One of the worst seasons in Kings history has entered its final stretch, and there’s nothing worse that the Kings could do than suddenly turn it around now.
The Tank Race Just Got Crowded
Just a couple of weeks ago it seemed almost certain that the Kings would finish with the league’s worst record, but now after their latest win against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday, that doesn’t seem so certain.
The Kings are just a half game ahead of the Indiana Pacers in the tank race, with the Pacers having lost nine games in a row since the All-Star Break. The Pacers also just so happen to be the next team up for the Kings, making it one of the most important remaining games of the season for either team. The Wizards and Nets are also right there with the Kings and Pacers with 16 wins on the season. Sacramento still faces the Nets twice this season which will also be huge matchups.
I know it sucks to talk about losing as being more desirable than winning, but there would be nothing worse for this season than the Kings having one of the worst years in franchise history and then slipping to the 8th pick or something, which could happen if they finish 4th worst instead of just worst. The bottom three teams all have the same odds for the top four picks, but it still does limit how far you can drop if you’re unlucky. By finishing with the worst record, the Kings are guaranteed to pick no worse than 5th, which would still stink but not as much as anything else.
We can’t really control what the Kings do or how the games play out, but I’m just hoping that they don’t fumble this right at the end with some meaningless wins that nobody will ultimately remember. The only saving grace of this season will be a top pick that turns into a game changing franchise player.
Westbrook vs. The Media
Perhaps the biggest thing that happened in Kings land this week was Russell Westbrook sniping at Kings media members after the team’s loss to the Pelicans. You can watch the whole interaction here, but essentially the gist of it is that Westbrook didn’t seem to take kindly to some comments made by members of the media, namely KHTK’s Matt George. While Westbrook didn’t definitively say what specific comments had him so riled up, George seemed to indicate in his later response to Westbrook that it likely had to do with his thoughts that Westbrook was essentially padding his career stats on a bad team, as well as his desire for the team to play the young guys over veterans like Westbrook or DeRozan.
Personally, I think Westbrook going after the media is kind of a lame look when I think the local media has historically been pretty lenient with the team, especially when the team has been so bad for so long, with this year being somehow the worst of the bunch. Westbrook has been a professional in his time here, but he doesn’t have to stay for long and his tenure in Sacramento will eventually just be a small footnote in his otherwise great career. Westbrook’s no stranger to getting into it with the media, but it felt a little weird to be going at them now with the season basically over, and without more context on what specifically he was upset about. This team deserves every ounce of criticism it gets, and that criticism is tame compared to what it would be in other, bigger markets.
I also don’t envy media members like George who have to fill up hours of airtime every week talking about a team that frankly doesn’t deserve the time or energy. It’s a struggle for even me as a fan to talk about this team once or twice a week sometimes because it’s often so much of the same.
Ultimately the issues with this team don’t lie with the media or the players, but rather the ones in charge of making the decisions. Anything else is really just a distraction.
The Raynau-ssance is flourishing
Maxime Raynaud continues to be the bright star for the Kings of late, and he’s just getting better as the season goes along. In nine games since the All-Star Break, Raynaud is averaging 16.7 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.6 blocks while shooting 59.6% from the field. He is really good at picking his spots on the court, and he has some nice chemistry as a roll man with guys like Russell Westbrook and Malik Monk. He has more work to do on the defensive end, but I think he’s gotten better on that end as the season has gone along.
I do want to caution against proclaiming Max as a future franchise centerpiece or star though even with his big games of late. This is a terrible team, and young guys on terrible teams with lots of opportunity can put up a lot of numbers despite ultimately being a role player.
Just take a look at this comparison of Max’s rookie year with another Kings rookie big man who was a similar age when he came into the League:
Maxime: 10.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.5 blocks, 56.3% from the field in 24.8 minutes per game
Player B: 11.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.1 assist, 0.6 steals, 0.7 blocks, 49.7% from the field in 28.1 minutes per game
Player B is in fact Jason Thompson, the Kings big man who some thought could be the next great big man after his solid rookie season. Thompson never became a star but was a solid roleplayer for years who unfortunately had to play on some very bad teams. Now, I do think Raynaud has more upside than Thompson did (he’s bigger and has more shooting touch), but I also think he’s more of a solid piece than a build around guy. Still, getting a potential long term starting center in the second round is fantastic, and I look forward to seeing how Max can develop. If that three point shot comes around, he’ll have a real shot at being truly special instead of just simply good.
Precious Is a Keeper
Along with Raynaud, Achiuwa is another piece that I’ve been very happy with so far this season. It’s kind of surprising that he was available when he was and that the Kings were able to grab him on a small deal, because I think he will have some suitors this offseason. Achiuwa has had some big games for the Kings this season, including two career-high 29 point performances just over the last couple of weeks. I think ideally Achiuwa would be a nice 20 minutes a game energy big off the bench instead of having to start like he is now. He’s still just 26 years old, so I wouldn’t be upset if the Kings manage to bring him back on a two or three year deal this offseason.
Is it already over for Carter?
I think I’m officially ready to say that I am out on Devin Carter, and if I had to guess, I’d say the Kings probably are too as he’s barely played in the last two games. Carter was drafted to be one of those “NBA-ready guys” and yet he still looks so raw, especially on offense. He’s shooting just 37.1% from the field, often looks hesitant to shoot and can’t buy a three pointer (15.5%). He does put effort on the defensive end, but he’s not good enough on that side of the ball to make up for how bad he has been on the other end. Carter is going to be 24 before the season is over, and he hasn’t showed enough that it even seems worth it for the Kings to keep throwing him out there. Killian Hayes is basically the same age and has shown more in the NBA than Carter has at this point, and Hayes isn’t even good. At this point I highly doubt the Kings are going to pick up Carter’s option for a fourth year. Maybe he just needs greener pastures, and I hope he can turn it around somewhere but I don’t think it’s going to be in Sacramento.
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Upcoming Schedule
- Tuesday, March 10th vs. Indiana Pacers
- Wednesday, March 11th vs. Charlotte Hornets
- Saturday, March 14th at Los Angeles Clippers
- Sunday, March 15th vs. Utah Jazz
BattleTankI’m predicting Kangz will finish with the 3rd to 5th worst record and fumble the tank job. They really need to be top 3 worst and worst record would actually be a big win for them.
Carter is so atrocious, what a joke of a pick, absolute bust. I’m not one in the camp of pining for Monte, he did a solid job, with only one good year of moves in the beginning.
Things can really start changing with some pure tanking and a series of good moves, it can shift everything. I don’t have any faith in this organization but I still believe the basketball Gods will help the Kings out at some point and they will at least be a playoff team again.
I choose to stay with the team, too much pain invested. I doubt I’ll ever give up hope of another good Kings team and hopefully one without Vivek.
This. I can’t ever quit the Kings unless they leave Sac. With all the misery over the years actual sustained success (if/when it comes) will taste so sweet.
The basketball gods are Lakers fans and cruel. They just gave us a year of the Beam Team to toy with us.
Best to become a bball atheist.
I for one encourage Russ to make a stand and refuse to re-sign with the team for next season because of the terrible way our local media has treated him!
As for Russ – I believe I saw reports that he got some very nasty and inappropriate messaging on his partner’s phone about him and his play. It had him very rankled and understandably so. It got personal and it got too close to home and family. I think that is why he is perturbed/unhappy. Some people write stuff and some people read that stuff and that can, and sometimes has, resulted in very bad, and dangerous behavior.
That was some disturbed fan who contacted his wife. That’s fucked up and has no business being excused. I’d hope authorities got involved.
Attacking members of the media for your on the court play after being the starting PG on the worst team in the league, however, isn’t going to get you any sympathy.
Sports betting apps are not good for any of the leagues or the players.
100% this.
The one thing I agree with what he said is that neither we nor, it appears, the local media, are at the practices and, of course, not the game film sessions. As a result, many of the players we think aren’t getting a fair shot may be terrible in practice and simply don’t understand the game in the NBA. Devon Carter seems to fit this and maybe Keon did to a degree. We’ll never know the full details, but I’m sure the playing time is handed out to guys who fit whatever system is being hammered into them. On the other hand, I can’t believe the system being developed is for late-career vets to be pounding the ball for 20 seconds of the shot clock and putting up a one-legged three, either.
I don’t think that’s why Russ was upset with the media. I believe it was because Matt George said that Russ was taking shots and opportunities away from young kids because he wanted his stats. Which is a silly thing to say.
And Russ is way too sensitive
It would be so Kangz to bring back any free agent next season after the team just put up one of the worst ever (if not the worst) in Sac Kings history.
No one should be re-signed from this roster this summer, and that includes Precious. For one, the Kings simply can’t afford him and don’t own any Bird Rights. He’d have to return on a vet minimum deal (he won’t) and the same goes for Russ.
It’s a bummer neither of those two could have been moved at the deadline.
Precious is playing for his next contract and Russ for his NBA survival. Both are going to give 100% every night (as they should) and it’s potentially going to offend the lottery gods.
well, it’s official. Unanimously, our group of STH have all decided to forego renewal for next season. I don’t believe we will be the only ones to make this decision.
Sorry to hear. I took me a while to give up my season tickets a few years back…but it was the right choice.
Hit them where it hurts.
It’s really the only sane choice with all the open seats and cheaper tix on the secondary market and/or for a single game and the team upping season ticket prices after this shitshow.
For discussion sake, does Maxime make the first team All-NBA Rookie squad?
Those ahead of him:
Flagg, Kon, VJ, Queen, and then…..Harper? Baily? Coward?
Maxime should be a lock for 2nd team.
And that other rookie that Perry gave up an unprotected first for? Yeah…he’s not making it.
Should make the 2nd team, but I thought he should have made the rising stars game so I wouldn’t wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t. Don’t think there’s any chance he makes first team. Too many of the voters shouldn’t have votes.
Zaccharie Risacher, Carter Bryant, and Yang Hansen made the Rising Stars, so I don’t think that holds much weight. That’s just the NBA showcasing.
I would think the end of the season awards are different, at least I hope.
1st team locks: Flagg, Kon, Harper, VJ & Queen. I don’t see Max getting picked above any of those.
Other rookies on the rising stars initial selection: Coward, Demin, Fears, Tre Johnson & Murray-Boyles
Add Ace Bailey & Hugo
He could move in here, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t.
Man, I just typed up a long response then deleted it because none of it matters.
Maxime moves very well off-ball.
Russ seemed like the smart one in the room, but if you listen to (((((shudder))))) Matt George on that new ((((((shudder))))) show, that’s not really saying much.
My vibes say that Maxime has the intelligence, work ethic, and size to stick in the league, but he lacks the game and pure talent to be a major impact on a good team. Sort of a Dwight Powell/Kelly Olynyk kind of guy, with a heavy emphasis on the Dwight Powell lean.
Dudes like them last a decade or more in the league and are a great benefit to a deep team, but if you are starting them and giving them 30+ minutes a game, you’d better have some good college scouts for the next draft.
Kings playing in California against NBA favorited franchises and then when tanking has to compete with the garbage east. Sacramento has zero chance at ever having a winning franchise. ZERO.
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