Question: Are the Kings going to be good this year? I miss the days of old watching them hassle the lakers to know end. I hated the kings so much, and hated bibby so much, but finally had to learn to respect him. It was a smart move trading webber because he wasn't effective in the offense any more, but the offense hasn't been as effective without him as well. Bibby and Peja ( P especialy) are spot up shooters, Webber created space for them to shoot- will Shareef be enough of a post presence to open up Peja again? What seed do u think the Kings will be this year? Maybe the lakers and kings will play in the first round and we can get a poor mans version of 2002.
Bibby is as much of a penetrator as he is a spot up shooter, that is what makes him so good. The Kings played a kind of 'inside-out' offense where their bigs played from the outside more than down low in the post, which is what leads to a lot of back door cuts for the guards. It will all depend on Shareef's abilities as a big man. If he is able to pass and shoot anything like Brad Miller or C-Webb I would expect the offense to function like it always has. If not, you may see the bigs playing down low more which will open up the outside. I expect the Kings to finish 3rd or 4th, maybe 2nd if they can avoid injuries. Unfortunately, I don't see the Kings facing the Lakers in the playoffs because I don't see the Lakers making the playoffs. As much as I agree with you and miss watching the Kings/Lakers duking it out, and as much as I've always wanted to see a playoff rematch of the two, I don't think the Lakers are going to make the playoffs. They would have to finish with records better than these playoff capable teams: SA, HOU, SAC, DAL, PHX, DEN, SEA, GS, MIN, and MEM. I just don't see it happening.
I think getting rid of Webber by the Kings was a bad move just to make my stand on that clear. There were many different variables that contributed to the lack of success Webber had in Philadelphia after the trade. Primarily the system he was playing under in which he did not really get the ball early in the shot clock, and was forced to take a long range jumper when he got the ball with four or three seconds left on the clock. However, had he stayed in Sacramento last season I believe despite still feeling the affects of the knee surgery he would have been successful. He was player of the month in the Western conference in January last season, the month prior to the trade, so he was fitting the system well at the time obviously to win that award. He had fallen out of favor though due to injury, age, contract dollars, and his supposed tension with Peja. After the Webber trade in my opinion the Kings entered a rebuilding mode, not a long term thing, but it will be another three to four years before they are in contention for a finals appearance like they where back in the day in the Lakers/King rivalry. They have some good pieces with Reef, Mike, and Peja, but at the same time they have holes in their roster, which are apparent, and also have some questions with bench players, and the power forward rotation. In short will they make the playoffs next season in the western conference? I believe so it will not be like it has been in the past though in which half way through the season you new they were playoff bound they will probably be fighting for the seventh or eighth seed until the last month of the season. Should a key injury occur like it has the past couple seasons I don?t see them being able to fight through it they do not seem to have the depth they once had to me. Their starting five looks good on paper with Bibby, Wells, Peja, Thomas, and Miller, but it pales in comparison to their past roster with Bibby, Christie, Peja, Webber, and Divac. They do not have that many great passers as they once had which use to be the signature mark of the team so it will be interesting to see how they look on opening day.
I think Sacramento will be in the top 3 in the west next year. People forget that with all the changes, they've consistently won about 50 games every year for the past 6 years or so. Bibby is a clutch leader playmaker and shooter who can take most off the dribble and can find guys in the post. Their team is ridiculously deep, offensively they are deeper in talent than Miami in my opinion. Bibby and Peja both average 20 points but they have 5 other guys averaging double figure in points! BUT they're not a finesse team - Brian Skinner, Corliss Williamson, Shareef, Bonzi, that's kind of a tough bunch of dudes. Would you want to play that team?
The kings will be about number 4 in the west.Getting rid of Webber was pretty stupid because they had no prescence down low anymore,well brad miller,but he plays around the foul line alot and he is a passer.Pickin up SAR was a great pickup,the Kings are going to go bac to their old ways and win games,and win a championship soon,FINALLY go Kings!
Despite the overhaul the Kings has gone through at the end of the day they are still the same team. In order for them to get over the top they need defense and that's something till this day that they don't have. If you look at their starting five, they're very similar to teams like the Suns and Mavs. But the thing that separates the Suns and Mavs from the Kings is that they have some sort of defense. It?s the not the greatest defense, but at least they have something. The Suns had Joe Johnson they have Amare and Marion and not to mention they now have Bell. The Mavs on the other hand has Jason Terry a player who proved last year that he can be a great defense player then you have Howard and Daniels. See what I'm saying? Again, despite all the personnel moves the Kings have done they are very much the same team . So basically, I see yet another 50+ win season like they do every year but just like every year I see a 1st/2nd Round Playoff exit. The day I see players like Bowen, Hassel, Hunter, Al Jefferson or Battier on the Kings that?s when when I'll know that the Kings are headed somewhere. Even though they are not marquee players like the entire Kings starting five, those guys are the difference makers and having just one defensive player like they had in Christie is not going to cut it. If I were the Kings GM I would just stick with Bibby, Peja and Miller and to fill in the void at PF and SG... I would look for low key players probably like a solid all around player in the NBA Draft like Iguodala to fill in the void at SG and a player to Dwight Howard caliber that has similar tendecies to fill in the PF void and do what the Suns are doing by adding little and little to their bench. If the Kings can do that, IMO they can potentially contend for a championship.
The Kings are going to have a very hard time this year with defensive and offensive rebounds. It's obvious that the starting lineup likes to shoot outside rather than penetrate, hell even Brad Miller doesn't post up enough. They need to play a post up game and get some rebounds. The Seattle series was a perfect example. Plus, the team needs to take a hard look around for someone bulky on the team (like Chris Webber or Vlade Divac) to set up Peja and Bibby's shot off the screen. Kings will get no better than a 6 or 7 seed. Their team keeps on deteriorating.
You can't say that their team keeps deteriorating because they have added good pieces to their team in wells and shareef. You're right about them being short on defense thought. They also have barely any depth at the gaurd positions. The forwards are taken care of with Skinner and Thomas, but I hope Garcia does great for you guys.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TmacGarnett:</div><div class="quote_post">You can't say that their team keeps deteriorating because they have added good pieces to their team in wells and shareef. You're right about them being short on defense thought. They also have barely any depth at the gaurd positions. The forwards are taken care of with Skinner and Thomas, but I hope Garcia does great for you guys.</div> Ever since their last hope for glory in 2002 WCF, they have gotten worse and worse every year. 2003 lost in the 2nd round, 2004 second round again, 2005 lost in first round. They will lose 1st round again. I predict in 06-07 season, they will miss the playoffs for the first time in a while.
