Kings vs Jazz Preseason Game Thread

Don’t let the 12 points fool you. Dude is washed. Just like I called it last pre-season with Holmes, I am calling it here. McGee is done. He is not the answer. We should have kept Neemias!

No one on the Jazz said to themselves, “Big man in the middle, better think twice”. They said “old dude with creaky joints impersonating a shot blocker, free pass…”

McGee is often out of position, with slow reflexes and overt clumsiness.  He’s always getting tangled and twisted.  He’s the pretzel of journeymen. After 16 seasons and 9 teams, he still has rookie tendencies. He tried to steal the ball when the opponent had secure posession. This is poor discernment synonomous with losing baskebtall. Instead of retreating on defense, he lunges with futility in the wrong way, leading to a man advantage fast break and dunk.

If it was Neemias who did this, Coach B would have signaled a timeout and dressed down said played before all the players and fans. McGee was a team worst -16 on plus/minus, three turnovers, no blocks.  Len was a team best +23 on plus/minus with modest numbers, but playing the right way, a steady presence and running our sets with precision.

Ideally Len would have a better touch on his flip shot, better hops, and use of left hand. But he’s capable and formiddable, and we don’t need his flip touch with our ability to score.  Len is underappreciated and undervalued. The coaches need to wake up. With 26 minutes for Len and 20 minutes for McBlunder, maybe they are.

McGee is akin to Willie. It was always an adventure with him, a strange dude with tattoos on his face, out of the league when he should be in his prime, a hodge podge of uh-oh, okay, and cringe.  We don’t need an older, slightly better, less tatted version of Willie, a thirst to score, a preoccupation with the refs and readiness to finger point at teammates.

McGee was three million dollars wasted.  After we wasted $550,00 on Noel ($250,000) and Neemias ($300,000)  Oh well. Let’s not compound our mistake by denying one was made. There needs to be a very short leash on McGee, starting on opening night.

Now that I lambasted him, onto the next guilty culprit.  🙂

Red Wedding massacred the art of basketball shoting again last night.

2-12 FGs including one Howitzer Missile that missed three feet wide. 

It was a gory blood bath and vicious assault of an innocent rim and backboard.  

Avert your eyes, hide the women and children, Kevin Huerter is about to shoot.

I want to give the kid a break in this regard. He’s locked up for 3 years at 16/17/18. He will be due for a new deal at age 27. If he was able to buiild or sustain the season he had, 15 PPG on 62% TS%, solidify his reputation as a marksmen integral to a high level team, he was looking at 100 million dollar contract, factoring in the rise of the cap. This seemed like a probable course despite his postseason. If his playing time and career goes south however he’s looking at a deal at a fraction of what he hoped to command. 

With your mind on your money, and your money on your mind, this is cause for alarm, regardless of what can change drastically over three seasons.

When Kevin loses his job, not if but when, since the decision has been made, relished to backup SF, minutes and shot attempts dwindle, his market value around the the league may experience corresponding decrease. In a worst case scenario, he could follow the career trajectory of another redhead, Davis Bertans, from deadly weapon to deadweight.

You can’t defend, you can’t play. If you can barely defend, a pretty good team defender, but bad on-ball, you better be special as a shooter. Kevin is special as a shooter, or so we thought, then the playoffs came.

Red Wedding thought he was in a perfect situation. He was comfortable. Maybe too comfortable. He was instrumental to the turnaround and breaking the streak. Now there are loftier ambitions and stricter performance standards. Coach B sees what Keegan can do, what Monk can do, what Colby and Duarte can do, even what Kessler and Keon can do, its encouraging and exciting!

The plethora of possibilities is gleeful for a team once barren of talent and options.

If this was a high school dance, Kevin would be the girl with the braces pimples and hand-me-down dress, the wall flower and last asked to the dance floor. Kevin is not measuring up. He’s the homely choice. He’s getting squeezed. That’s not fun, the uncertainty, the sense of rejection and betrayal.

The disappointment and poutiness can be excused, temporarily. But he better snap out of it, for the well-being of the team and his career. Duarte is our new starting SG. I love it.  It is the right decision at the right time, which I forecasted one week ago. Take note HB. You are next in line to have a seat, or be banished anywhere but here.