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Kings vs. Mavericks Preview: Blowing All The Smoke

The Sacramento Kings will "continue to build, continue to grow" against the Dallas Mavericks and NBA superstar Luka Doncic, as the Mavericks try to settle their playoff positioning. The Kings, according to their coach, are just happy to "get a month of work in together". Goddamn it.
By | 61 Comments | Aug 4, 2020

I’ve already scrapped two versions of this preview. They were long winded and annoyed like 95% of what I put out for you all, and both times I got to a certain point and realized that both Richard and Akis published items pertaining to my feelings for the Sacramento Bee in the last few days, and Blake and Greg both published thoughts here at The Kings Herald. Four of the very best voices pertaining to the Kings have beaten very similar, familiar tunes into this drum and I dance along to them all. With that being said, I need to say one or two things, less for you all and more for myself.

Note, there maybe those of you who have a podcast who need to argue this for internet clout, or need to defend those discussed here because you have access and want to keep it. Get your clicks, your likes and subscribes, your access, your clout. I could not give less of a shit. I give a Luke Walton level of shit about it, so you do you.

This organization is a soul-sucking, apathy-inducing freak show of mismanagement, a complete dereliction of desire from those on high who are paying and paid to maintain a profession sports franchise in Sacramento. This current version of the Kings is an insult to everyone who ever went to a rally to save this franchise, who bought a ticket to a game, who routinely defend this current ownership and management group despite logic screaming in their face to do otherwise. Now, 99% of the men and women responsible for this team are good people. They’re Sacramentans, by birth or transplantation: they’re fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, diverse in opinion and background and as long as they aren’t embezzling money from sponsors or being credibly accused of sexual assault, I have no issue with them personally. Professionally, however, the combination of this current group is unrivaled in their miscalculation of even the most basic principles of a modern franchise. The laundry list of blunders is dizzying in length and variety, and somehow still grows longer by the day.

Vivek once preached about an NBA 3.0 coming to Sacramento: a brand of basketball on the cutting edge. He spoke of secret sauce, he teased radical ideas that while not necessarily sagacious, were at least titillating to the imagination of fans on what the future might hold. Ranadive even staked some reputation and wrote an entire book on “How We Succeed by Anticipating the Future€“Just Enough” and then went out and trusted a cavalcade of know-nothings and swindlers before settling on a man who had nothing to lose but, well, his entire reputation in a city he was beloved in. Now, seven years past these promises, the Kings aren’t looking into some crystal ball, they aren’t staring a graphs predicting the trends of tomorrow. The Kings aren’t even viewing basketball from the ideas of the present day. You can spend ten seconds reading about their tiny scouting and analytics department and look at their draft history for irrefutable evidence of that. This organization’s direction of sight towards basketball could only accurately be described as stuffing a window to the past up their very own ass. Yet somehow, they remain this unwavering blase level of confidence, all while building a team that wouldn’t compete in 2010, much less 2020. This isn’t to transition blame to the players. They work their asses off mostly, they take their shots and the chips fall where they may. The men who picked them, who attempted to arrange them into a winning unit, they are the only ones holding the blame.

I’ve met Vlade Divac, on more than one occasion. He is a good man, a kind soul and someone who I will always admire. When the time comes for his tenure with the Kings to end, and later when attempts are made for that time to be accurately assessed, the dysfunction, drama and overall aversion to any modicum of success will cast a black cloud across his legacy and that of the Kings for more years that he was ever a success in Sacramento. He will be viewed, unfortunately but rightly, as the greatest mistake in this franchise’s long history of screw-ups. He should have been assigned a new position within the franchise after a single season with the Kings. His reign as general manger has routinely set the franchise back years and a man who deserves to be praised for the rest of time in Sacramento for his contributions on the court, will be instead celebrated for his departure. The management under Divac has ran off coaches, taken endless risk with zero reward within the draft, been beset with personnel issues from various staff and preached patience long after the smoke choked out any hope that lived in the basement the Kings have resided in since the Bush administration.

The sins of this franchise and the decisions of the ownership and management have never been more prevalent than right now. With four months of preparation and a solid chance at a playoff berth, the Sacramento Kings came in woefully unprepared for the task at hand and were bushwhacked by teams that were injury plagued and unimpressive, but prepared. Four months to focus on the task at hand, everyone locked away with opportunities to learn and grow and scout and in 96 minutes, the hype from this fandom is blown a part again, maybe for the last time. Probably not. I take exception to just about everything Luke Walton said on Monday about this really just being a chance to work for a month and boy howdy isn’t it nice to be here. This would ring true for a team like the Suns, who had all the possibilities of making the playoffs as I do of making the roster for the next Olympic hockey team. Except, the Suns have come out and kicked some serious ass. Their young star center has attempted to expand his range, their young guys are out there working and cohesive and they’re winning. They beat the very team that the Kings will play Tuesday, a playoff team with one of the brightest young stars in the NBA. The Kings, who felt disrespected, voiced their frustration with it and vowed to prove their worth, were more prepared to go fishing than they were to play basketball at a high level. They huffed and puffed and when the chance came to focus that energy into something, they got blown out in back-to-back games. Players have bad games and accidentally order chicken outside of their bubble: that can be expected. But nothing about this team screams anything but a lack of planning. Their faces show it, their play shows it, their coach’s glassy fucking stare into the abyss shows it.

Here’s the worst part. The fandom has been in worse spots. They rallied, bought billboards, rented custom wrapped RV’s and drove across the country to various stadiums, refused to let this team disappear. They showed the NBA that it was worth it to keep this team here instead of moving to a massive media market. They convinced rich people to make risky decisions in uncertain financial times. They showed up, again and again and again and as a reward, this ownership group proudly exclaimed “This is your team!” Now? Where do everyday people turn to, to have a voice for their frustration? An independent blog? Brushed aside as a loud minority. A singular billboard? Though well-meant, will not draw attention, as already seen. A rally? In this pandemic? No. This might not matter for a season or so with the current state of the country, but their only recourse seems to be: not showing up. Fans, that refused to stand down in the face of first and goal, that showed up to prove this team was worth believing in even during the most embarrassing displays of professional sports management and now, the talk around town is to leave the team they love behind. Stay away long enough and maybe the obvious things will be made right. Maybe if enough people show their distaste and apathy they’ll give someone else a chance to muck it up. “DoNt gO tO GaMeS iF yOu DoNt LiKe iT” is both the most logical thing to do and the most ass-backwards movement imaginable for the people of this city, fans of this franchise. But, after everything they’ve been put through, truly when else should change be expected?

Is this really it, Vivek Ranadive? Various minority owners? Is this the vision you had when you bought into this franchise and convinced a city to buy into you? A franchise without the managerial acuity or coaching talent to handle vying for the eight seed with four months of lead time, who preaches patience to those who still tuned into blowouts after 14 years of disappointment?

I chanted Here We Stay after the buzzer sounded on those nights where everyone else on Earth knew the Sacramento Kings were finished. My signature rests on the banner that says “1985-Forever”. I stood in the crowd the day it was professed that this team was “our team”. If this is really it, if this is the Kings 3.0 we were promised: I don’t want it.

Nice arena though.

When: Tuesday, August 4th – 11:30 am PST

Where: HP Field House, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Kissimmee, FL

TV: NBCSCA

Radio: KHTK Sports 1140 AM

For Your Consideration

What do we want to say about the game at hand? Do we really need to rant about Luka Doncic, a boy wonder who the Kings still wouldn’t have selected if Marvin Bagley had refused to reclassify back in high school? He’s a model NBA superstar, infinitely likable and marketable, with more talent and production than most players in Kings history. I’ll leave my fleshy cage someday and pass to another realm of existence still mad about it. That isn’t fair to Marvin Bagley, a kid with the insurmountable pressure of coming into a franchise with more losses than any other in NBA history, to a fanbase that knows in their collective soul he should never have been put in that spot. He should be elsewhere, flashing his massive potential, busting his ass and hyping the hell out of any other franchise in the NBA, but instead he came to a franchise with a fanbase so ravenous for wins that they had those that would cannibalize their own picks for a spot at the post-season. I don’t blame the fans for their general dismay and malcontentedness. I don’t blame Bagley for his frustrating false start to stardom either. This isn’t his fault.

The Kings are going spend 48 minutes of basketball Tuesday morning reminding you of why management and the coaching staff should both be walked out of the bubble before closing time at the local Kissimmee travel agency. Even in the event of an improbable victory, they’ll show their limits as a team. I will root for DaQuan Jeffries, because I like DaQuan Jeffries and I like his style of play. I will also spend the day wondering why the hell this franchise needs to depend on one of their two-way contract players to provide energy for them. I love De’Aaron Fox and believe in his potential and will still have to think about what kind of stud he could be with a secondary ball handler zipping him passes from three-quarters of a court away while his unparalleled speed puts him far ahead of defenders. Remember Lebron-to-Wade outlets? I wonder what that would look like with another 5 years of chemistry on top of it. I wonder it every single time the Mavericks show up on the schedule. You win championships with stars, you make money with stars. Historically, the Kings have been allergic to doing either. I digress.

The Mavericks are a great, young team that has a fantastic coach and a large championship window that they should be busting open very soon. The Sacramento Kings had a decent-sized playoff window this year, maybe only this year with the current roster and coaching staff. Instead of preparing to finally end one of the longest streaks in professional sports history, they’re using it as time to be encouraged that they’re even there in the first place. Coach Walton on Monday proclaimed, “This is an unbelievable opportunity and we get a month of work in together” –  it’s just too fucking bad I guess that he didn’t realize that a spot in the post-season was in the balance.

You’ve put up with enough of this. My writing and this franchise.

Prediction

Winners win. Losers lose.

Kings: ?, Mavericks: !

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RobHessing
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August 4, 2020 8:09 am

Kings. Mavs.comment image Next.

RobHessing
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August 4, 2020 8:11 am

Oh, and about the article, Will?
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Jman1949
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August 4, 2020 8:11 am

The Mavs have what we wish we had€”
A rebuild that’s turned out not bad.
While we extend layoffs,
They’re back in the playoffs€”
Vlade’s blunder still driving us mad!

ScottyPop
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August 4, 2020 8:15 am

Amazing.

Thank you.

G-naps
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August 4, 2020 8:16 am

We’re here for you Will. You are not alone.

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Kosta
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August 4, 2020 11:57 am
Reply to  G-naps

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SPTSJUNKIE
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August 4, 2020 8:28 am

I’ve met Vlade Divac, on more than one occasion. He is a good man, a kind soul and someone who I will always admire. When the time comes for his tenure with the Kings to end, and later when attempts are made for that time to be accurately assessed, the dysfunction, drama and overall aversion to any modicum of success will cast a black cloud across his legacy and that of the Kings for more years that he was ever a success in Sacramento. He will be viewed, unfortunately but rightly, as the greatest mistake in this franchise’s long history of screw-ups. He should have been assigned a new position within the franchise after a single season with the Kings. His reign as general manger has routinely set the franchise back years and a man who deserves to be praised for the rest of time in Sacramento for his contributions on the court, will be instead celebrated for his departure.

Bravo – agree with this 100%. Vlade was one of my heroes growing up. He is a pure class act as a human being. He has been through a lot in his life and has handled himself with a grace and dignity I aspire to, but probably fail. I will always admire and love Vlade the person and Vlade the basketball player. I have no desire to attack his character.

However, he was overwhelmed from day 1 as a GM. He likely would have been if he was the GM 20 years ago, but the league has transitioned to require GMs and FOs to be savvy in player evaluation, strategy, technology, cap management, and data analysis. And that was never Vlade’s forte. And while he brought in some outside help, such as Perry, Williams, and Dumars – outside of Cantanella, he really hasn’t had a new school expert who excels and is proven in a basketball context in one of those areas.

My hope when he was first hired was that he would use his great people and diplomatic skills to smooth the turmoil in the front office, align everyone in the organisation, and help us find either a proven GM or a high potential assistant to run the team, while he served as a leader and ambassador. However, that has never happened. And it’s led us to have one of the worst run and most dysfunctional franchises in sports.

We have been passed by from many teams who started rebuilding after us and we had one of the richest rebuilds in franchise history in terms of the assets we had to expend and have mostly squandered them. We jumped in the lottery twice, had the opportunity to trade a top 20 talent and a plus starter, have spent well over $100M in cap space – and are losing ground to teams who have had much less, but competent management.

So I love and admire Vlade the player and person. But it is time for this ill-conceived experiment to end. There is no guarantee that the next GM is better, but fear cannot hold us back. And there is a near-certain guarantee that this front office has a very low ceiling that will never get us close to a championship.

Last edited 3 years ago by SPTSJUNKIE
Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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August 4, 2020 9:07 am
Reply to  SPTSJUNKIE

Well said:

He likely would have been if he was the GM 20 years ago, but the league has transitioned to require GMs and FOs to be savvy in player evaluation, strategy, technology, cap management, and data analysis.

I think gone are the days of ex-players to be GM’s. Coaches sure, but the GM job takes such a different skill set in today’s NBA. Gone are the days of Geoff Petrie, Danny Ainge, and Larry Bird as GMs. Welcome to the world of Daryl Morey, Bob Myers, and Sam Presti

RikSmits
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August 4, 2020 9:18 am
Reply to  SPTSJUNKIE

Everybody is nice until he does shitty things.
 
I saw how classy Vlade was when bringing in questionable people (are we still paying Matt Barnes?), when taking tepid action against homophobic slurs, intimidating actions by players against members of the press and trying to oust a coach, throwing shade on players after they are gone.
 
The only bridges he builds are residential areas for Kings trolls.
 
I loved him as a player; as a GM I judge him by his actions and I find him lacking in all categories.
 
And most of that would be forgotten or forgiven if he was good at his job and had built a perennial contender. Well, we know how that went, so far.
 
 

G-naps
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August 4, 2020 9:47 am
Reply to  RikSmits

I look at Vlades time as GM as the fans being able to “meet” their hero/favorite player.

During his playing days we were presented with player Vlade. He could say the right things in interviews as a player and his teams could spin the player narrative how ever they want. He was a team player….locker room guy…..every body got along with him. But Vlade the GM we get to meet. Maybe he isnt the FO team player because he has an ego. Maybe on court success doesnt translate into player personnel success.

And interesting tweet from rob biegler this morning

https://twitter.com/robbybiegler/status/1290445011495063554?s=20



RikSmits
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August 4, 2020 10:06 am
Reply to  G-naps

Yeah, I’d like to hear more from Biegler on that one.

G-naps
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August 4, 2020 10:08 am
Reply to  RikSmits

If that cult consists of Vlade, Matina and Vivek it will be time to find a new team.

Gregoryl
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August 4, 2020 10:21 am
Reply to  G-naps

That’s the question: Is Vivek part of that cult? Looking from the outisde in, it sure appears so.

Timmy_13
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August 4, 2020 10:19 am
Reply to  G-naps

Is that why he blocked me on IG for posting Luka stats on his pictures?
 
No regrets from that. Fuck Vlade.

RORDOG
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August 4, 2020 10:31 am
Reply to  SPTSJUNKIE

“Nobody in that position has ever been less qualified, less capable or a nicer person,” says one league insider.

From The Madness of Kings By Kevin Arnovitz in January of 2017

Otis
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August 4, 2020 11:21 am
Reply to  SPTSJUNKIE

Yep, I’d be perfectly happy going back to loving Vlade for what he did for this franchise before going to work for them.

jay14bay
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August 4, 2020 8:47 am
Reply to  WGriffith

Don’t apologize. I felt this, you just put it into words (which, it took a few). Thank you.

RikSmits
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August 4, 2020 9:19 am
Reply to  WGriffith

It isn’t the size that matters. This is good.

Dirkula
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August 4, 2020 10:01 am
Reply to  WGriffith

For me, personally, this is my favorite article by you, Will! That’s saying a lot as I always look forward to your previews, but it’s about time they started hearing this from even the most optimistic of fans. #Bravo
Can we get a JLV rant too?! 😁

HongKongKingsFan
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August 4, 2020 8:33 am

Serious question:

1) It takes how long, if we can sign Doncic off free agency ? (I know he can sign early extension after his rookies contract with the Mavs for 5 more years?)….If so, Doncic would become an UFA after that period ?

Side note: Justin Jackson got 8 mins & ZERO minutes in two bubbles games…….it just another example of how the FO totally wasted “the 10th pick”…

jay14bay
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August 4, 2020 8:51 am

Serious question – are you serious? When the time comes for Luka to pick his next team, he will probably have one or multiple MVPs under his belt. The most dysfunctional franchise in professional sports (who passed him up at the draft, no less) will not be on his list. The Luka-Kings ship has long sailed, please don’t have any hope of this, for your own sake.

Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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August 4, 2020 8:58 am

Lol, Luka is not coming to Sac. As of today, I think the Mavs are building that team around him and will pay him whatever he wants when the time comes. The only thing that will make Luka decide to leave is if Dallas completely botches building a contending team around him (think LeBron’s first stint with the Cavs) but I don’t see that happening.

SPTSJUNKIE
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August 4, 2020 11:20 am

Side note: Justin Jackson got 8 mins & ZERO minutes in two bubbles games€¦€¦.it just another example of how the FO totally wasted €œthe 10th pick€€¦

The Doncic pick rightfully gets more flak. But if Giles leaves after this season and Vlade generated basically zero value with the 10th pick as Mitchell and Bam look fantastic and even Collins and Kennard look like they could become solid role players – that will be a huge whiff.

For anyone who has forgotten, that draft went:

10 – Zach Collins
11 – Monk
12 – Kennard
13 – Mitchell
14 – Bam
15 – Justin Jackson

That’s a very poor use of assets.

Adamsite
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August 4, 2020 8:35 am

Who else wants to see Luka drop the mother of all triple-doubles on the Kings today? Bring the pain to force a change.

Oh…and wonderful piece, Will. Thank for it.

Last edited 3 years ago by Adamsite
Gregoryl
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August 4, 2020 8:40 am

“This is an unbelievable opportunity and we get a month of work in together”.
What a stupid comment. He sucks.

Adamsite
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August 4, 2020 8:59 am
Reply to  Gregoryl

Yeah, celebrating the fact that they made it to the bubble is some next level bar lowering.

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August 4, 2020 9:04 am
Reply to  Adamsite

comment image

jay14bay
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August 4, 2020 9:30 am
Reply to  Adamsite

My father taught me the importance of accountability. Where you at, Bill Walton?

RikSmits
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August 4, 2020 9:19 am
Reply to  Gregoryl

These kind of answers and the constant fall-back to watching the tape have me convinced that he is just trolling us.

G-naps
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August 4, 2020 9:34 am
Reply to  RikSmits

Good point. Maybe thats Lukes “schtick” he doesnt want to answer to the media so he gives the “i dont know….i need to review it” answer so he can get on with his day.

Similar to how his father had his announcing “schtick” though I never got it. But maybe Im the idiot because I never understood why his father seemed to slobber all over particular players and then be little other players non stop.

Marty
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August 4, 2020 12:05 pm
Reply to  RikSmits

Agree with that possibility Rik. Andy Reid must have said “We’ve got to do a better job” 1,000,000x in Philly. I’m convinced there are coaches who loathe being interviewed and just learn to get through it by polite repetition.

Kingsguru21
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August 4, 2020 8:42 am

You outdid yourself Will. Well played.

AirmaxPG
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August 4, 2020 8:46 am

I fully expect the Kings to win this one. Or at least put up a good showing. The players have pride, and they will ball out this game. We’ve seen it happen several times this year after humiliating defeats. I think we might even play pretty decent the rest of the 6 games, although not well enough for a play-in.

Just well enough so that our ridiculous front office will proclaim “mission accomplished” and assess the season as a step in the right direction. A minor bump in the road on our path to success (aka cameo 8th seed) in the next 3 years.

So Vlade and Luke will be back next year, where they will be exposed at some point and we will have wasted more time with these hacks in charge.

But I’ll continue to root for the players from afar, while not giving the org a dime of my hard-earned money until they make positive changes to the FO and hopefully ownership as well.

jay14bay
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August 4, 2020 8:54 am
Reply to  AirmaxPG

It would be very KANGZy to get mathematically eliminated and then win out.

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August 4, 2020 9:01 am
Reply to  jay14bay

I fully expect them to beat a resting Houston and Lakers team. They won’t have anything to play for in games 6 and 8.

Jman1949
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August 4, 2020 9:40 am
Reply to  Adamsite

Will the game with the L****s even get played? They’ve already clinched the West, and we’ve all but eliminated ourselves from the possibility of a play-in. Last I looked, the game with the L****s was still listed as €œTBD€ on the schedule.

Last edited 3 years ago by Jman1949
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August 4, 2020 9:43 am
Reply to  Jman1949

Oh wow, you’re right. The last two days of the bubble all have TBD next to them. I didn’t realize that was the case.

Kingsguru21
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August 4, 2020 10:28 am
Reply to  Jman1949

From a financial standpoint, Jman, absolutely.

9sac8
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August 4, 2020 10:00 am
Reply to  AirmaxPG

I’m with you on everything. Except not making the playoffs. I’m so deeply rooted it’s at a level of insanity. 22 years man! I still think they can get in. 6-0 though!

AirmaxPG
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August 4, 2020 10:24 am
Reply to  9sac8

That’s a bold prediction, haha. I admire your optimism and hope you are right.

Otis
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August 4, 2020 11:26 am
Reply to  AirmaxPG

I was thinking that as well, Airmax. This is the type of game they could very well win. Although I have my doubts for two reasons – one, Dallas is probably coming in pissed off. Two, I really do wonder if our COVID positives are feeling the remnant effects of dealing with the illness. Barnes and Hield have significantly under-performed, and I’m not sure it’s coincidental.

Klam
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August 4, 2020 8:59 am

Bravo, Will. Read every single word in this long article and don’t regret it.
comment image

ArsLegendi
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August 4, 2020 9:07 am

“We get a month of work in together.€

Man, gfy, Luke. Know-nothing failson.

Amidst everything else, a tinier frustration arising from the pandemic is that it’s robbing me of the opportunity to invest more fully in my Republic fandom so I can use it to protest the Kings front office, and it has postponed their entry into MLS (and therefore a true professional sports comparison).

Last edited 3 years ago by ArsLegendi
dhackett
Dave Hackett
August 4, 2020 9:09 am

Kings management – the only team in the league “seeing the good” in being mediocre

PlayoffModeT
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August 4, 2020 9:30 am

How fitting.. We get to see Luka potentially end our playoff percentages!

We traded Cousins because we werent going to win on the Warriors timeline. Passing on Doncic effectively created another playoff team. Now we have to compete with a new timeline of stars.

  1. Nuggets (I hope MPJ stays healthy)
  2. Mavericks
  3. Grizzlies
  4. Jazz
  5. Pelicans
  6. Lakers, Clippers, Spurs, Thunder, Portland, Warriors, Rockets
  7. Twolves, Suns

I placed those consistent teams at 6 because they may be older but will definitely hang around. Where do you put the Kings in the next 5 – 10 years?

Adamsite
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August 4, 2020 9:40 am
Reply to  PlayoffModeT

I said yesterday that I think the Kings may be dead last in the West right now in terms of talent and future. Warriors will be back, and with a top 3 pick, TWolves also have a top pick to go with Towns and Russell, and the Suns look to be making the progress we had hoped for the Kings.

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August 4, 2020 9:44 am
Reply to  Adamsite

They also have the blessing of not having Vlade Divac as their GM.

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August 4, 2020 9:57 am
Reply to  Klam

It really is something when you think about it. The teams that did not make the bubble (Minny and G.S.) have multiple all-stars and will be better next year. The teams on the bubble (PHX, Portland, Spurs, N.O) have at least one all-star and should all be better next year. In fact there is only one other team than the Kings that doesn’t not have an all-star on their roster, and that is Memphis, who is head and shoulders ahead in their rebuild than the Kings.

Kingsguru21
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August 4, 2020 10:29 am
Reply to  Adamsite

Remember Adam, all you are is a bitchy and ungrateful fan for saying things like this. You should be happy you have a horribly run organization to root for at all!

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August 4, 2020 10:37 am
Reply to  Kingsguru21

“What Kings fans don’t understand is …”

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August 4, 2020 10:39 am
Reply to  Adamsite

“What Kings fans don’t understand is…..what a winning basketball team in Sacramento looks like.”

Wonderchild
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August 4, 2020 9:52 am
Reply to  PlayoffModeT

Well if you’re looking for something positive, because player contracts are so short now it’s near impossible to predict 5-10 years into the future. So it’s hard to predict competency that far ahead in time.

But nothing good can happen to the Kings until a complete overhaul of the front office and coaching staff takes place. And maybe ownership too. Just look at the Suns. They finally fired their horrible GM, hired a competent coach, also passed on Doncic, and now they look to be on the mend. The same goes for Atlanta and Memphis, though to a lesser degree.

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August 4, 2020 10:17 am

Imagine passing on the best player in the draft. Imagine still having your job and doing more damage to the team.
 
yea sorry guys, I’m passing this one. Can’t fathom having Vlade and Walton and we don’t have Luka.
 

Last edited 3 years ago by Timmy_13
Chef
August 4, 2020 10:35 am

Well written article. You spoke on behalf of many Kings fans(there are still GM Vlade fans out there). I’m just sitting here thinking of what could of have been with Luka and Fox on the floor together. Oof. Bron-wade lite perhaps??

Infuriating to think of all the “hE wOulD TaKe thE BaLL ouT oF FoX’S haNds” arguments and the stupidity behind that idea. It was dumb back then and dumber in hindsight.

Enjoy the elite 2nd jump, Vlade.

Unfortunate we won’t be able to see Peaches calling games with Luka on the floor.

Gregoryl
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August 4, 2020 10:35 am

This article makes me sick…b/c its so f’n spot-on.

SelecaoKOJ
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August 4, 2020 10:42 am

I would be surprised if this team doesn’t come out and play hard . That’s the pattern of inconsistency with this team. Not sure if they will win. Dallas has lost their first 2 and they still have a shot at moving out of that 7th spot to face the Clips. So, they’re are going to play with intensity. Kings best and final shot is today. Kings could beat a Lakers team playing their second unit, Houston resting their stars, and Possible the Nets. But, They’re definitely not beating the Pels twice. 4-4 or 3-5 is more like the best case scenario.

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August 4, 2020 10:50 am

One thing I think I agree with is Walton’s quotes about kinda focusing on the process over the results. If you look at the fringe playoff teams that seem to be playing the best in the bubble it’s the either teams that have been there before playoff-wise (Portland), teams that have nothing to lose (Phoenix), or teams with some combination of both (San Antonio). I can see the argument for keeping the players loose, and avoiding placing the weight of 13 years of ineptitude squarely on their shoulders. This team seems like they play better when they’re carefree. One of the big things about the “The Scores” was how much fun they were having. I don’t know if the “business trip” mentality suites this particular roster for whatever reason.

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August 4, 2020 11:09 am
Reply to  RORDOG

DId you speak to Vlade and Luke earlier this morning? These are the type of excuses the toxic twins will come to play with. Especially, at the end of the season press conference. This team has been FOS(Full of Excuses for 13 yrs. At some point, you have to be accountable and do your job. IN addition, Players are getting paid millions of dollars to play a game. You go out there and leave it all on the floor. The first 2 games were absolutely ridiculous and really inexcusable. This is not an isolated set of games. We’ve been seeing this all year and for over 13 years. The Kings best chance to ever get into a playoff was this season. Albeit, being under .500. Next year this team won’t have a chance in Hell at discussing playoffs.

RORDOG
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August 4, 2020 11:24 am
Reply to  SelecaoKOJ

Maybe I wasn’t clear. I wasn’t making excuses. I just think the players might’ve been pressing a bit, and getting them back to a more carefree style of play may give them the best chance to win.

Migz
August 4, 2020 11:01 am

PREACH!

Best article yet on TKH.

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