<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Certainly, Sacramento's penchant for playing aggressively at the offensive end influenced its ranking as the fifth-worst team in points allowed per game. But equally huge factors were the Kings' continuing failure to clear their own defensive boards and defend on an individual basis. One also can note the Kings' unwillingness to give up their bodies enough to take charges and stand up to more athletic opponents. As one Kings player said of his team, "You don't have to fight. But you have to be willing to push back. Or push first or push sometime. You have to be able to hold your ground in this league, or somebody is going to take it from you. And we're just too soft." At KeyArena on Tuesday night, the saddest, most frustrated Kings player might have been Jackson. He went scoreless in Games 4 and 5 and played just seven minutes in the finale. Besides not scoring, Jackson had no impact in either game, not the way the proud guard wanted to go out. Yet in many ways, Jackson, who busted his butt to come back from his wrist injury, symbolized the 2004-05 Kings: talented, hungry but unable to deliver with the game on the line. Five questions to consider 1. Will Cuttino Mobley opt out of his contract, and how will the Kings deal with the decision? 2. How will basketball president Geoff Petrie address the need for athleticism and toughness? 3. What do they have in Maurice Evans, and how much is he worth? 4. Are the Maloofs still trying to cut salary, or will they open the vault for Petrie? 5. Should the team keep its core and try to make a blockbuster deal for another prime-time player if one is available?</div> Source
1. Mobley has fit in, so I don't think he will opt out. The Kings might trade him for a low post defender. 2. They need more athleticism on the front court, so I can see Petire trading away Mobley or even either House or Jackson to acheive this. 3. Evans is athletic and can defend players 1 through 3. He needs to shoot more consistently from the perimeter, but he his a strong player. 4. The Maloofs will open the vault this off-season. They have too much winning to not want to get to that point again. 5. I the only ones I see as untouchable are Bibby and Peja (maybe even just Bibby). As long as the Maloofs are willing to pay, the Kings won't go back to the dark days.
