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Cavaliers 117, Kings 103: This Defense is Offensive

The Kings allowed the Cavaliers to score 81 points in the first half and never recovered despite a late comeback attempt by the bench.
By | 117 Comments | Dec 11, 2021

Dec 11, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) fouls Sacramento Kings forward Marvin Bagley III (35) during the first quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

The Sacramento Kings lost for the second night in a row, this time to the Cleveland Cavaliers after allowing a season-high 81 points in the first half.

Defense was a known weakness for this Kings squad coming into this season, after posting the second-worst defensive rating in NBA history last year.  They’re offseason priorities were ostensibly to shore that up, but more than a quarter of the way through the season, the same issues keep on happening.

The Cavaliers are a good, young team, but even the best teams shouldn’t be able to put up 81 points in a single half.  Cleveland faced little resistance in the first two periods, putting up 36 points in the first quarter and following it up with 45 in the second to take a 29 point lead into halftime.

The Kings responded with a 10-0 run out of the break, but the Cavs were able to extend the lead back to 26 after Darius Garland found Evan Mobley for an alley-oop with 4:13 left.  Kings head coach Alvin Gentry responded by subbing out all five of his starters and bringing in a lineup of Davion Mitchell, Buddy Hield, Terence Davis, Chimezie Metu and Damian Jones.

That lineup played nearly the entire rest of the way, and for good reason.  They played hard on both ends of the court and actually managed to claw the Kings back into the game.  Mitchell put the clamps on Garland and perhaps the biggest surprise was Damian Jones, who seems to only ever be used in “Break glass in case of blowouts” but always plays hard when called upon.  Jones did well against Jarrett Allen, and his size and athleticism showed out on both ends.  With 6 minutes to go in the final quarter, Davis found Jones for a sweet dunk that was also an and-one opportunity (Jones made his Free Throw) to cut what had been a 29 point lead to just 7 with plenty of time to go.

Unfortunately for the Kings, their offense started to sputter after this point, and they weren’t really able to close the lead any further.  The Kings nearly got a stop with 2:28 left with the chance to cut the lead to 6, but weren’t able to get their hands on the rebound and the ball went to Ricky Rubio, who hit a big three-pointer to extend the lead to 11.  On the other end, Mitchell lost the ball dribbling around Allen and Rubio and the Cavaliers made their free throws to make it a 13 point game.  On the other end, Metu was able to get a good seal on his defender and catch an alley-oop pass from Jones in the high post, but Ricky Rubio served up the dagger immediately after, drilling a top of the key three to make it a 14 point game with just over a minute to go.

Who knows how this game might have gone had the Kings been putting up that effort the entire game, but we’ve seen this story many times before.  This team needs its best players to step up on BOTH ends of the court, or else we will continue to see opposing teams put up records and season-highs and the losses will continue to pile up.

The Kings have just one more game on this road trip as they’ll head to Toronto on Monday before returning home.

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Inthestarz
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December 11, 2021 7:45 pm

Priorities for Fox’s low motor atrocious defense, that isnt going to get better at PG

1.Move him for value
2.If no value exists, stop playing him at the point of attack, please. He needs to be hid. Go small with two other guards and have him on the worst offensive player. Ultimately, he is going to need to bulk up and be able to play as far off the ball as possible. But he cant/wont and doesn’t have the motor, to check PGs

RikSmits
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December 12, 2021 12:51 am
Reply to  Inthestarz

I defended Fox smiling after the two missed FT’s, but you would have expected him (and the rest of the starters) to come out with a vengeance and a sustained defensive effort to erase such an embarassing loss against an injury-ravaged team.

Well, that obviously didn’t happen. This tells me a lot more than him smiling, scowling or crying after the missed FT’s.

Action speaks louder than facial expressions.

Daydreamer
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December 12, 2021 10:11 am
Reply to  RikSmits

i tuned it out near the end of the first half and tuned it back in after the substitutions. I was thrilled by what I saw. To a large extent—not entirely—defense is a matter of will and commitment. I never saw that from the starters. The subs had it, obviously Davion, but also Buddy who, with all his limits, was fierce. Lesson: ALL players should be on a short leash. Limit starter playing time. Expect every player to play hard when they are on the court—no exceptions!

Roaddog
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December 12, 2021 3:24 pm
Reply to  RikSmits

the action I noticed was the entire King’s bench all standing up supporting the backup players currently on the floor at the end of the 4th when they made it close. Except one player. Fox. He stayed in his seat.

KangzofLeon
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December 12, 2021 10:55 am
Reply to  Inthestarz

I have defended fox forever, but I’ve also finally reached my limit with him. What I want to know is, is it lack of defensive effort, or bad fundamentals or both??
Because when davion guarded Garland, it was magical to watch

Last edited 2 years ago by KangzofLeon
Inthestarz
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December 12, 2021 11:59 am
Reply to  KangzofLeon

Lack of motor

Which is innate, just like strength is.

It causes him to have slow reaction and bad intensity, which you cant have on the ball

If he was guarding the team’s worst offensive PG/SG/SF with other guards in the game, you wouldnt have as much of a problem

Fox has done well on bigger players like Doncic and George surprisingly, his small frame on bigger players is less burdensome than his lack of motor on smaller players

Amonk81
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December 12, 2021 12:11 pm
Reply to  KangzofLeon

Fox has a lack of focus and effort issue. Always has. Not sure that can change. Not to mention he can’t shoot.

Fox is not turning into a badass amd this team is not a championship contender. Just fucking blow it up.

Vivek/Marina=morons

kings4ever
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December 13, 2021 6:49 am
Reply to  Inthestarz

Thank you! Ive been saying this since before the season began. I wanted Davion starting and checking the likes of Garland. Look what Davion did to Garland in the 4th, chewing him up and spitting him out, these coaches dont think that might be helpful in the 1st quarter?!

The complexion of the game could be and would be completely altered with Davion assigned to the best point of attack defender. It is one of the easiest assessments to make which is why I made it.

Fox stature and defensive profile makes him better suited to guard SGs. I think there is an effort issue there, and sometimes he does not respect the opponent as much as he should, but fundamentally he has easier time with guys his size or slightly bigger.

Davion has also worked out the kinks so to speak on offense, his juke moves are working, and the mid range game is bearing fruit. Then he gets that stop and pop going he gets his confidence up to drain the three. Davion has a nice offensive repertiore, very nice!

I understand not starting him from Day One, but he has learned so much in the first 25 games, he’s ready to be promoted!

It is a JOKE to elevate Marvin to starting role before Davion, regardless of circumstances, so undeserved and so ridiculous. My opinion of the new coach is in precipitous decline. When has starting Marvin ever been a good idea? When has it ever worked?

The pretend pundits were doing back flips over Marvin recent performance. Lets just step back for a second and look at it objectively.

When Marvin was expericing his revival, did he make weak side defensive plays, did he drop dimes, find cutters, cause deflections, play the passing lanes, go to work in the post with footwork and touch and craftiness? No, no, no and no!

Part of Marvin “resurrection”, a big part, wa making the corner 3. I always say that when you break down a player, any player, you want to exclude the shooting to signicifant degree. You want to look at the quality of shots but not the accuracy, since makes and misses come and go.

So what are you left with? Marvin had a few good rebounds, better timing, and maybe did a better job keeping his man in front of him. Yawn! And he made the corner 3s, which he has missed lately, which is to expected with the nature of shooting.

So his invisibility and ineffectiveness vs the Cavs was anticipatory just like I would expect more of the same vs TOR. How do I put this succinctly? Marvin Bagley is not very good at basketball!

****

McGenius needs to have deals lined up and ready to go at 12:01 AM on the 15th for Marvin and Buddy Yield. Boom and boom! Get em at outta here!

I heard on Deuce and Mo we may be invoved in a three team trade with PHI and ATL to send Buddy to PHI and obtain Matisse Thybulle with Simmons to ATL. Yes! Let’s go! Maybe PHI is targeting John Collins, that would be nice haul for them!

I do not want to see Buddy Yield or Marvin last out this month on the roster. Waiting to the trade deadline is too late.

Get Alex Len outta here too, he sucks! Damion Jones is the better player, the faster twitch athlete. If Old Man Gentry keeps playing Len over Jones, he needs to submit to cognitive testing examination, all the brain cells may not be firing properly!

Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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December 13, 2021 7:44 am
Reply to  kings4ever

I’d like to hear more about hat 3 team trade with ATL and Philly. I’m guessing Philly would want a lot more than Buddy and Collins, but keep in mind, ATL cannot trade Collins until mid-January.

One trade that does work is Simmons to ATL, Buddy, Reddish, and Hunter to Philly and Thybulle and Gallo to the Kings. I’m 100% sure that Philly would also want picks. Would a protected first from the Kings and a free and clear first from ATL get it done? Basically is Buddy, Reddish, Hunter and two picks enough for Simmons in Morey’s eyes.

By the way, that trade could happen today. No need to wait until the 15th.

Last edited 2 years ago by Adamsite
kings4ever
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December 13, 2021 8:01 am
Reply to  Adamsite

There were not specifics on the details of the trade other than Simmons to ATL, Thybulle to SAC, and Buddy to ATL. Your trade is good as guess as any, and consistent with the possible scenarios that I ran, namely, we would have to take back Gallo to make the numbers work.

kings4ever
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December 13, 2021 8:03 am
Reply to  kings4ever

Oops I mean Buddy to PHI

Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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December 13, 2021 8:17 am
Reply to  kings4ever

I could see Morey having even more up his sleeve and basically making it a 4 team deal by flipping Buddy and the 2 picks to PDX for McCollum. I’d say McCollum, Hunter, and Reddish is a nice return for Simmons.

kings4ever
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December 13, 2021 8:56 am
Reply to  Adamsite

POR wil need to find a 5th team for Buddy. Uh-oh, no takers, deal off!

RandyBreuersNeckHair
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December 11, 2021 7:55 pm

Fox for Simmons, please.

murraytant
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December 11, 2021 8:10 pm

I have been totally against that but after last night and tonight, I would go for it. Mitchell has stopped dribbling too much and too much back and forth – so one of his flaws is self correcting. With the improvement of TD, Kings have 4 guards. So don’t trade Buddy too. Fox + Bagley for Simmonds.
Morey working on Portland but Lillard is not part of any trade. Pacers want in as well. Simmonds could play the 4 spot.
Fox has no fire. You can be “fire-less” on a good to great team but not one that needs every ounce of energy (see tonight’s second half)

TheGrantNapear
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December 11, 2021 8:29 pm
Reply to  murraytant

I don’t know who Simmonds is, but he’s got to be better than Fox.

rockbottom
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December 11, 2021 8:30 pm
Reply to  murraytant

Philly does not need Fox as Maxey is younger, cheaper and much tougher !

Rosevillain
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December 12, 2021 11:25 am
Reply to  rockbottom

Philly does need another ball-handling guard, though, and there aren’t great offers coming in for Simmons.

oshima9
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December 11, 2021 8:58 pm

Probably a good time to buy Apple stock, too.

A fair number of us pushed to trade Fox for Simmons during the preseason. It’s a little late now.

Hamlet1989
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December 12, 2021 7:06 am

Not with the Hate

BeTheBall
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December 11, 2021 8:05 pm

Trade season starts in just a few days, and this roster needs some serious churn.

Amonk81
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December 12, 2021 12:13 pm
Reply to  BeTheBall

Probably gonna be same old shit. No trades. They really think they have what they need.

TerzoM
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December 11, 2021 8:12 pm

Trade the popcorn leader + most starters

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rockbottom
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December 11, 2021 8:27 pm

Fox is at the very least very over paid and hyped ! Doubt he will ever be worth his max contract and why most teams will not be open to trade what the Kings need !

BeTheBall
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December 11, 2021 8:32 pm
Reply to  rockbottom

If he can’t hit FTs and shoot 3’s at a 35% clip, he’ll never come close to being a max player. It’s like if you took John Wall, made him a worse defender and playmaker.

kings4ever
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December 13, 2021 8:45 am
Reply to  BeTheBall

Fox has made 49 out of last 60 FTs, a decent sample size, for 82%.

Of course, two of the misses came at the worst possible time, in a quarter he had 14 points and 3 steals on 5-7 FGs, thereby, putting him and his team in position to win the game in the first place.

The critics like to leave out this little factoid, he never would have been at the free throw line to win the game if he did not takeover the 4th quarter in the first place.

I am not offering it up as an excuse, but a point of fact Fox likely had a mild case of PTSD, disbelief and numbness and other inhibiting emotion over what occurred, having made 8 FTs in a row, playing a marvelous game with two freebies to win the game and choke it all away, then have to play again in 24 hours.

Do you think that does not mess with your head a little, to let go and move on can be a challenge, regardless of how mentally strong you may try to be?

So when said player is not firing on all cylinders 24 hours later, I cannot fault him with as much venom and repudiation as others.

Fox easily surpassed Wall scoring effeciency relative to their first few years in the league. In his three seasons after his rookie year, Fox was 54% 56% 56% TS%. He is in the process of getting back to 56% TS% plus, after being as low as 40% TS% 10 games in.

In three seasons after his rookie year, Wall was 50% 52% 52% TS. Wall is 51.7% TS% for his whole career. Even with Fox struggles, he is at 52.3% TS%.

Fox is on his way to 56% TS%. He has been close to 60% TS% for a few weeks, about the time he got his physique and conditioning where it needed to be.

TheGrantNapear
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December 11, 2021 8:29 pm

Blow it up Monte. Still time to embrace the tank.

Amonk81
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December 12, 2021 12:14 pm
Reply to  TheGrantNapear

Exactly. But owner and Co are morons. They think they are a tweak away from a championship

TheGrantNapear
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December 11, 2021 8:30 pm

Fox = Cousins 2.0

BeTheBall
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December 11, 2021 8:33 pm
Reply to  TheGrantNapear

At least Cousins was an all-star, though.

Roaddog
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December 12, 2021 3:27 pm
Reply to  BeTheBall

Would Fox being named an All-Star change a single damn thing? I don’t think so.

AnybodyButBagley
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December 12, 2021 8:25 pm
Reply to  BeTheBall

Also notorious for being a shit bag as a team mate

KangzofLeon
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December 12, 2021 10:57 am
Reply to  TheGrantNapear

Yeah that’s really not a good comparison. Boogie had fire and superstar skills
Maybe too much fire

Last edited 2 years ago by KangzofLeon
Marty
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December 11, 2021 8:43 pm

The loss isn’t enough, bring on the dysfunction! Locker room fight, angry twitter parent, coaches not speaking to each other, I need that shit!

Kosta
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December 11, 2021 9:06 pm

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ZillersCat
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December 12, 2021 7:02 am
Reply to  Kosta

Kings Fans ..
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Rosevillain
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December 11, 2021 9:25 pm

For someone whose priority in life is to be adored like a celebrity, Vivek can’t possibly be enjoying this, can he?

RPO
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RPO
December 11, 2021 10:02 pm
Reply to  Rosevillain

I don’t think he gives a shit anymore, if he ever did. As long as he’s making money, I don’t think he cares about the product on the court.

Amonk81
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December 12, 2021 12:16 pm
Reply to  RPO

Agree. I don’t think he ever cared about anything but $ amd his ego.

Hell, he pushed away and went against Jerry West help. Like Vivek knows anything.

Rosevillain
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December 12, 2021 1:25 pm
Reply to  RPO

Then why does he seemingly meddle in every player personnel decision? Knowing what we know about him, I can’t imagine he enjoys being mocked as the worst owner in professional sports for nearly a decade.

Gregoryl
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December 13, 2021 10:42 am
Reply to  Rosevillain

I think he’s one of those geniuses who is a genius at 1 or 2 things, and has convinced himself that makes him a genius at everything.

LALakerHater
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December 11, 2021 9:34 pm

Burn it to the ground.

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SexyNapear
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December 11, 2021 9:43 pm

If Fox just knocks down two free throws last night, Kings are are forgiven for losing second of back to back. And the fans still think they have a chance at some shit ass play in game.

But what really gets me is that Csvs are another team that did a quick rebuild after LeBron left and now they are light years ahead of Kings.

Last edited 2 years ago by SexyNapear
Kosta
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December 11, 2021 10:07 pm
Reply to  SexyNapear

Exactly. They Kings ownership needs to understand that it doesn’t take close to a decade (or more) to build a competitive team.

Right after LeBron left them in 2018-19, the Cavs dropped significantly and had a record of 19-63.

4 seasons later and they are on their way back to the playoffs and are on the rise.

We aren’t Basketball Hell, we’re Basketball Purgatory–hovering just around the Play-in, too high in the standings to get a high draft pick and too low to make the playoffs.
comment image

BeTheBall
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December 11, 2021 10:49 pm
Reply to  Kosta

That’s what happens when the fans’ mantra is “we’re just happy to have a team at all”. It’s cringe worthy.

Gregoryl
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December 12, 2021 11:52 am
Reply to  BeTheBall

This is vivek’s doing, not the fans.

Amonk81
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December 12, 2021 12:19 pm
Reply to  Gregoryl

Vivek is a piece of shit and fans could be more aggressive. Express our anger. Not show up to games. Billboard etc.

Roaddog
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December 12, 2021 3:31 pm
Reply to  Amonk81

I have been aggressively not showing up to games for awhile now. it’s not done the trick yet

Amonk81
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December 13, 2021 10:43 am
Reply to  Roaddog

Ha. Good. Need everyone/more to stop going maybe to make a dent.

Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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December 12, 2021 8:41 am
Reply to  SexyNapear

Every other team in the league has gone from competitive, to rebuild, and back to competitive. EVERY OTHER TEAM.

RPO
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December 11, 2021 10:04 pm

I still can’t fathom that this tank is unintentional, but it is.

RikSmits
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December 11, 2021 10:17 pm
Reply to  RPO

It’s not a full tank, though. It’s a humvee, neither here nor there.

1951
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December 12, 2021 7:44 am
Reply to  RikSmits

It guzzles a lot of gas though, just like our “core.”

krswin
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December 12, 2021 9:30 am
Reply to  RikSmits

More like a Bradley.

Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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December 12, 2021 8:44 am
Reply to  RPO

It’s not a tank. There are still a good 6-7 teams that are far worse than the Kings

BabalooMagoo
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December 12, 2021 10:27 am
Reply to  Adamsite

At this rate, not for long.

catterj
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December 12, 2021 10:46 am
Reply to  RPO

A tank has to be intentional or it’s not a tank. Part of the definition.

Milkman
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December 11, 2021 10:51 pm

DJ Steward

1951
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December 11, 2021 11:06 pm

Cleveland is a really fun team. They broke it all down and are building something interesting.

It’s remarkable how teams are able to do this while the Kings just spin their bald ass tires in the mud.

Last edited 2 years ago by 1951
Kingsguru21
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December 12, 2021 7:59 am
Reply to  1951

They broke what down? LeBron left. The organization didn’t rebuild because they had a choice, they rebuilt because that was the only thing they could do.

1951
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December 12, 2021 8:35 am
Reply to  Kingsguru21

In two years they traded away Kyrie Irving (for a pick that became Sexton), traded away Dwyane Wade, Fry, IT, Jae Crowder, and Derrick Rose, among others.

They bottomed out after Bron left and could have cobbled together chases for the 8th spot but didn’t.

Last edited 2 years ago by 1951
Adamsite
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December 12, 2021 8:48 am
Reply to  1951

They also have a fairly clean cap sheet with Markannan and Allen on good deals. They’ll likely move Love, who’s actually playing quite well for them off the bench, or simply let him expire next year.

Kingsguru21
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December 12, 2021 11:13 am
Reply to  1951

In two years they traded away Kylie Irving (for a pick that became Sexton), traded away Duane Wade, Fry, IT, Jae Crowder, and Derrick Rose, among others.

You do know some of those things happened with LeBron James on the roster, right? Like Isaiah Thomas was traded when LeBron was still in Cleveland. Dwyane Wade was traded before LeBron left, too. He was already finishing up in Miami at that point by the time LeBron had left for the Lakers.

They bottomed out after Bron left and could have cobbled together chases for the 8th spot but didn’t.

I don’t know about that. That roster the year LeBron left had over 20 guys get minutes on it. The only guys to play 2000 minutes were Collin Sexton, Cedi Osman and Jordan Clarkson.

Frankly, I think you’re just talking shit and envious of the Cavs and their young talent. I get enjoying the young talent, but if that’s the case why not just follow the Cavs then? Watch as many as games as you can?

JoeEnzyme
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December 12, 2021 11:21 am
Reply to  Kingsguru21

I don’t need to follow a different team just because they are doing it correctly. I just want the Kangz to do something strategically useful for a change. McNair appears to be trying to avoid Divac level blunders by sitting on his hands.

Kingsguru21
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December 12, 2021 11:31 am
Reply to  JoeEnzyme

What moves is Monte McNair supposed to make? I’m just curious what moves he’s not doing at this point. I keep seeing this.

RikSmits
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December 12, 2021 11:43 am
Reply to  Kingsguru21

Blow it up. Totally.
He’s too worried about the return for players of a 34 win team. The return won’t be great, but we need to rebuild this from the studs.

Kingsguru21
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December 12, 2021 11:44 am
Reply to  RikSmits

Fine. Blow it up. Show me the steps of this. Please. Can’t be that hard if so many people keep stating it should be the path to go.

RikSmits
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December 12, 2021 11:46 am
Reply to  Kingsguru21

What is your alternative?

Claiming that this team is a .500 team?
Show me the steps of THAT.

Kingsguru21
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December 12, 2021 11:48 am
Reply to  RikSmits

Nope. Show me how you are going to blow it up. Step by step. Show me. Don’t tell me you want it, don’t keep saying it over and over, SHOW ME HOW YOU’RE GOING TO BLOW THIS FUCKING THING UP.

Make it worthwhile for me as a fan. Show me. Show me. Show me. You know, show me?

RikSmits
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December 12, 2021 11:51 am
Reply to  Kingsguru21

Have a great Sunday.

Kingsguru21
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December 12, 2021 11:51 am
Reply to  RikSmits

That’s what I thought. Have a good Sunday as well.

Gregoryl
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December 12, 2021 11:57 am
Reply to  Kingsguru21

Its not our job to tell a team how to blow it up.

RobHessing
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December 12, 2021 11:57 am
Reply to  Kingsguru21

So it is up to Kings fans to chart a path? Crowdsource!!! How about we start comparing this organization to the 29 other NBA organizations? Based on the results, how do you see this team?

The current permutation of front office has had two off seasons, two drafts, and a trade deadline. By either design or happenstance, this front office wound up walking it back this year with the same core and same head coach. And here we are.

As a fan of this team, it is not our job to solve the problem, but it is well within our right to applaud or be critical of the result. And this front office has given its fan base very little to applaud about.

Results. It’s what’s for breakfast.

Kingsguru21
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December 12, 2021 6:11 pm
Reply to  RobHessing

So it is up to Kings fans to chart a path? Crowdsource!!! How about we start comparing this organization to the 29 other NBA organizations? Based on the results, how do you see this team?

A mediocre team that’s underperforming.

The current permutation of front office has had two off seasons, two drafts, and a trade deadline. By either design or happenstance, this front office wound up walking it back this year with the same core and same head coach. And here we are.

Right. But I mean, isn’t using this criteria creating an expectation of failure? Isn’t the goal, if you were running things, to set up someone you hired to succeed? That formula and criteria doesn’t strike me as such.

Certainly I don’t think anyone hired to sit in the top chair of the Kings FO is in a position of control and that’s the biggest issue. I don’t care what Monte McNair says publicly, of course he’s not going to say anything that undermines ownership on the record.

As a fan of this team, it is not our job to solve the problem, but it is well within our right to applaud or be critical of the result. And this front office has given its fan base very little to applaud about.

This I agree with. Trash the results all you want. That’s your right. And it’s up to the team, not you or I, to change the narrative.

But what I think it matters is a reasonable and fair criterion much of which I almost never see here. That was the point. That’s why I asked for a breakdown of a rebuild. Show me how it’s done since it’s so easy to do. And not a single person has yet to do so. Which is incredibly revealing.

RobHessing
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December 12, 2021 7:11 pm
Reply to  Kingsguru21

How is it revealing that a bunch of fans are not NBA GMs? Fans that are not privy to what goes on behind closed doors, including what was offered for Barnes, Hield or Holmes at the deadline, or who made the call to retain Walton?

It’s not hard to draw a line to the Kings flushing the roster at the deadline last year and winding up with the pick that Toronto used on Scottie Barnes. Give me Barnes, whatever assets would have come back for Barnes, Hield & Holmes and a new HC. The team would likely be bottom five bad this year, increasing the odds for another prime draft pick.

There are four teams that came into this season with zero eyes on the playoffs or even the play-in: Hou, OKC, Det & Orl. The Kings, meanwhile, made no bones about their opinion that they were a playoff caliber team. And as a result, the Kings are on a very short list of the worst non-tanking teams in the league.

The organization chose a direction. Right now it looks like a very bad decision. And I don’t really give a flying fuck about how hard the job is, Monte McNair interviewed for and accepted the job, and he has been here long enough and made enough decisions to be held accountable for the results.

Gregoryl
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December 13, 2021 9:51 am
Reply to  RobHessing

Thanks Rob. I cant believe this is actually a conversation that is happening.

RikSmits
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December 12, 2021 11:51 pm
Reply to  Kingsguru21

I am going to try and respond even though I suspect you are not really interested in my answer. I wrote all this stuff before.

And Rob wrote it probably better than me.

Unlike you I don’t feel like this is is a mediocre team that is underperforming. I think that this is a mediocre team that is playing at or near its ceiling. The last seasons under different coaches have shown that, and there is little indicatuion that this season is any different. If there is, I ask you again to explain why you think that is.

But this is of course an important part of my premise; the team as currently construed is not bringing us anywhere. So you need to stop acting as if a bit of tinkering will suddenly create a shift in the paradigm.

You need a change of plan, or more accurately, you need an actual plan.

Set clear goals, prepare a detailed and comprehensive mid-term and long-term strategy with well-defined short- mid- and longterm goals and KPI’s and based on certain principles and a clear vision. AND ACCOUNTABILITY!

This organization has been all about short-term thinking and reactionary moves. There are no identifiable goals, there is no recognizable strategy. There is no clear offensive philosophy, defensive identity, nothing. They zigged, zagged and zigged again, each time tripping over themselves.

You build a plan, and you identify what kind of coach and players you need to execute that plan. You create extansive psychological profiles of what you want and need in players. And you stick with the plan for as long as you think it takes to reach the identified goals, or you make a change if KPI’s are not reached for a certain period of time.

You have to be, for a large part, analytical and methodical in your approach. You also need a certain amount of flexibility, because certain factors can influence a plan (like the new defensive rule changes), but even then you amend the plan methodically.

You sell all the players that don’t fit the plan (most of them) and accept that the return on those players likely won’t be great. Not strange, because they are not performing on par with the contracts you handed out (that includes Monte’s signing of Fox). Regarding the players that will give a better return (Haliburton, Holmes), you have to identify if they fit your plan and psycholocal profile or not.

Aside from the assets you acquire, you create a situation where for two seasons you have the added value of a high draft pick and the time to shape your team’s identity on the court, create accountability and build your vision without having to worry about wins. YOU BUILD YOUR FOUNDATION and get draft picks in the process.

Of course it requires a decent plan, patiemce, good talent evaluation and some luck, as does everything in the NBA. Can players get hurt (Zion) or can building around a player fail (Blazers) etc.? Yes, it can. But it also can work.

One thing I know for sure; not having a plan and throwing shit against the wall demands a tremendous amount of luck and usually doesn’t work.

Falconsfury
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December 13, 2021 6:08 am
Reply to  RikSmits

Sheeple of Sacramento. This is the plan

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Kosta
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December 13, 2021 7:56 am
Reply to  RikSmits

…not having a plan and throwing shit against the wall…

…brings us to where this franchise is at, 8 years into Vivek’s tenure.

Kingsguru21
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December 15, 2021 1:45 pm
Reply to  RikSmits

I don’t have an issue with anything you said here.

I am going to try and respond even though I suspect you are not really interested in my answer. I wrote all this stuff before.

Sure, I’ve read all this kind of stuff before. And while you really didn’t answer my question, I didn’t expect you would (or really could– there’s so much information none of us have access to).

I think the right path is allowing your basketball people in charge to run things their way. If it’s not Monte McNair, fine, then it’s not him. But if you put a bunch of conditions on how to run the team, it’s not McNair’s team. It’s a mish mash hodgepodge group of players playing for themselves.

They need to break this roster apart, IMO, but they need to keep Fox, Haliburton and MItchell. Keeping Holmes and getting quality backup minutes would be good, too.

You need a starter, preferably an All Star one, that pairs with De’Aaron Fox and forces team to defend you differently on the offensive end. Yes, there’s also more effort and fox’s (better known as giving a fuck about your job in the real world) given defensively, but the primary problem I see with this team is offensive. They just don’t really have a 5 man unit they can rely on consistently to get them points. There’s no identity offensively for an offensive team. Bit of a problem, yeah?

What this comes down to is difference of opinion on what the problems really are and what the path forward is. I’m not interested in a rebuild, and I’m not especially interested in watching this team being schizophrenic either.

Guess we’ll see where this team goes, but if it’s stay the course with this roster I don’t see that working. There’s too many chemistry issues or continuity issues (it’s something in that area) along with talent issues (Haliburton not playing as well as he can consistently, Barnes also).

We’re going to go round and round, I don’t see either of us changing each other minds. I do appreciate your thoughts though, you’re nothing if not passionate Dunkin’ Dutchman.

Rosevillain
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December 12, 2021 1:45 pm
Reply to  Kingsguru21

“Nope?” So what is your alternative? Show us. Show us. Show us. You know, show us?

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December 13, 2021 7:20 am
Reply to  Kingsguru21

comment image

Seriously though, I gave it a go. It’s a tad much to put as a comment in a recap post, so I made my own post at the seldom-used fan forum here at TKH. Here is a link to it.

Gregoryl
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December 13, 2021 9:52 am
Reply to  Kingsguru21

I am getting on an airplane this weekend. I want the pilot to not crash the plane. I’m not a pilot, so I can’t tell him how to fly a plane. It is his job to know how to fly the plane.

Gregoryl
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December 12, 2021 11:55 am
Reply to  Kingsguru21

Don’t make excuses for this ownership/FO. Many other teams have figured how to do a rebuild.

Last edited 2 years ago by Gregoryl
Amonk81
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December 12, 2021 12:30 pm
Reply to  Kingsguru21

I don’t understand how you cant see a path to blowup/rebuild.

Trade Buddy/Fox/Barnes/anyone but maybe young guys. Get a coach. There’s a billion ways.

Kingsguru21
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December 12, 2021 6:13 pm
Reply to  Amonk81

I don’t understand how you cant see a path to blowup/rebuild.

Trade Buddy/Fox/Barnes/anyone but maybe young guys. Get a coach. There’s a billion ways.

So explain how you do this? Do I expect every detail written down on a stormy Sunday night (in Sac anyway) in the middle of December 2021? No.

But surely you could come up with prescient and salient trades that push the franchise forward by moving on from De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield and Harrison Barnes. Can’t be that hard. After all, everyone is of the opinion it can be done.

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December 13, 2021 10:48 am
Reply to  Kingsguru21

Oh, got it. You are looking for names/exactly what the trades will be.

I can’t get you that. I don’t have time because I’m too busy being irritated at Vivek and his bench women-co conspirator in making sure the Kings are terrible.

1951
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December 13, 2021 7:55 am
Reply to  Kingsguru21

You do know some of those things happened with LeBron James on the roster, right?

Yes. Most of those happened at the February 2018 deadline, when the started breaking that team down.

Frankly, I think you’re just talking shit and envious of the Cavs and their young talent.

comment image

Kingsguru21
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December 13, 2021 8:27 am
Reply to  1951

But not the Kyrie IT swap. That happened in 2017, that’s how the Cavs got the 8th pick.

GFunkClassic
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December 12, 2021 12:01 am

I want to see more of Damian Jones. Nothing against Len. I like what Len brings. I just want to see Jones first. I just love the way he attacks the basket. Allen was doing whatever he wanted until Damian stepped in and provided some resistance

Kingsguru21
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December 12, 2021 8:05 am
Reply to  GFunkClassic

With you on this. I’ve been wondering why Damian Jones isn’t getting more burn.

Hobby916
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December 12, 2021 3:17 am

I still think the message needs to be sent to the starters by benching them and starting the backups.

krswin
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December 12, 2021 9:31 am
Reply to  Hobby916

This!!

Gregoryl
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December 12, 2021 11:59 am
Reply to  Hobby916

I had hopes this would happen with Gentry, but his moves so far don’t give me much hope.

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December 12, 2021 4:05 am

I just don’t see how and wonder why Bagley is still playing in front of Metu………

Metu played better defense, better instinct of basketball, higher BBIQ, can get some lobs….

If Gentry really want to improve the defense, first of all, don’t play Bagley or just let him come off the bench for 10-15 mins………

PG: Mitchell
SG: TD / Harkless
SF: Barnes
PF: Metu
C: Jones

Who cares about the offense from the above group, at least they play defense.

rockbottom
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December 12, 2021 6:17 am

Harkless is awful and total wasted minutes ! A power forward that rebounds like a point guard ! Waive him and play King !

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December 12, 2021 8:20 am
Reply to  rockbottom

I don’t mind seeing more Louis King….

but just no more Fox/Hield/Bagley………….they played awful defense…….

RikSmits
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December 12, 2021 6:57 am

Mad Max!
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DutchKingsFanInUK
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December 12, 2021 8:24 am
Reply to  RikSmits

The Kings could use a defender like Perez

Last edited 2 years ago by DutchKingsFanInUK
LesJepsen3pointer
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December 12, 2021 7:01 am

A proposed Monte McNair nickname sub-thread:

Monte McNoMoves
Monte McNothing
Monte McNada

LesJepsen3pointer
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December 12, 2021 7:02 am

Monte “Vlade Divac” McNair

RocklinRoll
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December 12, 2021 7:12 am

Now that’s harsh.
I think he may need to tank a draft or two before he earns that title, but he does seem to be heading in that direction. The difference being Vlade made head scratching moves, while Monte makes none at all.

rockbottom
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December 12, 2021 8:58 am

Closer to Monte “PDA” Mc Nair !

JackassCentral916
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December 12, 2021 12:19 pm

I really like Monte McNoMoves

Amonk81
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December 12, 2021 12:32 pm

Monte Mchandcuffs

Rosevillain
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December 12, 2021 1:47 pm

Monte McIntern

Roaddog
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December 12, 2021 3:39 pm

Monte McNoHair
Monte McDeckChair
Monte McNErr

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December 12, 2021 7:05 am

Congratulations to Cleveland for going with the triple towers when no-one else had the guts.

Hamlet1989
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December 12, 2021 7:15 am

Funny that Kings fans are acting this way when there’s actually a major winter storm coming in

alec26
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December 12, 2021 11:10 am

I watched about 5 minutes of last night’s game, the middle of the second quarter. When the Kings went down by 30 I turned off the game. Surprised the final score was less of a blowout than I expected.

Cleveland might have had an easier time of tanking. LeBron left and Irving wanted out, but they did just go to the NBA finals four years in a row and finally bring a major league championship to Cleveland. They could afford to take a few years off. The Kings have been chasing that elusive playoff spot and a winning record since 2006.

I thought Bagley was playing great most of this year but he seemed to fall asleep late in the fourth quarter against Charlotte. I don’t know what he did on Saturday, but defensively, I assume, not much. Fox needed to make at least one (or preferably both) of those two free throws on Friday. Basketball doesn’t have specialists like placekickers or relief pitchers. It’s up to Fox to kick the winning field goal.

Kingsguru21
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December 12, 2021 11:24 am

Man, such a horrific game last night. Especially the beginning of the 1st and the ending of the 2nd quarter.

There are so many things I wish to complain about last night. Matching up with Cleveland for starters. That was a horrific idea, and Alex Len was left on the court far too long. I would have much rather seen Bagley as a small ball C than the PF he played as. Damian Jones and Chimezie Metu needed more run, too. Why Alvin Gentry chose to do it that way, who knows? And maybe Jones and Metu just aren’t as good as they showed in the late 3rd/4th quarter either. It’s certainly a possibility. More doesn’t mean unlimited time, though.

De’Aaron Fox was horrific and Tyrese Haliburton was horrific, too. Harrison Barnes needs to leave his invisble man role and be the good Harrison Barnes he isn’t as often as anyone would like. Barnes was even more horrific than Fox or Haliburton. I’m not even going to lay blame on Len or Bagley, last night wasn’t simply on them.

The problem with this team is they aren’t great defensively, they are probably mediocre, but what really ails them is they have really bad flaws offensively which cost them defensively. Until the Damian Jones/Chimezie Metu effect happened, Cleveland was walking into the paint. Why? Poor halfcourt defense, and worse poor transition defense. Garland got most of his points against Fox and Haliburton, and early. Those guys cannot continue to allow the walk into the paint that they are currently doing. That is, you know, if the Kings wish to win, and if they wish.

I find it greatly amusing that anyone thinks that you can build around Tyrese Haliburton as a centerpiece. You would need at least two centerpieces, minimum, even if you kept Haliburton, Mitchell and Holmes. Which is not a criticism, but simply a reality. There isn’t enough top end talent in Sacramento to make things work. Another top end piece besides De’Aaron Fox is likely the only path moving forward.

I’d like to be wrong about Haliburton, but he strikes me as far more super sub role player than game changing star. There’s nothing wrong with that, and when Tyrese plays well he plays well. But he’s not changing the game for a lot of guys a lot of nights unfortunately.

Neither is Davion Mitchell although he deserves praise for the pride he showed in checking Darius Garland. Garland isn’t easy to cover, Mitchell got into Garland’s grill. That was something fun to watch.

What does this team need to do? It needs to snap out of it. It needs to run better offensive sets, but that’s not likely unless Tyrese Haliburton is your 3rd or possibly 4th option. Fox needs to have more space which was a problem last night as it’s so often been this season. Bagley and Hield need new teams even though either aren’t really the problem, they just aren’t part of the solution in Sacramento. Which is tough because you can’t really trade either for pennies on the dollar and that’s the only way teams will take either one in all likelihood right now. Unless, of course, you take draft picks in return along with those two.

Still think this is a 500 team despite optics and the way things often appear. But what they really need is another star caliber player to pair with Fox and preferably at the F spot to take pressure off Barnes, too.

It is what it is.

AnybodyButBagley
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December 12, 2021 8:38 pm
Reply to  Kingsguru21

With Walton and now Gentry the lineup is often a problem.

I wonder if in practice these lineups work and these players are the best options?

In games they roll over. Knowing that they are the starting rotation for the Kings is not exactly motivation to win. The organization openly seeks mediocrity. Just make a play in game….Bagley guaranteed a starting spot for three years….the list goes on.

The culture of this team is not built on competing or seeking greatness. The culture of this team is built on rewarding shit players and setting goals lower than any other team in the league.

Carl
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December 12, 2021 9:02 pm
Reply to  Kingsguru21

I’d like to be wrong about Haliburton, but he strikes me as far more super sub role player than game changing star. There’s nothing wrong with that, and when Tyrese plays well he plays well. But he’s not changing the game for a lot of guys a lot of nights unfortunately.

Neither is Davion Mitchell although he deserves praise for the pride he showed in checking Darius Garland. Garland isn’t easy to cover, Mitchell got into Garland’s grill. That was something fun to watch.

I’ve been thinking this for a while too. I don’t necessarily want to lose either player, but if Davion’s offense doesn’t improve, he’s a better Corey Joseph. Haliburton doesn’t really seem to have taken a step this season, which is disappointing. Neither of those outcomes is set, but I was hoping for more.

What does this team need to do? It needs to snap out of it.

The roster is the problem. Not the offense. Not the defense. Not the coaching. The roster is mismatched, ruderless and low talent. If there’s no star trade coming (there isn’t) and they’re not rebuilding (fat chance) then they need churn, where they’re winning more trades than they’re losing and upgrading players by moving them.

Still think this is a 500 team despite optics and the way things often appear.

We’re on the third full season of the same roster winning at 35 win pace (less so far this year). This is a .500 team in about 1% of all universes, and we’re definitely not in that timeline.

1951
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December 13, 2021 8:13 am
Reply to  Carl

but if Davion’s offense doesn’t improve

Small sample size alert, but in the month of December (5 games) Mitchell’s offensive stats are as follows:

.510 FG%
.471 3P% (on 3.4 shots per)
.871 FT%
3.6 dimes to 1.0 TOs per

outrider
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December 13, 2021 8:30 am
Reply to  Carl

I certainly agree that a lack of top end talent is the biggest issue for the team. That said, effort and talent aren’t mutually inclusive (not that you said they were). Defense is 90% effort imo and we’re simply not seeing that. Sure, if guys busted their asses on defense we’d still be a 35 win team, but I personally would rather watch a team play with pride and some measure of testicular fortitude and lose 98-87 than the garbage we’re watching now. I would be fully onboard with yanking anybody on this roster if they’re not putting forth the effort in general but especially on D and I’d also be onboard with making rotation changes along those lines. Just give me 5 guys who want to play hard every night and I’ll let the chips fall where they may.

As for McNair not “doing anything”, it takes another willing team to be able to do something. He can’t just call up the Pistons and tell them we’re trading them Bagley for Bey. Buddy was heading to LA before that deal blew up, through no fault of Monte, so he is clearly trying to make moves. Now, could it be that he’s overvaluing players and passed on some deals because he thought he wasn’t getting enough value in return? Entirely possible, which brings us to our next problem: we don’t know what phone calls he’s made or received about players/trades, so it’s tough to do a thorough evaluation while lacking so much info.

While somewhat of a cliche that the NBA is a results business, Monte is governed by that. I’m just hoping he has a Petrie like tenure and not a Pete/Vlade like tenure. So far, I don’t really have an issue with any of his moves or non moves to this point.

cloudyeyes
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December 12, 2021 10:39 pm

Coulda had Curry. Coulda had Luka. Coulda had Simmons. Fk this team.

Gregoryl
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December 13, 2021 10:00 am

Fun fact: Once again, the Kings are ranked by The Athletic as the worst team in the NBA that isn’t actively tanking. Literally, the worst position for a team to be in.

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