The Kings 116-114 home loss to the Nets was a disappointing one—a number of boneheaded mistakes down the stretch prevented them from stealing a very winnable game. However, the Kings roster is too poorly constructed for the team to taste any reasonable degree of success this season, and into the foreseeable future.
Let’s see what the Kings have—and don’t have, to determine what their future holds.
John Salmons is a stud. Creative off the bounce, a fearless finisher, a smooth jump shooter, an earnest defender, and a tough rebounder, Salmons gives the Kings hope in any ball game. He dominated Vince Carter and Jarvis Hayes to the tune of 11-19 shooting for 38 points.
However, it was his points left on the table—three missed free throws in the final minute of regulation and overtime that doomed the Kings.
Beno Udrih is an unselfish ball handler and passer who can knock down mid-range jumpers and finish with his left hand at the rim—5-12 FG, 10 AST. He doesn’t have NBA-quality athleticism though, making it tough for him to do much against good defenders and on the defensive end. In a perfect world, Udrih would be a very effective backup on a very good team, but he’s more than serviceable on the Kings.
Jason Thompson can handle and pass remarkably well for a man his size, but he’s a stranger in paradise.
Mikki Moore can hit straight away 18-foot jumpers, but he attacks the offensive glass with more alacrity than he boxes the defensive boards, and his defensive rotations against the Nets were perpetually late. Moore’s only a starting-caliber big man if Jason Kidd is his point guard.
Brad Miller hit a number of 22-foot jumpers, made a handful scintillating passes from the high post, set effective screens, and even hit a right hook late in overtime—8-19 FG, 2-5 3FG, 13 REB, 6 AST.
However, Miller can’t run, he’s slow off the floorboards, and he shies away from physicality on defense. Even the ogre-footed Brook Lopez was able to outrace Miller to the hoop on a backdoor cut, and Lopez got whatever he wanted against Miller when he attacked with his back to the basket.
Plus, a brainless technical foul in overtime gave the Nets a free point that eventually was the difference.
Since the Kings aren’t going to be competitive in the near future, Miller should be traded for any youngster on any team that could use more ball movement in their offense.
Spencer Hawes can block shots when he gets a running start and time to set himself, but he too couldn’t slow down Lopez in the post. On the other end, Hawes was able to post Yi Jianlian, though he didn’t have any success near the basket against the Nets stronger, more muscular post defenders. Hawes has range, has nice hands, and can pass, but the early returns are that his game is all finesse.
Bobby Brown is quick and fast, but he also made a number of defensive mistakes. Still, he’s one of Sacramento’s few NBA-quality athletes.
Donte Green can shoot it, but is also overwhelmed by the details of the NBA game. Like Brown and Thompson, Green has a bright future, but will suffer through a lot of mistakes in the present.
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about 1 month ago
The Kings are not a good team...yet. They have some players that I have a feeling you haven't seen play much, I'm referring to Thompson. The dude plays his ass off and plays well when given the minutes. He'll have his growing pains but the dude will be a pretty damn good NBA player. But to say the Kings don't have a future is a slap in the face. Call me a homer, but Thompson and Hawes will be a very good big man duo in time. Both solid, versatile players who can shoot, pass, post up and play defense. No one outside of Sacramento is talking about the Kings, and maybe thats the problem. No one knows, but its all good, no one has really cared about the Kings outside of Sacramento anyway.
about 1 month ago
Playing your ass off is all well and good but Thompson's thin as a rail and can't defend without fouling. You know how long it's going to take before he gets the NBA body and experience to make up for that?
As for Hawes, he has a soft touch, can block shots from the weak side, pass, and hit hook shots against slow unathletic defennders (one of his hooks against Sean Williams was stuffed at its highest point and sent away). Strong centers shove him around and Brook Lopez absolutely had his way with Hawes.
Does Hawes have the athleticism to be anything more than a journeyman type player? Because he's not a center, and he's not athletic enough to be a power forward.
Assuming Thompson is the goods, it should take him at least three years to capitalize on his talents.
John Salmons is in the prime of his career and has a few good years yet.
Is Kevin Martin anything more than a scorer? He's rail thin, has never finished well after contact, and can't defend.
Is Udrih a starting point guard on a good team?
That's a lot of question marks. And if the Kings are big on Thompson and Hawes, how come Moore and Miller start?
They have a ton of rookies on their team, and besides Francisco Garcia, not many players who've played more than a year in the league and project into quality role players in two years.
What future do you see Blake?
about 1 month ago
Here it goes.
Thompson is NBA ready, the guy posted 18 point and 11 boards in 20 minutes his first game. Rail thin? Have you taken a look at Anthony Randolph? That guy is rail thin, Thompson has some muscle to add but he isn't getting abused around the basket. He has the tools, he just needs to put it all together.
Hawes has made large strides from last season, becoming a solid rebounder and post defender. He can block more than just from the weak side, he stuffed the clumsy Oden more than a few times this season and is third in the league for blocked shots. He's dropped a lot of weight and added a decent amount of muscle over the summer. And you're over looking another huge number that doesn't show up on the stat sheet...he is 20 years old. Journeyman is not the right term for Hawes, perhaps prospect? That is what I would call a 20 year old seven footer who can shoot, board and play defense.
He is a center by the way.
Three years for Thompson to develop? Are you kidding me right now? He's putting up great numbers for a rookie so far, and with his work ethic and determination will only get better. He fouls a lot, this is true, but tell me one good big man that didn't have to adapt his first season? No one hits the ground running.
John Salmons is a dude, we both agree on that. He is just the short term plan, along with the other starters, negating Martin of course.
Martin will need to begin to evolve as a player, I agree with you here. It isn't his frail build that I'm concerned about, but his play making ability and being able to find teammates. He has tunnel vision going to the hoop at times, if he isn't able to change that then Martin is no more than a nice second/third option.
Udrih...well...a backup starting on a mediocre team. He is kind of the jack of all trades, master of nothing. Good shooter, good ball handler, good at finding teammates, but not particularly great at anything. He is more of a combo guard than a point, he could get better, but I think what you see is what you get.
Moore and Miller start because to develop players doesn't mean they need to be starting. Developing players by bringing them along slowly is good, especially because the Kings are not really going anywhere this season. No need for them to be playing heavy minutes this season and potentially run the risk of an injury or something along those lines.
The Kings do have a lot of question marks, but they aren't negative like you are seeing them. Things don't fall into place over night, look at the Blazers, the team they have now is a result of some shrewed moves and having a little luck over the past few years. They got Aldridge and Roy for Foye and Tyrus Thomas for crying out loud, they would not be nearly as good had they not managed to pull of those deals.
You're missing the big picture. You've watched one Kings game so far this season as far as I can tell, which really isn't enough to be able to 'predict' the Kings future.
Sorry about the incredibly dense dissertation. I can be a bit wordy.
from about 1 month ago
Wordiness is never a problem, I respect that you bring a lot of things to the table to make your point.
In regards to Thompson, numbers are one thing, I'm talking about getting to the level where a player knows how to defend properly, understands the nuances of the game (like understanding that defenders will step in front if they anticipate that a player is about to drive in a straight line to the basket, which led to one of his three early fouls), and has the body to impose his will on a game.
Anthony Randolph is another player who is rail thin and is doing absolutely nothing of importance this year. Tyus Thomas is a rail thin player who people have raved about who still has no clue as to how to actually play the game of basketball. Until Thompson gets refined he's just going to be some kid running and jumping out there and better teams will attack him mercilessly.
You brought up Hawes blocking the clumsy Oden...well exactly. Hawes can get some blocks and boards against the leagues clumsier players, but that doesn't mean he has the skills to be a really good defender. He's a touch too soft, a touch too slow, and a touch too weak.
With experience can both Hawes and Thompson improve? Absolutely. But how long does it take to make that jump? It doesn't happen overnight, especially for 20 year olds.
Three to five years is usually the average time for big men to figure things out in the NBA. So the Kings will have a couple of exciting question marks, Kevin Martin, a leaving his prime John Salmons, and what else?
They'll still need a center (Hawes isn't strong enough to play center), a legit point guard, and if Martin is strictly a scorer, a playmaking wing. Plus they'll need a bench and even more time to develop the players they'll draft the next couple of seasons.
What other teams are out there that will be in worse shape talent wise than the Kings, and have no chance of competing for the postseason the next couple of years? The Thunder are a mess, the Clippers too...who else is in worse shape than the Kings?
about 1 month ago
There is nothing I feel I can say for you to see exactly what I am saying. Which I'm not saying is a problem.
Its not just the solid performances and the numbers for me, I see the flashes of brilliance Thompson and Hawes have and it makes me smile about the possibilities.
They both have good chemistry together and are hungry to improve and get better. I can tell by how they are play, they are out to prove themselves. While the Kings are a pretty miserable product right now, I just know that in the next few years things will turn around. I have faith in Petrie, the man knows what he is doing.
Its nice to have hope, the past few seasons have been rough and the future looked bleak, for a while I thought our future was going to be Garcia and Martin. Pretty dark.
But this year, my mind has changed about the Kings. With Hawes, Thompson, Greene and possibly even Brown, the Kings have hope for the future. I also have the delusion that the Kings might be able to lure someone to Sacramento in 2010. Just let me have my faith.
from about 1 month ago
lol, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
about 1 month ago
Salmons and Beno dribble into crowds
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