Grading the Kings through Christmas
Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2009 7:51 pm
PW- B+
He was a great sign...he has done great in keeping the team on the same page and getting them to play hard every night...has done a real good job at making the kings fun to watch again and making the kings look like an actual team and not just a bunch of guys playing basketball individually...you can tell he and tyreke really communicate well....i was gonna give him an A- after the cleveland game because spencer really played well and maybe thought PW and the rest of the coaching staff finally got through to him, but after only 1 game im not sure....i need to see this from spencer more consistantly in order for PW and the staff to cross over to the A range...another thing he could work on is getting beno to stop fighting over control of the ball with tyreke....some of you have mentioned beno sometimes has trouble identifying who is gonna run the offense when he and tyreke are on the floor together...one thing i don't like is when he plays nocioni at PF too much...with brockman's appearance as one of our best rebounders and hustle guys...we should see this less and less each game!!!
Geoff Petrie- A
The only thing to say is he has drafted extremely well the last 3 years....this year being the most obvious year....also recognizing the PW sign...we couldn't have hired a better coach to go along with thise new team......he has done so much to make the kings relevant again...im so proud of this organization...petrie gets all the props...if he stays pat and doesn't buy into relieving cap for this summer and we finish the season strong he'll get the +... making a move in thinking we have a shot at a superstar during the summer i think would mess with our quemistry and i think its best to be patient...good things come to those who wait...
Tyreke- B+
What else can we say about tyreke that we haven't said already? he's wise beyond his NBA years....but he still needs to learn some more in terms of decision-making (specifically speaking about his match-up with lebron)...i don't knock him for shooting too much.....he's trying to develop that decent jumper...its all good to hit it in practices, but he needs to practice it in game situations so that the stroke come natural to him...the only way and do that is by shooting during the game...so as he starts making more and more shots from the outside and it becomes more consistant we should see him taking less and less only using it to keep defenses honest on him...if the laker game is close and tyreke makes the play to win the game (whether its him making the shot or recognizing a better play...it doesn't matter which as long as its the right call for him at the moment) he should get the bump to A- by the deadline
JT- A-
JT has demonstrated he was a steal from last year...nobody expected him to become a 20-10 guy so quickly...he has been one of our leaders this year and has demonstrated his versatility by covering the center spot at times when spencer has left much to be desired from (this has happened alot this year)...he has been our most mature and consistant starter so far...if we keep on winning and he keeps up the consistancy throughout the season and shows up his more tougher matchups (being gasol, duncan, garnett, etc...) ...i'll give him that bump to a solid A....
Omri- B
The most surprising rookie in this year's draft...has earned himself a spot in the rotation and in keeping up his game a spot in the starting line-up....i love his tenacity on d......he bothers ppl and he likes doing it...he had a bad game against chicago in the blowout W, but he came back strong against cleveland....he needs to hit the gym a little bit...not too much i don't want him to lose that much of a step on his drive....i think he's got the jumper down solid, his FT's don't seem to be that a catastrophic problem anymore, and if he can consistantly beat his man to the basket off the dribble then he could be REALLY DANGEROUS...other than that...he's a rookie...rookies will make mistakes on decision-making and with time he'll learn...i love his versatility and his passion...could be the most passionate of the bunch!!!
Donte- C+
Donte is slowly but surely making adjustments on his game....he's been showing more control and more maturity but he still has a ways to go....we know he can shoot...we just gotta get him bigger so he learns to post ppl up like dirk nowitzki does....that would bump him up to the B category....obviously wouldn't happen over night....just some things he should work on during the season and in the offseason...i would think that playing more down low would also see a much needed increase in his rebounds...if he could be that player that would really take pressure off of spencer to come off the bench and JT be our starting C (not saying its the way to go...just saying it could be a possibility...if JT somehow keeps improving and rakes command of that center position then this could be a really interesting outcome for us)...
Spencer- C-
He unquestionably had his best game against cleveland, but his inconsistancy really hurts him....if he could some how build on that game and have a good game against the lakers to start off that consistancy, he would really earn that solid C.....to earn that + he would have to be a consistant double figures scorer and rebounder and to reach that B category by season's end he would have to have great games against tougher matchups to show us that he is back on track in terms of his development and not behind schedule...as is his current status thus far this season...
Beno- B
He's been our most consistant shooter...handling the offense less has really done him good...has been great playing off the ball....for a bench player you can't really get a better grade than a B....if he and tyreke could get on the same page at times when together on the floor he would definately get that extra +... i love that he brings a championship attitude to the team so that it sticks to our core...
Nocioni- C
He is having a shooting slump...he's become a no factor on offense...nonetheless he's great at defending, he's a hustler and is good to keep defenders honest and not thinking about doubling anybody else on our team...he's a tough guy i hated that the kings were always thought as soft so its great to see we have some tough guys on our team now to erase that perception...that is enough to earn him PT but his shooting is really hurting his grade...not much else he can do but keep shooting.....shooters shoot even during slumps....that's the only way to get out of them...its part of that shooter's mentality...
Sergio- B-
He's fun to watch and at times we have been gratefull for the W thanks to him, but he gets lost on defensive assignments too much and that's why he's our 3rd string pg.....i would love for him to improve, but then he'd deserve more minutes....and this team is eventually not gonna be able to fullfill those requests for him so i rather him stay like he is and we use him when necessary...3 guard rotation with him beno and reke has been good most of the times...so that should continue to happen down the road depending on matchups...
Brockman- B
He hasn't seen much playing time, but damn can he hustle and get rebounds....he's a hard worker and if he was 4 inches taller he'd be our starting center...not much else can be asked from brockman other than to grow in height (which would be wishful thinking)...should see more minutes as the season goes on and he continues to earn minutes in our thin frontcourt rotation...
K9- B+
He hasn't done much recently....but his resurgance as an experienced veteran for this team....and being a factor in W's again...really deserves him of the grade...every team needs a foundation and the kings are providing a very good one for our future stars to build on...great to have him on the team as far as in practice and teaching our youngs is concerned...
Ime- B
He hasn't played much during the season but when he plays he always provides a defensive balance, and that game against chicago boy we really needed his fresh legs and shot to come away with the W.....great that he has the attitude and accepts that he could play more in another team but doesn't complain about PT....he's a great asset to our team...
Sean May- C
Hasn't played....hasn't complained....he's a big body with midrange shooting ability...and that's always good to have...he's a practice player and will not see PT unless we have an injury in our frontcourt...it's good that he's not hurting team quemistry....he will play out the season in sacramento, but will not be back with the team next season...
Kevin/Garcia- NO GRADE
Cisco hasn't played, but i read in an article he gets along with the new guys....he's been helping omri alot after practice and during nights so he adjusts to the league as quick as possible.....that's a great attitude to have towards someone that represents POSSIBLY less minutes for you...Kevin has played, but like garcia has not been part of this new recent kings movement that has been as surprising to the rest of the league as well as to us fans....so he doesn't get a grade either....however i love how he's staying involved and he really seems to get along with tyreke.....that's good considering his stay with us depends solely on how he can be able to get integrated into our team without disrupting our great team quemistry...
He was a great sign...he has done great in keeping the team on the same page and getting them to play hard every night...has done a real good job at making the kings fun to watch again and making the kings look like an actual team and not just a bunch of guys playing basketball individually...you can tell he and tyreke really communicate well....i was gonna give him an A- after the cleveland game because spencer really played well and maybe thought PW and the rest of the coaching staff finally got through to him, but after only 1 game im not sure....i need to see this from spencer more consistantly in order for PW and the staff to cross over to the A range...another thing he could work on is getting beno to stop fighting over control of the ball with tyreke....some of you have mentioned beno sometimes has trouble identifying who is gonna run the offense when he and tyreke are on the floor together...one thing i don't like is when he plays nocioni at PF too much...with brockman's appearance as one of our best rebounders and hustle guys...we should see this less and less each game!!!
Geoff Petrie- A
The only thing to say is he has drafted extremely well the last 3 years....this year being the most obvious year....also recognizing the PW sign...we couldn't have hired a better coach to go along with thise new team......he has done so much to make the kings relevant again...im so proud of this organization...petrie gets all the props...if he stays pat and doesn't buy into relieving cap for this summer and we finish the season strong he'll get the +... making a move in thinking we have a shot at a superstar during the summer i think would mess with our quemistry and i think its best to be patient...good things come to those who wait...
Tyreke- B+
What else can we say about tyreke that we haven't said already? he's wise beyond his NBA years....but he still needs to learn some more in terms of decision-making (specifically speaking about his match-up with lebron)...i don't knock him for shooting too much.....he's trying to develop that decent jumper...its all good to hit it in practices, but he needs to practice it in game situations so that the stroke come natural to him...the only way and do that is by shooting during the game...so as he starts making more and more shots from the outside and it becomes more consistant we should see him taking less and less only using it to keep defenses honest on him...if the laker game is close and tyreke makes the play to win the game (whether its him making the shot or recognizing a better play...it doesn't matter which as long as its the right call for him at the moment) he should get the bump to A- by the deadline
JT- A-
JT has demonstrated he was a steal from last year...nobody expected him to become a 20-10 guy so quickly...he has been one of our leaders this year and has demonstrated his versatility by covering the center spot at times when spencer has left much to be desired from (this has happened alot this year)...he has been our most mature and consistant starter so far...if we keep on winning and he keeps up the consistancy throughout the season and shows up his more tougher matchups (being gasol, duncan, garnett, etc...) ...i'll give him that bump to a solid A....
Omri- B
The most surprising rookie in this year's draft...has earned himself a spot in the rotation and in keeping up his game a spot in the starting line-up....i love his tenacity on d......he bothers ppl and he likes doing it...he had a bad game against chicago in the blowout W, but he came back strong against cleveland....he needs to hit the gym a little bit...not too much i don't want him to lose that much of a step on his drive....i think he's got the jumper down solid, his FT's don't seem to be that a catastrophic problem anymore, and if he can consistantly beat his man to the basket off the dribble then he could be REALLY DANGEROUS...other than that...he's a rookie...rookies will make mistakes on decision-making and with time he'll learn...i love his versatility and his passion...could be the most passionate of the bunch!!!
Donte- C+
Donte is slowly but surely making adjustments on his game....he's been showing more control and more maturity but he still has a ways to go....we know he can shoot...we just gotta get him bigger so he learns to post ppl up like dirk nowitzki does....that would bump him up to the B category....obviously wouldn't happen over night....just some things he should work on during the season and in the offseason...i would think that playing more down low would also see a much needed increase in his rebounds...if he could be that player that would really take pressure off of spencer to come off the bench and JT be our starting C (not saying its the way to go...just saying it could be a possibility...if JT somehow keeps improving and rakes command of that center position then this could be a really interesting outcome for us)...
Spencer- C-
He unquestionably had his best game against cleveland, but his inconsistancy really hurts him....if he could some how build on that game and have a good game against the lakers to start off that consistancy, he would really earn that solid C.....to earn that + he would have to be a consistant double figures scorer and rebounder and to reach that B category by season's end he would have to have great games against tougher matchups to show us that he is back on track in terms of his development and not behind schedule...as is his current status thus far this season...
Beno- B
He's been our most consistant shooter...handling the offense less has really done him good...has been great playing off the ball....for a bench player you can't really get a better grade than a B....if he and tyreke could get on the same page at times when together on the floor he would definately get that extra +... i love that he brings a championship attitude to the team so that it sticks to our core...
Nocioni- C
He is having a shooting slump...he's become a no factor on offense...nonetheless he's great at defending, he's a hustler and is good to keep defenders honest and not thinking about doubling anybody else on our team...he's a tough guy i hated that the kings were always thought as soft so its great to see we have some tough guys on our team now to erase that perception...that is enough to earn him PT but his shooting is really hurting his grade...not much else he can do but keep shooting.....shooters shoot even during slumps....that's the only way to get out of them...its part of that shooter's mentality...
Sergio- B-
He's fun to watch and at times we have been gratefull for the W thanks to him, but he gets lost on defensive assignments too much and that's why he's our 3rd string pg.....i would love for him to improve, but then he'd deserve more minutes....and this team is eventually not gonna be able to fullfill those requests for him so i rather him stay like he is and we use him when necessary...3 guard rotation with him beno and reke has been good most of the times...so that should continue to happen down the road depending on matchups...
Brockman- B
He hasn't seen much playing time, but damn can he hustle and get rebounds....he's a hard worker and if he was 4 inches taller he'd be our starting center...not much else can be asked from brockman other than to grow in height (which would be wishful thinking)...should see more minutes as the season goes on and he continues to earn minutes in our thin frontcourt rotation...
K9- B+
He hasn't done much recently....but his resurgance as an experienced veteran for this team....and being a factor in W's again...really deserves him of the grade...every team needs a foundation and the kings are providing a very good one for our future stars to build on...great to have him on the team as far as in practice and teaching our youngs is concerned...
Ime- B
He hasn't played much during the season but when he plays he always provides a defensive balance, and that game against chicago boy we really needed his fresh legs and shot to come away with the W.....great that he has the attitude and accepts that he could play more in another team but doesn't complain about PT....he's a great asset to our team...
Sean May- C
Hasn't played....hasn't complained....he's a big body with midrange shooting ability...and that's always good to have...he's a practice player and will not see PT unless we have an injury in our frontcourt...it's good that he's not hurting team quemistry....he will play out the season in sacramento, but will not be back with the team next season...
Kevin/Garcia- NO GRADE
Cisco hasn't played, but i read in an article he gets along with the new guys....he's been helping omri alot after practice and during nights so he adjusts to the league as quick as possible.....that's a great attitude to have towards someone that represents POSSIBLY less minutes for you...Kevin has played, but like garcia has not been part of this new recent kings movement that has been as surprising to the rest of the league as well as to us fans....so he doesn't get a grade either....however i love how he's staying involved and he really seems to get along with tyreke.....that's good considering his stay with us depends solely on how he can be able to get integrated into our team without disrupting our great team quemistry...