VegetasHairline
Veteran
Walton puts Bjelicia back in with 2 fouls and he quickly picks up his 3rd foul. We're still in the 1st quarter.
Random NBA Observations 2019 - 2020
ALonelyDad
Veteran
Money Be Green
Superstar
Bucks vs Pacers game boring as fukk. Without Greek freak bucks are 
. If he ever gets injured its a wrap for them 
. If he ever gets injured its a wrap for them 
RammerJammer
#RollTide #TSC #RiseUp #BullsNation #RIPKobe
Damn is Collin Sexton bleaching?
VegetasHairline
Veteran
Some of them actually go in every now and then but Buddy Hield takes a lot of bad shots.
Thought I was missing something with Sabonis since commentators doing nothing but praising meanwhile he been trash on both offense and defense this game
Lead goes down to 4, he gets subbed out, Pacers immediately look better and go up 10
Lead goes down to 4, he gets subbed out, Pacers immediately look better and go up 10
I'm ready to throw this team in the bushes. I'm tired of this shyt.
Anyone have access to this article?
VegetasHairline
Veteran
I posted it in The Athletic Thread as well. Still waiting for a response.
Bucks vs Pacers game boring as fukk. Without Greek freak bucks are
I know for a fact that’s a lie. They’ve been beating up on teams w/o him in the lineup.
threattonature
Veteran
Josh Jackson has actually been solid as hell this game. Just make a lot of little plays all over the place.
threattonature
Veteran
SACRAMENTO — Vlade Divac has grown tired of hearing about Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic. He has grown tired of hearing about how his team’s choice to pass on him in the 2018 draft and select Marvin Bagley III instead has led to the kind of fan displeasure that makes his job as Kings general manager uncomfortable at times. One can safely assume that Bagley, who has played just 13 games in his sophomore campaign because of injuries and who admitted on Saturday that he’s not sure if he’ll return this season, feels the same way.
But as Sacramento faces Dallas for the third time on Wednesday night, with Doncic expected to return from a seven-game ankle-injury absence just in time to resume his role as the transcendent star who got away, the truth of the matter for Divac is that the outside voices should no longer be his main concern. It’s the opinion of owner Vivek Ranadive that will matter most when this summer rolls around. And if these past few months are any indication, there could be trouble ahead for the 52-year-old executive.
Frustration has been mounting among Kings owner Vivek Ranadive and others within the ownership group over the franchise’s front office and coaching, multiple sources tell The Athletic. Sources say Ranadive has shared his frustration with both front office and coaching decisions in a variety of unfiltered ways, including private conversations with business associates and in text messages during a season-long group chat with Divac, coach Luke Walton, assistant general manager Peja Stojakovic and Chief Operating Officer Matina Kolokotronis. The complaints, sources say, have been focused on the team’s underachievement and the part they all played in it.
From left: Aneel Ranadive, Vlade Divac, Vivek Ranadive and Matina Kolokotronis. (Joe Murphy / NBAE Getty Images)
Ranadive, sources say, ramped up his interest in learning all about his team’s scouting process earlier this season and sought more insight about their collective network, with the belief that it was a reaction to previous draft events and the looming questions about why Doncic wasn’t selected.
Throughout the Kings’ pre-draft process in 2018, the Kings scouted Doncic heavily, including a dinner with the young prodigy led by Ranadive that also included Vivek’s son, Aneel, and Divac; the gathering was shared on Aneel’s social media. There was ownership support for the drafting of Doncic at No. 2 overall, but Divac, along with then-assistant general manager Brandon Williams and Stojakovic had concerns about his upside compared to Bagley’s, sources said. As The Athletic reported last month, the belief that Doncic’s ball-dominance would limit De’Aaron Fox’s ability to grow and that they were better suited pairing him with a talented big like Bagley were driving forces behind the decision.
As it stands, however, sources say there is no indication that a change to the front office or coaching staff will be made anytime soon. But the tension that has returned to the Kings’ environment begs the question: Will Ranadive stay the course, prioritizing stability in the front office after all these years of turnover, or perhaps look to make a change in the summer?
Ranadive declined a request to be interviewed for this story.
“We share our fans’ frustrations with how the season has unfolded and are working hard to improve,” the Kings said in a statement to The Athletic that was in response to the request. “We remain confident in Vlade’s leadership in building the winning team that our fans and city deserve.”
After a surprise season in 2018-19 that had Kings officials believing they were on their way, the mood has changed for the worse. Minority owners who were quieted by last season’s success are grousing again. Former employees who question the way the organization is run, chief among them former trainer/vocal critic Pete Youngman, are adding fuel to the fire on social media by questioning the rash of injuries. Ranadive, whose voice matters more than all the rest, will reassess it all when the summer rolls around.
The blame game has begun anew.
To health and back again
From Divac on down, the Kings made it clear entering this season that the goal was to break the league’s longest playoff drought, which dates to 2006. Those internal expectations were even more ambitious than some of the outside prognostications — FiveThirtyEight.com, for example, predicted 34 wins.
Yet even after this recent stretch of success, in which they won six of their past nine games, and with De’Aaron Fox looking like the franchise centerpiece they believed him to be when the choice was made to pass on Doncic and pair Fox with Bagley, they’re six games behind Memphis for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West with 29 games to go.
The injuries are a significant part of the Kings’ story this season, especially as it relates to the young core that created so much excitement when it finished 39-43 last season (and when Fox played 81 games, Hield played 82, Bogdanovic 70 and Bagley 62). In addition to Bagley missing most of the season, Fox missed 18 games with an ankle injury and Bogdanovic missed 11. First-year Kings center Richaun Holmes, who has been the team’s unofficial MVP of sorts, has missed the last 16 games with a labral tear in his right shoulder and will be re-evaluated in two to three weeks. In all, the Kings have had 108 games missed due to injury to this point after having just 75 last season.
But above all the rest, it’s Bagley’s absence that has made it so challenging to assess this season and what it says about their future. What’s more, the reality that Doncic finds himself heading to All-Star weekend for the first time while Bagley remains sidelined has made it virtually impossible for this what-might-have-been debate to disappear.
Ezra Shaw / Getty Images
With Bagley and Divac acknowledging they don’t know if he’ll play again this season, it’s led to questions about whether the latest injury, a re-aggravation of a left midfoot sprain, is worse than the team has been indicating. Some team sources believe Bagley’s injury was worse than announced. He missed the last 11 games with what was labeled “left foot soreness” after reaggravating the injury that cost him seven games, and missed another 22 games with a broken right thumb.
Much of Divac’s optimism was based on Bagley’s anticipated improvement. Unlike his rookie season, when then-Kings coach Dave Joerger insisted the former Duke standout come off the bench for much of the season and even went against the front office’s wishes in the process, Bagley would be a full-time starter.
The addition of a floor-spacing center in free agency, Dewayne Dedmon, was supposed to give Bagley room to operate in the post. Walton had lineups he wanted to use with Bagley at center for an athletic big who would be surrounded by scorers. But the plan was not to be, as Bagley broke his right thumb in the first game of the season, against Phoenix. The mystery surrounding his injury hasn’t helped matters when it comes to the way Bagley is perceived in some key circles.
But the health factor, quite clearly, will only afford Divac so much cover when it comes to Ranadive assessing responsibility. And as is always the case in situations like these, the reality of the contracts involved will likely play a part too.
threattonature
Veteran
The Divac debate
In April 2019, back when that Kings team that some scouts believed might not win 20 games was still pushing for a playoff spot late into the season, Divac was given an extension that runs through the 2022-23 season. After years of criticism about his performance on the job in 2015, with no trade more dissected than the ill-fated deal with Philadelphia in July of that same year, he was empowered like never before to guide the Kings’ ship wherever he saw fit.
The roundly-ridiculed choice to trade DeMarcus Cousins in February 2017 had paid off in the end, not only landing them shooting guard Buddy Hield (who signed a four-year deal worth $86 million in guaranteed money in October) but also leading to an 8-17 finish that season, which played a part in them drafting Fox with the No. 5 pick. More than a decade after Divac had finished his memorable six-season run as a player in Sacramento, where he had joined forces with Chris Webber and Mike Bibby to become one of the organization’s most beloved players of all time on those title-contending teams, he was on his way to leading a long-overdue turnaround from the Kings’ front office. Or so we thought.
By all appearances, the weight of last summer’s decisions and those roster maneuverings that have happened since will fall almost entirely on Divac. The Kings were 28-25 before the 2019 trade deadline when they traded Iman Shumpert, their starting small forward who had a veteran leadership role. The Kings landed Harrison Barnes in a trade to replace Shumpert, signed him to a four-year, $85 million deal, and after Barnes spent time at power forward a season ago, he has returned to his natural small forward spot this season.
Divac made the call to fire Joerger, then made Walton his top target en route to the former Lakers coach landing a contact that is lined up with that of Divac (through 2022-23).
David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images
For Sacramento, the hiring of Walton represented the level of autonomy given to Divac and Ranadive provided his support for the former Lakers head coach and Warriors assistant. The Kings also internally considered Monty Williams and Ettore Messina, sources said, but only if Walton declined Sacramento’s offer. Ranadive, who was a Warriors minority owner before becoming the lead stakeholder for the Kings in 2013, has wanted to emulate his franchise to the Warriors. Walton, who had parted ways with the Lakers just days before after three seasons as their head coach, was hired on April 13 in the move that fit not only Divac’s preference but Ranadive’s affinity for his Warriors past.
But a sharp assessment of Walton’s job began almost immediately this season and several ownership officials have found issues in the coaching job. The group chat that includes Ranadive, Walton, Divac and Kolokotronis is, in part, a forum for Ranadive to air his issues and feelings toward the coaching situation, according to sources. The Kings have lost eight games by three points or fewer, which is the most in the NBA.
The free agency moves are part of this Divac discussion, too.
Last summer there were lows (Dewayne Dedmon), mehs (Trevor Ariza and Cory Joseph) and highs (Holmes) on the free agency front. The Kings, with Divac leading the way and assistant general manager Ken Catanella focused on prioritizing financial flexibility for their future in all their deals, kept tinkering leading into this season’s Feb. 7 trade deadline.
They sent Ariza to Portland in a trade that not only freed them of his two-year, $25 million deal (partial guarantee in the second season) but also earned them an extended look at free-agent-to-be Kent Bazemore. The Dedmon deal with Atlanta at the deadline was a nice recovery after he demanded a trade, with the Kings getting off of his deal (three-years, $40 million, with just $1 million guaranteed in the final season) while getting to evaluate newcomers Jabari Parker ($6.5 million player option next season) and Alex Len (expiring deal). The trade freed up salary cap space that is expected to be used to retain restricted-free-agent-to-be Bogdanovic this summer, and all current indications from Divac’s side of things is that he plans on doing that deal personally, too.
Not so Buddy-Buddy
The Hield situation is yet another matter that Divac and Walton will need to address this summer, so long as they remain. Especially considering they appear prepared to move forward with Bogdanovic and Hield as key players in their program.
Even before the decision was made to move Hield to a reserve role on Jan. 24, when the Kings were searching for answers after a 16-29 start that included 15 losses in their previous 18 games, Hield shared his frustration publicly in late December. As Hield saw it, Walton didn’t trust him in late-game situations and was placing unfair blame on him that, more often than not, was tied to his defensive struggles.
“Seems like we’re all over the place,” Hield said after a Dec. 26 loss to Minnesota. “Trust issues going on, I guess. They stop believing in players. It is what it is.”
Rocky Widner / Getty Images
The Kings moved past that, but Hield became irritated again last month when Walton removed him from the starting lineup and replaced him with Bogdanovic. Hield has played well since the move sparked this recent 6-3 stretch, averaging a team-high 22.2 points per game while shooting 52.6 percent overall and 51.1 percent from beyond the arc (and including a career-high 42 points on Jan. 27 at Minnesota). Fox is averaging 21.6 points, 6.9 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game in that span, including a career-high 34 points at the Clippers on Jan. 30).
But Hield’s situation remains one Divac has to monitor. If Hield remains displeased with his role, a source with knowledge of his thinking said he might request a trade. He believes he is a starter in the NBA and there’s no guarantee he’ll get that job back, given how the team has played lately. And unlike last season, when he never criticized Joerger publicly and even refrained from doing so after their well-chronicled January 2019 run-in at Golden State, Hield has shown a willingness to criticize Walton that has proved at times problematic.
Hield is known to have no issues with Bogdanovic, who is one of his best friends on the team. But it appears his possible desire to leave would be rooted in his frustration with Walton.
The unknown ahead
There are some within NBA circles who believe the Kings should simply remain patient. There are others who believe Ranadive’s frustration could lead to a major shake-up.
Doncic subplot aside — and to be fair, Phoenix and Atlanta missed on him too — they still have the makings of a competitive core that could grow into something special. As Divac sees it, a healthy core of Fox (22), Bagley (20), Bogdanovic (27) Hield (27) and Harrison Barnes (27) is still worth believing in and building around. That is, of course, if he gets the chance.
“I’m sure our fans feel the same way (as him), because I’m a fan,” Divac said during his post-trade deadline news conference on Saturday. “Frustrating. Disappointment, you know? But what I see from our team is that they’re fighting, they’re playing hard, they’re competing, especially like what I mentioned the last three, four weeks from the young players — especially Fox. He’s making (progress). About everything else, I feel the same way, like everybody else. I think we could do better. Yes, injuries is part of it, but it didn’t go the way we wanted (it) to, so we just have to keep fighting.”
In April 2019, back when that Kings team that some scouts believed might not win 20 games was still pushing for a playoff spot late into the season, Divac was given an extension that runs through the 2022-23 season. After years of criticism about his performance on the job in 2015, with no trade more dissected than the ill-fated deal with Philadelphia in July of that same year, he was empowered like never before to guide the Kings’ ship wherever he saw fit.
The roundly-ridiculed choice to trade DeMarcus Cousins in February 2017 had paid off in the end, not only landing them shooting guard Buddy Hield (who signed a four-year deal worth $86 million in guaranteed money in October) but also leading to an 8-17 finish that season, which played a part in them drafting Fox with the No. 5 pick. More than a decade after Divac had finished his memorable six-season run as a player in Sacramento, where he had joined forces with Chris Webber and Mike Bibby to become one of the organization’s most beloved players of all time on those title-contending teams, he was on his way to leading a long-overdue turnaround from the Kings’ front office. Or so we thought.
By all appearances, the weight of last summer’s decisions and those roster maneuverings that have happened since will fall almost entirely on Divac. The Kings were 28-25 before the 2019 trade deadline when they traded Iman Shumpert, their starting small forward who had a veteran leadership role. The Kings landed Harrison Barnes in a trade to replace Shumpert, signed him to a four-year, $85 million deal, and after Barnes spent time at power forward a season ago, he has returned to his natural small forward spot this season.
Divac made the call to fire Joerger, then made Walton his top target en route to the former Lakers coach landing a contact that is lined up with that of Divac (through 2022-23).
David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images
For Sacramento, the hiring of Walton represented the level of autonomy given to Divac and Ranadive provided his support for the former Lakers head coach and Warriors assistant. The Kings also internally considered Monty Williams and Ettore Messina, sources said, but only if Walton declined Sacramento’s offer. Ranadive, who was a Warriors minority owner before becoming the lead stakeholder for the Kings in 2013, has wanted to emulate his franchise to the Warriors. Walton, who had parted ways with the Lakers just days before after three seasons as their head coach, was hired on April 13 in the move that fit not only Divac’s preference but Ranadive’s affinity for his Warriors past.
But a sharp assessment of Walton’s job began almost immediately this season and several ownership officials have found issues in the coaching job. The group chat that includes Ranadive, Walton, Divac and Kolokotronis is, in part, a forum for Ranadive to air his issues and feelings toward the coaching situation, according to sources. The Kings have lost eight games by three points or fewer, which is the most in the NBA.
The free agency moves are part of this Divac discussion, too.
Last summer there were lows (Dewayne Dedmon), mehs (Trevor Ariza and Cory Joseph) and highs (Holmes) on the free agency front. The Kings, with Divac leading the way and assistant general manager Ken Catanella focused on prioritizing financial flexibility for their future in all their deals, kept tinkering leading into this season’s Feb. 7 trade deadline.
They sent Ariza to Portland in a trade that not only freed them of his two-year, $25 million deal (partial guarantee in the second season) but also earned them an extended look at free-agent-to-be Kent Bazemore. The Dedmon deal with Atlanta at the deadline was a nice recovery after he demanded a trade, with the Kings getting off of his deal (three-years, $40 million, with just $1 million guaranteed in the final season) while getting to evaluate newcomers Jabari Parker ($6.5 million player option next season) and Alex Len (expiring deal). The trade freed up salary cap space that is expected to be used to retain restricted-free-agent-to-be Bogdanovic this summer, and all current indications from Divac’s side of things is that he plans on doing that deal personally, too.
Not so Buddy-Buddy
The Hield situation is yet another matter that Divac and Walton will need to address this summer, so long as they remain. Especially considering they appear prepared to move forward with Bogdanovic and Hield as key players in their program.
Even before the decision was made to move Hield to a reserve role on Jan. 24, when the Kings were searching for answers after a 16-29 start that included 15 losses in their previous 18 games, Hield shared his frustration publicly in late December. As Hield saw it, Walton didn’t trust him in late-game situations and was placing unfair blame on him that, more often than not, was tied to his defensive struggles.
“Seems like we’re all over the place,” Hield said after a Dec. 26 loss to Minnesota. “Trust issues going on, I guess. They stop believing in players. It is what it is.”
Rocky Widner / Getty Images
The Kings moved past that, but Hield became irritated again last month when Walton removed him from the starting lineup and replaced him with Bogdanovic. Hield has played well since the move sparked this recent 6-3 stretch, averaging a team-high 22.2 points per game while shooting 52.6 percent overall and 51.1 percent from beyond the arc (and including a career-high 42 points on Jan. 27 at Minnesota). Fox is averaging 21.6 points, 6.9 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game in that span, including a career-high 34 points at the Clippers on Jan. 30).
But Hield’s situation remains one Divac has to monitor. If Hield remains displeased with his role, a source with knowledge of his thinking said he might request a trade. He believes he is a starter in the NBA and there’s no guarantee he’ll get that job back, given how the team has played lately. And unlike last season, when he never criticized Joerger publicly and even refrained from doing so after their well-chronicled January 2019 run-in at Golden State, Hield has shown a willingness to criticize Walton that has proved at times problematic.
Hield is known to have no issues with Bogdanovic, who is one of his best friends on the team. But it appears his possible desire to leave would be rooted in his frustration with Walton.
The unknown ahead
There are some within NBA circles who believe the Kings should simply remain patient. There are others who believe Ranadive’s frustration could lead to a major shake-up.
Doncic subplot aside — and to be fair, Phoenix and Atlanta missed on him too — they still have the makings of a competitive core that could grow into something special. As Divac sees it, a healthy core of Fox (22), Bagley (20), Bogdanovic (27) Hield (27) and Harrison Barnes (27) is still worth believing in and building around. That is, of course, if he gets the chance.
“I’m sure our fans feel the same way (as him), because I’m a fan,” Divac said during his post-trade deadline news conference on Saturday. “Frustrating. Disappointment, you know? But what I see from our team is that they’re fighting, they’re playing hard, they’re competing, especially like what I mentioned the last three, four weeks from the young players — especially Fox. He’s making (progress). About everything else, I feel the same way, like everybody else. I think we could do better. Yes, injuries is part of it, but it didn’t go the way we wanted (it) to, so we just have to keep fighting.”
I posted it in The Athletic Thread as well. Still waiting for a response.
@ me in the future and I'll post them.