I actually disagree with the last part -

[[We may cover this hire like it's the moon landing, but keep the perspective that ultimately this summer's draft and trade season will decided wins and losses a lot more than whomever takes over Musselman's job.]]

I felt the Kings had an okay offseason last year, and had high hopes for the upcoming season after the 2006 playoffs against San Antonio.  I loved the John Salmons signing.  I wasn't thrilled with the Quincy Douby drafting.  But I liked the fact we kept most of our core (with the exception of Kenny Thomas) around, and I did like the fact that Kings chose Musselman to be their coach.

Two months into the season, you could just tell it wasn't going to work - the Kings had no identity as a team, and that fell on the shoulders of Musselman and Petrie.  Obviously, Petrie decided at the trading deadline that Musselman was gone and he was going to start from scratch, and the new coach was going to have some say in any moves Petrie made.  

...and the new coach was going to have some say in any moves Petrie made...

See what I'm saying?  Whoever coaches this franchise is the next piece to the puzzle; and after that, the Kings can start putting it together, so to speak.  First with the draft, then with some trades, and if finances allow, maybe a free agent signing.  But it all begins with the coach - and then what moves Petrie decides to make.  

If Petrie is going to ship everyone with a big contract out and we're going to completely suck next year, then fine - promote an assistant like Brooks and see what happens.  But if that's the case he may have well as kept Musselman.

This is Petrie's team to fix. A new coach will have very little to say about who comes and who goes. This was the beauty of Rick Adelman, he had complete trust in his friend Petrie to make the right moves. Any coach we bring in has to understand that all decisions on roster moves come from the top and that the ingredients that you are given are it. If you can't make a meal out of the ingredients, you better change the menu and fast. This roster is going to look a whole lot different in a matter of weeks and any new coach coming in has to be up for a challenge because what ever is left after the house cleaning is most likely untradeble or young (Martin, Garcia and Williams).

I think the knack of putting a team together is looking at what you have with the talent you have and who or what is available.  Petrie is pretty good at finding guys who can play and can fit in with what players he has on his roster.  Folks said you couldn't win if your two guard as your best player but Phil Jackson, Jerry Krause and Michael Jordan figured it out.  Its realising what you have and making it work for you.

Who is the leader of this team, as I think the captain or leader needs to buy what the coach is selling, is the coach a system coach ie Phil and the triangle where you need certain types of players, or a Nelson or D'Antoni type who looks at who they have talent wise and coach to players strengths.

In sports to win I reckon a team has to have
is the alpha male team leader, Jordan was that guy, Shaq is the same guy, Kobe has.  The Kings have had a lot of really good players but no one guy to keep everyone in line.  Webber a great talent but did you ever have faith with the ball in his hands and shot clock running down, I never felt he really wanted it.  Bibby while he wants the last shot, is a lousy defensive player and is not keen on listening to the coach as he thinks he knows more, he did it to Adelman and Musselman.  Artest, he has his own challenges with life.  Vlade great locker room guy, and a better person but I don't think winning basketball games defined what he is all about

The Kings have too many decent sized contracts of players with minimal value to find someone to take them.  Dealing Petrie I think has to make other GMs nervous as he rarely gets the worst of any deal.  Is there a market for Kenny Thomas or Brad Miller?  I would think you would have deal a young guy with one to get anything back, is that a risk worth taking?  

The one guy who I think may be a good fit would Andrei Kirilenko, yeh he has a long term deal, but he is multi talented, yeh he is injury prone, but he has not played much this year.  The question I would wonder is that because he can no longer play or Sloan doesn't like him.  If he can still play would you think a deal of Artest and Thomas or Abdul Rahim or some version there of would work

To play a defensive orientated game you need players who can play defense.  Of the Kings of the last 10 years only Christie and Artest come to mind as being good defenders.

As a fan I would be happier if the team looked like they cared or were trying, if they put Garcia, Martin, Salmons and Douby etc these guys got out there gave it a max effort, sure they may lost some games but they developed there games and showed promise for upcoming years

AK47 has a long term deal, which before you made a deal for him you would want to see how he is medically and that he doesn't have a proverbial fork in him.  Artest has a year left on his deal maybe Sloan would put up with him for a year, I would doubt it myself, its just a thought I had

Darko I would not want to be paying big money for, I don't really like paying big money for potential, thats how you end up with players like Jerome James, Nene and Jim McIlvanne on your roster

The Lakers wanted Bibby, I would think they still do as Kobe is not getting any younger, If the Cavs flame out, they may come back again.  Yeh he has a decent sum of money owing but its two years (its always easier if its other peoples money isn't it), for a team with players he can play off ie Lebron and Kobe thats a risk they may want. I can't see who the Lakers have that the Kings would want.

What you want is guys who can play, I don't want to get a player becase he is big, look at Phoenix they have a lot of skilled players, yeh they have Stoudimire.  I admire Don Nelsons approach of getting as many skilled guys on the floor and let them do what they do best, I'd rather go that route than gamble or risk on a big guy who has the dreaded upside