The blogger in me really truly wanted to follow-up last night’s surprise win against the Brooklyn Nets with a preview subtitle of “DO THE KINGS HATE CHARITY??”, thus fully completing my transformation into Sacramento’s J. Jonah Jamison. I’ll be kind because well, more than the Brooklyn Nets lost that game, the Sacramento Kings actually won it. They played timely defense, withstood any and every push that the Nets made in the 4th quarter… they won that game! They did.
That being said, they’ve got absolutely zero time to celebrate the termination of their longest losing streak of the season – they’re in San Francisco today and looking down the barrel at a game against the Golden State Warriors. With a few of their stars taking games off recently and a slew of role players joining Draymond Green on the the sideline tonight, one can squint and see space for a second victory in a row for the Ki- THEY’VE WON SEVEN IN A ROW???
Let’s talk Kings basketball!
When: Wednesday, February 3rd, 7:00 PM PT
Where: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
TV: NBCSCA – Kyle Draper (play-by-play)
Radio: KHTK Sports 1140 AM
For Your Consideration
You Warriors Are Good, Real Good: I don’t think we need to talk much about the Warriors and their return to the top of the heap in the Western Conference. Steph’s supernova hot start has cooled recently, Klay Thompson is still feeling out his body after missing years of with injuries and Draymond’s play remains the keys to their well oiled Ferrari. With their struggles to stay afloat the last few seasons, the Warriors were able to suss out a nice group of role players to go along with their incredibly young war chest of up-and-comers and as with everything out of the Bay Area since Steph’s arrival – it’s worked spendidly. Sure, they could have nabbed LaMelo instead of Wiseman (or taken my advice and drafted Okongwu) but with Steph still Steph, these picks were playing with house money – sure they could have a 20 year dynasty if one guy gets nabbed over another but they’re worried about the here and now, with a championship in reach without any of those youngin playing key cogs just yet. Andrew Wiggins has been great for them these last few years, vindicating himself within a culture that could have have Charles Manson leading interpersonal therapy sessions with enough time around coach Steve Kerr and court time with Steph. They’re a great team with a great culture and with the goo of the superteam cleansed from their collective body through the fire and brimstone of the last couple of seasons, I find myself simply enjoying the way they play basketball again. Guys like Gary Payton Jr. and Jordan Poole having career years, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody showing brilliant flashes when they get time here or in the G-League – I can admit with no hint of jealousy that this team is a joy. A good number of their fans? A whole other story, but that’s for a more spiteful article that I’m bound to writing next year once they fully come back from being Laker’s fans this season.
Operation: M.C.N.A.I.R. Update:
With the Kings winning last night, no official donation push was made, which of course means that Kings fans dropped another hundred dollars anyways for kicks and giggles.
Shout out to Jim Patrick who shared our story today in the Sacramento Bee. Momma, we made it.
Prediction
Tyrese Haliburton goes for a 30 point triple double and Bryant West cries as Moses Moody gets play during the middle of the Kings rage filled blowout and winds up with an efficient 21 points. Monte McNair crumples his tank pros and cons list as the Kings go into the weekend looking for three wins in a row.
Kings: 121, Warriors: 102
The kings…. Won a game?
No, I believe the Nets just lost a game.
Ha! True.
The Nets lost a game, and the Kings lost lottery odds. There were no winners last night.
no winners, only losers
Four games until trade deadline.
Anyone think team is gonna let Fox play before that?
Good point.
After thinking about it, and reading your same comment every day, what would you see the reason was for Dave Joerger faking cancer?
Andy, er, I mean Vivek, you really need to stop making dark jokes about people suffering actual illnesses.
Really, that’s where you went? Have you maybe thought about going outside? Getting some sun, seeing people, getting the heart rate up? Just a little can do wonders.
Fox has a sore ankle ! Who doesn’t ?
We’re again on the road today,
For a single game trip to the Bay.
The loss streak is done;
Last night the Kings won.
For one night the stealth tank went astray!
After last nights win I think the Kings should hold off on any trades whatsoever. Clearly the team has talent and can compete with anyone. Durant was out, so was Fox. They just need a new coach to bring the squad together and find the right rotations. Year 4 of the exact same 10 rotation players plus some solid end of bench vets in their late 30’s who won a championship 8 years ago could go a very long way.
Steph was drafted at #7 and Klay was drafted at #11, so therefore the Kings best chance to improve is to aim for the #7 to #11 pick every year.
Focus on 16th pick and a 2nd rounder since Milwaukee built their team that way ! Giannis and Middleton !
7-Eleven is also a convenience store chain headquartered in Dallas, TX…which is where Luka plays. That means if the Kings get the 7th and 11th pick, Luka will “conveniently” come to Sacramento as a free agent. Boom. Championship.
This could legitimately be Vivek’s strategy.
NBA 3.#7
You’re right. After last night, this team is just and another vet with a championship pedigree away from really making some noise. Bring back TT on the vet’s minimum and go get Rondo again. He’s won a title with TWO teams! He could really help with the shallow PG rotation next year.
Need new players, coaches, BBall ops, broadcast team but keep the same owner ! It should work this time !
Clearly the team has talent and can compete with anyone.
“Go on…”
Never gets old 😁
Any takers?
You might have to throw Metu in that trade to avoid a kerfuffle.
you might be right, or maybe metu likes that he has an actual brute on his team.
We can finally fulfill my dream of a 5 center starting lineup.
Lol clearly McNair would have to figure out where to send Len and Thompson with wherever he’s sending buddy and Barnes.
OK, but you have to name some more middling vets we can sign in their place.
I remember Dave Joerger rolled out a 5 center line up out I believe at the end preseason. Was that an FU to Vladi? Only Papa Johns knows.
Ingram works straight-up for Fox. I’d even think about a protected first to get that deal.
It would take more than that. Ingram is the better basketball player.
Fox and Barnes for Ingram and Santoransky (salary filler)?
Then Holmes and next year top 5 protected 1st for Myles Turner?
Davion
Hali
Ingram
Bagley
Turner
Bench rotation:
Buddy
TD
’22 first round pick
Plus cap is still okay.
Agree, but man I’d like to see Ingram with Hali somehow.
Supposedly Nola is interested in Fox to run a Fox, Ingram, and Zion lineup.
Give Fox to them for Valanciunas and Hart. You get a tough double-double machine, who can hit the straightaway 3, and actually knows how to set screens. Hart is still a decent 2 guard, but more importantly it breaks Fox’s contract in half.
Then you can talk to Atlanta about whatever combination of Buddy, Barnes, Hart, Holmes, Thompson, Len, etc. to take Collins off of their hands.
Finish the year in the bottom 5, and potentially get a top 3 pick. Start your 2022 off-season with Haliburton, Mitchell, Collins, and Valanciunas on the books and see if there’s any other moves that can be made while we hope for a #1 in the draft.
There’s no way NO trades Ingram. They’re trying to add to what they already have
Include their 2023 first round pick top 5 protected and you got yourself a deal.
Yeah I think Nola would have to include a 1st if they are getting Fox and HB for Ingram. Ingram may be a better player than Fox, but like Fox he is not a number one.
Remember that one time Klay set us on fire by outscoring us by himself in the 3rd quarter? Kind of hope he does that again but for all four quarters
Rumor mill:
just saw a headline saying the pelicans are interested in acquiring Fox.
Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart for Harrison Barnes and Fox works on trade machine.
Trade Buddy for literally anything but Buddy and the Kings just improved their squad for this season and definitely for the off season and next years actual season with the addition of a top 10 draft pick and more money to spend on an impactful free agent.
Sac: Ingram, Hart, protected 1st
Nola: Fox, HB
Get rid of Buddy for expirings.
Reply fail, meant to post this here.
Supposedly Nola is interested in Fox to run a Fox, Ingram, and Zion lineup.
Give Fox to them for Valanciunas and Hart. You get a tough double-double machine, who can hit the straightaway 3, and actually knows how to set screens. Hart is still a decent 2 guard, but more importantly it breaks Fox’s contract in half.
Then you can talk to Atlanta about whatever combination of Buddy, Barnes, Hart, Holmes, Thompson, Len, etc. to take Collins off of their hands.
Finish the year in the bottom 5, and potentially get a top 3 pick. Start your 2022 off-season with Haliburton, Mitchell, Collins, and Valanciunas on the books and see if there’s any other moves that can be made while we hope for a #1 in the draft.
What a weird lineup to be interested in.
You got a shout out from James Ham on his podcast! Congrats Will!
Poor people are paying for Golden One. Eff the McNair joke charity. And I did $68k to build water wells in Africa.
Put your money where your mouth is and make the “joke” charity worthwhile.
Match 68k then get back to me.
I guess the answer is “no.” I cut grass for a living. I don’t have 68,000 pennies. You’re the guy bragging about the size of his donation.
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