July 18, 2006 ...More power
to Darius
Songaila who—reports
say— will get a five year deal with the Wizards. I was high on Darius coming out of college but have
since cooled on him. I saw a heavy footed Songaila get beat to balls due his
overall lack of NBA-relative athleticism—and that was a year and a half ago
when he was in Sac. He hustles, and he’s smart. I like him as a teammate and as
a person—I’m just saying there is NO WAY I would have given him a five year
deal. ...One more Wizards note...I saw Donell Taylor trying to be a point guard at the LV Summer League. He just doesn’t
handle the ball well enough to pull it off. ...I sure thought Justin Williams played well for Sacramento. He played so well that Yemi Nicholson had a hard time getting minutes.
July 16, 2006 ...The best
free agents left out there are Chris Wilcox, Bonzi Wells, Drew Gooden, and Al Harrington. Bench guys that can play that are still
available include Tony Delk, Loren Woods, Marcus Banks, Ruben
Patterson, Keith Van Horn, Qyntel Woods, Anthony
Roberson, Toni Kukoc, Tony Bobbit, Bernard
Robinson, Reggie Evans, Lamond Murray, Jumaine Jones, Melvin Ely, and Matt Carroll.
... More on free
agents here
July 15, 2006 ...Check out our
Las Vegas Summer League Awards here.
July 12, 2006 ...Shammond Williams is back in the NBA. He signed a deal with
the Lakers. A scoring guard—Williams can light it up. ...As my Dad said, “What the NBA needs is more guys with the Williams last name.”
Just this draft we added Sheldon Williams, Marcus
Williams, and Shawne Williams. Justin Williams is trying to make the Kings roster. Can you name the other Williams’?
...Kings Summer League efficiency for Game Five of the Vegas League: Pooh Jeter 1.09, Ronnie Price 1.000, Justin
Williams .909, Taj Gray .727, Yemi Nicholson .461, Christian
Maraker .200, Quincy Douby .166, Sean Lampley .062, Louis
Amundson .041. ...Okay
the rest of the Williams’ in the NBA are
- Aaron, Alvin,
Deron, Eric, Jason, Louis, Marvin, and Maurice (Mo). ...How about the Spurs giving Jackie Butler an offer? The gives some credibility to
our high ranking of Butler in our free-agent rankings. I also wondered if Ronnie Price and Pooh Jeter read the spin from yesterday when we signaled for the Kings to improve
at point guard behind Mike Bibby. In their next game—both Price and Jeter played their best games of the
Summer League—posting impressive efficiency ratings of a 1.000 or better.
July 11, 2006 ...Kings Summer League efficiency for Game Four of the
Vegas League: Christian
Maraker .826, Ron Artest .823, Louis Amundson .740, Kevin Martin .314, Pooh Jeter .300, Justin
Williams .285, Ronnie Price .157. ...It seems clear to me from the
numbers that the Kings need some point guard help beyond Price and Pooh Jeter.
Actually Francisco
Garcia played his
best ball as rookie when he was manning the point. He is best off the dribble.
He draws defenders and has good vision to make nicely timed passes. As
insurance though, may I suggest Blake Stepp for training camp? ...DraftExpress.com says the Kings are dealing with
the Pacers—sending Bonzi Wells in a sign and trade to Indiana for Sarunas Jasikevicius and Jeff Foster.
July 9, 2006 ...Kings
Summer League efficiency for Game Three of the Vegas League: Christian Maraker .800, Quincy Douby .766, Justin
Williams .727, Kevin Martin .666, Ronnie Price .212, Louis
Amundson .166, Sean Lampley .130, Pooh Jeter .000, Taj Gray –.250. ...Michael Harris of Rice who we hyped last year s a guy
that should have made an NBA roster—is playing in Ukraine. He was averaging 11
points and 7 rebounds in 21 minutes per game through mid-May 2006. ...Ira Winderman says on Sun-Sentinel.com that the Spurs
have talked with the agent for Alonzo Mourning. Hopefully the Kings have too. ...Frank Redd on KHTK radio said he
would like to see the Kings go after Quinten Richardson. I used to love Q but I
wouldn’t touch him today. He has a fat contract and doesn’t go the hole.
...Memphis player Lawrence Roberts has been more productive so far as a pro than I thought he would be.
July 8, 2006 ...Check out
our look at potential Hall of Fame players here! ...Summer league efficiency for Kings game #2: Luis Amundson 1.190, Pooh Jeter .692, Christian
Maraker .625, Ron Artest .560, Kevin Martin .518, Francisco
Garcia .500, Justin Williams .500, Taj Gray .500, Quincy Douby .478, Ronnie Price .176, Sam Dahglas .100.
July 7, 2006 ...Kings
summer league efficiency for game one of the Vegas Summer League: Taj Gray 1.000, Louis Amundson .692, Kevin Martin .571, Justin Williams .521, Ronnie Price .500, Quincy Douby .440, Sean Lamply .409, Pooh Jeter .285, Christian
Maraker .142, Francisco Garcia –.086.
June 5, 2006 ...The latest and most detailed draft
list of the year is here.
May 5, 2006 ...My Sacramento Kings post-season assessment—now that
the Kings are going fishing. The roster needs tweaking in the off-season. A
defensive center that can block shots, and move his feet quickly is priority
one. The Kings have only Jamal Sampson on their roster as a Center. The team is flooded with Power Forwards
and light on Small Forwards or ‘perimeter wings’ as I like to call them.
Seriously - Shareef
Abdur-Rahim, Kenny Thomas, Corliss Williamson, Brad Miller (his natural position), Vitaly Potapenko, Bonzi Wells (yes - his game is mostly PF), and Ron Artest are all guys who fit the profile of a Power Forward more than any other
position. Artest plays ‘three’ but doesn’t shoot the ball well enough
consistently to thrive offensively at that spot. His defensive prowess however more than makes
up for that inadequacy in his offense. ...The Kings are solid at the Point with
Mike Bibby. Jason Hart—if he can get anything going on offense—might be an adequate backup—but
I actually thought Francisco Garcia played his best minutes this year as a ball handler. He is an excellent
passer and also has the ability to penetrate. I didn’t see enough of Ronnie Price to form a solid opinion. I think the
Kings have a good young Shooting Guard in Kevin Martin. ...The final analysis of the roster for me is to come back with Bibby,
Martin, Artest, Miller?, and a new Center that blocks shots. Miller did not
play well in the San Antonio series but he was playing Tim Duncan. I would ask Miller to embrace an
off-season with the strength trainer, and a dietician. “Enjoy the summer but go
a bit lighter of the Jack Daniels references”, I would tell him. He has too many skills to just give him
away. He is actually the Kings best 3-point shooter—and he can pass the ball
without turning it over better than almost any other big man in the NBA. What he can’t do so well is move his feet quickly
enough to draw charges or contest shots. ...Off the bench—you continue the
development of Garcia as backup to Bibby. You come with Bonzi or Kenny Thomas,
or Shareef as the backup at Four.
Whatever two guys are not in that mix are your trade bait. If Bonzi’s
price is too high as a free agent—you let him walk. I like his game and the
work he put in but unless he becomes a better perimeter shooter in a hurry—your
offense is mostly going to appear to be clogged up. Bonzi works best on the low
post. If he is there as your TWO Guard where are your BIGS playing? The spacing
will always suck. I am serious—that I would play Bonzi at the Four. ...His
value has never been higher than right now. He might yield a good young Three
Man in return. Or a shot blocker! ...You continue to develop Sergei Monya—who
the European ballers all agree is a baller. Imagine the Kings trading Wells,
Thomas, and Hart to Minnesota for Kevin Garnett. Kevin McHale isn’t that dumb is he? Or how about
getting Corey
Maggette for any combo
of those guys? I would pursue Dan Gadzuric—who runs the floor and blocks shots. ...Rick Adelman? I could go either way on that topic. He
avoids drama and handles players well. The Kings win more than they lose and
they have made the playoffs - for what,
eight years in a row? That is impressive. On the other hand - his teams lose focus at the end of halves
and quarters. He doesn’t sub offense for defense enough for my taste. I am not strongly against offering him a new
deal but at the same time—I don’t buy the “Who would you get to replace him?”
argument. There are good coaches out there. No, none will have the resume
Adelman has but that doesn’t mean that their special quality can’t make them
successful with what is a good team. ...Just to name a few (because the
argument would be—”okay who?”) Michael Cooper, Terry Porter, Elston Turner, Ben Howland, Eric Musselman, Len Elmore, Mario Elie, and Derek Fisher would be on my short list.