the end he went with his boy and his boy just dotted the i on his own coaching career most likely so that alone will probably take Vlade down with him. Walton needs to see if he can get a coaching gig in the college game. His go with the flow attitude and offense will fit much better there. In the NBA you play to the strengths of your best players then get out of the way. Every once and awhile put a boot in an *** and most other times just a slap on the back and an atta boy.
Worst case scenario is Vlade goes, Walton stays. You're literally just wasting time, value, and risk completely incinerating your locker room if so. If Vivek has any sense or isn't completely hands off then he's been formulating contingency plans. Scary, perhaps, but now maybe he realizes he has to bring in someone with a legit track record and experience. No more first timers.
Worst case scenario is Vlade goes, Walton stays. You're literally just wasting time, value, and risk completely incinerating your locker room if so. If Vivek has any sense or isn't completely hands off then he's been formulating contingency plans. Scary, perhaps, but now maybe he realizes he has to bring in someone with a legit track record and experience. No more first timers.
Normally, I'd agree, but Turner is as close to a unicorn big in the NBA without being an actual unicorn because of his ability to space. He's a very good rim protector (does struggle with size in the post), good shooter, knows his role offensively and has anchored very good Indy defenses for years now. I think he might actually be available for the right price too; especially with how great Warren has looked as a small-ball 4 and that Sabonis extension kicks in next season as well. They have to know that playing them together just isn't going to work long-term, so finding a really good wing like Bogdan or Buddy for him seems like a super reasonable deal. Dipo is also headed for UFA after next season, so being able to slot in a Buddy or Bogdan if they lose Dipo makes sense for them as well.
Adding on to the fact that our franchise is tied to Fox and Bagley, getting a 5 who can protect the rim, good rebounder and a floor spacer who's 24 is an excellent move towards building this core up.
Adding on to the fact that our franchise is tied to Fox and Bagley, getting a 5 who can protect the rim, good rebounder and a floor spacer who's 24 is an excellent move towards building this core up.
I think at this point, Walton and Vlade have to be a packaged deal. I don't want to give Vlade another coaching hire, only to fire him the next season and then we have a GM who may or may not like the new coaching hire and not have "his guy".
I want a "all or nothing" sort off-season where we give everyone 1 more year, or we totally clean house and let the new GM pick his staff from scratch. Doing anything in-between just leads to more potential chaos and confusion down the line.
I want a "all or nothing" sort off-season where we give everyone 1 more year, or we totally clean house and let the new GM pick his staff from scratch. Doing anything in-between just leads to more potential chaos and confusion down the line.
Personally, I can see the Kings give Walton another year to see if he can turn this team around. 1 year is usually not long enough to implement a new system and have everything clicking, for most coaches. Both Malone and Joeger didn't see team improvement until year 2 and 3, respectively.
Vlade, on the other hand has had over 5 years to turn this franchise around and we are no better than the day he took over (and he was starting from a very low point). Botching pick after pick (except for Fox) isn't going to cut it for a small market franchise.
I could see the Kings making a move to replace Vlade as the GM and telling the new GM that he will need to give Walton a year to see if he can turn the team around. If Walton still blows by the end of next year, the Kings would give the GM free reign to make a coaching change next summer. With the amount of money the Kings still owes Walton, they should give him one more season to prove his worth.
Vlade, on the other hand has had over 5 years to turn this franchise around and we are no better than the day he took over (and he was starting from a very low point). Botching pick after pick (except for Fox) isn't going to cut it for a small market franchise.
I could see the Kings making a move to replace Vlade as the GM and telling the new GM that he will need to give Walton a year to see if he can turn the team around. If Walton still blows by the end of next year, the Kings would give the GM free reign to make a coaching change next summer. With the amount of money the Kings still owes Walton, they should give him one more season to prove his worth.
This. In such a down year with an uncertain future (who knows when we'll get through COVID? And that affects how we resume next season), Luke should be very safe with the, what, 4-year contract? Vlade also just extended. Plus who else out there you can bring in with high certainty to be successful?
I do agree 100% that Luke is a terrible coach. I said that from the very beginning. He's been riding on the GSW wave out to LA and was pretty much deemed "unlucky" for what happened at the Lakers. Although if you've watched the young Lakers without Lebron, you can tell he is terrible for that younger roster. They barely ran any sets, and if Luke did set up anything, there is usually no follow-up after the first action collapsed (you can make a case that his plays are more suitable for vets who can make a play), which led to mostly relying on Ingram freelance trying to bail them out.
I don't think they will be let go, but when Vlade hired Luke Walton without even interviewing another candidate, for me, his tenure was over then.
I do agree 100% that Luke is a terrible coach. I said that from the very beginning. He's been riding on the GSW wave out to LA and was pretty much deemed "unlucky" for what happened at the Lakers. Although if you've watched the young Lakers without Lebron, you can tell he is terrible for that younger roster. They barely ran any sets, and if Luke did set up anything, there is usually no follow-up after the first action collapsed (you can make a case that his plays are more suitable for vets who can make a play), which led to mostly relying on Ingram freelance trying to bail them out.
I don't think they will be let go, but when Vlade hired Luke Walton without even interviewing another candidate, for me, his tenure was over then.
That is a good, but different point. I think we see very little accountability in this franchise. It starts from the top and trickles down to the bottom.
As long as that does not change, as long as there is no clear, defined mid-term and long-term plan with KPI's and timetables and evaluations and accountability, it feels as if we are relying on sheer luck to turn this franchise around.
As long as that does not change, as long as there is no clear, defined mid-term and long-term plan with KPI's and timetables and evaluations and accountability, it feels as if we are relying on sheer luck to turn this franchise around.
Vlade needs to go, but just don't see it happening. Vivek/minority owners are staring at a fat loss for this and next year. No way they eat the contracts of Vlade and Luke.
Vlade and Luke, on the other hand, don't think they had a full year to do their thing. Covid, the bubble.
We're stuck with them.
Vlade and Luke, on the other hand, don't think they had a full year to do their thing. Covid, the bubble.
We're stuck with them.
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Turner gets exposed in pick and roll from time to time though. I don't think you can truly go anywhere with bigs like that right now. Unless that player is anchoring your offense it's dicey. The reason Holmes is such an asset, well, when actually used properly, is he can guard pick and roll. That's one of the main reasons you see such a stark contrast when he plays over Giles and even Bagley. Bagley has the tools to get it done but even with him his offense is what will keep him on the floor. That was an issue considering in many ways he was afterthought.
I agree, but it still comes down to player usage. This team is failing on the floor. I can't look at the roster and say he didn't give his coach the tools to succeed. Hell, he even went out of his way to bring in Ariza (who he again misused, stats said Barnes/Ariza was the best combo for Walton in terms of net rating) and trade for his boy Baze. GM's don't always do that for their coach. But I do agree, and that's why I went to on to say that's why Vlade will probably go down in the same flames. He cleared the path for his boy and he has to pay for that now.
There are still games left. At the end of this Vivek will feel the pressure if he hasn't already especially as decision time comes around as he looks at the prospects of shelling out about 30 million or so to keep this garbage together. After this showing even though on paper it's worth it to anyone with basketball sense, even I can't justify doing that as someone who believes in the talent on the roster. Then comes another Kings appearance in the lotto as everyone continues to chuckle at Vlade and by proxy him for passing on Luka. While shortsighted IMO all those little cuts and jabs have to be leading to an oozing wound by now. That pressure is already everpresent with reports that his co-owners aren't the biggest fans of his leadership but it's the people out there looking for gigs putting out feelers that will likely get this thing moving. Some of them will probably go through the other owners to get to Vivek. Those exit interviews will tell the story as well. Before every game since about game 2 it's looked like a midnight cleanup crew heading into the building. You can see the energy or lack thereof. Jeez, hard to wonder why with cool hand Luke over there reading a magazine as his team goes down 20 points again who then panics and starts yanking players in and out in hopes of a miracle. It's like he's constantly reliving his Ivy league charter school nightmare of waking up on test day having forgotten to study LOL.
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