[Game] Kings v. Jazz - 3/13/16 - 3 PT, 6 ET

Glenn

Hall of Famer
Regarding Rudy, aren't Rudy and Rondo really close? you would think Rudy would have more motivation or drive to play better than he has, either that or he is regressing. That wouldn't make sense though, isn't he only 30? so it just might be the lack of desire to play for this organization? is that it?
Rudy seemed more inspired last year than this year although I think that is very difficult to judge with Rudy. He never looks terribly excited. I can certainly believe that the Karl factor would drain people of the desire to play. In any case, I hope good decisions are made this summer. I don't think we will die without Rondo. Assists are cool but they aren't leading to wins.

I trust Vlade to have a grip on the dynamics. He no doubt is better than me.
 

Glenn

Hall of Famer
He essentially said after the game that Omri looked tired and slow, because he had played a lot of minutes earlier in the game.
Nothing is more energizing than being on a hot streak. I also heard it a little different. Karl was anticipating that Casspi would get tired. He also said he thought bringing in Gay would add more energy.
 

kingsboi

Hall of Famer
Rudy seemed more inspired last year than this year although I think that is very difficult to judge with Rudy. He never looks terribly excited. I can certainly believe that the Karl factor would drain people of the desire to play. In any case, I hope good decisions are made this summer. I don't think we will die without Rondo. Assists are cool but they aren't leading to wins.

I trust Vlade to have a grip on the dynamics. He no doubt is better than me.
I wouldn't mind Rondo back but I don't want him to be the first and only option. Vlade needs to explore other available PGs out there that can score and actually want to attempt to play some defense.
 

Glenn

Hall of Famer
I wouldn't mind Rondo back but I don't want him to be the first and only option. Vlade needs to explore other available PGs out there that can score and actually want to attempt to play some defense.
We have Collison and unless we want perpetual 2 pg line ups, one or the other has to go.
 

kingsboi

Hall of Famer
We have Collison and unless we want perpetual 2 pg line ups, one or the other has to go.
Collison is a good bench weapon to have. If he is your starter though, I don't think your team is going too far with him. He is listed as 6'0, he will get bullied almost every night by the opposing PG. Karl had a two PG fetish line up, does not mean the next coach will.
 

hrdboild

Moloch in whom I dream Angels!
Staff member
I honestly don't understand if you agree with me or not. It's a guess on my part based on the idea that Rondo, in his mind, must lead the league in assists. He is looking for one last big contract and leading the league looks good on the resume.

He will pass to the people who will get him the assists. Cuz is #1. I don't know how many assisted baskets Cuz makes a game compared to assisted baskets by Gay but I will bet Cuz is gold to a guy who wants assists.

In my mind and perhaps in my mind only, this quest also explains wild ass passes that end up in the stands or in one way or another become a TO.

I may be wrong but it bothers me that we seem to have lost Gay especially as the season progresses. Rudy used to be a clear Robin to Boogies's Batman but now I am not sure what he is. I am exploring reasons. Perhaps Gay having a child is a problem. Perhaps he is injured. Perhaps Rondo is freezing him out. It all is worth a thought as a decision about Gay is coming up. If his troubles are because of Rondo, that's one thing. If it is Rudy losing his game, that's another.
I was agreeing with you that I've also noticed that Rondo doesn't look for Rudy very much, I just don't agree that stat padding is the reason. I don't think Rondo is playing this way just to pad his stats for a big contract, this is the way he plays. It's always been the way he plays. He's led the league in assists per game twice before, been top 10 7 times, and in the last full season before he got injured he averaged 11.7 assists which is pretty much where he is this year.

We're not just running less iso plays for Rudy now that we have Rondo handling the ball, we're running less iso plays period. It is strange though the degree to which Rondo looks for Cousins on the floor before he looks for anyone else. Rudy was a good second option for us last year and at times played well enough to be a first option. Being close friends with Rudy before he came here, I had assumed Rondo would know how and where to get him the ball but that's not happening. Communication shouldn't be a problem. It's not like Rondo is taking shots away from anyone either. Does Rudy not want the ball? He doesn't look like he's trying to get open.

It's puzzling to me as well and I don't have a good explanation. Other than DeMarcus and Darren, everybody is struggling as the season goes on. Omri and Ben were hot from behind the arc early this season (48% and 41% respectively from October-December) and cooled way off after the calendar year changed over. Rudy is down to 12 shots per game since the All-Star break. It kindof looks like he knows our offense exists to get Cousins, Collison, and Belinelli shots at this point and he's not the type to demand the ball. Ben sometimes attacks the basket for the first 5 minutes of the game and then gives up if he can't get going. Marco plummeted from just below his career averages at the start of the year to absolutely ice cold for the last 3 months. Willie Cauley-Stein is only playing 15 minutes per game since the All-Star break.

You're watching the games too -- don't the players look defeated? It's only midway through the second quarter that they realize they might lose by 50 and summon some collective pride to fight back. It can't just be a matter of confidence with all of them or a matter of quitting on the team or a matter of Rondo freezing them out. I think every single one of them hates playing for Coach Karl and there's nothing left for them to do but play out the season half-heartedly and wait to get traded.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
Rondo is a factor, though Rudy Gay was taking about 15.5 shots per game under Coach Malone (and 5.5 free throws) and this year he's down to around 14.5 and 3.5 respectively so it's not a huge difference. Rondo will pass it to anyone who's in a position to score -- you can call it hunting assists, I just call it doing his job. The big difference I think from last year to this year is that we were setting up Rudy a lot more in his favorite spot at the free-throw line extended last year and letting him bully in for a post attempt. This year he's spending a lot more time spotted up at the three point line (pace and space) and while he's still hitting a respectable 36% from out there, he's not getting to the line nearly as much which is why his overall scoring is down.

This is what Malone/PDA got right about using Rudy Gay efficiently when they brought him here from Toronto -- he's deadly attacking the basket from 18-20 feet and below average when he has to start his drive from the three-point line. If we're obsessed with "spacing the floor" by pushing all of our wing players out to the three-point line than we might as well trade Rudy Gay because he's not going to excel in that role. Once again failure to formulate a plan and stick with it for more than a year dooms us to perpetual roster turnover.
I spent the entire game focused on Rondo on the defensive side of the ball. For three quarters, when he was in the game, he played zero defense. On screens, he either went lazily under the screen, or simply stopped. When away from the ball, he completely lost track of his man, who many time ended up shooting a corner three. In the fourth quarter, he came out, and except for a couple of occasions, played good defense. Which showed me that if he really wants to play defense, he can. With Cauley-Stein and Curry playing the bulk of the minutes in the second half, we actually held the Jazz under 50 p0ints for the half.

Rudy isn't a number two guy. He's a great number three. A number two needs to be someone that is almost interchangeable with your number one guy. Like Durant and Westbrook, or Lillard and McCollum. Gay is not someone you want to hand the reigns to if Cuz goes down. If you can't acquire a solid number two, then you surround your number one with four number three. Not easy to come up with a Shaq and Kobe. And Gay isn't Kobe!
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
Collison is a good bench weapon to have. If he is your starter though, I don't think your team is going too far with him. He is listed as 6'0, he will get bullied almost every night by the opposing PG. Karl had a two PG fetish line up, does not mean the next coach will.
Well, we haven't gone too far with Rondo as the starter. I wonder how Chris Paul survives at 6'0"?
 

Glenn

Hall of Famer
I was agreeing with you that I've also noticed that Rondo doesn't look for Rudy very much, I just don't agree that stat padding is the reason. I don't think Rondo is playing this way just to pad his stats for a big contract, this is the way he plays. It's always been the way he plays. He's led the league in assists per game twice before, been top 10 7 times, and in the last full season before he got injured he averaged 11.7 assists which is pretty much where he is this year.

We're not just running less iso plays for Rudy now that we have Rondo handling the ball, we're running less iso plays period. It is strange though the degree to which Rondo looks for Cousins on the floor before he looks for anyone else. Rudy was a good second option for us last year and at times played well enough to be a first option. Being close friends with Rudy before he came here, I had assumed Rondo would know how and where to get him the ball but that's not happening. Communication shouldn't be a problem. It's not like Rondo is taking shots away from anyone either. Does Rudy not want the ball? He doesn't look like he's trying to get open.

It's puzzling to me as well and I don't have a good explanation. Other than DeMarcus and Darren, everybody is struggling as the season goes on. Omri and Ben were hot from behind the arc early this season (48% and 41% respectively from October-December) and cooled way off after the calendar year changed over. Rudy is down to 12 shots per game since the All-Star break. It kindof looks like he knows our offense exists to get Cousins, Collison, and Belinelli shots at this point and he's not the type to demand the ball. Ben sometimes attacks the basket for the first 5 minutes of the game and then gives up if he can't get going. Marco plummeted from just below his career averages at the start of the year to absolutely ice cold for the last 3 months. Willie Cauley-Stein is only playing 15 minutes per game since the All-Star break.

You're watching the games too -- don't the players look defeated? It's only midway through the second quarter that they realize they might lose by 50 and summon some collective pride to fight back. It can't just be a matter of confidence with all of them or a matter of quitting on the team or a matter of Rondo freezing them out. I think every single one of them hates playing for Coach Karl and there's nothing left for them to do but play out the season half-heartedly and wait to get traded.
It is frightening to note that Belinelli seems to want the ball more than Gay. That is no good for the team. Many look defeated but not all. Cuz today looked like he could care less yet put up numbers. Not as many rbds zxs usual. Get this season over with.
 

Glenn

Hall of Famer
I spent the entire game focused on Rondo on the defensive side of the ball. For three quarters, when he was in the game, he played zero defense. On screens, he either went lazily under the screen, or simply stopped. When away from the ball, he completely lost track of his man, who many time ended up shooting a corner three. In the fourth quarter, he came out, and except for a couple of occasions, played good defense. Which showed me that if he really wants to play defense, he can. With Cauley-Stein and Curry playing the bulk of the minutes in the second half, we actually held the Jazz under 50 p0ints for the half.

Rudy isn't a number two guy. He's a great number three. A number two needs to be someone that is almost interchangeable with your number one guy. Like Durant and Westbrook, or Lillard and McCollum. Gay is not someone you want to hand the reigns to if Cuz goes down. If you can't acquire a solid number two, then you surround your number one with four number three. Not easy to come up with a Shaq and Kobe. And Gay isn't Kobe!
I noted Rondo playing defense in the 4th. I'm not sure I had seen that before. If he is capable of playing defense and chooses not to, I don't want him back. I don't understand Rudy's brain set at all. I would not cry tears if he was traded.
 
You lost me 'cause I seldom remember titles or lyrics. It comes from my musical background as a trumpet player. Who cared about lyrics?
Sorry Glenn, I missed your post last night. Like you, I can't remember any lyrics and they rarely interest me. Probably because I play saxes and flute. I'm a jazz (not the team, the music) person.

I usually like watching the Kings games even when they are not doing too good. Just because I like the team. In the early stages of last nights game music seemed more attractive as a discussion topic. Interestingly, the Kings won all the three remaining quarters, but it never looked like that after the really, really bad first quarter. That's why I always emphasize good defense. If your defense is really tough, you don't fall behind that badly. Sometimes your shots don't fall and that is just a fact of life, but there is no reason that your defense should not be in place every game all the time.
 
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hrdboild

Moloch in whom I dream Angels!
Staff member
I spent the entire game focused on Rondo on the defensive side of the ball. For three quarters, when he was in the game, he played zero defense. On screens, he either went lazily under the screen, or simply stopped. When away from the ball, he completely lost track of his man, who many time ended up shooting a corner three. In the fourth quarter, he came out, and except for a couple of occasions, played good defense. Which showed me that if he really wants to play defense, he can. With Cauley-Stein and Curry playing the bulk of the minutes in the second half, we actually held the Jazz under 50 p0ints for the half.

Rudy isn't a number two guy. He's a great number three. A number two needs to be someone that is almost interchangeable with your number one guy. Like Durant and Westbrook, or Lillard and McCollum. Gay is not someone you want to hand the reigns to if Cuz goes down. If you can't acquire a solid number two, then you surround your number one with four number three. Not easy to come up with a Shaq and Kobe. And Gay isn't Kobe!
Hi Baja. :) I don't know what these points have to do with each other but I'll just treat them as two different posts.

I have to agree with you that Rondo's defense this season has been mostly poor. And while I think the team in general is suffering defensively because of coaching strategies -- undersized lineups, playing the entire 4th quarter most nights with our best defenders on the bench, switching on screens even when it's not necessary -- with Rondo most of the problems are directly related to effort. He helps off his man on basically every single play which means they have a wide-open three whenever they want it. He goes for the reach-in steal when he should be sliding his feet and denying a path to the basket. The sad thing is, I've seen plenty of players who don't know how to play defense and Rondo isn't one of them. But I've also seen terrible defenders have more of an impact than Rondo is having this season simply by hustling their butts off.

I think you're directing these comments at me because I'm the one who wanted Rondo here in the first place and acted as his main apologist on this board. So confession time -- I was a big fan of Rondo coming out of Kentucky and I loved the fire he showed in the playoffs with the Celtics but I didn't watch him play all that much from 2012 to 2015. And I have to admit, while I was aware that his defense had declined since then, I'm shocked to see how bad it is. I don't know if he forgot that he made his money in this league as an All-NBA defender, if the championship ring and Boston media fawning went to his head, or he just got lazy playing next to Avery Bradley. Or is it a matter of conserving energy to stay on the floor and protect his knees in a contract year? I really don't know what his problem is on that end, but whatever it is it's a big concern if we're planning to bring him back. To go from where he was just 5 years ago to where he is now is a shocking de-evolution.

As for Rudy Gay -- I really didn't want to like him. I saw the numbers before he came here and I'm not big on advanced stats, but there was definitely a big gap between his reputation as an elite scorer and the actual production captured in the box scores. In fact, I expended a great deal of energy about 2 years ago arguing that we shouldn't sign him to an extension. Then last season happened and he didn't just match his production from 55 games in 2013/2014 (already the best of his career and looking like the product of small sample size), he was even better. For a full season he was a legit second option and deserved an All-Star nod for the first time in his career. So at this point we're looking at 123 games of All-Star level production with the same team. Maybe he is for real -- maybe he found his niche playing next to DeMarcus and we just need to get a quality PG to move the ball effectively and some defensive role-players to help us get stops?

Then this season happened. Uh oh. Back to reality? Could be. I've argued before that Rudy isn't a real #2 option so it's not much of a stretch for me to go back there. Ironic that I'm suddenly one of the only Kings fans defending Rudy after I ripped into him 2 summers ago isn't it? But I try to keep my emotions in check and let the data speak for itself. And there's no denying Rudy Gay has looked awful this season. Bad enough for all of the stat geeks who crept into the shadows last season to come back and say "I told you so". The only reason I'm defending Rudy Gay at all after this season is that he was too good here for too long to merely be dismissed as a fluke. And George Karl's idiocy has permeated everything else on this team so I'm always going to wonder in the back of my head if we didn't have a playoff roster here with a competent coach. Cause this was genius level incompetence. You have to have a special kind of brain and a hall-of-fame resumes worth of credibility to orchestrate this level of incompetence. You're probably right though that he's not a solid #2 -- if for no other reason than inconsistency. He peaks as an occasional #1 guy every month or so but his baseline production over his whole career is more like a #3 than a #2.
 

Glenn

Hall of Famer
Sorry Glenn, I missed your post last night. I can't remember any lyrics and they rarely interest me. Probably because I play saxes and flute. I'm a jazz (not the team, the music) person.
I usually like watching the Kings games even when they are not doing too good. Just because I like the team. In the early stages of last nights game music seemed a more attractive as a discussion topic. Interestingly, the Kings won all the three remaining quarters, but it never looked like that after the really, really bad first quarter. That's why I always emphasize good defense. If your defense is really tough, you don't fall behind that badly. Sometimes your shots don't fall and that is just a fact of life, but there is no reason that your defense should not be in place every game all the time.
I was taught by a pro jazz player at a school of music in Minneapolis in 7th and 8th grade. Then I moved. I ended up in a high school that was really quite good, best in Wisconsin, but the jazz playing dwindled. Then I made a major switch in career. I doubt if I would have been very good but I often wonder what would have happened if i had stayed in Minneapolis.
 

Glenn

Hall of Famer
As for Rudy Gay -- I really didn't want to like him. I saw the numbers before he came here and I'm not big on advanced stats, but there was definitely a big gap between his reputation as an elite scorer and the actual production captured in the box scores. In fact, I expended a great deal of energy about 2 years ago arguing that we shouldn't sign him to an extension. Then last season happened and he didn't just match his production from 55 games in 2013/2014 (already the best of his career and looking like the product of small sample size), he was even better. For a full season he was a legit second option and deserved an All-Star nod for the first time in his career. So at this point we're looking at 123 games of All-Star level production with the same team. Maybe he is for real -- maybe he found his niche playing next to DeMarcus and we just need to get a quality PG to move the ball effectively and some defensive role-players to help us get stops?

Then this season happened. Uh oh. Back to reality? Could be. I've argued before that Rudy isn't a real #2 option so it's not much of a stretch for me to go back there. Ironic that I'm suddenly one of the only Kings fans defending Rudy after I ripped into him 2 summers ago isn't it? But I try to keep my emotions in check and let the data speak for itself. And there's no denying Rudy Gay has looked awful this season. Bad enough for all of the stat geeks who crept into the shadows last season to come back and say "I told you so". The only reason I'm defending Rudy Gay at all after this season is that he was too good here for too long to merely be dismissed as a fluke. And George Karl's idiocy has permeated everything else on this team so I'm always going to wonder in the back of my head if we didn't have a playoff roster here with a competent coach. Cause this was genius level incompetence. You have to have a special kind of brain and a hall-of-fame resumes worth of credibility to orchestrate this level of incompetence. You're probably right though that he's not a solid #2 -- if for no other reason than inconsistency. He peaks as an occasional #1 guy every month or so but his baseline production over his whole career is more like a #3 than a #2.
I understand your last paragraph and I trust those close to the team (Vlade?) may understand what is going on with Rudy. I really don't want to lose Rudy but if Vlade says go, he goes.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
I think you're directing these comments at me because I'm the one who wanted Rondo here in the first place and acted as his main apologist on this board. So confession time -- I was a big fan of Rondo coming out of Kentucky and I loved the fire he showed in the playoffs with the Celtics but I didn't watch him play all that much from 2012 to 2015. And I have to admit, while I was aware that his defense had declined since then, I'm shocked to see how bad it is. I don't know if he forgot that he made his money in this league as an All-NBA defender, if the championship ring and Boston media fawning went to his head, or he just got lazy playing next to Avery Bradley. Or is it a matter of conserving energy to stay on the floor and protect his knees in a contract year? I really don't know what his problem is on that end, but whatever it is it's a big concern if we're planning to bring him back. To go from where he was just 5 years ago to where he is now is a shocking de-evolution.
I think there's another possibility with Rondo...

To me, it seems that oft-times he's acting as not only floor general, but commander-in-chief. He spends time every single game talking to one player or another, often gesturing towards a part of the court, an opponent, etc. I don't think it's a matter of him conserving energy as much as it might be him trying to evaluate (not exactly the word I'm trying to think of) other players in an attempt to help make them better because the guy in the suit certainly isn't going to do it.

I know that sounds simplistic and I know there are times when Rajon could and should be focusing more on his role, but I also know he has an incredible BB-IQ and spends hours watching game tapes, giving the younger players, tips, etc. He wants good players around him and if this is what he's doing, it makes George Karl even more despicable.

 
K

KingMilz

Guest
I wouldn't mind Rondo back but I don't want him to be the first and only option. Vlade needs to explore other available PGs out there that can score and actually want to attempt to play some defense.
The guy just got jobbed by a 3rd string PG in Shlevin Mack and got totally outclassed and you wouldn't mind bringing Rondo back for 15+million on a long term deal?

I can somewhat understand justifying Cousins staying but I just don't see why two guys making 10+million in Rudy Gay and Rondo who show up about 50% of the time have any justification to bring either of these overpriced role players back. Please spare me the well there friends with Cousins if any of these 3 guys actually wanted to win they would play like it more often.

It's one thing to play bad it's another not to try and Rondo/Rudy to often fall in the not trying category.
 
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I was taught by a pro jazz player at a school of music in Minneapolis in 7th and 8th grade. Then I moved. I ended up in a high school that was really quite good, best in Wisconsin, but the jazz playing dwindled. Then I made a major switch in career. I doubt if I would have been very good but I often wonder what would have happened if i had stayed in Minneapolis.
I know what you're saying. It's hard to get over that feeling especially when you love music. In BB terms, the stats against succeeding in the music business are overwhelmingly against you. I usually say to people that I have a song in my heart..., but I can't get it out of the instrument.
 

Glenn

Hall of Famer
I know what you're saying. It's hard to get over that feeling especially when you love music. In BB terms, the stats against succeeding in the music business are overwhelmingly against you. I usually say to people that I have a song in my heart..., but I can't get it out of the instrument.
I weighed the economics and became a MD. :) Still I am in my 70s and have had two very good groups (not jazz) want me to play with them. I might suck comparitivly to way back when but I could play 2nd trumpet parts.
 
I weighed the economics and became a MD. :) Still I am in my 70s and have had two very good groups (not jazz) want me to play with them. I might suck comparitivly to way back when but I could play 2nd trumpet parts.
Wow! That's really freaking similar (I'm 67). I became a DVM (second generation) and my father was a very good pianist (better musician than I ever was). When I studied, I played in a full size big band. Later I also played in a reggae band, which was a lot of fun. However, my favorites are sax players like Coltrane, Parker, Adderley (Cannonball), Getz, Desmond, Mulligan etc.
 

hrdboild

Moloch in whom I dream Angels!
Staff member
Wow! That's really freaking similar (I'm 67). I became a DVM (second generation) and my father was a very good pianist (better musician than I ever was). When I studied, I played in a full size big band. Later I also played in a reggae band, which was a lot of fun. However, my favorites are sax players like Coltrane, Parker, Adderley (Cannonball), Getz, Desmond, Mulligan etc.
Speaking of sax players, do you know Houston Person? I got really into soul jazz about 10 years ago and he shows up on a lot of albums in that late 60s/early 70s sweet spot with guys like Grant Green, Charles Kynard, Charles Earland, Melvin Sparks, and Bernard "the funkiest man alive" Purdie. Don't know if that's your thing or not, but I sure enjoy the heck out of his playing. :)
 

Glenn

Hall of Famer
Speaking of sax players, do you know Houston Person? I got really into soul jazz about 10 years ago and he shows up on a lot of albums in that late 60s/early 70s sweet spot with guys like Grant Green, Charles Kynard, Charles Earland, Melvin Sparks, and Bernard "the funkiest man alive" Purdie. Don't know if that's your thing or not, but I sure enjoy the heck out of his playing. :)
Don't know him and you sure kept up with things more than I did. I have wet dreams over Arturo Sandoval who I consider the best trumpet player in the world. He was brought from Cuba by Dizzy Gillespie.
 

hrdboild

Moloch in whom I dream Angels!
Staff member
Don't know him and you sure kept up with things more than I did. I have wet dreams over Arturo Sandoval who I consider the best trumpet player in the world. He was brought from Cuba by Dizzy Gillespie.
I pretty much stick to Hard Bop and Soul Jazz so that's like mid 50s to mid 70s. I'm relatively clueless about jazz outside of that area but I guess you could say I know a lot about a little. :)
Trumpet players that I know and love are Clifford Brown, Lee Morgan, and Donald Byrd but I could definitely do with some more Afro-Cuban in my life so I guess I'd better check out Arturo Sandoval.
 
Speaking of sax players, do you know Houston Person? I got really into soul jazz about 10 years ago and he shows up on a lot of albums in that late 60s/early 70s sweet spot with guys like Grant Green, Charles Kynard, Charles Earland, Melvin Sparks, and Bernard "the funkiest man alive" Purdie. Don't know if that's your thing or not, but I sure enjoy the heck out of his playing. :)
Not really. I know the Afro-Disiac album. However, Bernard "Pretty" Purdie is one of my all time favorite drummers. I bought the Aretha Franklin at the Fillmore West album in the very early 70's and and I listen to it until today. Then I got my hands on the King Curtis live from the same concert. If you don't know it by know (sounds like Pendergast), go to youtube. Amazing stuff. Clifford Brown (with Max Roach etc) and Lee Morgan (Jazz Messengers) were my absolute favorites. So sad they died so young. I have once met Dizzy live (at a hotel front desk). We had a nice conversation, really was a friendly guy. Same with Benny Maupin when he was playing with Herbie Hancock (Head Hunters). Chick Corea is the third great one that I have had a conversation. About five years ago he was touring with Stanley Clark, who gave a solo on acoustic bass that I will never forget. If you ever get to listen to Stan Getz album "Captain Marvel" with Chick Corea, Stanley Clark and Tony Williams, you'll know what I'm talking about. Yes, funk is one of my thing as well. The Motown "Funk Brothers" (I think they call it In the Shadows of Motown) is a kind of cult movie to me (with Bootsy Collins as one of the visitors, but unfortunately he doesn't play bass in that movie [or Jamerson for that matter]).

A lot of music instead of BB, but maybe it makes one feel better after a lost game. We should have won it in my opinion. The odd thing about it is that they are talented and they apparently have pretty good chemistry there, but they still don't know what they are supposed to do. A coaching issue???
 

kingsboi

Hall of Famer
Well, we haven't gone too far with Rondo as the starter. I wonder how Chris Paul survives at 6'0"?
Well for one, Paul is a smarter player, two Paul has almost 15 pounds on Collison so he can hold his own against guards, three Paul is a natural pass first PG where as DC is a score first guard.
 

kingsboi

Hall of Famer
The guy just got jobbed by a 3rd string PG in Shlevin Mack and got totally outclassed and you wouldn't mind bringing Rondo back for 15+million on a long term deal?

I can somewhat understand justifying Cousins staying but I just don't see why two guys making 10+million in Rudy Gay and Rondo who show up about 50% of the time have any justification to bring either of these overpriced role players back. Please spare me the well there friends with Cousins if any of these 3 guys actually wanted to win they would play like it more often.

It's one thing to play bad it's another not to try and Rondo/Rudy to often fall in the not trying category.
In no way did I condone bringing Rudy back. You are turning my post to your liking is what I got from your response. Look, Rondo isn't my first option at PG here. There are several others out there that I'd rather try to get such as Mike Conley (unrealistic), maybe Jeff Teague or Dennis Schroder? They were both available before the deadline, maybe draft one in Kris Dunn? There are options out there that I'd look at first and foremost. Regarding a long term deal for Rondo, the max I would give him is a three year deal with a third year player option. That's it. If the Kings can't get any better guards to come here other than Rondo, then yes...I'd welcome him back because I don't like just giving away talent. That's one thing the Kings are great at doing, as you know.