We keep doing the same thing, expecting a different result.

Our Achilles heel is defense. Our defense sucks and will continue to suck until we get a new big who plays defense really well. But instead of getting someone, GP continues to have PW work with the same defensive players, without the help they so desperately need. Until this gets resolved we will continue to have the same result – we will lose.

Here is why you should be worried, very worried. At some point, these losses will begin to negatively impact the overall functioning of the team. We have already seen the fans beginning to boo. This will only exacerbate the problem, and morale will begin to deteriorate. Instead of seeing continued growth and improvement in our young players, we will see a gradual erosion of play and diminished passion.

There needs to be a stop to the bleeding. None of us know what is going on with the general management. There have been trade rumors, but it is unknown whether there will be a new body showing up in Sacramento anytime soon. Management could decide to wait and have PW tinker around with the existing players. If that happens, I believe that PW is going to become frustrated with management, because getting good defense out of the current group of guys is like trying to squeeze blood out of a turnip. If the talent isn’t there, he can’t create it, at least not overnight.

You say that you, “want to see how they play at the end of the year before getting worried.” But, by then, it may be too late. The time for intervention is now. Now is the time to be worried…

I agree that getting battered at Arco last night seems to have something to do with it. I think you hit the nail right on the head – players must be asking themselves what are they playing for. Playing with the sole purpose of improvement is not a lot of fun if there are not a few wins along the way. It must be disheartening to hear the crowd booing at them, when just a couple of months ago they were cheering. If we are feeling frustrated, how must the players be feeling?

I can only hope that we will be the recipient of a new player or two before the February 18th trade line. You advocate patience, but there is still a long way to go before the end of the season. I am not sure that there are too many people like you who have that much patience. You are a saint.

this worries me

is your characterization of Martin’s effectiveness. What do you count more, Martin’s history of shot-making before this year, the games to start the year when he was healthy and going crazy or his performance since he came back from injury?

In my mind, the only evidence you have Martin won’t make shots is the last few weeks, which seems like a pretty weak argument, even given how terrible Kevin’s been. Now, if you want him gone because he can’t play with Tyreke, never liked him much to begin with, etc, etc, I can understand that. I don’t agree but I understand, but I don’t think Petrie needs to do anything with Martin right now, unless there’s a lot going on in the background we don’t know about; which seems very unlikely given the personalities involved.

I agree with your point about ticket sales to a certain extent though. Its easy for me to sit in MN and preach patience, when the only $$$ I lay out to be a fan of the Kings is for League Pass, I don’t spend my paycheck on game tickets to watch the product while we’re patient.

One last thing about PG assists, because of Tyreke’s attack the rim style of offense, only 1/3 of his assists are at the rim (1.7 apg). When he does penetrate but has to kick out, this passes are to players in the long range 2pt area or beyond the arc. So, the majority of his assists 54% are of the Long Jumper or 3PT variety. He doesn’t make our bigs better like a more conventional PG does.

That right there is definitely what worries me the most about him playing PG all the time. Don’t get me wrong, i know he will have the ball in his hands regardless, i just wish he wasn’t the guy in charge of initiating our offense every single time