The Kings were taken to the bottom of the barrel by owners going nearly broke and unable to get quality players and coaches. The coaching merry-go-round was perhaps the worst 5 years in Kings history proving no continuity, no role players and no solid basis for a team to win games.
Everything has changed, almost. New owners with deep pockets, new FO, a new coach with a pedigree on winning teams, new assistant coaches with excellent pedigree as well and their very own minor league team in the Reno Bighorns. Cuz is now on stage left presented with the leading role. The coaches and FO got the players they wanted (considering the recent team situation) to start the process to the next step: a pass first PG, a super role playing and successful PF, a lock down defender SF and the best shooter in the 2013 draft class, at least according to his peers.
The transition is gonna take time. By the All-Star break we should be seeing the fruits of the coaches labor in team play, in a defense first running team that looks better than any we've seen in the last 6-7 years. But there is likely a piece or two that will be needed up to the trading deadline. Then thru the end of the year we should begin to see consistency, teamwork, key role players clearly defined and a team that starts to worry the 7th and 8th place playoff teams. Can't reasonably expect playoff this year and won't even think that way this year.
I'm excited for the first time in years at the prospect of a better team based on the attitude and background of the staff and the deep pockets of the owners and the core players we have now. But what of the rest of you KingsFans? Are you prepared to be patient, to hold off your vitriol and negative slams for half a season and see what developed first? Sure hope so. Will make it a lot more enjoyable for the rest of us.
After all both PDA and Coach Malone said on multiple occasions that building a "defensive culture" for the team will take time and at least 1-2 years. None of us wants to wait a year or two but like waiting for a new car we really want, the wait is worth the result.
I plan to get to the 4th pre-season game at Arco (afraid I'll always call it that), watch every game on League Pass then go to the game in Phoenix on Nov 20 to see how they handle a road game.
Everything has changed, almost. New owners with deep pockets, new FO, a new coach with a pedigree on winning teams, new assistant coaches with excellent pedigree as well and their very own minor league team in the Reno Bighorns. Cuz is now on stage left presented with the leading role. The coaches and FO got the players they wanted (considering the recent team situation) to start the process to the next step: a pass first PG, a super role playing and successful PF, a lock down defender SF and the best shooter in the 2013 draft class, at least according to his peers.
The transition is gonna take time. By the All-Star break we should be seeing the fruits of the coaches labor in team play, in a defense first running team that looks better than any we've seen in the last 6-7 years. But there is likely a piece or two that will be needed up to the trading deadline. Then thru the end of the year we should begin to see consistency, teamwork, key role players clearly defined and a team that starts to worry the 7th and 8th place playoff teams. Can't reasonably expect playoff this year and won't even think that way this year.
I'm excited for the first time in years at the prospect of a better team based on the attitude and background of the staff and the deep pockets of the owners and the core players we have now. But what of the rest of you KingsFans? Are you prepared to be patient, to hold off your vitriol and negative slams for half a season and see what developed first? Sure hope so. Will make it a lot more enjoyable for the rest of us.
After all both PDA and Coach Malone said on multiple occasions that building a "defensive culture" for the team will take time and at least 1-2 years. None of us wants to wait a year or two but like waiting for a new car we really want, the wait is worth the result.
I plan to get to the 4th pre-season game at Arco (afraid I'll always call it that), watch every game on League Pass then go to the game in Phoenix on Nov 20 to see how they handle a road game.
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