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Is that “the eye test” or the “oy test?”
I mean, he wasn’t really a PG in college. I’m not sure why we would expect him to be one in the NBA. Maaayyybbbeee he has some secondary ballhandler upside as a combo guard, but he’s never showen anything close to the ballhandling or decision-making chops necessary to play PG in the NBA.
Yeah I haven’t understood all of the fuss over DC’s ballhandling/playmaking. He was drafted to be a Josh Hart/Caruso type. Long, athletic, high-motor, defensive-minded guard that makes the hustle plays, moves the ball, and helps on the glass. You’re not supposed to run your offense through him.
He’s an off-ball player. The biggest concern for me has been his 3pt shooting, which must be better for him to be a viable player.
The problem is Hart is 6-4, Caruso is 6-5 and DC is 6-2. And he has no shoulders.
LOL, Jerry on Doug McDermott:
“What are we doing here? The thing that bothered me the most…of all the talk of defense, defense, defense, and now you get an older guy who doesn’t play defense. Is it all bullshit?”
We love you, Jerry!
Vivek must hate JR at this point haha.
I don’t get it either. We can trade a player we aren’t even going to play for one of the best defensive players in the league for a song and dance even a short song and dance. Jared Vanderbilt is only 26 and at 6’8″ has a very high motor and never quites. He can rebound and protect the weakside rim. He is also a good passer. He doesn’t have an offensive game other than dunks but scores a lot on steals and great hustle. A different player than Issac Jones so both bring there skills. Just doesn’t make sense.
Depth Chart
PG: DS – Monk – DC
SG: Zach – Keon – Cliff
SF: DDR – Cliff – Doug
PF: Keegan – IJ – Dario
C: Domas – Maxi – Drew
Should the Kings even pick up DC’s rookie option(5.2 then 7.4) if they can’t trade him before the start of the season?
Why not?
That’s a lot of cash for a guy that looks destined for China
to be fair, I don’t think DC is thaaat bad. We’ll see how he performs in regular season, but even though his summer league as PG was disappointing, I’m not sure he’s out-the-league status yet. Even Davion to me seemed like he was a fringe nba player many times, but he seemed to have found some footing in Miami
Eh, it isn’t that much cash (especially since they’re yearly options) and I think it’s early to make that call. Ultimately, that kind of short-term, low-cost investment on young guys that COULD be useful (which I think DC may be as long as we stop trying to pretend he’s a PG) is one of the 2-3 strategies the Kings should be employing.
I like how Jerry subtly pointed out the Kings have a ton of 6’6″ and under off guards cosplaying as other positions. The reality is the depth chart looks more like this:
PG: Schröder
SG: LaVine, DDR, Monk, Keon, Nique, Carter, McDermott, TD
SF:
PF: Keegan, Jones, Saric
C: Sabonis, Eubanks, Maxi
When you’re right you’re right . Sadly !
The way I see it, we have some flexibility (SG, SF), some redundancy (SG) and at least 2 gaps (???):
PG Schröder, ???, Monk/Ellis, Carter
SG Lavine, DDR, Monk/Ellis, Carter
SF Murray, Lavine, DDR
PF ??? Murray, Jones/Raynaud
C Sabonis, Eubanks/Raynaud
*In theory* Ben Simmons could sort of fill both gaps … if he wants to play basketball.
… and I forgot Clifford!
Roster construction was difficult for Monte to comprehend and it seems as though Perry is following in that path.
It’s all about what Vivek wants at the end of the day. Thats why the same problem persists.
Monte was done in by his patience. He waited so long for the right deal to come along that the moment for the team to be competitive passed him by. I still believe Monte had an excellent eye for talent, understood the direction the NBA was heading, was a tidy manager of his cap sheet, and had a clear vision for the team. He was not perfect by any means (bad management of second rounders, didn’t have the ability to close deals), but I always felt he was a competent GM.
Contrast that with the utter incompetence of this offseason, Monte sounds pretty good to me right now.
Monte did what he was hired to do. Which was to keep re-tooling around Fox and end the playoff drought ASAP.
It’s why he was hired over Sachin Gupta, who would have torn this team down and built up from scratch. Vivek doesn’t have patience for that.
Amazingly, Monte had Hali fall to him in the late lottery. Would’ve been a good time to shift gears and build around the younger, better player. But again, Vivek.
Monte fulfilled his mandate as a vivek lackey, and when the player who they coddled and catered to predictably wanted out of this clown show, his hand was forced to sell way low.
Monte gets the blame, while the real clown car driver (vivek) remains in control, and has moved on to his next lackey.
I agree. The worst things about Monte’s tenure (trading Hali, trading for Lavine, signing DDR despite being a bad fit) I attribute to pressure from Vivek.
When I look at the trades for Sabonis, JV, and Laravia, I see moves made by a man who was trying to do his best within the parameters his boss had set for him. Monte knew the roster had problems, and could articulate those problems clearly in front of the media, but could only explore solutions that lead to competitive basketball in the short term.
No centers and two point guards? Trade one of them for an All-NBA center. No two-way wing depth? Take a flyer on a guy like Laravia who was on the outs in Memphis for reasons beyond his control. These moves demonstrate a savviness for acquiring talent when it can be acquired cheaply. They make sense when looked at through the lens of trying to win games immediately.
The problem is, the Kings never should have hired Monte to win immediately. They should’ve hired him to be the architect of a full teardown and rebuild. Before Fox forced his way out, Monte had clearly built a better roster than the one he had inherited. He was exec of the year, he ended the drought, for three straight years the Kings consistently won basketball games (!!!).
But in the end, Vivek couldn’t help himself but lean over from the passenger seat and jerk the wheel. Now we’re spiraling into the quarry of basketball ruin. Until he’s gone, nothing will ever change.
Well said.
I would bet you that lineup won’t get you 35 wins next year.
This. They’re not making the play-in or winning 40 games with this team.
Based on Kings free agency history, I question anyone that willfully signs with the team (not including players extensions, like rookie scale or what Fomas did recently. Take the money!!!)
I get the Kings overpay, but is it worth the torture?
maybe it’s their last chance at a good contract and they figure they can be traded anyway
Vivek and this FO are going to quickly find out that not even the play-in will be attainable next season.
Nuggets
Wolves
Thunder
Duds
Fakers
Clips
Mavs
Rockegs
Grizz
Spurs
That’s ten teams that are clearly better than the Kings.
Blazers
Jazz
Suns
Pels
I think we’re only clearly better than the Suns.
It could get ugly this season and hopefully it does and by trade deadline our core is dealt.
Landing a top 3 pick in next year‘s loaded draft is crucial.
The Jazz are going to be bad. Pelicans are only good next season if Zion is healthy and plays. But still, that’s bottom of the barrel stuff right there.
If Perry doesn’t do anything to make this team better(McDermott isn’t the God send) then I will not be on King’s Herald next year. It just isn’t worth it. We’ll see. For what it’s worth I care a lot on every person who comments on this page. GO KINGS!
Jack, I think I can speak for many here…don’t let the Kings ineptitude kill your fandom and love of this community. Many of us here are frustrated to no end with the team, but we love this community and banter. TKH is a special place for our little niche enclave. Don’t give up, amigo.
I’ve been apart of this online group since ’08…I think, which spans many rosters, GMs, owners, and even site domains. We are a special group. Keep bringing it.
Rangz, Kangz, disgruntled Fanz. It don’t mean shit cause we are family.
What Adamsite wrote is so true!! I was a Bulls fan in Chicago for thirty years. I used to read Sam Smith on the Bulls religiously. Sam was good. But I found nothing in Chicago to compare with the many knowledgeable fans who comment on TKH. And the humor is better than the best comics!
The only west team we have more talent than are the Suns imo. All these young teams that have been rebuilding/tanking are looking to take the next step. The west is getting a lot more crowded this year and the mediocre vivek kangz are getting squeezed out.
The Jazz. They traded some good talent (Sexton and Collins) for worse talent. They have Lauri and a bunch of young guys haven’t really looked too good. Kessler has had moments, and I like Collier, but still unproven.
At least the Suns have a number one option in Booker, promising Jalen Green. Outside of that, not much.
So true. The commenters on TKH are the only thing I like about this franchise anymore.
With you. I would have packed it in years ago if it were not for this community.
OK I’ll hang in there just to see what Perry and company will do this summer and because your comment directly to me was taken the right way has convinced me that family is more important than just one guy who appreciates all those who stick in there. GO KINGS!
the real Larry O’Brien Trophy was the friends we made along the way
I got tired enough of the persistent cellar dwelling and poor decision making that I decided that as long as Vivek was the Governor/Managing Partner, I would just fan elsewhere.
I picked the LA Clippers. I like what Steve Ballmer has done (they have not had a losing season since he’s been in charge. That’s pretty amazing). He sits in the stands and fans out in public. In the back room, he hired Jerry West, Lawrence Frank. He seems to let the folks he hired alone. And he seems to spare little expense in hiring who he could (Jerry West for example (and R.I.P.)). He built a great arena, and with the fans in mind. He didn’t buy the Clippers and build the Intuit Dome because he needs the money. He has the team because he wants it, he doesn’t need it. And he wants to win.
I even had an avatar name: FromSacToLAC for their online sites. I like the team enough, but their online community isn’t this community. I am back here, warts and all, because this site TKH/the old STR and all of you posters – are more fun. We are a sad sack lot commiserating about this dismal franchise – but I get more information and have more fun here than the Clipper folks could seem to muster.
The fun of sports sharing is the worry, joy, heartache, headache, confusion and hope that every team produces. That this franchise is back making a bull run on laughingstock is just par for the course.
So, I am here. With you, Jack. And Adamsite (who’s awesome). And all you others – the real Good, Bad and Ugly. In their own way, the Sacramento Kings are a big pile of poop – but dammit, they are our pile of poop. I want so much to see them win – but I don’t expect it more than a bit. My fan disappointment has a foot squarely in the apathy section of the bleachers. And that’s okay.
If you decide to stay, Jack; see you in the funny papers! And Light the Beam!
Great stuff as usual UTQ
Yeah but that’s only one player and we don’t know if he is any good or not. I will be dead and gone if that’s our future.
What are you all thinking about the Blazers (my back-up team when I can’t take the Kings anymore)?
The return of the injured Dame, together with the trade for Jrue, as mentors for Scoot and Shae? The trading down and taking a swing at Yang Hansen, and how he looked in Vegas? The young defensive core of Camara, Avdija and Clingan?
So different from the Kangz approach.
I think there’s a decent chance they finish ahead of us. I think Billups has done a good job getting them to play the right way on both ends of the floor.
I actually think they’re being slept on a bit. Obviously, they have to prove/earn it but I think they have a good young team who could make a little bit of noise this year. More development for Scoot, Shae, DC, and probably bench big minutes for Yang, with Camara and Avdija(who i think is really underrated), and now the addition of Jrue and Dame on the bench they should be fun. Very real and easy chance they’re better than us in the standings
I think they can finish above the Kings. I know for sure they are going to be a lot more fun than the Kings.
I’m rooting for Dario Saric to have a career year.
I’m rooting for him to have somebody, anybody’s career year other than his own.
I’m rooting to trade him for Jared Vanderbilt. One for one.
Kings don’t have the space to take on the difference in contract. The difference is about $8m this year.
We did it. We’re elite! ESPN.com Tier 1 worst personnel moves since 2020. ‘Franchise altering terrible trades’. We made #5: having both Fox and Haliburton and losing both within 3 years. ‘Just a couple of years after their best run in decades, the Kings once more possess an ill-fitting roster with no direction, and they’ve gone from two point guards to zero. Meanwhile, Haliburton… .’ You picked Fox/Sabonis over Hali. Then you couldn’t even keep Fox. As they say, ‘terrible.’
Expand it to seven years and drafting Bagley over Luka gets on the radar.
Expand it from 85-98, and then from 07-Current. So many awful trades, drafts and free agent signings. Zooming out and looking at the totality of ineptitude across multiple owners, GMs, coaches, and players, is quite the thought exercise. Hell, they even had a fan puke on the floor!!!
It was a physical and spiritual (well there were spirits involved) manifestation of Kanz fandom. He did what was needed!!!
Not going to lie but I love listening to Jerry as he is honest and knows a thing or two about the league
I also value this site as place where we aren’t being BS’ed about what the team is doing
I have a question, I here this narrative on various podcasts and on the radio (I know I need to get out more) about there are moves the team wants to make but can’t. They know the players they want. They know the roster is imbalanced and they want to change things. We all know this roster is crap, I kinda figured there would be moves, so now they they are goin to run it back?
Is this cos this roster is that bad and no one wants anyone on this roster, our front office is asking for stupid sh!t, or do they think if they wait long enough the front office will cave. Or is it that the new collective bargaining agreement makes it tough
Why couldn’t the Kings have been in on Collin Sexton as what the Hornets gave up wasn’t that much
So why resign McDermott, isn’t there a bargain basement power forward or wing player out there who might actually help this roster
All of the above?
It takes 2 teams to make a deal, free agents have to want to sign in Sac, other teams probably don’t want the Kings current players, and the asking price is probably too high by the Kings front office.
Caleb Houstan was a young 6’8 player that can shoot, he signed a 1 year vet minimum deal with the Hawks. He would have been better than McDermott. But Houstan would have wanted to sign with the Kings, and the Kings would have wanted him on the roster.
Personally, I don’t give a shit about the narratives. It’s about results.
They traded who they traded (JV for Saric – bad) and they signed who they signed (Sctoder – meh and McBuckets – bad). And made a tactical error with Keon, and lost control over his situation – bad.
We’ve become older and not much better, if at all. It may be that we’ve become worse, actually. The roster imbalance is awful, as Adamsite showed here above.
No narrative can explain away such an underwhelming offseason.
I 100% believe they have gotten worse. There is now zero depth behind Sabonis and Keegan. What kills me, is that they actually think they have gotten better and it’s not some kind of stealth tank. You don’t give out a contract like Schröder’s if you are gunning for the lottery.
I’m not sure what’s worse a bad team or a mediocre team with out any real interesting pieces
The front office seems to be delusionly self confident of late its like they know something the rest of the league doesn’t
There was a time when I’d get pissed off when the national media would slang this team off. Not any more, they deserve it
An ammendum to this is Bill Simmons just slagging off Fox, that now the Spurs have Harper they don’t need Fox any more. Harper could be great but he also might never ever learn how to shoot just cos he was on the Kings doesn’t mean he is some random guy. Who really knows how good he is but he is what a top 20-30 guy in the league is he not?
The McDermott re-signing really makes no sense. He doesn’t fit Perry’s wanted identity at all. At this point, are we even sure we got a new GM. It’s just the same shit.
As to player value, I’m guessing the only ones that migh peak other team’s interests are Sabonis, Keegan and Keon. The rest are unwanted, mainly due to their contracts.
Even Sabonis’ deal is brutal Veciene did a section on one of his last pods about it. He’s making # 2-3 money on the extension yet no one in the league really views him as that.
I can see the point, but I’m not sure I agree with that. This year he’ll be the 27th highest paid player in the league, and he is clearly a top 25 player. He also has a skillset that makes those around him better. The same can’t be said for the likes of LaVine, DDR, Monk, etc.
If anything, most players making over $40M annually are being viewed differently with the new CBA rules. This offseason’s free agency is a preview into the new spending decisions in the league. If Sabonis was put on the block or asked for a trade, I can think of more than a few teams that would be calling. I can’t say the same for DDR and LaVine.
In short they have a math problem…the players they have make too much for what the league values them for..or they don’t value them at all the way we do. If we wanted to put compensation with some of these players they would be gone.
foreshadowing what is probably going to happen at the deadline as they all want off this ride.
I wouldn’t be surprised one bit if DDR asks for a trade or buyout before the summer is over. He’s seeing a bunch of vets like Dame, CP3, Beal, etc choose their next and possible final destinations as NBA players. I imagine he wants that as well, rather than ending his career in Sac.
Its like the Lavine Deal, the Bulls tried forever to get rid of him and no only did the Kings trade for him they traded Fox, good lord!!
As an aside, I’m back to reading power rankings from the bottom up, as that is the fastest path to the Kings paragraph.
I’m back to my tradition of looking at mock drafts and seeing the Kings picking in the top 10 again. The world is crazier by the day but at least the KANGZ stay the same
Sounds about right and FanDuel agrees with our over/under at 35.5
It seems all the major sports books have the Kings finishing around 11th in the West. Those major sports books aren’t often wrong as they have shit ton of money tied up into their odds
OK, but we’re one 30-something washed up vet away!
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