Hello. Kings Fans. There is a game tonight. An injury plagued but young and hungry Cavaliers squad is in town. Reasons to watch are as follows: Darius Garland, very good. Evan Mobley, very good. Jarrett Allen, very good. RJ Nembhard Jr., mysterious. Thus concludes the discussion.
Let’s talk anything but Kings basketball!
When: Monday, January 10th, 7:00 PM PT
Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
TV: NBCSCA – Mark Jones (play-by-play)
Radio: KHTK Sports 1140 AM
For Your Consideration
A Season of Change: Don’t take this as a threat, but this section is going to get considerably smaller if the Kings continue to do nothing off-the-court and lose on it. You all have far too little free time and I’m not going to sit here a hype up games that I’m already planning Oculus Quest workout sessions for if they’re down more than 10 headed into the 4th. This community has survived relocation, survived 15 years plus of bullshit and it’ll survive whatever comes next but in the meantime, we’ll have a chance to talk about better, more worthy ways to spend time in the section below. If the Kings don’t like it, play better baby.
Tonight’s game is watchable because of the Cavaliers. Evan Mobley is the future of big men in the NBA. He’s amazing and watching him do all the little things right makes him a joy to watch. Darius Garland should be an All-Star this year. Jarrett Allen coming to the Cavs as a throw away piece continues to baffle me and frustrate me that the Kings don’t prioritize pulling rabbits out of hats like that. Yes, there’s a lot more nuance to that conversation, I’m just brushing over it generally because again, I really don’t want to talk about anything in too much depth in regards to this game.
Today’s exactly one month till the trade deadline. Do you think Monte McNair pulls anything significant of in the next 30 days or are we just treading water until he’s fired? Also, I’m starting to develop a theory that Vivek believes he has to fire every GM stereotype in order to finally get the guy to take Sacramento to the Promised Land. So far he’s already shoved aside “Best in Franchise History” (Petrie), “Aggressive Lawyer” (Petey D), “Former Player” (Vlade) and he’s headed for “Ivy League Advanced Stat Nerd”. How many does he have left?
That’s it. Happy Monday, and start cutting those eyeholes into your paperbags!
A Thing To Read, Watch, or Do
Read “Hoop Roots” by John Edgar Wideman: One of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read that just coincidentally is also about the sport I love. I tend to avoid books surrounding basketball – there’s something tough for me to read about the triumphs of yesteryear and great teams of the past or the lives of players now retired or gone. As a former player, playing the “remember when” game makes me itch for two good achilles tendons or to return to a time when my favorite team was decent or to play “what-if” about my broken face and hopes for junior college ball. Hoop Roots is a memoir wrapped around Wideman’s love for the game, it’s history in his community and his culture and how time has finally caught up with his abilities to play. It’s contemplative – sliding seamlessly through Wideman’s pickup basketball days as a young man living in Pittsburg while weaving in African American history, discussion of his pending divorce and commentary about the professional game as he saw it. Everything I’ve read of Wideman has ended up with me wiping tears at one point or another and this is no exception.
Excerpt:
“Playground basketball only a game. Why, given my constant struggling and juggling to fit a busy schedule into days without enough hours, does basketball sit there, above the fray, a true and unblemished exception to the rules, the countless hours committed to it unregretted. Why was basketball untouchable over the years as I devised and revised blueprints for make the most profitable use of my time. Why am I missing the playground game, yearning for it now even before it quite slips away. Why when I know good and well it’s time to stop playing hoop, time to reconcile myself to the idea of moving on, why do I continue to treat these ideas as unacceptable. Why can’t I shake the thought that this break from the game can’t be final. If I’m patient, hang around, give myself a little time to heal, to get right, I’ll be back out on the court again, won’t I. ”
Prediction
Neemias Queta tips in a put back game winner at the buzzer after injuries force him into the rotation.
Kings: 111, Cavs: 110
The Sawstank Redemption.
Sleepless in Stankramento
One more back-to-back set for the Kings—
Tired excuses that normally brings.
Cavs are back-to-back too;
No advantage is due.
If we lose, have to blame other things!
I figure that it’s just a matter of time before the Kings go back to more inventive ways of filling the seats at G1C –
Don’t forget to wear your masks while in the arena.
get on the phone
Game day trade idea:
Send Buddy to the opponents locker room at shoot around. Buddy for the injured and expiring Rubio, filler (Dylan Windler) and 2nd round pick or two.
Send Buddy to opponent’s locker room. Buddy asks someone to throw him a ball. Ball goes through Buddy’s fingers, bounces off wall, hits Evan Mobley in face, ricochets, rolls into shower stall. Sits there for many weeks, gathering mold. Mold becomes toxic, also combined with lots of staph aureus. Cavaliers inhale mold and get infected with staph, then spread both mold spores and staph to every visiting locker room in the league over the next 3 months. All other teams also contract mold and staph upon visiting the same locker rooms, except the Kings, who have natural immunity from both due to prior infection after all playing with Buddyfingers for all or part of the past 4 seasons. Other teams are forced to call up entire G-League squads to play for them while Kings continue to play their starters every night. Kings rally, end season with a 37-45 record and make the play-in, then win every playoff series 4-3 after all the G-League players get infected and are replaced with subs from the Ecuadorian Semi-Pro Basketball Association. Boom. Championship.
NBA 0.3, baby.
No, sadly even in that scenario the Kings still lose to the G league players.
You stole my idea! That I stole from CatterJ! But details are stupid and I digress.
Also, I think Buddy’s a better get than Caris LeVert reputations be damned.
I think the Cavs could definitely use his shooting, which is something LeVert really doesn’t bring to the table.
Assuming Garland is their lead guard, they really need a Combo guard that can that can defend both positions and work as a secondary ball-handler.
So the Cavs need Steve Nebraska, eh?
“Better” is pretty arbitrary. LeVert is a much better facilitator/ball-handler and shot creator. He’s also a more versatile and better defender. Hield is a much better shooter and is MUCH more reliably healthy. Who is the “better” player for any given team probably depends on who else is on the roster.
Better is arbitrary in this case. I said I think Buddy’s a better get, but the better player? Maybe if only due to health.
And that’s the rub. It’s not a perfect fit, but if LeVert isn’t playing how useful is he?
Buddy plus Robert Woodard (or Jahm’ius Ramsey, whichever Cleveland wants) for Rubio and Dylan Windler works as a trade scenario. That also doesn’t cost Cleveland a 1st rounder like it might to acquire LeVert.
Your points are all true, but I think Cleveland can get more in a trade with Sac than they can with nIndy.
Proof’s in the pudding. For all we know, the Kings aren’t willing to trade Buddy.
Cavs could use shooting- Buddy does a lot of that but they assume shooting = making. Buddy does not do a lot of that.
I do think the Cavs will want to move on from Garland and Sexton together and get some size at second guard. LaVert does bring that. but, as stated, he is hurt a lot.
I doubt they are interested unless they can jettison the injured Rubio. That’s just cap space.
Fun Evan Mobley fact: Could have been a King if the idiots running/owning this team didn’t make a push for the play-in last season.
a fact but not fun.
Coulda/woulda isn’t close to a fact nor is it fun
Kangz vs. the Cavaliers or Kangz vs. Fourth grade rec team.
Not a single difference in the probability of a Kangz win.
OT: I read somewhere that teams could not trade players who are currently in H/S protocols, but now I can’t find it to verify it. Does anyone know if this is true?
I bring this up because if it is true it could make for a very lackluster trade deadline. It would also be quite the shit sandwich to eat if players like Buddy, Bagley, Barnes, etc are in protocols at or near the deadline.
One more excuse to keep this shit show rolling…..
Yep, my first thought was the it provides a lovely excuse for the front office to continue doing nothing.
I’m so bored I can even spell out the word apath
The Kangz have done it. Will is now recommending books and other media instead of watching the game. 😉
can I take the book to the game or to my couch?
Hey fans of literally every other team….
what does hope feel like?
The last time the Kings WON 7 in a row was 2004.
Since then, they have had losing streaks of 7+ games EIGHTEEN (18!!!) times.
I know Vivek doesn’t go that far back, but send that dismissive chap to the refuse bin anyway.
That stat is a bit mind boggling. Wow
Wreck’d.
that is a big flippin lie. I know it, because I said it. You are using facts to distort the truth.
While I was hoping for a Press Your Luck expose, I appreciate the book write-up!
Well, the games start coming and they don’t stop coming! Back to the L’s and we hit the ground losing.
I read the Wideman book some time ago. Quite good. And there was something about a relative, a daughter perhaps- that added intrigue post publishing.
Lovable game but not lovable team or season.
Next GM- the solid old crusty vet, released from somewhere else under shady circumstances, wants to find new home. The GM George Karl equivalent.
There are no trades that can fix this mess. There are no picks that can fix this mess. Nor is there a magic coach or GM.
I think of all the teams who took residence alongside the Kings, deep into the lottery and then have emerged, leaving the Kings still there with new friends and partners who will also emerge: where are the Suns, the Grizz, the T puppies, the Cavs and the Bulls?
There might be 2 and a surprise from the draft- Smith + Banchero + the surprise. I think Holmgren is the new Shawn Bradley
https://twitter.com/JandersonSacBee/status/1480726967259328512?s=20
Before I saw the preview I was wondering why Will still does the previews. Quoting another writer at length is brilliant Will. Two thumbs up! We all know how how this game is going to turn out even if we don’t…actually. Blow it up. There is no other option. Screwing around at the margins is no solution. There is less than a handful of players worth keeping.
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