A very special letter from the editor.
Welcome to another edition of Chainmail, where you ask questions and we answer them. This is Greg stepping in because, well, the last couple days have sort of broken Tim. His submitted draft of this post was just the lyrics to “Everything Is Awesome” from The Lego Movie. Catchy as that song may be, it didn’t really set the stage. We’ve sent Tim off with a box of raisins and blanket so he can feel better.
Why is Tim so broken? I’m glad I asked.
- The Sacramento Kings fired Luke Walton, almost replaced him with Doug Christie, and then finally decided to replace him with Alvin Gentry.
- Alvin Gentry’s first game as coach was more of the same-old Kangz, as Sacramento lost to Philly’s B-team.
- Monte McNair still thinks this team is good. Oh, Monte.
- De’Aaron Fox had an awful postgame presser in which he said there was no pressure to win because it’s not like the Kings are in the playoffs.
You know, I think Tim was onto something. Where are those raisins.
♫ Everything is awesome…
Now, get to asking, so we can get to answering!
Should we start a new campaign to oust Vivek once we hit the playoff drought record? And if so, how?
And really, why wait?
It’s really the”how” part of it that sends the idea careening off into the cosmos.
Billboards. Lot’s and lots of billboards.
The local billboard companies refused to display the last one, so I think the billboard ended up out near Hazel and Highway 50. Not sure which companies exist or where they own billboards, but that was definitely a thing.
some people need shaming and to be called out in public, whether you think it will have any effect or not.
Though he may not change his ways in face of public criticism, I think it’s good that fans know they aren’t alone in thinking the root cause of 8 years of failure is at the top.
The “how” has to involve a boycott of as many sources of revenue to the team as possible, IMO.
Fox is broken. And it’s time for him to take a rest and get his body and head back in shape.
I’d send him away for a month to bunk with Ben Simmons.
Seriously, if lingering Covid is playing any part in this, then he should take a break and get better. Even mono has sidelined players for months. Just develop Hali and Mitchell until he’s ready. The season is already lost.
I’ve not been watching the games this year. I watched last night. Fox does not look up to snuff. Hidden injury, lack of motivation.. something?
Q: What would you reasonably expect the general manager of a professional team to say about the quality of his team and its players?
He could hem and haw, and go on about how there’s work to be done and blah blah blah, but do you think that he’s not aware of it, and thinks the team is good as-is?
I’d not have thought that it needed to be said that it’s a fairly safe bet that when a person is generally reticent to share their thoughts with the public, that perhaps you shouldn’t expect unabridged and unfiltered candor when they do.
Everyone knows that an NBA GM’s job is to divulge to the public they’re entire chart of moves for the remainder of the season and at least the upcoming off-season. Bonus points in Sacramento if you also choose to let loose your plans for the following season as well just so the entire collective city doesn’t, you know, lose its collective shit. Preferably before the first qtr of the current season, by the way.
Did not expect anything different from Monte ! That is part of the problem and we are left to conclude it was all Walton’s fault ! I do not agree !
McNair is not remotely responsible for whatever conclusion you may reach.
Q: What are you planning to consume for Thanksgiving this year? Sticking to the same yearly traditions or trying something new?
For me, typically every year (excluding last year) I drive back to Sacramento and go to the same Chinese restaurant to eat with my extended family on my Dad’s side (the food is fine, but we always go to the same place so I don’t really get excited for it, and we eat at a weird time…like 4:00 pm), and then we’d go back to my aunt and uncle’s house in Elk Grove to hang out but there isn’t typically too much to do there. However, this year we FINALLY are getting a change of scenery because my aunt and uncle in Palo Alto are hosting Thanksgiving instead, and it’ll be a three day ordeal from Thursday to Saturday. So we are getting a different variety of food over the course of a few days…including Indian food, Korean food, and prime rib and salmon on Thanksgiving day. Plus my aunt and uncle are big board/card game fans, so we will have plenty of things to keep us entertained. It’ll be really nice to see my extended family again as most of them I haven’t physically seen for almost two years. 🙂
Well, that just sounds like an amazing change-up to tradition!
And I thought holiday Chinese food was only for Christmas!
Coming from a Chinese family, eating Chinese food during Thanksgiving and Christmas was pretty much a given most of my lifetime.
I can see how it might be less of a treat in your case, under the circumstances. Still, it’s nice having that go-to on a big holiday if you don’t want fast food.
Sounds like the best Thanksgiving ever. The food may change but your family sounds awesome in a family kind of way. It doesn’t sound like any of your uncles has passed out directly into his food. Awwwww family
I’m really looking forward to it! It’s gonna be wild because since I haven’t seen most of my family in a long time, there’s going to be so much to catch up on. And I’m also going to be seeing my one of my cousins’ baby girl for the first time. We were supposed to attend a Red Egg Party (Chinese celebration for newborns) for her in March 2020 but that got cancelled because of COVID. And one of my other cousins is having his first kid soon as well, due in January of next year.
Sounds like a great holiday, Klam. Enjoy!
I think you may have already won Thanksgiving.
Sounds super awesome to be able to catch up in person.
You have just been named the General Manager for the Sacramento Kings. You have been given full autonomy. Chart out your moves for the rest of this season and the off-season.
They already “Suck, Suck, Suck!”
I’d question if anything needs to be done.
The Kings entropy-based system of management seems to be working perfectly.
Trade everything of value for picks, then reach over and hit the alarm clock again because I’m Bill Murray in Groundhog Day.
Go to the other owners and figure out a way to strip Vivek of his powers.
Two part question:
Will Gentry give the Fox/Mitchell/Hali lineup a longer look?
If he does, can we call them “Alvin & The Chipmunks”?
What does it take to get Vivek out of the ownership? Like realistically speaking
Not much. Does anyone know if he ever told a joke that offended anyone, at any point in his life, whether he apologized and grew from it, or not?
I believe that one time he called Donald Sterling the n-word.
E-mails from/to Jon Gruden. What?, too soon?
Ducks
Former team employees need to accuse him of being racist or of sexual harassment.
All he has to say is ALM and per his own standard he’d have to relieve himself of his duties.
Speaking from experience
#amirite
Barring Gentry managing to get this team on a winning streak, breaking in to the actual playoffs and doing some damage, I expect the Kings to be looking for a new HC during the off-season.
Perhaps in a tiered perspective, what does TKH’s coaching wish list look like?
I hope this gets answered. It would be interesting to see if Monte (or Vivek I suppose), wanted to try and find an up and coming younger coach similar to Washington picking Unsled (though Idoka and Billups do not seem incredible right off the bat), or if picking a proven coach like Stotts is where they go, or someone like Vanterpool. I hope Monte gets a little leeway here.
We have heard that the Kings can not develop young talent. Which young players that the Kings have drafted have gone on to other teams and actually developed in to solid NBA players? (McLemore, Stauskas, Skal, Malachi, T-Rob, etc.) Why is this narrative such a popular one?
I am thinking that the the issue was more with talent evaluation than player development…
Agree, and two much time worrying about non NBA players being developed ! List is too long to mention !
Whiteside, Wallace, Tyreke?
Whiteside took many years, multiple teams, and even stints over seas before he became anything. He was also only good for maybe 2-3 years upon return with the Heat.
Gerald Wallace was a good one. That was, what 20 years ago?
Not sure about Tyreke and how much he improved after leaving Sac. He seemed to be the same player.
On the hypothetical assumption that the Kings are ready to move on from Fox, what kind of value does a 23 year old speedy PG who can’t shoot, nor really defend, is average at running the offense, and is due a ton of money have in today’s deep shooting NBA? Basically, what team has a need/want for Fox’s skillset and has the means to acquire him.
I actually thought Philly was a decent fit with Embiid and Harris’s perimeter games, but now that Maxey is better, and Monte waited, well yeah.
My exact thoughts. The Fox to Philly ship has now sailed. I honestly am struggling to find a team that I think could use and swing a trade for him. Maybe the Pels? Hart, Graham, and a protected first rounder?
Fox looked great last season and seemed ready to take the next step.
He’s physically and mentally not ready to compete this year.
Have the Kings considered just putting a player under the other team’s basket and playing–hear me out! hear me out!–and playing–put that down!–and playing five-on-ouch!
Louis King seemingly played very well in Stockton’s first two games, but was listed as “inactive” for games 3 and 4. I have not noticed any mention of a reassignment to Sacramento at any point since the beginning of the season while Ramsey, Woodard, and even Queta have been mentioned as reassigned at various times. Have the Kings (Sacramento or Stockton) released any information regarding King’s status?
I believe he has some kind of leg muscle strain.
Probably from hauling around such large fan expectations.
We’ve seen the likes of Skal, Giles, and even Woodard put up good numbers in the G League without that translating to NBA success, so my expectations remain muted at best. I’m just curious about the absence of news about King.
I do think that he’s an NBA player when all is said and done. If he’s been injured, then it makes sense for him to be in Stockton. Without additional information, an injury would explain his lack of time in Fun City.
Looks like King was active in Stockton’s win last night, putting up 14 points on 3-18 shooting. Ramsey scored 39 points on 17-31 shooting, while Woodard pulled down 15 rebounds with 7 of them on the offensive end.
We’ve heard talk of a big trade eventually. What’s your best case scenario, worst case scenario, and most likely scenario for the Kings making a trade this season?
Everyone’s trade value is low right now. We need to be patient and wait til the trade deadline to get a better return.
If everyone’s value is still too low at the deadline, we need to wait until the draft to make a move.
if their value is still low, we need to wait until free agency.
Ad absurdum.
I think you meant, “We’ve heard big talk of a trade eventually.”
What exactly does a Player Development Assistant do?
The Kings have at least 2 people with that title – Lindsey Harding, and Rico Hines – until he was recentlly prommoted to lead ssst coach.
Don’t you think that the Kings are overstaffed by positions that don’t significantly help the team? Do they try to develop players’ basketball skills, maturity, professionalism, etc?
If that’s the case, I haven’t seen concrete results.
Bonus question – What does Joe Dumars do?
I’m not positive, but I think the Player Development coaches work with players individually or in small groups on specific skills like shooting, rebounding, positioning, etc. The head and assistant coaches work more on the macro dynamics of coaching like sets, schemes and whole team practice.
Also, I just looked up the coaching staff on Kings.com and they’ve updated Gentry as head coach, but don’t have Christie listed anywhere.
Doug is the latest on Matina’s chosen list now that Vlade and Peja are toast !
I just assumed that the Kings having so many assistants was to prop up Walton. I’d expect that whoever is eventually named head coach may not feel the need for so many sets of training wheels.
Most are ball passers and high fivers ! Rico actually teaches and Dumars is for agreeing that Vivek is a basketball genius ! Luckily he spends 90% of his time in LA !
This Thanksgiving, I’m thankful that the Kings crushed all hope and let me know the season was lost less than 20 games in! Now I won’t spend a lot of time hoping and have my heart crushed later on!
Along these lines, what in the hell do we do with this roster? Do we actually fully blow it up and start anew? This is a depressing thought! I truly feel like we are absolutely screwed going forward and can’t decide if we should hang on to what little core we have or if we should essentially tank and start over.
Just feels like we’re cursed and screwed either way we go.
“You got that last year,” I said again this year.
Power rank the following Thanksgiving dishes:
Isn’t the question, rank these following dishes after Stuffing/dressing, the obvious King of Thanksgiving food?
My mom makes fresh cranberry sauce with some oranges in it, and it’s my favorite thing ever.
One thing I forgot to try when I was in Memphis was sweet potato pie. Next time I’m in the south or at an eatery that serves will definitely try it.
Thanksgiving as a consumer of a whole food plant based diet has been interesting. Need to re-think meals and try new things. I do miss a good green bean casserole though.
Nice! As someone who isn’t a vegan but is eating less animal-based products in my diet, I’ve actually found a lot of good quality plant-based foods that ended up being permanent replacements for certain foods and drinks I would consume frequently.
Thankfully beer is a plant based product
And wine and spirits and cannabis. Yum.
It’s all about trying things and figuring out what you like. The best thing anyone can do to enjoy plant based food is to just take it on it’s own terms without trying to find “perfect” replacements of animal foods.
One of the fun vegan thanksgiving activities is figuring out what you call a tofu-based turducken.
A tofurfurdfucken?
I can’t believe I’m giving this shit away for free.
That’s as good a guess as any!
There are some good vegan green bean casserole recipes out there, whether they’re whole food or as processed as you’d like. I made a healthy one a year or two ago that turned out pretty good. I’ve been vegan for a while now, and I don’t miss the turkey at all. Make a big casserole, or just bring on the sides!
Been almost 4 years for me. I have had some decent ones, but nothing like the canned and processed crap of my youth!
I’m making that as I type this (the crock pot is a fine invention,) and I learned the secret to the best green bean casserole is to add Monterey Jack cheese. Soooo good.
Edit: might kinda ruin your whole food / plant based thing, though, depending on how vegan you are…
This Potato/Artichoke recipe has become our favorite part of Thanksgiving. You could make it anytime, but for some reason we only make it for Thanksgiving and it is always loved by anyone who tries it. Unique, spicy, and delicious!
https://www.food.com/recipe/artichoke-potato-and-cheese-casserole-105649
Any chance we can get Vivek to trade his stake in the Kings for Joe Lacob’s 25% stake in the Dubs?
Iman Shumpert just became the first nba player to win Dancing with the Stars. Did any of you see that coming?
I wish we can go back to that 2018-2019 Kings team with Shump, Fox, Bogi, Jackson, Hield, Bagley, etc. We were actually starting to develop some chemistry back then. Four games over .500 going into February. Downward slide ever since, back into the abyss.
What’s the basketball decision making process in the front office since McNair took over? I’ve hear some worrisome news from Sam Amick about how Alvin Gentry got the interim title over Doug Christie and I cringed…
Wow, you cringed when a proven coach was hired over a total neophyte ! Did you like the Vlade hire at the time ? Same thing !
I think they mean that they cringed because DC’s name was being seriously discussed as interim head coach.
Thanks , now I can stop cringing !
I like Doug and I think he may have a future as a coach in the NBA, but I cannot wrap my head around the logic of whoever’s brain dead idea that was. They’ve hired unqualified former players repeatedly, and every time it has been a disaster.
Whoever floated that idea (for the umpteenth time with this team) is just flat out dumb. Do they really think they’re going to buy off fans with yet another unqualified legacy hire? And to whatever degree that works, what’s the shelf life on it as a distraction? Six months?
I’m pretty comfortable believing that the front office killed this moron idea and it almost certainly came from above. Again, no disrespect to Doug, and endless disrespect for whoever came up with the same dumb idea, AGAIN.
The organization is run by stupid people who think everyone else is stupid.
Nailed it. Nothing but respect for DC, but his feet haven’t even started to get wet.
Do they really think they’re going to buy off fans with yet another unqualified legacy hire?
“Come again?”
Sam Amick confirmed it was Vivek in his article and he was overrode. So good to know Vivek isn’t trying to be involved anymore. 🤙🏼
I guess we shouldn’t be surprised. If true, I suppose this is proof you can be extremely intelligent in one area and extraordinarily stupid in others.
We are now entering Separation Season, can we please start talking about tanking as soon as possible?
I think this is the earliest I’ve ever visited Tankathon and started reading up and watching videos on prospects.
I started in the summer as I fully expected this poop show, just not this early in the season. I was thinking Christmas would be the earliest.
I never stopped watching videos of prospects. It’s my favorite pastime as a kings fan.
Alas, what else do we have?
All the friends we made along the way?
Let me know when we can meet for a hug.
You can usually find me at any kings home game. Hugs definitely needed there. Haha
Nitpicking here, but Buddy is annoying me laughing and joking with the opposition during the game, especially when their butts are being kicked. Where’s his game face and sense of urgency?
He is just having fun with the free reign to jack up any shot he likes and not have to play defense. He doesn’t give a crap about the team or winning. Seems to be just waiting for a trade to actually go through so he can get out of hell.
Other than maybe Hali and Holmes, do any of these guys even like each other?
Are you drawing parallels betwixt the Fox and Cousins’ eras? Two FO annointed franchise/superstar players the FO was/is building around that are actually not superstars and are more like empty stats players incapable of leading their teams to a measly eigth seed?
Cousins played seven years for the Kings and Fox is in year five.
PICK THIS QUESTION TKH STAFF.
Ahhhh yessssss….
The great leader DMC.
Two-Parter: how good would you reasonably expect the kings to be this season if they cashed in all future assets to win now? And how bad do you think the kings could be this season if they traded all current assets to build for the future?
Marc Stein has a new piece up on the Kings post Walton. marcstein.substack.com that answers some of these questions
Paywalled.
You can sign up for free and get limited access
Doesn’t look like it lets me view that article. Definitely can’t pay $50 per year for articles from one guy on groundskeeper pay.
Joe Lacob loves himself some Joe Lacob, in fact if you aren’t sure ask Joe
As a thought exercise, say you swapped Joe and Vivek would things change, if so what?
Haha we would immediately get as you said one of the most egotistical owners in all of American sport…..that also has enough self awareness to never mettle in the process that people he assembled to make all the basketball decisions.
So night and day to what we have here basically.
TLDR we would win finally.
Question: If Fox is truly suffering long term effects of his bout with Covid shouldn’t he/team disclose it now.? If he claims it was causing him problems it will just look like an excuse.
If the team didn’t want to disclose it fearing it might affect his trade value……well that ship has sailed.
Does Ziller really have a cat? Is it one of those freaky tall bengal things with big eyes?
What’s a current and a past example of an article you have pre-written due it’s high likelihood of occurence
How hot is Monte’s seat? How likely is it that he’s GM into next season?
You’re asking them and not me, but I pretty sure he makes it through this offseason no matter what. If he continues to not get anything done, he’ll be gone next (2023) offseason or possibly during that season. That being said, I would be pretty shocked if they keep running the same team back and spewing Sean Spicery nonsense about it being a playoff roster.
Everyone knows this roster has the talent to make the playoffs this year! Period!
I’m wondering, if the team fails to win 30 games this year, whether his job security becomes a public discussion. I agree, though, that he makes it through the offseason (his draft picking abilities may be enough to afford him that) but maybe not much longer after that, depending on how he reshapes the roster. I also see a possibility where Vivek extends Gentry through the next season but fires Monte during the season, making it the fourth time he selects the coach before the GM.
Badge Legend