In my time writing mailbags, I’ve often been asked by the hundreds of thousands of fans of Chainmail if there’s anything less tolerable than not getting to read a mailbag story, and while I’ve often answered “no”, it turns out that starting the season 0-3 in the year in which the Kings are supposed to make the playoffs and not having a mailbag story is even worse! It’s all bad news today, as the Kings haven’t found the time to play defense, and I haven’t found the time to compose a near-Pulitzer Prize winning mailbag novella. Let’s recap the past week, shall we?
- De’Aaron Fox has been playing at a superstar level to kickoff the 2022 campaign. He’s putting up 32 points and 7 assists per game, while shooting 59% from the floor and 45% from deep. Those numbers likely aren’t sustainable long-term, but Fox has been everything we hoped he would be to start the season, and his defensive engagement has also been impressive.
- Keegan Murray is a basketball god.
- Harrison Barnes is a basketball god…for the opposing teams.
- Domantas Sabonis finally showed up on Sunday evening, putting up 19 points, 14 boards, and 4 assists in Sacramento’s loss to Golden State.
- After starting for the first three games, KZ Okpala played just three minutes against the Warriors on Sunday night, likely spelling the end of his time as Sacramento’s fifth starter.
- Through three games, the Sacramento Kings are posting a defensive rating of 114.5, a far, far, far cry from their defensive rating of 114.8 last season.
After a start like this, there’s a ton to discuss, both positive and negative, so get to asking, so we can get to answering!
Is the KZ experiment over?*
.
.
.
.
*please tell me it’s over.
For me it’s over.
KangZ ?
brutal
brutal rnes
Not as elegant
aw jeeze it was right there in front of us the whole time
More importantly, is the Harrison Barnes experiment over?
I love the guy but I hope so.
Draymond 2.0? Anybody?
According to whom outside of the organization?
ME.
Marc J Spears is not looking brilliant so far.
I’m second-guessing those two $10k Vegas bets on the Kings to win the NBA championship
Everything changes starting Thursday….
Do you think Keegan should start? That question is probably near rhetorical status but asking to be sure.
If yes, who sits for him? The logical options are Barnes or Okpala. Who will become part of the bench squad?
Could the team move both Barnes and Okpala to the bench unit and start Keegan and Davis?
Yes.I would move both to the bench. To start I would replace both with Murray and Davis.
This season is already baffling. This is the first time in maybe 15 years I’ve felt the team is good, from cohesive stars (Fox might actually be a star!) to a brilliant rookie and hard fought physical games. Three point brilliance, rebounding, playmaking, shooting, shot creation… This team feels like it will be in every game. Despite this, they had one of the worst defensive halves in NBA history, much worse than any of the previous squads who had abysmal coaching, players and morale. There’s a lack of shot blocking, interior presence and some bizarre lapses in focus, but overall this team should be really good. All that said, seems like they might not be? Kangz?
You have to take on the offensive side Barnes should not start and before last night both Sabonis and Monk have not lived up yo expectations. When that happens we will be alright. As a PS I also like what Mitchell is doing. Like 3 fouls in what 3 minutes. Something wrong there.
Another question. Can Ellis play basketball?
Good to see a standard set.
yes
I know the rules and if I’m open I ain’t passing.
When does our “win now” roster construction approach start to result in winning?
After more Practice!
Now?
What do you think is the first thing that has to happen for this franchise’s fortunes to turn around?
Will teams going small and attacking Sabonis be a regular occurrence?
How can that be countered in a good way?
Oops, wasn’t meant as a response to you, Gregory.
We need a good 3 and D wing to replace Barnes but because of what he is or maybe isn’t doing I’m afraid Monty won’t be able to this. At this time the only thing you are going to get for Barnes is a second round pick. Maybe we could add Holmes and some sort of pick.
Can we take solace knowing at least we’re tied with the juggernaut Lakers?
I’m sort of surprised by all of the (imo) overreactions. If I believe what I read, Davion is a bust, Sabonis was never good, Monk is Buddy 2.0, Harrison Barnes is collecting social security, and KZ Okpala thinks he’s playing badminton. What’s the deal? Was anyone not under the impression that the Kings were going to start off 0-5, 1-4, or at best 2-3?
It’s simply righteous anger at Mike Brown for not having facilitated a complete culture change in the way the team plays after three games. They’ll be calling for Luke Walton’s reinstatement in a couple of weeks.
I hope not.
There is no amount of overreacting that will ever make Luke Walton palatable
Accurate.
His teams never gave up 89 in a half and he won 24 straight as Dubs interim coach . I do agree with you but there is that .
Steph Curry won 24 straight games while Luke Walton watched from his courtside seat.
I kind of look at it this way –
Opening night at home vs. Por – This is a team that one could assume is a primary competitor for a play-in spot. It’s your home floor. If you played the Blazers on your own home floor five times, you should win at least three of those times.
At home vs. the Clippers, sans Kawhi and Wall – Given the fact that 40% of the Clips’ starting lineup was out, including an elite player, and it is on your home floor, you should at least have a slight edge in this one.
At GS – Yeah, less than a 10% chance here.
Summing up, the Kings should be at least 1-2 right now, and 2-1 with any semblance of continuity. An improved team must protect its home floor, especially against similar or wounded talent. You just can’t paint lipstick on the pig that has been the opening week for this team.
Now, I would agree that there have been hyperbolic comments, but that is usually the case in game threads and post-game threads, especially when the team is underwhelming.
I had this team at 37-45. I guess that I’m at 36-46 after watching this week, while I would have been at 39-43 with a 2-1 start? So while I am not abandoning the thought of this team being an upper 30s win team this season, I really have not seen anything that would paint me as anything but being overly-optimistic.
For me, the issue is still questioning Vivek’s bullshit playoff mandate and cutting corners rather than building. Giving up shooting and Hali for Sabs-non shooter. The Kings are going against the grain. And common sense.
I also realize we have to give it some time to see how this team really looks but im
already irritated and almost uninterested in watching. They just gave up the most ever in a 1-4-1/2.
And it’s clear they still need 3-D wing and shot blocker.
And where is the ball and man movement? Where is Sabonis high post w Fox off ball-cutting?
Lastly, is Sabs that bad in D? 22 minutes? That can’t happen. Again, they need more players perhaps.
Yep. It was becoming apparent that Fox and Hali were not going to be at their individual best playing together. So it became a question of who was going to go, and for what? And while I’m guessing that market was larger for Hali than Fox (due to their respective contracts), I think that the sooner-than-later aspect that you noted played a big role, especially considering the expiring contract status of McNair.
Sabonis will need to adapt to a more up tempo offense, but I think that he is capable of making that transition. But on the defensive end, the Kings sorely lack the length that they need at the four. If Sabonis is your five, Murray needs to be a three (and I think that he could be, at least eventually), with some rim protection assistance at the four. This basically renders Barnes obsolete – it’s not like he suddenly forgot how to play basketball, it’s his square peg ability vs. the round hole that he is being asked to fill.
If Murray is your 3 then who is the 4? Somebody mentioned Barnes for Markkenen. But can he defend? Right now probably a better overall player than Barnes. What about Barnes and perhaps a pick for Jonathan Issac? Dude can defend.
I also heard we could get O G Anunoby on a three team with the Heat. Would cost us Barnes, a first and two pick swaps.
I like OG but losing a first sucks. and 2 swaps? nope. Hard pass.
When has Isaac played ? Missed 2 seasons and counting .
Still not clear about the alleged “win-now” mandate.
The team has all of its draft assets, other than the possible first-rounder going to Atlanta for Huerter.
Does anyone think that was a bad deal for the Kings?
The owner of a professional sports franchise wants to contend for a title? Well, yes. And water remains wet.
The team has not mortgaged its future to create wins in the now. The team is improved, and is better with Sabonis than Haliburton, like it or not. Is it a playoff team?
The consensus around here, for what it’s worth, is that Sacramento is unlikely to win forty games. Do you think that McNair isn’t able to make the same realistic assessment? Do you think that he’s telling the owner that this is a playoff roster when told to get the team into the playoffs? Of course not.
Ranadive, like him or not, is not stupid. He is not living in some alternate reality where this is a playoff contender.
There is no win-now mandate.
Is there a win ever mandate? Asking for a friend. Also, are there receipts?
At this moment, this is not true.
Really!?!?
Last year’s team was damn near unwatchable, they just didn’t play very good basketball most of the time. This team has stretches of good offense, stretches of good defense, Fox is playing well to start the season, Keegan is showing he was very much the right pick, I could go on. If you don’t think this team is improved over last year I’d have to ask if you’re actually watching the games. They’re not perfect, but they’re absolutely better than last year.
They’re 0-3.
It stems from the Hali trade. Hali was a patience asset.
Fox and Sabonis have a way more limited window. If you don’t win now, both are gone and you are starting it all over.
So yeah, call it whatever you want but the Kings need to win ASAP to make that trade a success.
I respect your willingness to keep Haliburton for eventual future success after sixteen years without any.
Sabonis is under contract for the next two seasons, which I will grant, is a window, but unless the word “now” means something other than how I understand it, the organization isn’t exactly standing on the edge of a cliff at this point in time.
As to ASAP, was your expectation that the team was a lock for the playoffs this season, or were you among those who were hoping for a total in the high thirties? If the latter, do you now see that as an impossibility?
The GM who constructed this roster is literally on a lame duck contract this season.
FIFY:
“with any semblance of continuity”. Did I read that right? Kings?
I had them winning 3-4 games out of their first 10. The start of the season is brutal and I’m a realist who leans on the side of pessimism when it comes to this franchise.
I think where the hang up is, there was a lot of talk of this team surprising folks and they were going to look like a playoff team, which means they’d be beating playoff caliber teams. If there are no “surprises” to start the season, then the team is what it is, and that is is to say, not very good.
Of course beating Memphis and/or Miami could swing things, but potentially going 0-5 to start a playoff run season is pretty deflating.
I would be surprised to see if Miami or The Grizz overlook the Kings. Maybe, Murray being the X factor.
I don’t have them winning more than 6-7 in their first 20.
it’s just Hella top heavy with great teams: Upcoming: Dubs 2x, Grizz 2x, Heat 2x, Hawks, Nets, Celtics, Clips, Suns and Cavs.
Thats 12 in the next 17.
First Time here? : )
I know it’s not.
If Barnes continues to play this way or is only 85%/marginally better of what he was last season, does the team (finally) trade him? If so, after how many games?
If the media are reading Vivek right, he needs to believe Barnes is not good first. I believed his defense was bad before the season started, but I thought his offense was going to be okay. If he continues at his current production, it should be clear to all he is bad at both ends, at least on the Kings.
Then the other thing the media say is you can’t trade Barnes and improve the team’s chance at the playin. If this is Barnes, he’s certainly not helping so trade him for whatever and move on.
But what I predict is Barnes will get out of his funk to some extent, we’ll hang around the playin area, he will not be traded, we don’t make the playin or we do and lose in the 9-10 game, and he will walk. So, the worst case scenario.
NOW!
Put these teams in the order that you think they will next play in a playoff (not play-in) game:
Kings, Lakers, Thunder, Rockets, Spurs, Pacers.
Lakers, Spurs, Rockets, Thunder, Kings.
Lakers are really just a couple shooters away from being very good.
Lebron and Ad are playing great. Both defending at a high level.
The 3 pt shooting is so abysmal that bringing in a couple decent shooters would be huge for them
They will spend money to get them and Lebron will recruit them…
LA sports radio is blaming almost everything on Russell Westbrook: the poor shooting, the losing, the LA homelessness crisis, cauliflower…
Which rookie would you rather have than Keegan Murray?
We couldn’t pick Banchero because he was already taken, but maybe Mathurin?
(I know–this is a blasphemous question and I love Keegan and am happy with him. Just wanted to ask a question that people could argue about.)
Regardless of the answer, someone is getting shot in the face.
Opponents on the free throw lineup spaces should watch out when Barnes is shooting free throws
I mean, that could apply to the whole damn Kings team, honestly. Their FT shooting has been absolutely… I can’t even think of a word. Like, these guys’ job is to put the round ball in the tall basket, oftentimes in the face of adversaries, sometimes 2 or 3, while jumping / gliding through the air, or from like 30 ft. away.
But here: take this shot for free. No adversarial challenges, no jumping required, just you, the ball, the hoop and you get 1 pt. Free.
Kings: nah. I’m good.
Me: FFS!!!
Cheney’d
I don’t know why the Kings would take another guard (other than Ivey) in the draft, when it needed a stretch four so badly.
Mathurin is going to be great, but I find it interesting that Indiana has acquired so many guards after trading for Haliburton.
They also moved Brogdon, which seems directly related to both tanking and making room for Haliburton and other young guards.
That Ben/Hali backcourt looks ridiculous. What Ben is doing is sick. 24ppg?
problem is their D is horrible. They will be a Bottom 4 team. If they get Wemby, that core will be rock solid.
The Pacers’ first 3 opponents: Washington, Orlando and Detroit. Not exactly world beaters (although Orlando might be a lot better).
Shame on you Kosta. No arguement.
Love Murray. Creation is what separates the 2.
Would love to see if Murray can create off the dribble. Saw it a little in preseason. But not much so far 3 games in. Ben is certainly more explosive.
offensively. He a muscle bound 6’6, 210. Murray is not as muscular. Both are high IQ players. Murray looks like he can do a good job defensively on athletic 3-4s.
Would love to see how Murray expands his game. Once he starts maybe we will get an opportunity to see how his game evolves. Hits the weights a little more.
It’s way too early to tell for either. Both will be great. Just different types of players.
What can the coaching staff do to get Barnes more involved in the offense?
Give him a clipboard?
Are there any means to petition the NBA to extend the Pre-Season to be both longer and more meaningful and to lessen the actual season to reflect that?
Why?
Why would teams want to risk their players getting hurt in more meaningless games?
I could listen to reasons why the season could be shortened, but not if it comes at the cost of having more garbage minutes that can only alter your season in a negative way.
Why isn’t the NBA season 162 games, like baseball? And why isn’t every basket worth one point, like baseball? And finally, why aren’t the basketball players running around with baseball bats?
Which underperforming Kings player is going to surprise you first, and which one will never surprise you?
Mitchell or Monk. Metu. Which two way player has a chance to be a good King’s player? Keon Ellis.
You’re on fire, not even waiting for responses, just answering your own mailbag questions!
So. How do you feel the audition is going?
Great.
.
OK sure, but it’s only because the fans aren’t being positive enough.
What the fans don’t seem to understand is…
There are people that were not alive the last time the Kings were in the playoffs that now have drivers licenses.
“Are you sure you’re at least of age the last time the Kings made the playoffs?”
McLotteryin
Super team, just Superbad?
Slightly off topic but: Why hasn’t some hacker somewhere created an applet to fill in the I’m not a Robot box?
Because like your Sacramento Kings, they just don’t want it badly enough.
I know a robot that could click the box
Shaka’d
Queta was drafted as a shot-blocker. He has steadily improved over the past year. Should he be given a run at the 5, switch Sabonis to the 4 (where he belongs), play Murray at the 3? Could this work? Relatedly, Fox’s game is better suited for the 2 than the 1; should Huerter or Davion start at the 1?
I think the problem is Sabonis hasn’t proven he is a reliable shooter outside of 15 feet (did you see that air ball from 3 that didn’t even hit net?) and Queta is definitely an at the rim player. There is just no room to operate and defenses would pack the paint. Couple that with a historically poor shooting Fox and teams will just dare the Kings to shoot.
IMO, Sabonis needs a Jaren Jackson Jr or a Brook Lopez type player next to him, but those are very hard to find. A 3 and D rim protector is rare breed in today’s NBA, but maybe Keegan can help in that area? He did show solid stats his last year at Iowa and averaged nearly 2 blocks a game…but that was college.
If we can’t trade for a good 3 and D then what about Murray at the 3 and draft someone like Issac for rim protection and rebounds. Also he can defend. He would be our fifth option on offense.
Can we just trade for Isaac? I wanted the Kings to select him instead of Fox, then take Donovan Mitchell at 10. Oh well, here we are
Mo Bamba says hi.
If Fox continues to play the way he has the first 3 games than don’t mess with success. Stay at 1 and Huerter is a very good 2. Until his offensive game improves then Mitchell should come of the bench. Murray is a 4. Unless we trade for a better three then maybe give Davis a shot at the 3. Can’t be any worst than we have now. If Sabonis begins to play like he can and what he did last night then keep him at the 5. Right now if he plays like he did last night then Holmes should be the backup to Sabonis.
I don’t know what what the Hang up with Murray starting. Kid logged 38 minutes against the Dubs. Looks like starter minutes to me.
I understand starting him to get off to a good start. But the kid is getting plenty of burn for a rook.
Kings were down 10-0 in the first 2:30 into the game. Brown calls a timeout a 80 seconds later seconds later with the Kings down 12-2. Keegan Murray entered the game after the timeout for KZ at the 8:47 mark. Kings then go on a 8-0 run. Keegan hits a 3 at the 6:52 mark making the score 13-15, the he hits a jumper 30 seconds later to tie that game at 15.
Now imagine if Keegan had started instead of KZ.
It ain’t rocket surgery.
You hit the nail on the head.
He hit the head on the nail
I understand your point. But. There’s no science to that.
So, you’re assuming that if Murray started the Kings would have a cushion or lead before subbing Murray out.
Your not taking into account multiple factors. Kerr will make immediate, adjustments, the Dubs will do more switching, you’re not going to win a shootout with the Dubs regardless, and the Dubs could care less about the regular season.
When the Kings play the Dubs next time. I can guarantee Kerr will have a game plan for Murray. Murray looks great and could be a Star. But, the word is out and teams will try to take away his bread and butter. We’ll see how Murray adjusts as the season progresses.
if any team gets a pass it’s the Warriors. They can turbo turn it on any time they want. Kings have Zero defense for that.
And Zero defense is right. 50
pts in a quarter? That’s a collective effort of not giving a damn and playing with Zero pride. Has nothing to do with coaching , schemes, being out of position.
The Dubs defense was not much better. But once again, they don’t care.
They are proven.
Kings don’t have that Luxury. When you’re trying to change the malaise of hideous defense for 16 years.
Effort and Pride are in your DNA or not. No coach is going to give you that.
“Your not taking into account multiple factors. Kerr will make immediate, adjustments, the Dubs will do more switching, you’re not going to win a shootout with the Dubs regardless, and the Dubs could care less about the regular season.”
There’s not much “science” to this, either. Which is why I stopped reading it. I need more rocket surgery in my life.
It doesn’t work that way.
Murray played 38 minutes. Starting wouldn’t really change that. If he would have started maybe the impact wouldn’t be as high, because he was lower in the pecking order, or maybe the bench would do much worse etc.
This isn’t linear.
Didn’t the Warriors score an additional 77 points in the half after Murray subbed in?
Flip side: What’s the point of starting KZ if he is only going to play a couple of minutes anyway?
Seems like you are just keeping Murray on the bench for it’s own sake, not any basketball reason.
My favorite non-reason: “He has to earn it.”
My reaction to that is to just play the most talented guys, assuming they play like they care and aren’t otherwise cretins.
Right. If Murray has to “earn it” (which is fair), then so do Barnes and Okpala.
That’s all I can see being the reason at this point. No offense to KZ (quite literally) but he doesn’t have any business on the floor until he can make a contested layup.
There’s been a ton of discussion about Sabonis and what his next deal looks like come the summer of ’24. Assuming that things turn around, A) would you resign Sabonis and B) more importantly, what would you offer him?
Assuming Keegan Murray starts from here on out, who else would you start next to him at the other F spot if you had your way?
If I had my way?
This guy:
Geoff Petrie knew…
Yeah, Vivek should definitely have listened to the guy who took Jimmer ahead of Klay and Kawhi and Thomas Robinson ahead of Dame!
I’d do this:
Fox
Mitchell
Huerter
Murray
Sabonis
Not bad. I agree that Mitchell should start with Keegan.
Smart people said wait till January to see how good the Kings could be. I stand unchallenged in that observation. Thanks for the laughs at the short term observations.
This team is 1 win away from ripping off about a 7-8 game win streak. Its taking some to gel, but they will come together as a unit. Also, they need to get better line. Free throws look horrible
7-8!? Win streak. Can I have some of what you’re drinking. If the 7-8 games are composed of the Magic, OKC, Hous, maybe.
do u people not learn? I understand it’s a new season but very little has changed my friend
Is Fox a better 3 point shooter than Tyrese Haliburton?
Over 3 games. Yes. Career. No.
Is Dinwiddie a better 3 point shooter than Steph Curry?
You have to be kidding.
I feel like this team could be a 8th seed/ play-in team if they had traded for Donovan Mitchell. The roster hasn’t really gotten better if we’re being honest. They goin need foxy to be special every night
How about a few minutes each game with Sabonis, Richaun and Len playing the 3,4,5? I know it sounds silly, but these three bigs each have a vastly different playing styles that might compliment each other. Plus only Len is the lumbering slow center type. Hey, when you’re 0-3 you need to think outside the box!!
Will Vivek be patient enough to allow McNair and Brown to transform the Kings into a real NBA team?
What do the Kings need to do for Sabonis to be an all-star level contributor again?
Because sitting him on the bench for a whole qtr. probably isn’t going to cut it…
Edit: To clarify, this offense doesn’t seem to match his skill set very well, IMO. Or perhaps he just needs to be more assertive?
Play him as a high post distributer . Just like last season and his Indiana All Star years and you will get 19 pts 12 rb 6 asst and 56 % shooting . Low post will get 12 , 10 and 4 on 50% .
Badge Legend