Rebuilding the Kings/Sonics

[Lords of Scythia]

http://seattletimes.com/html/nba/202018 ... eam22.html

A scout in this article says blow em up - get rid of everybody. Callabro on TV last night said keep Cousins - 17 and 10 7-foot center with anger-management issues - but bring in some vets to mentor the kid. Cousins is a future all pro. The team also has Tyreke Evens - first round pg with diminishing returns.

This team could very easily tank for the rest of the season - the old coach and whole regiem is on the way out. We could end up with a high lottery pick. The new gm has trade-bait, if he wants to go that route. Barely over the salary cap. Lots of options.

 

[Throwdown]

Too bad there's nothing special in this draft to be excited about, next year if Andrew Wiggins becomes a one n done, I want that first pick like no other!

 

[hawker84]

Keep Evans and Cousins, rebuild from there. Ya i like the wiggins kid too...

 

[mistaowen]

Yeah but Jimmer's wife is a smokeshow!

 

[CPHawk]

Why keep Cousins? Are you trying to re-build the Jail Blazers?

 

[Lords of Scythia]

What did he do that was so heinous?

 

[JSeahawks]

Cousins is the first one that I would get rid of for 2 reasons: 1. He's just about the only guy you could get anything in return for. 2. Addition by subtraction.

Lords of Sythia, as far as I know he's not a criminal or anything but when your best player is constantly fighting the coach and making decisions on which nights he wants to play hard or not, that is cancerous to a team.

 

[GCrow]

To be frank that roster is a dumpster fire.

Deal off Cousins this year for some assets(preferably young)/picks, get the Zen Master to hire someone good to Coach and go all out tank for 1 year. Draft Wiggins who will be an instant star (Or Jabari Parker). Core of Wiggins, Tyreke and Thoams Robinson is not to shabby, especially if you can get a vet PG that can distribute the ball.

 

[CPHawk]

What did he do that was so heinous?

He's a young Rasheed Wallace. All the talent in the world, but like it was pointed out above, he's a cancer. He might mature someday, but in the mean time he will ruin any team he's asked to be the man for.

 

[Tattooedseahawk]

Yeah, Cousins reminds me of Wallace and no veterans will be able to keep that volcano under control for too long. That said, he could bring in some talent in a trade.

Kentucky will probably lose their starting 5 again like they seem to do so every season so how are they looking this year? :lol:

 

[Throwdown]

Honestly I'd keep Tyreke Evans, and I could go into detail about things but the dudes a straight up PG, he's not a swingman like their bummy coach has him doing. Check out dudes stats at PG

'09-'10 (Rookie season, he was ROY this season): 20.1 PPG 5.8 AST 5.3 REB
That was on a team literally where it was just him that was only any good.
'10-'11: He was hurt, only played in 57 games 17.8 PPG 5.6 AST 4.8 REB

Now some are going to point to the FG percentage, he's a career .444 from the field, and the fact that his stats have fallen off each season, but that was when they decided to mess with success and move him around. He's a scorer no doubt, but with him at the 1, you could have a 3 guard rotation and invest where it really matters, the meat of the team. I am not in favor of letting Evans walk or trading him.

Obviously the biggest chip this team has in trading is Cousins, and honestly I'd leave that totally up to those in charge and what they think of him. Is he a necessary evil? Do you take the good with the bad? or is that not what a rebuilding team needs? I'd honestly lean toward the latter personally. What rebuilding teams need are either expiring contracts or young pieces that could either become part of the core, or become established role players, and picks, preferably those of the 1st round variety. There's been a lot of interest in Cousins this season when it comes to trade talks, Boston and San Antonio have been mentioned as teams of interest.

 

[GCrow]

I still think Evans is best as more of a hybrid between the 1 and 2. He needs the ball in his hands, but he is far better at creating a shot for himself rather than being a playmaker for others. Pair him in the backcourt with a playmaking/pass first vet and not have DMC barking in his ear to get him the ball and he could be great.

Also do they still have their amnesty from the lockout? Getting John Salmons contract off the books would be not a bad idea.

 

[Throwdown]

I still think Evans is best as more of a hybrid between the 1 and 2. He needs the ball in his hands, but he is far better at creating a shot for himself rather than being a playmaker for others. Pair him in the backcourt with a playmaking/pass first vet and not have DMC barking in his ear to get him the ball and he could be great.

Also do they still have their amnesty from the lockout? Getting John Salmons contract off the books would be not a bad idea.

Two other costly contracts are Marcus Thornton, & Francisco Garcia.

I think Evans would do fine as a 2 as well, but this whole swingman deal they have him doing where he's going up against guys bigger than him, he's 6'6 and a cool 220lbs, he shouldn't be going up against guys that are 6'8 and up weighing more than him, its a losing situation for Evans on both sides of the court. The biggest knock on Evans is his jump shot, its still somewhat broken, but when he's at either guard position, he can get to the basket with the best of 'em, dude should not EVER be at Small Forward.

I don't have any problem with Isaiah Thomas, interestingly, he averages 3 assist in his 23 MPG, not too shabby but I don't think at any point he's your go to starter at the 1, they do need more play makers like you said, whether its at the 1 or the 3. But I like Jason Thompson, still has potential, but he's a very good role player to have starting at PF, he's averaging a nice little 10 PPG and 7RPG, solid and reliable.

FWIW UW fans remember Tony Wroten from last season, I believe he is just like Evans in terms of skills, but Evans stayed at Memphis for the better, Wroten bounced on UW after one season.

 

[Throwdown]

Another thing about Cousins, I'm not seeing the Wallace comparison. I might be off though, he might be very volatile, but he is a misguided dude, on a garbage ass team with a garbage ass coach with garbage ass owners (for the time being). I can see where things might go wrong. A change of scenery might do him good (Seattle maybe? )

 

[pehawk]

I'm both giddy AND depressed by this thread. I just lost my NBA knowledge when the Sonics left, so I cant add anything to this, for now.

Next year "PE teaches dot-net creeps the NBA" class will be in full-swing.

 

[Lords of Scythia]

Cousins is the first one that I would get rid of for 2 reasons: 1. He's just about the only guy you could get anything in return for. 2. Addition by subtraction.

Lords of Sythia, as far as I know he's not a criminal or anything but when your best player is constantly fighting the coach and making decisions on which nights he wants to play hard or not, that is cancerous to a team.

Well, Calabro seemed to think he just needed some veteran players and a serious coach to shape up. He seems sort of childish, to me. Players can grow out of that. It's true he's a good center and probably good trade bait, and the team would tank next year for the next draft. I say let the new regiem make the call. Is Cousins gonna talk back to Phil Jackson, if he's in the locker room?

 

[The Outfield]

I'd say keep Thomas too.

 

[GCrow]

Isaiah Thomas is a fairly solid backup NBA point guard and a local guy so he would good to keep around. Possible draft target this year that would be good is Michael Carter Williams (6-6 PG from Syracuse. Although his game is somewhat similar to Tyreke). Guy is playing great this year and his draft stock is soaring. Go watch the last minute of 'Cuse's upset over Louisville from Saturday. That or, depending on how they finish the season Alex Len would nice as you can then easily deal Cousins.

 

[Lords of Scythia]

It sounds to me like we could use Isiah in a 3-guard rotation in which Evans switches to sg. We can keep Cousins until after the draft and just get the bpa without having to reach on a big man - greg oden drafted above Durant.

 

[chris98251]

Westphal couldn't coach here, players were pissed off and wanted to ream his ass then. He still had the I'm a all star attitude back then. Not sure if his coaching ability and attitude have changed down there. I would take anything said with a grain of salt in that situation.

Put a coach there that don't take shit and is credible and will communicate Like George Carl and you can take that energyu and channel it to become an all star.