I knew it would happen. It’s inevitable in sports.
Expectations among Sacramento Kings fans, myself included, have shifted. In December of last year we were still trying to figure out how this had all happened. We were giddy that the Kings were suddenly good, playing beautiful basketball, and daring to dream that they could finally end the playoff drought. I wrote the following last December:
I’m sure eventually this will wear off and we’ll be more focused on why the team won a specific game, or the flaws we’re worried about, but for now I’m just enjoying the moment.
The moment has worn off. The Kings are currently 6th in the West, at 11-8. On this date last season the Kings were 5th in the West with a record of 13-10. And yet this year feels like we’re all more anxious and concerned about the team. Sure, they’re still good, but we want more!
I catch myself listening to national NBA podcasts and getting mad when the Kings aren’t mentioned among the West’s good teams, even though they’re often part of those discussions! God forbid a host not mention the 6th seed! The utter disrespect!
I don’t know how to fix this, or if it’s even something that needs fixed. But at at this time last year, almost to the day, Tim was writing articles advocating for a Monte McNair extension. We were so happy with our team. This year, we’re writing about how Harrison Barnes (who spent seasons as the best player on the Kings) isn’t good enough to be the team’s 5th starter. And this isn’t meant as a criticism of Tim, either. The McNair take was correct, and I agree with a lot of what Tim wrote about how the Kings need to continue looking at ways to improve the team. It’s just funny how quickly the shift happened.
This evolution is natural and was always inevitable, and I am certainly not trying to suggest that anyone is wrong for wanting more. I want the Kings to take that next step from cool story to legitimate contender. We got a taste of national recognition and praise and now I want more of that high. I knew this would happen.
But I’m still surprised how quickly it’s happened.
Veruca Doncic.
The window for success in the NBA closes relatively quickly for most teams and I want that window to stay wide open for the Kings for many years. I know that I want them to build on last season, and the natural progression is to improve slightly each year. This season (albeit still early) has been full of weird losses (Houston 2x, Klay’s game winner) and gutsy wins. I still don’t think we know what this team is almost 20 games in to the season, and after the success last season I was hoping the identity would be more clear.
Time will tell, I have hope that they will figure it out shortly.
I think the identity is quite clear, actually.
IMO, we are a live by the 3, die by the D team.
There are so many teams that look competitive this year that it makes me wonder how many “windows” there currently are. Sure the Lakers, Clips, and Dubs window is definitely closing, but seeing OKC and Houston make the leap as well as teams like the Pels, T-Wolves, and Denver who all look ready for primetime, makes me wonder how much of a window there is for the Kings.
I will say this, the league is ripe for expansion, and if the two rumored teams come in the next few years, the league is going to change drastically as the talent will be more distributed. Hopefully there are no more 3 superstars on max deals on one team who get quality veterans to take vet minimum deals because there is no where else to go.
The holiest of holy Sacramento Kings team eras started out by getting bounced in the first round of the playoffs two years in a row.
Even those “Glory Years” team took time and tweaks to marinate.
Not as amazing as how slowly we went from not good enough – a decade and a half – to good. And remained fans.
But hey, we have Vlade back on board. Rejoice!
Yes. And I don’t see anything weird or abnormal or “how fast” things changed.
Of course we want more from the Kings. Suddenly there is a chance to build, so now the focus is on what the Kings need to do to be real contenders.
Otherwise, it’s a waste of talent….of having some of the right pieces now.
To not want more from the Kings would be odd and silly.
yeah, we’re like the passengers in the movie Airplane when they get in their crash positions.
last game, Fox just had full Kangz relapse. Symptoms should have resolved by now.
I have a bar for the regular season, and it’s 50 wins. A 50 win season is a successful season, regardless of what happens in the playoffs (note, a season can be both successful and disappointing, in my humble opinion). The Kings are within range to win 50 games this season, so I am basically pleased (and entertained!) with the performance of this team. And I think that this team can win 50 games, even with its roster and starting lineup as currently constructed.
One note – there was some back and forth last year as to what impact the Kings insanely good health had on their season, and was it sustainable. So far this season, the Kings have been missing one of their projected top three players in 9 of their 19 games. That has had an impact, especially as it pertains to Fox, as well as some of the defensive issues up front while Murray has been out / on the mend.
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I have a different bar for the playoffs, and it is progression. So for this year, it would be winning (at least) a 1st round series. This is where the current starting lineup’s challenges against longer athletic teams could become a challenge, should the Kings draw a team like New Orleans in the first round. It is through this lens that the lack of athletic wing depth becomes more apparent, and more concerning.
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I also think that if there is a change to the roster, it will be in the margins, and not a major shakeup. And it will be almost solely at the behest of the defensive end of the floor. The usage of Fox, Sabonis, and Monk should not be trifled with, and as Murray continues to re-onboard, and you throw in Huerter on the back end, making another higher usage offensive player could wind up being destructive to the offense, never mind the impact to the payroll and the financial flexibility moving forward. That is why I see less (just for example) Zach LaVine or OG Anunoby and more (again, just for example) Matisse Thybulle.
Last but not least, I reserve the right to be completely wrong about all of this, and it is a right that I exercise freely, and often.
Agreed on all points. My only pause is the 50 win threshold. The West is just so deep that I could see a team sub 50 wins still getting a top 5 seed, much like last year. It’s entirely possible that team good enough for 50 wins only gets around 45, especially in the Pacific Division.
This, I believe this year’s team will be better than last year’s team but may have a slightly worse W-L due to the strength of the WC (50 wins is gonna be tough to do). Rob is spot-on with the rest.
The team can be improved, of course. And it should be, if the opportunity presents. Wanting improvement is a natural response.
However, the sidelong implication after nineteen games is that malpractice is being committed by the front office. “Me wantee!” they cried.
Not being a parakeet, I recall that a couple of years ago, these articles were filled with calls and replies to “just do something, McNair!”
Well, he did something. And the response around here when Haliburton went out? Calls for everything short of lynching.
We watched the results of the trade play out over a season, and while there will always be a dead-end crowd insisting that the wrong guard was traded, no reasonable person can say with a straight face that 2022-2023 wasn’t incredibly successful.
It also should be noted that part of the reason the trade worked out so well, is because McNair astutely passed on an unknowable number of deals, ones which may have subsequently hamstrung his ability to acquire an all-star at a position of need.
But as you say, now we want more. I know that I sure as hell do.
Okay, so bottom-line it for me: Who do you want to join the Kings, and which of our guys are you willing to give up to make that happen? Actually, scratch that. There have been plenty of people suggesting that we can get everything we want for Barnes, Davion Mitchell, and some picks.
Give us a realistic trade, not just one that works in the flipping trade machine, but one where the Kings and another team or teams could reasonably be expected to have real interest.
It’s not easy, is it?
And it’s no easier in the real world. As Greg pointed out, there have been a fair number of games missed due to injury already, and that isn’t simply a roster problem. If Fox goes down, it won’t be some supposed lack of depth that factors into losses, it’ll be because Fox is irreplaceable. No team has anyone as good as Fox in their second unit, ready to step in when the starter gets hurt. Same goes for Sabonis, and given his defensive improvement this season, Keegs isn’t easily supplanted, either.
I know what you want. Bully for you. Now what are you going to give up to make it happen?
I eagerly await your serious responses.
I stopped reading at “serious responses”.
(That’s where you were supposed to stop.)
That – combined with the fact that my response wasn’t serious – was the joke, actually.
I stopped reading at your unserious responses.
I know satire and irony are tough for a lot of people, but it’s not an issue with me.
the team just acquired a long 3&D player who guards 2 through 4, including quick 2’s and burly 4’s. Why are we not talking about him today?
Because it was a G League transaction for a player that would be joining his 6th NBA team in his 9 year NBA career?
But in case anyone is curious…
The Stockton Kings acquired the returning player rights for Stanley Johnson from the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Miami Heat G-League affiliate. He does not have an NBA contract at this time.
Drafted in 2015, two picks after Willie Cauley-Stein, Johnson began his career in Detroit and has also had stops in New Orleans, Toronto, Los Angeles, and San Antonio. He has not played since Feb. of last season, when he was released by the Spurs.
6-6 with a 7-0 wingspan, Johnson is a career .305 shooter from beyond the arc. He was 18-40 (.450) for the Spurs last year, but his prior season high was .328 in 2020-21. With a career FG% under 40% and a career TS% of well under 50%, his inability to put the biscuit in the basket has severely limited his ability to succeed at the NBA level.
better numbers over his last two seasons. 49% FG% in 78 games at 5 attempts per game. he might have figured out his optimal shot selection and ideal role in the nba. he entered the draft too early.
And his 3-point percentage over this small sample size pull is worse than Duarte: .331.
I see older, worse shooting Kessler Edwards. If this guy is good enough to be a rotation piece at the NBA level, he doesn’t remain unsigned by 30 NBA teams, especially being a wing player.
Hey, maybe it will turn into a story. Who doesn’t love a good reclamation story?
If Kessler were 30 pounds heavier, without sacrificing his mobility and quickness, and is more physical on D, would that be of interest?
Not if he shoots like Kessler Edwards.
Matt Barnes joined his 5th team in 5 years when he joined the dubs at age 26.
Gee, that changes everything!
To be fair, Matt Barnes was never out of the NBA during that time. Meanwhile, Stanley Johnson was relieved of duty by the worst team in the NBA.
If Stanley Johnson is getting playing time for a team, it’s most likely a terrible one.
Because he isn’t relevant. Glad we cleared that up!
overruled
Monte gets paid a ton of money and has access to private information, scouting resources, and so on. It’s his full-time job to make improvements that aren’t obvious to the average jabrone using the trade machine while goofing off at work. It’s his job to draft guys in the 2nd round that turn into Herb Jones.
The decision to basically stand pat this offseason deserves scrutiny, and will continue to be scrutinized and questioned as long as last year’s roster issues remain this year’s roster issues.
For me, I would trade anyone on the roster for the right deal. Anyone. Now, at our stage, there probably won’t be a deal for Fox or Sabonis that improves our championship odds.
It’s not an issue of whether scrutiny is justified: It always is.
The majority of what’s happening isn’t that. It’s primarily complaining while offering no realistic solutions. Of course McNair has access to more information than we do, but the basic calculus is simple for all.
How are you realistically going to get what you need, at a cost that won’t inadvertently make things worse? Clear as a bell, and from what I’ve read, not a single good answer, so far.
And second-rounders are a 95/5 crapshoot. You collect info, and make an educated guess. Some GMs have certainly shown a stronger aptitude there, but there is still a heavy dose of luck involved.
Here’s the one I’ve been dreaming about.
Remove the protections to the 2024 to ATL to make it unconditional and trade Duarte for Bey. Their salaries are near identical. So why does each team do it?
ATL: They get a guaranteed first round pick; bird in hand. Fox or Sabonis could have career altering injures at any time and that pick never conveys. Bey is also a RFA that ATL did NOT extend when they had the opportunity. He is likely gone this summer as they are already capped out next year. Plus, ATL already has ample locked up depth at the wing anyway (Hunter, Jalen Johnson, Bogi, Griffin). Duarte is just expiring (TO next season) filler that can give them similar minutes to Bey if they so wish. This trade is about the guaranteed pick for them. Keep in mind they got Bey for a handful of 2nd rounders.
Sac: They get a two way physical wing that can hit the three, fits the timeline, plus his Bird Rights. The only thing the Kings are risking is a potential lottery pick next summer. If Monte is banking on the playoffs then the pick is gone anyway. It is a risk, if injures occur, but it’s only one pick. More importantly, it frees up future pick obligations to ATL. Duarte is just a perfect salary match and warm body. Bey gives the Kings at least someone with size and strength to help stenght guarding bigger wings.
If ATL needs more, they may like Mitchell as they have no backup PG after this year, or maybe they want a 2nd rounder or two fill their pick cupboard.
Is that one realistic enough for you? Lastly, Monte already tried to acquire Bey once before.
Or how about this one:
Kings trade Duarte, Davion, and a 2nd rounder or two for sweetener to PDX for Thybulle
PDX: Tybulle is 8th iMPG and 11th in PPG for the Blazers (virtually the equivalent to Mitchell or Duarte on the Kings). They matched his RFA offer from Dallas to not lose him for nothing, but that was before they acquired Brogdon and moved Lillard. They are also loaded in the backcourt and wing so Thybulle may be an expensive afterthought to them as he is owed $11m per year for 3 years on a team that recently committed big on Ayton and Grant. They too are capped out and are rebuilding. They also only paid a 2nd round pick to get him so this move is about clearing cap space. Duarte has his TO for next season and they get a chance to kick the tires on Mitchel who is paid half of what Thybulle gets and for one year less.
SAC: Mitchell is out of the rotation anyway and Duarte is salary filler. Thybulle gives them a defense first wing who can defend 1-4. He provides near zero offense, but that doesn’t matter on this current Kings team. He’d be acquired only for his all-nba defense. He fills the Duarte role in the rotation, but can hit an open 3, of which Sabonis will find him on. I think of him as potentially this team’s version of Doug Christie in the making.
Man, I didn’t realize that Bey was 5th/4th on the Hawks in mpg and total minutes. He has Harrison Barnes minutes so far this season. I wonder how available he really is.
Thybulle 8th/5th on the Blazers, in line with Malik Monk minutes. I don’t know that Portland would give him up to further cram up the guard depth chart that already has Scoot, Sharpe, Brogdon (who they may yet deal), and Simons.
For the prices you offer, I’d take either. But given that neither team is over the luxury tax right now, I don’t know how motivated they would be to move either one of these guys unless they were getting something substantive in return.
I looked at those minutes with a gain of salt. Bey’s minutes have jumped because of the injury to Jalen Johnson (who is a starter for the Hawks) who is now out with a fracture for a few weeks.
Thybulle is the same as he’s played in all 20 games compared to Simons who has played in just 2 and Scoot with 11. Thybulle’s minutes are going to go down with a healthy roster.
Both guys haven’t missed a game and have inflated MPG to boot. You are right that neither are currently in the tax but both have more committed to their cap next year than they are paying this year and neither are looking like playoff teams.
Another very solid proposal, this. The only concern with Matisse is that you can’t really expect any offense from him, although that’s mitigated by the Kings’ many scorers. This doesn’t have the upside of your Atlanta offer, but Sacramento’s cost is lower, so it’s not much of a concern.
This is what I’m talking about, people!
What I like about Thybulle on the offensive end is (a) he does not require regular feeding and (b) he is perfectly cromulent as a low volume shooter beyond the arc. Over the 91 games spanning last season and this season, he is 84-223 from deep, a .377 percentage. He’s been averaging almost 4 attempts in his 42 games with Portland, converting at a .394 clip. So he converts at roughly a Huerter / Barnes / Vez percentage, but with vastly improved defense.
Not dogging Bey, as I would be OK with that deal as well.
Those are decent numbers, thanks for bringing them. It sounds like he mainly takes open looks, and converts then at a decent rate. That will definitely fit into the big picture, because we all know his defense is elite.
I would go along with this(although I prefer Caruso) and pick up Tari Eason.
Now that Chicago has figured out what the problem was, they may not be sellers come the deadline. There is definitely talent on the roster, mostly young. They may even be buyers.
My preferred around the margins trade is HB for Okoro + Rubio (salary filler). Okoro is a young, athletic and physical defender that would definitely improve Sac’s perimeter defense. Rubio is even a decent PG3.
You could argue Sac is getting worse in this trade, but they’d also be getting a nice young piece, a decent vet, and could perhaps even pry a 2nd or two away. Cavs would get a starting caliber forward which they currently lack.
I like Okoro too. I feel he is another under the radar defensive wing that can be had by the deadline.
Absolutely! Well-reasoned, and certainly feasible from our end. There’s a decent chance Atlanta doesn’t want to let him go, but the really effed the dog not offering an extension. You may be right about them being in a corner where Bey is concerned, because he’ll definitely get offers.
I would go with this as long as they also pick up Tari Eason.
What do you propose to offer for Eason?
I think it’s natural to want to get better. Last year was AMAZING! It also highlighted that this roster has some pretty glaring deficiencies, namely on defense. We’re also a small team. You need size that can move to compete at the highest level and we just don’t have it yet. Keegan is a start but we need at minimum one more guy like him or better in the starting lineup to actually become anything other than a fun team that is a first round exit every year.
I believe Tim mentioned on Twitter something like the idea that expecting your team to compete for a championship is what 90% of fanbases expect and should expect. We’ve just been so far from that, that bar was lowered and expectations shifted. Well, now that we’re actually a good team, the bar should be to compete for a championship. So, now that we’ve shown we’re a good team, it’s time to get better. Every other organization is trying to getting better (Expect for the Pistons) and if we want to remain a good team, we’ll need to do the same.
So yeah, when I see that our net rating is 12 spots lower than it was at this time last year, I think there’s some cause for concern. Obviously injuries have played a role but every team has injuries so that’s a bad excuse. I expect the team to shoot better at some point but they haven’t yet. I don’t expect them to be much better on defense and they mostly aren’t (24th last year, 21st so far this year) which makes sense. But the issues this team has shouldn’t be all that surprising and I am sure the front office seems them. This is where Monte gets to earn his paycheck. This is a flawed but fun roster and the ceiling is pretty clearly capped.
I think one thing that both local and national media can agree on, a championship parade in Sacramento would probably be one of the most special moments in the history of professional sports.
I would absolutely buy a used junker car for fellow fans to flip.
Maybe Sleep Train could be the official supplier of Mattresses We Can Set on Fire.
I would put grip tape on ALL the lampposts! 🙂
My parade route would start the site of ARCO 1, moving on to the site of ARCO 2, out to Del Paso Rd. and over the freeway, turning around at the location of the Hurley ditch, on to I5 and then over to I80 to retrace the speeding Tyreke Evans, then back downtown for a moment of internal conflict as we pass the St. Hope Academy, and then over to G1C.
We could go by the Bee and angrily put our finger in someone’s face!
With that location, we could add a couple of nearby streets – we could even measure Q & R.
OT: Why is the in-season semifinals so freaking early in the middle of the week in a half empty arena in Las Vegas? What a joke.
Vegas, baby. The players have places to go!
I just saw a shot of the upper bowl and it’s nearly empty. I guess the fans have places to go as well.
“Giannis? Hali?? Screw that, I’m hangin’ with this guy!” –
Heh, anyone remember the “Bap Map” from ye olden days at the other site?
Epic.
Those dimwitted trust-fund shits.
Double purpled post. Maybe the only time in STR/TKH history?
Injuries for tomorrow….no reason we shouldn’t win tomorrow, but ya never know with this team of course.
Let’s play two!
Man, I wrote a long one the other day, and Rik Smits just captured it in 8 words. Live by the 3, die by the D. That’s our Kings! Long live the Dutchman! If Huerter upticks a bit from the arc, Murray upticks a lot, and Fox and Sabonis make a few more free throws, we’re in for another great season. Let’s enjoy this group for what they are and heed Greg’s wise words about expectations.
Well said . Fun team after almost two decades of unfun teams . I chose to stay on the band wagon . In Brown and McNair I trust .
I am RikSmits, and I endorse this message.
Personally, I don’t think MM will make too many changes but I hope he looks to trade for a good defensive wing with strength and length like Tari Eason who could guard the other teams best or biggest wing. I firmly believe that Keegan is better at SF due to his ability to guard on the perimeter but he struggles with size down low and IMO whomever MM decides to bring should ideally slot into the 4 slot rather than another 3 that might see Keegan pushed back to playing more time at the 4. I believe Eason should be the main priority going into the trade deadline.
The other two things I would like to see accomplished at the TDL is upgrade the backup C position with someone like Hartenstein if possible and then the last thing would be to decide what they’re doing with Barnes and Mitchell going forward and act accordingly. Of course, I’d also welcome any other potential defensive reinforcements.
On a quick sidenote, I really hope that Colby Jones isn’t attached to any deal. If given a year or two to keep developing, I think that kid is the team’s future two-way SG who will be starting next to Fox for a long time.
Sheer curiosity here, but why so high on Colby Jones?
For me, he’s looked good in the SL, showed flashes in the preseason, and fantastic in G-League, so there’s hope that he can eventually translate that into something of a diamond of the 2nd for us. Now, that said, it’s very few and far between where a good G-Leaguer actually has success at the NBA level. However, all we can do is hope.
Jones has all the physical tools that it takes to make it in the NBA and his IQ seems off the charts for a rookie (not Hali level but close).
He makes all the right plays, doesn’t force the game, has a high motor, good size at the position (6’6″ 205lb SG), and has legit two-way skills. He simply needs to develop confidence and let the game slow down for him. I see a lot of similarities with players like Quentin Grimes (NYK) or Josh Green (DAL).
i agree on almost all your points. Without going whole hog in a trade for a major player like Siakam or Anunoby you can pick up Tari Eason who is a player, at the 4,who can help with defense rebounding weak side rim protection and shoots the 3. That makes Muttay a 3 and D where IMO he should be. With Eason at the 4 you now have shooters(Eason included) and defense at all levels( Yes IMO Huerter too). Eason is also good at running the floor with the others. If you look at his highlights he can also take t ball to the basket. He is young and still can improve on his game. Would be a fit for years to come and would’d cost you an arm or a leg. As you stated we also need a backup center to help Sabonis.Doesn’t have to be a big offensive player but young and upcoming who can protect the rim, rebound and block shots.I had in mind either the Pistons Jalen Duren or Raptors Precioue Achiuwa. IMO on Jones if we have to include him on either of these 2 trades we should do it.
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We call him Muttay because he’s got that dog in him.
To me, the appeal for Eason is simply the potential vs the cost, he could be a upgrade over Barnes and you wouldn’t need to offer too much in assets to find out.
He fits the type of player we need next to KM; strong and long at the 4, and while he might not be the perfect fit, I could see him becoming our lesser-version of Aaron Gordon. Even if he doesn’t pop, he’d be a valuable member of the roster and would provide Brown with another rotational option.
He plays like Herb Jones. IMO he could start at the 4 and provide more than you would get from anyone on the team right now other than 4 of your starters.
He would also be an asset next to sSabonis He can protect the weakside rim, rebound, jump out to defend the perimeter,play the pace the King’s want, and is a tough interior defender.Can’t ask for more than that.
I had been thinking this same thing today, and I’m so glad. Again, not that I disagree with most of what Tim said, but I definitely still feel like we’re playing with house money. I have a bunch of friends who are Jazz fans (comes with living in Utah, of course) and they are pretty morose about the future. I remember having DMC as our lone all star on a team going nowhere, and I remember those long years without even someone that talented (and polarizing) to hang our hats on. I love that Fox is a superstar and looks like he could be for years (think he can’t keep hitting those soft floaters in 5 years?) He may lose a few steps, but if he stays conditioned like Steph and keeps working out with him?
Same with the rest of the core. Yeah, I’d love to manage a home run swing that gives us a scary third guy like OG annouby. I think at some point Kevin and Keegan will break out of their slumps, and I think that HB does what he’s asked to do at the moment. I wouldn’t mind seeing him switched to the bench for a bigger role when he’s not on the floor and seeing what Sasha could do with extended burn.But these are nice problems to have.
The other thing I’ll say is this. The defense isn’t there yet. But I have serious doubts that we went from a historically good offense to the middle of the pack because the league figured us out. I think the reason we’re getting blown out is because Mike Brown is putting extra emphasis on defense thorugh the regular season. It’s paying off overall. Team defense is better and improving. And we can turn the offense back on if we need to, but I think Mike Brown wants the team to win with defense, and our best wins (GSW, MN, OKC) have all been exactly that. Defense leading to opportunities and offense. I like that Domas is taking more of a dedicated offensive role. I don’t see him crapping the bed in the playoffs like he did last year, and I think we’re finding rotations that work. When you’re putting a ton of focus in an area that needs work, sometime the things you’re best at slide. But I still believe in the direction of the team, I still think we end up top 4 in the west, and I think that the best is yet to come this season. May December beams lead to late June Beams.
I for one am still enjoying the ride. Kings are a good team. Very good. And that’s awesome. Went to game 1 of the playoffs last year and it was peak enjoyment as a fan
Niw we are good and people wanna know how good. You beat the nuggets and GS and you’re like damn we can beat anybody. We can win it all! Then you wonder how you keep losing to the pelicans.
Bottom line it’s still fine. And fun. The team is figuring it out. Give em a chance to do so
The team is still really fun when they are on but that’s not a great recipe for playoff success or contender status. Is it really that hard to bring in some defensive guys? They need to play guys like Len against big teams like the Pels. Team just doesn’t have enough talent to be a legit top 4 team in West, maybe barely enough but looking more like a 5 or 6 seed and that’s without any major injuries. Monte seems to prefer slow growth, I think he’s afraid of it all falling apart again but that strategy could end up failing too.
Not sure that I agree about McNair having a “slow growth” policy. He pulled the trigger on a trade that added eighteen wins to the total in a single season. (Admittedly, the first eighteen wins are the easiest.)
There’s some confusion, I think, in the perception that McNair is reluctant to do deals, when I would call his philosophy one of prudence and smart analysis. Lack of visible action isn’t the same thing as inaction. My assumption is that he wasn’t thinking about trading Halliburton, but when Sabonis was put on the market, he pivoted and made a deal.
Quick, but never in a hurry.
I agree. Someone practicing patience (while waiting for an opportunity) is often confused with being reluctant or hesitant. Is an ambush predator reluctant or just waiting for its chance to strike?
Wondering how good is this team (Kings) as opposed to how bad is the team (Kangz)
Easy choice.
A competitive, winning, likable, competent GM (Exec of the Year), likable, winning competent coach (COTY) and a winning, likable competitive roster of players with not just All-Stars but All-NBA players – it’s an absolute pleasure.
Is it enough? – most definitely
Do I want more? – of course
Next.
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