The Nets play the Kings at 7:30 p.m., local time, at the MasterCard Center in Beijing. With a 12-hour time difference, that means the game starts in New York at 7:30 a.m, just in time for breakfast. Once the game ends, the Nets will make their way to the airport and head home, where they play the Celtics on Sunday afternoon.
The Nets beat the Kings in Shanghai, 97-95, with Mirza Teletovic hitting the game winning-three. The team, well, the players, remain healthy. No word on whether Lionel Hollins will be on the bench Wednesday. He has been described as "under the weather", missing both the Sunday game and Tuesday practice. Also, there was no sign of him at the Great Wall Monday. If he can't go Wednesday, then expect Paul Westphal, who coached the Nets Sunday, will be running the team in Beijing.
There's no word yet on the starting lineup. Bojan Bogdanovic started at shooting guard vs. Maccabi and Sacramento but Alan Anderson is now healthy. Hollins has said he expected to give his younger players more time in the China games, and indeed Bogdanovic, Mason Plumlee, Marquis Teague and Jerome Jordan all played significant minutes right up to the end. Cory Jefferson, who played vs. Maccabi, did not play in Shanghai and two young Nets, Jorge Gutierrez and Willie Reed have yet to play.
Where to follow the game
Once again, YES will not be broadcast the game. The only way to see it is via NBA TV, which will carry it live at 7:30 p.m. The post-game press conference will also be broadcast live. The game will be re-broadcast at 2:30 p.m., also on NBA TV.
Assuming the Nets don't rest Williams, he's likely to be the focal point of local interest. He's only player on either team who medaled at the 2008 Beijing Olympics team. (Andrei Kirilenko played for Team Russia.) You can bet he'd like to remind the locals that he is the same player he was back then (Us, too!)
In an interview with Yan Weijue, of China Daily and DeronChina, D-WIll reminisced about the Olympics and said fans have helped make the trip a pleasure for the Nets.
"It is great to be back in Beijing. It is my first time back since the Olympics [in 2008]. I had a great time before. I had great time this time as well. The fans have been great. People and China have been great. We've enjoyed this trip a lot," said Williams, who won a second gold medal in London four years later.
So far, Williams has looked good --quick and composed. Reports are that he is upbeat and a big fan of Hollins. He hasn't been dominant yet though, scoring 29 points on 23 shots, going 11-of-23 overall and 2-of-6 from deep.
From the Vault
In light of D-Will's nostalgia, we offer highlights of the USA-China game from the 2008 Olympics. That's the game that started with D-Will trying to dunk over Yao Ming.
It didn't work, but D-Will told Yan he was fouled.
"It was a foul!" Williams joked. "It should have been a foul. They didn't call it though."
It was game two between the Brooklyn Nets and the Sacramento Kings in China, this time in Beijing, and while game one just barely went the way of the Nets, this mornings game forced the Nets to put in a little extra work as well. While the NBA took four minutes from this Sunday's game against the Celtics, they gave back an extra five minutes when this one went to overtime.
It all evens out in the end, right, Nets fans?
Thanks to a strong finish by Mason Plumlee, Sergey Karasev, and the Nets bench, the Nets were able to win this one in overtime, 129-117, finishing their trip to China with a 2-0 record. Plumlee finished the game with 18 points and four rebounds.
With no DeMarcus Cousins for the Kings, Sacramento leaned heavily on its guard and wing play, as Rudy Gay scored 21 points, while Ben McLemore chipped in with 22 points of his own.
The Nets were without Kevin Garnett, while Mirza Teletovic stepped in and started at power forward. He came up big for the Nets, scoring a team-high 22 points and hitting 6-of-9 threes.
Brooklyn got out to a nice start, behind six from Teletovic, seven from Bogan Bogdanovic and 14 from Brook Lopez, and carried a 32-21 lead into the second quarter. Lopez finished with 16 points overall.
Again, however, the Kings turned it up in the second quarter and began to push the ball, as well as step out and shoot threes. The Nets perimeter defense was not, well, very good in this one. They allowed far too many open looks. The Kings outscored the Nets 36-16 in the second and carried a 57-48 lead into halftime.
Darren Collison scored 16 points in the first half. Joe Johnson went 0-for-1 from the floor, with five assists, in 12 first-half minutes.
In the second half we saw a completely different Nets team, one that got more active and looked like it came to play. They were getting contributions from the bench, including Mason Plumlee and Alan Anderson, and slowly were able to chip away at the Kings lead. In the end of the 4th, Willie Reed dropped a pass that would have led to an open dunk with under a second to play, this sent the game into overtime. Yes, even Willie Reed played.
The offense looked great, scoring 68 points in the second half, and forcing the game into overtime, after they tied it up at 112-112.
Overtime, Mason Plumlee was a beast. He worked both ends of the floor and gave the Nets the extra push to get them the 129-117 victory.
Two games in China, two wins for the Nets. Not a bad trip overall.
Next up is the 44-minute game against the Boston Celtics on Sunday.
Omri Casspi's stepback three at the end of regulation sent the game into overtime but the Kings weren't able to capitalize on the second chance.
The Kings fell to 1-3 in the preseason after losing their second straight game to the Brooklyn Nets in China, this time in the city of Beijing, 129 to 117 in overtime.
Sacramento played without starting Center DeMarcus Cousins as well as forward Reggie Evans. Carl Landry got his first start of the preseason in their absence but only played the first five minutes of the game. Without Cousins and Evans, the Kings' rebounding suffered, and they allowed Brooklyn to grab 12 offensive rebounds for 17 second chance points.
Sophomore Ben McLemore led the way for the Kings with 22 points on an efficient 7-13 from the field including 3-4 from downtown (and his only miss was an end of quarter heave). McLemore also added 3 rebounds and a steal, although he did have 4 turnovers. McLemore definitely has looked much improved this preseason compared to last year, which is a good sign. Rudy Gay also had a bounce back game, stepping up in Cousins' absence to provide 21 points on 9-18 shooting along with 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals.
The Kings got down early thanks to some hot shooting from the Nets but turned the game around in the second quarter thanks to Darren Collison, who came off the bench in this game. Collison finished the game with 18 points and 6 assists in just 17 and a half minutes, including going 4 of 6 from three. The Kings managed to outscore Brooklyn 36 to 16 in that quarter to take a 9 point lead into halftime.
The Nets came out on fire in the second half, led by Mirza Teletovic, who got the start in place of the resting Kevin Garnett. Teletovic scored 22 points on the game to lead the Nets and at one point was 6-7 from three (he finished 6-9). Brooklyn's bench also proved to be a key factor, particularly Mason Plumlee, who scored 18 points on 7 of 10 shooting. Mike Malone was not impressed with Sacramento's defensive effort tonight, as they allowed the Nets to shoot 51.8% from the field and 41.7% from three.
The Kings lost the lead in the fourth quarter but were able to tie it up thanks to a step back three from Omri Casspi that eventually sent the game into overtime. However the Kings weren't able to get much offense going in the extra period and the Nets prevailed.
Sacramento's trip to China is now over and they're heading back home to face Maccabi Haifa in Sacramento on Saturday.
For the opposing perspective, be sure to visit Nets Daily.
Random Observations:
Derrick Williams actually looked ok during this game, mainly because he decided to be aggressive in attacking the rim. He finished with 10 points on just 4 shots.
I like Ramon Sessions but more as a sparkplug. The team seems to run the offense better with Collison on the floor and Collison's better shooting also provides more spacing.
Another off-shooting night for Nik Stauskas, going just 4-11 from the field and 1-5 from three. He does have a really good knack of being able to create just enough space to get his shot off though. I'd actually like to see the Kings try to run more plays for him on offense because he's a natural there. Defense is a different animal though.
Eric Moreland actually got some significant time and there was both good and bad. He definitely looked like a rookie, turning the ball over a couple times and fouling a bit too much, but he did manage two blocks and protected the rim.
Speaking of protecting the rim, please stop swatting balls like they owe you money Ryan Hollins. Hollins wasn't credited with a block in the box score, but he did have one on Plumlee where he could easily have just stopped the ball. Instead he swatted it out to the three point line where a Net grabbed it and hit the wide open three.
Jason Thompson brought back his mid-range jumper to play and it was a welcome sight. He can definitely hit that shot with consistency and it's a weapon I'd like to see him use more, especially if he's paired with Cousins. It will open the floor up a bit.
Yes, yes we're satisfied. Quite satisfied, in fact.
NetsDaily favorite Mirza Teleteovic helped lead the Brooklyn Nets to a victory over the Sacramento Kings in overtime on Wednesday morning, 129-117, behind 22 points from Teletovic. He was starting in place of Kevin Garnett, who sat out in this one.
He also helped the Nets to victory early Sunday morning when he nailed a late-game three-pointer, scoring 10 points and giving the Nets the two-point victory in Shanghai.
In Game One, against Maccabbi Tel Aviv, Teletovic scored 13 points. That, readers, is a total of 45 points. To which, Teletovic asked his teammates and NetsDaily on Twitter, "Satisfied?"
Finally seeing how the Kings' offseason additions may fit into the larger picture.
Attempting to understand Sacramento's offseason has been a perplexing pastime for NBA writers. The Kings brought in plenty of guys, but there was a lot of confusion. How would these players fit together? I openly hoped that the product would make more sense once we saw it on the floor. What I didn't think was that it would become clear so quickly. Granted, there are still plenty of questions. But we have some answers.
I still believe in Ben McLemore. His play has been so-so this preseason, with a fair share of highs and lows. But I still think he has an opportunity to be a successful part of the Kings and their future. That said, it still looks way too early to rely heavily on him. This pulls the offseason together quite a bit. Let's take a look at how.
He struggled with shooting in Wednesday morning's game against the Nets, but overall his shot has looked good. He shoots with confidence, creates his own shot, and looks ready to contribute to the offense. He's bound to endure some rookie struggles along the way, but I'm very excited by the rookie. I'd still argue that McLemore has a much higher upside than Stauskas, but Stauskas is ready the way we hoped Ben would be. While you're waiting for Ben to develop, you can afford to draft a guy like Stauskas who can contribute right away, and has long term potential in a very specific role.
We've heard the Kings talk about "positionless" basketball, and Collison has been one of the primary examples. He's primarily a point guard, but has the ability to slide to the two spot. This kind of flexibility will be important for the Kings as they wait for Ben. And realistically, there's a chance that Stauskas develops a little slower than what we've seen in preseason. It's good to have players who are able to play multiple positions and fill multiple roles.
How in the world was this guy still available? How did the Kings get him for just $4.2 million over two years? I mean, Sessions isn't the guy who is about to lead the Kings to a championship, but he is exactly the type of free agent signing that helps small market teams take a step forward. And, like Collison, he can play the two as needed. More flexibility, more bodies to play the two.
Many of us assumed that McCallum would start the season as the back-up point guard, and might even challenge Collison for the starting role by season's end. Then Sessions was signed, and we wondered what role there would be for McCallum. Ray played well enough when given minutes last season that it seems unreasonable that he'd get completely shut down. And I still don't think he will be. I think McCallum will see minutes as the back-up point guard, and as a back-up shooting guard. McCallum has the size, particularly in his body, to handle the two.
The one big trend with every perimeter player is that they're expected to struggle defensively. McLemore has the physical tools to be a good defender, but his defense is even farther away than his offense. After that, the best defender in the Kings back court is probably Darren Collison. Collison has a reputation as being a bad defender. That's the best back court defender. So that's where a guy like Hollins comes in. Eric Moreland too, for that matter, but Moreland is pretty raw and shouldn't be expected to see regular minutes for a while. Hollins, for all his faults, has built his career on being a rim protector. He'll get the block, give a hard foul, or maybe just get dunked on. But he's there contesting shots. That's going to be important.
Overall
It's far too soon to say how history will judge this offseason, but it seems like there may at least be some semblance of clarity. At least instead of asking if there's a plan, we can take a look at if the plan makes sense or if we think it will work. Personally, I think it might actually work a little better than any of us expected.
You can call it a "youth movement." The Nets don't but they certainly have gotten younger since the end of last season when Brooklyn was the second oldest team in the NBA, right behind Miami and ahead of the Knicks. This season, they are currently 10th at 27.2 years. The Heat are still the oldest. at 28.5, followed by (surprise) the Wizards and the Knicks.
So, with preseason halfway over and some competition for those final two roster spots nearly resolution, we figured we'd take a look at how each of the players in the "movement" are doing, from the oldest, Jerome Jordan, to the youngest, Sergey Karasev.
Jerome Jordan, (just turned) 28. Jordan really isn't part of the youth movement, but he is new to the Nets and without 21 games to his NBA career. The seven-footer looks like he's going to get one of those open roster spots. He has played well, his huge body clogging the lane on defense and grabbing boards and putting them back. In the two China games, he played 25 minutes, scored 12 points, grabbed nine rebounds, blocked three shots and not turned the ball over. Lionel Hollins and Paul Westphal have both said nice things about him. If he makes the team, as now seems likely, Jordan will receive a $100,000 guarantee on his vets minimum deal. Hollins had him in Grizzlies camp two years ago. He was the last player cut.
Bojan Bogdanovic, 25. Oh Boj! The Nets have long been high on Bogdanovic, whose rights they bought from the Timberwolves in the 2011. Well worth the wait. In his first two games, both starts, he showed flashes and then vs. the Kings in Beijing, he put together a nice all-around game. He showed a mid-range and long-range shooting touch, some nice post moves and a very good BBIQ, shown Wednesday when took a high pass at the three point line, saw Brook Lopez cutting to the rim and hit him with a bullet. His defense, which everyone assumed would be horrid, has been a surprise. Zach Lowe calls him a stealth All-Rookie team member. He will be one of the few starters in the 2014 rookie class and one of an even smaller number who play for team that should be a contender.
Jorge Gutierrez, 25. At Media Day, we asked Gutierrez what his goal was for the season. He smiled and said, staying on the team. He made $25,000 just by making the training camp roster, but didn't play until Wednesday in Beijing, getting two DNP-CD's. He played well enough in the fourth quarter and overtime, pushing the ball and not making mistakes. He finished with two points, four rebounds, three assists and one turnover. Whether he can make the team is a big question mark. The Nets already have three point guards under contract in Deron Williams, Jarrett Jack and Marquis Teague. Teague is fully guaranteed. If they waived Teague, and he didn't catch on anywhere else, they would to pay out $1.1 million plus two or three times that in luxury tax. Is there enough difference between the two to warrant the Nets dumping Teague and eating his contract? Doubt it very, very much.
Willie Reed, 24. Reed will be remembered for his mistake late in regulation Wednesday. With seconds left, after taking a pass from Mason Plumlee under the basket, Reed flubbed it and with it a chance to win the game in dramatic fashion. Oh well. He didn't play badly otherwise. In his first minutes of preseason, Reed like Gutierrez played well enough. He wound up with a +9 in 13 minutes, with a dramatic block on Ryan Hollins, a sweet alley oop pass to Plumlee and two crucial free throws to put the Nets up by eight. Problem is that he is up against Jordan and Cory Jefferson, who has a $75,000 guarantee.
Mason Plumlee, 24. Plumlee had a great summer, as everyone who knows the shape of a basketball can tell you. After being a surprise choice for the USA Select practice squad, he was surprisingly elevated to Team USA where he played sparingly but well and came out of it with a gold medal in the FIBA World Cup. He looked a little out of it, maybe burnt out, in his first couple of games and even into the second half of Wednesday's game in Beijing. Then, he took over on both sides of the court. He finished with 18 points in only 21 minutes, hitting 7-of-10 from the floor and 4-of-5 from the line. Plumlee's further development this season is a big priority for the franchise.
Cory Jefferson, 23. Jefferson has played sparingly thus far in preseason, two minutes vs. Maccabi and 15 vs the Kings Wednesday. Truth be told, he didn't play as well as Reed. He missed two free throws late in regulation and missed a three in OT. Jefferson has a few things in his favor: the $75,000 guarantee, the 37.5" vertical leap and a range out to the three point line. His thin frame limits him playing back-up center but his range gives him a shot at PF.
Markel Brown, 22. Before the Nets hit the preseason, his teammates were praising his three point shooting, monster dunks and defense. Since they've been playing the games, none of those skills have been evident. He was a DNP-CD in Shanghai and in the two previous games, played 14 scoreless minutes. Expect him to get some burn vs. Boston, where his OSU teammate, Marcus Smart, is starting.
Marquis Teague,21. Teague had what was probably his best game as a Net vs. Sacramento in Shanghai, playing 15 minutes, including at game's end. He played well and under control, scoring nine points, making three (of four) free throws late. He had two assists and only one turnover. More importantly, he played with confidence, something that's been lacking in his game. In Beijing, he was a non-factor, as Hollins went with Gutierrez. His $1.1 million deal is guaranteed.
Sergey Karasev,20. Karasev had a great couple of games in China. In Shanghai, with the game in the balance and Ben McLemore looking at him the way predators look at prey, the young Russian held his ground, then forced McLemore away from the basket before blocking his shot at the buzzer. The first man off the bench to congratulate him was KG. In Beijing, he stepped up in overtime. In the last 1:08, he grabbed a key offensive rebound and scored the Nets last seven points to put the Kings away. We expect he'll get some burn vs. Boston, too. Nets ownership love their fellow countryman. They've cited, among other things, his clutch play. He sure looked clutch in China!
We don't know when the Nets will make their first cuts or whether they will carry 14 or 15 players on Opening Night. So some of this report is perishable. But so far, the Nets seemed to have picked well.
With a roster built around perimeter scoring threats and one offensive force in the paint, the Nets should be swinging the ball around the three-point line, cutting off the ball to get easy eight footers, and then pounding it into Brook Lopez for easy finishes. It may have taken the fourth coach in three seasons in Brooklyn to realize it, but it seems as if Lionel Hollins has figured out how to get the Brooklyn Nets efficient offensive looks.
This my friends is the flex offense, ran in high schools everywhere, but most notably with Jerry Sloan in Utah. Sloan made a living off this offense and made the likes of Deron Williams (!) and Carlos Boozer into household names. It is simply a motion offense that is a series of down screens and cross screens. You can learn more about it here. This is standard action in the set, and it is supposed to open up driving lanes for typical guards—big men like Lopez who can put the ball on the floor apply—to take it to the rim or get three-point looks for wings coming off down screens from the big on the elbow. It is continuous motion and even though it is so simplistic, teams struggle to keep up. In the above clip, after one time through all of the flex actions, Lopez looks off DeMarcus Cousins and takes the ball to the rim, through an open lane which was created by Deron Williams going out to the deep corner (a cardinal flex rule), and Lopez finishes and draws the foul.
Here is another play that features the flex offense from the Nets first game overseas. Here, it is not a typical play because Joe Johnson is a little out of position, but Deron Williams does get pushed out beyond the arc while trying to down screen Derrick Williams. Mirza Teletovic, Derrick Williams’ man, is open and now has a driving lane right down the middle. Deron Williams though as opposed to clearing out to the corner knows that Teletovic is taking this to the rack or is going to find his point guard open at the three-point line. Williams stays in place, and gets an open three. The great thing about the flex offense is that everyone can play every position and that all positions are flexible. DWill could easily slide down to the corner after the ball gets swung back around just as easy as he can remain at the top of the key. The offense gives players freedom, something that on-ball creators such as Williams, Lopez and Joe Johnson need.
Here, the Nets also set up in the flex set, a box formation with one player on either side in the corner, ready to cut through on a screen coming across from the weak side. Although, with the freedom that comes in the offense, Johnson gets the ball on the low post and decides he is going to take his man one-on-one. Johnson backs down his man and draws the attention of another Kings defender, Carl Landry, who is defending Mirza Teletovic. Landry has to help under the basket to prevent an easy Johnson layup, so Johnson just simply finds a wide-open Mirza in the corner, who nails it. This brings up something else that has been a key development through the Nets first three preseason games: ball movement.
This is not the Nets of the past where the ball gets stuck on one side and one wing tries to take his man off the dribble, this is a club that swings the ball around the perimeter, in and out of the post, looking for the best shot. This team passes up good shots from great ones. Case and point in the clip above. This was not necessarily in the flex offense, but Teletovic (a score-first player) gets a mismatch on a post up. Realizing the defense is adjusting to defend that post up, Mirza finds Johnson on the wing wide open, who gives a pretty touch pass to the open Bojan Bogdanovic. With Bogdanovic in the starting lineup, the Nets will have much more movement and better ball movement than they did with Pierce. The Croatian can create for himself, although he isn’t as much of a scorer that Pierce is; still, his court vision is phenomenal.
This is the new Nets offense, and it is for the better.
This is the official Sactown Royalty preview of the 2014-15 Sacramento Kings season, part of the SB Nation NBA preview series. We take a look at what the Kings did this summer, and what we hope we can look forward to as the season goes on.
The Kings drafted a player who is more ready to play in the NBA than most rookies, but will he have a meaningful impact for the Kings in his first season?
The Kings headed into the offseason with big dreams and high hopes. Rumors abounded that the Kings were going to try to make another splash by draft day using the #8 pick, and that the odds of them actually using the #8 pick were pretty slim. Of course, no such trade materialized and the Kings ended up taking Michigan Shooting Guard Nik Stauskas to the surprise of most Kings fans, especially with guys like Noah Vonleh and Elfrid Payton still on the board. The Kings had also spent their 2013 lottery pick on a shooting guard in Ben McLemore so what was the deal? After the shock subsided, the pick made a lot more sense. Stauskas was a player who could contribute now, and his deadly shooting was a big need for the Kings, one of the worst outside shooting teams last season. There's also the fact that Ben McLemore didn't have a particularly good rookie season and that he was the only true shooting guard on the roster.
After the draft the Kings made a big decision in deciding to not bring back starting Point Guard Isaiah Thomas, opting to instead sign the cheaper Darren Collison. Thomas was a fan favorite in Sacramento and coming off a year where he averaged 20.3 points, 6.3 assists and 1.3 steals a game. The decision was not a popular one, especially given that Thomas' contract in Phoenix was not particularly expensive and that the Kings did not receive much of value for him in the Sign and Trade that sent him there.
Sacramento then went ahead and focused on adding bench depth to the roster, signing summer league standout Eric Moreland and journeyman Ryan Hollins for some rim protection, bringing back former King Omri Casspi as a versatile backup forward, and adding more depth to the backcourt with Ramon Sessions.
The Kings also made some smaller cap moves, sending Jason Terry to Houston for what essentially became a $5.8 million trade exception, and moving Travis Outlaw and Quincy Acy to New York for cap relief. Before these trades the Kings were dangerously near the luxury tax line.
In terms of non-player personnel moves, the Kings added analytics guru Dean Oliver to their front office, yet another sign that this team is trying to be as cutting edge as possible.
The Kings haven't made any huge moves this offseason but they have added quite a few complementary pieces.
Sacramento's biggest strength comes down to one player: DeMarcus Cousins. Stars matter in the NBA more than most other sports, and in Cousins, the Kings have a bonafide star who can take over games. Last year was a breakout year of sorts for Cousins, who averaged 22.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks in just 32.4 minutes a game while shooting a career-high 49.6% from the field. His Player Efficiency Rating (PER) of 26.1 was 5th in the entire league and the highest ever for a healthy player that was not named to an All-Star team. Cousins spent time this summer winning a gold medal with Team USA in Spain, and the Kings are hoping last year was just a stepping stone to greater peaks.
Another strength is Sacramento's rebounding. Last year the Kings were 4th in the league in offensive rebounding percentage and 3rd in defensive rebounding percentage. In Cousins and Reggie Evans, the Kings have two of the premier rebounding big men in the entire league. The Kings were also very good at getting to the line, drawing the fourth most attempts in the league. While Cousins and Rudy Gay were a big part of that, Isaiah Thomas was second on the team in attempts per game. Fortunately, both of Sacramento's two new Point Guards (particularly Sessions) are very adept at getting to the line as well.
It could also be argued that Sacramento's relative depth is a strength. That was something they did not have last year but with the additions of guys like Stauskas, Sessions, Casspi, and Hollins along with the return of a healthy Carl Landry (who played just 18 games last year due to various injuries), the Kings actually have something that resembles a quality NBA bench.
The Kings have a lot of offensive talent but they've yet to improve their defensive chops much. Last year was one of the best defensive years for the Kings since Ron Artest left, and still they finished just 24th in the league in terms of Defensive Rating. The Kings just don't have many plus defenders on their roster and that didn't change over this summer. The best hope the Kings have at becoming a good (or even average) defensive team, is if several players buy into the team defense concept and step their games up. DeMarcus Cousins in particular will need to be a leader on this end of the court, and there were promising signs this summer with Team USA that he could be a stout defender (although it should be noted that Team USA faced inferior competition).
Shooting was also a problem for the Kings last year, as they ranked just 27th in the league in 3P%. The additions of Stauskas, Collison and Casspi as well as improvement from youngsters like Ben McLemore and Ray McCallum should help this out a bit but the Kings still don't have an abundance of great shooters.
4. What are the goals for this team?
There are several goals for this Kings team as they try to improve enough to end what is likely to be a 9 year playoff drought after this season. Sacramento has won just 28 games in each of the least two seasons and haven't won 30 games since 2007-08. Even with two stars in DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay, this team probably doesn't have what it takes to make the 20 or so game jump that is necessary to make the playoffs in the West. Still, that doesn't mean the team can't make steps toward improving.
One of the stated goals by the Kings front office this offseason has been to push the pace and increase the ball movement this year. Last year the Kings were about average in terms of pace but were dead last in assists. The Kings were a rare team with three 20+ point scorers on the same team in Cousins, Gay and Thomas, but aside from those three, the offense was lacking. The Kings want a more balanced approach this year.
Michael Malone will also want to see this team take another step forward defensively, although he still doesn't have many players he can rely on for this end of the court.
5. Are the Kings going to make another splash?
Last year Pete D'Alessandro and the Kings shocked the rest of the NBA when they traded for Rudy Gay in the midst of the worst season of his career. The trade ended up being a win-win for both the Kings and the Raptors, as Toronto flourished with a new bench and more room for guys like Lowry and DeRozan, and Gay played some of his best basketball in Sacramento.
Since then, the Kings have been mentioned in just about every trade rumor imaginable, but two names keep coming up with consistency: Josh Smith and Rajon Rondo. As the Kings are not a premier free agent destination, trades are usually the only way to get talents like those. Regardless of whether or not the Kings go after those two, expect Pete D'Alessandro and company to be aggressive. So strap on your seatbelt Kings fans, because I'm expecting more twists and turns before we get to the end of this rebuilding tunnel.
Several members of the Kings media joined us to share their predictions for how many wins the team will have this season. It appears the average prediction is 36 wins.
The NBA regular season is just around the corner, and with that comes the hopes and dreams of every player, front office, coach and fan.
In Sacramento, it has been one disappointing season after another in recent years as the pieces never seem to fit and selfish play rules. Maybe the 2014-15 season will be different. Maybe the ball will move. Maybe the defense will be there. Maybe DeMarcus Cousins will take that next step of being everything and then some all the time as the team's leader...while staying on the floor for his teammates.
Maybe the team will win a respectable amount of games this season.
Maybe.
Maybe not.
To talk about it, we invited several members of the Kings media to share their predictions of how many wins the Kings will have this season. Joining us is Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee,Bill Herenda of CSN California, Sean Cunningham of News 10, James Ham of Cowbell Kingdom, Whitey Gleason of the Rise Guys on ESPN Radio 1320 and Tom Ziller of SB Nation (and the founding editor of some website called Sactown Royalty).
Ailene Voisin - 35 wins
This isn't a playoff team yet, but it's closer. The offense should be much improved with Michael Malone's new system, a faster pace and more willing passers. Darren Collison and Ramon Sessions offer different skills, but together could prove to be very effective at the point guard position. Nik Stauksas can shoot and shoot with depth - another weakness a year ago.
DeMarcus Cousins' performance is the major factor, of course. This is year five. If he pushes back early-season fatigue - which could affect both Cousins and Rudy Gay in the opening weeks because of their time with Team USA - this should be the first of his many All-Star seasons. He is a better passer than he showed the last two-three years, and says he surprised himself with his defensive maturity while with Team USA. With this club, better offense will lead to an improved, collective defense. The sluggish tempo lulls everyone to sleep, including defenders.
Teams seldom make dramatic leaps in wins and losses, so 35 seems reasonable. If the Kings stay healthy and Cousins, in fact, makes that leap, things could get interesting. But the Kings have to reclaim what once was a huge advantage in their home building. That's where it starts.
Bill Herenda - 36 wins
Treacherous terrain exists early in the schedule for Sacramento's roster of 13 new players that were not in training camp last year - seven of the Kings first ten opponents were playoff teams a year ago.
However, if head coach Michael Malone is successful inculcating his "play for each other mentality" mantra offensively and defensively, modest improvement to 36-46 representing +8 in the win column is realistic. That's probably enough for GM Pete D'Alessandro and Malone to satisfy Vivek Ranadive and to continue to rebuild the Kings in the extremely tough Western Conference of the NBA around DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay if they can lock up the former UConn Huskie to a long-term deal.
The Kings struggled mightily on defense last season, i.e., 24th in points allowed at 103.4 points per game. Improvement here has to occur for a Sacramento turnaround. For a blueprint to emulate, look no further than Charlotte who went from 29th to 4th in the NBA in points allowed last season leading to +22 in the win column.
Last season, Sacramento was last in the NBA in assists per game and lost 16 games by six points or less (two possessions). With the signings of veteran point guards, Darren Collison and Ramon Sessions, the Kings are looking for improved offensive efficiency plus better decision making at critical junctures of games, i.e. "winning time."
The Kings were tied for 27th in the NBA in three-point field goal percentage at 33 percent last season. Ben McLemore's improvement in year two and rookie Nik Stauskas, a 44 percent three-point shooter at Michigan, will be counted on for improvement from downtown.
Sean Cunningham - 37 wins (Realistically, 33)
For fans expecting to see the Sacramento Kings compete for a playoff spot this season, they will be sorely disappointed. Yes, they'll stomach yet another season of rebuilding and growth. But they can take solace with the veteran pieces they've added this season, in attempt to grow their quality youth, become more mature and hopefully, learn to close out games. So many nights Kings fans watched their home team remain competitive only to crumble in the waning minutes.
The offseason didn't supply Sacramento with an abundance of new faces. The biggest offseason acquisition was retaining Rudy Gay, which I thought was essential. Ideally, extending a talent like him alongside DeMarcus Cousins would be ideal, however, should they not, Gay will be in a contract year and looking to make a big impression throughout the league. That could be a blessing and a curse. Should Gay revert back to his old poor, volume-shooting ways, it would be detrimental to him and his value to a team. However, if he's able to duplicate what he did during his stint in Sacramento last season, with a much-improved shooting percentage and, with hopefully less turnovers, then there will be a buyers market for him in the offseason.
Adding the depth at point guard was needed. Like it or not, Isaiah Thomas plays in Phoenix now. Darren Collison has impressed in the preseason. He's just a different type of point guard who also looks to score, but can get out and run and move the ball. He also has a lot to prove after rough stops in Indiana and Dallas, before his solid season with the Clippers last season.
Equally impressive is Ramon Sessions thus far. Both add a different and refreshing dynamic at the point guard position. Rookie Nik Stauskas has shown a knack for being a playmaker - terrific vision and willingness to pass, coupled with his long-range shooting makes it easy to see why his future is so bright in Sacramento.
They still have a lot of dead weight at the power forward position. But if the team is truly looking to run, Kings fans should stop hating on Jason Thompson, quit looking at his salary number and focus on the way he can defend, rebound and his best asset - run the floor. No, he's not a star power forward, but he is consistent. He needs to rebound better and stop the endless griping at the officials. A healthy Carl Landry and the veteran presence of Reggie Evans should be a good thing too.
The Kings need their anchor and star Cousins to duplicate last season's performance with another All-Star caliber season. Whether he's named an All-Star or not - who cares? He was crushed last season when he wasn't named to the West squad and went through a funk afterward. Hopefully that doesn't happen again. I'm not concerned with him getting technicals, but if he's tossed from games, or worse, suspended, that cannot happen and will hurt his growth in a major way.
I predict the Kings to win at best case 37 games this season. More Realistically, probably 33.
With any hope for better success too much has to go right for Michael Malone's squad:
Rudy and DeMarcus duplicate last season with no hangover from the busy summer of international play.
Nik Stauskas has to be a player and contribute immediately. Playmaking and shooting will be too important.
Pace of play needs to live up to offseason hype and the ball must move.
Ben McLemore needs a tremendous sophomore season and show he can be a factor.
Defense. Already in the preseason, they look like they can't stop anyone.
James Ham - 34 wins
The Sacramento Kings come into the 2014-15 season deeper and improved at every single position. General manager Pete D'Alessandro brought in veteran leaders to aid in the growth of young players like DeMarcus Cousins, Ben McLemore and Nik Stauskas.
Beginning last season with the additions of Rudy Gay and Reggie Evans and continuing this summer with the signings of Darren Collison, Ramon Sessions, Omri Casspi and Ryan Hollins, the Kings finally have the necessary support in place.
While deeper, the Kings still lack the overall talent and continuity to compete for a playoff spot in the talented Western Conference. They should show improvement over last season's win total of 28, but how much is the real question. I predict they win 34, but I wouldn't be shocked if that total sneaks closer to 40.
Whitey Gleason - 34 wins
I'm of the minority thinking that the offense is in better hands with Collison than it was with the Pizza Guy. McLemore's continued improvement is vitally important to an uptick in victories, and he'll have to be consistent since Nik "Swisher" probably won't be.
I'm concerned that playing up-tempo will only magnify defensive and turnover issues, but one bright spot from the preseason has been excellent - Adelman-esque spacing at times in the half court.
With DeMarcus Cousins the Kings would be the envy of every team in the league - if it were still 1977, when each organization fixated on a "franchise" center. That said, his outlet passes will open a lot of eyes with the Kings looking to run whenever possible, and those opportunities will hinge on his defense and rebounding. If he decides to run the floor on a regular basis, Cousins will be rewarded with easy baskets and dunks thunderous enough to shake the Maloofs' old plastic wraps out of the rafters.
Cousins will continue to be the No. 1 reason fans around the league check out the Kings on League Pass - if they bother to at all. But he'll still lack the frontcourt help he needs to approach his full potential this year.
Tom Ziller - 41 wins
Based on points scored and allowed, the King were a 33-win team last season. That doesn't actually count in the standings, but it's worth noting that they played better than their record indicates. They also had John Salmons at small forward for a while, and had guys like Greivis Vasquez and Patrick Patterson underperforming. Sacramento also got basically nothing from the shooting guard position all season.
But really, my prediction of 41 wins is based on the likelihood of a major trade. With McLemore, Stauskas, McCallum and future draft picks, Pete D'Alessandro has a lot of attractive assets to land himself another star. He also has a number of highly tradable contracts to make deals work. We've seen how aggressive he's been, and we know how important it is that the team improves its record. That's a recipe for a trade or three.
We didn't know last October that the team would be trading for Rudy Gay. I have a feeling we don't know right now who the team will land this season.
Also, while we're here, DeMarcus Cousins is going to be an All-Star, barring injury.
***
Thanks to all of these folks for taking time to share their insights with us.
As for my prediction, I'll go with 38 wins.
I don't think a 10-win increase is out of the question. That still doesn't make the Kings a playoff team, but I think the pieces/depth are there for the team to compete on a nightly basis. The success of this season depends on two things, in my opinion: Is there enough talent on this roster and can the coaching staff get the most of what talent is there? We have seen the coaching of Michael Malone come through on the offensive side of the ball at times in the preseason, that with the ball movement and unselfish play - they practiced what he preached. As was the case last season though, their defense looks like a serious problem. The balance of good offense and efficient defense is a tricky dance and you can tell this squad is still working out those kinks.
Despite Pete D'Alessandro's claims that they have found "a core" group of players, I believe this season is still very much a time for the front office to figure out who really is going to be in Sacramento long-term.
38 wins may seem somewhat optimistic given the recent past, but I think they should be able to figure out how to win a few more close games this season and beat a few more teams that they should beat (especially at home).
The New York Times and the Altantic Yards (& Pacific Park) Reporr presented two very different pictures this week of the opportunities a trip to China provided the Brooklyn Nets.
The Times story, written by Becky Davis in Beijing, dealt mostly with "basketball diplomacy," how the popularity of the NBA in China "transcends national lines ... one bastion of American capitalism and culture that no one is shy about supporting."
The AYR reported, on the other hand, presented the trip as a tawdry attempt to lure more Chinese nationals into investing $500,000 each in Atlantic Yards in return for green cards. Norman Oder, the critic and chronicler of the Atlantic Yards project, noted that Bruce Ratner enlisted at least one current Nets player in his pitch, calling the whole thing a "cynical and deceptive activity."
Davis quoted Brett Yormark on the value of China, "For anyone that wants to go global, you have to be relevant in China," noting that the Nets will soon announce new sponsorship deals with Chinese businesses. "They see us as the bridge from Beijing to Brooklyn," he said.
Davis also noted that China is not just important to the Nets, but to the NBA.
The N.B.A. averages five million viewers a game in China for its television broadcasts, three million more than for its cable broadcasts in the United States last year. The league has 80 million followers on its Chinese social media accounts.
Oder, on the other hand, shows how Bruce Ratner and his Chinese partner in Atlantic Yards used the Nets visit to push their agenda of getting even more Chinese financing for the massive real estate project, showing how players, current ant past, were used in the promotional material.
He quotes an immigration lawyer...
One immigration lawyer has decried a "pandemic of hype-driven EB-5 marketing," particularly in China. The promotion for "Atlantic Yards III" sure qualifies, where a not-so-savvy audience can be seduced by the glamor of an arena and the NBA.
Bottom line is this: the trip to China was about business as well as basketball.
Meanwhile, Bloomberg News examines the possibility that a Chinese entity could buy an NBA team in the next decade.
The Kings are back home in Sacramento for the last time before the regular season home opener. They're hosting Israeli team Maccabi Haifa at 7:30 PM Pacific Time. There is no television broadcast of the game but as usual you can hear it on KHTK 1140.
3 THINGS TO LOOK FOR
1. DeMarcus Cousins sat out last game with "bilateral achilles soreness" so I wouldn't be surprised to see him sit out this game either, especially since it isn't against NBA competition. Carl Landry got the start for him last time, but did not play much himself. At some point this preseason I'd like to see Carl get an extended look, but I understand that Coach may be easing him into things.
2. Ben McLemore has been pretty good this preseason and is coming off a 22 point outing against Brooklyn. The biggest thing I want to see from Ben is consistency, which is something he was not able to provide last season. If Ben can keep up his production and efficiency throughout the remainder of the preseason, it will be a good sign going forward and increase the likelihood that he'll retain his starting role.
3. With Maccabi in town, I think it might be a good time to get Ray McCallum some more playing time. McCallum is the third string guard behind Collison and Sessions, but I think it'd be worth seeing him with more of the main group of guys. He's also big enough that he could play in some of the two guard sets with either Collison or Sessions. Preseason is the time to experiment, especially when you're hosting an international team.
PREGAME LIMERICK
We're playing a team called Maccabi, for whom basketball is more than a hobby. It's our game to lose, so let's not make the news, and win this one for Robby.
There are several goals for this Kings team as they try to improve enough to end what is likely to be a 9 year playoff drought after this season. Sacramento has won just 28 games in each of the least two seasons and haven't won 30 games since 2007-08. Even with two stars in DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay, this team probably doesn't have what it takes to make the 20 or so game jump that is necessary to make the playoffs in the West. Still, that doesn't mean the team can't make steps toward improving.
One of the stated goals by the Kings front office this offseason has been to push the pace and increase the ball movement this year. Last year the Kings were about average in terms of pace but were dead last in assists. The Kings were a rare team with three 20+ point scorers on the same team in Cousins, Gay and Thomas, but aside from those three, the offense was lacking. The Kings want a more balanced approach this year.
Michael Malone will also want to see this team take another step forward defensively, although he still doesn't have many players he can rely on for this end of the court.
The Kings have been a poor defensive team for many years. There is a lot of blame to go around. For example, Cousins’ contributions have mostly come on offense. He has often appeared not to even try on defense. If all the praise he has received for his play with Team USA is indicative of some maturation, perhaps we will see a much greater effort from him defensively. He has the tools to be much better than he has shown in past seasons. The Kings are also counting on new-acquisition Darren Collison to supply more ball pressure than Isaiah Thomas, which could help. In addition to his exemplary rebounding, Reggie Evans is a high-energy defender. His minutes are generally limited though, since, when he is in the game, the Kings’ offense almost plays four-on-five.
2013-14 IN REVIEW 28-54 4th in Pacific Division - 13th in Western Conference
First year head coach Mike Malone had his work cut out for him when he accepted the Sacramento job last summer, as the Kings were coming off of five straight seasons with 28 wins or less. Kings fans were hopeful and supportive as always, but they knew their young squad was going to be in for another long year.
On the bright side, they had plenty talent to get excited about and multiple guys stepped up to show large signs of progression. DeMarcus Cousins established himself as one of the best big men in the NBA, putting up career highs in scoring (22.7 PPG), rebounding (11.7 RPG) and assists (2.9 APG) on the most efficient year of his four-year career at 50% from the field. Possibly due to Sacramento's losing record, "Boogie" Cousins was snubbed from the Western Conference All-Star squad but he was just as deserving as some of the guys who made it.
It's time the media puts an end to painting the picture of Cousins' "maturity" as some kind of factor that is holding him back. Cousins is an emotional guy, sure, but he is the real deal on the court and he is just starting to come into his own as a star in the NBA. Look out.
Sacramento gave Cousins a sidekick by acquiring Rudy Gay from Toronto in a deal that also sent them Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray in return for a package of Patrick Patterson, Greivis Vasquez, Chuck Hayes and John Salmons. Gay was terrific for the Kings, scoring 20.1 points and grabbing 5.5 rebounds on 48% shooting through the rest of the season.
Isiah Thomas 2.0 played his best basketball to date, as well, as the 5'9" point guard excelled in the starting role after the Kings traded Greivis Vasquez to Toronto as part of the Rudy Gay deal. Thomas was one of the most improved players in the NBA last season, jumping to 20.3 points per game to go along with 6.3 assists. As small as he may be in comparison to the rest of the league, he is an outstanding shot creator and pick n' roll point guard that gets better every year.
The Kings also had the seventh overall pick in the 2013 draft, where they took Kansas two-guard Ben McLemore. While many pegged him to perform as a Rookie of the Year candidate, McLemore experienced some growing pains and struggled at times. He showed plenty of flashes of his high potential, but was very inconsistent and was moved in an out of the starting lineup. McLemore shot just 37.6% from the field in his rookie season, scoring 8.8 points per game. He is promising, but it will be a few years before we can truly judge what he can become.
In a deal to shake up the rotation and free up extra developmental playing time for McLemore, Sacramento traded Marcus Thornton to Brooklyn for Reggie Evans and Jason Terry, who would never put on his Kings uniform and was eventually dealt to Houston this summer.
Sacramento saw a lot of steady progression out of their young players, but couldn't compete with the top clubs in the Western Conference. The Kings missed the playoffs for the eighth consecutive year and finished the season 28-54, good for the seventh-worst record in the NBA.
The Kings have some good things going for them, but they have a long way to go before SleepTrain Arena gets as live as Arco used to be.
Rudy Gay decided to exercise his $19.3 million player option for the 2014-15 season, making him a free agent next summer. Gay is an excellent fit in Sacramento, as he gives them the go-to wing scorer that they desperately needed. We'll see what he decides to do as an unrestricted 2015 free agent, but he remains the best perimeter player on the Kings for the time being.
Sacramento lost a big time contributor when Isiah Thomas signed a four-year, $27 million deal with the Phoenix Suns. As the Kings moved to a different direction at the point guard spot, they utilized some of their cap space to bring in a pair of quality veterans on the free agent market.
The Kings signed Darren Collison to a three-year deal worth more than $16 million with the plan to make him their new starting point guard. Collison is coming off of an excellent season with the Clippers and is anxious to re-assume a full time starter's role. Backing him up will be productive combo guard Ramon Sessions, who signed with the Kings for two years at a total of $4.2 million. After being traded to Milwaukee more than halfway through last season, Sessions put up 15.8 points and 4.8 assists in 28 games for the Bucks and he will provide a nice spark off the Sacramento bench this year.
Another guy that will make things happen off the bench is Nik Stauskas, who the Kings selected with the eighth overall pick in this year's draft. Stauskas is a lights out jump shooter with a strong feel for the game, and at 6'6" with a 35" vertical leap, he's more athletic than he looks. Expect him to develop into a good all-around player that will have a chance to put together a long career as a key rotation wing.
X-FACTOR - Darren Collison The Kings will be the fifth team Darren Collison will play for in his first six years in the NBA. While he has been a relatively good player that has had some outstanding stretches, teams have been reluctant to marry the idea of him as their long-term solution at point guard. The Kings will give him another shot at propelling his brand, and he has proven that he can handle a starting role.
Starting in 37 games in his rookie year, Collison put up 18.8 points and 9.1 assists per game, and last season he found himself as stepping into the same situation starting in place of an injured Chris Paul. Through 35 starts in 2013-14, Collison averaged 14.8 points and 5.3 assists per contest, stepping up big when the team needed him most.
If Collison can play the most consistent ball of his career, the Kings may have a chance of winning more games than people expect.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2014-15 The Kings are going to be fun to watch, but they will have a tough time making the playoffs out west. There is certainly a realistic scenario where they improve off of last season; despite losing a player as productive as Isiah Thomas, they are a deeper team. However, the Western Conference is stacked and in all likelihood, the Kings aren't quite ready to make the jump back into the postseason.
At the same time, they have an excellent mix of young talent and it will be fun to watch them progress going forward. DeMarcus Cousins may very well break the barrier to become an All-Star, Rudy Gay isn't too far off either and the backcourt should be interesting with a mix of four quality players that are different from one another.
Sacramento is likely to miss the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season, but they have a chance to get better and continue to head in the right direction.
PREDICTED STANDINGS 5th - Pacific Division 14th - Western Conference
The Kings welcomed Maccabi Haifa into Sacramento for an exhibition game. While they started out rough, and had their obligatory turnover problems, they did get their act together and won 91-59.
In a very different type of game at Sleep Train Arena, the Sacramento Kings hosted Maccabi Haifa, a ball club straight out of Israel. The game opened with a very nice rendition of the Israeli National Anthem, and an exchanging of gifts between the two teams. I really like the NBA not only embracing the international community by traveling abroad, but welcoming some of these clubs here. The game had many positives, and many negatives, but it was one of the more unique experiences I have had at a Kings game.
The start of the game looked like an NBA team phoning it in versus a non-NBA team. Lackadaisical offense, silly turnovers, and some questionable defense. While I will not say that the Kings brought their A game after that, they did seem to take the team a little bit more seriously by the end of the quarter, when the bench provided a nice little spark. From there, the game kept a pretty consistent pace. The Kings were looking to move the ball, which, while I did love seeing, also resulted in many of the 25 turnovers, as these guys have a combination of travel fatigue, and lack of chemistry. In the end though, despite the rocky start on offense, and defense, the Kings managed to get a 32-point victory, while only allowing 59 points. (Hey, I know it's not an NBA team, but the San Antonio Spurs lost to Berlin earlier this off-season while playing their alleged championship team. Basically, I am saying that we are a better team than the Spurs.)
DeMarcus Cousins appeared to skate through this game. He was, however, one turnover away from a triple double to go along with his 15 points and 12 rebounds. Reggie Evans, who has proven time and again that he will give the same effort in a preseason game vs. Maccabi Haifa as he would in game 7 of the NBA Finals, had a game high 13 boards.
There were really three players who stood out to me more than anyone else did, though. Omri Casspi's stat line (seven points, seven boards, one assist, and one block) may not stick out when you look at it, but after watching him all game, I was very excited with what I saw. His handles are fun to watch right now. This showed in the fact that he was one of the few Kings to have no turnovers. His point total really should have been higher, too, as I counted three or four times when he scored a basket that was wiped off due to an away from the ball offensive foul. The other two guys that stood out did so for very similar reasons. Darren Collison and Ramon Sessions both showed how good of a 1-2 punch they can be at the point guard spot. Both have exceptional handles, and great ability to get to the basket. While he didn't stun me by any means, I also was impressed with some of the plays Derrick Williams showed, including a great crossover that led to him getting to the line. Our shooting guards, Ben McLemore and Nik Stauskas both struggled to find their shots, combining for 3-14 shooting, though both found some great looks that just did not fall. When I see McLemore in person it shocks me how much he struggles to find his shot, because his mechanics are great. Ryan Hollins also looked good out there in limited minutes, catching a great lob from Trey Johnson, who also impressed me about as much as someone can in three minutes.
Maccabi started out looking good, but in the end, looked just about how you would expect a team in their situation to look. There was a group of probably 8-10 fans of theirs sitting in the section next to me, which I found to be pretty cool, myself. There were a couple of good highlight plays up their sleeves, and you could tell the guys genuinely loved getting the opportunity to play against an NBA team. All in all, I would say the game was neither enough for me to call for a ring ceremony (despite my claims that we are better than the Spurs), but not bad enough for me to call for any firings or trades.
Random Observations
Sim Bhullar, or the Bhullarina, as I like to call him (due to his gazelle like grace), came in to some very loud cheers and managed to get a couple of rebounds, as well as a basket with just about 20 seconds left. The place erupted, and the team stormed him like he just hit the game winner. It was really a fun sight. While reports are indicating he has been waived, I am guessing he will be in Reno, and could possibly even get a couple stints on the Kings this year.
Rudy Gay did not play tonight. His absence was definitely felt. Casspi did a good job filling in as a starter, but Rudy's skills are vital for this team. That said, I see him sitting out at least one more game. I also will be shocked if Cuz doesn't sit another game. Those guys have had a crazy couple of months.
Echoing statements from Akis and Kevin, that floor looks great when you see it in person. I don't think that it looked bad on TV, but TV definitely does not do it justice.
Slamson hit a behind the back half court shot, which is pretty cool. I am 25-years-old, and Slamson still amuses me every time I am at the game.
The Kings next game is in San Antonio on Monday at 5:30
Should Year Two of the Delaware 87ers be the same as Year One, or should the Philadelphia 76ers' D-League affiliate take a radical approach to developing basketball strategy?
Last Friday, the Philadelphia 76ers tabbed Delaware 87ers assistant coach Kevin Young to man the bench for the team's NBA Developmental League squad. Young will assume the reins from former Sevens head coach Rod Baker, who was "called up" to a scouting role with the big club earlier in the week.
Young, who spent much of last year working with Thanasis Antetokounmpo, appears more than capable of handling the job. That said, if the second season of the 87ers' existence will adopt the same ideology of the first, it's fair to wonder: Are the Sixers using the Sevens right?
The 76ers are one of 17 NBA teams who have one-to-one affiliations with a D-League franchise. Given this luxury, there are two theories as to how the team can best utilize their minor league offshoot.
One school of thought is that the two teams and coaching staffs should mirror each other as much as possible. Synergy between related organizations is always a good thing, and when players are called up (or, for that matter, sent down), the resultant learning curve is less steep.
A more radical idea would be to use the D-League affiliate as a laboratory of sorts: A testing ground for experimentation that simply isn't possible in the NBA. The growing analytics movement has led to plenty of avant-garde thinking in front offices around the league, but it's often hard to sell unproven, leading-edge theories to head coaches who are fighting to keep their jobs.
Last year, it was obvious that the Sixers were proponents of the former strategy. Not only was Baker a fixture behind the 76ers' bench after the 87ers' season ended in early April, but it was clear that the former Sevens coach was a devotee of Brett Brown's "pace and paint" doctrine. During their inaugural season, the Sevens averaged 104.6 possessions per game (4th in the D-League), and less than 15 percent of the team's field goal attempts came from mid-range.
"Brett and I talk an awful lot," said Baker in an interview with Liberty Ballers back in December. "The talent level is a little different on both ends, but I think that we understand what they do... the synergy between us is pretty good."
However, a case can - and should - be made for thinking outside of the box a bit.
Back in February, Grantland's Jason Schwartz referred to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers - the Houston Rockets' D-League affiliate - as "Daryl Morey's Lab Rats." But the Houston GM has done more than mandate an analytics-heavy approach: the Vipers experiment with inbounds/ATO plays as well as defensive alignments that could potentially be adopted by the parent club.
"It allows us to create a competitive advantage for the Rockets and the Vipers," said Morey in an interview with The Monitorback in the summer of 2009. "We can bring our latest thinking to the Vipers and at the same time work on new strategies and learn about players and learn about potential future staff."
The latest iteration of the Rio Grande offense may be a bit excessive - just 5.15% of the team's 602 playoff field goal attempts came from mid-range - but it's hard to argue with the results. Since the Rockets assumed control of the team five years ago, the Vipers have won two titles (2010 and 2013) and lost in the D-League Finals in 2011.
Yahoo Sources: Sacramento hiring Division III assistant out of high-scoring Grinnell to coach D-League affiliate. http://t.co/nj2wYtGbhf
Former Grinnell College associate head coach David Arseneault Jr. was recently named head coach of the Reno Bighorns - the D-League affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. If his name or former employer sound familiar, it's for good reason: David Arseneault Sr. is the architect of "The System": A controversial offensive concept that catapulted Grinnell to the national spotlight after then-sophomore guard Jack Taylor scored 138 points in a single game back in November 2012.
The Grinnell offense is far too extreme for the D-League to adopt completely, but the hiring of Arsenault is just the latest example of the evolutionary - and possibly, revolutionary - approach to basketball being tested by the NBA at the semi-pro level.
It's one thing to use a D-League affiliate to kick the tires on a few fringe prospects: 28 players suited up for the 87ers last year, and it appears likely that the team will adopt a similar philosophy this season. But thought should be given to a bit of exploration at the macro level as well. Sam Hinkie, Ben Falk and Co. spend hours of their respective work days devising new techniques and basketball strategies: There's no reason why the Sevens couldn't serve as a workshop for those methods in the hopes that one day, they could ultimately give the Sixers a competitive advantage.
The Sacramento Kings waived Sim Bhullar, David Wear, and Deonte Burton following Saturday's win against Maccabi Haifa, according to our friend James Ham of Cowbell Kingdom and later confirmed by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.
According to NBA source, the Sacramento Kings will have waived Sim Bhullar, David Wear and Deonte Burton.
Bhullar, the 7 foot 5 inch center from New Mexico State, played limited minutes for the Kings this preseason. He's struggled to find time on the court, and simply isn't in the proper condition to contend against NBA-caliber big men. Ham is also reporting Bhullar will join the Reno Bighorns, Sacramento's D-League affiliate. But as our editor emeritus notes, that could be a less than ideal fit:
Sim Bhullar in the Reno Bighorns' new high-tempo Grinnell offense seems rife with potential for uhh ... amazing.
Wear played in the closing minutes of Saturday's game, his first action of the preseason. Burton had yet to see the court in a preseason game.
Of these moves, only Bhullar's waiving might surprise some people, but it shouldn't. When the Kings addressed the back-up center position by signing Ryan Hollins, it became extremely unlikely that Bhullar would make the Kings' regular season roster.
Despite this, Bhullar has still made history by being the first player of Indian descent to sign with an NBA team. We'll keep an eye on his progress in Reno, and we wish him the best.
The Timberwolves announced Sunday they've picked up the third-year options on three-players selected in the 2013 NBA Draft.
The Minnesota Timberwolves announced, Sunday, they've exercised the third-year options on Anthony Bennett, Shabazz Muhammad and Gorgui Dieng. This news comes as no surprise. The Wolves extended said-qualifying-options 12 days prior to the October 31st deadline.
Bennett, the first player selected during the '13 NBA draft, averaged four points, three rebounds and 13 minutes per game spanning over 52 appearances as a rookie with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He posted two double-doubles on the season, tallying a career-high 19 points and 10 rebounds off the bench February 11th, at home, against the Sacramento Kings. Bennett scored 10 points and grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds on February 18th of last season, in Philadelphia against the 76ers.
Muhammad finished his rookie NBA season by appearing in 37 games for the Wolves, all off the bench, and averaged four points and one rebounds in eight minutes per game. He tallied a season-high 20 points February 25th, on the road, against the Phoenix Suns - that night Muhammad was, supposedly, "set free."
Dieng played in 33 of the Wolves' final 35 games in '13-'15 - appearing in a total of 60 games. He averaged five points, five rebounds in 14 minutes per game over the course of the season. Dieng was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month in March. He started 15 of the final 18 contests, averaging 12 points and 11 rebounds en route to while nine double-doubles during that span.
Bennett, Muhammad and Dieng, individually, improved with more playing time later in the '13-'14 season.
After Bennett, Zach LaVine, Thad Young and Andrew Wiggins were introduced at the Minnesota State Fair, Glen Taylor spoke to the media and made notorious remarks regarding Kevin Love's future in Cleveland. In addition to comments concerning Love, after I asked if Flip Saunders has built a 'destination core' of young, talented players; Taylor stated "Rick (Adelman) decided he wasn't going to play the young guys last season," before asserting he expects improved production from now second-year players Dieng and Muhammad this season.
Adelman, not known as one compelled to play rookies, is gone and Saunders, now the Wolves coach, often speaks highly of Muhammad's work ethic. Presumably, Shabazz will see a decent amount of minutes at either small or power forward. With Saunders asking less of center Nikola Pekovic, who is projected to average less minutes per game this season, Dieng, presumably, will see an expanded role as the backup center.
All signs indicate Ronny Turiaf is going to be the Wolves third center on the depth-chart when the final, 15-man roster is selected.
In his first season with the Wolves, Bennett is slotted, by default, to backup Young at power forward. The former UNLV Runnin' Rebel has said he'd like to get back to playing as well as Bennett did during his college days. After participating aside Muhammad in a rigorous workout-regimen known as chameleon training, months after having his tonsils removed, Bennett is in noticeably better shape than he was while grubbing friend-alligator the State Fair.
All of aforementioned players could be with the Timberwolves for a better-portion of their careers, assuming they perform up to their potential. While Andrew Wiggins and Ricky Rubio figure to be starters this season; LaVine, Bennett, Muhammad and Dieng have an opportunity to develop alongside one-another as members of the second unit.
For now, Bennett, Muhammad and Dieng represent a somewhat-shaky, possibly-solid foundation for the Wolves moving forward. We don't know what they'll become yet. We'll have to wait and see.
Following a heartbreaker against the Heat on Saturday, the Spurs look to get back on track in a tango with the Sacramento Kings.
Sacramento Kings @ San Antonio Spurs
AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX October 20, 2014, 7:30 PM Spurs Time RADIO: 1200 AM WOAI
Last season, the Sacramento Kings were chock-full of talented players whose skill sets almost entirely overlapped on both ends of the floor. Their offense was limited to several ball-dependent playmakers (DeMarcus Cousins, Isaiah Thomas, Rudy Gay), and several role players who couldn't hit their jumpers (27th in the league for 3-point %). Nik Stauskus and Darren Collison should be welcome additions in that regard, and Ben McLemore, whose shooting stroke has been touted by one of the league's greatest shooters, appears to be much improved after a rocky rookie season.
The other major flaw with the Kings was their team defense, which finished 24th in the league in Defensive Rating. It didn't help that their team leaders were, for the most part, willing to forgo real defense for gambling on passes and isolation plays. While Darren Collison is an undeniably worse basketball player than Thomas, you have to wonder if Collison better addresses the needs of the roster, specifically on defense. Thomas paired his small stature with a subpar effort defensively, which hampered Coach Malone's ability to lock down the paint. Darren is a solid defender, and along with a more-focused Cousins, could be a more defensive-minded team this year.
The preseason is nearing its conclusion, and Malone will have to figure out how to properly allocate minutes to his players. On the other end of the spectra, the Spurs' roster is all but set now. Josh Davis was never more than a D-League consideration. Kyle Anderson secured a platoon role between Austin and San Antonio with serviceable play, and a decent jumper. Despite his Spur-like efficiency in minimal playing time and willingness to sacrifice his body for the betterment of the team, JaMychal Green may be forced to further prove himself in Austin before he can be deemed NBA-ready. Then there's Bryce Cotton, who has, quite literally, played himself off of the court.
With Kawhi, Tiago, Patty, and possibly more out for tonight, this could very well be another tough game for the benchwarmers. However, the actual result of this game is meaningless compared to the many teachable moments that can only be learned from playing against other NBA-caliber players.
As always Tony must dominate Fisher, andyou can get your San Antonio Spurs tickets from Daniel Farias with Spurs Sports & Entertainment: Tel: 210-444-5607 | dfarias@attcenter.com
Omri Casspi looks to be a key contributor off the Kings bench this season.
When Omri Casspi signed with the Kings over the summer, many shrugged their shoulders with a "meh." The sixth-year man is in his second stint with Sacramento after all and how much of a role could he possibly have now? As the preseason has rolled along, Casspi continues to contribute steady, productive minutes and likely will be one of the two to three top contributors off the Kings bench this season.
Casspi, who helped the Kings defeat Maccabi Haifa 91-59 on Saturday, seems to have absorbed his NBA experience quite well as the game appears to come to him a little easier than it did in his first couple of seasons in Sacramento (2009-2011). Casspi says he has more confidence in his game these days, having played in a winning culture with Houston last season and on Israel's national team in the offseason. And while he isn't a focal point, and probably never will be in the NBA, he is shaping up to be a nice piece off a Kings bench that was left depleted last season following the trade that brought Rudy Gay to Sacramento.
"It's part of experience and feeling comfortable with my game, feeling comfortable in the system that coach [Michael] Malone puts us in, and the sets and the confidence he gives me as a coach," Casspi said.
It has shown in the box score.
In the four games he has received extended minutes (24 minutes per) in the preseason, Casspi is averaging 11.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and .7 blocks. But it's not just the stats, it his good ball handling, ability to attack the rim (he is averaging 6.5 free throw attempts in the last four games) and the composure he is playing with that stands out. It should be noted, however, that he has forced the issue passing the ball on occasion (he has 10 turnovers so far), but some of that is likely due to getting used to his new team.
The 26-year-old has a few specific things he focuses on when he gets on the floor.
"One of the things I want to bring every night is energy, play tough defense, run the floor like a deer and then just be the first one out there and compete for rebounds." Omri Casspi
"One of the things I want to bring every night is energy, play tough defense, run the floor like a deer and then just be the first one out there and compete for rebounds," Casspi said.
Casspi could end up playing multiple positions this season depending on whether Michael Malone wants to go big or small with his lineup. But as a traditional small forward, Casspi will likely spend the bulk of his minutes backing up Gay. Casspi says he likes the opportunity to play alongside Gay.
"Me and Rudy can play together, whether we are playing small and me and Rudy at the four or the three, sometimes even at the two. I like to compete against him in practice because he makes me better. [He's] obviously one of our two best players and he's a great role model; he's a great guy and so I like to compete and play together or be a substitution - so I'll do whatever it takes," Casspi said.
Casspi's main competition for minutes is fourth-year man Derrick Williams. Williams is averaging 8.2 points and 1.7 rebounds over the last four games and has had a shorter leash in Malone's rotation - averaging 18 minutes per game so far. Williams had decent scoring outings in the last couple of games and shows flashes of his potential by attacking the basket or via a nice crossover move here and there. But the question about the second overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft is if he can remain consistent and impact games in ways other than scoring. Williams hasn't really shown he can do this or that he can fill a need on the defensive side of the ball in the preseason.
Regardless of whether it is Casspi or Williams backing up Gay in the rotation, the Kings have their work cut out for them in the Western Conference. To compete against these teams, Casspi's knows how important building good spacing and having shooting around DeMarcus Cousins is going to be this season, especially having played with Dwight Howard last season in Houston.
"I think the old concept of especially the Western Conference is going into more of shooters and spacing the floor, especially with a team like ours or the Houston Rockets when you have such a big, dominant force inside," Casspi said. "One of the best lineups in the league was when we played shooters around Dwight and kind of spaced the floor. And this is something we can do here because DeMarcus is such a good first and a willing passer second."
Shooting is something Casspi prides himself on. He is shooting 41 percent from the field in the last four games, (his career average is 42 percent). He's not shy about taking a big shot either as he hit the three that helped send last Wednesday's game against the Nets into overtime.
The bottom line is that with Casspi comes much-needed experience in the Kings locker room. The same goes for the team's other offseason additions such as Darren Collison and Ramon Sessions, which has resulted in a nice mix of veterans and young players.
"We still have room to grow, we have a lot of young guys, we have veterans and we have a foundation of something that could be really good. Obviously, we're going to keep working and keep getting better, but the foundation is good," Casspi said.
Cory Joseph is hoping to imitate Patty Mills -- and he's not working on his towel wave.
Preseason is usually an ordeal to get through for players of all stripes, but due to unforeseen circumstances, it's taken on a bit more importance for Cory Joseph and Marco Belinelli. They're both going to be called on to fill big roles and heavy minutes, and are readying themselves by working on their respective weaknesses.
At least Joseph had the benefit of knowing all summer long that he was going to be in line for the extended playing time. Just after winning the championship, an MRI on Patty Mills' right shoulder showed a rotator cuff tear, necessitating surgery that is expected to keep the Australian gunner out until 2015. As the only other point guard expected to make the team aside from Tony Parker, Joseph knows the backup job is his to lose, at least for a couple of months, and has taken the coaches' instructions to work on his shot in the off-season, especially from three-point land, where he's struggled so far in his career.
"I've definitely been working on it, my confidence is through (the roof) on my three-point shot and whenever I'm open I'm just letting it fly without thinking," Joseph said. "I think in the past I over-thought it too much. Hopefully this season I can just not think as much and just let it fly."
Joseph also revealed that shooting coach Chip Engelland has been working with him on his form. The tweaks haven't been on the release or his footwork but rather an aspect most wouldn't consider. "A lot on my grip and catch," Joseph said. "(It's) how I catch the ball and what my grip is on the ball."
It remains to be seen how firm Joseph's grip on the backup job will be.
Belinelli, meanwhile, is in a slightly different spot. He likely had an idea that he needed to ramp up for some extra early playing time with Mills out and Manu Ginobili easing into things after a summer spent rehabbing a stress fracture in his left fibula, but the malady that's caught everyone by surprise is Kawhi Leonard's eye infection, one that's threatening to shelve him even into the regular season. Regardless, Belinelli spent his off-season getting trimmer and working on his defense.
The Italian said that he didn't receive any special instruction from coaches, but he's a veteran who's been around and he's smart enough to take the hint once he saw his playing time cut in the playoffs.
"I just (have to) make it a big part of my game," Belinelli explained. "That's the thing. On this team if you play defense, you play. And if you don't, you're not going to play very much. So I just try to do my best and help the team win as always."
Belinelli revealed that he played a lot of one-on-one in summer to help his defense along while also working on the usual drills like defensive slides.
"They're the worst," he chuckled, "but something you have to do."
If Belinelli needed any extra motivation to keep at it, he'll have a familiar voice chirping in his ear in his native Italian. Assistant coach Ettore Messina, was Belinelli's first coach as a teenage pro playing for Virtus Bologna.
"I remember when I was 15, 16, he put me on the floor when I was in Bologna and now we're almost in the same situation," Belinelli marveled. "Right now we're in the NBA and we've got the possibility to live this life together, me and Ettore and that's a really good thing."
***
Still no trace of Leonard at the facility during shootaround. Splitter wasn't on the floor either, but I saw him working in the weight room in the back.
The Kings travel to San Antonio to face the Spurs in a clash of title contenders.
Preseason is ending quickly as the Kings head to Texas for their penultimate exhibition, this time against the defending NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs. The game is not set to be televised either in Sacramento or San Antonio, meaning you'll only be able to track it by listening to KHTK 1140. Tip off is at 5:30 pm Pacific.
3 THINGS TO LOOK FOR
1. With preseason winding down, the hope is that the mistakes will lessen and the offense will tighten up. The Kings have been a bit turnover prone in their new ball movement heavy offense. DeMarcus Cousins had 9 last game alone and that was just against Maccabi Haifa.
2. Over these last two preseason games we might start to see the rotation tighten up and our Day 1 starting lineup come to fruition. If I were to guess what our starting lineup was as of now, it would be DeMarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson, Rudy Gay, Ben McLemore, and Darren Collison. Cousins and Gay are locks, and I think Collison is as well. Power Forward and Shooting Guard are a bit trickier.
3. Speaking of Shooting Guard, Nik Stauskas hasn't been very accurate from deep in his last few games (3-12). Understandably, there's been a lot of travel involved, but I'd like to see him get back on track before the season begins. If he wants to beat out McLemore for the starting spot, he'll have to be able to take advantage of his open looks. Given his history as a shooter, I'm not too worried about him getting back on track.
PREGAME LIMERICK
There once was a game on tv, but it was not this game to be. Preseason sucks, except for Canucks who shout "Nik Stauskas for three!"
