# Kings' future looks cloudy after worst season ever



## Cris

> JACKSON, Miss. — At the close of the most uplifting decade in franchise history, the Sacramento Kings are lower than they've ever been.
> 
> With Wednesday night's road victory over Minnesota, the Kings finished their misbegotten season at 17-65. Sacramento earned its ticket to the draft lottery with the league's worst record, which also was the worst in the franchise's more than half-century of competition since its inception as the Rochester Royals in 1948.
> 
> A playoff team just three years ago with eight consecutive winning seasons under Rick Adelman, the Kings have been through three head coaches and wholesale roster turmoil since the Maloof brothers fired the veteran coach. Their franchise has fallen apart on the court, with just two players remaining from that 2006 playoff team, and the club's efforts to build a new arena also are sputtering.
> 
> Even the Kings' famously loyal fans abandoned the club this season, leaving Arco Arena less than half-full on many nights during their miserable home schedule.
> 
> Although Sacramento has the best chance of securing the top overall pick in the draft, the worst team rarely wins the lottery -- and furthermore, the underwhelming 2009 draft class doesn't contain any players expected to be saviors.
> http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2009-04-16-2970220312_x.htm


This is not a great year to have highest pick. Might be a good idea for Sacramento to try to trade down and get a couple picks in the first round. Sacramento has a couple nice pieces, now it's time to start building. I give them a couple years and I think we will see them up among the playoff contenders once again.


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## Basel

If they get the #1 pick, they should stick with it and draft Blake Griffin. Even if they get #2 or #3, they can go after Thabeet or Rubio. I don't think they can have a worse season next year because the one they just had was pretty terrible.


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## HKF

Kings need an identity. They need a game changer. Martin is all-star caliber, but he can't be your best player. Hawes and Thompson are above average players, but if you put an all-star caliber 3 or 1 next to them they become so much better. Kings are in a real rebuilding mode right now.


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## Cris

It's a toughy with all their committed money and with Hawes and others. I just feel like he is not their answer to their problems. But then again, I couldn't really tell you what that answer is to begin with.


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## qross1fan

I disagree. I like the potential future I see from the Kings. Martin is one of the premier scorers in the league, as shown by his 1.55 points per shot average and ability to get to the line at will (10.3 attempts a night). Francisco Garcia will be a glue guy coming off the bench and Hawes-Thompson have nice potential, and I'll go as far as saying, both have All-Star potential. Toss in Jennings/Rubio/Griffin to go with those four and you have a nice young squad.


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## Floods

I want Rubio. Martin, Thompson, and Hawes are three players with some serious upside, a good point guard like Rubio would be an ideal addition.


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## RollWithEm

Jacoby_Ellsbury said:


> I want Rubio. Martin, Thompson, and Hawes are three players with some serious upside, a good point guard like Rubio would be an ideal addition.


I actually think Blake Griffin would be the better choice. A frontline rotation of Griffin/Hawes/Thompson reminds me of a less under-sized and better defensive Boozer/Okur/Millsap. Also, Diogu is a solid #4 big man. Throw in Nocioni and Garcia at the 3 and Martin/McCants at the 2 spot and you can trot out almost any PG. Udrih and Bobby Jackson will do for now.


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## Floods

Point guard is not a position where you can just 'trot em out'. Thabeet is also a project, the last thing the Kings need at this point in time.


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## Dissonance

If you get the #1 pick, you keep it and you take Griffin, regardless of need. As much as I like Rubio, something about him that makes me hesitant about taking him there.


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## rocketeer

i think the kings need to go with rubio regardless of whether they get the top pick or not. they don't need blake griffin. if they draft rubio, they're still going to have a high pick next year as well in a draft that should be loaded with top big man talent(greg monroe specifically would be great for the kings but ed davis, cole aldrich, derrick favors, etc should all be there as well).

just look at the guys they are currently committed to long term and what their ideal role on the team would be.

beno udrih - decent backup pg
kevin martin - elite scorer
francisco garcia - good 6th man
andres nocioni - good 6th man
spencer hawes - solid big man
jason thompson - solid big man

and then they have donte green as well.

really what they need is a good pg and a good big man to add to those 6 guys and they'll be well on their way to getting back to the playoffs. rubio now and a big next draft gets that done pretty easily, while griffin now leaves them hoping a pg pans out at end of the first this year or that they are bad enough and luck into john wall next year. i like the idea of them taking rubio because he's the pg they need(and obviously a big talent as well) knowing that it's going to take a couple of years to get back to where they want to be and knowing they'll be able to pick up a very talented big man next year.


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## Floods

rocketeer said:


> i think the kings need to go with rubio regardless of whether they get the top pick or not. they don't need blake griffin. if they draft rubio, they're still going to have a high pick next year as well in a draft that should be loaded with top big man talent(greg monroe specifically would be great for the kings but ed davis, cole aldrich, derrick favors, etc should all be there as well).
> 
> just look at the guys they are currently committed to long term and what their ideal role on the team would be.
> 
> beno udrih - decent backup pg
> kevin martin - elite scorer
> francisco garcia - good 6th man
> andres nocioni - good 6th man
> spencer hawes - solid big man
> jason thompson - solid big man
> 
> and then they have donte green as well.
> 
> really what they need is a good pg and a good big man to add to those 6 guys and they'll be well on their way to getting back to the playoffs. rubio now and a big next draft gets that done pretty easily, while griffin now leaves them hoping a pg pans out at end of the first this year or that they are bad enough and luck into john wall next year. i like the idea of them taking rubio because he's the pg they need(and obviously a big talent as well) knowing that it's going to take a couple of years to get back to where they want to be and knowing they'll be able to pick up a very talented big man next year.


All great points.

With the late first rounder I think we should draft the best defender available, or the guy that figures to be the best defender in the future.


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## BullsBaller

Would u guys say your biggest need is a PG or something else? If your need is PG then how interested are Kings fans in someone like Kirk Hinich? Thanks!


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## RollWithEm

BullsBaller said:


> Would u guys say your biggest need is a PG or something else? If your need is PG then how interested are Kings fans in someone like Kirk Hinich? Thanks!


The Kings would absolutely LOVE Kirk Hinrich, but I don't think the Bulls are looking to move him at all.


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## Cris

I think they would. Especially that Rose has pretty much proven that he is legit.


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## RollWithEm

Cris said:


> I think they would. Especially that Rose has pretty much proven that he is legit.


Hinrich's versatility was on full display against Boston. He did everything from run the team, to hit clutch threes, to depend Paul Pierce in the post, to locking down Rondo's penetration. If the bulls lose Ben Gordon to free agency this offseason, Hinrich might just start for that team. They absolutely cannot afford to lose him.


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## Floods

I wouldn't want Hinrich as my starting point guard. He's a good backup guard who shoots well and plays exceptional defense.


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## billfindlay10

I would send Bosh and Banks for Nocioni, Garcia, Thompson and the 4th pick.


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## Floods

billfindlay10 said:


> I would send Bosh and Banks for Nocioni, Garcia, Thompson and the 4th pick.


I would ****ing kill myself if that happened.

I don't even care Nocioni or Garcia, the hell with them, but Thompson and a much-needed pick for Bosh would be crippling. Bosh is overrated as ****. Thompson, if his rookie year is any indication, will be putting up comparable numbers before too long anyways. Unfortunately, there's a chance it happens as a draft day pick if one of the three teams above us takes Rubio (and the idiot Maloofs feel the need to make a splash), but I still don't like the idea at all.


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