[Game] Kings v. Timberwolves - 2/27/17 - 7:30PT/10:30ET

!!!!

We were a treadmilling mid-late lottery team. Literally the worst thing you can be in the NBA. And had we continued the way we were going with Cousins, we lose our pick in this incredibly deep draft. Things weren't going to change with Cousins. We have no pull in FA, were going to not have a pick in this year's deep draft and have some picks we're going to probably lose down the road here. We now have building blocks for the future.
Maybe a Cuz trade needed to be made I can't fully argue against that one but theres a very real possibility that we only got Buddy Heild out of it. Thats not a serious building block. Small market teams can usually go another decade without contending again when dealing away a superstar and thats WITH getting a good haul back, we got Buddy Heild and maybe we get lucky and 3-4 years down the road we have a player that was as impactful as Cuz, as a small market team you cannot let a deal like that happen. Poor planning poor execution all just overall incompetence is all over this move and franchise.
 
Willie is almost unplayable on a winning team because in order to have him out there you need another non stretch big out there to rebound for him. That just clogs down the paint and causes more of a mess on offense and leaves us vulnerable to three point shooting on the other end.
If WCS ends up not being a player we are further along up the creek, but I can't deny my doubts.. really hope that his skill can overcome motor and he can become passable on his weak traits
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
I understand. But it's a situation that can go either way. And intelligent folks believe this is the better path for long term viability.

I'm not saying I even agree with it. I wasn't against keeping Cousins, espevialky if it meant giving him up for cheap

But, keeping him, treadmilling, investing 200 mil in a plodder etc. it's a fork in the road decision. And the team will suck now, that's the point.
Intelligent folks? I understand there are two different and diametrically opposed views but when you start to pontificate about how one side is soooooo much smarter than the other, you lose me completely.

Please, tell me what to say to my granddaughters who want to know why we're not going to any more Kings games this year. They want to have fun and watch their team win. They're not gonna buy not winning so they can maybe be better at some point in the future.
 
Intelligent folks? I understand there are two different and diametrically opposed views but when you start to pontificate about how one side is soooooo much smarter than the other, you lose me completely.

Please, tell me what to say to my granddaughters who want to know why we're not going to any more Kings games this year. They want to have fun and watch their team win. They're not gonna buy not winning so they can maybe be better at some point in the future.
To be honest, the team wasn't winning with Cousins. I don't define winning as being 10 games under .500.
 
Intelligent folks? I understand there are two different and diametrically opposed views but when you start to pontificate about how one side is soooooo much smarter than the other, you lose me completely.

Please, tell me what to say to my granddaughters who want to know why we're not going to any more Kings games this year. They want to have fun and watch their team win. They're not gonna buy not winning so they can maybe be better at some point in the future.
Intelligent folks, I'm thinking the consensus of our brain trust. Vlade, Vivek, Bratz, Beech and Catanella along with minority owners. They are either folks paid for their analytic basketball expertise or highly intelligent businessmen involved with basketball. I, would personally trust their decision making process over a lot of the everyday fan, otherwise I don't think they would be where they are.

It's the long term viability of the team that is in question. Or the fact that your granddaughters may be supporting a better team two years from now on up if the team is better situated going this route. It sucks for the fans buying the tickets but this is rather typical in sports to not want to hang in the middle, "treadmill", as opposed to rebuilding with other building blocks

I think the team will only really be this unwatchable this year, or for 22 some odd games. By next year the team will have more youth and should be competing nightly I would think
 
To be honest, the team wasn't winning with Cousins. I don't define winning as being 10 games under .500.
Not all loses are the same.
Garbage time in the fourth quarter is not the same as nail-biting loses down the wire.

Over the past 3 days Kings had 2 out of top 10 losses this year based on point differential (14 point losses against Minny and Hornets at home).
That was achieved against the teams that have low probability of making playoffs.
For comparison, total number of loses by more than 10 points against the non-playoff teams this year prior to All-star break was 3 (Mavs, Bucks, Portland all away).
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
Well they won against DEN. Does that count?
Either you're being intentionally obtuse or you think I'm joking. Going to a game with Cousins in the lineup made it POSSIBLE the Kings could win. Going to a game now would do no such thing. The Denver win was a fluke, beginner's luck, whatever you want to call it. I'm not going to travel 2 hours each way and spend an exorbitant amount of money for decent seats to watch a clown show. And, at this point, that's what I see. So, because Cousins got traded away I've lost a treasured activity with my grandchildren. (And yes, it all makes perfect sense to me. If you're not a grandparent, you probably won't understand.)
 
Not all loses are the same.
Garbage time in the fourth quarter is not the same as nail-biting loses down the wire.

Over the past 3 days Kings had 2 out of top 10 losses this year based on point differential (14 point losses against Minny and Hornets at home).
That was achieved against the teams that have low probability of making playoffs.
For comparison, total number of loses by more than 10 points against the non-playoff teams this year prior to All-star break was 3 (Mavs, Bucks, Portland all away).
MIN has been playing much better of late. They are 13-14 since the new year so they are not as bad as their record suggests. The Hornets also have a +.3 PPG differential despite their record. Remember how thoroughly PPG differential was discussed as it pertained to the Kings actually being a .500 team?
 
Either you're being intentionally obtuse or you think I'm joking. Going to a game with Cousins in the lineup made it POSSIBLE the Kings could win. Going to a game now would do no such thing. The Denver win was a fluke, beginner's luck, whatever you want to call it. I'm not going to travel 2 hours each way and spend an exorbitant amount of money for decent seats to watch a clown show. And, at this point, that's what I see. So, because Cousins got traded away I've lost a treasured activity with my grandchildren. (And yes, it all makes perfect sense to me. If you're not a grandparent, you probably won't understand.)
Right now this team is absolutely dreadful. I agree with you there, but it's only for 20+ games. When the draft order settles, we will get a sharper delineation of what the team is.
 
MIN has been playing much better of late. They are 13-14 since the new year so they are not as bad as their record suggests. The Hornets also have a +.3 PPG differential despite their record. Remember how thoroughly PPG differential was discussed as it pertained to the Kings actually being a .500 team?
Very good argument that Min and Hornets are not bottom dwellers..... which nobody stated. There were only 3 teams and now there are 4 that can carry that epithet.

Point was that not all loses are the same and close ones are more fun than the blowouts.
We did not have many games that were garbage time early in the 4th quarter and now we have two in the row with expectations of many more to come.
 
Right now this team is absolutely dreadful. I agree with you there, but it's only for 20+ games. When the draft order settles, we will get a sharper delineation of what the team is.
No we will not, unless you can predict how good rookies are much faster than anyone else.
There is no way, and I will gladly eat crow, that we will make playoff next year either. It would be a minor miracle if we are competitive in most games and not talking about 2018 draft by December.
This is full rebuild, and nobody does it in less than one full season, and that would be extra fast.
 
Very good argument that Min and Hornets are not bottom dwellers..... which nobody stated. There were only 3 teams and now there are 4 that can carry that epithet.

Point was that not all loses are the same and close ones are more fun than the blowouts.
We did not have many games that were garbage time early in the 4th quarter and now we have two in the row with expectations of many more to come.
I didn't post their record to show that they are nbot bottom dwellers. I posted them to show that despite them being on the outside looking in, their record is better than it actually is.
 

Glenn

Hall of Famer
Either you're being intentionally obtuse or you think I'm joking. Going to a game with Cousins in the lineup made it POSSIBLE the Kings could win. Going to a game now would do no such thing. The Denver win was a fluke, beginner's luck, whatever you want to call it. I'm not going to travel 2 hours each way and spend an exorbitant amount of money for decent seats to watch a clown show. And, at this point, that's what I see. So, because Cousins got traded away I've lost a treasured activity with my grandchildren. (And yes, it all makes perfect sense to me. If you're not a grandparent, you probably won't understand.)
This is a concept the average fan who doesn't go to games does not understand. The team needs butts in the seats.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
Right now this team is absolutely dreadful. I agree with you there, but it's only for 20+ games. When the draft order settles, we will get a sharper delineation of what the team is.
You apparently have more faith in the front office ability to improve the team than I. I honestly hope with every fiber of my being that you are right and I am wrong. When people talk about getting a top draft pick and solving all our problems, I cannot help but think of Greg Oden...and then I'm even more depressed.
 
You apparently have more faith in the front office ability to improve the team than I. I honestly hope with every fiber of my being that you are right and I am wrong. When people talk about getting a top draft pick and solving all our problems, I cannot help but think of Greg Oden...and then I'm even more depressed.
Actually I've had zero confidence in the FO to deliberately make good decisions. I've been a loud critic of Vlade because of his lack of experience. Even if we kept Cousins, Vlade would still be the same inept GM he is today surrounding Cousins with spare parts on a journey to yet another middling, 35 win season. Even if Kings signed Cousins to that massive extension, that is not going to be any easy contract to trade regardless if how good Cousins is. The Kings would have to take back multiple bad contract to make it work.
 
Either you're being intentionally obtuse or you think I'm joking. Going to a game with Cousins in the lineup made it POSSIBLE the Kings could win. Going to a game now would do no such thing. The Denver win was a fluke, beginner's luck, whatever you want to call it. I'm not going to travel 2 hours each way and spend an exorbitant amount of money for decent seats to watch a clown show. And, at this point, that's what I see. So, because Cousins got traded away I've lost a treasured activity with my grandchildren. (And yes, it all makes perfect sense to me. If you're not a grandparent, you probably won't understand.)
How old are your grandkids?
 
Well...I have 4 sons and they enjoy the game experience differently than I do. They like the snacks and the half time shows and the fun things they do during time outs at least as much as the game. If your grand kids are anything like my kids then I don't think the experience would be any different with or without Demarcus.

BTW it is cool that you spend the money on your grand kids like that. What a fun thing to do.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
Well...I have 4 sons and they enjoy the game experience differently than I do. They like the snacks and the half time shows and the fun things they do during time outs at least as much as the game. If your grand kids are anything like my kids then I don't think the experience would be any different with or without Demarcus.

BTW it is cool that you spend the money on your grand kids like that. What a fun thing to do.
My granddaughters are 11 and almost 13. They've been going to Kings games since 2010. This was the first game they attended:

upload_2017-2-28_20-20-38.png


It was the RekeROY game against Toronto, the night Tyreke had his first career triple-double. They are basketball fanatics. They want to see good games, not scrimmages. They were very angry when IT left. That was nothing, however, to how they felt when Boogie was traded for "junk" as the older one remarked. They know all the players, they know the positions, they know the game. Until there is a chance we can go see a truly competitive game, G1C will not be part of our plans.
 
My granddaughters are 11 and almost 13. They've been going to Kings games since 2010. This was the first game they attended:

View attachment 6503


It was the RekeROY game against Toronto, the night Tyreke had his first career triple-double. They are basketball fanatics. They want to see good games, not scrimmages. They were very angry when IT left. That was nothing, however, to how they felt when Boogie was traded for "junk" as the older one remarked. They know all the players, they know the positions, they know the game. Until there is a chance we can go see a truly competitive game, G1C will not be part of our plans.
Well at least Reke is back.