This past weekend gave us some of the best basketball we could have ever asked for and absolutely none of it came from the Sacramento Kings. Instead, we can thank Jalen Suggs and the Stanford & Arizona women’s basketball teams for that. Meanwhile, the Kings started this week once again trying to get back on the right track. If you opted out of watching tonight’s Kings game to save your basketball energy for the NCAA men’s championship, I understand. That’s what I’m here for – to suffer for you when you don’t want to. So let’s see how the Kings did:
Quick Stats
Outcome: Kings lose, 116-106
Sacramento Kings: 106 PTS, 44.3% FG, 25.0% 3 PT, 79.2% FT, 27 AST, 14 TO
Minnesota Timberwolves: 116 PTS, 41.8% FG, 37.5% 3 PT, 84.8% FT, 22 AST, 14 TO
In the NBA, the toss doesn’t get much softer than the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are currently the last-ranked team in the league. And, of course, the Kings whiffed it. After missing the last 26 games with a knee injury, D’Angelo Russell took over in final quarter, scoring 13 of his 25 points, to bury the Kings for their fourth loss in a row because OF COURSE he did. Another slow start, another poor shooting night, and another failure to finish in the fourth quarter means we all get to agonize over our personal decision to be a Sacramento Kings fan.
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
The Good:
- Free Throw Fox: De’Aaron Fox got a slow start, scoring just five points in the first quarter. He came out looking passive and hesitant, settling for midrange looks that didn’t fall. About midway through the second quarter, the lightbulb finally went off as De’Aaron remembered who the hell he is and realized he was the fastest player on the floor. De’Aaron attacked the basket with fervor and was able to build a house, park his car, and make a living at the free throw line. He finished the half with 20 points and a perfect 9-9 from the line. He didn’t see as much success in the second half, but finished the game with 31 points and 13-15 from the line.
The Bad:
- Late to Class, Again: As I try to imagine what these guys were like as kids, my best guess is they were the ones jumping out of bed at 8:25, brushing their teeth for a quick 30 seconds, skipping breakfast, and sliding into their seats at 8:40, all to be 10 minutes late to class. Once again, it has become a consistent theme for this team to take about 15 minutes of play before they look like they remember why they’re there. Tonight the Kings came out with a lazy presence and lack of urgency. They allowed back door cuts, offensive boards, and transition points, even off of made baskets. With the exception of Harrison Barnes, who sustained the Kings by cashing in 12 points in the first quarter, the Kings sleepily waited around until De’Aaron Fox decided to take over.
- De’Aaron Dependency: De’Aaron Fox is exceptional and I say a prayer of gratitude to the basketball gods every day that we have him. And, like any thing in life, too much of a good thing can start to have counteractive effects. In the Kings’ case, this team has become so heavily dependent on the All-Star play of Fox that they nearly can’t survive without it. Everything starts and ends with Fox – if he doesn’t show up, nobody shows up, and only when he decides to take over do they have a chance at competing. It puts a sickening feeling in my stomach to realize we have such a treasure in Fox but have so far only been able to build a team that relies on him rather than grows with him.
The Ugly:
- Lazy on the Little Things: The Minnesota Timberwolves are not a good team. In fact, records place them at the very bottom of this league. And despite the final score, they did not do anything special tonight or that was out of character. Instead, the Kings proved once again that they are not willing to do the little things. All night long the Kings gave up offensive boards (15 total), and put their worst habits on full display – not closing out, not taking disciplined shots, not moving without the ball. Tonight the Kings suffered a death by a thousand cuts and they were all self-inflicted.
The King of Kings
As always, we have to do our absolute best to find something positive in all of this mess to keep us sane. And tonight’s silver lining is the Black Falcon. Tonight’s King of Kings goes to Harrison Barnes for being the safety net that keeps me from falling into the deepest depths of despair. When things get stagnant and the shot clock is winding down, Harrison is always the one to make something out of nothing. And with this team, there is often a lot of nothing going on. Harrison finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and two highlight dunks – here’s one:
https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings/status/1379216121455206401?s=20
Up Next
Thursday, April 8th vs. Detroit Pistons – 7:00 P.M. (PT)
Maybe you shouldn’t have used such a scary wolf picture in the pregame writeup!
Same ol kAnGz
What’s their identity this week?
Youthful.
I’m sure Kayte knows.
Ridiculous
SHAKE WEIGHTS.
…Now that I’ve got your attention….
How about a new billboard? Anyone?
Dear Vivek,
How are things progressing with bringing the WNBA back to Sacramento?
No thanks
Greg,
Can we boo this man?
Yep … booooooooooooooooooooooooo
Fun fact … despite folding as a franchise in 2009, the Monarchs actually made the playoffs (2008) more recently than the Kings (2006).
WNBA is a comedy of errors, sloppy and unintentionally funny. There have been times I watched and broke out in laughter.
In fact, I challenge anyone to watch this video and NOT laugh!
The WNBA is JV boys level basketball, sometimes way worse. WNBA players would lose to an average to good team of 15-16 year old boys.
Does anyone want to pretend these players are skilled and fun to watch?
So of course once you get a taste of the game in person or on TV you are unlikely to return, unless you have a young daughter who likes it or you fit a certain demographic.
They play with a small ball and still the shooting is terrible. If the ball is smaller should not they shrink the diameter of the rim too, y’know in the interest of equality???
Kinda reminds me of this highlight
I didn’t really understand what happened there? I went to the kitchen when it happened live and your GIF is too small to see the detail of the play
I think buddy tried to toss it over his shoulder to the next guy to get the layup, only he tossed it out of reach of anybody who would have been trailing behind him.
okay I see what he tried to do now, typical bonehead play from him
Kings highlights?
If we can have a real conversation and speak freely for a second…
The WNBA has lost money every year since it’s inception. Why should we expect Vivek to jump into this business model? Would you?
In a perfect world they would figure this thing out and thrive.
Good thing the NBA pays for it!
Vivek, when making his bid for the Kings, brought it up. Of course I wouldn’t expect him to do something he doesn’t want to do. But he said he wanted to do it. I would like him to address the status of his attempts on that front.
https://www.sacbee.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/ailene-voisin/article143240174.html
I know all of that, which led to my question.
I don’t understand. If you know all of that, why would you ask?
Okay.
Seriously, I don’t understand. Feel free to write more.
The WNBA is basically an NBA charity ! They pay on average about 12 million per year to keep it going !
No, an NBA charity is if someone decided to pay Cory Joseph and Trevor Ariza EACH > $12M a year.
Yeah… I’m not going to point to the NBA “losing” a small sum of money as a reason why they shouldn’t promote women’s sports across the country. The WNBA is perhaps the most progressive league in the world and are usually way ahead of the curve when it comes to bringing awareness to social issues. Regardless of that, the WNBA is still extremely entertaining to watch and I challenge you to actually watch a full season before slandering what these amazing athletes can do. Shit, if you (and I) can watch the Kings and Timberwolves put a doo doo product on the court year after year, I can assure you the WNBA is a refreshing oasis.
GTFOH with the rest of these garbage takes.
Tough game to watch, felt uneasy how close it was through the first three quarters. Then Russell.
I’m just going to accept what happens (the wins and losses to come) and still be patient with Monte through this offseason. Then I’ll go ahead and be pissed for the inaction, if that’s what happens.
Just be pissed now. They’ve earned every little bit of our disdain in this dogshit franchise. Insanity is repeating the same errors over and over again. If you have the ability to cut the umbilical cord, please save yourself and stop being a Kings fan while you can.
Signed,
A Kings Fan for too long
That’s the thing though, we all have a choice. We don’t have to be Kings fans. What’s the point in being so pissed about the ridiculous choices the franchise makes? Yeah I’m pissed at Vivek for the basketball operations side of things. But I appreciate his social justice advocacy and representation. And keeping the team in Sacramento.
But Monte had a hand dealt to him, so I will be patient. Sure he could have been like Orlando, but would that sure fire have been the better route? We don’t know. Thus I’ll wait til opening day next season.
I’m a fan because I grew up in Dixon and Sac was 25 minutes away. I lived in Sac briefly as a toddler. And for me I have this strange sense of loyalty, maybe because I don’t like the idea of being a bandwagon fan myself. I’ll continue to root for the Kings while they’re in Sacramento and maybe if they relocate I’ll change allegiances.
I would have liked to see Barnes go at the minimum at the trade deadline. I like the pieces Monte acquired at the deadline though, nice to see some new faces.
Any hopes we might have had for the rest of the season were razed by Wolves,
I don’t understand why folks want the 10th seed PIT vs. top 5 draft. Redekolous man!
Saying it is a Top 5 draft is spouting the conventional narrative that means nothing. Lonzo Ball was supposed to be better than De’Aaron Fox according to conventional thinking, how did that work out?
What the heck would we do with Jalen Suggs, for example? I have NO interest in Jalen Suggs than as a trade chip. Terrence Davis is probably better today (despite his terrible game last night) than Suggs!
And what about a guy like Ziaire Williams or Franz Wagner??? These could diamond in the rough players that McGenius is going to thoroughly vet and decide if they can future stars and better than the conventional Top 5.
If anything can be learned about the NBA draft from history and from history in general, it is that conventional thinking is almost always wrong.
It’s not just a “narrative”, it’s conventional wisdom.
The higher you pick, the better the chances of getting a contributor. Yes, there are exceptions and outliers, but that is the bottom line.
https://twitter.com/CarmichaelDave/status/1378786677494194176?s=20
And the chapter on who between Fox and Ball is better has a few paragraphs now, but the last words have not been written yet.
You don’t think it has been definitively determined who is better, Fox or Ball?
Are you still holding out on MJ versus Bowie too.
I am aware of the historical analysis and the expected value related to draft position. I am responding to fans who repeat AD NAUSEUM this a 5-player draft when we have NO need for a guy like Jalen Suggs, one of the alleged Top 5, right?
Isn’t Suggs a Top 5 player? I don’t want him! He does not impress me. Now I do want a Top 5 pick of course if I had my druthers because then I could more likely get the player I want or have it as a trade asset.
But I can guarantee you the alleged Top 5 of this draft will not turn out to be the best 5 players in the draft class. That is never happened, ever. And I am more intrigued by guys like Franz Wagner or Ziaire Williams who will not be drafted in the Top 5 and may turn out better, along with addressing a glaring need on the Kings.
Look at Julius Randle, who took some time to grown into his own. With all the laughing about Ball’s broken shot, he’s shooting better than Fox from 3. Let’s see where they both are in a few years.
Yes, you can get good players later in the draft, but that is much more dependent on what other FO’s do and don’t do, than earlier in the draft.
So even if you are right, and you rate Williams and Wagner as the 4th and 5th prospect in the draft? Don’t you prefer to pick 5th, so you know that you have a significant shot at one of them?
Or are you saying that you should just hope that a player falls to you, basically conceding to a crapshoot draft and hoping for luck? That’s not a strategy.
I answered one of your questions above, of course I would want a Top 5 pick relative to lower just as a trade asset, but you are missing my point.
My main point is the draft is being mischaracterized by some Kings fans, that is my main point.
In fact, I will say I think it is a Top 2 Draft, Mobley and Zuminga from the Kings perspective. I would love to see either two guys as Kings. Tanking would probably be worth it to land either.
Cunningham is good too, can he play SF? Otherwise what are we going to do with him, trade him or trade Haliburton, because there is not room for both.
From this perspective we were not going to get #1 or #2 worst record even if we tried to tank. So unless we are talking about a pure trade asset, I do not see a clear perceived value delineation between the Top 5 players and players thereafter that McGenius will identify and nab.
Jalen Suggs is probably not even as good as Terrence Davis. Suggs is a Jamal Murray type player if you want to be generous. He’s okay but we are tanking for him?! Terrence Davis can do many of the same things and we got him for free.
Lol…
That’s all
I straight up LOL’d when the post game crew mentioned the loss had playoff implications. They are selling snake oil.
Vivek is a real piece of shit. Same thing over and over.
Vivek gets bad idea. Any person with a normal sized ego would see that it’s a bad idea. Vivek goes through with bad idea and yes men and women yes it up. Be patient they claim. They know better.
One thing comes to mind…
….gooo Fu@@ yourself/s.
Perfect example: Bagley’s guaranteed and equally pointless 25 starter/non-fourth quarter minutes in between injuries.
Vivek will make damn sure everyone knows we picked the right guy.
Soft.
Same shit, different day.
So when can we get some write-ups of the 12th best prospect in the draft? I need my same middling team futures to look forward to.
The Kings are like buying stocks in Office Depot, Smart and Final, or Chevy’s. Give me just below average or give me death!
I think we’re currently at 10th on Tankathon. Moving up (down?) to 7th would probably be helpful.
Only 9 games ahead oft-wolves for the worst record. Just lose baby
If Luke sticks around I know Vivek is still in control. Perhaps a billboard or something might help but it may be a historic run of ineptitude.
If Luke sticks around next year is an absolute waste of a year and Monte is a yes man shill
If Luke sticks around, I will punch an imaginary kitten and kick an imaginary dog off of an imaginary bridge.
I had forgotten about this. LOL
we are rolling out this lineup next season. Monte is nothing more than a figurehead with a Ivy League degree and a nice paycheck.
I’m starting to lean that way.
Also, we were elated that he was willing to leave a succesful organization, but you have to wonder if he saw the writing on the wall in Houston and just decided to abandon that sinking ship in time. Sometimes the grass seems greener elsewhere.
We’ll see how the start of next season shapes up, but I am not optimistic.
I’m the farthest thing from optimistic
Seems like McNair stuck in between and thinks/thought he could make it work with Vivek…..even involved some. McNair is probably a smart b-ball guy and I would be surprised if he took the job thinking Vivek ruled all. Maybe even led to believe he (McNair) could impart his vision.
Seems so much like what I’ve seen with the Washington Football Team. POS owner. Completely unaware that they are the problem. Brought in so many coaches/GMs, usually his idea, then acts like an asshole, drives them out and keeps the ship sinking.
Perfect example ! Also, Mc Nair needed a job since Houston was not going to promote him !
Maybe Houston did not hire him for a reason or Morey offer him a job in Philly ? You are aware Vivek hires only people that have never run a franchise so he can !
Reloads Tankathon…
Good news/Bad news-
The Bad: This team sucks, the owner sucks, the GM sucks, the coach sucks, the broadcast team (mostly) sucks, and we suck for continuing to pay attention to this s-show.
The Good: They will definitely have the $99 Kings Pass back next year!
Had a chance to hit the “reset button” by moving some pieces at the deadline for better assets and getting a potential core piece with Fox and Hali. But now they will have a lotto pick, no cap space, and no avenue for future success.
The problem is Vivek. Been chasing the playoffs since he took over. Step aside and let someone else take the reins
Well put.
Not selling at the deadline was a mistake.
HUGE
Vivek not selling the team at the deadline was a bigger mistake.
There’s no deadline for that bro
Lol, the fans that were thinking playoffs during the win streak.
Kangz gonna Kangz. Don’t fall for the meaningless wins against scrub teams.
I saved a bunch of comments from that week for the end of the season. ð
I massively overrated and I mean massively overrated Kispert. Not only is he not a lottery pick he’s not even a first round pick. A few years ago my son and I were watching the draft fearing the Kings would draft Justin Jackson. I now fear they will draft Kispert. No way he plays in the Nba effectively.
He looks slow, and the speed of the Baylor players is throwing him off. Definitely lost se spots in the draft after this clunker.
Butler and Mitchell look like they will be in the NBA for many years to come
Not a first rounder…from one game? Please dude haha
I disagreed with the want to gm’s earlier assessment of Kispert but now agree with this one. I became skeptical awhile back and what I saw in the tournament reaffirms my skepticism. Playing against a much more athletic and physical team completely exposed him. He doesn’t have good feet and I highly doubt he can defend anyone in the NBA. Add to that, I don’t see anything that leads me to believe he will be able to create his own shot against NBA defenders.
Do you have anything of substance other than ha ha.
Yet that’s who’ll be available at our slot.
Because play-in.
I mean, I agree and have stated that I wouldn’t spend a high pick on Kispert (or any Kispert-type), but nothing about him or his potential changed yesterday. I think he’ll be effective in the NBA as a sharp-shooter in the Joe Harris/Kyle Korver/Duncan Robinson mold. I just wouldn’t spend a high pick (along with high pick contract dollars) to get that guy. IF I were looking for that guy around draft time, I’d much rather pick-up a guy like Wieskamp/Livers/Murphy/Hurt in the late-2nd/UDFA. As I’ve said elsewhere, even among potential 1st rounders, I’d rather trade down and target Duarte in the late 1st and pick-up another asset than take Kispert around 10ish.
None of that is an insult. I just don’t really believe in spending high picks on one-dimensional shooters that don’t create their own shots no matter how good they are at it.
I have to see players on multiple occasions before I can make a judgement. I will bet you Kispert drops closer to 20 than 10 and he no way gets to the level of Harris, Korver or Robinson. I wouldn’t take Kispert at 20. I don’t think he can even be Doug McDermott. Duarte can be inconsistent but he can defend, create his own shot and attack the basket. I would guess he can be Dillon Brooks or someone like that. I liked him late first or early second but he’s likely to go earlier than that now.
I don’t think you can miss with Suggs. He may not have the upside of say a Cunningham but he’s a safe pick. I know Jalen Green well and he’s my top pick without knowing Kuminga or the international players. I will place a small wager that Green will be a better NBA player than Cunningham.
I said it once and I’ll say it again. We should have Orlando Magic’d at the deadline.
A B S O L U T E L Y
Generally curious…how would that have occurred for the Kings? The Magic traded their best player…willing to give up Fox? I know there are some that are willing on here.
If not, then the magic traded their Buddy/Barnes, for Hampton, a 2025 protected first and a couple of seconds. I’m not sure where that is getting you going forward. Maybe a few more ping pong balls this year. I’m not saying that’s the wrong move, but short of trading your best player, it’s not like the Magic hauled in some incredible assets.
Now if willing to trade Fox then I guess that’s a different argument. I’m not there yet personally.
But that’s it. It is not just the actual assets you get back, it is also significantly increasing your chances at a top pick this upcoming draft.
The Magic picked a clear direction, we are stradling the fence…
correction: There’s a fence spike up our ass
Sacramento Fence Straddlers
“We’re neither here nor there”
Yeah I hear ya…I’ve been riding first class on the tank train for many years. But when the Magic made that trade they were already 4th from bottom. Good chance they are in the same spot at end of season. So by trading they probably are not tanking their way to many more ping pong balls.
The Kings were around 9 or 10 at the deadline. They still are. Short of trading or flat sitting Fox and Hali, I don’t see this team being able to tank down to better than maybe 6-7 at best. Even at 6-7 you maintain only about 30% to move up vs about 15% at 9-10. Think the difference between picks in the 6-12 seems pretty negligible in this draft.
Maybe tanking by trading your assets like Barnes is worth it to move up from 15% to 30% in the draft odds, because as the Kings those are the tight margins you have to live and hope for…dunno. Just not sure it’s a slam dunk that trading assets for minimal return was right decision for this year, this draft, this situation. I get people that think it was though…I’ve been a bit of a fence straddler about it as well this year, but didn’t really hate the moves Monte made (or didn’t make) at the deadline as a whole.
If you were to truly tank and be 2-3 years out, there would be no need for Fox. So yes, if it were me, I would definitely trade Fox for ping pong balls and start there.
I’m not a huge Fox fan so I don’t see the problem. The fact that he’s our best player is part of the problem, IMHO.
Yeah I know you definitely are on the willing to trade Fox train, I’m curious if there are many others, just for a general pulse of the community.
I don’t want to trade Fox yet, but if you really want to go full Orlando then that is what you would need to do. I just suspect that a number of people, want the “Magic rebuild” without giving up Fox or Hali, which I don’t think particularly advances the cause in this given situation cap wise, draft position, prospects etc. I don’t think they are much better off if just just traded Barnes/Holmes/Buddy for limited returns (based on what was gotten at deadline).
I’m willing to see what Monte can do with this core over another off season, draft and new coach, but either the big swings or big blow up would need to come middle or end of next year if not turning that corner.
I would rather watch Woodard, Ramsey, Metu, Davis plays significant minutes…than watching this team (expect Barnes) playing some shits………….
Maybe, until you actually see them play !
Sorry everyone, but the Minnesota Timberwolves still hold the losingest basketball team in NBA history, (somehow) have a worse owner than Vivek, and have a more depressing future.
With all due respect, when was your last trip to the playoffs, and how old were you in 2006?
Truth. My daughter is going to high school in the fall and has never known a Kings playoff team.
When the Kings last made the playoffs, PUPPY BOWL was in it’s second season.
All of those puppies are now grown up, and probably have puppies of their own.
I was embarking to college while rooting for K-Mart’s game winner against the Spurs! But in all seriousness, would you take an isolated playoff appearance at the cost of throwing away Haliburton, setting the team back for a guaranteed 2 years afterwards?
Jimmy Butler still haunts us till this day.
I’ll answer that. I was 26 the last time the Kings made the playoffs. I am now 41!!! WTF!
Not sure that’s accurate. Are Towns, Russell and Edwards worse than Fox, Haliburton and … ?
KAT, Dlo and ANT have played a total of 3 games together. It’s way too early to say what they’ll become. But, with another top pick. If the Wolves stay healthy, they will probably be a playoff team as early as next year.
In the off season we trade them Bagley for culver. They get top pick and take cade.
Dlo
Ant
Cade
Bags (will all of a sudden stay healthy and ball out)
Towns
They’ll be just fine
That team might be the second worse defense in the league…after the Kings ð
Depends on who you think is a better piece between Fox & KAT, and if you know just how useless D’Lo has been. However I was just leaning into the bit that Will and I started 😛
Personally, right now I’d rank those guys:
Towns
Fox
Haliburton
Russell
Edwards
(Yes, I value Haliburton’s efficiency and defense over high volume, lower efficiency scorers.)
Edwards is inefficient as a rookie, but man there is a lot of talent there to have him last.
Yep, that’s why I said “right now.” If I were ranking for the future, or who I would most want to build around, he would be above Russell, and in the conversation with Fox and Hali. Ultimately, Hali vs Edwards is probably just a personal preference issue. I’m a well-known lover of BBIQ, passing and efficiency. So I would take Hali. But I can understand people preferring the more explosive scoring potential of Edwards.
I saw the 1st quarter on tape delay. Those midrange shots by Fox were wide open, on the free throw line, uncontested. That should be a good basketball shot. They won the quarter nonetheless. I think Hield might have gone 1 for 8 from three.
we can’t blame any one player but man those 4 or 5 consecutive bricks he throws up, without ball movement, full shot clock, kill the momentum almost every game. I know it’s magical when they go in but it hasn’t gone in like that for two seasons now. When I was reading up Terrance Davis, that was one of the knock on his games as well. That he takes too many bad shots. Those two took 30% of teams shots and shot 25%. I mean at some point it’s gotta be earned right? I don’t think Luke’s got the basketballs to turn off the neon green light.
Would be nice to replace Buddy in the starting lineup with a 3&D forward. Not sure who that would be. Woodard?
No. Woodard is not ready. Nor is Jayrsmulis (no idea how to spell his name). Opposing teams will hunt mismatches and destroy them.
LOL, Kangz
36 seasons in Sacramento
7 winning ones
8 in 8 seasons under Adelman.
0 for 28 under everyone else.
“We’re the Kings of the NBA!”
With the 10th pick of the 2021 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings select Ty Tanic, center, University of Anchorage.
I heard he can shoot the lights out.
How’s his 2nd jump?
Glacial.
Just a WOW stat…but remember, coaches don’t affect much in the NBA….cough
I’d rather have T-wolves young nucleus and one of the top picks in the draft than what the Kings have. By far.
Edwards is going to be a baller. Already has a muscular NBA body. An array of moves. Has the potential to be a great player for many years.
The Warriors would like one of the top picks in draft as well.
They now need to go 10-11 in their remaining games to finish with a higher winning percentage than last year.
I see 9-12. At best.
Time to start the deluded fantasies of free agency, draft night trades, etc. None of which will come to fruition. Vivek has to be still running this team into the ground. Well, actually, he’s not smart enough for that either.
Purgatory is preferable.
Like Al Davis had a brother from another mother.
It’s official, the Kings suck.
https://twitter.com/JimCrandell/status/1379246130676916230?s=20
Now you come to that decision?
Crandell’d.
All right Jim!
If this game leads to the coach being dismissed, or adds to the overhwhelming body of evidence to cut ties at the end of the season, this pathetic game will have been worth it.
Our starting lineup is not working. Our second unit is not working. The new starters was a situational lineup, an experimental lineup, to be tested and toyed with, not obstinately commited to. It lacks size, rebounding, and Buddy has not made consistent improvement that was hoped for playing with two facilitators.
Buddy got torched by Kuzma, torched by Andrew Wiggins, and it looks like his teammates are getting kind of tired of playing with him.
Then there is the second team. It is difficult to integrate new players on the fly. And the problem is compounded bc the coach did nothing to establish anyone off the bench in the first 3 months of the season. There was nothing to build upon besides Whiteside intermittent role.
Two new guys in Davis and Wright is viable, adding a third guy in Harkless makes the transition more rocky and unfamiliar, and suddenly we add Whiteside, risen from the dead!
Whiteside was hurt the same way Fox was hurt with an alleged calf strain, when in fact they held him out to try to get him some rest against an inferior opponent and end up losing the game.
Whiteside was not hurt the last three games or prior to that. I think they saw how badly they were getting punished by bigger and stronger teams, they activated him, after there was some confusion and indecision around the trade deadline whether to move him or not, and whether to include him in the stretch run.
So then the 3-game skid, now 4, leads to the decision to add Whiteside back. His timing is off, he plays mostly a bad game, and the team is off the rails.
The coach is to blame on two counts: adhering to a starting lineup too long, then lacking the coching prowess to smoothly integrate the new players into the secon unit and having no second unit to begin with because of his coaching negligence to nurture role players all season long!
I almost hope we lose not because of getting a high pick, which McGenius does not need, but because this coach is terrible!
Stop overrating this garbage team…if you’re going to keep a garbage coach like Walton then just tank!! You can’t have it both ways Vivek, you end up stuck in the middle, cheap ass won’t pay for a new coach. Vivek is the problem.
Haliburton legitimately might be one of our only winning players on the team… different year, same thing.
Badge Legend