Good News, Bad News, Worse News

by Ziller on Dec 28, 2008 11:32 AM PST in Commentary Comment 17 comments

... and all from the same Melody Gutierrez notes column!

Kenny Natt on Kevin Martin's Saturday practice:

Natt said he was encouraged by Kevin Martin's progress during Saturday's practice, noting the Kings' leading scorer improved by "leaps and bounds" from Thursday's practice.

There's still no timetable, which means to me he could come back tomorrow or never; the team knows what's more likely but doesn't want its opponents to know and doesn't want to disappoint the fans by being wrong.

***

Natt on the big man rotation:

"We're confident that Spencer [Hawes] is going to come along and get back into form like he was earlier in the season. What that takes, maybe it's him coming off the bench to get that. We'll make those adjustments." [...]

Natt said if he makes the move, [Mikki] Moore will return to starting.

A lot of fans around here have called for a switch at the starting power forward position. Most have called for Jason Thompson to get the job, as J.T.'s energy and rebounding cover for Brad Miller's passing and shooting (and vice versa). A few have even called for Shelden Williams for this same reason. But no one has requested Moore back in the starting line-up. He doesn't rebound enough and his turnovers cost too much. (Although, in fairness to Mikki: his rebounding has picked up the last two games and since his six-turnovers-in-20-minutes game against Portland last month, he hasn't had more than one giveaway in any game. Still ... history says Moore is a minus rebounder and a minus ball-handler.)

***

And finally, Natt on ... Kenny Thomas:

Natt described Thomas as "a very good, if not the best, post defender" the Kings have.

"We go back," Natt said. "Kenny and I have always had our conversations about his struggles, and I've encouraged him during his down time. If he can play and perform, maybe I can put him in the game against some of these All-Star bigs. Hey, I'm not against playing him."

Natt figures to have a free pass from Kings fans the rest of the season ... so long as he doesn't play Kenny Thomas in lieu of Hawes, Thompson, Donté Greene and Williams. Please, Coach -- don't do it.

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I know it isn't much of sample size

since I live in Phoenix and can’t watch the Kings as regularly as you all. I can’t fit the NBA package in my budget right now but have caught the one NBA TV game and 2 games live while visiting my parents, but it sure seems to make more sense to have JT start over Hawes (holy run-on sentence.) The Shock and Hawes option is the future, but while Miller is still in town it seems redundant to start Hawes and Miller. JT adds a different element. He sure seems to attack the basket more than Hawes and Miller and also seems to have a greater hunger.

Again, I have a small sample size and implore people to prove me wrong on that notion.

I love the smell of commerce in the morning

by Red Reign on Dec 28, 2008 11:40 AM PST reply actions 1 recs

I hope Kevin Martin returns 100%

But I doubt it happens anytime within the next week. It might take him some time to get used to the type of movement he plays with.

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. It's simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get tangled, you tango on

by pookeyguru on Dec 28, 2008 11:49 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Well it's clear the "Ivory Towers" were not working

My solution, however, wouldn’t be to bench Hawes. It’s to trade Miller.

by LPKingsFan on Dec 28, 2008 12:32 PM PST reply actions 1 recs

Yes, trade Miller.

Ian Thomsen of Sports Illustrated suggests Miller to Cleveland for JJ Hickson and Eric Snow (expiring). Sure, why not. The sooner Sac gets a third young big, the sooner they can focus on a high-pick PG in the draft.

Or how about bench Miller.

by busybe on Dec 28, 2008 2:01 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The problem with benching is

it destroys Miller’s trade value

by LPKingsFan on Dec 28, 2008 5:31 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The two edged sword

Don’t play and he loses value

Play him and he gets injured and he loses trade value.

Trading him is the point.

by betweentheeyes on Dec 28, 2008 8:28 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Of course trading Miller is the solution

but for the time being, we have to deal with it and the best combination to start up front is JT and Miller. I’m one of those that believe they complement each other fairly well. RR said it, Hawes and Miller are redundant. IT’s not about who the best player is because at this point Hawes is still a better player than JT, is just about matchups and showing different looks to other teams. It’s kind of the Ginobli effect in San Anton. He is one of their best three players but he’s still coming off the bench because it works better for them.

One thing I don’t understand is why the coaches don’t see it. I mean, a lot of people here have been saying this and as a whole we have a pretty knowledgable batch here at StR. Is our basketball knowledge really that bad? Is there something we don’t see? Is Mikki really our best option? Why not try something new and see how it work just for one game. Remember starting doesn’t mean you get the most minutes. I just don’t understand how the coaches don’t see that the rebounding and hustle JT brings could work just fine with Brad’s passing and shooting

by eduardo_m7 on Dec 28, 2008 2:35 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Thank you

for stating it so well.
Why are the Sac coaches always inflexible with the “starting lineup / rotation”….starters start the 1st and the 3rd, player A comes in at 5 min left in the 1st, blah, blah, blah. Adelman used to kill me with that, he’d let other teams’ runs go on until Sac was down 15 – like he couldn’t call time out and just yank someone if it wasn’t in the gameplan. With the team back then it wasn’t as bad because they had some players and won plenty. Nowdays, start Mikki (& pushover D/whiny Miller) and there’s a good chance they’ll be down by 15 in 10 minutes. They must see it.

Mussleman and Reggie seemed to do it too. Now Natt. Is there pressure from above to start / give minutes to certain players? I guess. Why not change the starting lineup drastically. Make some waves, send a shock through the system. Nothing to lose now.

by busybe on Dec 28, 2008 3:45 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm guessing what we don't see

Is the personal relationships the coaches have with their players. I’m sure if any of us were coaching, and Mikki was one of the few players giving 100% on a daily basis, in the games and in practice, we’d be hard pressed not to give him some minutes. Especially if you are trying to institute a reward-type system on your team. Meaning, if you don’t play hard all the time and don’t give a solid effort on the defensive end, you don’t play period.

Not saying he SHOULD be starting and playing Mikki Moore big minutes, but I think that might be the component we are missing.

Are we gonna live together? Together are we gonna live?

by otis29 on Dec 28, 2008 4:00 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I see what you are saying

and agree with the fact that in a reward-type of system you should give minutes to Mikki. Well then… give him minutes, but off the bench. Again, players should know this: whoever starts doesn’t necessarily gets the most minutes. I would just love to get a chance of seeing JT and Brad for some minute and see if it works. If not, then we move on and try something different. I just think it’s worth a shot.

Plus, and I know you are not implying this, I’m sure JT also works hard in practice. He doesn’t seem like a kid who wouldn’t.

by eduardo_m7 on Dec 28, 2008 4:11 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'd like it both ways, please

Which is all any of us wants, I suppose.

You can’t find a single, hopeful trade idea without mentioning Kenny Thomas. We’ll just dump this guy on someone, and get a superstar, and bing-bang-boom, we’re in the finals.

I agree, the kids should play. I probably start Miller and Thompson, and let Hawes come in off the bench, he seems to be able to bring energy that way. We’re going to lose 60 games this year, and that’s ok with me, especially if Hawes, Thompson and even Greene get significant minutes, and grow.

But again, no one is going to take Thomas if he doesn’t play, unless they’re super fired up about taking a large contract that runs for a season past this one. Why would they? Get him some minutes, let him show himself defensively, maybe he gets a semblance of his stroke back, and the Kings have an actual bargaining chip for us to talk about instead of the endless fairy tale wishful trade proposals you see in here.

Not playing, almost any player is worthless. This is a bad team, showcase the trade bait, and see what happens. And stop crapping on the guy, it’s boring, and there’s not one of us who’d decline to trade places with him right now. He’s not a team cancer, in fact the locker room attendant says Thomas is is favorite player. Why the hell would he say that?

Meh, now I’m irritated. Play the kids, play Thomas, let Miller run the offense. I love B-Jax, but he needs to sit, and even though I like his effort, same for Sheldon. If you aren’t the future or a trading chip, get a magazine.

Rocks are free, and slingshots easily stolen.

by andy sims on Dec 28, 2008 2:55 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

The feelings run deep

I think the problem we have with K-9 stems from:

The way he came into the 2005-06 season, battling with Reef instead of working hard off the bench to prove he belonged in the starting line-up. He pouted on the bench and only made it to the starting five thanks to Zach Randolph’s elbow. When the injury and K-9’s good play as a starter kept Reef in a bench role. Reef was a model citizen and played his heart out. That’s a huge reason as to why we love Reef and despise Kenny.

K-9 had the starting job to open 2006-07 and 2007-08, but came into October woefully unprepared. He had a PER of 10 in ’06-07, started 53 games … and had the temerity to grouse during his two stints on the bench (one of which preceded a season-ending injury). He had the starting job over Mikki last season to open the season. What did he do in two games? 0 points, 6 rebounds, 3 turnovers. IN TWO GAMES!

He doesn’t care about the Kings, and never has. All his work — in training, in the media — has been done with the purpose of getting himself to a team that will play him. I mean, whatever … but he already blew his chances in Sacramento by refusing the sacrifice a little of his ego or his off-season time to make the team better. Don’t ask me to feel sorry for him.

by Ziller on Dec 28, 2008 3:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

In my best Eric Cartman voice..."I hate you Kenny"

and at this point I’m not sure which Kenny I’m talking about.

K-9 is obviously banished to the bench by the front office so I’m not really going to worry about him. Kenny Natt on the other hand is attempting to make this Kings fan not want to watch games anymore.

Hot dogs, get your hot dogs.

by jjham15 on Dec 28, 2008 4:32 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

allows Brad to get in the flow(gets more early looks without Spence in)
allows Spence to get more looks with the 2nd unit than he gets with the 1st
takes scoring pressure off BJax(less chucker please), JT(just bang the boards and get garbage points) and Brown.

Ball movement ... is like jogging for most people: They do it occasionally, and it makes them happy. Then they go back to not doing it. - Henry Abbott

by Kfan in Korea on Dec 28, 2008 6:13 PM PST reply actions 0 recs