Well, see you in a different uniform next season IT

[twslam07]

I'm definitely onboard with making Thomas our elite sixth man, but after hearing what he has to say, I don't think his ego could accept coming off the bench. He sounds too wrapped up in individual awards and recognition. I like that he says he wants to start winning, but it sounds like it's for all the wrong reasons.

 

[hrdboild]

I can't fault Thomas for feeling like he has something to prove. But even if we had Chris Paul on this team I don't think he would settle for a bench role. He wants to be the man. It's what makes him as good as he is, but it's also his Achilles' heel. The faults in his game are all things he can work on but after watching him this season, I think the team would benefit immensely from an infusion of ego-less play at the PG position. Ray McCallum gave us that at the end of the season and I thought everyone else appeared to play looser as a result. I think it's time to face facts here that IT is only coming back for a starting job. The team should look in a different direction.

 

[Sac.Kings]

I can't fault Thomas for feeling like he has something to prove. But even if we had Chris Paul on this team I don't think he would settle for a bench role. He wants to be the man. It's what makes him as good as he is, but it's also his Achilles' heel. The faults in his game are all things he can work on but after watching him this season, I think the team would benefit immensely from an infusion of ego-less play at the PG position. Ray McCallum gave us that at the end of the season and I thought everyone else appeared to play looser as a result. I think it's time to face facts here that IT is only coming back for a starting job. The team should look in a different direction.

I am rather confident we are looking for trade scenarios. Love IT as the mighty mouse, David vs Goliath type of player, but like you said, it is his downfall as well.

 

[upinsmoke]

But he did not even start off as the starter THIS season he just successfully beat out Vasquez who is that pass first type of guard and let his game do the talking. Also last season being a contract year for IT did not really help out the ball movement any. Don't think I'm making excuses for IT but he's making peanuts on the NBA scale of course he's going to be looking for his payday and it's going to show in his play.

 

[swisshh]

IT may still not get a ton of money from teams because he's a valuable player at a position with a ton of competing talent. It's not just his size or that he's a 6th man. His size only limits him on defense. The main problem is that the league is full of PGs right now, so how does IT create high money demand for himself?

 

[ninjabiscuit]

But he did not even start off as the starter THIS season he just successfully beat out Vasquez who is that pass first type of guard and let his game do the talking. Also last season being a contract year for IT did not really help out the ball movement any. Don't think I'm making excuses for IT but he's making peanuts on the NBA scale of course he's going to be looking for his payday and it's going to show in his play.

I think he specifically wants to start, though. I saw or heard a quote from him back when he became the starter saying that a starting role was what he had always wanted, and now that he had it, he was going to do everything in his power to keep that role. I'm paraphrasing, but it was something like that.

I feel like the people who want him on the Kings as the 6th man (including me) aren't going to get their wish. I get the impression that being a starting point guard is the most important thing for him, followed by the paycheck. So either we start him, or he leaves.

I hope I'm wrong, because I love IT, flaws and all.

 

[CurseOfTheSalmons]

IT may still not get a ton of money from teams because he's a valuable player at a position with a ton of competing talent. It's not just his size or that he's a 6th man. His size only limits him on defense. The main problem is that the league is full of PGs right now, so how does IT create high money demand for himself?

i would like to add that his size also limits him from making certain passes and makes him a harder player to pass to.

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

I can't fault Thomas for feeling like he has something to prove. But even if we had Chris Paul on this team I don't think he would settle for a bench role. He wants to be the man. It's what makes him as good as he is, but it's also his Achilles' heel. The faults in his game are all things he can work on but after watching him this season, I think the team would benefit immensely from an infusion of ego-less play at the PG position. Ray McCallum gave us that at the end of the season and I thought everyone else appeared to play looser as a result. I think it's time to face facts here that IT is only coming back for a starting job. The team should look in a different direction.

Totally agree. Being a 6th man has never been his interest. It sure wasn't this past season and it's definitely not now. He's not interested in playing "behind" anybody at his position on this team. It's time to move on IMO

 

[Livinthedream]

More:

“I have a lot [of goals],” Thomas said. “I want to be an All-Star; I’ve always said that when given an opportunity, I can showcase that I can play at a very high level and numbers don’t lie. I think the next thing in my career is just winning, and winning takes care of all of the individual success. I know with the numbers that I have, if I lead a team to wins then those accolades will come. I’m just going to continue to work and continue to try to reach my goals and win. … I feel like I’ve gotten a lot of better in the last few years. I was watching actually film of my rookie year a few weeks ago and I was like, ‘I didn’t even look good!’ I felt like I wasn’t even that good. The jump that I’ve made, I think it’s going to happen every year just because of the work I’ve put in. I’m ready for every opportunity that’s thrown at me. I’m ready to show the world that I can play at a high level. This summer, I’m going to keep working too. I’m continuing to work on shooting, but also working on my off-hand passing and learning how to pass through traffic. I just want to keep getting better at being a passer and making my teammates better.”

Read more at http://www.basketballinsiders.com/n...ens-up-about-free-agency/#Ceg0tq7gKfEv35lD.99

Really, you can read from these whatever you like. There's also some stuff about his relationship with Malone, hopes for the Kings next season, etc.

Well.....good to hear some honesty. A lot can be read into the comments, but I'm going to hold my tongue and watch it play out.

 

[VF21]

Well.....good to hear some honesty. A lot can be read into the comments, but I'm going to hold my tongue and watch it play out.

That's part of the problem a lot of times. People always want to find deeper meaning and hidden narratives in tweets or posts to other social media. Most of these people aren't that deep. What they say is what they mean, no more or no less. As Freud once said, "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."

 

[Prince_XY]

The Kings will keep IT up to 6m a year according to Jason Jones (Rumor of course)

Good for IT and bad for the Kings.

If it happens, we will add another over-payed player that will be hard to trade.

Who in his right mind will pay 6M for a midget score-first PG, who cannot facilitate, and who cannot defend?

Nate Robinson, the more explosive scoring midget, and who is heftier and able to defend and facilitate at times, and dunk is at 2M a year right now!

 

[The_Jamal]

I can't fault Thomas for feeling like he has something to prove. But even if we had Chris Paul on this team I don't think he would settle for a bench role. He wants to be the man. It's what makes him as good as he is, but it's also his Achilles' heel. The faults in his game are all things he can work on but after watching him this season, I think the team woRay uld benefit immensely from an infusion of ego-less play at the PG position. Ray McCallum gave us that at the end of the season and I thought everyone else appeared to play looser as a result. I think it's time to face facts here that IT is only coming back for a starting job. The team should look in a different direction.

We were WORSE at the end of the year. All the props in the world to Ray for his Ironman act of 45 MPG, but we were WORSE with him as a starter.

Most of the nonsense posted lately about IT is exactly that. Nonsense. Nate Robinson is better than him now? Give me a break. Some here have a very jaded view of how to evaluate NBA talent.

 

[The_Jamal]

His mindset doesn't fit in with our team dynamic of Boogie/Rudy being the top options. He shouldn't even be the 3rd option but rather a bench option. Nothing he's said tells me he'd be on board with that scenario.

His first priority appears to be proving any doubters wrong. He also seems far too concerned with his numbers.

"This summer, I’m going to keep working too. I’m continuing to work on shooting, but also working on my off-hand passing and learning how to pass through traffic. I just want to keep getting better at being a passer and making my teammates better.”

Yea!! What a sel.... oh wait.

 

[Big Cuz 15]

Omg.

awesome. like i said in another post, let him freeze kobe out of the offense down there. kobe and micro boy can fight over the ball.

 

[Big Cuz 15]

"This summer, I’m going to keep working too. I’m continuing to work on shooting, but also working on my off-hand passing and learning how to pass through traffic. I just want to keep getting better at being a passer and making my teammates better.”

Yea!! What a sel.... oh wait.

he's doing his impersonation of keith smart. "we're not going to play tyreke at the 3.. again"

 

[Big Cuz 15]

Good for IT and bad for the Kings.

If it happens, we will add another over-payed player that will be hard to trade.

Who in his right mind will pay 6M for a midget score-first PG, who cannot facilitate, and who cannot defend?

Nate Robinson, the more explosive scoring midget, and who is heftier and able to defend and facilitate at times, and dunk is at 2M a year right now!

the same group that gave landry a kings ransom last off season.

 

[pshn80]

he's doing his impersonation of keith smart. "we're not going to play tyreke at the 3.. again"

Oh ..... come on.

 

[Big Cuz 15]

i'll believe it when i see it. he's on par with omri's selfishness.

 

[Bricklayer]

I think really the reaction to statements like those entirely depends on your preesisting evaluation of the player.

Cousins says that, you're thinking great, a driven superstar. IT says it...and if you don't think he's all that it is just ego writing checks, a potential disruption. But if you think he really is an All Star in the waiting, you react differently.

Biggest things I read there are:
1) the perception he was not feeling the love here are correct
2) 6th man is an impossibility now. We really did spoil that one.
3) want to be loved for being a scoring PG? Says worlds about mentality. And resents being challenged over it.
4) the 5'9" thing is understandable. has to get old after a while. Unfortunately does not make it any less true.
5) the chip is very much still there, and not likely to leave. IT BTW is one of those guys who will leave and come back to roast us when we meet him in a different uniform.

 

[hrdboild]

We were WORSE at the end of the year. All the props in the world to Ray for his Ironman act of 45 MPG, but we were WORSE with him as a starter.

Most of the nonsense posted lately about IT is exactly that. Nonsense. Nate Robinson is better than him now? Give me a break. Some here have a very jaded view of how to evaluate NBA talent.

I realize that we were worse with Ray McCallum and no backup, but I liked the way the ball moved on offense with him in the lineup. I also liked the energy and commitment he showed on the defensive end. Don't misunderstand me-- Ray was a rookie and he barely had any playing time in the first 4 months of the season. To expect him to step in and outplay or match an experienced player like IT is crazy. I also agree that IT is a very talented scorer and he's competent as a playmaker as well. I don't think Ray as the starting PG makes us a better team. But I do think somebody who plays more like Ray McCallum and less like IT would make us a better team. Somebody with enough length to disrupt the passing lanes, somebody who's going to bring the ball up and initiate the offense every play without calling their own number, somebody who's going to focus on finding our scorers in the places on the floor where they are most effective. Thomas is a great change of pace scoring guard who wants to be a hall-of-famer. That desire is not a bad thing individually. You need that to get to the NBA and succeed particularly when you've been given such a size disadvantage. But I don't think it helps the team.

 

[Livinthedream]

I realize that we were worse with Ray McCallum and no backup, but I liked the way the ball moved on offense with him in the lineup. I also liked the energy and commitment he showed on the defensive end. Don't misunderstand me-- Ray was a rookie and he barely had any playing time in the first 4 months of the season. To expect him to step in and outplay or match an experienced player like IT is crazy. I also agree that IT is a very talented scorer and he's competent as a playmaker as well. I don't think Ray as the starting PG makes us a better team. But I do think somebody who plays more like Ray McCallum and less like IT would make us a better team. Somebody with enough length to disrupt the passing lanes, somebody who's going to bring the ball up and initiate the offense every play without calling their own number, somebody who's going to focus on finding our scorers in the places on the floor where they are most effective. Thomas is a great change of pace scoring guard who wants to be a hall-of-famer. That desire is not a bad thing individually. You need that to get to the NBA and succeed particularly when you've been given such a size advantage. But I don't think it helps the team.

I didn't know the perception was that we were worse because of Ray. I thought we were worse due to lack of depth and injuries. Ray was actually holding it down and keeping us from getting completely demolished on the court. That's how I saw it.

 

[TTown Kings]

LOL at people comparing IT to Nate frickin Robinson. Yeah, they're both short. Great argument.

IT is superior to Nate Robinson in every imaginable way. If you can't see that then I don't know what to tell you. IT is going to get 6-8/year from somebody. I hope it's us.

 

[Agent23]

LOL at people comparing IT to Nate frickin Robinson. Yeah, they're both short. Great argument.

IT is superior to Nate Robinson in every imaginable way. If you can't see that then I don't know what to tell you. IT is going to get 6-8/year from somebody. I hope it's us.

Then you just hoped us to another 28 win season with him at the helm but cool Pizza Guy commercials.

 

[Spike]

LOL at people comparing IT to Nate frickin Robinson. Yeah, they're both short. Great argument.

IT is superior to Nate Robinson in every imaginable way. If you can't see that then I don't know what to tell you. IT is going to get 6-8/year from somebody. I hope it's us.

Vs. Nate Robinson:
Per 36 is not that far off. Per 100 possessions, IT does better on pts/assists.
I don't think his argument is as far off as you want to make it. At least on offense.

 

[Barksdale]

Then you just hoped us to another 28 win season with him at the helm but cool Pizza Guy commercials.

A full season of IT, Rudy, and Cuz with a more experienced McLemore + draft pick is a 35+ win team.

FYI team was 2-8 when IT didn't play.

 

[Rockmeister]

A full season of IT, Rudy, and Cuz with a more experienced McLemore + draft pick is a 35+ win team.

FYI team was 2-8 when IT didn't play.

A 35 win is not going to get us in the playoffs.

 

[Barksdale]

A 35 win is not going to get us in the playoffs.

No, but no single player who will realistically sign with the Kings will make them a playoff contender. Not even Bledsoe.

 

[King Baller]

A 35 win is not going to get us in the playoffs.

I think a 10 win improvement over last year would be acceptable. Unless Pete somehow brings in a whole new team of high performing Veterans Then I want Playoffs!!!

 

[upinsmoke]

Kings extend QO for IT today making him a RFA.

 

[steelevt]

Vs. Nate Robinson:
Per 36 is not that far off. Per 100 possessions, IT does better on pts/assists.
I don't think his argument is as far off as you want to make it. At least on offense.

i agree with the nate robinson comparison also. yeah IT might be better, but is he over 3x better than nate? i know grant and jerry like to compare IT to CP3 and steph curry all the time but most of us see him as a great 6th man, not an all star pg. so when comparing salary to 2mil for nate or even 5.5 mil for jamal crawford, anything over 6 mil seems like an overpay. i hated that we didnt pay for tyreke but the way they did it i can live with. see what the market is for him and dont bid against ourselves like our old front office used to do.