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Sunday, July 5, 2009 (All Posts)
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Sunday, July 5, 2009 (All Posts) |
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Posts: 3776 (07/05/09 06:19:44) |
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Kings and Thunder | ||
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Posts: 3777 (07/05/09 06:29:51) |
The Kings and Thunder seem to have a more patient approach to this year's NBA free agency.
The Thunder have the most cap room of any team, now that the Pistons overspent on Gordon and Villaneuva; but the best players available do not really fill any of the Thunder's needs. The Kings, on the other hand, could fill a need with a player or two out there, but, so far, are not openly pursuing any. Economics are at play. And, as Geoff Petrie said, they need another "big guy" but that if it happens it will most likely happen by "trade." No free agent contracts can be sign prior to July 8; so for the next three days it is all just talk anyway. |
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Sacramento Kings roster | ||
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Posts: 3778 (07/05/09 07:13:09) |
As of today, the Sacramento Kings roster is:
Kevin Martin, Kenny Thomas, Andres Nocioni, Beno Udrih, Francisco Garcia, Spencer Hawes, Jason Thompson, Sergio Rodriguez, and Donte Greene. Add the Kings' recent draft picks: Tyreke Evans, Omri Casspi, and Jon Brockman. If all three draft picks are signed, this gives the Kings 12 active players; which leaves them to secure at least one more, a "big guy", which they could acquire by signing Ike Diogu or somebody from the Summer League, like (say) John Bryant. (Then again, the Kings have been known to acquire players off of other teams' Summer League rosters.) Personally, I think they might consider adding the guard Jerel McNeal; because they obviously like the kid (they brought him in a couple of time during pre-draft workouts and invited him to their Summer League team), and he is an, evidently, underrated player. If they do indulge in a trade, looking over the other teams' current rosters, I do not know who it might be, so I am beginning to discount that option, for the nonce (but not entirely). They have trade value in Kenny Thomas' expiring contract; but having kept him this long, they might just keep him and see that contract come off the books for the 2010 free agent frenzy. |
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BigO |
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Posts: 137 (07/05/09 09:10:49) |
So the dust has settled after the draft and I'm okay with the way things shook out. Minnesota ended up with both of the guys I really liked but I'm
fine with Evans over Flynn. I think Jonny will be a very good PG in the NBA for a long time, but I don't know if he'll be a star, something Evans has
a chance to be. With Rubio I said I'd ride with whatever Geoff's assessment was. I really wanted to see him in Sacramento entertaining fans with his
flair, but all along I said that I had questions and would wait to see what Petrie's evaluation was. Obviously he either saw signficant flaws or else
Evans just looked that good. Either way, GP's track record at evaluating talent is rock solid so I'd be surprised if Evans didn't end up being the
better player.
Interesting to go back and watch more clips of Tyreke now that he's a King and try and see how he will fit in. He's a decent athlete, but while he shows a great ability to get to the basket, he's not explosive like Dwayne Wade, but rather very slippery with great body control. A great penetrator who finds teammates when help comes. Not a natural PG (which worries me) but fun to watch and talented. And of course, when you are the worst team in the league, you can't really worry about how a guy fits with your current team. You go after the best talent available and go from there. I'm very curious to see how Rodriguez plays. He's not in Rubio's league at all in terms of his instincts and vision but at this point he is a more complete player and has some flair of his own. I think whoever emerges as the better player among he and Beno will likely form a three guard rotation with Evans and Martin. As for adding another big man - Tyson Chandler is still being shopped for cap relief. Whether the Kings would dangle KT's ender and give up cap space for next summer to get him I don't know. But if he's healthy he adds a lot of what this team needs. Another option is Kyrylo Fesenko. A young big with great size, good athleticism and potential as a rebounder/defender/post player, he had his option picked up by Utah. But now with Okur AND Boozer opting in, they may want the salary cap relief. Maybe a future 2nd gets him pryed loose? I think Jerel McNeal makes the team if Bobby Jackson doesn't return. If BJax DOES come back, he still has a chance but I'm guessing he'd spend most of his first year in the D-League unless Beno is moved and they need the depth. He's a guy that could pair well in the back court with Evans handling the ball. Interesting to note that half the Kings roster is on their summer league team. Spencer Hawes, Jason Thompson, Jon Brockman, Donte Greene, Omri Casspi, and Tyreke Evans. And perhaps McNeal. I'm going to watch whatever grainy webcast footage I can. It's been a while since I could say this, but I'm looking forward to this season. This team has nowhere to go but up and the potential of the players on the team, the strong possibility of another top 10 pick in a stronger draft, caproom to sign a major piece and an established coach makes me feel like the Kings are headed in the right direction. |
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Posts: 3779 (07/05/09 09:34:55) |
1kingzfan wrote:I appreciate you taking the time to respond, 1kingzfan. Thank you. It makes sense that the Hornets are trying to dump salary and luxury tax. All NBA teams will be working to get or stay under the luxury tax, except on rare occasions when this or that team can get a megastar and work to unload other contract later. I am just wondering if there is something wrong with Tyson's legs, knees and/or feet that would make it hard to trade his contract. |
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ozzie |
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Posts: 3766 (07/05/09 09:41:02) |
BigO wrote: To me Treke looks somewhat like junior sized LeBron. He says he's just a basketball player and LeBron plays the same way in playing a power ball handler. Tyreke could play small forward on this team and have the same effect as a point guard. An all around type player who will have the ball in his hands like James does. There is no doubt this team needs another big. They only have two at the moment. Not nearly enough. Unless of course they start making Greene a PF. Even then they still need at least a warm body. |
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Posts: 3780 (07/05/09 09:56:36) |
Well, BigO, aside from not liking the way Ricky Rubio was handled, and not feeling very confident about the Kings staying in Sacramento much longer (without
some almost-divine intervention), I can see that the Kings' roster is potentially more talented and a bit tougher; so, add a Ricky Rubio (through trade) or
John Wall (via the next draft) to this mix and you might have something. With Paul Westphal, even last season's roster would have won more games than they
did; so, with the upgrade, I would be surprised if the Kings do not improve their win total. And though they will not be as exciting as they might have been
with Ricky and DeJuan Blair, they should be a bit more fun to watch than the last few seasons. Westphal will, I have no doubt, take what he is given and make
the most out of it over the course of his contract (and the Kings will actually allow him to coach and develop the team). I still think Tyreke Evans is a
shooting guard learning to be a point guard; so, though I am expecting him to play well, defend and score, I am not expecting him to distribute the ball all
that well consistantly, at least not for awhile. Unless Westphal can coach him into becoming a pass-first point, he will probably continue to be a score-first
point; and I would be surprised if he did not do better when he is on the floor with Sergio or Beno than when he is on the floor with Kevin. But though I
certainly am not going to expect Tyreke to be anything more than a very good combo guard (which is nothing to sneeze at), especially early on, I am hoping to
be delightfully surprised, somewhere along the way.
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Posts: 3781 (07/05/09 10:05:55) |
ozzie wrote:Uh. Tyreke would be a very poor man's LeBron. He reminds me more of a smaller, more coachable, John Salmons. But he is too short to play effective small forward in the NBA. In the NBA, he makes a short but powerful shooting guard and a big but unpolished point guard. He is a power ball shooting guard who effectively took over the point duties for a Memphis U team that greatly missed Derek Rose. I dig the Memphis U team and was high on Tyreke's play and willingness to learn a new position to help the team. But though his style in driving to the basket is somewhat similar to LeBron's, he does not have LeBron's overall game. I see Tyreke as having the potential to be an impact player as a COMBO guard in the NBA. IMHO, he needs a few years at the point to become exceptional at it; and, again IMHO, he would need to grow a bit and jump higher and improve his jump shot more to be an effective small forward. If coach Westphal gives Tyreke the reigns to the Kings, well, he will be earning while he is learning and, from what I have seen, the young man will give it his all and create a niche for himself and have an impact, one way or another.
Last Edited By: i
07/05/09 10:20:28.
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SactoGreg |
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Posts: 3817 (07/05/09 11:32:04) |
Tyreke is not a SG only, like many continually make him sound to be. He is a PG, and that is one of the main reasons the Kings drafted him. He is way too
young (undeveloped) to pigeon-hole him into a specific type of player. His dribbling and passing skills are as good as any other PG that came out of the draft,
and he has run basketball teams since he was 12; dribbling a ball since he was 4. He can score at will, play above the rim, and dish the ball to other players
on the court.
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Posts: 3782 (07/05/09 12:01:56) |
SactoGreg wrote:His passing skills cannot even hold a candle to Ricky Rubio's or Jonny Flynn's or Ty Lawson's. Not even remotely close. I am a Memphis Tigers fan; and I really enjoyed, even admired, the way Tyreke moved over from SG to PG to help the team. However, compared to what Derek Rose did, he was not nearly as good. Derek was, is, and probably always will be a better point guard than Tyreke. This does not mean that Tyreke cannot make himself, with great coaching and lots of floor time, into a very good point guard. |
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ozzie |
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Posts: 3767 (07/05/09 12:03:39) |
Westphal said he is the type of player who can post up other guards with success and will have to be double teamed down low. That really opens the offense if
he can pass out of it. Quite different for the Kings to have a player who deserves the double team. It would be a joke to double Beno.
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Posts: 3783 (07/05/09 12:09:07) |
SactoGreg wrote:His passing skills cannot even hold a candle to Ricky Rubio's or Jonny Flynn's or Ty Lawson's. Not even remotely close. I am a Memphis Tigers fan; and I really enjoyed, even admired, the way Tyreke moved over from SG to PG to help the team. However, compared to what Derek Rose did, he was not nearly as good. Derek was, is, and probably always will be a better point guard than Tyreke. This does not mean that Tyreke cannot make himself, with great coaching and lots of floor time, into a very good point guard. |
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Posts: 3784 (07/05/09 12:12:11) |
ozzie wrote:That is a very good description of Tyreke's game. He posts up very well and most likely will have to be double teamed down low, no question - unless someone like Kobe covers him. Westphal will know how to use Tyreke's strengths and cover his weaknesses. |
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Trade idea | ||
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Posts: 3785 (07/05/09 14:37:29) |
How about trading Kenny Thomas' expiring contract and Donte Greene (and/or cash) and a second round pick (next year or Jon Brockman this year) for a
sign-and-trade of David Lee? (Pause.) No? Ah well, back to the drawing board...
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Tyreke Evans - Strengths & Weaknesses (DraftExpress) | ||
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Posts: 3786 (07/05/09 15:20:47) |
Tyreke Evans
STRENGTHS: - Ability to get to free throw line - Go-to scoring mentality - Pick and roll play - Scoring instincts - Transition play - Versatility - Ability to create own shot - Ball-handling skills w/either hand - Change of gears/Hesitation moves - Ability to contest shots - Ability to get in passing lanes - Lateral quickness - Versatility to defend multiple positions - Assertiveness - Potential - Ability to create for others - Ability to finish through contact - Athleticism - Body control - NBA body - Strength - Wingspan - Excellent rebounder WEAKNESSES: - Decision making - Dominant ball-handler - Out of control at times - Shot-selection - Stuck between 1 and 2 - Turnover prone - Doesn't always know limitations - Off-court red flags? - Older than class peers - Poor assist/turnover ratio - 3-point shooting percentages - Free throw shooting |
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Omri Casspi - Strengths & Weaknesses (DraftExpress) | ||
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Posts: 3787 (07/05/09 15:23:06) |
Omri Casspi
STRENGTHS: - Mismatch Potential - Off-ball movement - Scoring instincts - Transition play - Aggressive slashing mentality - Activity level - Assertiveness - Confidence - Energy/Intensity - Physical Toughness - Work ethic - High-level productivity - Ability to finish around basket - Athleticism - Frail frame - Size for position - Wingspan WEAKNESSES: - Mid-range game - Ability to create own shot - Advanced ball-handling skills - Jump-hook shot - Lateral quickness - Off-ball defense - Jack of all trades, master of none? - Passing skills - Strength - Free throw shooting - Jump-shot - Shooting mechanics |
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The greatest basketball player | ||
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Posts: 3788 (07/05/09 15:41:07) |
With all the hype over who is the best player in NBA history, Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant, Michael makes my top five but Kobe does not even break my top ten.
The player who impresses me as the greatest I have seen and read about is Oscar Robertson.
 
If one is measured by the number of NBA championships, then hands down, it is Bill Russell with 11 and Sam Jones with 10. Michael's 6 and Kobe's 4 (1 of which was definitely not earned) pale by comparison. And of course, Oscar's 1 does not compete at all. However, this is not what I am considering. I am looking at the best overall basketball player, in all aspects of the game, period. And for me, that player is Oscar Robertson - who is probably also one of the nicest and smartest as well. Quick facts:
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07/05/09 15:57:42.
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BigO |
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Posts: 138 (07/05/09 16:06:56) |
i wrote:I like Lee, but he isn't at all what this current Kings team needs (they need a backup center, preferably a guy who can hold position in the low post and block/alter shots) and I wouldn't want to give up on Greene for him anyway. It's a lot to give up a big piece like KT's expiring or the cap room it represents to sign a backup PF. |
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BigO |
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Posts: 139 (07/05/09 16:27:26) |
Well, my username has long signified both my favorite singer and basketball player even though Robertson had retired and Redding died tragically years before
I was born.
I'd have a hard time even deciding on what I consider the top ten players of all time, let alone ranking them. Some that would be locks would be: Oscar Robertson Wilt Chamberlain Bill Russell Magic Johnson Michael Jordan But of course it's hard to compare guys from such different eras. Where would early pioneers like Cousy and Mikan fit in? Kobe would probably make my top 10. He's as deadly a scorer as the league has seen, especially in clutch situations and in the playoffs when defenses tighten up. Far more than any current player he scares me when the ball is in his hands at the end of a close game. But while he's a very good defender, he's not close to Jordan's level on that side of the court at least not on a consistent basis at all. |
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Posts: 3789 (07/05/09 16:28:22) |
See. Rejected.
 I knew that trade idea wouldn't work.
You try one. 
As to backup PF? The Trailblazers and some others sure do not think of him as that. And Geoff has been trying to get David Lee for a few years now. Why? The guy REBOUNDS. And the Kings could use a bit more of that. I personally don't care if the Kings trade for the guy or not. And what would the Kings spend the cap room that would come with Kenny's contract expiring? Certainly not LeBron James or Dwayne Wade; and I hope they don't go into hawk for Chris Bosh. So who would they use the cap room on? Realistically. |
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Posts: 3790 (07/05/09 16:40:24) |
Kobe benefits from officiating and hype more than most in history.
So did Jordan. Decidely so. Kobe is a deadly scorer but I have seen deadlier. As to clutch, he is that sometimes; but in the recent Finals Derek Fisher made more clutch shots. Larry Bird made the closest thing to impossible clutch shots as I have ever seen. But then he did that with such regularity I expected it (and I was a Laker fan then).
Last Edited By: i
07/05/09 16:59:54.
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