Dysfunctional Kings have me pushing the panic button

Some disturbing news from ESPN's Marc Stein:

Word is that handling rookie forward DeMarcus Cousins is proving to be an even bigger job for coach Paul Westphal and his staff than expected, even after the Kings hired Cousins' high school coach (Otis Hughley) in hopes of keeping the 20-year-old -- freshly relegated to a bench role -- plugged in.

One source close to the situation told ESPN.com that Cousins was fined recently for clashing with members of Westphal's staff. I've also been advised that it's not one-and-done as far as such clashes go, which has created a level of tension that -- anticipated or not -- obviously isn't what the Kings need when they're already operating at such an experience deficit on top of their serious defensive frailties.

And how about this from Sam Amick of AOL Fanhouse:

For all of (Tyreke) Evans' dynamic talents and incredible skill, he remains a polarizing figure in-house because of the way he has been handled since coming on the scene last season. He was pitched as a point guard, then subsequently gained a reputation among scouts, front-office and coaching types as someone who -- no matter how many times he toes the company line -- only passes if he has to most of the time.

I have one word: Oy.

The season is quickly degenerating.

Cousins is your prototypical boom-or-bust pick. It's very early, but there is nothing booming about his play right now.

He looks supremely disinterested in defense. And his limited athletic ability has exposed a lot of deficiency on the offensive end.

Evans might be the root cause of the team's selfish offense.

Worst of all, Westphal is not the coach this team needs.  After Friday night's loss to the Suns, he was playing the moral-victory card.  This is not tee-ball.  You get no badges for trying hard in the NBA.

This is supposed to be a turnaround year for the Kings. It is incredibly crucial to keep fan enthusiasm alive.  The future of the franchise in Sacramento may hinge on it.

But Westphal and Kings management have botched it thus far.

There's still time to turn it around.

Fire Westphal today.  Bring in a coach who will give a young team a clear idea about their roles, demand unselfishness, and enforce structure and discipline.

Take the financial wraps off Geoff Petrie and let him explore a trade that might actually make the Kings better instead of saving them money.

I'm pretty sure that isn't going to happen.

So I'm pushing the panic button right now.

Just because I can.

Ugly and unacceptable

No need for a complicated post.

Tyreke Evans had almost no impact.

DeMarcus Cousins is obviously not a happy man.

And the Kings lose at home to the worst team in the league, a team playing the second of a back-to-back.

Undisciplined. Defenseless. Offensively inept.

Congrats on squandering the team's potential and talent.

Has Paul Westphal already lost his players? Could be.

The Bee's Jason Jones reported that Tyreke Evans said it seemed like the team was just going through the motions. Seven games into the season.

Westphal is a bad parent. He gives no structure (playing time and rotations are random). He sets no limits (players shoot at will and nobody knows their role). When that happens, the players rebel -- just like snotty toddlers. They become selfish on offense and offer no help on defense.

You see the results.

SEE MY POST BELOW for what should happen...

Westphal should be dismissed

Kings coach Paul Westphal doesn't get it.

And it shows on the court. So right now, I'm calling it.

Fire Westphal.

Sure, I could wait until the All-Star break. Or for an 8-game losing streak. After all, the team is just 3-3.

But I'm not waiting.

Fire Westphal.

Why? Well, there are many reasons. Let's get to it:

OFFENSE

What offense? Too many times, the offense consists of Tyreke Evans dribbling for the first 10 seconds, then darting into traffic, only to A.) throw up a bad shot B.) dish off an unbalanced pass to a lunging teammate C.) make a spectacular shot.

There is zero movement. Back-door plays are non-existent. There is not enough cutting, no moving of the ball from side-to-side.

A smart offense needs a philosophy of sharing and team basketball. Whether Westphal is preaching it or not, there is none of that evident on the court.

Good teams need discipline. Teams with DeMarcus Cousins really need discipline. There is no way Cousins should be firing up three-pointers or getting free reign to shoot with his current frequency.

Look at these numbers: He has hit just 18 of 46 shots in five games. That is an awful percentage for a skilled big man. It is also a sign that he is not clear about his role. Now, he's lost his starting job -- and despite claims to the contrary, I'd bet he isn't very happy about it. This is when a coach earns his salary. I'm not sure Westphal has the ability to handle the ramifications.

Speaking of roles, does anyone on the Kings know their role? Westphal used Carl Landry as his go-to guy against the Lakers, but he was a benched no-show against the Grizzlies, amassing a grand total of 19 minutes, 4 shots and 4 points and barely getting a sniff down the stretch. Landry has to be confused. How are you "the guy" one game and the "non-entity" the next?

Jason Thompson is another guy with a mystery role. He's now a backup small forward. How in the world did that happen?

Donte Greene is on milk cartons now, his once glorious potential completely wasted.

Players have no idea when they'll play or what their role should be. Westphal's rotations are so bizarre they border on random. And that is an awful recipe for a young team that needs structure.

DEFENSE

Without Samuel Dalembert, the Kings are easily the worst defensive team in the league.

Not a single player seems fundamentally strong. Everyone reaches and pokes and gets called for silly fouls. Opposing teams shred the Kings from the 3-point line (opponents are shooting more than 40% on threes)

Tyreke Evans has been weak on defense early in the season, getting exposed by quicker point guards. Penetration is almost a given.

The Kings surrender points at an alarming rates. You knew this was going to be a problem when they allowed the Timberwolves to score 116 points in the opener.

Defense, like offense, is a philosophy. It's hard work. It's aggressiveness. It's moving your feet and being smart and helping teammates. None of this is evident on Westphal's team.

SO SHOULD WESTPHAL GO?

I'm saying yes. Sure, it's early to pull a move look like this. But here's a better question: Has anybody seen enough to think Westphal can take this team to the next level. I haven't.

This team needs someone with a clear philosopy and a disciplined approach. Someone who can bring structure and instill an unselfish attitude.

They need someone who can school Evans and Cousins about what they need to do to become great NBA players.

They need someone to inspire and teach.

Too much to ask? Maybe.

But I think the move has to be made.

Kings are aimless and defenseless as they squander a chance to get back on track

So which team was playing the second game of a back-to-back and coming off a heartbreaking two-overtime defeat?

That would be the Memphis Grizzlies.

Not the Kings, who were sitting at home, well-rested, and supposedly ready to pounce.

But in a game that proved the Kings are not ready for prime time, the Grizzlies imposed their will in every facet of the game. Shooting. Rebounding. Defense.

Final score: Grizz 100, Kings 91, Enthusiastic Kings Fans 0

I put part of the blame of coach Paul Westphal.

Somebody tell me why the Kings weren't pushing the ball at every chance against a road-weary team. And somebody tell me why the team still has no offensive sets. There seems to be no offensive gameplan, besides telling Tyreke to try to make something happen.

Westphal's rotations are also puzzling. Omri Casspi was a difference maker in the first half, then was almost completely forgotten in the second half until the final minute.

By the way, DeMarcus Cousins did not look happy out there, no matter how much he proclaimed that he had no problems coming off the bench. His body language was bad.

Defense, well, that's another awful story. Name a single good man-on-man defender on the Kings? I mean, besides Samuel Dalembert.

The Kings had no answer for Rudy Gay. No answer for Zack Randolph. No answer to O.J. Mayo. Hell, they had no answer for Mike Conley.

So now a promising start has been squandered. The team stands at 3-3.

The energy at Arco was meager at best.

And we'll soon find out just how far the Kings are rising this season

A disheartening night at Arco

When Kings rookie center DeMarcus Cousins slammed into Lakers center Pau Gasol on the low block and hammered in a one-hand duck, it seemed like a flashback at Arco.

How many times did Shaquille O'Neal brutally crush Vlade Divac in the post? Time after time after time. Divac and the Kings would plea offensive foul, but the refs almost never saw it that way. They simply let O'Neal bruise at will.

So when Cousins did his best impersonation of Shaq in his prime, the Arco crowd responded with a burst of jubilation. That happiness lasted just seconds.

You see, these are still the Kings.

And those other guys are still the Lakers.

And in the dark cruel universe of professional basketball, there is no justice for Kings fans.

Only heartbreak. And whistles.

Like the one called on DeMarcus Cousins for an offensive foul on the above-stated play.

Now let's get this straight: The referees had nothing to do with the Kings' 112-110 loss to the Lakers on Wednesday night, but it was just another sign that the basketball gods are not ready to change the physical makeup of the NBA universe.

And, in the end, the night was greatly disheartening.

The talent level between the Laker and Kings is still staggering. Kobe Bryant basically toyed with Sacramento like a cat with a ball of yarn. The Lakers offense clicked in every phase. The Kings battled and managed to stay close, but I doubt anyone in the building thought the Kings had a chance.

Furthermore, in another embarrassment, Lakers fans in the stands outcheered Kings fans. It was sad. In 2002, an atmosphere like this couldn't be imagined. Walking the concourse, I saw dozens and dozens of fans in Kobe Bryant jerseys. And nobody gave them a second look.

Arco used to give the Kings the top home-court advantage in the league. Those days are long gone. They couldn't even manage to sell out Wednesday night. The announced attendance was slightly over 16,000, but I saw wide swaths of empty seats.

You could almost smell the desperation coming from Kings management. The huge screen above the arena hawked ticket deals at every timeout.

On a night that should have been a coming-out party, it ended up feeing like a New Year's hangover.

What's down is up

Go figure.

I sure didn't.

For the first half, the Kings were uninspiring and unwatchable. Zero energy. Outplayed in every phase of the game by the Raptors.

In the second half, they sold tickets.

Tyreke Evans and Omri Casspi showed pure guts. Samuel Dalembert provided much-needed defense. DeMarcus Cousins woke up and pounded inside. The team fought and battled on both ends.

And they escaped with a win. And a little more momentum.

Of course, we have thank David Stern for doing the Kings a nice solid by scheduling four relative creampuffs to start the season.

Now here come the Lakers.

And the fun really starts.

TWEETS OF THE WEEK

Twitter, as most of you know, is the single most important invention of the last 100 years. And you need to keep track of the tweets to really know what's going on behind the scenes with the Kings. Here we present the best tweets of the young season:

@COUSINS No food worth eatin' on plane. Gonna snack on brother @WHITESIDE'S leg.

@OMRI How was I possibly not starting over @DONTE?

@TYREKE Ankles swollen like balloons. Maybe I'll just pass the ball more. LOL.

@SPENCERHAWES Do U guys miss me?

@JASONTHOMPSON Who is @SPENCERHAWES?

@RONWENIG Yo @GRANTNAPEAR, stop the drooling over DeMarcus. He not THAT good. Yet. You sound like a fawning fanboy.

@GAVINMALOOF Just listening 2 an old favorite song, "Leaving on a Jet Plane."

@GRANTNAPEAR Stop tweeting, me, you idiot @RONWENIG I don't need your opinion.

@WESTPHAL Got cool tattoo on chest. Players very impressed. It reads "Born To Coach"

@BENO Haven't been injured in 24 hours. Wow. Sigh of relief.

@JOEMALOOF Great tix deal: Buy 4-game package at Arco, get a 4-game package free in San Jose.

@FRANCISCO Did anyone see @WESTPHAL'S tat? OMG.

@DARNELLJACKSON Take a seat @JASONTHOMPSON

@DALEMBERT Coach @WESTPHAL keeps walking around with shirt off. LMAO.

@BENO Sprained my lung while sighing. May need 2 go on injured list.

@DONTE Keep getting dirty looks from @OMRI. He thinks I care that I don't start anymore.

@WESTPHAL Anyone know any laser tattoo removal places?

@WHITESIDE I'm having leg pain. Strange bite marks on knee.

Kings win but Westphal invents NBA Prevent Offense

Gutty win for the Kings over the Cavaliers Saturday night, but it was a lot harder than it should have been.

Why?

Because Paul Westphal has invented a unique offensive scheme in the final minutes that guarantees the team will never put away a team with ease this season.

Congrats, coach, you've invented the NBA's Prevent Offense.

Here's how it goes:

Tyreke Evans stands 30 feets from the basket for 15 seconds and the rest of his teammates stand around waiting.

Finally, Evans bulls his way down the lane, only to be met with a slew of defenders. It becomes virtually impossible to score.

This odd, clock-killing option may be the silliest coaching idea I've seen in years.

The team was clicking on all cylinders in the fourth quarter. Everyone was involved. Omri Casspi was hitting open looks.

There was zero reason to change anything. I repeat, ZERO.

Too much coaching. Too much bad coaching.

Darnell Jackson, who are you? I think that I'm in love

The Kings lost a rough game to the Nets, but found a new frontcourt talent Friday night.

His name is Darnell Jackson and it might be a mirage, but he did everything I've been waiting three years for Jason Thompson to do.

He caught the ball with soft hands (his finish on a break was a revelation)

He banged down low.

He made shots.

He rebounded.

Final tally in the loss to the Nets: 12 points, 6 rebounds and 1 steal in 22 minutes.

Was he a flash in the pan?

I don't think so. He looks fundamentally strong, unlike Thompson, who perpetually hacks opponents, takes bad shots, and looks like he leads his life off-balance. Sometimes I wonder if he stumbles on the way to the bathroom in the morning.

Anyway, let's hope Jackson is the real deal. A solid rotation guy who can help on offense and defense.

Talking Points: Kings get a taste of the future in opening-night squeaker

Here We Rise?

Maybe.  A victory over the T-Wolves on the road without Tyreke is a good start.  The team produced down the stretch and  Carl Landry proved himself a worthy clutch performer.  DeMarcus Cousins gave us a glimpse of his star-power potential.

Frantastic

Francisco Garcia was a bright spot, providing much-needed offensive pop from the outside. He's the team's emotional leader. 

Donte hasn't earned his minutes

Small forward Donte Greene still looks lost and overmatched too much of the time.  He should be getting 10 minutes max a game until he shows he can compete consistently.

DeMarcus needs to work on footwork

A nice debut for Cousins, but you can tell he gets impatient when he gets the ball in the low block. He's not really sure what he wants to do.  And he doesn't seem to have a go-to move.  He needs to work on a quick jump hook and step-back jumper and then let the rest come later.  Oh, and if someone can get a waiver to give Cousins an extra six personal fouls a game, that would be much appreciated.

Stop fawning, Grant

Kings announcer Grant Napear needs to stop drooling over Cousins.  The kid had a nice game, but it wasn't earth shaking. And he was playing against Darko Milicic.  I repeat, he was playing against Darko.

Wesley Johnson is good

The Kings were reportedly eyeing Wesley Johnson as a possible pick if Cousins wasn't available.  He looked very skilled Wednesday night.  In fact, he would have looked very nice as a small forward for the Kings this year, especially in comparison to the recent play of Omri Casspi and Donte Greene.