Kings Summer League Championship Celebration and Offseason Review with Jerry Reynolds

Unless I misheard, Jerry seemed to be equating this coaches job security with that of the GM. Uh…..excuse me? In his brief tenure McGenius has acquired King, Ramsey, Ty, Davion, Jones, Davis for nothing, next to nothing, or in excessive to expected value at #9 and #12 in the last two drafts. So why would his job be on the line in approximation to the coach who has been at best neutral to mostly negative his whole career?

Our GM has over-performed while our coach has under-performed, and you want to put them in the same boat? If anything, McGenius should get an extension. Our GMs job is secure as anyone’s. It is the coach who is on the thin ice, especially after B-Jax showed the ownership and fandom the proper way to inspire a team to play hard, smart, cohesively and awesome.

It is ridiculous to infer McGenius job would be on the line or compare his status with that of this uninspiring coach who has proved nothing but that he kisses the butt of his players including the “problem child” aka Buddy to win favor by treating subordinates like friends, a relationship dynamic counter to the primary objective.

It is not the fault of the GM Buddy has little to no trade value and Bagley has NO trade value. In this case it is prudent to exercise patience rather than act impetuously and under condition with value at the nadir.

The only way a team might want Marvin is if they haven’t seem him play. The guy sucks in every way until disproven. He’s the Woodard of the parent club, a big zero, a negative on both sides. Marvin needs a transcendent summer, a miracle, a transformation in body, mind and spirit. He needs a life changing off-season equivalent in magnitude to a winning lottery ticket.

Until then balancing the roster is a challenge when you offer Marvin and Buddy to opposing teams and they unequivocally say “no thank you”. In this context, there is NO doubt our defense has taken a quantum leap from one year ago, and this portends moving our two worst defensive players, Buddy and Marvin, down the depth chart if they cannot get with the program.

Now there is the possibility of Markennan. I like the idea but at the same time, the weakest link phenomenon is real, that is, a system or entity is only as strong as its weakest link. The weakest link was Buddy and Marvin, two sieves, high volume jackers and porous defenders, the two most culpable offenders to a 10th place finish despite the brilliance of Fox and Ty, and steadiness of Holmes and HB.

There was an 8th seed to be had but Buddy and Bagley failed woefully. This is the duo we are now wanting to pawn off for a Big Fish like Siakum or Simmons or Markennan, an 19 PPG scorer at age 21? Should it be a shocker when the other side says “nah, hard pass, bro” ?!

You could try to convince Markennan that this is the best place for him to re-establish his value, which is factual given our playmakers and opportunity, starting PF awaits him, then obligate CHI to take Marvin or nothing, or match on a player they don’t want. But there is another factor to consider if you could pull this off and that is do we want to acquire the “new weakest link”, to replace one weak link with another?

Markennan is a better fit as a floor spacer, a younger and stronger Bjelica, but he does not defend or rebound at a high level. How does that help us if we want to commit to defense first and foremost, NO weak links to prevent a Top 10 defense, to play three guards, and we need a glass cleaner and / or active defender on the front line to see it so?

You cannot realize a vision if implementation of said vision is contradictory. Markennan is an upgrade but not optimal, he’s not mobile or nasty, if you sign him your cap becomes messier after this year, though as a trade piece you increase your asset base with him over Marvin. The bottom line is it is not a no-brainer, it is debatable move, and there is opportunity cost too if you chase a better but flawed version of what you already have.

Ultimately, Markennan, Buddy, and Marvin is not super appealing or maybe appealing at all to us or most any team. This is not an indictment of the GM, this is an approximation of reality, so to hold him accountable for not getting something done is unfair. You cannot expect him to wave a magic wand and turn chopped liver to filet mignon.

A trade partner has to become desperate or perceived value has to change. Maybe this amounts to Buddy or Marvin in a new role, a bench spark, garnering tepid but threshold interest. Barring this, they may wallow stagnate or bemoan their fate, dead money at the end of the bench. So be it, unhappy endings are the norm more than the exception with high picks.

The new dynamic, hierarchy and focus on defense, along with the do-or-die status of the coach may be a saving grace and instigator to salvage something for two disappointments. But the GM is not the problem, he is the mastermind, biding his time to transform problems into solutions, lemons to lemonade. If there is a prudent deal to be made, it will be made.

It is not for want of trying or skill the roster is imbalanced. The GM is busting his ass to get this right, using astute analysis, unlike the coach who lacks the skill and personality to be an inspiring and effective leader. The GM is up to the monumental task in his respective role, the coach is not. This distinction should be delineated and shouted from the rooftops.

You cannot fix a problem if you cannot tell the problem fixers from the creators. It would be nice if one of the most prominent voices of the Kings could distinguish as much. It would be nice to hear a vote of confidence instead of crabby uncertainty. If McGenius were to be dismissed based on the summation of his decisions thus far, including probable leading ROY for the second year in a row, you may as well fold up tent, move to Seattle or Timbucktoo, or just dissolve the franchise altogether.

The #1 skill of a GM is an eye for talent. We have a GM with a keen eye. There was NO hope with a GM betting on the likes of Justin Jackson, George Hill, and Willie and trying to sell us on “super just young”. Now there is hope. Now there is more than a snake oil salesman in charge. I should not be the only voice around here adamantly asserting this fact, confusing the incompetence of the coach with the extreme competency of the GM.