Magic @ Kings

[ADoaN17]

I want them to just give T-Rob more minutes. Yes JT is better right now, but we're not winning with him getting major PT anyway. Might as well try to develop the guy with the higher ceiling, who you picked at 5.

Just raise JT's stock and trade him for a decent SF? I like JT but I rather develop TRob as well.

[bjax24]

This is what I want to see smart do when we're healthy. Play everyone who is playing best in the end don't gift wrap the end minutes to starters and Thornton.

[Cruel_Ruin]

There is zero need to force TRob's development right now. Eventually, its expected he becomes the starter but we ought to take a page out of OKC's books with how they developed Ibaka and eventually traded Jeff Green. Theres no need to mess with a starting lineup that is finally beginning to mesh, with veterans playing consistent roles around our two young centerpieces.

[LovingCousins]

There is zero need to force TRob's development right now. Eventually, its expected he becomes the starter but we ought to take a page out of OKC's books with how they developed Ibaka and eventually traded Jeff Green. Theres no need to mess with a starting lineup that is finally beginning to mesh, with veterans playing consistent roles around our two young centerpieces.

I agree. We have thrust too many young players into roles they weren't ready for, which hurt their growth. Tyreke would have benefited from a slower transition. Cousins would have benefited from a slower transition. Jimmer didn't get too much PT last year and yet he has made a huge step coming in this year.

[SacKingsPejaFan]

I fervently disagree. We're not making the playoffs. Nothing is starting to mesh. Barely winning against the Raptors and Magic proves nothing. Comfort with the status quo is the reason why we've had 6 straight losing season; the reason why Petrie keeps using 5-6M of our cap every year to lock up average bench players who will keep us in the lottery. There comes a point where you have to start blaming the players, and we've reached that point a long time ago. Isn't a definition of "insanity" trying the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? There is no potential for improvement by giving JT more minutes than T-Rob. On the other hand, there is potential for improvement by reversing those minutes.

Simply put, the philosophy that Petrie has adopted and that many on this board have adopted in terms of building and developing a team is a losing one. You have to front-load your team in terms of talent in this league; it doesn't matter who the rest of the guys are. T-Rob is a guy who can potentially be part of the Kings' front-loaded talent; JT can't. Play the former, not the latter.

[SacKingsPejaFan]

And Tyreke and Cousins absolutely would not have benefitted from an easier transition. We handed the team over to Tyreke immediately and he won ROY. We threw Cousins into the starting lineup immediately and by season 2 he's averaging 18 and 11. Guys learn by playing and having the chance to mess up and still stay in. You're telling me Kevin Durant didn't grow as a player because he was handed the keys to the castle and shot a horrid FG% his first year in the league? That's just silly.

[VeeJay24]

I fervently disagree. We're not making the playoffs. Nothing is starting to mesh. Barely winning against the Raptors and Magic proves nothing. Comfort with the status quo is the reason why we've had 6 straight losing season; the reason why Petrie keeps using 5-6M of our cap every year to lock up average bench players who will keep us in the lottery. There comes a point where you have to start blaming the players, and we've reached that point a long time ago. Isn't a definition of "insanity" trying the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? There is no potential for improvement by giving JT more minutes than T-Rob. On the other hand, there is potential for improvement by reversing those minutes.

Simply put, the philosophy that Petrie has adopted and that many on this board have adopted in terms of building and developing a team is a losing one. You have to front-load your team in terms of talent in this league; it doesn't matter who the rest of the guys are. T-Rob is a guy who can potentially be part of the Kings' front-loaded talent; JT can't. Play the former, not the latter.

Dude, you're talking about physical gifts or talent but there is more to the game than that. They have to be able to think the game too and that is where all of our young players are lacking. They will continue to lack in that area because they have no one there to show them. Did you see T-Rob in the first half? He was horrible; do we need to see that for every game when you have a guy in Jason Thompson who has been the most consistent player on the team up to this point? The answer is no because you still have play to win games.

Hopefully Salmons has came to the realization that beyond scoring, what he needs to do for this team is be the veteran leader; show these guys how things should be done; how to play the right way especially on defense. These next few games will tell us a lot about this team because they are winnable if they play the right way. If they can win them; the season wouldn't be lost yet.

[Cruel_Ruin]

I fervently disagree. We're not making the playoffs. Nothing is starting to mesh. Barely winning against the Raptors and Magic proves nothing. Comfort with the status quo is the reason why we've had 6 straight losing season; the reason why Petrie keeps using 5-6M of our cap every year to lock up average bench players who will keep us in the lottery. There comes a point where you have to start blaming the players, and we've reached that point a long time ago. Isn't a definition of "insanity" trying the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? There is no potential for improvement by giving JT more minutes than T-Rob. On the other hand, there is potential for improvement by reversing those minutes.

Simply put, the philosophy that Petrie has adopted and that many on this board have adopted in terms of building and developing a team is a losing one. You have to front-load your team in terms of talent in this league; it doesn't matter who the rest of the guys are. T-Rob is a guy who can potentially be part of the Kings' front-loaded talent; JT can't. Play the former, not the latter.

There is literally zero downside to starting a 26 year old roleplaying PF over a 22 year old rookie roleplaying PF. None. TRob isn't going anywhere. What the young guys need right now is stability over anything else, for the sake of ALL of the young guys on this team. Throwing a rookie into the starting lineup is NOT the way to achieve that. Not with Tyreke finding his groove, and Demarcus still looking for his. Why throw another element of stability by throwing an erratic rookie into the mix?

Look at Jimmer and how much better he's been this year after riding the pine last year.

And Tyreke and Cousins absolutely would not have benefitted from an easier transition. We handed the team over to Tyreke immediately and he won ROY. We threw Cousins into the starting lineup immediately and by season 2 he's averaging 18 and 11. Guys learn by playing and having the chance to mess up and still stay in. You're telling me Kevin Durant didn't grow as a player because he was handed the keys to the castle and shot a horrid FG% his first year in the league? That's just silly.

Both Tyreke and Demarcus clearly supplanted their respective incumbants with their play. Tyreke was obviously better than Beno, and was so good it let us trade Martin. Dalembert was injured so Demarcus got the start in his rookie year, and never looked back. Can you honestly say Robinson's play clearly gives him the edge over JT?

Besides, Robinson is NOT a Tyreke or Demarcus level talent. Both of those guys are franchise-level talents and thus take precedence in terms of development. TRob will be a very good roleplayer one day, but not a star. Sacrificing the stability of the entire team so we can develop a roleplaying PF (albeit a very good one) is simply not a worthwhile investment. Robinson is getting his minutes, he is steadily improving game by game. It wont be long before he supplants JT in the starting lineup. There is no reason to throw off everyone else's game for lack of a little patience.