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Sacramento Kings
2007-08 Record: 38-44
Cool 2007 Stat: Kevin Martin proved himself to be a very efficient scorer. He was the youngest player ever to average 23 ppg while shooting 45% from the field, 40% from three and 85% from the FT line. He was only the 11th player ever to do so.
Anticipated Starting Five
PG- Beno Udrih
SG- Kevin Martin
SF- Francisco Garcia
PF- Jason Thompson
C- Brad Miller
Key Reserves: John Salmons, Donte Green, Sheldon Williams, Spencer Hawes
Biggest Strength – Kevin Martin
This guy can flat out play, especially on the offensive end. He is easily the best player not talked about enough in the NBA. He will be able to keep the Kings close in some games and even win a few with his talent alone. At 24 you have to expect improvement this season. The question will be how does he perform now that Artest is gone and defenses don’t have to worry about anyone else on that team but him. Will he be as efficient a scorer as he was last season?
Biggest Weakness -Taking care of the ball
My first thought was defense here. Even with known defender Ron Artest last season, the Kings were 23rd in field goal percentage defense. But, what really stood out to me was their lack of assists (29th in the NBA) and high turnovers (last in the NBA). That’s just bad. What makes it significantly worse: the Kings were 10th in the NBA in field goal percentage offense and 9th in three point shooting! If they take care of the ball better, they will give their offense (aka Kevin Martin) more shot opportunities to maximize their good shooting from the field. Their point differential was only -2.3; decrease the turnovers by 2 or 3 per game and that number becomes positive, subsequently giving themselves a better chance to win more games.
Key Player in ’08 – Beno Udrih
Udrih was a pleasant surprise for the Kings last year, and judging by the contract he got in the off-season, it appears the Kings don’t see him as a 1-year wonder. With such a young team, the point guard is a huge position, and Udrih needs to not just play the same but improve this year for the Kings to not be one of the worst teams in the league.
Their Thaddeus (exciting player 22 or under) – Donte Greene, 19
Greene showed up at Syracuse with Carmelo Anthony-type expectations, but he proved himself to be a very one-dimensional player during his one year there. It’s not that he doesn’t have the talent; it just seemed he was content to be a 6′10” 3-pt shooter. Greene has already been traded twice before playing an NBA game, but he showed signs that he could stick around on the Kings for awhile. In his first summer league game, Greene scored 40 points and averaged 22.6 (2nd highest behind Jerryd Bayless) for the whole summer.
Pete’s 2008 Outlook: 5th place, Pacific division / 13th place, Western conference / 26th place, NBA
I like Kevin Martin, but I think in the end, he will be better served as a 2nd option on a great team. Kings fans have some young players to be excited about (Greene, Hawes, Thompson), but in the end, they just don’t have the talent to compete this year.
Dannie’s 2008 Outlook: 5th place, Pacific division / 13th place, Western conference / 27th place, NBA
The Kings are a team that consistently hurts themselves. They completely negate their good shooting and ability to get to free throw line with all their turnovers and inability to rebound the ball. The signing of Beno Udrih at the full mid-level exception was baffling. He is a shoot-first point guard with below average playmaking ability. All they did was saddle themselves with another bad contract to go along with Kenny Thomas, Brad Miller and Shareef Abdur-Rahim who are all on the books through 2010. Unless they can move these players early, the Kings will be stuck at the bottom of the West for at least the next two seasons.
Philly Connection: Kenny Thomas
Kenny Thomas was solid player for the Sixers, but he will probably be remembered most as the poster boy for bad contracts handed down by Billy King. After averaging 10 points and 8 rebounds in the 2002-03 season for the Sixers, Billy King re-signed Thomas to a 7-year, $50 million deal. I think all Sixers fans liked Thomas, but I also don’t know a SINGLE person – fan or analyst – who didn’t think this was one of the stupidest signings of all-time. You have to think Thomas and his agent nearly drove their car through the side of the Wachovia Center trying to get that thing signed before BK sobered up. Last year, the 5th of his deal, Thomas averaged 1.4 points, and 2.6 rebounds in 26 games.
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Dannie & Pete– nice assessment!
Here is my take:
Greatest strength(s):
Offense
The fans (when it is sold out and they are great fans!!)
Ron Artest (distraction wise is gone!!)
Biggest weakness(es):
Their identity (Are they a fastbreak team or a half-court team?)
Ron Artest (defensive wise is gone!!)
The fans (when it is not sold out!!)
Like you said:
-defensively they are shaky
-they do lack ball movement (Where on Earth are those cowbells and THAT ball movement? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLmJfOf3Vag&feature=related )
The Kings spectacular offense came apart once they traded Webber to the Sixers. Interestingly, the move hurt both teams, especially financially. If there was anything that both teams enjoyed about Chris Webber, it would be his play making skills. It was a shame for Webber and that 01-02 team when they lost to the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals and to hear that Donaghy rigged one of those games. Interestingly, the only one remaining from that 01-02 team is Bobby Jackson.
Had Kevin Martin and Mike Bibby not missed most of the season, then perhaps they would have had a shot of making the 8th seed. Reggie Theus actually did a nice job with the team last season despite the injury problems his team suffered.
Now, the Kings need to trade Brad Miller and removing that burdensome contract of Kenny Thomas. Soon, they will be clearing enough space on their salary cap and hopefully find the player(s) necessary to become competitive and in the postseason once more.
Also, will John Salmons be a starter? For some reason, he always played better when he started (whether it was for this team or for the Sixers). He excelled in the Summer League, but yet he played poorly coming off the bench. According to Salmons, he chose Sacramento over Toronto or Phoenix because he said, “God told him so!”
Really, the most exciting thing to look forward to would be Rider product, Jason Thompson!!
On a side note, the Sixers will sweep the Kings (2-0). Our frontcourt should be able to dominate their shaky frontcourt. I remember Dalembert in his last couple of games at Arco Arena, he has had some 20-20 games there. In those games, we son at Arco. Hopefully, we will not have a letdown against them at home, like we did last year when Mikki Moore and Brad Miller dominated us against our shallow frontcourt.
I think the Kings will be 5th in the Pacific and 12th in the West.
Rob, gotta disagree with the “C-Webb to the Sixers made the team fall apart.” Obviously, they, like Dallas now, were on the decline…but I think Peja’s injury toll was what really killed the team, along with overall age.
That late 90’s-2003 team worked nicely because they had a group of players all in their prime, or just past it but still effective. Vlade Divac’s slow decline, Bobby Jackson’s constant injuries, Doug Christie aging, Mike Bibby not distributing the ball nearly well enough, all had to do as much with their downfall as did C-Webb.
One of the more odd years in their canon was (I think?) 2003. That was the year C-Webb was basically out for a year, and Peja stepped up his game to a whole new level, scoring 24 ppg, 50% FG, 40% 3 pts, and hit 200 threes, while basically taking over any game they needed him to. That year, with C-Webb gone, their chemistry was FANTASTIC, they were a lock for 60 wins, and they clubbed not only the bad teams, but took it to the NBA’s top tier as well.
Biggest mistake was letting gimpy one legged Webber come back in the lineup…effectively killing their chemistry, and any chance they had to be champs that year. I always really enjoyed those cowbell years though…in the late 90’s, it was incredibly exciting watching that young Kings team with the “bench mob” of Jon Barry and Bobby Jackson chucking up 3 pointers, and White Chocolate throwing wraparound his head no look passes to C-Webb for a (I’d like to say slam, but a…) jumpshot. Those two year playoff 1st round rivalries they had with the aging Stockton/Malone/Horniceck Jazz teams ROCKED. Ditto for the very young Nash/Finley/Dirk Dallas team that started to emerge at the same time.
Man I miss the 90’s.
P.S:
Pete, I know you’re a Big East guy because of Notre Dame and that you saw a lot of Syracuse…what do you think his chances are of Greene actually turning around his game and using his talent? You made the perfect call I think with the “Everyone knows this guy is talented as hell, he just thinks he’s Reggie Miller” statement. Greene’s slow decline from November to mid December stud, to a total donkey by March Madness, was stunning. I can’t remember the last time I just watched a dude tank his career like that with every contested 3 point shot he’d launch up. It was pretty unbelievable to watch. If Donte Greene DOES utilize his talent well, the Kings are going to look VERY smart by nabbing him.
And, if the Clippers are the biggest question mark of the NBA…I’d say the equivalent for the rookie class is Jason Thompson. I don’t think anyone truly has any idea of how good/bad/mediocre this kid will be. Is this another case of Kandiman syndrome (big man putting up 20 & 10 stats in a tiny conference)…or can he really play and is being undervalued? Time will tell.
One thing’s for sure…when Mareese Speights turns out to be one of the top 3 bigs from this class, Petrie isn’t going to be happy about it.
Dave T, what I mean is that the situation Webber was in when the Sixers acquired him. He was not a perfect match for a Jim ‘O Brien type of style. (Bad move for Billy to hire him in the first place!!). Mo did a great job with Webber, but the frustration grew for Webber once we started playing poorly in the second half of the 05-06 season (AI and C-Webb no shows on Fan Appreciation Night!). For the Kings, they miss that incredible ball movement that C-Webb and Vlade Divac brought to that organization. Based on last year, the Kings were 29th in Assists, that is disturbing!!
I loved those Sacramento teams, great ball movement. The bottom rung west teams are stocking young talent [Clippers,Kings,Thunder and Warriors]. Udrih was the one p.g. available I would have taken to replace A.Miller, he runs a team well and is a decent shooter. Dave, Thompson played like a small forward in the summer league, an intriguing prospect who can run the floor. We!ll see if Petrie still has the knack of finding the diamond in the rough. I wanted Greene here as a Ron Anderson type off the bench but he definitely needs a tight reign on his shot selection. He is a good shot blocker and decent rebounder though so he could be more than just a jump shooter. My starting five; Miller,Moore,Salmons, Martin and Udrih with a shot of young energy off the bench. [Hawes,Thompson,Greene, Garcia and Jackson .
Dave T-
You are right, I watch A LOT of big east basketball. and in college, Greene looked like a worse version of Tim Thomas. I’m not sure he has the aggressive, competitive gene that he needs to be a good player. I don’t think the Syracuse fans were unhappy to see him go. But who knows, he could mature, he’s only 19. But if he doesn’t, he’ll be Tim Thomas lite.
I think Jason Thompson will be good. When the Sixers were rumored to be interested I watched some video of him. Has a real good shot and a surprisingly good handle for a big man.
Pete: I 100% agree with you about Greene. The disparity between some of the flashes of sheer talent he’d show, compared to his absurdly awful shot selection, whining to the refs, and lackadaisical attitude on the court (I lost track of how many times Greene was smiling, laughing and goofing off over missed alley oops when his time was down, or in a tight spot) was nothing short of astounding. It’s kind of funny ‘Cuse has the exact opposite of him in their true PF this year, Onuaku, who is a throwback old school workhorse that I absolutely love.
Speaking of the Big East…how are coaches not committing suicide in that conference? Ever since the merger of the three best Conf. USA teams coming over, this conference is just absurd. You have about 5-8 hall of fame or future hall of fame coaches, and 8 teams that can regularly bring in at least one 5 star recruit a year, and numerous 4 stars. The Big East should automatically get eight teams a year in the tourney, the talent level in this conference is just getting out of hand.
Suede: I agree with your starting lineup, particularly with Salmons getting the nod at SF. I think Garcia is a decent role player, but I can’t see them not starting Salmons. He might be inconsistent, but he was a bright spot for them last year, can be (as we all know) an incredibly good defensive stopper when he wants to, and does whatever his coaches ask of him…which given his versatility, can be pretty much anything.
Under-talked about draftee by the Kings: I think Petrie really made a nice move last year in acquiring Spencer Hawes. I watched a lot of Pac-10 games two years ago, Hawes really has a nice skill set. He is definitely capable of becoming a Brad Miller, Andrew Bogut type of center; not dominant, but capable of double digit rebounding, a nice low post move or two down low, and an excellent passer. If he stays healthy, this will turn out to be a solid pick for them once Brad M starts getting old. His minutes will be low until then…but in his 4th year I really see him coming into his own.
big east is RIDICULOUS this year.
Sounds good Pete, I look forward to the future BE post. And yeah, Jay Wright has pulled off a ridiculous ‘09 class.
What’s scary is that Pitt and Marquette have the potential to be top 10 caliber teams as well…and we know L-Ville and UConn are top 5 material. And N-Dame with a monster guard/forward combo back AGAIN…that’s just ridiculous.
The one thing I probably disagree with in Dicky-V’s rankings is having Georgetown so high…they’ve had two rotation players transfer out, and he’s relying on Greg Monroe (5 star ‘09 recruit) performing to expectations, and DuJuan Summers making a huge jump his sophomore year. I’d put Villanova and ahead of G-Town in a heartbeat, and Syracuse as well (Flynn’s soph. year, Onuaku emerging with Greene gone, Devendorf returning from injury, P Harris’ jr. year, Jardine having more of a role). Then again…JTIII, like Bo Ryan and Jamie Dixon, seems to be developing an atmosphere of tough-as-nails play, where their efficient system on both ends of the court can overcome a lack of talent.
With lasting appreciation for Ken Durrett and Lionel Simmons (both truly wonderful players in their injury-free times), I continue to cheer on the Sacramento Kings - nee Kansas City-Omaha Kings, Cinncinati Royals, Rochester Royals - and wish John Salmons, a Philly area gentleman and versatile player, a great year.
Correction: “Cincinnati”, yet another spelling bugaboo.
How many teams can pass like that nowadays? Many have tried duplicating that high scoring through tremendous ball movement and have managed to breakthrough in a season but cannot sustain it for so many seasons.
Since 2004:
Scoring:
04-05 Suns (1st-110.4 ) Kings (2nd-103.7)
05-06 Suns (1st-108.4) Kings (10th-98.9)
06-07 Suns (1st-110.2) Kings (8th-101.3)
07-08 Warriors (1st-111.0) Kings (7th-102.5)
08-09 Who’s next???
Assists for the high scoring teams
04-05 Suns (3rd-23.5) Kings (1st- 24.5)
05-06 Suns (1st-26.6) Kings (5th-22.3)
06-07 Suns (1st-25.9) Kings (22nd-20.3)
07-08 Warriors (8th-22.4) Kings (29th-19.1)
side note: Suns (1st 26.7)
08-09 Who’s next???
Best surprises offensely since 2004:
04-05 Phoenix Suns
05-06 Toronto Raptors
06-07 Golden State Warriors
07-08 Los Angeles Lakers
Best Ball Movement Since 2004(from the human eye’s perspective):
04-05 Phoenix Suns (Run and Gun)
05-06 Phoenix Suns (Run and Gun The Sequel)
06-07 Utah Jazz (Stockton-Malone Revival + Backdoor Plays)
07-08 Los Angeles Lakers (Full Force Triangle + Showtime)
Interesting stats Rob. And while the assist numbers show Phoenix to be the better passing team during the mid 00’s…I think a pretty good argument could be made those Kings teams were far superior. Steve Nash was getting almost HALF those Suns assists alone, averaging 10-11 per game, whereas the Kings had Bibby, only averaging 5-6 assists, but where the rest of the team for each position (especially Webber & Divac) had a much higher assist count for their positions. As a whole I definitely think the Kings team relied more on ball movement and team chemistry to score…I think the Suns were more Nash-orchestrated.
Also…the two teams that have to be added to the list of “from the human eye” perspective: Spurs and Detroit. When playing “the right way”, which for those two is always more often then not, no one comes touches them as far as ball movement and offensive chemistry.
Exactly Dave T!! As excited as we are about those Phillies, let’s get to a more serious topic and continue evaluating NBA teams. I can’t believe this September is flying so quickly, usually it is the slowest month of the year mentally.
great preview, well done
30 W at best for the Kings this year, IMO. Udrih as starter the whole year sucks, and the forward combo is a question mark
will Hawes do something?
love the Kenny Thomas/Billy King memories… can u imagine Kings are stuck with him for TWO more years, and Cavs have Snow on their books for another year, at 7.3 mill ????? Snow is another guy averaging like 1.something PPG last year… unbelievable
Rob I full agree haha. As a pretty much basketball only guy (with the occasional MLB and Tennis love) I can’t STAND the second half of August through September. June has draft talk and finals, July and 1st half of August has free agency and rumors…October has training camp…September is just awful.
At least in September we can rely on the Phillies to put us through their annual “Cause the city manic like emotions for a month due to inconsistant, erratic play and tease us with playoff thoughts only to dash our hopes and underachieve” tradition, or else I wouldn’t know what else to do.
Ricky, I’ll be pretty shocked if the Kings get even 30 wins this year. IMO, it’s between the Grizzlies, Thunder, and Kings for worst teams in the NBA. I think with the T-Wolves picking up M Miller, Kevin Love, and that crew a year older they are now in the 25th – 27th best team in the NBA range.
Am I the only one that is totally not used to saying, “Oklahoma City Thunder” yet?
Am I the only one that is totally not used to saying, “Oklahoma City Thunder” yet?
haha. deffinately not. i sometimes catch myself reading an article and i have to stop at the name. i disagree that the timberwolves take 25th. they’re not only plagueed by lackluster talent, but they are one of the more uninteresting teams to watch (due to terrible coaching). kevin love is not what i pictured him to be, as the kings draft pick, jason thompson, was regarded much higher after his summer league performances. Love is like a shorter, less athletic Brad Miller. And Mike Miller is a good player, but not at all what the Wolves should be looking for at this point. Best of luc, but i just dont see the 3rd worst team in the league last year being above the kings, Grizzlies or even “Thunder” this year. Durant and Green will break out. Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo will be great. and the kings rookies show promise as well.
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Cheers! Sandra. R.