Latest Kings injury report:
Tyreke Evans, plantar fasciitis, day-to-day: Unless, of course, his brother Doc decides to hold him out, or, on the other hand, if Paul Westphal asks politely for him to sit out and gets an answer in the affirmative.
In a super-secret email circulating through the bowels of the team's super-secret war room and high-tea recreation room, team officials are allegedly baffled.
A Kings doctor was allegedly quoted as saying, "Hey, I only went to medical school, do you expect me to make a sound decision based on my education and prior knowledge? Tyreke's brother is named Doc. I trust him."
Owner Gavin Maloof allegedly said he doesn't understand all the hubbub over this fasciitis stuff. "We intend to rip of 10 or 20 straight wins and we need Tyreke on the court to make it happen. He can sit when we clinch a playoff berth."
General manager Geoff Petrie says the injury is minor. "It's not the pain," Petrie allegedly said. "He just plain sucks this year."
Monday, December 13, 2010
Saturday, December 11, 2010
A stench rises in Arco
There was a smell wafting through Arco Arena on Saturday night.
And I'm not talking about the exotic smell of spiced meat coming from Royal Shawarma on the concourse.
No, I'm talking about the smell of fear.
And the Miami Heat could sense it, laughing their way to an easy victory.
The Kings simply backed down.
Once LeBron James and Dwyane Wade took over, there was no fight. No hard fouls. Nothing but the smell of fear.
Only Omri Casspi played with heart. The rest of team put their collective tails between their legs and shuffled off into the foggy night with another disheartening loss.
They say a team reflects the personality of its coach. You wonder if Paul Westphal is a sulking, low-energy loser. Because that's what the Kings have become.
Fear wasn't the only smell.
More and more, DeMarcus Cousins carries the odor of a selfish, immature tool. When he was in the game, he fired up ill-advised shots and slump-shouldered his way through every possession. When he got benched, he could barely bring himself to his feet to join the huddle.
Cousins may have tremendous potential, but he's more ticking time bomb than future all-star at this point.
Look, beating a team like the Heat is a tall order, but it's not losing, it's the way you lose.
And unless something is done fast, fans are going to need to bring deodorizers to future games.
And now, just for fun, here are highlights from Saturday's game:
And I'm not talking about the exotic smell of spiced meat coming from Royal Shawarma on the concourse.
No, I'm talking about the smell of fear.
And the Miami Heat could sense it, laughing their way to an easy victory.
The Kings simply backed down.
Once LeBron James and Dwyane Wade took over, there was no fight. No hard fouls. Nothing but the smell of fear.
Only Omri Casspi played with heart. The rest of team put their collective tails between their legs and shuffled off into the foggy night with another disheartening loss.
They say a team reflects the personality of its coach. You wonder if Paul Westphal is a sulking, low-energy loser. Because that's what the Kings have become.
Fear wasn't the only smell.
More and more, DeMarcus Cousins carries the odor of a selfish, immature tool. When he was in the game, he fired up ill-advised shots and slump-shouldered his way through every possession. When he got benched, he could barely bring himself to his feet to join the huddle.
Cousins may have tremendous potential, but he's more ticking time bomb than future all-star at this point.
Look, beating a team like the Heat is a tall order, but it's not losing, it's the way you lose.
And unless something is done fast, fans are going to need to bring deodorizers to future games.
And now, just for fun, here are highlights from Saturday's game:
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Kings have a pulse
The Kings lost a two-point heartbreaker to the Mavericks, but we liked:
Pooh Jeter, who gave us a glimpse of how the ball might move if we had a real, honest-to-goodness, point guard.
DeMarcus Cousins, who was one or two baskets down the stretch from getting back into the talk about the NBA's top rookies.
Paul Westphal, who finally seemed to know what he was doing for most of game.
The fourth quarter, because it was the first one in four weeks worth watching.
Pooh Jeter, who gave us a glimpse of how the ball might move if we had a real, honest-to-goodness, point guard.
DeMarcus Cousins, who was one or two baskets down the stretch from getting back into the talk about the NBA's top rookies.
Paul Westphal, who finally seemed to know what he was doing for most of game.
The fourth quarter, because it was the first one in four weeks worth watching.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Grant Napear sucks up to the Maloofs again -- and it ain't pretty
KHTK broadcaster Grant Napear spent Wednesday's radio show blowing unicorn dust up the asses of Joe and Gavin Maloof.
Nothing new there, but this was truly pathetic.
Challenged by frustrated fans about the team's cost-cutting and inability to secure high-priced talent, Napear could have finally broken free from the company line and ripped the team's ownership.
Instead, he told his listeners that they should be patient because the Maloofs are waiting to see the new collective bargaining agreement before they begin to spend money.
This is a crock.
Look, if the Maloofs want to nickel and dime and put an inferior product on the floor, it's their business. But don't expect the fans to be patient.
And don't expect them to buy tickets, no matter how many promotional deals they might offer.
Right now, there is no way I expect this team to be here next year.
A deal for a new arena is stone-cold dead. Arco is a morgue. The coach is lost. And the team lacks talent, energy and any charisma.
Why would any business owner keep the team in town?
But Mr. Napear is fine with this. Deal with it, he tells fans. Wait to make your decision until after the new CBA is signed.
One caller asked Grant to name a team that has pinched pennies more than the Kings. Lots of them, he intoned. And then named the Utah Jazz.
Oh yeah, the Jazz. The team with the 7th highest payroll in the league. The team that had no problem trading for Al Jefferson, a player who is owed $13 million, $14 million and $15 million over the next three seasons.
Sounds like a perfect analogy to me.
Look, if the Maloofs want to fill seats and generate enthusiasm for a new arena, they have to SPEND MONEY NOW. That's the only way you sell product. Not by cheesy seat deals. Sure, spending money now hurts the bottom line, but it builds good will, gets fans back in the seats, and turns around the momentum.
Unless, of course, you are not interested in any of those things.
Which looks very much the case right now.
Mr. Napear needs to stop bowing to the Maloofs. He needs to stop bailing the buckets of water out of their sinking ship and start laying down the truth.
I'm not holding my breath.
Nothing new there, but this was truly pathetic.
Challenged by frustrated fans about the team's cost-cutting and inability to secure high-priced talent, Napear could have finally broken free from the company line and ripped the team's ownership.
Instead, he told his listeners that they should be patient because the Maloofs are waiting to see the new collective bargaining agreement before they begin to spend money.
This is a crock.
Look, if the Maloofs want to nickel and dime and put an inferior product on the floor, it's their business. But don't expect the fans to be patient.
And don't expect them to buy tickets, no matter how many promotional deals they might offer.
Right now, there is no way I expect this team to be here next year.
A deal for a new arena is stone-cold dead. Arco is a morgue. The coach is lost. And the team lacks talent, energy and any charisma.
Why would any business owner keep the team in town?
But Mr. Napear is fine with this. Deal with it, he tells fans. Wait to make your decision until after the new CBA is signed.
One caller asked Grant to name a team that has pinched pennies more than the Kings. Lots of them, he intoned. And then named the Utah Jazz.
Oh yeah, the Jazz. The team with the 7th highest payroll in the league. The team that had no problem trading for Al Jefferson, a player who is owed $13 million, $14 million and $15 million over the next three seasons.
Sounds like a perfect analogy to me.
Look, if the Maloofs want to fill seats and generate enthusiasm for a new arena, they have to SPEND MONEY NOW. That's the only way you sell product. Not by cheesy seat deals. Sure, spending money now hurts the bottom line, but it builds good will, gets fans back in the seats, and turns around the momentum.
Unless, of course, you are not interested in any of those things.
Which looks very much the case right now.
Mr. Napear needs to stop bowing to the Maloofs. He needs to stop bailing the buckets of water out of their sinking ship and start laying down the truth.
I'm not holding my breath.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
WikiLeaks reveals Top Secret Behind-the-Scenes memos from the Kings organization (including latest memo on DeMarcus)
Lost among the thousands and thousands of confidential State Department memos released by WikiLeaks on Sunday was a slew of memos from the upper echelon of the Sacramento Kings organization.
They are revealing and sometimes embarrassing, but we are doling them out as a public service.
Nov 1, 2010
Inter-office Memo
To: Paul Westphal
From: Geoff Petrie
Hi Paul. Just wondering when you might be inclined to install an offense. I was peaking in at practice the other day and saw a lot of the fellas standing around and snacking. Any chance you could brief me on the progress.
Nov. 2, 2010
Inter-office Memo
To: Geoff Petrie
From: Paul Westphal
Thanks for spying on us, Mr. Busy Body. That was our offense. It's complicated, though. We do a lot of decoy stuff and many of the players say they enjoy watching my main man Tyreke just do his thing. You don't want me to start messing with our Rookie of the Year, do you?
Nov. 10, 2010
Inter-office Memo
To: Grant Napear
From: Gavin and Joe Maloof
Grant, we want to make sure you have the game plan for the new season. DeMarcus Cousins needs to be positioned as the team stud. Forget about the his immaturity, lack of jumping ability, and complete indifference on defense. Go nuts every time he touches the ball. Every time. Do you understand? Feel free to mix in plenty of that catchphrase of yours, "If you don't like DeMarcus Cousins, you're an inbred hillbilly" -- or whatever it is. We don't listen to you that much.
Nov. 16, 2010
Inter-office Memo
To: Gavin and Joe Maloof
From: Geoff Petrie
Hi boys. Just wanted to update you on our coach. I'm not so sure we made the right call on this guy. He seems to lack a little bit in the teaching department. And the strategy department. And the game-management department. And the ability to relate-to-his-players department. I was wondering if we could possibly eat his salary and hire a real coach.
Nov. 17, 2010
Inter-office Memo
To: Geoff Petrie
From: Joe and Gavin Maloof
That was a joke, right? We can barely afford the insurance payments on our matching lime green Lamborghinis. I suggest you suck it up and give the guy some coaching of your own. P.S. When did you become such a whiner?
Nov. 23, 2010
Inter-office Memo
To: Geoff Petrie
From: Paul Westphal
Hi Geoff. I was wondering if it's too late to add to those giant banners of DeMarcus and Tyreke on the side of the arena. Some of the players are asking why they aren't pictured. I agree. Luther Head and Pooh Jeter have scheduled photo sessions with the team photographer. I think it will exemplify our new team philosophy. By the way, I've come up with slogans for each of them: "Get Head" and "Smells Like Pooh." Whaddya think?
Nov. 24, 2010
Inter-office Memo
To: Joe and Gavin Maloof
From: Geoff Petrie
Hi guys. I think our coach has gone off the deep end. We really need to do something. I don't usually like to use this description, but we suck.
Nov. 26, 2010
Inter-office Memo
To: Geoff Petrie
From: Joe and Gavin Maloof
Hey Geoff, stop complaining about the coach. You haven't exactly made a trade that made either of our pants damp in a decade. All you do is stand in in the corner during the games and act all cerebral and stuff. You ain't so smart. I mean, Antoine Wright? Really?
Nov. 29, 2010
Inter-office Memo
To: Geoff Petrie, Gavin & Joe Maloof
From: Paul Westphal
Um, I don't want to sound scared, but I'm sending this memo from a cubicle in the locker room bathroom. I think that DeMarcus fellow is a little mad at me. He seems like he might have some anger issues and I was wondering if maybe we could get him some counseling. Wait, someone is pounding on the door. Oh, no... gotta go...
Nov. 29, 2010
Inter-office Memo
To: Gavin Maloof
From: Joe Maloof
We are so screwed.
They are revealing and sometimes embarrassing, but we are doling them out as a public service.
Nov 1, 2010
Inter-office Memo
To: Paul Westphal
From: Geoff Petrie
Hi Paul. Just wondering when you might be inclined to install an offense. I was peaking in at practice the other day and saw a lot of the fellas standing around and snacking. Any chance you could brief me on the progress.
Nov. 2, 2010
Inter-office Memo
To: Geoff Petrie
From: Paul Westphal
Thanks for spying on us, Mr. Busy Body. That was our offense. It's complicated, though. We do a lot of decoy stuff and many of the players say they enjoy watching my main man Tyreke just do his thing. You don't want me to start messing with our Rookie of the Year, do you?
Nov. 10, 2010
Inter-office Memo
To: Grant Napear
From: Gavin and Joe Maloof
Grant, we want to make sure you have the game plan for the new season. DeMarcus Cousins needs to be positioned as the team stud. Forget about the his immaturity, lack of jumping ability, and complete indifference on defense. Go nuts every time he touches the ball. Every time. Do you understand? Feel free to mix in plenty of that catchphrase of yours, "If you don't like DeMarcus Cousins, you're an inbred hillbilly" -- or whatever it is. We don't listen to you that much.
Nov. 16, 2010
Inter-office Memo
To: Gavin and Joe Maloof
From: Geoff Petrie
Hi boys. Just wanted to update you on our coach. I'm not so sure we made the right call on this guy. He seems to lack a little bit in the teaching department. And the strategy department. And the game-management department. And the ability to relate-to-his-players department. I was wondering if we could possibly eat his salary and hire a real coach.
Nov. 17, 2010
Inter-office Memo
To: Geoff Petrie
From: Joe and Gavin Maloof
That was a joke, right? We can barely afford the insurance payments on our matching lime green Lamborghinis. I suggest you suck it up and give the guy some coaching of your own. P.S. When did you become such a whiner?
Nov. 23, 2010
Inter-office Memo
To: Geoff Petrie
From: Paul Westphal
Hi Geoff. I was wondering if it's too late to add to those giant banners of DeMarcus and Tyreke on the side of the arena. Some of the players are asking why they aren't pictured. I agree. Luther Head and Pooh Jeter have scheduled photo sessions with the team photographer. I think it will exemplify our new team philosophy. By the way, I've come up with slogans for each of them: "Get Head" and "Smells Like Pooh." Whaddya think?
Nov. 24, 2010
Inter-office Memo
To: Joe and Gavin Maloof
From: Geoff Petrie
Hi guys. I think our coach has gone off the deep end. We really need to do something. I don't usually like to use this description, but we suck.
Nov. 26, 2010
Inter-office Memo
To: Geoff Petrie
From: Joe and Gavin Maloof
Hey Geoff, stop complaining about the coach. You haven't exactly made a trade that made either of our pants damp in a decade. All you do is stand in in the corner during the games and act all cerebral and stuff. You ain't so smart. I mean, Antoine Wright? Really?
Nov. 29, 2010
Inter-office Memo
To: Geoff Petrie, Gavin & Joe Maloof
From: Paul Westphal
Um, I don't want to sound scared, but I'm sending this memo from a cubicle in the locker room bathroom. I think that DeMarcus fellow is a little mad at me. He seems like he might have some anger issues and I was wondering if maybe we could get him some counseling. Wait, someone is pounding on the door. Oh, no... gotta go...
Nov. 29, 2010
Inter-office Memo
To: Gavin Maloof
From: Joe Maloof
We are so screwed.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Get Mr. Tyreke Evans a coach. Stat.
It's officially time for someone to start coaching Tyreke Evans.
Amazingly, he is hurting this team far more than helping it. And it all stems from last year's ridiculous chase for 20-5-5.
Paul Westphal has coddled this guy from Day One, telling him he's the next NBA superstar and handing him the keys to the team without giving him Driver's Ed.
Now Evans, hampered by injured ankles, still thinks his main job is to save the rest of the team by pumping up bad shots, driving to the lane recklessly, and alienating teammates by refusing to give up the ball.
Opponents have figured out his game, but Evans has not been schooled on how to adjust his.
Saturday night's second-half meltdown to the Bulls wasn't all on his shoulders, but his ill-advised shots in the fourth quarter are emblematic of his lack of progress.
This falls on Westphal's shoulders. It is his job to instruct and teach.
It's too bad, the Kings looked energized and focused in the first half. But there is no excuse for what happened in the second half. I repeat, no excuse.
You don't let a team on the tail-end of a two-week road trip outhustle and outrun you in the final quarter at home. Period.
The Kings now have the worst home record in the NBA and easy part of their schedule is over.
This is going to get uglier folks.
Strap in for turbulence.
Amazingly, he is hurting this team far more than helping it. And it all stems from last year's ridiculous chase for 20-5-5.
Paul Westphal has coddled this guy from Day One, telling him he's the next NBA superstar and handing him the keys to the team without giving him Driver's Ed.
Now Evans, hampered by injured ankles, still thinks his main job is to save the rest of the team by pumping up bad shots, driving to the lane recklessly, and alienating teammates by refusing to give up the ball.
Opponents have figured out his game, but Evans has not been schooled on how to adjust his.
Saturday night's second-half meltdown to the Bulls wasn't all on his shoulders, but his ill-advised shots in the fourth quarter are emblematic of his lack of progress.
This falls on Westphal's shoulders. It is his job to instruct and teach.
It's too bad, the Kings looked energized and focused in the first half. But there is no excuse for what happened in the second half. I repeat, no excuse.
You don't let a team on the tail-end of a two-week road trip outhustle and outrun you in the final quarter at home. Period.
The Kings now have the worst home record in the NBA and easy part of their schedule is over.
This is going to get uglier folks.
Strap in for turbulence.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Do the Kings really have the building blocks for the future? Not really.
Everyone is always yakking about how the Kings are building a great base of players for the future.
But are they?
Do the Kings really have a core of potential-laden players ready to contend in two or three years?
My opinion is no. A resounding no.
And here's the reason: If you compare the core players on the Kings with the other bottom-half teams in the Western Conference, the results are not good.
Here's a look at the bottom dwellers and the verdict on which team I'd rather have in two years.
First, the Kings core:
Tyreke Evans
DeMarcus Cousins
Carl Landry
Donte Greene
Jason Thompson
Omri Casspi
Now let's compare those to other teams currently in the bottom 7 of the West:
Memphis Grizzlies
Rudy Gay
Marc Gasol
Zach Randolph
Mike Conley
Kings or Grizzlie: Grizzlies get the edge mainly because of Gay. He is smooth as silk and a clutch perfomer. Conley is coming on. Gasol is vastly underrated.
Golden State Warriors
Monta Ellis
Stephen Curry
David Lee
Kings or Warriors: Edge to Warriors on sheer firepower. Warriors will always be able to score. For the forseeable future, the Kings can't. And some believe Curry will end up being the better pro than Evans.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Kevin Love
Michael Beasley
Darko Milicic
Kings or Wolves: Kings get the edge solely because I can't take Darko seriously, but Love has been putting up sick numbers and Beasley is showing signs of being the off-season steal of the year. The Wolves can easily overtake the Kings if Ricky Rubio ever shows up.
Los Angeles Clippers
Blake Griffin
Chris Kaman
Eric Gordon
Baron Davis
Kings or Clippers: Sorry folks, I'd take the Clippers because of two words: Blake Griffin. The guy is a superstar in the making. Kaman is a nice part and Gordon can fill it up. If they could ever get Baron Davis to take the game seriously again, they could contend for a playoff spot.
Phoenix Suns
Steve Nash
Robin Lopez
Channing Frye
Hedo Turkoglu
Kings or Suns: I'll take the Kings because Steve Nash can't possibly maintain his production numbers for the next three years. Without him, the Suns would be the bottom of the barrel.
Houston Rockets
Kevin Martin
Luis Scola
Shane Battier
Yao Ming
Aaron Brooks
Kings or Rockets: Yao will probably never be the same, but the Rockets are still a more complete team and figure to get better with all the high draft picks they've compiled for the next couple of seasons.
Conclusion: As currently constructed, the Kings don't figure to be an impact team in the West in two years. The other young teams have just as much and, in most cases, more potential.
This doesn't even take into account the upper-echelon teams in the West, which are not exactly light on having young, potential talent.
What can the Kings do? Well, they can get really lucky with a lottery pick, sign a high-priced free agent or Geoff Petrie can pull of a blockbuster trade. Fortunes can change fairly fast in the NBA. But anyone who thinks the current Kings team is a future title contender or even a sturdy playoff team is vastly overrating the team's talent and potential.
But are they?
Do the Kings really have a core of potential-laden players ready to contend in two or three years?
My opinion is no. A resounding no.
And here's the reason: If you compare the core players on the Kings with the other bottom-half teams in the Western Conference, the results are not good.
Here's a look at the bottom dwellers and the verdict on which team I'd rather have in two years.
First, the Kings core:
Tyreke Evans
DeMarcus Cousins
Carl Landry
Donte Greene
Jason Thompson
Omri Casspi
Now let's compare those to other teams currently in the bottom 7 of the West:
Memphis Grizzlies
Rudy Gay
Marc Gasol
Zach Randolph
Mike Conley
Kings or Grizzlie: Grizzlies get the edge mainly because of Gay. He is smooth as silk and a clutch perfomer. Conley is coming on. Gasol is vastly underrated.
Golden State Warriors
Monta Ellis
Stephen Curry
David Lee
Kings or Warriors: Edge to Warriors on sheer firepower. Warriors will always be able to score. For the forseeable future, the Kings can't. And some believe Curry will end up being the better pro than Evans.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Kevin Love
Michael Beasley
Darko Milicic
Kings or Wolves: Kings get the edge solely because I can't take Darko seriously, but Love has been putting up sick numbers and Beasley is showing signs of being the off-season steal of the year. The Wolves can easily overtake the Kings if Ricky Rubio ever shows up.
Los Angeles Clippers
Blake Griffin
Chris Kaman
Eric Gordon
Baron Davis
Kings or Clippers: Sorry folks, I'd take the Clippers because of two words: Blake Griffin. The guy is a superstar in the making. Kaman is a nice part and Gordon can fill it up. If they could ever get Baron Davis to take the game seriously again, they could contend for a playoff spot.
Phoenix Suns
Steve Nash
Robin Lopez
Channing Frye
Hedo Turkoglu
Kings or Suns: I'll take the Kings because Steve Nash can't possibly maintain his production numbers for the next three years. Without him, the Suns would be the bottom of the barrel.
Houston Rockets
Kevin Martin
Luis Scola
Shane Battier
Yao Ming
Aaron Brooks
Kings or Rockets: Yao will probably never be the same, but the Rockets are still a more complete team and figure to get better with all the high draft picks they've compiled for the next couple of seasons.
Conclusion: As currently constructed, the Kings don't figure to be an impact team in the West in two years. The other young teams have just as much and, in most cases, more potential.
This doesn't even take into account the upper-echelon teams in the West, which are not exactly light on having young, potential talent.
What can the Kings do? Well, they can get really lucky with a lottery pick, sign a high-priced free agent or Geoff Petrie can pull of a blockbuster trade. Fortunes can change fairly fast in the NBA. But anyone who thinks the current Kings team is a future title contender or even a sturdy playoff team is vastly overrating the team's talent and potential.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Time to put the bags on your heads, Kings fans -- this season is going down the tubes
That was thrilling.
Uh, no.
Remember when the Kings used to own their home court even when they didn't have much talent? Remember when you really enjoyed rooting for this team?
Yeah, neither do I. Seems like a hundred years ago. The team is now guilty of the most sinful of all sports sins. They are not only lousy. They are boring.
Unfortunately, the fans are starting to catch on.
Chloe, our 8-year-old correspondent for Kings Talking Points, caught up with an anonymous fan for a revealing interview.
Leave a comment to show your support for the bag.
Watch:
Uh, no.
Remember when the Kings used to own their home court even when they didn't have much talent? Remember when you really enjoyed rooting for this team?
Yeah, neither do I. Seems like a hundred years ago. The team is now guilty of the most sinful of all sports sins. They are not only lousy. They are boring.
Unfortunately, the fans are starting to catch on.
Chloe, our 8-year-old correspondent for Kings Talking Points, caught up with an anonymous fan for a revealing interview.
Leave a comment to show your support for the bag.
Watch:
Friday, November 19, 2010
A win is a win, but color me unimpresssed
Excuse me if I don't celebrate.
A slim win at home over a lousy Nets team is no reason to get excited.
It did, however, leave me with a number of questions:
1. How on earth does Omri Casspi not even see the floor after starting almost every game this season? You are simply alienating players with this type of ridiculous rotation tinkering. Now Casspi hasn't exactly been a force this year, but he deserves more than a DNP. Westphal did the same thing with Donte Greene, basically burying him in the desert for weeks before we saw him again.
2. Why don't the Kings push the ball more? This team has zero tempo to its game and the shots come with a struggle in the half-court offense. It just doesn't make sense for the Kings to slow it down.
3. Why does Tyreke Evans still have free reign when he is bumbling on the court? It is frustrating to watch this guy when he is forcing the ball and turning the ball over. More than ever, he is proving that he is not a point guard.
4. Why am I so bored with this team? They just lack charisma. And they don't play as a team. Maybe they will come together as the season progresses, but right now, they are just not very interesting to watch.
Now some good points:
1. DeMarcus Cousins has some nice vision on the court. You can see him becoming one of the top passing centers in the league.
2. Donte Greene had a couple of good moments, especially on a steal and splash in the fourth quarter.
3. The defense looked steady at times, cutting down on the silly fouls.
A slim win at home over a lousy Nets team is no reason to get excited.
It did, however, leave me with a number of questions:
1. How on earth does Omri Casspi not even see the floor after starting almost every game this season? You are simply alienating players with this type of ridiculous rotation tinkering. Now Casspi hasn't exactly been a force this year, but he deserves more than a DNP. Westphal did the same thing with Donte Greene, basically burying him in the desert for weeks before we saw him again.
2. Why don't the Kings push the ball more? This team has zero tempo to its game and the shots come with a struggle in the half-court offense. It just doesn't make sense for the Kings to slow it down.
3. Why does Tyreke Evans still have free reign when he is bumbling on the court? It is frustrating to watch this guy when he is forcing the ball and turning the ball over. More than ever, he is proving that he is not a point guard.
4. Why am I so bored with this team? They just lack charisma. And they don't play as a team. Maybe they will come together as the season progresses, but right now, they are just not very interesting to watch.
Now some good points:
1. DeMarcus Cousins has some nice vision on the court. You can see him becoming one of the top passing centers in the league.
2. Donte Greene had a couple of good moments, especially on a steal and splash in the fourth quarter.
3. The defense looked steady at times, cutting down on the silly fouls.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Blockbuster Kings trade: Chris Bosh to the Kings. Would you do it?
Another game. Another blow to the enthusiasm of Kings fans.
Wednesday's loss to the Knicks was, once again, inexcusable.
You can't lose at home to a bad team playing the second of a back-to-back. Not when your slogan is "Here We Rise."
But there were some bright spots:
DeMarcus Cousins played with more intensity than we've seen all season.
Donte Greene was released from solitary confinement and actually looked capable of playing basketball.
And here's the best news: I just got off the phone with Geoff Petrie and he loves my new trade idea.
In fact, he says I should be the new Kings GM.
Then I woke up.
Seriously, here's a blockbuster deal that could shake up the league, get the juices flowing again, and perhaps change the direction of the entire Kings franchise.
Strangely enough, it's actually plausible. Improbable, perhaps. But very plausible.
So hold onto your jerseys, Kings fans, here's the game-changing trade:
SAMUEL DALEMBERT & CARL LANDRY & a No. 1 draft pick in 2012.
to the Miami Heat for
CHRIS BOSH
Yup, I told you it was a stunner.
So why does anyone make this trade?
Well, for the Kings, it's a matter of jump-starting the team's entire karma. Let's face it: Whatever's happening here is not working.
Dalembert and Landry are both solid veterans. But they are not the team's future. Neither figures to be around when the Kings are really set to contend.
Bosh instantly gives the Kings an impressive frontcourt scorer who has averaged 20 points and close to 10 rebounds for his career.
In addition, he is still very young (26).
On the contrarian side, Bosh has been called soft at times. I'm willing to overlook that since a certain Chris Webber used to suffer the same criticism and he seemed to do all right.
With Bosh onboard, Cousins moves back into the starting lineup at center. And he instantly becomes a much happier man.
For Miami, the reasons are less clear now but not entirely impossible to understand. The team has not fared well on defense and their lack of size is starting to make some people wonder about just how far they can go.
With Dalembert, the team instantly gets a large and extremely valuable inside defender and shot blocker. And he certainly won't be asked to score.
As for Landry, he gives them another honest NBA talent on a team that is very thin in that area. In many ways, Landry could fill the role he did with the Rockets. A solid-scoring, energy player off the bench.
But why would the Heat deal Bosh so soon after the arrival of "The Big Three?"
Well, it would certainly be an admission that their original strategy was faulty, but the results thus far prove that things aren't exactly going as planned.
Bosh's reputation is taking a beating and there are many who believe he didn't realize how tough it would be to become the third wheel. Reports say he looks uncomfortable and his scoring and rebounding averages are way down.
The trade also gets them out from Bosh's big-money deal and gives them some financial flexibility.
One caveat to this trade: It can't be finalized until after Dec. 15 due to contract considerations. However, it does work within the salary cap limitations.
Will this trade happen? Only if the Heat continue to struggle and panic a bit. And only if Geoff Petrie gets the go-ahead to get very creative with the team's money.
And probably only if I'm GM.
So I'm throwing my hat into the right now. Send your cards and letters to the Maloofs.
Ron Wenig for Kings GM.
Wednesday's loss to the Knicks was, once again, inexcusable.
You can't lose at home to a bad team playing the second of a back-to-back. Not when your slogan is "Here We Rise."
But there were some bright spots:
DeMarcus Cousins played with more intensity than we've seen all season.
Donte Greene was released from solitary confinement and actually looked capable of playing basketball.
And here's the best news: I just got off the phone with Geoff Petrie and he loves my new trade idea.
In fact, he says I should be the new Kings GM.
Then I woke up.
Seriously, here's a blockbuster deal that could shake up the league, get the juices flowing again, and perhaps change the direction of the entire Kings franchise.
Strangely enough, it's actually plausible. Improbable, perhaps. But very plausible.
So hold onto your jerseys, Kings fans, here's the game-changing trade:
SAMUEL DALEMBERT & CARL LANDRY & a No. 1 draft pick in 2012.
to the Miami Heat for
CHRIS BOSH
Yup, I told you it was a stunner.
So why does anyone make this trade?
Well, for the Kings, it's a matter of jump-starting the team's entire karma. Let's face it: Whatever's happening here is not working.
Dalembert and Landry are both solid veterans. But they are not the team's future. Neither figures to be around when the Kings are really set to contend.
Bosh instantly gives the Kings an impressive frontcourt scorer who has averaged 20 points and close to 10 rebounds for his career.
In addition, he is still very young (26).
On the contrarian side, Bosh has been called soft at times. I'm willing to overlook that since a certain Chris Webber used to suffer the same criticism and he seemed to do all right.
With Bosh onboard, Cousins moves back into the starting lineup at center. And he instantly becomes a much happier man.
For Miami, the reasons are less clear now but not entirely impossible to understand. The team has not fared well on defense and their lack of size is starting to make some people wonder about just how far they can go.
With Dalembert, the team instantly gets a large and extremely valuable inside defender and shot blocker. And he certainly won't be asked to score.
As for Landry, he gives them another honest NBA talent on a team that is very thin in that area. In many ways, Landry could fill the role he did with the Rockets. A solid-scoring, energy player off the bench.
But why would the Heat deal Bosh so soon after the arrival of "The Big Three?"
Well, it would certainly be an admission that their original strategy was faulty, but the results thus far prove that things aren't exactly going as planned.
Bosh's reputation is taking a beating and there are many who believe he didn't realize how tough it would be to become the third wheel. Reports say he looks uncomfortable and his scoring and rebounding averages are way down.
The trade also gets them out from Bosh's big-money deal and gives them some financial flexibility.
One caveat to this trade: It can't be finalized until after Dec. 15 due to contract considerations. However, it does work within the salary cap limitations.
Will this trade happen? Only if the Heat continue to struggle and panic a bit. And only if Geoff Petrie gets the go-ahead to get very creative with the team's money.
And probably only if I'm GM.
So I'm throwing my hat into the right now. Send your cards and letters to the Maloofs.
Ron Wenig for Kings GM.
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