Well, everyone knew (well most everyone outside of the owner, General Manager, and a few friendly media folks) that the Kings would be pretty bad this season, but this giraffe isn’t convinced that anyone thought the team would be quite this inept.
Sitting at 3-9 as of this publishing, likely headed for 3-12 with the Wolves, Spurs, and Thunder coming up, the Sacramento Kings are bad at pretty much everything. They’ve lost their last 4 games by a combined 105 points, they rank 25th in offensive rating, 27th in defensive rating, and 28th in rebounding percentage. They don’t shoot, pass, run the pick-and-roll, or operate in transition particularly effectively. They’re, uh, just, bad: generic, old, expensive, bad.
To put it simply, there’s nothing redeemable about this roster, their coach, their General Manager, or their owner.
So, let’s have a mailbag in celebration! Who needs wins when you can have freewheeling discussion about why the team is the way that it is right now?! Feel free to throw any questions you may have in the comments, from a strategic query to a trade suggestion to a proposed rescue plan, and Will and I will take as many of the good ones as possible and throw some answers your way.
Now, get to asking, so we can get to answering!
Can you believe this shit?
My question for anyone….
Are you genuinely enjoying hate-watching yet? It took me one full season to really enjoy it, and now I do.
I’ve been here with this team before. I think the first time was that 3rd quarter where Klay Thompson scored 37 points. I just sat there and laughed harder and harder and harder.
Watching last night’s game, I just never got upset or mad. I mean, how can you take this team seriously? I mean, a Snickers bar and a Glamour magazine is more fulfilling, right? “Empty calories and male curiosity, eh, Georgie boy?”
I’m genuinely enjoying it. When I root for them to win, it rarely happens. When I root for them to lose, it usually happens. Much more enjoyable this way.
I’m still upset. I’ll enjoy it more when Vivek gets egg on his face in the national media and half the team asks for a trade.
We’ve just started to tail spin, I’m here for the inferno ball of fire at the end.
Means to an end. These losses and the manner in which they’re occurring are getting us there. It’s stressful to find enjoyment in the Kings losing, but I just picture the growing anxiety within Vivek and knocking him down a peg or several and it feels a little better.
What’s wild is that as bad as the Kings have been, there are still 5 teams worse than them! That means the Kings will actually have to try and be bad enough to strike lottery gold.
History tells us that no only are the Kings bad at being good, but they are also bad at being bad.
I don’t watch the Kings and hate on them.
But I will watch duds or fakers and hate on them.
Can we call Kings fan frustration “Kangzt”? Asking for a friend.
Can anyone give me a morsel of hope? It is with regrettable mounting apathy that I have already answered this question for myself – which is back to: Same owner, same problems. I left the Kings a few years ago with this realization. But I came back because of TKH. I am ready to skedaddle and it will be harder to return. Until the NBA steps in…
How does Sacramento get to a Redeem Beam Team?
/hat tip to Adamsite who predicted a possible 4-16 first 20 games. If he isn’t fully correct, it looks like he’ll be close.
(other teams fails/disappointments this season – and there have been a few, include LA Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks. Charlotte and Phoenix are as predicted, pretty much)
My prediction is holding…for now. 4-16 would be a glorious way to kick of the tear down and rebuild. With our luck however, Vivek will just leverage the future to trade for Anthony Davis or Ja Morant.
They would have to go 1-7 in the next eight games which should be no problem for this roster.
We seem to be aligned, 19 wins is my goal.
Rob:
Has anyone ever failed to verify their humanity to view your gifs?
Can you confirm whether Vivek has ever viewed your gifs?
Relevant.
Question 1: has anybody seen a similar vehement rant by a (young, inexperienced) NBA head coach against his own team, not just one or two players?
I think you may have to go back to Phil Jackson, but he always struck me very calculated in his approach. DC seemed like he had no control over his emotions and just went on and on and on.
Question 2: has anybody seen such a public statement by an NBA franchise (through one of its media moutpieces) that they are going to do a rebuild, and effectively announce a fire sale? Excellent leverage, guys.
Q1 and Q2… I hate to go all “small market”, but that’s what that is.
Doug- unimpressive. In over his head. Those 2 immature post games- calling out haters (ha) and how he wished he could go out there.
like some low budget high school coach. Not even close to professional.
Like his color work- unaware. Bad. Almost useless.
Is this Kings team the most non athletic we’ve ever had?
A lot of us have talked about demanding that Vivek sell the team. Who might a potential buyer be? How do we push Vivek to actually sell?
When will Doug Christie be fired? Before or after Christmas?
He probably won’t get fired.
I assume it will be a “mutual decision” and then he’ll become a special advisor to the chairman.
Or yet another guard on the roster.
He was inching that way last night, apparently.
Has a head coach ever self demoted himself back to the bench to let one of his assistants take over? Not counting illnesses (think Kerr and Pops) I can’t think of any.
Could Associate Coach Woodson take over and Doug return to assistant?
What would be impossible for a professionally run NBA franchise is Tuesday for your Sacramento Kings.
Exactly.
Who is the first to get traded and where do you think he (or them) ends up?
Also, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen Alvin Gentry sitting next to Vivek for he last three stinkers of games. Perry only made it through the first 3 quarters of the T-Wolves game, so is Gentry the new de facto GM?
How would you start this rebuild?
What player types would you look into acquiring via trade and draft (skill sets, positions, mentality, etc.)
Which players on the current roster would you keep during the rebuild, and why?
Are we actually rebuilding or is that rumor just a Carmichael Dave fever dream? Didn’t they say as much on yesterday’s Kings Herald Podcast?
I don’t know if they are actually rebuilding or not. What I do know is that they need to rebuild. They have been regressing for 3 years, while getting older. They play like an old team, slow and boring.
They need some young blood on the team that is hungry to prove themselves in the league. The offense has no identity, the defense is non-existent, and the apathy from the fans is growing.
TKH podcast was great this week.
I’m with you 100%. This is in my top 3 or 4 least favorite Sacramento Kings teams of all time. The only reason it’s not my least favorite is that I don’t really dislike any of the players.
If we can trade for Ja, this team can make the jump to my least favorite.
Right. And even if they do decide to attempt that, Vivek will fuck it up royally he’ll get Zion and Kuminga. A bunch of non-shooter athletes who can’t Play together or are injured.
I just don’t know how the hell they’re going to figure this out with the Vivek around
It’s going to be tough. The problem the Kings have is they don’t have cap space or roster spots. Fo anyone they trade they will have to take back close to the same salary. Maybe they can get expiring deals for the likes of LaVine, DDR, Monk etc and that clears the books to take on bad deals for picks come this time next year? Would the Kings take on Rozier just to get his expiring contract for a guy like DDR? That’s true tanking, but I don’t think Vivek has it in him.
What I don’t see happening is anyone giving up picks and prospects for any player on the Kings right now. After what OKC got from the Clippers, I don’t se any team being desperate enough to pull a trade like that. I feel the Kings are just going to get some smaller more movable deals for a large deal like LaVine’s. Totally hypothetical, but something totally meh like Tobias Harris and Duncan Robinson for LaVine. I’d love to pry away a guy like an injured Jaden Ivey, but I’m not getting my hopes up.
Coach Brown had the Defensive Player of the Game honors — the necklace and the crown.
Do you think the team would be inspired to play defense if after every game Anjali slept with the Defensive Player of the Game?
Or would the players just think that is icky?
I wouldn’t Chance it.
Assuming we actually embrace a rebuild, is it even possible for us to move 90 million of LaVine/Sabonis? Who would want those guys at their costs without us having to include picks to do it?
Sabonis is moveable. He is still a top center in this league, and he thrives when the right mix is around him. Put Domas in Houston and Sengun here, and Domas is thriving while Sengun is being asked to do more than his tool kit provides for.
The devaluation of Sabonis has been stunning. From the trading of Fox to the absolute worst mix of ball pounders that you could put around him, the Kings organization has certainly put a huge dent in his market value.
Sabonis is currently the 28th highest paid player in the league. As recently as a year ago, he was playing like a top 30 player, easily. By the time his contract is up, he will probably be around 40-45th in player salary. And for this you get a selfless rebounder that does not need to jack up a lot of shots to be a contributor. Is he Jokic? Nope. But he could make quite a few teams better.
The Kings won’t have to attach picks to move Domas, but they will still get fleeced. And Domas will become his recently former self as soon as he lands in his new digs.
Have you seen Sengun play? I think he’s clearly above Sabonis this season. Sabonis will out rebound him but Sengun has a better offensive game (floaters/hook shots that domas doesn’t seem to have). Both are below average defenders but Senguns at least a big body. To your point though, Sengun probs swings 5 more wins than Domas in a season which is still not very good with the current roster.
He is clearly above Sabonis this season. He was above Sabonis after the Fox trade, and on a par with Sabonis before the Fox trade. If the question is who I would like moving forward, especially considering age and miles, it’s Sengun in a heartbeat. That said, I don’t see Sengun swinging a single game of the nine losses this year, and that is almost 15% of the season. If a 5 win player exists for this roster, it is a lot higher up the chain than Sengun.
It’s amazing, this owner has systematically not picked or gotten rid of each player that they could potentially build around and would make them good.
Luca, then Halliburton. Then Fox. And Now Sabonis. I mean, this just shows how incredibly ego blind this owner is.
I do not like him. Please be gone.
Agreed, he wouldn’t know basketball talent if it bit him in the ass.
I think they are both movable and asset worthy…to the right team. They are not of the tiers of Luka, SGA, Jokic, etc. who have have 29 teams calling, but there are suitors.
As much as we may harp on LaVine for not playing defense or his contract is bad, the reality is, he’s one of the best shooters in the game, not a head case and isn’t selfish. A team that needs scoring and spacing would find significant value in him.
LaVine is also basically an expiring contract next season (player option) that may also be open to re-working his deal for more long term security. The team obtaining him would have the built-in flexibility to determine the length of their commitment to him.
True, and if I’m not mistaken DDR’s has only $10M guaranteed next season. An Apron team could see short term value in him for a run this year, only to cut him and save some significant tax next summer.
Yep. I’m not seeing a haul for any of these guys, but I’m also not seeing a need to add assets to facilitate their departure. Schroeder, on the other hand…
Agreed. DO NOT ATTACH ASSETS. Schroeder is going to be hard, but at least his 3rd year is non-guaranteed. Monk might be just as hard to move with 2 more years guaranteed.
It is something that when they gave away Fox, they simultaneously devalued Sabonis and Monk. They are one of the only teams that can forfeit assets without trading them away.
But DO ATTACH ASSHATS—ie-the owner
Are the Kings the most unsuccessful sports franchise in the 4 major American sports history? That’s what it feels like for me, just trying to confirm that my pain is valid.
It has to be a very short list. The Sacramento Kings and Cleveland Browns?
Charlotte Hornets? Pittsburgh Pirates have been mostly bad since Bonds left.
Yeah, but the Pirates at least have WS banners (albeit none since ’79). The Hornets have more winning seasons (11) than the Kings (10) since their inception in ’89.
Both of those teams deserve to be on the list, but I don’t see either of them as being more flaccid than the Kings.
The Hornets did come to mind, and probably another 5 or so teams. I don’t know hockey well enough but damn the Kings had one good legit contending team for a few years in 40 years. Hard to beat that. I used to look at the Warriors who were horrible for 20 years and then got really great and have hope but I’m not sure the Kings even know how to luck into greatness.
Why is Sacramento cursed TKH? Because we kinda sneakily stole the Kings from KC? Because Sacramentans are some of the biggest haters out there?
Pirates won championships before though.
Seattle Mariners?
They, like the Kings, have never been to the “finals,” but they have gotten farther than the Kings, and have been a winning team for the past five straight years, and 19 winning seasons (to the Kings 10) over the period that the Kings have been in Sac.
And 1 – But this is the conversation, right? The same way that we read the power rankings from the bottom-up, we can only compare this organization with the worst “professional” teams across sports. Can you imagine trying to explain to a Lakers of Celtics or Yankees or Dodgers or Patriots or Niners fan the lens in which you are forced to view your favorite basketball team through? Amazeballs.
No Big Dumpers in Sac…well except the whole team is one big dump…no superstars though, even had Griffey
Will Coach Christie make good on his threat and suit up for the next game?
And will the haters keep that energy up?
Given the composition and salary of the current Kings players, which route would be better: a tank (stashing draft picks) or a rebuild (Detroit/Phoenix/Blazers style)?
When you consider the owner, either path is fine.
How long before Scott Perry determines that he no longer wants to be held hostage to Vivek’s whims and asks to be released from his contract so he can pursue a position with the Mavs?
Would that mean the Kings hire Nico Harrison?
“1-2-3 Nico Rocks!”
Vivek and Nico share the assessment that Luka is not a franchise cornerstone to build around.
Im gonna puke now, excuse me.
Nico is hearing Anthony Davis might available in a trade for the minimal price of everything the Kings have. He comes with an incredible buy one get one surgery plan, and the crutches, braces, boots and canes are free!
what are we doing
shameful compete level
Can I have your power rankings of Kings you’d like to see traded, preferably in the format of a Greg fanfiction
I’m indifferent between Zach and Domas, those are the biggest contracts so I’d like to see them go.
My hope by the trade deadline is that all the following are traded:
Domas
Zach
DDR
Monk
Dennis
Westbrook
Although, trading all of the above and keeping Westbrook as starting PG and letting him run the show like he did in OKC when KD left would be entertaining for fans and a stealth tank. And I also think the young guys could learn a lot from Russ about preparation and in-game effort. Plus he costs nothing and no team is giving anything of value in a trade for him.
How much does Keeggan regret signing that extension right now? He just signed up to waste his prime either not rebuilding or becoming the first option on a terrible team
Yes, I’m sure he regrets signing a $140 million dollar contract and feels terrible for being overpaid.
I at least take some solace in that if the tear down and rebuild is to happen, Keegan isn’t getting moved anytime soon. His contract is now a poison pill and would make any trade extremely difficult.
I’m sure Kings fans won’t like to hear this (and many will disagree), but I think Keegan’s contract is an overpay. Not a massive overpay, but not a good contract either.
Good for Keegan.
I think so too. Hope he makes a leap and proves us wrong
3 Questions —
1 — Are the players that need to be traded on this roster even tradeable? I’m talking Monk and DDR, but Lavine maybe as well given that he has a player option for next year. Sabonis is tradeable, but what are we even watching if he’s gone?
2 — Are the kinds of players we need to get to rebuild even obtainable for our assets? We couldn’t get a Dyson Daniels type. Even if we went crazy and traded for a Ja or AD, that doesn’t make us good enough to compete. So what are we trading guys for?
3 — Given the way Harper and Castle are playing, how long until Fox gets traded from San Antonio?
The roster is a mess and it is more obvious than ever that the team needs a rebuild. There are no young stars to build around. The recipe for building a successful team has been shown to be get as many high draft picks as possible in a three year period and pick the best ones as your foundation. What players (if any) are untouchable on the King’s roster right now? Keegan? Could LaVine or DDR bring back any 1st rounders at the trade deadline for a team convinced it’s one scorer away from contending?
Badge Legend