Greg woke up.
No birds chirped. No wind playfully whistled through the trees. No flowers bloomed.
His eyes roamed his bare bedroom: a sheet-less mattress on the floor, a sweatshirt for a pillow, a bare lightbulb hanging from the ceiling, and only one item hanging on the wall: his prized MTV Unplugged Guitar once owned by Kurt Cobain. He had spent his entire life savings and sold everything he owned, including $5.999999 million in The Kings Herald ownership stock, to gather the $6 million to buy such a piece, but what a piece it was! It played perfectly – you could hear the history reverberate through the walls and through your soul.
I’m the best electric guitar player on the planet. I know it. But no one believes in me. Well, no one but Tim, but he always believes in me. Isn’t he the best? I’ve gotta prove myself at the international guitar-playing competition, but I’ve got no way to get there. Greg thought to himself.
He rolled out of bed, opened his closet, and chose a Dedmon jersey over his Ade Murkey swingman piece – this was his lucky jersey. Today was going to be a better day than yesterday. It had to be.
His shift at the vest factory was going perfectly fine and perfectly normal until he got a call from the floor manager, Monte (or was his name Wes? Greg could never keep it straight), to meet with the big boss.
As he walked up the stairs and opened the door to the big boss’s office, Greg screamed as the biggest spider he had ever seen scurried out of the office. Quickly recovering, he strolled to a chair, threw a shaka the boss’s way, and sat.
“I hear you’re quite the guitar player.” Ronny opened the conversation.
“I’m alright, I guess”. Greg said.
“I hear you’re better than alright! I hear you’re the best in town! But I don’t see a time off request to go to the international guitar-playing competition. Why not, kid?” Ronny asked.
“Well, to be honest sir, it’s kind of embarrassing, but I don’t have the money to go. And I also don’t have a singer to accompany me.” Greg replied.
“Ahhh, I figured that was the case. I believe in you, kid. Howzabout I give you the means to go?”
“Are you serious?!” Greg replied. “You would give me the money to go and to hire a singer?”
“Money? Money? How would you learn a lesson if I just gave you all that money? Nah, kid. Howzabout this? I’ll give you the money to go, but I want you to find your own singer. Don’t go hire any Joe Schmoe off the street. Your talent needs talent, ya hear?” Ronny replied. “You know how I got to where I am? I negotiated. I fought. I pushed. I busted heads – I’m kidding, I’m kidding. I want to see what sand you’ve got in you.”
“Um, okay?” Greg replied. “I don’t know what that means, exactly.”
“I’ll give you the money for the trip and back. And I’m gonna give you one of Ronny’s promises. Ever heard of it? I’ll give you a signed note, from me, that says I’ll resolve any “problem” that anyone has – free of charge.”
“And, who, exactly, would need such a thing? And where would I sell it? Or who would I give it to? I don’t know – this all sounds weird and made up and nonsensical – almost like it’s driving to a very specific end-point.” Greg replied.
“Listen, kid. It’s easy. You show up to the black market. It’s in the warehouse tonight. You trade my favor for cash to pay a singer, or perhaps, there may even be a singer who needs the help themselves – ya never know.”
Greg sighed and agreed.
That night, Greg arrived back at the warehouse with his guitar slung on his back for good luck. He was shocked at the changes. Vendors and merchants of all types hosted booths all around the floor. He wandered about, awestruck and terrified at the same time. He desperately wanted to go home, and he desperately wanted to find a way to the competition.
Suddenly, a merchant called out to him.
“Hey you, with the guitar, get over here! I’ve got something you need!”
Turning, Greg saw a trio of men, as different as could be, one short and massive, one over seven feet and thin as a reed, and one, well, normal-sized, waving him over. Despite his first instinct to flee, Greg sauntered over to the group.
“What do you think I need?”
“Woah, woah, woah, kid. Let’s slow it down. That’s not how we do business down here. I’m Mikey, but everyone calls me The Bull. This beanpole next to me is Victor. And that guy at the end, well, he doesn’t want people to know his name, so he isn’t bothered. But anyway, I see you’ve got a guitar there. How ya gonna play it?”
“Um, with my fingers?” Greg replied, confused.
“You think that’s how Cobain played that thing? Nah man, he played it with a plectrum, ya dummy. You’re never gonna get the most outta that thing with just your naked fingers.”
“I, uh, don’t have a lot of money, and more than a plectrum, I need a singer to accompany me.”
“Well, now, that is interesting.” The Bull replied. “What have ya got for a singer if you don’t have a lot of money?”
“I’ve got, well, this?” Greg half asked and half stated. He showed the massive man the note from Ronny.
“Oh, oh, a Ronny Davis fix, eh? Now that is interesting. It turns out, I know of a legendary 90’s rock singer. She would kill singing next to that guitar.”
“Seriously? Just for a note? That would be awesome!” Greg replied.
“Ha!” The Bull laughed. “No, it’s not worth that much. But see that guy I mentioned earlier? That’s her brother. And he’s a pretty damn fine singer himself. And he carries the weight of the name, ya know? He owes me a favor for keeping him away from the crowds. I’ll tell ya what. You give me the promise, and I’ll tell him to sing with you for one night. How does that sound?”
The Bull whispered the name of the singer in Greg’s ear, who’s eyes went as wide as saucers.
“That, well, um, yeah, that sounds great!” Greg said. “But did Cobain really play with plectrum?”
The Bull nodded sagely. “He really did, kid. Howzabout this? I dare you to play your guitar for me, and if like it, I’ll grab a couple of random ones – I’ve got a box full, although I won’t give you my best ones – and throw them in with the services of my singer.”
“You’ve got a deal!” Greg replied.
And off he was, shredding the night away, as the entire market stopped and watched him in awe.
As he finished, the Bull wiped a tear from his cheek, and handed over a couple of plectrums, and called the singer over, giving him his instructions.
Greg couldn’t believe his luck. He had started the day with no future.
And now, he had traded a dare and fix for a couple of average picks and the services of none other than Zach Lavigne. He was destined for the playin tournament.
_________________________________________
Welcome back to the mailbag! This is the first post-deadline mailbag of many, so throw us some questions about the trades that went down, the team’s play and structure and lineups, the Fultz signing, or whatever else comes to mind!
My question is about the bad defense:
Can we get the answers? I’m bored.
I yield my time to long-time Kings fan Nancy Kerrigan –
And Tim, regarding the story…
I feel like a bit of a Karen admitting that this offended me too. What a travesty that was! So sad.
I typed this and realized it makes me a Care-again. Ouch!
Three quesitons:
1 — Who is the most likely starter to get traded this off-season (bonus points for what a trade package might look like!)?
2 — Would you rather miss the playoffs and have the luck of getting the fourth pick in this year’s lottery or take a first round series to 7 games and lose?
3 — What is the bar to say this season was successful? I assume it’s making the second round of the playoffs.
If they want a better “PG” than Monk, they gotta move someone. Preferably DDR, put Monk back to the 6th man role, move Keegan to SF, and find a stretch big at PF.
That still leaves Keon fighting for minutes, which I don’t like.
Yep. One of Monk, LaVine, DDR has to go in the summer, and the return has to be a quality PG. LaVine is probably untradeable, and Monk is on a friendly contract, so DDR seems most likely.
The overall balance of the team looks so much better right now, but having a starting lineup that includes three ISO combo guards just isn’t going to work long-term.
I’m beginning to think that the Kings may just be better off moving DDR and Monk. LaVine is the obvious SG that isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and Monk really is a SG who simply moonlights as a PG. If moving those two can net a legit PG or 3andD wing, the Kings may just be better off for it. Moving Monk and DDR also opens up minutes for Keon, who’d basically become the 6th man.
Keon was the 6th man when Monk became a starter, but the the coaches still failed to play him enough. It makes no sense.
I think that’s why finding a real lead guard might be more of a priority than a 3 and D wing. Get that lead guard, LaVine at the 2, then slide LaVine to the 3 at times with Keon as the off guard. Getting Keon more time and development should be a priority. He may end up being the starting 2 guard if/when LaVine’s time is done in Sac. Who knows, maybe Monte envisions Devin Carter to be that guy to take over the PG duties?
Based on what I have seen from Devin in college and his rookie season so far, he has a long way to go for that role.
Ideally they would trade Lavine and DDR for a lead PG and a 3&D SF/PF.
New lead PG/Ellis, Murray, 3&D SF/PF, Sabonis start. Let Malik come in and work his 6th man magic again with LaRavia, Lyles, Jonas supporting.
Ideally, yes, but LaVine and his contract aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.
1 year, then a player option (which he most likely would pick up), so 2 years minimum.
The season after that is Domas final year of his contract, when he will be around 31 or 32 years old. The window is short
I wonder if he’d waive his PO for a longer, but cheaper per year, more lucrative deal.
Just spitballing but if he opted out of his $50M PO in 2026 and instead too a 3 year $90M extension, could it benefit all parties?
LaVine is in his 11th year in the league and he’s been on one winning team, with a high water mark of 46 wins. He’s less a player to build around than Fox was.
This all gets depressing is you look at it logically.
They already need to get rid of DDR and Levine. Mid season coaching change. A new coach w little experience Didn’t draft Luca and got rid of Hali cause can’t play w Fox…they say….. and now no Fox. Instead it’s all somehow keeps getting worse.
Stuck in middle ground heading nowhere.
Cards stacked against Kings fans and the Kings because of Vivek.
Mitch Richmond had just two winning seasons in his first 13 years in the league, with a high water mark of 46 wins. And his last season he only played 11 minutes a game.
Was Richmond less of a player than LaVine, or does such a stat perhaps need some context?
Good point Rik
Agreed, but I also see Carl’s point, in that building with LaVine is substantially different than building around LaVine.
LaVine’s w-l record is the responsibility of the organizations that have built the teams that he has played on, over which he has had no control. The record, which again, is not his fault, probably does emphasize that he’s a Robin or Alfred, at best. LaVine being miscast is also not his fault.
True, and the very same logic could be applied to Fox. LaVine, Richmond, and one that I often think of is Kevin Love. Love put up monster numbers in Minny, even had Adelman as coach, but never accomplished anything there in 6 seasons. He didn’t “win” until he went to Cleveland where he became 3rd fiddle at best.
Guys like LaVine or Fox are very good basketball players, but like you said, it’s better to build with rather than around. Put me in the camp that the only recent Kings that you might want to build around is Sabonis (much like Denver did with Jokic) but Monte has done a piss poor job of that.
Just as an example, I feel Murray is a much better complimentary player to Jokic than Fox ever was to Sabonis.
I don’t disagree with that point Carl’s making. I am not a fan of LaVine, I am not a fan of trying to stay in win-now mode (whatever win-now means to this franchise), I also am not crazy about his fit.
But there are plenty of issues regarding LaVine’s game to point at, and this isn’t one of them, IMO.
100% agree with you on trading for LaVine on all of your points, especially absent of draft compensation coming with him.
If your team is mediocre with better player (Fox), how is it going to improve with worse player (LaVine)? And if the answer is supposed to be JV & JL, well, you didn’t have to move Fox to make that happen.
I hope I’m wrong, but if I’m not, I hope jobs are lost over this deal (actually hope that team is sold over this deal, but that’s not happening).
Yeah, only I wonder what firing the FO will achieve under this ownership. It seems that they are either yes-men and/or severely handcuffed by directives from upstairs.
Just one nit to pick, but JV doesn’t happen without Fox and Huerter moving. The cap space was needed as well as the 2 second round picks. A third second round pick was shipped out to get LaRavia. The Kings had only the one 2nd pick prior to the Fox deal. I should also note that the Wiz ate the deals of Len and Colby Jones, which possibly wouldn’t have happened had they not moved off of JV’s deal first.
I’m not saying those deals absolutely needed the Fox deal to happen first, but they are intertwined. A butterfly flaps its wings and whatever…
Yeah, the difference between Fox/Huerter & LaVine is $9m, so there were definitely other ways to carve up that turkey. I get what you’re saying, but the Kings could have moved Huerter or Lyles+ independently & accomplished the same thing.
All fair points on your end. My point is that you can’t really build around Fox either, and then the Kings traded him for a player who (in my opinion) is at best a lateral move talent wise, and realistically is both a worse player (much better shooter, but worse defender, worse at making other players better, worse at creating his own shot, worse clutch player, older) and he makes a lot more money (for now) which makes him even harder to build around.
My point about LaVine’s losing records are 1. He’s not a player who can drag a team to the playoffs and 2. We should be very skeptical of the stats of players who spent their whole career as the best player on bad teams.
It’s not that LaVine is flat out bad, but he’s not going to make this team better than Fox did, and he has lower value around the league, so what’s the point of acquiring him? To continue fighting to be the 8th seed very year? I think the answer to that question is yes, and that’s the real problem.
Keon becomes an unrestricted free agent after next season, and the maximum the Kings will be allowed to offer him may not be FMV.
You sure about that? His contract from last year, to next qualifies for Bird Rights, no? I’m under the assumption he will be an RFA. He’s also extendable should Monte have some brains.
You’re probably right. I was going by his current contract being a two-year contract and forgot that he was actually converted last season.
Problem is, they need both a PG and 3 and D/wing/PF type
It would almost have to be Monk.
DDR has been solid this year, but it turning 36 and so you are really looking at teams looking for one more piece to compete for a title who will be interested. Not sure how many of them have an extra quality PG to dangle. I mean if MN was ready to make Dillingham the starter, maybe they would give up Conley, but he turns 38 in October and has started to have some real issues staying healthy.
LaVine was dangled for two years and did not bring much of a return. He’s about to turn 30 and makes $47M and $49M the next two seasons. If he was making $25M, this would be much easier. Bucks were supposedly trying to dangle Middleton’s one year shorter contract for him, so they aren’t giving up Lillard. So again, we may get some return, but teams interested in him and his contract are also going to be contenders and will be hard to get a quality PG back. Assuming most great teams want to keep their starters, most backup PGs make little enough that a lot of well run teams won’t even have enough junk contracts to match $47M.
Monk on the other hand just turned 27 and is on a good contract. There’s probably a broader range of teams that would be interested and in him (he fits the timeline of other up and coming teams) and it’s easier to trade his contract directly to another team. Thought glancing at NBA salary charts, there aren’t a ton of obvious candidates. Perhaps if we are running the O through Sabonis, DDR, and LaVine, something like a S&T for Caruso could make sense. He’s making $9M this year and is a FA, but so might be a good deal for OKC if they aren’t going to pay him more long-term.
If Orlando was open to moving Suggs (I think he is more a PG than SG, even though his assists don’t show that) I would call them. It may take Monk and DDR for salary matching.
Orlando struggles offensively, kings struggle defensively.
Orlando is one to keep an eye on. Suggs and Franz have their extensions kick in next year at $35M for Suggs and $38M for Franz. The following year will be Paolo’s extension. Their roster is about to get very expensive very quickly. OKC is in the same boat. They are going to have to move off of some players good players or face salary cap hell.
A defensive backcourt of Suggs and Keon would be lockdown. Then Keegan on the wing…very nice.
Orlando would be interesting. I do see Suggs as more of a combo guard than a true PG. He’s at his best focusing on defense, shooting, and situational driving and creation.
But honestly, that would be fine for us. I mean, I assume it would cost us Monk (though could be LaVine with Sugg’s new deal). And Suggs playing next to LaVine, DDR, and Sabonis means he could continue to play a similar role and excel with his D),
Send DDR to the Lakers for Rui. Send Monk to Orlando for Black or to OKC for Carson Wallace.
Caruso already signed an extension
Not sure if you’re familiar, but the Spurs have this guy…
Chris Paul is even older than DDR. Or are you talking about Castle?
Castle certainly looks like we would have been a great get. But the Kings were chasing “stars.”
Geoff Petrie once said, “you just don’t trade a Mercedes for 5 Toyotas.” I’m not sure Castle can be considered a “Mercedes” even if he is the ROY. There was Michael Carter-what-was-his-name.
BTW, I’d like to thank you Carl for some of your recent comments, very insightful.
Given the roster construction on draft night, Devin Carter was considered a redundancy when he was picked over players that could fill obvious holes on the roster. With that context, my questions:
He’s a shooting guard, that’s why Monte drafted him. Monte loves shooting guards and someday hopes to have them all. That is his only criteria for picking players out of the draft (how you know Keegan was a Vivek pick,) and yes; they’ll all be stars someday. The top 2 greatest players ever were shooting guards, so obviously he’s going to keep picking them until he finds the 3rd best shooting guard ever en route to multiple championships and never ending riches (not named Paul.)
The end.
Even if this draft class ends up being historically bad, DC needs to become the type of player worthy of an average #13 overall pick. Nothing more, nothing less. He has certainly not moved the needle much for this team this season, but he has shown flashes of star potential. I liked him slightly better than Ware, at the time of the draft, and I still do, even if Ware has obviously been more productive this year. We’ll see after year 3.
I have zero fucks to give anymore. Should I bother buying some new ones for the remainder of this season, or just wait until the summer when fucks tend to be on sale?
If you obtain any fucks, you should probably just sell them for cash considerations.
Maybe even a TFE
I had a better deal for fucks two days ago…
Truer words have never been spoken. We are in no man’s land with no sign of ever leaving.
Rank the assets the Kings have (players + contracts, and draft capital) from best to worst.
How would you use those assets to make the team better?
My feeling is this team wins very few game post all star break. March is a Hell schedule .
If the Kings win like 35-36 games,
Do you think all is status quo?. No front office changes. No player movement outside of a free agent or moving Demar for a defensive piece.
If they roll it back, I think the team will end up being worse next year. Or best case no better than this year.
I see the Spurs and Blazers on the rise. Which will probably be the two teams replacing the Suns and Mavs in the Standings. Next year.
What teams WOULDN’T you do a straight roster swap with right now?
Ohhh, that’s a good one. Maybe roster and draft assets? There are some bad teams out there but they have some prospects and a cupboard full of picks. Utah comes to mind, but a team like the Hornets…yikes. Even PDX has some nice young pieces, but the Kings are just…old.
Kings are now the 27th oldest team in the league. Only the Celtics, Warriors, and Suns have an older average age.
Average team, just old.
We really should have forced the spurs hand more with getting some of their younger players and picks. Out of spite they should have just took any of the other deals they had for him and we’re probably in a better situation. But now we just got even older and have 0 points guards
I don’t think there was a situation where the Kings could force anything. I also don’t think there were any other deals worth sniffing once Klutch declared San Antonio as the preferred destination.
Had the Kings “held out” we may have seen a disgruntled Fox formally asking for a trade and teh return being a box of rocks.
I’m in the camp that the Kings actually did “ok” in the trade. They made a lateral move for LaVine, got out of Huerter’s deal, which allowed for the addition of JV, and got a couple of picks included.
Monte kicked the asset can down the road with place holding contracts without going into a full rebuild. Anyone’s opinion on going full rebuild or not is valid, but I’m guessing Monte didn’t have the green light to pull a Utah or OKC kind of blowup.
I just don’t buy this. A season and a half is a LONG time. So Fox tells whatever team that he will not re-sign there and will only sign with the Spurs.
The Spurs are going to sit around and wait for his contract to run out on that other team *for full a year and half,* doing nothing with their guards that entire time, and also assuming Castle doesn’t move into that role (which may already be happening, where the Spurs may not technically need Fox) so they can sign Fox in summer 2026?
I don’t know how any of this works, but if I’m the acquiring team, I don’t buy for a minute that the Spurs are going to sit on their hands for that long and wait on Fox.
Fox probably would want to put himself in a good position to win, but nothing I’ve seen in his character says he’s going to leave that acquiring team out of pure spite for acquiring him.
I know nothing, but I have a hard time believing 28 teams in the NBA believed that the Spurs would only wait on Fox and Fox would only wait on the Spurs.
I think all the deals we saw at the deadline blew the whole “we couldn’t get a better deal because Fox only wanted the Spurs” theory out of the water. I mean they constructed a three-way deal for Lavine which still managed to get Fox to San Antonio. Why not a three or four way deal for Hunter, or Ingram, or Butler? Seems like there were a lot of other good players available for less than the price of Fox.
I don’t think the trade was horrible, but I also have a hard time believing that with a dozen teams calling them (probably the very same teams that later made trades) this was the best they could do. There’s a reason that Spurs fans were rejoicing at how little they gave up. And what an amazing coincidence, the best deal they could get happened to be the same guy they went after seven years ago!
For all we know those other team calling were offering pennies on the dollar or returns that just didn’t interest Monte. Utah may have been offering picks a a guy like Jordon Clarkson, Brooklyn may have been offering picks and Cam Thomas. Suns may have been offering Beal, etc.
Those “offers” may have been a bunch of nonsense when the truth just may be LaVine, 2 picks, eat Huerter’s deal and flip that into JV was not only the best, but also did Fox a solid and earned some points with Klutch. Keep in min, LaVine is also with Klutch.
We just don’t know. All we do know is the relationship between Fox and the Kings was souring and the Spurs were the “preferred destination.’ That’s all the info we really have.
Excellent take Adam.
This take is way to sensible. You’re not injeciting enough of your emotional trauma into your point of view at all. Are you even a Kings fan?
FoX cOuLd HaVe BeEn TrAdEd FoR CaStLe, VaSsELl AnD All tHe PiCkS!!!
Better?
All good points. I also think that we can be quite certain that this FO, in all its wisdom, was looking for a deal that keeps them in win-now mode. That would probably make some offers moot, from that perspective. (I hate that)
Yeah, I tend to agree with that. They likely weren’t looking for prospects and picks. For all we know LaVine was the goal from the beginning and the trading of Fox was needed to complete that goal.
Just a thought, but LaVine might be a better running mate to Sabonis that Fox was.
I agree with you. We don’t know. But there seems to be a default assumption that the Kings *had* to trade him to the Spurs and I don’t buy it, being very clear the only thing I know is that I know nothing.
More likely, it’s as you and other people have observed, that someone in the Kings front office was enamored with LaVine’s athleticism and stats and “win (slightly more games than you lose) now” is the mandate.
Yeah we don’t know what was offered. But you’re speculating on what may have happened behind the scenes. I’m basing my opinion on actual trades that were made by other teams that look way better than our trade.
If you want to make an argument that the FO did the right thing in targeting Lavine because he is a better acquisition than say, Hunter or BI, then fine. But if you can agree that Hunter would have been a better addition, which I think is the case (efficient scorer, rangy defender, position of need), and he was acquired a couple days after Lavine was for just two second-rounders and expiring contracts, it’s very difficult to say they got the best deal possible.
Does Domas ask to be traded this summer or before the trade deadline next season?
Does Domas sign with Klutch Sports this offseason?
Is there a more available and better fit for the Lakers?
5 2nd rounders, Rui, Vincent, and Kleber sounds about right as a return
I think with the light smoke already starting this is likely. Plus with Amick basically confirming he was the real coach killer not Fox, I don’t think he’s setting up shop here long term. Plus just some random rumblings coming from the hired help that I know around stern way, he ain’t exactly loved in the building either.
No bueno
lol, what? What “light smoke” are you talking about? Some concessions dude next to the entry to section 112 said something when you were at a game back in November? You’re literally the first person I’ve heard (who wasn’t an opponent) to have a bad word to say about Domas. You got an article to site your work? Or just filaments of thin air?
Total filaments from the head popcorn vendor just so we are clear which concessions personnel I love to get my inside info from haha.
just some food for thought, Sabonis is super durable hardcore player? Yet has a man cold for a few games right before Brown is fired including the disaster Pistons game. Then magically is doubtful until brown is fired then makes the flight and kills it in Doug’s first game in LA?
Then things get super unhinged with Fox and the chatter starts. Yet Sabonis all of a sudden isn’t talking to media about it….
Filaments man just filaments.
Kinda like Darren Collisons DV situation was known because basketball players need electricians too right?
Sooo many filaments in a big small town also known as Sac….
I’ve seen nothing negative about Domas’s character, but if Domas wants to win games, he *should* ask out. Unless these clowns luck into another All-NBA player in the draft, he’s almost certainly not going to win here.
1)Can you imagine any reasonable scenario whereby Doug Christie is not signed on to a long term Head Coaching contract for the Sacramento Kings?
(I can’t. Unless they go on some extended long losing streak (say, 9-10 games), he will be given the keys to the Kingdom.
1a) Will the front office of MM and WW change? If so, I expect WW to be offered the spot. This makes the acceptance of Coach Christie easy. If a new GM is hired: how do they deal with the insistence of ownership that DC stays? It’s even more set in stone than the Luke Walton deal.
That said, I am still hopeful, if not optimistic, that Coach DC can figure out a way to make the roster a playoff competitive squad.
Who is the next legacy hire by the Vivek? Is anyone even left? Funderburke? Cleaves? Or do those guys not create enough wake for ticket sales? Webber is obviously too expensive.
Bobby Jackson – he’s Assistant coaching with Nick Nurse in The City of Brotherly Love (not related to Kevin Love) and I believe he is his Lead Assistant. That might actually make sense.
Of course, we also know that Mike Bibby and Doug Christie can redux there Welcome Back jersey commercials on the sidelines, so don’t discount a Mike Bibby assistant coaching position.
Bobby was here before as a coach. Think he coached Stockton 2 years ago (?)
Bibby and BJax have already earned checks from Vivek, as has Peja, Vlade and now Doug. Maybe they can hire Brad Miller to run the upstairs beer garden, partner with Bass Pro Shops, or something like that?
If we’re redacting “legacy” hires, can we start with Kayte, by far the most annoying and the least qualified.
IF Doug wasn’t doing a good job I could see your issue. Who would you replace him with? I don’t see a long list of sure-fire winning candidates…
I think there was an energy jolt and some new vibes after the Brown firing/Christie interim tag. Buty there’are also some concerns popping up now with the free-flowing offense, lack of playcalling and minute distribution.
I think it is too early to say that Doug is doing a good job. I also think it is very difficult to assess his job with all the changes and upheaval. But most of all – unless he complely shits the bed post AS-break – I think that it’s his job anyway, so it doesn’t matter.
I think the minutes distribution has been ok for the most part. If you’re talking specifically about Keon, I’m not sure what Doug’s supposed to do about that when the GM shoves 8 shooting guards into your depth chart whether you wanted them or not and only one of them is tall enough to pretend to be a SF. For all that mess it could be worse.
The only concern I have right now regarding the offense is the lack of practices these guys have had to dial in 3 new key rotational pieces (replacing an 8 year “hub” of the offense in the process.) That’s super significant and challenging to adjust to on the fly with no time to practice.
Should they come out of the all-star break and still have no cohesion, obvious plays, etc. after a week or so then I will have all the concerns.
Mike Bibby.
He is already following Doug’s pathway to a coaching gig.
He’s already been a paid commentator.
Kara Lawson!
Oh, and for the story: I pictured Greg somehow mixed in with a Steve Vai/Ralph Macchio CrossRoads scenario
How can Doug Christie win the most games with this roster this year?
My only question is:
What did I do to deserve this?
Born in the wrong part of California like all(most?) of us
Feel free to pick one:
I’m gonna watch the individual players the rest of the year and enjoy their individual skills. They don’t look like much of a team, although mid season trades can do that. Right now, it looks like they are destined for 9th or 10th every year with this group.
Who knows but as long as Vivek runs the show ere are screwed.
How often should Doug Christie play the two bigs together and what are some plays they could run?
The Two Lithuanian Big and Brawny:
L.L. Beam
As nicknames go I think “The Baltic C’s” is pretty classy.
Jake and Elwood, the Bruise Brothers.
How does the coaching stuff maximize each player’s strength while hiding their weakness, and will they ever gel on both sides of the court?
Can the Kings ever be title contenders while Vivek is running things? If not, what can fans do to loosen his grip? It doesn’t seem like the needed pressure will come from within the organization.
Vivek is either doing too much, or not doing enough. Either way, something needs to change because aren’t right inside the walls of G1C.
(James Ham said a team he spoke with informed him that Vivek wasn’t involved in the basket side of things at all…but that was 1 team).
It was the Kings…the Stockton Kings.
The lack of class and balls began as soon as Vivek took over, and has carried over through multiple GMs and other front office personnel. I’m pretty sure these are Vivek’s dirty fingerprints.
Amick says exact opposite. Vivek is involved.
I believe SAmick has some personal issues with the ownership (I think they took away his press pass for a while or something) so I take most of his Kings info with a grain of salt these days.
I doubt any of the personal issues or the press pass story is real. Amick has no motivation to not speak the truth about the Kings and he is one of the few local media people that is critical of the organization and it’s players.
Ownership being angry with Amick supports Amick’s validity.
Exactly
i don’t think Amock is bias that way. I hear similar things from other sources.
everything points to the ownership being fucked up. And everything points of them being over involved because they have been this whole time.
Sam Amick has said repeatedly that everyone around the league knows Vivek runs the show. Sam is one of the most reliable sources league wide so I don’t doubt that his read on is correct.
What would the organization have to do to generate the kind of scorched earth antipathy that former Dallas fans have now toward the Mavs?
Well for one thing, they would have to actually be in the position to draft a superstar player like Luka, and then trade him away for nothing.
Because apparently just passing on Luka in the draft wasn’t enough to do it…
There’s rock bottom, and 4 billion miles below that is basketball hell where the Kings reside. Dallas has a long way to go.
The Adelson family literally came from the depths of the real hell, not just basketball hell. Mavs fans may be closer to getting burned than we are.
The Maloofs said hi.
Trade Sabonis for Kyle Kuzma.
Your wish might come true if Vivek runs the show which he does.
How much “success” (regular season wins, play-in, etc.) do the Kings need this season for Monte McNair to keep his job? If McNair is fired, do they replace him with Wes Wilcox?
Is there any chance in hell anyone could stop/vote/buy out vivek? Or are we just doomed forever
I wish. I’ll chip in. Get rid of the little guy w the huge ego and Kings can be a contender/good again.
They’re billionaire oligarchs, they’re all little people with huge egos.
This is the reality. If Vivek is here we are doomed.
Forever.
Thats my fear. As long as the dollars keep rolling in for him there’s 0 reason to change his way of thinking/meddling with how to run the team.
Will the 9-10 play in game be GSW at Sac or Sac at GSW?
Can the Kings have success giving the ball to Valanciunas and running a shooter around him for either a shot or a back door cut similar to how Peja ran around Vlade?
Yes, but for some reason, kings coaches refuse to run an offense.
It’s weird. They did running off and threw Sabs the year. They went to the playoffs, and were most successful.
why go away from that? They should be playing like Denver. Instead it’s free-flowing bullshit.
what if we combine the two … take your request that they “run an offense”, make it “free-flowing”, cut out the BS, and run a free-flowing offense?
Is Markelle Fultz in the best shape of his life?
Is (was) Kessler Edwards the real deal?
The one thing the Kings got back in the Fox trade that might actually have long term value is the 2031 unprotected Minny pick. But do they actually have the patience to wait long enough to see if it actually has value or do they trade it over the next couple of years?
You could be right. The Minny window is short with Gobert and Randle. Ant will be coming of his 5 year max deal and may want out of that market. I’m guessing they have Ant, Dillingham, and Reid for the next 5 or so years but everything else is up in the air.
I’d imagine that future pick’s value will go up and down for the next few years but there is no telling yet what it will be in 6 years. It may even have it’s most value in just 3 years as trade bait. It should be fun see how it plays out.
Agreed. Maybe I’ll change the question. Ultimately what will be the most valuable piece the Kings got at the trade deadline?
Let’s say the Kings fail to make the playoffs and Vivek fires the whole front office. You are a GM interview candidate. What’s would be your best pitch to Vivek for the future of the team? The more details the better.
Jeremy Lamb: “Vivek, sir, I’ll pay for the wedding, with your blessing of course.”
Vivek should should hire Bob Myers and get out of the way
Myers succeeded while working in an organization that had a direction and a well defined strategy. Myers would not have that here.
“I don’t have my own ideas, I’ll do anything you, Matina or your kids tell me to, I’ll take responsibility for every decision in the media and I like smoking and/or sweater vests.”
Should/will there ever be a Fox jersey hanging in the rafters at G1C?
what are some of y’all even talking about?
Zach played the majority of his minutes this year in Chicago at SF/PF
Start Keon, move Zach to 3, and DDR off the bench
how hard?
Start the Monk/Keon backcourt that looked so good a few weeks back
I am in the minority. I think that 8 game sample size with Keon/Monk is skewed. The vast majority of those wins came against teams missing key players in the the backcourt. Starters or bad teams. Neither Monk or Ellis are good at ball handling, neither is a true pg, neither can run the offense.
Monk is god awful defensively. Offensively he’s exiting. Sometimes gets crazy with the turnovers and plays out of control as well. My take, excellent 6 man. Limited BbIq.
Ellis,While I like him defensively. And He shows up on the box score. Usually against bad teams. He’s not really a starter on a contending team. Much like Keegan. Neither would start on a championship team. No way.
Lavine, Demar and Sabonis are are supposed core. If you’re building a foundation with those 3.‘you’re absolutely going nowhere.
I am curious as to how this FO functions with Vivek and Matina lurking around basketball decisions. Like, when McNair proposes a deal, does he go to Vivek first before reaching out to his peers around the league or the other way around? Why did the FO sit two straight summers doing nothing to address roster issues when a lot of deals that happened after Fox trade could’ve been done last summer? I can’t help but to think Vivek tells McNair he can’t do this or that trade when the proposal gets on his desk.
The recent conversation between Amick and Carmichael revealed one of the sticking points that held up Brown’s extension last summer was Vivek wanted two coaches get replaced. Why? And I assume this isn’t normal as far as an owner meddling with head coach’s hire?
Lastly, I wonder how Geoff Petrie would’ve fared in today’s NBA. Certainly he’s better than Pete D and Divac!
Got impatient. I’m gonna answer my own questions:
With the nba being such a cash cow now, in an alternate reality the Maloofs would have been billionaires if they stuck it out.
If they never sold to vivek, and eventually started making money, is this team better or worse than what we’ve been subjected to since the little chap took over? I was young during the glory years but they did pretty well for a good handful of years, and seemed to be trying for another couple years until it was obvious they were tanking the team
Maloofs were much better owners . Record proves it . Just dumb business men and we’re going broke when forced to sell .
Maloofs we’re good owners – hired a good GM and let him run the show- until they had $ problems.
Vivek is too ego stupid to realize he needs to stay outta hoops amd maybe spend a little. He’s terrible.
Jim Thomas hired Geoff Petrie several years before the Maloofs became majority owners, and I think Rick Adelman was hired just before the ownership transfer was formalized.
since we are deep in to conjecture:
For the Maloofs – they were never going to be satisfied with more money, nor being in Sacramento nor Seattle, because it would never be enough. They were striving to be Big Time and they never would or ever could be the Playboys they imagined themselves to be. The Kings would still be a bottom feeder team, with not enough money to draw the headliners. The franchise always a joke with a wry punchline. Their lacking finances (and you just know that any Kings profits would be thrown into another venture of some sort -Zing!) would hamper the GM. Recall, that the Maloofs decided not to renew the most successful Head Coach in the Sacramento era (by far), Rick Adelman. And no new arena.
It was never about the basketball. And that makes Vivek, just like them. It always was, and will always be, about themselves. The mirror. The reflection in the pond. Me-vek Ranadive. Joe, Gavin and George Me-Loof. Just a business vehicle to promote them to celebrity status.
And that’s just my opinion.
When I first heard about Jersey assurance, I assumed it was for fans that did not want to keep wearing the jersey for a player that had gone from their team. Then I saw commercials for getting the jersey of the new team that player went to. Do you feel the perk is vaguely advertised to accommodate both types of fans or what was your first impression of it?
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