Post#44 » by Krle_12 » Sun Jul 22, 2012 9:46 am
How far this team goes next year will depend on the following factors (in order)
1. Coaching
2. Evans
3. Cousins
1. Coaching
I think this one is the real key here. This team needs to be coached defence to the point where you get punished if you don't. The coaching staff really should stress the "if you don't play D, you can't play!" line. Along with stressing defensive side of the ball, there has to be, just has to be a more organised offence with a clear offensive hierarchy. Cousins must be our #1 offensive option. Tyreke must be a clear #2 and MT a clear #3, everyone else needs to get their scraps in another way. If we one again stress the run and jack up shots when ever you get it offence that we ran last year, we are not going anywhere fast. One of the reasons we see selfishness out there is that there is NO clear offensive structure or patterns to get the ball moving and creating open shots so players are trying to create scoring opportunities themselves.
So 2 things, here, a clear defensive strategy and a a clear offensive hierarchy where players must buy into it for it to work. Cousins and Evans are the two most talented players on the roster and they should be utilised the most. An offensive force big men who can play close to the basket but also has a jump shot that needs to be respected and a penetrating guard that can beat you off the dribble, those are the parts that contenders are built around if you have the right coach.
2. Evans
This will depend a little bit on the coaching but it is time for Tyreke to settle at the off-guard position with some minutes at 1 and 3 (but not many). He is clearly our best 2 way guard and if you want to improve defensively, he needs to get a lot of minutes. This off-season he simply has to work on that jump shot to make things easier for himself and make himself a more effective and efficient offensive player. I am not expecting a Ray Allen out there but I am expecting to see a real improvement in his mid range game. Once he gets that developed, he can venture further out to the 3 point line and get working on that shot as well. Last season he was #4 in the entire league at attempts at the rim and 1st amongst guards. Its the 2nd time in 3 years that he has done this. Add a respectable jump shot to that mix and you have a player that is un-guardable. Couple that with an elite big man and you have the foundations of a contender.
Its imperative for us and Reke that jump shot sees significant progress during the off-season. Tyreke in his contract year and he needs to have a great year to get himself a max deal from the Kings (he will get a max offer from another team no doubt) and its important for us that he does that because it means we are starting to get the player we envisioned and would be more than happy to give him a max money deal (not 5 years as that is reserved for Cousins).
3. Cousins
Now many are asking what the heck is this guy on about. Cousins should be further up the list as he is our best player BUT IMHO, Cousins only needs to reproduce what he did last season and the other 2 things to fall in place and we are in the play offs. This guy is a beast and conservatively, he is a 20/11 player next season. He can be a 28/13 player next season and we still don't make the play offs in the West if the other 2 things fall in place. Cousins cannot do it alone and a franchise we have done him a great disservice in not providing him with better coaching and more balanced team where players recruited fit around those that the team should be built around.
Despite all that, I am expecting Cousins to be an all-star next season but whether we are making or pushing for the play offs will depend on how the coaching staff structure the team both offensively and defensively and whether Tyreke gets close to being the type of player (with that swagger) that he was in his rookie season. Not necessarily a 20/5/5 but a player that is more efficient and dangerous.
Having said all that, something tells me #1 will still be a problem and we will yet again fire a coach mid-season.
