I know we're suppose to make fun of the Kings because...they are the Kings..lol, but I think they did a good job this summer considering what they already had. I think with that team it's going to be either really bad or have the potential to have something good.
It's going to come down to if their best player (Cousins) buys in to Karl's philosophy.
I actually agree. If it was any other team, they wouldn't be catching nearly as much flak. They basically swapped out Stauskas (who still may one day fulfill his potential as JJ Redick 2.0, but he isn't there yet), Derrick Williams (a bust), Jason Thompson (solid backup big) with Marco Belinelli (already a good 3pt shooter with championship experience), Caron Butler (great veteran, locker room presence and solid shooter) and Kosta Koufos (a better big than JT who's already had success playing under George Karl) all while keeping Cousins, Gay, Collison, and McLemore. I also think the Seth Curry signing was a sneaky good one for his ability to space the floor alone.
Before Cousins got meningitis last season, their starting lineup was good but their bench regularly blew significant leads. Regardless of what you think of Rondo or his ability, they upgraded the talent around their core guys. Not all teams can make that claim of this offseason.
Most definitely..They are the punching bag right now (rightfully from previous seasons), but if we had those same players on our team you'd see threads of how we are a contender now and Banner 18 etc..lol.
If they get on the same page it should be interesting to see and I believe that Rondo still has something left in him and not washed up as so many would want to believe. It's up to him how he plays this season out.
I agree also.
As far as talent goes, they are definitely a much improved team this year.
My only real concern for this team is a mental one...can the trio of Rondo, Cousins and Karl co-exist in the same locker room?
My first question is the Karl/Rondo relationship. Karl seems like seems like a bit of a control freak - a guy who needs players who who are laid back, modest, and who will do everything the coach tells them. His history indicates that he doesn't mesh will with players who like to ignore the coach, go renegade and take things into their own hands. Rondo could be the worst player in the league at doing that because he always seems 100% convinced that he knows more than the coach, and his way is better (and it often probably is true).
My second concern is the Rondo/Cousins relationship. From what I've seen Cousins is an ultra competitive guy who hates losing, and he seems to get very frustrated when he's playing with guys who take games off. Rondo (again) has a history of taking possessions (and or entire games) off, especially during the regular season. Cousins is very vocal and seems like he's not afraid to call anybody out if the situation calls for it. Will the two guys butt heads as a result of this? I can just see Cousins making a frustrated public comment about Rondo taking plays off, and Rondo holding a season-long grudge for it. I can also envision those two guys struggling to decide who is the 'leader' of the team - with Cousins being the best player on the team, but Rondo being the more experienced.
That's not even getting in to the whole beef between Cousins and Karl. Things like this usually don't just "go away" as peacefully and quickly as this conveniently seems to have. Feels a lot like two guys who have deep rooted issues with each other, but essentially "pretending" everything is good for the sake of the team. If these issues don't get genuinely dealt with then those issues can only be suppressed for so long before everything explodes in your proverbial face.
It's going to be a very interesting scenario regardless, and I'm curious to see how it works out. Sacramento could be a real surprise team if they are able to work it out, as they really do have a lot of talent.
Also in terms of basketball, it's actually a pretty good fit for Rondo. With two 20 point scorers (in Cousins and Gay) on that team Rondo will find himself in a position a lot like Boston's, where he can take a step back offensively and really focus on his strengths (playmaking, defense, rebounding). With less pressure on him offensively, there's a chance that you might see his defense step back up to the old-Rondo days.
This is a make or break team i think, could go either way.
Topic: Chronicling the Kings' dysfunctional summer (Read 4560 times)