On Tuesday evening, prior to another loss for the 3-8 Sacramento Kings, this time due to a 4th quarter collapse against the Denver Nuggets, Head Coach Doug Christie had quite a bit to say about the team, their state, and their belief about the environment around them.
“Change is hard…but we understand we’re not there yet. But we’re gonna work at it like crazy…buckle up. The pain of Kings fans…know that I, who experienced that pain, we’re gonna get it right. To all the haters, keep that energy. While you’re doing that, we’re gonna be coming.”
This is a fascinating quote, certainly one that could be expected for a team with their backs already against the wall barely a tenth of the way through a long, long season, but it also perfectly encapsulates everything decidedly wrong with the culture of basketball in Sacramento.
First, as per usual, there is the feigned attempt at effort, and the expectation that effort, even if the results are poor, deserves applause and grace and patience. This is the attitude of the underperforming employee who’s always late but is offended when they’re put on written notice or even let go. Effort doesn’t mean shit in any results-driven business, and the NBA is no exception. The Kings and their play-by-play folks and their media friends can talk about focusing on defense and becoming a defensive-minded team, and even name defensive-minded teams in the process, but the team will also turn around and bench Keon Ellis or Devin Carter (I know, I know, he’s not really good, but if we’re going to pretend defense is a priority, his name must be mentioned, by law), to ensure Dennis Schroder can jack up 128 shots for 127 points (yes, that’s a real stat).
They will sign Russell Westbrook, who, to be fair, has not been terrible, as the 50th guard on the team, despite having no playable wings or bigs outside of the injured Keegan Murray and the forgotten-on-offense Domantas Sabonis. They will refuse to trade DeMar DeRozan or Malik Monk or Zach LaVine, despite knowing that the roster makes no sense and these guys will never win games together. They will pay and play veterans to squeeze a few more pointless wins out to ensure ticket prices can stay high. The owner will hire a fake, yes-man General Manager so he can play fantasy basketball with real people.
A request for patience, amidst 558 losses against 417 wins and one playoff appearance over 13 years, is not just unreasonable – it’s asinine and it’s unfair and it’s disconnected.
But there’s more in the bizzarro world that is the mindset of any Sacramento Kings employee. There is the us versus them mindset against “the haters”. These miscreants are the ones who dare to question roster decisions or playing time or coaching hires or draft selections – this mysterious faction of folks who just want to tear this great, respected organization down. The Twitter fiends. The blog boys.
The fans.
The fans who still, somehow, care enough…to…care.
The Kings desperately, desperately want these “haters” to leave them alone – they have for years. Vivek rails against them. Vlade wanted them to shut up. Monte wanted to disprove them. The list goes on and on.
And the good news for Doug and Scott and Vivek is that these haters are absolutely fading away. I’m one of them. I haven’t stopped (mostly) writing about the Kings because life has gotten incredibly busy (it has) or because my love of writing has faded (it hasn’t). I’ve mostly stopped writing because there are only so many “the roster is bad, the coach is bad, the draft pick is bad, the GM is bad, the owner is bad”, burn-it-all-down articles that one giraffe has in him. At a certain point, who really gives a shit about the 14th different version of the same problem?
The haters will continue to vanish because this organization’s relevance continues to vanish. The hard truth is that an irrelevant roster is being led by an irrelevant coach that was assembled by an irrelevant General Manager who was hired by an irrelevant owner who leads an irrelevant organization.
One day, the Kings will have their way, and the haters will have completely disappeared – not because they have been proven wrong or been shut up by facts or because there is nothing to hate – but because the haters just don’t have the time or energy to give a damn anymore.
Burger King sucks. Doesn’t mean I hate it.
Burger Kings does suck.
Sorry Doug but this idiot will always be there running the Kangz Show.
*storms in to Cesar’s Palace*
*screaming at the first black jack dealer I see* I HOPE YOU HATERS KEEP THAT SAME ENERGY!!! WHILE YOU’RE DOING THAT, I’M COMING
well, that phrasing could have been better… I’m definitely getting arrested
This hater isn’t going to vanish, because I love the Kings enough to call them on their bullshit. I want them to fail so they can succeed. Who’s with me!
Yeah, we’ve been “haters” longer than anyone associated with the Kings have been with the team.
Stop being so toxic!
Calling out “haters” implies that there are people invested in wanting the team to fail. Noone cares about the Kings enough to actively want them to fail. The feedback they’re calling out is from people who want the team to succeed.
What they’re really taking issue with is “critics”, which…well…tough shit. Stop making terrible decisions.
Which is the worse path for the Fan (from the word fanatic: a person filled with excessive and single-minded zeal) that of “the hater”, that of the unhappy, disappointed follower, or that of one who no longer cares.
The road to franchise destruction (IMO) is apathy.
I will again explain that my blame has gone beyond that of the silly, dishonest Vivek Ranadive and his henchperson, Matina Kolokotronis (the COO). They have been around too long, doing the same shtick to expect any difference. Trade this player, blow it up, tank and get lottery picks – we’ve seen different versions of this over the last 20 years (Maloofs included) and it still comes down to bad ownership and expecting that manning a different crew on this Titanic with Cap’n Ranadive at the helm is foolish.
I now point my finger of blame at the NBA who have shown not one iota of care that this city has fought so hard to keep the NBA dream alive and been repaid with the League’s own brand of apathy.
You get what you give, yo.
I’m not sure the league cares about the success or struggles of Sacramento. The Kings aren’t hurting the NBA brand. Shitty teams don’t get nationally televised games, don’t have marketable stars, don’t bother the contenders, etc. Sacramento’s failures as a franchise is a blip on the radar in the league image. The only thing would bring attention to the Kings is some sort of national scandal. As long as Vivek keeps his head low, the other owners can keep him around as their useful idiot to claim diversity and international markets.
Sacramento is where aging stars go to pasture on one last contract to make the team owner and agents a bit of cash. That league might even be grateful to have a doormat franchise.
What’s funny is that other “doormat franchises” understand this dynamic enough to know that they can extract picks and other assets in return for the service of taking on bad contracts from good teams.
Vivek, on the other hand, trades his best players in order to acquire bad contracts.
The Bizarro Owner.
We really could’ve just had Stephon Castle man :'(
You’d think the daughter of the team’s owner, in a position of authority, using players as her own private harem would be a scandal.
But I guess some animals are more equal than others.
Look no further than the “independent” sports “media” in Sacramento.
Yes and the fan base- is too nice/don’t care….because what’s going on in Dallas (fire Nico chants-rebellion etc) should be going on in sac.
Non stop sell the team chants and/or not going.
Fuck Vivek-always and forever
The thumbnail picture of Vivek and his daughter from yesterday’s article was telling. She looked unrecognizable to me, aged and tired. There’s a connection between degenerate behavior and how it reflects on a person’s face.
Not trying to be contentious, just wondering what you’d realistically like the NBA to do about Vivek? Having an idiot loser for an owner certainly sucks but it’s not against the rules.
There’s nothing the NBA can do and as AS stated, the NBA could give two F’s about the Kangz anyways.
CharlotteNew Orleans – Owner Shinn replaced
Seattle – Owner Shultz replaced
Los Angeles – Owner Sterling replaced
Phoenix – Owner Sarver replaced
Even Dallas – something happened because Owner Cuban replaced/dismissed
There is precedent.
It was the NBA’s decision to bring Vivek into the fold. That he is an awful NBA owner should not be the forever burden of the fans, particularly in this one sport city.
You really lost me at “50th guard”. 🙂 The team is bad with little if any improvement in sight. They have too many guards. I thought you were going for the sober grounded take, rather than hyperbole in response someone seemingly decent (person – coach IDK) but clearly frustrated (person & coach) out of options in a dysfunctional organization where the evidence says the problems start at the very top. Christie’s next emotional presser is likely his resignation or firing, us and him and knowing that won’t right the ship either.
Does Doug stay on past Christmas? When does Mike Woodson get the Interim tag?
Vivek has been angling to hire Doug as HC for years. No way he gets fired this season. I bet he gets into at least year 2.
Vivek only wants yes men. Doug is one.
Thanks for this article, Tim. You elucidated some of the things I have been feeling lately.
I’ve been a fan of the Kings for more than two decades now, and I have seen somewhere between 2-3 seasons that could be considered a success in that time. But for two decades, that hasn’t stopped me from hoping for better.
I can’t say the same about this season. I’ve hardly watched any games because I know the outcomes before they start. And this version of the Kings is worse than bad – its boring and predictable. Have a competitive first half, get blown out the water in the second. Say you want to play defense, don’t play your best defenders in favor of aging vets who have NEVER been known for their defense. Post-game presser about toughness, effort, etc. etc. Rinse and repeat. It sucks and it’s not even interesting to watch.
More than that, I’ve been asking myself WHY I support this team. I’ve never been to the west coast in my life. I have no connection to Sacramento. I became a fan of this team as a child because I loved Peja, Bibby, & Webber. I hated that the NBA cheated them from a Finals trip (the only team in the league that can demonstrably prove it, too!). I’ve always rooted for David to beat the Goliaths of the world. Yeah they were losers but they were a loveable band of losers that may have actually deserved better.
But… I just don’t see that team anymore. For the last decade, this team has mostly looked like the plaything of some dickhead tech billionaire that somehow thinks he knows better than everyone while constantly being made the fool. The incompetence and nepotism of this organization is a national embarrassment. Not only do I have zero faith in Vivek to ever put together a competitive organization, but even if he could I’m not sure I’d want him to win, anyway. Nothing about this pathetic, silly, delusional little man deserves my time, money, respect, or patience. He has turned the scrappy team I loved into a for-profit side hustle so that he can hangout with ballplayers and celebrities and other people who never would’ve given him the time of day if he wasn’t rich. He is truly the face of what it means to be a loser in this league, and he’s not even pitiful. He’s loathsome. And if success for this team means success for him, then I can hardly even care. I’d much rather have him burn down along with this dumpster fire of a franchise in the hopes that one day that team I once knew will rise like a phoenix from the ashes.
Until then…whatever.
Yeah, like many others on this site, I’ve felt for years that nothing will change until the pathetic little chap is gone. The poor return on the Fox trade reinforced my thoughts on this. It was an egotistical move by the owner who had a man-crush on Lavine.
I don’t see any change happening. Someone once read to me a bunch of posts from Vivek’s social media. It read like the meandering thoughts of a delusional man.
I suspect when a person achieves that level of wealth there is always the risk of losing touch with the majority of the world. I definitely see that in Vivek.
He will never relinquish control of this team. He will never see himself as the problem.
Dude, you may be a success, but you’re lousy at running the team. Just give it up.
But I don’t see that happening.
What Tim says in this piece is the most likely outcome: people like us just lose interest. I knew there was a game last night. I did not get excited. At some point while reading a book I remembered the game was on and I had no desire to check it out. I kind of remembered later this morning and checked the score out of habit. Wasn’t surprised.
Yeah, Doug’s rant missed the basket.
What is interesting is that during the Beam Team season, lots of celebrities/musicians were hanging around Vivek and attending games. Since that season, those personalities have slowly dwindled away from Sacramento and Vivek. He must be angry that those people no longer want to be around him. he probably seethes at night when Drake no longer answers his requests to attend Kings games.
Somehow I feel cleansed reading this . Thank you .
I don’t find much content worthy of this gif in reply but to the paragraph beginning “But …” I’d say it’s like:
I haven’t been watching games, but been seeing posts on my socials that the arena isn’t really full anymore. Will Vivek only buckle once people stop spending their money on this team?
I don’t see him buckling. And what do you mean by buckling? Selling the team? I don’t see it.
He’s a delusional man-child with wealth enough to cushion him from reality.
I don’t think so. Maybe if Fan stop going and the ones that do keep on chanting- ‘ the team,’ etc. it’ll be enough to bother him to do something. But doubt it. But he’ll continue making money no matter what. So I don’t see a way out.
Maybe also putting up billboards and all these other things but unless he’s caught in a bad scandal, I doubt it
I mean, folks should start chanting “Vivek Sucks!” or “Sell The Team, Vivek!” or something like that at the games. You gotta start somewhere.
Jerry said as much in one of the podcasts. The only way to make an impact as fans is to stop going to games.
Sadly, the gate receipts are not that critical to owners anymore. For a penny-pincher like Vivek they still matter some, but the real money in the league is the TV deals and the extra millions from luxury tax being distributed to the non-tax teams.
Side note: Could you take that photo of Vivek with that sourpuss look on his face and make that the lead photo for every story on the site for the rest of the season.
Looking at him unhappy brings me joy.
I guarantee you Vivek frequents this site and I guarantee you this would piss him and his ego off lol.
Would like to think that’s the case. He’s certainly get to see what many/most fans think about him. I get the feeling he’s the type to flee away from anything that’s remotely negative about him, though.
No amount of “work” is going to fix an unbalanced roster of tossed asides. This team looks like it was constructed by a person loading up a basketball simulator for the first time with no idea how the sport is played.
TL;DR?
Here are the cliff notes of an excellent Tim article:
Thumbs up this article.
Unlike the Kings, this site stays relevant and has high standards for it’s work. All the writers/contributors continue to put out quality work that covers a dysfunctional, inept organization. Keep up the good work, fellas.
And….don’t listen to the haters!
Great article, Tim.
Doug’s comments annoyed me. The high-water mark of the past 20 seasons is a single playoff appearance that ended with a first-round exit. And yet here we all are. Don’t claim to understand the pain of Kings fans and then in the next breath say we’re haters or impatient because we’re unhappy at this franchise once again serving us a shit sandwich and expecting us to enjoy it with a smile.
Questioning effort 10 games in to a season is a lost season already. Effort? Really? That tells me that the players aren’t bought in to the team, direction, coaching staff, organization, etc.
“We want to be competitive, tough, team oriented, accountable, disciplined and professional”
How is the team doing, so far?
0-6 on that front.
How hilarious that Vivek has done everything in his power for years to acquire Zach Lavine and now that he’s finally done it, Zach fucking hates being here lmaooooo. I guess he never heard that phrase “if you love something, let it go.”
Well said, Greg. It was dumb, insulting, and reeks of desperation.
Desperation is a stinky cologne.
Doug had a chance to recant and instead swung and really gave himself an uppercut. Dumbass.
Chat GPT Trade Ideas for Sabonis.. i think a few of them have merit dont like the Minny or NY ideas
If the Kings trade Domantas Sabonis (~$42.34M 25-26), here are simple, salary-sane ideas focused on getting younger forwards:
Pistons: Isaiah Stewart ($15.0M) + Ron Holland II ($8.66M) + Tobias Harris ($26.63M) → $50.29M
Detroit gets Sabonis. Kings get a tough 4/5 (Stewart) and a high-ceiling young wing/forward (Holland), with Harris as salary ballast/expiring utility.
Spurs: Keldon Johnson ($17.5M) + Jeremy Sochan ($7.10M) +
Kelly Olynyk ($13.45M) + small filler (e.g., Tre Jones $8.0M) as needed → $38.05–46.05M Sochan checks the “younger versatile forward” box; Keldon is a ready-now 2-way wing. Olynyk/Jones are clean matchers. (Mix/Match Jones only if needed to dial in the math.)
Bulls: Patrick Williams ($18.0M) + Josh Giddey (~$25.0M after 4/$100M RFA deal) → ~$43.0M
Williams = young 3/4 with real defensive tools; Giddey adds 22-year-old jumbo playmaking. (Giddey’s new AAV ~$25M.)
Hawks: Jalen Johnson ($30.0M) + De’Andre Hunter ($23.30M) → $53.30M
Johnson is a premium young forward; Hunter brings size at the 3/4. Over-match on money is fine if Atlanta values the upgrade.
Timberwolves: Jaden McDaniels ($24.39M) + Naz Reid ($21.55M) → $45.94M
McDaniels is the exact prototype young forward; Reid balances salary and gives SAC a stretch-5/backup 5.
Raptors: RJ Barrett ($27.71M) + Gradey Dick ($4.99M) + salary help (e.g., Jakob Poeltl $19.5M) as needed → $32.70–52.20M
Barrett is a 25-year-old wing with size; Dick is a young shooting forward. Poeltl only if you need to fine-tune matching or prefer a center flip.
Knicks: Josh Hart ($19.47M) + Mitchell Robinson ($12.95M) + Donte DiVincenzo ($11.99M) → $44.41M
Hart = multipositional wing; Robinson provides age-25/26 rim protection; DiVincenzo is a movable/valuable mid-sized deal.
Grizzlies: Santi Aldama (~$18.49M) + Brandon Clarke ($12.50M) + John Konchar ($6.17M) + GG Jackson ($2.22M) → ~$39.38M (add minor filler/pick swap if needed)
Aldama is a 25-year-old 4 with size/skill; GG is a 20-year-old scoring forward. Clarke/Konchar make the math work and bring rotation value.
Pistons, Raptors, Grizzlies trades seem doable. I would hope more draft picks would come in return to Sac. I don’t expect a huge return for Domas, or any Kings trades this season.
I just don’t know if we will get much for picks.. but if we can get a young g talent back and smaller contracts it creates flexibility. I just posted an idea for Orlando
The Grizzlies one is probably the most viable. I don’t think any other team, as constructed, really has much use for Domas. Pistons could be interesting, but I think they like Stewart’s defensive fit at the 5. The Grizzlies are going nowhere fast and pairing Sabonis with JJJ in the frontcourt sounds like a viable path forward in a potential post-Ja Memphis. Plus, the price is right. Every other offer has prospects that are too valuable (Johnson, Giddey, Dick) for their team to part with them. Santi Aldama, Clarke and GG sounds about right for a Sabonis return.
Yup and Clarke when he returns from injury is a nice defender at the 4..small ball 5.
Aldama gives the Kings that stretch 4 they need to pair with Keegan. GG has some upside, and Clarke is a depth big (when healthy). It would still leave the Kings with a path to draft a player at really any position to be the “future building block” of the team. Add in an unprotected 1st, maybe a swap and/or 2nd rounders, and the rebuild might look decent.
Yes and just have Eubanks..at center.. we would have a more balanced frontline..
Better for the tank. Commander Eubanks!
How about Sabonis for Nic Claxton, Terrance Mann, Noah Clowney and at least 2 firsts? Salaries match.
Why would the Nets do that? I don’t think they’d do that even if the picks weren’t included.
I for one am having a great time hate-watching games this season.
I’ve watched less than half of the games, and of those games I’m not locked in or paying attention to everything, and most of the time I don’t even watch through the end.
But I love watching the turnovers, the bad defense, the bad body language, the lack of hustle, etc. etc. etc. and rooting for them to lose. The only things that are hard about watching is watching Domas out there, and seeing Keon on the bench. The rest of it, the shit show that is the actual team’s performance, is fun to cheer along to the failure.
And I don’t root for losses because I think it will get us a better draft pick that will save us, but just because I hate this organization and I want them to suffer. So maybe I actually am a hater at this point, but that’s the organization’s fault, not mine.
Potential Orlando Fits if the Kings Go Full Rebuild (DeRozan / Monk / LaVine)
If Sacramento is truly blowing it up, Orlando makes a ton of sense as a trade partner. The Magic need scoring help next to Banchero and Wagner, and the Kings need young forwards and future assets. Three options that actually make sense salary-wise:
1️⃣ DeMar DeRozan → Orlando
Kings get: Jonathan Isaac ($17.4M), Tristan da Silva ($4.8M), 2027 1st (top-10 protected)
Magic get: DeMar DeRozan ($24.75M)
Why it works: Orlando finally gets a go-to half-court scorer; Sacramento adds two long, switchable forwards who fit a rebuild and grabs a future pick.
2️⃣ Malik Monk → Orlando
Kings get: Jonathan Isaac ($17.4M), 2026 2nd round pick
Magic get: Malik Monk (~$17M)
Why it works: A clean one-for-one salary match that gives the Magic a true perimeter shooter/creator, while the Kings buy low on Isaac’s elite defense if healthy.
3️⃣ Zach LaVine → Orlando (bigger swing)
Kings get: Jonathan Isaac ($17.4M), Wendell Carter Jr. ($11.95M), Tristan da Silva ($4.8M), 2029 1st (top-8 protected)
Magic get: Zach LaVine ($45.99M)
Why it works: Orlando adds high-end scoring to pair with Banchero/Wagner. Kings offload LaVine’s huge deal and get multiple young forwards plus a pick.
Bottom line:
Orlando checks the boxes for all three — they’re competitive, they need scoring, and they have the right mix of contracts and forwards. If Sacramento’s truly rebuilding, those are exactly the kinds of packages they should be chasing.
DeMar DeRozan → Orlando
Why would any team give up a first for DDR? And do the Magic even have any firsts to trade after giving up so many for Bane?
I do think the Magic will get desperate and have interest in the players you mentioned, I just don’t know that they have much to offer since they already gave up all those picks for Bane.
Should have pulled the pick out..
I think the Monk for Isaac trade makes sense for both teams. Isaac is almost out of the rotation in Orlando and he does fill a need in Sac. If he fails here, his contract is non-guaranteed and the Kings cut bait. Moving Monk also helps to clear up the logjam of guards and eliminates redundancy.
As to Orlando, Monk fits what the Magic need: A microwave scorer off the bench who can also facilitate.
And gives Ellis some Burn.. although I would rather get rid of Derozan for Isaac and Da’Silva.. still would free up space for Ellis.. and should not have thrown a first in there and I think DaSilva and Keegan would make a nice front line
I don’t think Orlando is giving up da Silva, especially since he is controlled and cheap asset.
Good point wishful thinking. Of course we could draft a Da Silva instead of Carter. Well then we just ship Sabonis off to Charlotte get Brandon MILLER, Saluan, Diabate and a bunch of fillers and then we’ll have another 3/4 to go with Keegan..
We could have Westbrook, LaVine, Miller, Eubanks, Keegan
Have Ellis, Clifford Issac, Saluan, Diabate, Achiwa Schroeder as backups.and a future pick from charlotte..
or trade Sabonis to Memphis.. and have aldama, Keegan, Isaac/Eubanks starting with LaVine, and Westbrook.. we still need another 3
What about Derozan for John Collins?
I would love that .. Keegan at 3 , Colin’s at 4 , trade Monk for Issac, or Jaime Vazquez in Miami … we would be more balanced and Ellis could get more burn,
Once upon a time I lived in a world where Vlade was the most likeable King and the thought of disliking him could never enter a King’s fans mind. Then Vlade became GM and eventually we all came to dislike him.
Once upon a time I lived in a world where DC was the most likeable King and the thought of disliking him could never enter a King’s fans mind. Then DC became HC and now I’m starting to dislike him. It’s hard to respect DC right now when he doesn’t have the stones to tell things like they are and is just continually toeing the company line.
I haven’t watched this team this year and I have no plans to. For your mental sanity, I recommend doing the same. Let the stands be empty and let the TV ratings sink to their lowest levels ever for the Sacramento Kings.
Make no mistake that Dallas fired Nico Harrison based on the court of public appeal. From reports fire Nico chants rang in Dallas the night before he was let go. As they have for 9 months. And if one says well trading Luka is beyond the pale, well we did something even more egregious, pass on him in the first place let alone last year aid Dallas’s lottery odds by chasing a stupid shit play in spot we fumbled anyway. They at least have Flagg?
My fellow Kings fans the constant boo’s and sell the team chants to Vivek should now be regular scheduled programming at games. The hate on a Coach who has zero credentials to be in this position more than warranted. I loved Doug but I think he’s been incredibly opportunistic and weaponized that reputation to be in a position he hasn’t earned. Just like Vlade he’s leveraged an idiot owner to avoid any of the league wide rigor and or know-how that would come by paying dues and or learning in other competent franchises. And they can say it’s for love of the team, I think it’s equally avoiding objectivity that other stints would have forced. Neither escape the scrutiny because of their history because the proofs in the pudding. Removed of their association to the team they have been awful.
I think I have been on this corner since Sactown Royalty but let the hate come full force. Because this city and this franchise is bigger than this incompetence and should be treated as such.
I think one of the nails in the coffin for Nico was when Flagg’s mom got on the socials and starting liking a forwarding posts that Nico should be fired. Flagg is their future and they don’t want to rock that boat.
Yup.
If you want change, be the change.
Tru dat.
The Trade
Sacramento Kings receive:
Total incoming salary: ≈ $37.33M
Charlotte Hornets receive:
CBA & Salary Math
Why Sacramento Does It
This is a clean pivot: younger, cheaper, and built around interchangeable wings who can defend multiple spots.
The problem with any trade of LaVine or Sabonis is that the Kings just can’t take back 4 contracts for 1. They have no roster spots open which would mean they’d need to cut 3 players or involve a third team.
Small detail.. i am an idiot.. Im ok with getting rid of Carter, McDermott and Saric
Carter has guaranteed money for next season as well. He won’t be cut.
I have my doubts that the Hornets want Sabonis. They are in tank mode. Hypothetically, if they did want Sabonis, I’m guessing they’d want to ship out Miles Bridges. That’s a hard pass for me. They aren’t sending Brandon Miller or Salaün out.
I don’t remember hearing a lot of “haters” when the Kings fielded a rational roster and starting lineup, made a good draft pick, and won the Pacific Division.
This “I bleed purple” bullshit is 100% why Doug is here: to shield Vivek from the casual fans ire. Doug is really embarrassing himself out there.
If we ignore it (the team), they (Vivek) might leave. Worth some consideration.
Sabonis to the Nets for Nic Claxton Terrance Mann Noah Clowney
DeRozan to the Clippers for John Collins.
Monk, Schroder, Carter, 2026 first and 2030 pick swap for Ja Morant.
Starters: Morant, LaVine, Murray, Collins, Claxton.
Backups: Westbrook for Morant, Ellis for LaVine. Clifford and Mann for Murray. Clowney and Achiuwa for Collins. Raynaud and Eubanks for Claxton.
Now you have youth, offense and defense. GO KINGS!
Great article. Sad times. Even sadder that they have reduced Doug to this. This writing makes me feel something. The same cannot be said for the team
Is Doug being held hostage?
Such a weird take.
Great article as it incapsulates how I feel about this team or going forward don’t care
If the Kings aren’t careful I wonder for how long fans will actually care, the contempt they are showing this fanbase is incredible
listened to Jerry Reynolds on the pod today and he was really good in explaining what happened 20 years ago and how that can’t happen today with the roster we have
Its funny that for the most part most of us see what’s going on and can’t understand why lessons are not learned but ignored
Local media seems unwilling to call these failings out
As someone said earlier it seems this team exists to give fading stars or mismatched talents a chance to put up stats and get one last paycheck. No wonder Doug Christie is frustrated. Perry will boot him for an uninspiring Mike Woodson soon enough so why not bench the vets who are mailing it in
Will Perry ever make a deal, its been hinted at forever. Remember which the As were underperforming and Billy Beane was sick of Jeremy Giambi’s BS, I realize NBA rosters are smaller but maybe a shot might need to be fired
I’d love to know what Kings players are really worth on the trade market
I really think Lavine is a sunk cost, the only way the Kings move him is to attach picks or take on money for crap players
The rest I suspect its not much
Well, at least Doug’s playing defense.
I’ve been a Kings fan for over 40 years, Douglas, through thick, thin, thin, thin, thin, and anorexic. This current permutation is one of the dullest, most uninspiring teams that I have seen over that 40+ years, and that is really something considering the levels of ineptitude that we have seen here.
You know what I don’t hate? The play of Oklahoma City. The play of San Antonio. The play of Houston. You know what I do hate? These are all teams that were well behind the Kings just a couple of seasons ago, and the Kings can’t touch those teams with a ten foot pole right now (we would sign a five foot pole and ask it to try to play longer).
So yeah, I’m a hater. A hater of bad basketball. A hater of repeated mistakes, followed by the hubris and temerity to call out a fan base that has been loyal to an absolute fault.
I love you, Doug. You are a great King, and you have been handed an impossible task. But you stepped on your dick big time when you determined that this incredible fan base is somehow to blame for this shitshow. You have shown yourself to be not a solution, but a symptom. And a shill.
I would never tell you to go fuck yourself over your opinion, as you are certainly entitled to it. That said, fuck your opinion. Maybe you and the organization should focus on their own massive shortcomings instead of calling out a fan base that has done nothing more over the decades than throw good support and money at the team year after year after year.
And to Vivek, the goodwill is so far gone at this point. Just sell the team, reap the massive profits, and move to Vegas with Fisher. You two deserve each other, and the two of you and Vegas deserve each other.
In regards to that last paragraph, be careful what you wish for. From my understanding (and I could be totally wrong) the Kings’ 35 year lease with Sacramento isn’t iron clad. The language of it says the Kings are to pay back in yearly installments their cost of the arena. Vivek, or any potential new owner, could simply pay off the balance, “mature” the agreement, thus break the lease and be free to do what they want with the franchise. It would probably take a couple hundred million dollars to do so, but if franchise valuations are beginning around $5B, that’s chump change to break the lease. Please, if anyone else has insight into this, do share.
As to everything else you said…spot on.
Honestly, I wouldn’t care if Vivek relocated the team. Below is my office. I’d be fine with it being viewed as a museum as an alternative to my hating ways.
I saw this original comment before it was edited, and it was a long wall of text that stretched very far down, lol.
It was a mile of code, but it may have been the most sensible thing that I ever posted!
Doug definitely takes some of the blame for taking some poorly assembled talent and not even using correctly what he has. GM F’ed up the roster construction but he’s giving minutes to guys that don’t even deserve them and sitting guys that do. That’s on Doug, he’s not maximizing the value of this roster and thus far has brought nothing new to the table.
I don’t hate anything and I’m completely ambivalent about the Kings at this point. When they win I’m like that was kinda fun but it’s not going anywhere. When they lose I’m glad Viveks team lost but I doubt they will lose enough to get the picks we need. This used to be Sac’s team but now it just feel like Viveks failures overshadow everything and there’s not much to root for. No big deal really, I can do something else. Fandom is kind of on pause until something major changes. Not much left to say at this point.
We’re at the top but on a downward trend.
If DOCO was supposed to be an economic development effort for Sacramento, the on-court product is working against it.
After 20+ years or taking friends and family to games, talking my boss into taking the whole office, and generally watching as many games as possible… I now advise everyone I know not to waste their time. We cancelled Comcast/Hulu, which were only only used to access games, and haven’t watched a minute this season. We haven’t missed it whatsoever and I’m saving hundreds of dollars each month by not attending, dining/shopping in DOCO before games, buying Kings merch, or watching. Small potatoes for the Kings of course, but huge for me.
The on court product and off court embarrassments and bad management don’t deserve my attention or dollars and I enthusiastically tell that to all the non-fans in my life that politely ask, “So…how are the Kings doing?”
I still have this wonderful site to lurk. Thank you TKH for what you do. I’m a fan of your work and will continue to read everything you write about this tire fire of a franchise.
Nice job of laying out the mess. I have been a fan since they came here and have been to maybe 100 games in person over the years. Vivek thinks he is a basketball genius ((just because he coached his daughter’s team to some kind of championship) and smarter than the rest of the people in the room. He isn’t when it comes to basketball. I was going to go to last night’s game versus the Hawks as there were some $100 seats that were good thinking that is a game we can win. So glad I did not. Plus, it seems like every time I go, there is some idiot who won’t shut up, or ringing a cow bell right next to my ear, or standing up and blocking my view when no one else is standing in our section. At this point, they should trade Derozan and Sabonis and maybe Lavine. Sabonis has reached his peak and will slowly go down in performance and value. It is too late to draft Docic, not trade Halliburton, and get more for Fox, but my interest in the Kings will be low until I see structural changes in the organization.
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