RealGM

#24 - Sacramento Kings

PG - Greivis Vasquez, Isaiah Thomas
SG - Ben McLemore, Marcus Thornton
SF - Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, John Salmons
PF - Carl Landry, Patrick Patterson
C - Demarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson
D - Travis Outlaw, Chuck Hayes, Jimmer Fredette, Ray McCallum

What jumps out at me when looking at this squad is their 2nd unit. Isaiah Thomas started last year; Marcus Thornton started 2 years ago, Salmons started last year, and Jason Thompson has been a starter in about 281 games (out of 378). That's a ton of veteran experience on the bench. I don't expect much drop off when the subs come in for the starters. I'm just not sure the starters are that great to begin with.

I'm pretty high on McLemore. I think if he keeps his head on straight and doesn't sit next to Cousins on the... Well ever.. he might be a star in the making. But, we are talking about Sacramento. They haven't been a team that seems to bring the best out of their players for a while now. It'll take a lot of convincing for me to think that they've turned a corner, although getting out from under the use more appropriate word owners will certainly help.

Projected record: 30/52

Marcus Thornton will most likely start the season until Ben proves he can and Patterson should start as well since there needs to be spacing with LRMAM and Cousins on the floor.

What I like the most about this roster is the depth but the starting unit is full of average talent.

I think the Kings could get 35+ wins... finally a true distributor and defensive coach who hopefully knows rotations. This roster has improved by more than 2 wins.

I'm not sure that'll be the starting 5. It might be. I don't know. Just not what my choice would be. Many currently have Thornton starting over McLemore, as there's questions as to how ready McLemore is. We'll see about that.

Regarding the forward spots, I think we need shooting from one of those spots, which would mean that either Salmons or Patterson would have to start.

But the general criticisms are valid. The hope is that Cousins will become the guy that you want on the bench next to other guys. He's obviously got a long way to go in that regard, and the new ownership/FO has a lot to prove in terms of making that happen. But that's the hope.

My prediction at the moment is 34 wins. Losing Tyreke is a loss in talent, but the team makes a lot more sense now (not that it doesn't still have a ways to go there). I think that along with what should be (and looks to be so far) a big change in culture should get a few more wins than last year. I don't think any of us are predicting beyond the mid-30's though. Fortunately, this year isn't about wins and losses. It's about remaking the franchise.

IMO Thorton will be starting the season and then moved to the bench when Big Mac comes around. I also believe that PPAT will be starting as well but that does not mean he will be getting more minutes than Landry.

The whole concept that "Hey, these are the Kings, they can't develop players and no one can make it here" is hopefully old news. With new ownership/coaching this is a completely different culture. Cousins being a bad apple and a detriment to the locker room hopefully will be old news come this season.

As far as our records goes.... the West is extremely deep... The only teams that you known are not going to be good is Phoenix and maybe but I doubt, Utah. Literally everyone else has a great to OK roster. The Pelicans have made moves, Dallas and Portland aren't anything special but they can win games. I put us in the same category as Utah, Dallas, Portland, Pelicans, and maybe the T-Wolves. Any given night these teams can beat most any other team. At the end of the day, and I don't know how well this sounds but we will be a strong 25-32 win team. Translated to the East with our roster, we could fight for 6-8 seed. The west is just so tough.....

We have a terribly slow defensive group in that starting five. We'll be getting ran for 120 a night unless something happens. Only Mbah a Moute is a proven defender of that group. All this offseason talk sounds nice around DMC, but I'd like to see it actually happen BEFORE I buy in to rebuilding around him (it's already happening).

McLemore is a project.
Thornton is hot and cold
Landry...we'll be getting a different Landry, but we will see how he does with a less talented group
Vasquez...I'm not big on him.

30 Wins...which would have been what we would have gotten with no changes (Maloofs, Smart, Petrie included)

I think Pat will start.

Salmons will probably play some point forward off the bench with IT.

MT will got most of the mins at SG, he may or may not start.

My goodness, that frontcourt is even worse than years previous. Too many bodies. Pete, get your a$$ in gear, JT has to go.

As for the season it could go either way. A lot of wasted money and butthurt feelings because certain players are left out of the rotation, or even worse, they run that same platoon **** they've been pissing these guys off with for the least 3 years. If they run an consistent 8-9 man rotation I'm calling 5-7 more wins this year easy. If not, look out below!

On paper this team should function much, much better, but it truly depends on the rotation. The predicted rotation above is going to be a tough one to have work, just no floor spreading. Both Cuz and Landry will look as bad as they did together before with Mbah a Moute next to them.

PG: Vasquez
SG: Thornton
SF: Mbah a Moute
PF: Patterson
C: Cousins

6: IT
7: McLemore
8. Landry
9. JT/Hayes (depending on if you need rebounding/offense or defense, both guys are going to be overpaid compared to use so tough tits)

I believe that it's possible to have a decent team defense, if they buy into Michael malone and his
philosophy and teachings. I don't that's impossible

Look at the Warriors. We don't need an Artest at every position, just some EFFORT