Unless you’re a Kings fan, you gotta love the Kings! They draft guys like Thomas Robinson and Nik Stauskas and then give up on them immediately; however, busts like Jimmer Freddette are given three years to improve (Yikes!) They trade for, then extend lackluster players like Rudy Gay, and they trade first round draft picks so they can acquire dudes like JJ Hickson. Imagine trading a first-round pick (and Omri Casspi) for JJ Hickson? I wouldn’t trade a ham sandwich and the rights to Darius Miles for JJ Hickson.
But to limit Sacramento’s ineptitude solely to the court would be an oversight–they also have the worst ownership in basketball (has James Dolan been dethroned?). Vivek Ranadive, who bought the team in 2013, has been fucking up for close to two years now. Not only has he suggested the laughable idea of playing 4-on-5 basketball, but he also has a strong tendency to hire head coaches and THEN hire GM’s with radically different perspectives on how to succeed. Mike Malone, the ONLY NBA coach that has seemed to garner DeMarcus Cousins’ respect, was unceremoniously tossed aside after starting the season 5-1, but soon falling to 11-13 due mainly to a Cousins’ injury in which he missed close to two weeks. Malone almost immediately clashed with newly hired GM Peter D’Allesandro, and D’Allesandro won. All worked out for Malone, though; he was named head coach of the Denver Nuggets and can now lament the fact that he had more fun coaching his daughter’s basketball team than the Kings.
Ranadive later imposed his will by replacing interim coach with veteran coach George Karl, a coach who was seemingly not informed that DeMarcus Cousins is the centerpiece of the team and tried to trade him immediately. Almost instantly, Ranadive decided to bring on Vlade Divac as general manager, who has reportedly already feuded with Karl concerning the direction of the team. And I wouldn’t be surprised if this latest move doesn’t go over well with some with the franchise…
Wow! …Just wow! No need to explain how Philly made out in this heist trade, but let’s examine why Sacramento would do this. First of all, it’s all about cap space. Before this trade, the Kings had roughly $11 million to throw at free agents, after the trade, they should have close to $26 million. Which would be kinda cool if they were looking at better free agents. Reportedly, the Kings are pursuing some combination of (or perhaps the entire trifecta of) Rajon Rondo, Wes Matthews, and Monta Ellis. Now I’m not gonna beat up on Ellis, he is what he is, and you know what you’re getting. He was effective in Dallas, and if you want a volume scorer and you’re okay with the price tag–have a blast! I like Wes Matthews’ game, but there are some red flags… Actually just two, he torn his left achilles tendon last March and he still wants $15M a year. I’d be cautious. And Rajon Rondo? Rondo? You gotta be shitting me. Shouldn’t this guy be out the league? I thought by now he’d be blackballed ala Stephon Marbury or Isiah Rider. He’s no longer a top 30 (yes, THIRTY) point guard in the league; he can’t shoot; he’s extremely selfish; he’s often injured; and he’s just seems to act like a dick in general. Oh yeah, and he’s delusional enough to believe he should be paid $10M a year… Despite no other team showing ANY interest in him. Someone needs to explain capitalism to him (or perhaps the Kings).
The even scarier part is the Kings’ willingness to part with draft picks. Not only are they parting with the 2014 #8 pick (Stauskas), but to toss in a Top-10-protected future first rounder is crazy (in fact, I could easily see them drafting between 11-16 by 2018). And the idea of swapping picks is just nuts! It’s basically an insurance policy just in case things work out for the Sixers and they’re a decent team in two-three years, they can still swap picks with a really crummy Kings squad… Move over Knicks, you’ve met your match in ineptitude.
4 Quarters Radio Show 