Sorry I missed posting on actual Monday, other life and work stuff got in the way but we’re back to our regularly scheduled weekly post covering all things Kings. At least, I assume it’s been another week, since the sun hasn’t shown up in Sacramento in about three weeks and every day just looks the same.
The worst offense in the NBA
I didn’t think the Kings were going to be good this season but I am a bit shocked to see us have the worst offense in the entire NBA. Even last season, with many of the same pieces, the Kings were 7th in offensive rating. This year, they’re just atrocious. Now, there have been a lot of injuries, but there really doesn’t seem to be much of a semblance of a cohesive plan out there each night. This is a team that doesn’t shoot three pointers (fewest makes and second fewest attempts), is not very good at two pointers (3rd worst percentage) and also isn’t great at the line (25th in attempts and 27th in percentage). Combined with one of the worst defenses in the league (4th worst only somehow) and you have one of the very worst teams in the NBA. Yes, this is a very flawed roster, but Doug Christie hasn’t been able to figure out how to make a workable offense despite having some very good scorers on this team. Last year, he managed to keep the team together but was relying on Mike Brown’s old coaching staff. This year it’s an entirely new staff and nothing is working. This team is miserable to watch, and it looks like they’re miserable when they’re out there. That’s the biggest indictment of Christie as full time head coach so far.
Trades can’t come soon enough
Now that we are past December 15th, the trade market should heat up, although we might have to wait until January 15th and/or the Giannis situation to be resolved before any drastic moves are made. This team needs a shakeup, even if just to clear out some playing time for these young guys. Devin Carter finally got some burn against the Nuggets and played pretty well, scoring 15 points with 4 assists in 21 minutes off the bench, only to not even see the floor the next game against Minnesota. In a lost season like this, the young guys should be getting as much time as possible if only to see what we have. Yes, they will stumble and fall and look awful at times, but this team already looks terrible even when they don’t play so what’s the point? This team just feels like a bunch of mercenaries biding their time until they’re somewhere else and it’s hard to get excited about games knowing that’s what you’re going to see.
Keegan Murray, rim protector
One nice development so far this season has been Keegan Murray’s growth as a shot blocker. After tallying five against the Timberwolves, he’s now averaging 1.7 blocks a game. The Kings haven’t had someone average that many blocks a game since DeMarcus Cousins in the 2014-15 season. Now, Murray’s only played 11 games so far this season so there is a bit of a small sample size going on, but he has shown good blocking instincts throughout his career and in college. Murray unfortunately is stuck on this squad where the little things he does aren’t enough to overcome the overall talent deficiency. I still remain hopeful that we can see Murray become an offensive force like he was at Indiana, but he does need to be more assertive and likely needs some other guys traded for those opportunities to open up, but he really might just be a force multiplier for an already good team instead of someone that makes a team good themselves.
The NBA Cup of our nightmares
The NBA Cup Finals are here and it’s a realistic look at a potential NBA Finals in the near future with the San Antonio Spurs and De’Aaron Fox taking on Mike Brown’s New York Knicks, just one year after both departed the Kings. Both teams are 18-7, with the Knicks second in the East and the Spurs tied for 3rd in the West, but also having done so while missing Victor Wembanyama for some time. The Spurs won a thriller to overcome the Thunder to get to the Finals, and De’Aaron Fox was a huge part of that. Fox is finally healthy again and is putting up 23.9 points, 6.2 assists while shooting a career-best 39.1% from three. Even Harrison Barnes has been a key piece for this Spurs team, being his usual efficient self as a starting forward. On the one hand, it’s nice to see guys you enjoyed watching over the years doing well, but on the other it’s just depressing to think they could have just been doing that here if this was a normal organization that didn’t manage to ruin almost everything it touches. Fox recently said in an interview that the “grass is greener on this side” and he couldn’t be more right. It was a bit insensitive to be sure, but it’s hard to blame him for being happy that he doesn’t have to deal with this franchise anymore. Mike Brown was a bit more diplomatic, but I’m sure he’s also thrilled to now be leading a contender and not searching for answers because the team has 9 shooting guards. We’ve seen this time and time again over the years, from Mike Malone to Tyrese Haliburton, and now with Brown and Fox. The Kings are the NBA’s version of purgatory, so when someone gets out, it’s no surprise when they thrive.
The Clippers are annoying
Why are they so bad? Why do they continue to plague my Tankathon simulations and give the Thunder an inordinate amount of chance at winning the lottery? Win some damn games already you old farts and leave us in peace. Trade for DeMar DeRozan and get a scoring punch. Stop hanging around in the cellar with us. Those four games we still have yet to play against them are going to be so important to lose.
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Upcoming Schedule:
- Thursday, December 18th at Portland Trail Blazers
- Saturday, December 20th vs. Portland Trail Blazers
- Sunday, December 21st vs. Houston Rockets
Wouldn’t it be nice if ex-employees called things out the way that they actually are?
Diplomacy helps to serve us up another shit sandwich every year, while the broadcast team tells us we don’t understand.
We do understand.
That’s never going to happen. We’ll just have to be happy with the national media ripping the team, which they are doing.
This stat just mentioned on Zach Lowe’s podcast from yesterday.
#3 on the worst 2-player +/- this season at -147 in 532 minutes: Zach and DeMar.
The two players Vivek wanted…hmmm
THIS times a million
Where can you find stats like this?
I think Cleaning the Glass, but it’s a pay service. NBA.com has some lineup data.
About damn time. This team has been hot garbage for so long. Most players that leave have few, if any, positive things to say about their time in Sacramento. The positives are usually that they enjoyed the passionate fans who supported the team.
Is there anything positive about the organization that former players from the past 13 years have had to say?
Did you say “grass”?
It actually takes a lot of grass to be a Kings fan.
Well, the Kings do get smoked by teams each game
Snake in the grass?
Yes! So is Cuz our next HC or GM?
Vivek’s son-in-law?
After he gets out of prison.
Can we trade Sabonis, LaVine and DeMar for Tyrese, Fox and Barnes?
Thats pretty strong stuff you are smoking there, Kfan
Kings gets:
Fox, Barnes, Hali, Kornet
Spurs get:
Domas, DeMar
Pacers get:
LaVine
Fanspo says it works (other than Fox not being eligible to be traded until Feb 4th, 2026) machine says it works. We can name the trade “Return to Basketball Hell”.
Maybe we can move Kornet, Eubanks and Saric for JV and Davion!
Go full Mulligan!
BREAKING NEWS: Chris Paul signs with Kings to provide veteran leadership and strict locker room presence.
Vivek: we are full of all-stars! Great Success!
I’m for it if we make sure Chris makes his complaints about the coaching staff and front office public!
CP3 on day 2: Hey Scott, i can’t make it to work. I’m sick of this shit.
DNP-CP3 Tired of this shit.
The Spurs are another OKC model. Drafted Castle, Wemby, and Harper from 3 tank years. Added Fox at the right time and now they’ve got their foundation for the next 5-10 years. Tough to execute it that perfectly but that’s the formula. That Spurs vs OKC matchup was some good basketball and will continue to be a great matchup for years.
San Antonio has been spurred (!) on by an owner who lets his basketball staff decide on-court stuff and has a culture of discipline and trust that filters all the way down the pipeline. Meanwhile, the Kings have Vivek.
I mean, that’s all true, but it doesn’t hurt to luck into the first pick in multiple drafts with generational players at the top.
Or a #2 pick where the #1 team took Ayton
Yeah, that one hurts. But other teams have made that type of mistake and not spent decades reeling from it.
Yep
not when it was a consensus on who to pick. Everyone in the basketball world knew that the best pick was Luka. Other drafts are a crapshoot.
I have to assume that the 3 teams with worse defenses are teams that are actually tanking, right?
Pelicans (28), Jazz (29), Wizards (30) per NBA.com
So the 2 teams that aren’t tanking are Vivek and Vivek’s former earworm Dumars.
That checks
The Athletic has us at #30 in the latest Power Rankings.
I guess that’s the lowest they could go, lol.
Vivek: There’s no place to go but up!
Not while he’s here.
Time for Expansion so we can be #32!!!
When Fox and Coach Brown meet in the cup finals and think about the Kings:
But… it’s December 16th… and still….
Can we blame Doug Christie and Mike Woodson and Bobby Jackson for the coaching? Of course we can. The LA Clippers (who won 51 games last season and 50 games the season prior) have the same won/loss record as Sacramento with Ty Lue, Jeff Van Gundy, Larry Drew and Brian Shaw. The Indiana Pacers, the Eastern Conference opponent in the NBA Finals are coached by Rick Carlisle, Larry Boylen and Lloyd Pierce and match Sacramento and LAC with 6-20 records.
Will any one of these Head Coaches get canned?
I am surprised Ty Lue is still there, but I am guessing that Jeff Van Gundy has declined to take the reins. Rick Carlisle is on a purposefully tanking Pacer squad that is driving the Indianapolis .200. – he’s not going anywhere.
As for DC and SAC, he was elevated to take charge, he is inexpensive and he’s their guy. He gets a ton of slack. I am guessing, even should this extend into some double digit losing streaks, he’s got at the very least until the end of this regular season even with his Kenny Natt numbers. Just guessing, I’d even give him to the start of next season no matter the roster, and if it is Washington Wizards West, a whole second full season.
I am going to have to try and convince my fellow season ticket group that they want to buy in for this loooonnnnngggggg haul.
With each passing game I’m becoming more and more convinced that Christie is in way over his head. I imagine the majority of qualified NBA coaches could get a bit of lemonade out of this roster of lemons, but Doug has been pretty inept. Having the worst offense in the league with a roster chock full of offense only players is a special feat.
If Perry truly does blow this thing up and go with a youth movement the same needs to be done with the coaching staff. Go get someone like Chris Quin who’s been under Spols for over a decade, or Johnnie Bryant who has served under Quin Snyder, Thibs, and is now associate coach in Cleveland. Those two are over a decade younger than Doug AND have over a decade more experience! They’ve also been apart of winning coaching cultures damn near their entire career.
Alas, we are likely to get re-tread Woodson at some point this year or even next.
Vivek’s best hire was his first, Michael Malone. Been down hill ever since. (Joerger was a good hire, too, and they flubbed that one).
Welcome to the club. Better late than never.
Yes, he’s dealing with a flawed roster. But Christie has done nothing – NOTHING! – to put his players in situations to succceed.
Domas thrived as the hub the offense went through. Christie went away from it.
LaVine needs picks to free him up for his high percentage 3-point shots.
Keegan needs to pick his spots within a scheme where the ball and players are moving. Heh.
Monk hums in the pick & roll. The P&R is rarely deployed anymore.
WTH is Doug doing? What is he exactly sniffing at the start of games? He’s not event trying to throw shit at the wall and see if it sticks. He just lets the team wallow in its own excrement.
Of course there’s a disconnect with veterans. They have seen several coaches and know what they are dealing with here…
The LaVine thing is what irks me most. The dude is an excellent shooter, one of the best in the league in fact, but he just kind of floats on the perimeter waiting for a drive and kick out. Compare that with the Dubs who run every scheme and screen in the book to get Steph and open shot. Everyone knows the ball is destined for Steph but they still struggle to stop him from getting open looks because the offense is a well oiled machine. Doug, on the other hand, doesn’t even have Sabonis, who’s an excellent screener, run the DHO for LaVine. It’s total amateur hour out there.
This team needs plays.
OT: So apparently the Raptors are rumored to now have interest in Sabonis and Anthony Davis. Not sure I understand that one, but I know there’s bee a sense of Toronto also wanting to bring back DDR. My blind guess would be Sabonis and DDR for some combo Ingram, Poeltl and change? I guess we are gonna see all kinds of rumors until a shoe or more finally drops.
I also read that they don’t want to trade Poeltl. Not sure why they would want to bring in DDR and Domas. They have a solid record right now.
Maybe they want to put Domas and Poeltl together or slide Poeltl to the bench? He is declining a bit this year.
All I know is they are a tax paying team, without a lot of size, are are weak in the rebounding categories. It could explain the interest in Domas and AD. They have a ton of wings, including a solid looking rookie in Murray-Boyles. Maybe the want to get him more minutes and move Ingram? If they want to add size one of Ingram, Barrett, or Barnes likely needs to go, and we know it’s not going to be Barnes or Barrett.
Ingram and Grady Dick for Sabonis works salary wise. It’s ain’t flashy, but it’s…something.
Ingram is always injured. Plays great when he plays, but is very injury-prone, which I’m sure you’re aware of. I can see Perry going after Barrett, which is also not that exciting… although his contact is short.
He is always injured, but over the past 12 months, so is Domas. It’s not because he’s injury prone, it’s because he plays tough as nails basketball and I fear the wear and tear is catching up.
IMO, the idea of something like Ingram and Dick isn’t to dissimilar to what the Kings gave up for Sabonis. Hali was the talent and prospect on a rookie deal and Buddy was the contract filler. From Toronto’s perspective, Ingram is the contract filler but also the talent, while Dick is the less talented prospect on a rookie deal. It could be argued that Sabonis isn’t worth today what he was when the Kings acquired him. His contract and age are working against him, so maybe we shouldn’t expect an equal return to what Indy got.
I’m just expecting the Kings to try and trade their longer contracts for shorter ones. DDR for Collins, Schroder for Conley, Malik for someone on a 1 or 2 year deal.
Nothing great in return, just shorter deals to try and move this thing forward a bit more quickly. Keegan gets a $13m raise next season, and they need to find money to pay him and stay under the tax line.
I think you are right, and I’m fine with that. They need to move off of guaranteed money if a proper rebuild is the plan. With Murray’s extension kicking and and nearly everyone in the core rotation potentially returning with guaranteed money, they are going to be capped out.
Tear it down to the studs.
Opportunistically, of course. They need to collect the materials to rebuild as they tear down. Which they can with some patience and opportunism. Guys like Sabonis, DDR, Monk, Ellis, etc. shouldn’t be moved just for the sake of moving them. They have value. Perhaps not a ton, but a team like the Kings have to squeeze as much value as possible out of every move. Value is more important than haste. They can’t give up assets because of haste. For example, if Lavine is a negative contract, just sit on it and wait out the negative value. Doing it right is going to take at least a couple years. Most good rebuild only take 3 years or so. I generally agree that any plan longer than that isn’t a plan.
For sure.
Move what you can and free up what space you can at the deadline. Then you can use that space as a 3rd team to help facilitate trades in exchange for prospects and/or picks this offseason.
That’s how SAS got Barnes and Fox for basically nothing. Facilitating Vivek’s desire for DDR and Zach.
Now we just need to find a team as stupid as the Kings. Maybe NOP.
And that is what Brooklyn has been doing. They ate Michael Porter Jr’s contract for Cam Johnson, but it came with a 2032 unprotected Nuggets pick (which may end up being worth its weight in gold). Jodi has Porter Jr playing at an all-star level with the entire offense focused around him, and they may flip him for even more picks by the deadline. It’s the OKC model.
Yep. Moving our best asset for LaVine sets us back, but we can still cut salary to open up a real rebuild.
I can squint and see how the Fox for LaVine trade isn’t all that dissimilar to Cam for Porter Jr.
Kings did get two first round picks (although the Spurs pick is now just a partial guarantee) and ate the bad deal in LaVine. The difference being that Kings thought it made them better and tried to compete, while Brooklyn clearly made the trade as a process of rebuilding. Brooklyn has been showcasing Porter Jr and rebuilding his value while the Kings have depressed LaVine’s value even more. They are just sooooooooo bad at this.
Domas much better than Poetl and better fit with Barnes, Ingram . They are good but want to get better in a more open east . Makes sense to me .
I saw on the Raptors fan site a proposed trade of Immanuel Quickly and other contracts to match salary for Sabonis.
That might get the Kings their point guard of the future.
Another Raptors fan thought their team needed more three-point shooting around Barnes/Ingram. Maybe they could fit Monk in that trade also.
Sad. Now when I mess around on trade machines, I try to find good teams for Kings players I like, often with the trade favoring the other team and not the Kings. I just don’t care anymore.
I do know the Raps are super high on Shead as possible future starting PG, so who knows? I’m just not sure that Quickly is that much better of a PG than Dennis or Monk, but he’s owned $32.5M per year for the next 3 years. Is he worth that?
My gut tells me they want to get out of Poeltl’s contract. He’s owed quite a bit of money for the next FIVE YEARS and he’s already 30 and showing signs of wear and tear.
IMO, I’m only taking on Quickly and Poeltl’s deals if they come with draft compensation. Maybe there is some way to send Sabonis and Dennis for those two plus draft capital? I’d love to poach Murray-Boyles, but I doubt that is in the cards.
This is California, and the Kings are non-functional turf.
In times like these, I could use some new “Just Wait ‘Till Next Year” articles. 😉
It take time, be patient.
We will get the 5 year Perry plan that ends him in year 4 and than the return of Vlade for the new 5 year plan . Patience , isn’t always a virtue!
“To be patient, It takes time”
5 years away from being 2 years away of being 2 years away.
Maybe you’ll have to wait till next year.
Hey – anyone want to talk about that fun as hell game (not just the Fox and Barnes vs. Mike Brown Finals – also a fun game) on Saturday – OKC vs. SAS?
Are we looking at 1-2 year future rivalry of Wemby/Castle/Harper and maybe Fox (I think they move him in a season or two, we’ll see) vs. SGA/Jalen/Chet/Dort/Caruso (and Ajay Mitchell/and their other rookies/Sophs and whatever they pick up in this year’s draft (they have the LAC FRP))?
Also:
I should send this in to The Kings Herald Podcast and The Great JR/Will/Tony – this season seems like it has highlighted some new and upcoming talent from the last two drafts but also and this is encouraging (but not for the Kings, I suppose) how the projects that teams have worked on have been showing so well – the ultimate is Peyton Prichard, but what about Tyler Kolek last night, Queta and Jordan Walsh in Boston, Ryan Rollins in Milwaukee, Colin Gillespie in Phoenix, and Atlanta’s, Detroit’s young guys. Lots of exciting talent both new and not so new, rising and on display this season.
Sigh… Kangz
The Kangz have a great young 3&D project in Keon Ellis that they’re happy to keep glued to their bench. Apparently the team doesn’t believe in being good.
Keegan Murray Gets Brutally Honest About Kings’ 6-20 Season Start
“It sucks” Lol agreed Keegan
I heard that in his voice, lol.
Truth.
I mean, there literally isn’t a player on the roster that is an above-average-for-their-position passer besides Sabonis.
Only this organization can break Spock.
He just seems like a perfect Spurs player. No complaining. Willing to learn.
Such a waste of an asset.
Kings Ownership Meddling – E Train Talks Sports
This young man Ethan Minton says it loud and clear, where the other local media folks are too chicken or too attached to the perks they get to come out and say it how it is.
Kudo’s to him.
That’s impressive stuff from a 14 year old and he doesn’t pull any punches. Keep it up, Ethan!
Yeah, we need more Ethans.
I mean, it’s great stuff. It’s incredibly telling that it takes a 14 year old to do what none of our local media seem willing to do. Unless I’ve missed it, I haven’t heard a peep about the Anjali mess. It’s shocking that something that despicable could just go unremarked upon in Sacramento.
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