Can the Kings be better than OKC was last year?

desquivel18 · Post #1 » by **desquivel18** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 2:32 am

I think they can because last year OKC didnt have a good frontcourt which is probably the most important part of a good team, and the kings do have that.

Post #2 » by **KF10** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 2:47 am

The Thunder were 50-32 last year. There is no way we can reach that at this stage of our development. Unless, we go on a historical season that we more than double our wins (25+ more wins), I don't see it.

The Kings will certainly break the 30 win mark this year but it will be a long shot if we break the 40 win mark though. 50+ wins is simply too unrealistic at this point.

desquivel18 · Post #3 » by **desquivel18** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 2:50 am

KF10 wrote:The Thunder were 50-32 last year. There is no way we can reach that at this stage of our development. Unless, we go on a historical season that we more than double our wins (25+ more wins), I don't see it.

The Kings will certainly break the 30 win mark this year but it will be a long shot if we break the 40 win mark though. 50+ wins is simply too unrealistic at this point.

thats exactly what OKC did last year

Post #4 » by **KF10** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 2:53 am

desquivel18 wrote:
thats exactly what OKC did last year

They have Durant.

As much I like Evans, he is no Durant.

Post #5 » by **KF10** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 2:53 am

Also, they are a vastly better defensive team than us.

Geoff35 · Post #6 » by **Geoff35** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 3:14 am

I think they WERE better defensively, I think we've come along way defensively/toughness wise since last season just with this offseason, I say anythings possible, but I say 40 wins would be our max potential next year

KM44 · Post #7 » by **KM44** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 3:19 am

They GREATLY underachieved the year before last. I feel like the kings last year were right about where they should have been. I do like the direction we're going. I disagree with you KF10 about Evans though, I think Evans can be just as influential on his team, but Durant did it in his third year, Evans is going to be in his second. Let him improve more and grow as a leader while the team around him develops and then we can start talking about 50 wins. Until then, just sit back and watch some really talented young players do what they love!

YC42Balla · Post #8 » by **YC42Balla** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 3:51 am

KF10 wrote:
desquivel18 wrote:
thats exactly what OKC did last year

They have Durant.

As much I like Evans, he is no Durant.

I well agree, to disagree... REKE is a superstar athlete already!! And he is only going to get better ..
-(he already put up some crazy LeBron, Jordan, and Big O.. type rookie #'s last season)--

It is unfair to compare Evans to Durant right now, Durant made the playoffs in his 3rd season!! Reke is just now entering his 2nd season.. and I have high expectations for this team this season. I can see us missing the playoffs but getting into the 40 win column.

with REKE&DMC we have a SacTown Dynasty... (that was suppose to rhyme lol)
this team can surprise a lot of people next season by making the playoffs.. I wouldn't doubt it, not one bit!!

although, this season I don't expect a playoff birth to go down. I expect that next season..
because next season, we well have another great draft pick (possibly the 14,13, or 12 pick) and we could get a great SG And then we would be set for life!! I can't wait for next season.. or this upcoming summer league!!

dub010 · Post #9 » by **dub010** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 4:26 am

The Kings will have a good year next year but I in now way expect them to be play off bound. Im really excited to see how the summer league shakes out to get a good look at DMC/Whiteside. We still need either a shooting guard or a point guard depending on which position Reke is gonna play. Im not sold that Donte will ever truly develop at this point my money is on Casspi being our future SF

Post #10 » by **ICMTM** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 4:33 am

dozencousins · Post #11 » by **dozencousins** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 4:40 am

desquivel18 wrote:I think they can because last year OKC didnt have a good frontcourt which is probably the most important part of a good team, and the kings do have that.

KINGS are still at least 1 year away before they do what OKLAHOMA did last year !
DURANT & GREEN had 3 years together & 2 of those 3 years they had WESTBROOK with them they had time to gel together . TYREKE , CASSPI & BROCK has had 1 year together with THOMPSON , GREEN ,BENO & CISCO & typically 1 year having your main star is not enough to be a 50 + win team in your 2nd year ( see ) LEBRON , WADE , D.HOWARD It is not very common for 2nd year star players to all of a sudden have their team win 50 + into their 2nd year unless those star players were drafted or traded to an already elite team !

Dont get your hopes to far up just yet !

Post #12 » by **KF10** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 4:51 am

Evans will continue becoming one of the best guards next year but unless, Evans makes a "LeBron/Wade" 2nd year jump, I don't think we will be close at the 8th seed. To be consider with Durant and other elite players in this L, Evans needs his jumper vastly improved and fix minor kinks in his game.

SacKingZZZ · Post #13 » by **SacKingZZZ** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 5:03 am

Well, if all works out like it should this team is well on it's way. Next season might be a little too much to ask but it's all there on paper.

Post #14 » by **KF10** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 5:11 am

We have to improve both offensive and defensive efficiency. We were literally in the bottom third in those categories. That reeks inconsistency. Which is true. I would like to see this:

-Improved FT%
-Improved Offensive efficiency
-Improved Defensive efficiency
-Improved 3P%
-Improved TOs #s

I mean, if the Kings manage to solve 3/5 from the list, we can be vastly improved.

king125 · Post #15 » by **king125** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 5:19 am

.500 with 10th in the West is what I expect.
.550 with 7-8 in the West is possible but not likely
.600 and 5-6 in the West is probably a 1% chance of being realistic.

So Gutta · Post #16 » by **So Gutta** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 6:14 am

Hey guys. I just wanted to say that I like the way your front office is putting together a combination of young, talented big men. To me, this is the correct way to re-build your franchise (as opposed to the Minnesota approach).

You guys have a great player in Tyreke, and if Cousins breaks out, you guys could have a REALLY nice 1-2 punch.

It might still take a year or two before these players come in to their own together, but it seems you guys could be back on track sooner rather than later.

OGSactownballer · Post #17 » by **OGSactownballer** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 8:06 am

I don't agree about the Durant/Evans comparison, and it is NOT a homer view.

As I stated many places through the year, Tyreke is a different animal than Durant. Durant already is and will be one of the most prolific individual scorers the game has ever seen. However, you have to acknowledge the fact that OKC did not make that big jump up until WESTBROOK hit his second season and came into his own. Almost identical - ironically - to what the Hornets did in CP3's second season with pieces in place around him that had been drafted/otherwise acquired.

Tyreke is - barring some horrific injury or complete stall in his development - going to be on a par with those players like LBJ and Kobe - a guy who can by himself completely take a game in hand.

So if you look at what has been done just so far this off-season, I fully believe that we CAN make that jump to the 50-win plateau. The addition of Daly is a hugely important move. It will enable the entire team to become so exponentially better on the defensive end. Add to that the fact that we are now one of the biggest front lines in the NBA, and the potential is enormous. I'm not fool enough to say that they will contend right now, but winning 50 games doesn't make you a contender by itself. Completeness, experience and luck are what bring that.

Cruel_Ruin · Post #18 » by **Cruel_Ruin** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 5:14 pm

I think its not out of the realm of possibility.

I do believe this team underachieved last year. Going into December we had basically a .500 record with 15/25 of our wins of the season. Tyreke was a force, Thompson was beasting, and Casspi was humming along. What changed? Thompson went milk carton and Casspi hit the rookie wall. Only Tyreke remained consistent throughout the season.

There are basically three things I thought we needed to improve upon from last season:

1) Interior defense (didn't really have that the entire season)
2) Post scoring (which was handled by Thompson in the early going last season but he fell off as teams began to key on him, he never adjusted afterwards)
3) Consistent SF production to end the lineup carousel we had. (Casspi was pretty consistent at the beginning of last season but when he hit the rookie wall completely fell off the map)

I feel like 1 has been addressed with the addition of Dalembert. 2 seems to have been addressed with Cousins being drafted. And 3 should come with the development of Casspi and/or Donte. I really like our chances at improvement next year. 5-10 win improvement would be a dissapointment. I fully expect at least a 15 win jump, with the high end being at a 25 win improvement.

DickVitale · Post #19 » by **DickVitale** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 7:29 pm

That would be very tough - is it likely? No, is it Possible? I would say yes. And honestly it all depends - we're coming in there with a totally different line up then we had last year. Remember that last year we lost a lot of VERY close games. Maybe this year's additions of dally + whiteside + Cousins - will tip the scale in our favor. It all depends on how productive they are, they'll have to go out and prove themselves - dally was proven with the 6ers, cousins/whiteside proven in college( college-nba is a huge step of course) ... but they'll all have to prove themselves in SACTOWN... what they did in the past means nothing to our team going forward. If they all produce, I could see our team being very good - we'll be pretty deep to if you ask me... then again with injurys/trades/fa you never know what is going to happen.

I think the big thing the kings need right now is a combo guard who can play defense and shoot the 3 ball - we get that, and it will make us that much better...

Anyways I will not rule anything out - and I don't know about the rest of you .. but I cant wait for the season to start - for now we'll have to rely on pre-season for us to get our kings basketball fix.

tru6playa · Post #20 » by **tru6playa** » Wed Jul 7, 2010 12:03 am

DickVitale wrote:That would be very tough - is it likely? No, is it Possible? I would say yes. And honestly it all depends - we're coming in there with a totally different line up then we had last year. Remember that last year we lost a lot of VERY close games. Maybe this year's addictions of dally + whiteside + Cousins - will tip the skill in our favor. It all depends on how productive they are, they'll have to go out and prove themselves - dally was proven with the 6ers, cousins/whiteside proven in college( college-nba is a huge step of course) ... but they'll all have to prove themselves in SACTOWN... what they did in the past means nothing to our team going forward. If they all produce, I could see our team being very good - we'll be pretty deep to if you ask me... then again with injurys/trades/fa you never know what is going to happen.

I think the big thing the kings need right now is a combo guard who can play defense and shoot the 3 ball - we get that, and it will make us that much better...

Anyways I will not rule anything out - and I don't know about the rest of you .. but I cant wait for the season to start - for now we'll have to rely on pre-season for us to get our kings basketball fix.

Well, I'm not too excited to here the Kings have an addiction, hopefully the A&E Intervention crew can intervene and clear that up before our season starts.