The team is not going to like this. Its a shame too, because now I’m pretty sure the team will end up trading Omri, and I feel like he should be part of the core going forward. But he failed to make that proverbial leap in my mind this year.

I guess we’ll see what happens next year.

By announcing he isn’t a part of the Kings’ future plans in a meaningful way, he tells potential suitors that they can afford to offer less in trade than they might have otherwise.

I’d take the best offer I could get, but only from a lottery team.

Book it!

Like Aykis said, he failed to make a leap this year. Kinda disappointing, really. I really also hoped he could be the next Peja.

I think the guy has been yanked around by PW who doesn’t know how to get the best out of Greene/Casspi. These guys should be a great 1/2 combo at the 3 with their athleticism, shooting ability, etc. One a good defender, 1 a bad defender – but you should be able to work the matchups and have them both playing to their potential.

Instead PW starts one then DNPs him for the next couple of games – then back again in the lineup etc. These guys are young and they need consistency. Does Jeff Green make it to where he is if he is played, sat, played, sat, etc? The guy progressed because he got consistent minutes.

Not sure if this showed up on the telecast on Friday night but you could see this coming a mile away. OC sat the whole game – finally got a run in the 4th – played well and PW sits him back down in favor of SD who had sucked it up. Jogging back to the bench PW stepped a foot onto the floor to slap hands with OC and OC ran 10 ft around him – almost to the free throw. If it was baseball he would have been called out for being outside the base path. He sits on the bench – PW comes down to him says something to him. 30 secs later OC gets up and goes and sits in the first row of the seats on the baseline. Joe Nolan sitting there with BJax leans over and yells at Omri to get back on the bench – which he eventually does. Few minutes later there is a timeout and OC is standing 10 ft away from the huddle.

You look at the track record of PW and his players – he didn’t get along with Hawes, he doesn’t get along with OC, for most of the year Donte has not been happy with him, obviously didn’t get along with Wright, udoka basically said the team was a joke, DMC is back to griping on every call/noncall, and Reke can do no wrong. I’m not seeing how this guy gets another year – there just is not enough positive progress there to build on.

Hypothetically, if I was a player who was expected to be fighting for a starting spot on an NBA team, but it was based on me making a leap forward in my game. I think I would work on taking that leap forward, not regressing. That’s just me, hypothetically.

Hypothetically, if I was a player who was being outplayed by my team-mates and was losing playing time, I would work on improving my game to earn those minutes back, not blaming others, but that’s just me, hypothetically.

I’m sorry Omri, I really like you, but you haven’t been very good this year. Yes, playoff teams are interested in you, but that in no way means you are going to play any more than you do here. You would be a low option on the bench. Keep working on your game, and everything will work out. These type of things are not moves in the positive direction.

entitlement tone to his blog that doesn’t sit well with me. Sure you can point to any number of excuses as to why you didn’t make the leap this year, but the bottom line remains, you didn’t make that leap and you can’t fault Paul Westphal for going a different direction(aka Cisco at the 3 with Tyreke taking some minutes there as well). Donte’ has started to re-figure things out and if Donte can hit the 3 ball consistently, then he’s going to be a big part of our future.

I like Omri, but the tone of his post was quite me-oriented. Don’t give up, STEP UP!

I’m not totally confident that Westphal actually has a plan in place for this team to develop. At the same time, I don’t think Omri’s made the leap he should’ve made in his second year to get more minutes. On top of that Cisco and Donte have both been playing well at the 3, and Reke’s even played some 3 with Beno and Thornton. Omri may be the odd man out, unfortunately.

It seems to me that the Kings have been playing some really good basketball these last 2-3 weeks. They kings have also been winning games for a change. The funny thing is, all of this has been happening since Omri has been benched. It’s hard to complain when the team is actually wining!! Omri is slightly above average at shooting the 3 ball and he rebounds well for his poistion. Other then those two facets of the game, he’s really just an average SF at this point. I just wonder what playoff team would be playing him consitent minutes right now.

which was

The situation in Sacramento isn’t like it was for me before. Coach Paul Westphal has been doing different things in practice, and it has been made certain I’m not in his plans.

I admit that I’m guessing but to me what they are doing in practice is playing the 3 guard line up of Evans, Beno, and Thornton. Whether PW has said that’s the way he will go next season or whether Omri just thinks he will isn’t clear.

But, I think Omri is wrong in voicing all of this with 6 games left because nothing is certain next year. The Kings could end up taking a SF with their Pick or Free Agency and he could still be fighting for the backup or the starting job. The Kings 3 guard rotation is still unproven and may not be the way to go against bigger SF’s and more than likely would be used when they need to match up with the other team going small. And, who knows if PW will be back next year, based on the last few coaches not many have completed their contract.

The one comment that’s the most alarming was

I really love the fans, the city, the owner and the General-Manager.

Now I can see where he might not like Westphal and that’s understandable, but did he mean to leave out his teammates on purpose?

If you sabotage your value, that makes it harder for the team to find a deal so you can move on.
Then again I don’t understand why millionaires with personal entourages can’t seem to find themselves with a designated driver at a moments notice. The life of a celebrity athlete is beyond me, I guess.

Wonder what would have happened if Greene pulled this move?

News10 spoke briefly to Westphal on Monday night from Houston, who said he wasn’t surprised with Casspi’s frustrations.

“There’s not much doubt that Omri is frustrated and it wouldn’t really surprise me that he wants to play,” Westphal said. “He’s a good guy and a good competitor and feels like he shouldn’t be coming off the bench.”

But this has shades of Nocioni all over it

but my first reaction was that Omri did not do anyone a service by writing this, including himself. I’m not gonna lie to you, Omri: bad move!

Having said that, I’m a bit miffed by how his play is rated by some people here. Take into account that he’s only in his second year (not just in the NBA, but in the US), getting approx. one play called for him each game, and is often asked to guard the opponents best player, I’d think the expectations could be a bit more realistic.

But I guess some people need a whipping boy, and he set himself up for that with this article, deservedly or not.

Casspi would love to play in a big market, none moreso than NY, but he was legitimately on board so long as he saw floor time.

In last 7 games, played a combined 28 minutes, with DNP-CDs in 4 games and 4 min in another. And he’s a CAA client, FWIW, which is a lot.

My question: what’s the CAA?

Omri’s not doing himself any favors, both by opening his mouth and with his mixed actions on the bench. Nobody really gives a damn what the the 10th guy on the team thinks, anyway. The team is playing better and putting up some nice wins with Omri riding pine, so you can’t argue with the results.

The Kings have spent a lot of time in player development and gifting young players like Omri minutes they haven’t earned simply because there’s no alternatives. With the return of Cisco and trade of Landry for Thornton, Casspi is just the odd man out. Now it’s time to play for wins, and you earn your spot on the floor by contributing to wins, not by popping off in some blog.

Wow Omri, get over yourself?