NBA Draft is today Go Kings!!
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jodystone6467 |
Thursday, June 25, 2009 (All Posts) |
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Welcome to the Bleacher Mob Forum.
NBA Draft is today Go Kings!! |
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jodystone6467 |
No easy answers, quick fixes for Kings: | ||
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No easy answers, quick fixes for Kings:
http://www.sacbee.com/sports/story/1975462.html Today's NBA draft will present the Kings, a team that so badly needs to get it right, a complicated choice. It's one that was made challenging after the May 19 lottery put them in the No. 4 position (in addition to their No. 23 and No. 31 picks). Picking first would have been a no-brainer (Blake Griffin), second would have come with the luxury of targeting the best of the rest, and even No. 3 would have meant the lines of logic would be more clearly drawn. It is no surprise, then, that the seemingly endless possibilities will likely be considered until the Kings are on the clock. If the Kings don't trade their first pick - and league sources say they have been searching for a deal that would net a high-level veteran point guard for the fourth pick and other pieces - they will be picking from a group of players who have one thing in common: They're not the perfect fit. The Kings are deliberating among players who each offer plenty of positives but whose weaknesses cloud the water. "We're just not going to fill every need we have with one player this year - not that you ever can," Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie said Wednesday night. Memphis guard Tyreke Evans is believed to be the favorite, with his height (6-foot-5), strength and smooth scoring ways enticing the Kings to simply take the best player. And while the selection would surely add to a talent pool that remains too shallow, questions about Evans' shooting ability and whether he can be an NBA point guard mean there would be more questions to come. Namely, how would his isolation style fit with Kings shooting guard Kevin Martin? Syracuse point guard Jonny Flynn continues to have an ardent fan base within the organization. His repute as a pure point guard and leader who can be extremely physical have helped his cause, but the question of his height (5-11) and his shot may inspire the Kings to go a different direction. Davidson guard Stephen Curry offers another quandary. As the draft's best shooter, he would be a boon for the Kings' offense, but he's considered neither a distributing point guard nor a good defender. Yet it's Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio who was seen by many as the perfect antidote to the Kings' problems. The Kings were ranked 27th in assists last season (19.7 per game) and the creative Rubio is widely considered the best passer in the draft, a true point guard who can make his teammates better. Still, concerns arose there as well, from his age (18) to his questionable shot to a perception that the leadership qualities that are highly regarded in Europe would take time to translate in the NBA. There remains the matter of his current contract, too, as the negotiations for a reduction in his $6.6 million buyout with his team, DKV Joventut, have not been finalized as expected and may not be completed by today. Rubio's situation is unique because of his international fame and potential drawing power locally. He has been the fan favorite among draft prospects in Sacramento, a fact that matters more now than ever considering the team finished last in the league in attendance last season and is in desperate need of help at the Arco Arena gate. Petrie, however, said the business side will always benefit by taking the best player. "The business of basketball mainly is going to be contingent on us improving and starting to win more games," he said. "Whatever happens in this draft tomorrow, there is not going to be any absolute truth - only some people will say there is. The absolute truth will come down the road, when the truth becomes more self-evident." Rubio's agent, Dan Fegan, has made his intentions clear as they pertain to the Kings - he has been looking to fulfill their desire to upgrade at point guard while placing his client in a California city seen as ideal with a team full of young players like him. There was the financial factor as well, as Rubio was once widely seen as a No. 2 pick yet now faces the prospect of falling. "My best guess at this point is that no one knows who the Kings will select because the process is not over," Fegan said. "I've known Geoff for over 20 years, and in my experience he is a very deliberate thinker who will examine every aspect of a draft candidate and trade possibilities before he makes a final decision. "That's one of the reasons why he has had so much success. Part of the process is using all the time available and not letting the media or other teams in on what you are truly thinking. Don't count Ricky out yet as a King, and don't count him in yet." The various chatter around the league Wednesday reflected Fegan's sentiment, nowhere more so than in Minnesota. After the Timberwolves acquired the No. 5 pick from Washington, a league source said they offered Oklahoma City the No. 5 and their No. 18 to move up to No. 3 with the intent of picking Rubio. Despite so many league executives and agents believing the Kings were targeting Evans, there were plenty who saw Rubio as their pick. The T-wolves, quite clearly, could believe they must move ahead of the Kings to pick Rubio. "It's a little bit like seven-card stud," Petrie said. "You've got the flop, one card up and one more card to turn." |
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jodystone6467 |
Petrie needs player who'll revitalize the Kings: | ||
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Petrie needs player who'll revitalize the Kings:
http://www.sacbee.com/sports/story/1975225.html Does Geoff Petrie still have what it takes? Can he still hit the long ball? We'll learn more about the Kings basketball president today, at least uncover a few clues, when David Stern announces the club's first-round draft selections at Nos. 4 and 23, or in the alternative, reveals that Sacramento has swapped picks or players in a dramatic, deadline-pressured maneuver. The old Petrie, of course, stretched for the flamboyant Jason Williams, plucked Gerald Wallace, stubbornly shook his head when peers wondered what he saw in Hedo Turkoglu and Brian Grant. He went with his instincts, relied on his personnel officials, and assembled critical pieces for the successful Kings teams earlier this decade. But this time is different because everything has changed. The economy stinks. Petrie's subsequent free-agent signings and questionable trades thrust the franchise into a massive funk. The coach needs better players. The community needs a reason to re-engage. The owners need to sell tickets to pay salaries and reduce losses and, at some point, gain momentum to replace outdated Arco Arena. Can he still hit the long ball? Does he still have his masterful draft touch? Who knows? This is the first time in Petrie's Kings tenure that he's spinning a top-five pingpong ball, and while his team has never been worse - coming off a 17-win season - he has never been more advantageously positioned for the draft. He is accustomed to drafting among the later lottery teams, midway or deeper into the first round, stealing off to Europe and coming back with a prize, occasionally trekking to the mountains of North Carolina for a skinny, unappreciated scorer named Kevin Martin. As 5 p.m. approaches, let's hope he has another revelation. Safe is for crossing guards. It doesn't excite fans or put fannies in the seats. With the rebuilding Kings sure to struggle for another season or so, this isn't the time to forget who made the Kings matter and who threw all those beautiful passes: Williams. Chris Webber. Mike Bibby. Vlade Divac. Doug Christie. Turkoglu. … In the dead heat of another Sacramento summer, the city could relate to another celebrity besides that politician who drives a Hummer. Petrie has much to ponder, the tension intensifying at Arco by the day. As of late Wednesday, the Kings' brain trust apparently was mulling whether to draft Jonny Flynn, the forceful, low-maintenance (if undersized) point guard who is said to be most capable of contributing immediately, or whether to select a prospect with greater star potential, even if he takes longer to develop. The names haven't changed. Memphis star Tyreke Evans dazzled during his workouts at the practice facility, benefitting immensely from his size and strength advantage (a wide, long-limbed 6-foot-5). But what's his position? Can he share a backcourt with Martin? Some scouts who love Evans' talent acknowledge he commits too many turnovers, fails to make teammates better and tends toward one-on-one play. However, when asked which player not named Blake Griffin has the best chance to emerge as a special player, Evans is most often mentioned. Ricky Rubio visited Sacramento twice, worked out once and, because of his ranginess, pure point guard skills and obvious charisma, offers a tantalizing wealth of possibilities. Plus, the Kings desperately need someone to distribute and run an offense. Nonetheless, Rubio's playmaking brilliance is tempered by his unpolished offense. He is not Pete Maravich. A better comparison might be a young Jason Kidd; the former Cal star didn't shoot much above 40 percent in his first three NBA seasons, though he amassed the assists (8.8 per game average) and rebounds (5.7). Stephen Curry is a superb shooter, though it's hard to imagine him paired alongside Martin. Hasheem Thabeet? A few Kings officials are fans, though unless he morphs into the skilled Divac overnight, it's highly unlikely Petrie leans on the big fella. But again, who knows whether Petrie still has the swagger or has gone conservative on us? We do know he has to be right this time, particularly if he bypasses the entertaining, highly publicized Rubio. And surely, he knows this, too. |
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jodystone6467 |
Will Rubio's flair bounce as high here? | ||
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Will Rubio's flair bounce as high here?
http://www.sacbee.com/sports/story/1975171.html The name on the back of the basketball jersey simply says "RICKY." The question is whether he'll be trading in his Spanish uniform for Sacramento Kings purple. The biggest buzz in the countdown to today's NBA draft surrounds Ricky Rubio, an 18-year-old with heartthrob good looks who still lives with his parents in a seaside town outside of Barcelona, Spain, keeps a curfew and has a Michael Jordan poster above his bed. In Europe, Rubio transcends athleticism and falls into that nebulous category of celebrity. But will he be as popular with U.S. fans and, more specifically, the Kings, if the team takes him with its fourth pick in the draft? "He's a new breed - he's been compared to the lead singer in one of those boy bands," said ESPN basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla. "He's got that kind of persona along with a game that personifies flair and excitement." There are five elements that add up to celebrity - some semblance of talent, a good back story, presentable looks, charisma and timing, said Kevin Wehr, an associate professor of sociology at California State University, Sacramento. Rubio satisfies all of them, plus he's young. "Celebrities give us a distraction from the drudgery of our daily lives," Wehr said. "And it conforms to the mythology that we're taught about the American dream - if you work hard, live right and have talent, you will be rewarded." Rubio first picked up a basketball as a toddler in soccer-crazed Spain, coincidentally around the time of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and the original U.S. Dream Team. Just shy of his 15th birthday and while continuing to attend his local high school, Rubio started playing professionally with Spain's ACB League, considered one of the best outside of the NBA. It was during the Beijing Olympics last year that the world took notice of the 6-foot-4, 180-pound teenager. Rubio became the youngest player to start in an Olympics final when he took the place of the injured José Calderón, who plays for the NBA's Toronto Raptors, against the United States' Redeem Team. Although Spain lost by 11 points, Rubio played injured and still had six points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals. He was likened to basketball legend Pistol Pete Maravich and dubbed "La Pistola." Still, no one can predict how that experience along with his young age will translate into a grueling NBA schedule under pressure that gets more intense with the mounting hype. "What's intriguing about Rubio is we don't know anything about him. What we hear isn't very concrete. So he's a big mystery man," said freelance sportscaster and former Kings announcer Jim Kozimor. "And when you don't know something, you tend to make up an answer - and it's usually pretty good." Rubio is already an international phenomenon with more than 1,000 YouTube video uploads; a Facebook page with almost 26,000 fans from France, Italy, the Philippines, Indonesia, Denmark and other countries; Slam basketball magazine covers; and a "Meet the Rubios" video series at www.nikebasketball.com about his family, favorite foods and dancing skills. But Rubio still leads a normal teenage life, said Jesús Pérez Ramos, who covers basketball for the Barcelona-based sports newspaper El Mundo Deportivo. That is about to change, said Scott Rosner, associate director of the Wharton Sports Business Initiative, a sports business think tank at the University of Pennsylvania. "Here you have this guy with floppy hair running up and down the court … (who) more than holds his own against the best players in the world," Rosner said. "There's potential there. He represents hope and fans want hope." The reality, however, is that Rubio - and anyone his age - is something of a gamble, according to Rosner. "It's very hard to project how an 18-year-old is going to develop as … a person in the next five years, and that goes for basketball or investment banking," Rosner said. "It's almost a boom or bust kind of thing. I guess that's what makes some of Rubio exciting. He could be phenomenal, or he could turn out to be a bust." His no-look passes aside, Rubio is NBA-ready, according to Pérez Ramos. "He can do dunks and some spectacular things, but really he knows basketball and he knows how to run a team," Pérez Ramos said. "And his mentality is very, very strong." ESPN's Fraschilla thinks it might be beneficial for Rubio to stay in Spain for two more years, but with the NBA, "the reality is, you strike while the iron is hot." "Honestly, he's not in the category of player as Pistol Pete, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson," Fraschilla said. "But he's the best passer to come into this draft in a long, long time." Although Tyreke Evans from Memphis was rumored to be the Kings' top pick this week, Rubio has visited Sacramento twice with a solo practice workout Monday. There is also the extra wrinkle of a $6.6 million buyout to get Rubio out of his contract with his Spanish team DKV Joventut. Robert Valenzuela won't reach for his cowbell until the Kings turn around their losing record. The hairstylist, 55, has had season tickets since the franchise came to Sacramento in 1985, but he canceled them last year because he found himself leaving the majority of games unhappy. "If you have a team that wins, you don't need a good-looking 18-year-old Spaniard," he said. "We used to go when they won. We stopped going when they were not winning. Looks are nice, but not as much as teams that win." |
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jodystone6467 |
The NBA Draft credo: Lie, lie, lie: | ||
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The NBA Draft credo: Lie, lie, lie
http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/sports/kings/archives/2009/06/post-25.html After spending the last pre-draft evening chatting with sources about Thursday evening's annual festivities, I was reminded that some things never
change. Everyone lies. Coaches. Scouts. Agents. Team executives. It's never personal, though, and as one GM said earlier today, "Why would you want anyone out there to know what
you really think about a player you mght want to draft?"
Party time at Arco So, okay, it's not exactly the NBA Playoffs, but fans are invited to attend the draft proceedings and watch the event on the overhead screens - free of charge - at Arco Arena. The doors open at 3:30, with the proceedings getting underway at 4.
It's easy to criticize some of Geoff Petrie's more recent free agent signings, specifically, his tendency to overpay role players, but his draft record is outstanding. He missed on Quincy Douby - bypassing Rajon Rondo, as did a lot of others - but that's the exception. |
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1kingzfan |
Big O's Post | ||
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This was in a parallel BMF universe of posting for this important draft day, so I moved it over here & deleted the other thread....all from way down
yonder in New Orleans--1kingzfan
Welcome to draft day at the Bleacher Mob Forum. So it seems like everything is settled for the draft here in Sacramento. Petrie will definitely be taking Rubio. Or Evans. Or Flynn. Or maybe Curry. Is Holiday still in the picture? What if Thabeet drops? Would he take Harden? What if it was the smokescreen to end all smokescreens and Geoff loves Brandon Jennings. Oh wait, could they trade up to #2? Or #3? If Memphis and OKC nab his two top targets would he trade down or deal that pick for a vet? Anyway, that about covers it. Oh, I forgot about picks #23 and #31. Are they really being packaged to move up in the first round? If so, who's the target? If not, who do they take if they stand pat. Are any of the eight Kings under contract going to be dealt today? What will the starting lineup look like? How will Westphal do as coach? Will they improve from last year? Can Geoff sign a big FA next summer? Will the team stay in Sacramento? Ok. I think that covers it. Maybe. |
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jodystone6467 |
Todays NBA Rumors: Thursday, June 25: | ||
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Cavs land Shaq for Wallace, Pavlovic:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-shaq062409&prov=yhoo&type=lgns Shaq to Cavs deal awaits approval: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4285489 Shaq learns of trade to Cleveland Cavaliers through Twitter: http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_magic/2009/06/shaq-learns-of-trade-to-cleveland-cavaliers-through-twitter.html The Cavs have Shaq; so what is the impact? http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2009/06/the_cavs_have_shaq_so_what_is.html Shaq traded to Cavs on eve of draft: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2009/06/24/20090624shaqtrade-CR.html WOLVES' GM GOES OUT ON LIMB BY TAKING THE 5TH: http://www.nypost.com/seven/06252009/sports/moresports/wolves_on_path_of_kahn_176015.htm?&page=0 Rockets draw overtures about trade for T-Mac: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/6496245.html Trade Buzz 2.0: http://ken-berger.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/11838893/15721137 Knick targets Steve Nash & Chris Bosh on New York and free-agency http://blogs.nypost.com/sports/knicks/archives/2009/06/knick_targets_s.html Raptors may have wish list down to trio: http://www.thestar.com/sports/nba/article/656278 Utah Jazz notes: Eric Maynor visits Jazz for an interview: http://www.sltrib.com/jazz/ci_12682586 Trade season in full swing: http://blogs.ajc.com/hawks/ Transit board OKs revised air rights deal for Atlantic Yards: http://www.northjersey.com/sports/nets/Transit_board_OKs_revised_air_rights_deal_for_Atlantic_Yards.html |
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jodystone6467 |
Draft buzz: Kings debating Evans, Flynn: | ||
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Draft buzz: Kings debating Evans, Flynn:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-draftbuzz062409&prov=yhoo&type=lgns The Sacramento Kings have all but ruled out drafting star Ricky Rubio with the fourth pick and have focused on two other guards: Tyreke Evans and Jonny Flynn, league sources said. The Kings' front office is fearful of the legal wrangling needed to free Rubio from the contractual mess with his Spanish team, and doesn't feel strongly enough about him as a "can't-miss" star to endure the saga. For now, the Kings' front office and coaching staff is largely divided on Evans and Flynn. They'll debate it well into Thursday. The Kings could be
inclined to take Israeli Omri Casspi with the 23rd pick, but opposing teams say they're still interested in packaging Nos. 23 and 31 to move up.
Sources say that Louisville's Terrence Williams is back in the mix with the Nets at No. 11. He's on the short list with North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough and Duke's Gerald Henderson. Charlotte is offering two second-round picks to try to get a second first-round pick (in the 20s), but has no takers so far. Because of his comfort level with his teammates and city, and of course, the chance to get an $8 million-$9 million contract, odds are that free agent Jason Kidd will re-sign with the Dallas Mavericks. Yet, he has an intrigue with the New York Knicks that is mutual, and a Knicks source says they plan to try and meet with him once free agency starts on July 1. Kidd is considering possibilities with Portland and Cleveland, but he always loved New York a lot more than New Jersey. He built good relationships with Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni and Portland's Nate McMillan when they were assistant coaches for Team USA. Barring a sign-and-trade deal, the Knicks would be limited to offering Kidd the midlevel exception. The Portland Trail Blazers traded the 24th and 56th picks in the draft to the Dallas Mavericks for the 22nd pick on Wednesday afternoon, a league source told Yahoo Sports. Portland could use the pick to package with a player to move up into the lottery. The Indiana Pacers are discussing trading point guard T.J. Ford with several teams, league sources say, including the Phoenix Suns. With partial owner Michael Jordan there for a closer inspection, the Charlotte Bobcats brought Wake Forest's James Johnson into town for a second workout on Wednesday. Charlotte is debating among Louisville's Terrence Williams, Duke's Gerald Henderson and Johnson. The New York Knicks and Memphis Grizzlies are pushing hard on a Quentin Richardson(notes)-Darko Milicic trade, and an agreement could come this week, league sources said. The two teams have revived discussions from the February trade deadline on the deal. Richardson has an expiring $9.3 million contract and would be another athletic wing player to go with O.J. Mayo(notes) and Rudy Gay(notes). Milicic, a 7-foot forward-center, is in the final year of his contract and could give the Knicks some rebounding and presence near the rim. As the Minnesota Timberwolves prepare to make a push for Memphis' pick at No. 2, it's become clear that they won't package the fifth and sixth picks to get there. The Wolves have made it clear to teams that are trying to pry their 18th pick that it isn't available. They want to use that in combination with one of the two higher picks to make a deal with Memphis. … The Utah Jazz are enamored with University of Pittsburgh tough guy Sam Young at No. 20, who is a perfect fit for head coach Jerry Sloan. … Golden State has long been enamored with Brandon Jennings at No. 7, but league sources say the Warriors are considering Wake Forest forward James Johnson there as well. Few teams would have Johnson that high on their draft boards. … Chicago Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich(notes) is telling friends that he thinks he'll be dealt to the Portland Trail Blazers, who have interest in pairing him with Brandon Roy(notes) in the backcourt. … New Jersey Nets ownership finally told Rod Thorn that he doesn't have to trade Vince Carter(notes) in a salary dump. They thus pulled back on a possible trade with the San Antonio Spurs which would've brought them a package including Bruce Bowen(notes), Fabricio Oberto(notes) and Roger Mason(notes) Jr. Nets sources say that if owner Bruce Ratner is going to bail on the Brooklyn arena and sell his team to cut his losses, ownership groups who would potentially purchase the team would rather he doesn't gut it. … Oberto, who was traded to the Detroit Pistons in a three-way deal with the Milwaukee Bucks and will be bought out by the Pistons in a salary-cap move, will likely return to San Antonio as a free agent. … There's no chance Bowen returns to the Spurs if the Bucks buy him out as well. His relationship with Gregg Popovich deteriorated with his dwindling role a year ago, and that partnership is over. … League sources say the Nets have narrowed their choices at No. 11 to North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough and Duke's Gerald Henderson. |
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i |
From last night | ||
SactoGreg wrote:Then again, Greg, with regard to me, I do not find it odd that you manage to find the bad even in the good. I do not like the Maloofs. I do not like their meddling. This has been so well over a decade now. However, I was making a difficult concession; which was that if it is Geoff who is pushing for someone over Ricky in this draft, and it is (though I find it highly unlikely) the Maloofs who are pushing for Ricky, not Tyreke, I will have to eat some proverbial crow here. As to Geoff perhaps passing on Ricky because he knows more than we do, he obviously knows more about basketball talent and has more information on the players than we do; but, with all the pressures currently on him to produce players to turn the franchise and team around, it could either give him laser focus or cloud his judgement a bit. Mean Colleen's rants about Geoff in a contract year cannot sit well with him. And though Geoff is usually right, he is not always right. Can you spell Quincy Douby (over Rajon Rondo)? (The Maloofs are almost always wrong, but have their moments - like when they wanted Larry Brown.) Anyway, I have not felt this good about a prospective player, for the Kings, to be drafted since Chris Paul as I do Ricky; and I weary of seeing the Kings miss out (usually because another team snaps them up before the Kings pick) on another difference maker. So, IF it is the Maloofs pushing for Ricky (not Tyreke, as I was lead to believe - and all the reporting except the one item I posted last night continues to point to), I will be forced to think better of them and even thank them. If Geoff like Jonny Flynn better, well, I can understand that: I like him lots too. I feel very good about him. But over Ricky? Uh, NO. Frankly, I do not believe the story (and still think the facts to be the reverse: that the Maloofs want Tyreke and Westphal wants Jonny Flynn, and Geoff is on the hotseat); and I suspect that Ricky will be snapped up by the Thunder (which would be a good thing for the Thunder, OKC, and Ricky - if they do not trade him), and (if so) I will be relatively happy should the Kings then pick Jonny Flynn. (And I would still prefer owners not meddle with their GM's personnel decisions. But there are exceptions to every rule.) (If the Kings pick Tyreke over Ricky and Jonny, it will substantiate the reports that it is the Maloofs lobbying for Evans; and I can continue my distrust and dislike of them and their Kings crippling antics - and will be disappointed in Geoff too. Without a Vlade Divac passing out of the pivot, the Kings need a pass-first true point guard. They do NOT need a "point guard" who is really a shooting guard (which is what Tyreke is) with limited range and limited point skills - who might be able to bowl over smaller point guards in drills but will not be able to do that to NBA pros who will be unleashed on him.)
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06/25/09 09:09:10.
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i |
Re: BigO's Post | ||
1kingzfan wrote:Yes, that about covers it - maybe. |
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i |
From last night | ||
JB wrote:Me too. But make that about 10 hours to go as of now, and counting...
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06/25/09 08:37:35.
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BigO |
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I'm not sure Shaq improves the Cavs at all. He certainly doesn't address any of the weaknesses that allowed Orlando to beat them and in fact
exacerbates one of them - their difficulty guarding the pick and roll. And he clogs up the lane which will take away from LeBron's greatest strength. If
Shaq worked out hard and showed up in great shape then maybe he adds another dimension to the team, but I don't see that happening. A flashy move, but
not a good one IMO.
On the other hand, the SA deal for Jefferson was masterful. And they may get back Oberto and/or Bowen when all is said and done. Very impressive. Word has it (and we all know what rumors are worth today) that the Wolves are enamored with Evans and are talking to OKC in an effort to move up to three and take him for fear that he really is at the top of the Kings draft board. If Thabeet goes #2 I think the Thunder would strongly consider moving to #5 depending on what else was offered. That would leave the Kings with Rubio, Flynn and maybe Curry as their likely picks. And I'm not buying that the Kings have "all but ruled out drafting Rubio". In fact I'm not buying any report that purports to know what Geoff Petrie will or won't do. |
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i |
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With regard to the Kings, I rarely even get remotely close to getting what I want. At this point, what I want for the Kings is to draft Ricky Rubio and pick up
Hedo Turkoglu as a free agent acquisition. That would fill two glaring holes in the Kings' line up. Hedo could be a clutch player on the Kings and even
lead; and Hedo's point skills could take pressure off the young Ricky early on and provide another great passer and even provide leadership (something I
think Hedo is ready for now). Hedo plays four positions well (1, 2, 3 and 4) and so Westphal's rotation would benefit greatly, as it would both rest
players starters, strengthen bench player rotation, and help with match ups. I suspect I will be disappointed again; but with the clock ticking down to draft
time, I can still dream...
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jodystone6467 |
ESPN. | ||
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Mock Draft on Espn right now they are saying Kings take Evans with 4th pick..
But who knows what will happen when it comes time to pick..
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06/25/09 09:08:10.
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i |
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BigO wrote:R.C. Buford and Greg Popovich do it again. Trading three pieces, two of whom they might get back if they wish, to get an All-Star caliber player. Whew. And if Ginobili heals fully and comes back hungry for another title, with Duncan and Tony Parker in top form by the playoffs, with a rekindled, energized Richard Jefferson too, the Spurs are capable of competing for another NBA title. The isolation drills the NBA has devolved to this season are evidently skewing people's assessments of players available in the draft. Though it is good to measure and isolate qualities and skills, basketball (even in the star ball NBA) is still a team sport, and it is played on a court with five players against five players at a time. I would have been curious to see how Tyreke matched up against James Harden and DeMar DeRozan. I doubt he would have made it to the hoop quite as easy. Further, while I admire Tyreke's ability to step in and play the point as a shooting guard with the University of Memphis, I do not see how that translates to point guard in the NBA. I have the same reservations about Jrue Holiday; and to a lesser extent, Stephen Curry. They are undersized shooting guards who are being converted to the point for the NBA. Whereas guys like Jonny Flynn and Ricky Rubio (who has been a PRO since age 15) have been effective point guards for years! You are wise, BigO, to not buy into the reports about what Geoff Petrie will or will not do. How often has anyone ever guess right? And if they did once, by accident, I doubt anyone has guessed what Geoff would do twice, in a row or period.
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06/25/09 09:31:33.
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ozzie |
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i wrote: Chalk up another poster who doesn't like the Maloof family by showing no respect. Now, if the team was winning then the reason would be the players, coaches, front office, ect. but certainly not the owners. When losing it all boils down to the Maloof family. So it looks like if the pick turns out well it's not the owners but if bad it's all on the owners. |
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Hallama |
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"It's a little bit like seven-card stud," Petrie said. "You've got the flop, one card up and one more card to turn."
So classic Petrie. I think he really has Memphis, OKC, and Minny (and maybe NYK) scrambling for no reason. Should be a fun draft day/night. Remember, Petrie traded JWill for Bibby on a draft night. |
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ozzie |
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BigO is right about Shaq and the Cavs. Z man looks the better fit for their offense. They need help in other areas.
Turkoglu, as much as I like him, might not be a fit for the Kings either at this point because of his also running the point. Garcia does that fairly well himself and is the same type player. In fact, with a little improvement Francisco will be on the same level as Hedo. I look for improvement from all the contracted players on the roster right now because of the young age the team is now. Hedo is 30 and shouldn't improve much if any but Cisco still has some room. |
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JB |
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As much as I love Hedo, I don't think he fits in with the rebuilding plans. He's also going to get paid a huge chunk of money and is he really that
free agent home run that the Kings are clearing cap money for? If you could trade him for Beno and Nocioni's salary, I'm all in. But those two guys are
like a financial anchors.
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Hallama |
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I'm still not buying that Evans is the Kings pick. That means the Kings would have to pass on either Harden or Rubio, and both of those guys are a better
pick imo. Evans is a tweener PG/SG that hasn't really proved he can even play PG and be effective, meanwhile you have the best pure passing PG in the draft
since Kidd in Rubio, and a way better SG in Harden who can also handle the ball in the half court. I'm going to keep on saying this right up until the
Kings actually do select Evans...
I like Evans, but not better than the other options. His game is strange, I can't quite pinpoint it but it's really not too far off from Salmons floor game, and Salmons is a better shooter. I don't know, maybe Evans is a little Walt Frazier'ish? And then there is Curry...hey, I just realized I'm making the same basic post as 1KFs! |
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ozzie wrote:Wrong, ozzie. Even when the Kings were losing or winning, I was not pleased with the Maloofs - starting with the flight out to Arkansas to talk with Corliss Williamson, which almost cost the Kings serious NBA penalties and loss of draft picks (which the NBA let them slide on) and onward to insulting and dismissing Rick Adelman (Geoff's longtime friend and making Geoff take the heat publicly). |
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