Tuesday Footnotes

by Ziller on Nov 13, 2007 10:15 AM PST in Links Comment 27 comments

As our friend Ben Q. Rock wrote up over at Third Quarter Collapse, there's been suggestions of sending Shareef Abdur-Rahim to Orlando for an expiring contract. I love Reef and I would be forever upset he didn't succeed here, because his lack of success has nothing to do with him -- it's been terrible circumstances in all. But it makes a ton of sense. Reggie Theus gave Reef some burn in the second quarter. The offense was fine -- drew two double-teams, got as many assists has General Udrih, added another hockey assist and while his shot looked flatter than usual, it wasn't like it resembled a Kenny Thomas free throw or something. But he doesn't have legs at all, and I'd think that'd be why a) Theus doesn't want to play him and b) Orlando might be a good destination. Theus has to rely on everyone getting back in transition; Stan Van Gundy could probably get away with a lumbering power forward considering Dwight Howard's gait. That play last night where Mehmet Okur got wide open under the rim in transition? Reef ran his ass off at full speed to get back on defense and was still about three steps short. Sadly, Mikki Moore isn't someone who can cover those... weaknesses.
Another idle trade rumor: Stephon Marbury? Matt from Blog-a-Bull points out the Knicks probably don't just want to pay Marbury to go away. His deal comes off the books after next season. Brad Miller, Kenny Thomas, Shareef Abdur-Rahim -- those guys have longer deals. The Kings couldn't do it if they were going to turn around and buy Marbury out -- it'd make more financial sense to buy out K-9 (woof!) and use Miller as the starting center he is. And buying out K-9 (woof!) still doesn't make financial sense. So I'd guess 'no' on this one, unless Geoff Petrie wants to go for broke in rebuilding during the summer of 2009.
This Francisco Garcia-Rashad McCants incident Sam Amick mentions frightens me a great deal. Anyone see in the Minny game where McCants popped the ball out of Garcia's hands and out of hands for apparently no reason another than just to do it? Notice when Garcia -- maybe two, three possessions later -- drove on McCants for the easy and-1, the type of layup where Francisco rolls it right off the glass and over the rim, so it's more like a 'lay-down'? Both plays become much more fun when put in context.
More from Amick, if you didn't catch it: He rips KCRA for their coverage of the Justin Williams case. I think most of us eschew the local TV stations for coverage of the local team, luckily.

0 recs | Comment 27 comments

Comments

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

I agree that Reef's legs don't look great right now. You think that is just a factor of no training camp? If that's the case - he's just not game reaady - perhaps Reggie is going to keep trying him for small chunks of time until his legs come back to him.

by Kusian on Nov 13, 2007 11:35 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

Well, he wasn't exactly fleet of foot last year. So I'm not sure if it's conditioning in large part or small.

by Ziller on Nov 13, 2007 12:05 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

Think maybe he's just DONE? I'd like to see him get more run and see how he does. He can't be any worse than the other two, and he won't publicly whine when he gets taken out of the game or doesn't get "enough" shots.

by Kusian on Nov 13, 2007 12:10 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

I don't think he's done; he can be effective in certain roles with certain aides around him (a la highly mobile/athletic Dwight Howard). He can't run right now, though. Will that improve? Will it stay the same or get worse? Who knows.

by Ziller on Nov 13, 2007 12:16 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

I saw last night when the Jazz were breaking and SAR was the last to make it back. He was yelling for somebody to pick up his man who was wide open and proceeded to slam.

by KingsFan on Nov 13, 2007 4:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

I should add this link to the footnotes, if only because it will make us loathe Mikki Moore a little less.

by Ziller on Nov 13, 2007 12:07 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

I can't get up a good loathing for Mikki. Coming into this year, we all knew the book on Moore was that he was not a good rebounder or defender and his offensive game came primarily from pentration and kick outs from the guards on his team and running the floor in transition. The Kings do neither with their ploding offense and lack of playmaking skills from the guards. This team just can't get into a transition because of lack of team speed and rebounding. Mikki is much more suited to a team like Phoenix and New Jersey which makes Petrie's decision to give him a long term contract puzzling. Other than waiting for contracts to expire, I'm having a hard time making sense of GP's blueprint for rebuilding. Seems like none of the guys on the team compliment one another just a bunch of parts that don't go together.

Damn you Robert Horry!!!

by chupacabra on Nov 13, 2007 2:06 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

"Seems like none of the guys on the team compliment one another just a bunch of parts that don't go together."

Chupacabra, you are clearly channeling Otis.

This is a very legitimate critique. I really have no clue what GP's plan is. Right now, it appears that there is no plan. Or if there is one it appears to be a plan that includes collecting useless "bigs," and decent wingmen.

I don't understand the end-game.

by Kusian on Nov 13, 2007 2:25 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

There are worse things than channeling Otis.

I am the stone that the builder refused I am the visual, the inspiration That made Lady Sing the Blues..I'm the spark that makes your idea bright...

by pookeyguru on Nov 14, 2007 6:19 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

I thought "Channeling Otis" were part of the Justin Williams charges.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Nov 14, 2007 6:31 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I am the stone that the builder refused I am the visual, the inspiration That made Lady Sing the Blues..I'm the spark that makes your idea bright...

by pookeyguru on Nov 14, 2007 7:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

Is that anything like steaming Clevland?

......maybe i should have gone there.....

trade em all except Kev, John, and SHawes...How's that TZ?

by kangsfan on Nov 14, 2007 9:33 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

Aside from the poodle, I wouldn't go as far to say that the bigs are usless. Collectively on this team yes but on the right teams Brad, Reef, and Mikki could be very servicable. Just not all on the same team. Put Brad on the Wizards running the high post Princeton offense and I think Brad is a factor again. Same goes for Reef on team like Chicago or Mikki on a Phoenix team that rewards big men running the floor hard.

Damn you Robert Horry!!!

by chupacabra on Nov 13, 2007 2:41 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

I don't think Shareef has enough elevation when he jumps to be effective at McKinley Park.

by kingsfaninjapan on Nov 13, 2007 3:05 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

Another footnote. Mr. Hollinger over at ESPN had this to say in listing Kevin Martin as one of his early surprises in the season:

"Here's why Sacramento's five-year, $55 million extension for Martin made sense: He keeps improving. Few players have been as diligent about constantly upgrading their arsenal, and the result is that Martin has gone from being an end-of-the-bench scrub as a rookie to one of the league's most dangerous scorers three years later.

Martin is third in the league in scoring right now, right behind Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady even though he averages only 16.4 field goal attempts per game, well below Bryant's 21.0 and McGrady's 21.9. The key is efficiency: Martin's true shooting percentage is 62.0, which if he keeps it up would mark the third straight year he finished with a TS% above 60 -- a flabbergasting feat for a guy who scores in the high 20s, especially one on a team as devoid of help as his Kings are. He's become both a deadly outside shooter and a free-throw magnet, and unlike a lot of big-time scorers, he never takes a bad shot."

by Jaycee on Nov 13, 2007 3:37 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

thanks for posting this jc

Damn you Robert Horry!!!

by chupacabra on Nov 13, 2007 3:46 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

The funny thing is that before the season started, Hollinger picked Martin as one of the players he thought would decline in Player Efficiency Rating (PER). How could you think that about a guy whose stats have steadily gotten better every year? I guess they gotta write about something. I think it's called job security.

by kingsfaninjapan on Nov 13, 2007 3:58 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

I say let SAR go to the Magic. It would be good for for SAR and the Kings. Maybe they want to trade Hideous Turkoglu straight up. That's a trade I'd make.

by KingsFan on Nov 13, 2007 4:52 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

what you need another swingman for?

by cwebb on Nov 13, 2007 4:55 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

Dude, Hideous is 6-10 and playing PF for a winning Orlando team and not doing half bad. But it ain't so much in getting Hideous, it's unloading SAR. SAR may be a nice guy with plenty of heart but he is not part of the solution for the Kings. I see guys like Sar stepping aside and making room for a new generation, like Hawes.

by KingsFan on Nov 13, 2007 5:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

I would say even more - he's doing pretty damn good (i have him on my fantasy team, went undrafted).
But he's not a PF though he plays PF teoretically (in reality, they play two SFs because they have Howard in the middle and playing in the east). They're going with their best possible lineup instead of playing their garbage 4's (note to Reggie - look & learn).

I would do that trade from SAR's standpoint - he would probably get some more burn in Orlando, and he certainly deserves it for being such a class act.
But from the Kings standpoint?
Hedo is a little more expensive and his contract runs 3 years just like SARs (though 3rd year is a player option). We aren't going anywhere for the next 2/3 years anyway and Hedo isn't such an improvement imo to pull the trigger.

by cwebb on Nov 14, 2007 6:06 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

The way Turk is playing right now, there's no chance the Magic will trade him. He's been off in the past few games, but single-handedly elevated the Magic to victory over the Wizards a few weeks ago.

Third Quarter Collapse: An SB Nation Blog for Orlando Magic fans

by Ben Q Rock on Nov 14, 2007 9:13 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

I will be surprised if Artest isn't starting at the 4 tomorrow night; ending the Moore/Thomas debacle. The only reason I can come up with regarding Thomas' playing time is that the Kings are attempting to show case him but it's not playing out like they had hoped. You would think that Theus would have told Reef the plan to trade Thomas and encouraged him to get into shape so he can play big minutes soon.

Maybe the Nets would be willing to take Moore back when he is eligible to be traded. I would love Boone or Williams back in trade. Moore and cash for Williams and part of the exemption?

Sadly, the Kings would be better off if Moore, Reef and Thomas would all go away. A front court of Miller, Artest with Hawes, Williams and Watkins off the bench is better than dealing with these losers.

We are slipping into the NBA abyss.

by jjham15 on Nov 13, 2007 5:04 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

You dare to insult the hydra?

by Jaycee on Nov 13, 2007 5:39 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

justin williams not charged

so iguess justin williams is free right? i wonder if he'll play tomorrow.

"If you really want something in this life, you have to work for it. Now, quiet! They're about to announce the lottery numbers..." - Homer Simpson

by afiliazn on Nov 13, 2007 6:46 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

What about this...

Abdur Rahim and Douby to Orlando
for Carlos Arroyo and Trevor Ariza

It works on the Trade Machine, but would Orlando give up Ariza?

by sroufe on Nov 13, 2007 7:54 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Tuesday Footnotes

Trevor got a few DNP - CD's to start the season, but has played significant minutes in each of the past few games and seems to have supplanted Pat Garrity as the first forward off the bench. I doubt he goes anywhere unless the Magic get a veteran swingman -- like Corey Maggette? -- in return.

Third Quarter Collapse: An SB Nation Blog for Orlando Magic fans

by Ben Q Rock on Nov 14, 2007 9:14 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs