We Got What We Asked For... Enjoy!

by Ballaholic on Jan 23, 2009 5:30 PM PST

This season has reach low points few expected before the season began. Most were optimistic. Very few of us (delusional ones anyway) saw a competitive run for a possible 8th seed. Most saw a young, exciting team that would compete night in and night out and give the fans their money's worth. We expected good times and bad... But not bad times like this. Some of us have difficulty watching a team as lifeless and uncompetitive as this team has been at times. It is hard to imagine a team like ours, with our youth movement strongly underway, getting blown out so thoroughly so often. As fans, it is in our nature to become annoyed, dissatisfied, angered and frustrated. Loyal fans like myself have simple needs. Mainly, we all want to be excited when we enter Arco about the high level of skill, competitive spirit and athletic brilliance we are about the witness.

I, like many over the past few years, have been clamoring for the Kings brain trust to rebuild this team to try and reach the promised land we nearly reached not long ago. Though it has been a trying few months to watch, I am still glad that we traded Artest and Bibby to expedite this franchise into true "rebuilding" mode. Those (especially the Bibby trade) were not easy one to make and have definitely upset many in the loyal fan base that hates to see this young team get obliterated night in and night out. Maybe I am just different than your prototypical loyal fan. I can see the rainbow on the horizon coming after the storm. I know that all teams (except those damn lucky Spurs) goes through stretches of suckiness and mediocrity before rising back to become one of the elite powers of the NBA.

Though this season has seen many lows, I remain enthusiastic and excited about what we have and where we are going. However, this season has certainly put into perspective how far this team is from competing at a high level with the L.A.'s and Boston's of the league. We are far from that on many levels. This team is near the bottom on soooo many statistic categories. Our holes are numerous and our strengths and too few. This team lack sufficient talent from top to bottom. And folks, that is not something that can be cured with a trade or two. We have a few assets and those can be very useful if the right deal comes along. I see this team struggling for another year or two after this. I am glad we have a meticulous and competent GM like Geoff Petrie. He is not perfect, but he has my faith that he will make smart and ambitious decisions to try and get this team back to the top. All we need is just a little bit of luck on our side.

There are some nice pieces on this team that can be key parts in our rebuilding effort. Kevin Martin is a young, dangerous and efficient perimeter scorer. He has established that and will score over 20 points per game for the next 8 years or so. He is reasonably priced and is an well respected in the community. However, with the pressure of being the go-to-guy, he has been exposed as a player that needs help to be effective. He wants to be a player that has the ball in his hands and has free reign to make a play and win the game. But that is not his game and his skills do not enable him to do that. His lack of ball handling skills limits his one-on-one ability when the game is on the line. He still can improve these skills, but they will never be a strength. This season has shown the a starting backcourt of Kevin and Beno Udrih is not adequate. Udrih is a reserve if our team is to make it to the playoffs and Kevin is still here. I am not disappointed by Udrih signing a long term deal. He is young enough to bounce back from his issues this season and be a borderline starter worthy player. He was signed because losing him as an asset would not have been a great decision for a franchise devoid of assets.

John Salmons is a fine individual talent that has come into his own this season with increased minutes, responsibility and focus. He has put up great numbers this year and turned a lot of heads to the skills he brings to the table. His play is the absence of Martin was also key to us staying afloat like we did in the early parts of the year. But I do not see him in the long-term future with the team. It is hard to think, but John is already 29 years old. I think he and Martin can coexist and flourish together on the perimeter, but I see John’s value coming in a trade to bring back a younger player and/ or other assets for this team. Many playoff teams could use his skills to go to the next level. I would love to see a trade to Toronto that would bring Bargnani to Sacramento, though we may have to give more than it is worth to bring him. Colangelo attempted to sign him, but John was swayed toward us by the higher powers that be. Big ups!

I appreciate all that Brad Miller has given to the team, but it is time for an amicable divorce and go our separate ways. Like Artest last year, I see Brad netting similar assets from a team looking for depth for a championship run. He is no longer bringing tangible positives to this franchise. He should be sent packing by the trade deadline. I just hope his value is high enough to bring back some pieces to move forward.

Shock and Hawes have been a delight to watch this year and I look forward to seeing their progress for the rest of the season. I don’t know if either of them will become star or players, but I think they will both become quality starters in the league. I hope Bobby Brown is able to harness his athletic gifts with his shooting touch and become as starter quality player as well. I see he has the ability, all he needs is to focus his game and hone his basketball IQ. Buckets will be buckets and has a lot of growing up to do. I like that he is in the D-League. He has a lot to learn about how to play basketball. He contains all the tools, but needs a flashlight to find where they should be used.

I love to watch the young guys play and gain experience against the best players in the league. I see a lot to be happy about with the group of players we have. Wins obviously is not what I am speaking of, but like life, there is more to it than that. Enjoy this team for what it is, a work in progress that will take time to grow, develop and evolve as we gain more pieces to the puzzle.

(This is a FanPost from a member of the Sactown Royalty community. The views expressed come from the member, and not Sactown Royalty staff.)

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