Sometimes, you just need to move on. People that are stuck often feel the need to up and leave their current situation for something better, in the hopes that things are going to get easier. However, they are the same people with the same faults and limitations. Being in a different place doesn’t necessarily make you different.
Sleep Train Arena needed to be put to sleep. Golden 1 Center may be all shiny and new, but their main tenant is still the highly dysfunctional Kings. How do you think their 2016-17 NBA season went?
There was slight reason for hope in the beginning of the year. Sacramento made the best hire they could have in landing former Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger as their next sideline leader. He replaced the outspoken George Karl, who was almost fired daily during the 2015-16 campaign. Joerger had the belief that he could reach disgruntled Kings superstar center DeMarcus Cousins, who has all the talent in the world, but went through head coaches in Sacramento like Tobias Funke went through blue paint.
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The Kings organization sold their fans on the idea of putting a playoff-caliber team in brand-new Golden 1 Center, centered around Cousins, small forward Rudy Gay and maybe Ben McLemore? Sacramento had its moments early in the season. Everybody but rotational wing Omri Casspi took to Joerger’s coaching. For whatever, Casspi was in Joerger’s dog house. More on that in a bit.
As people were thinking about turkeys in late November, Sacramento had a legitimate shot at the No. 8 seed in the West. They could do it, as the Trail Blazers defense cratered, the Timberwolves failed to live up to expectations early, and the Nuggets were still working out their Jokic-Nurkic conundrum.
Then, the little engine that couldn’t, couldn’t, and Sacramento began cratering as the weather changed. Losing Gay for the season due to a ruptured Achilles was absolutely devastating for the Kings’ playoff chances. It’s not like Gay wanted to be in Sacramento anyway. He kind of wanted to be traded the entire time and had already made clear that he was opting out.
As the All-Star Game approached, the Boogie trade market started to get all sorts of weird. We all knew that Cousins was going to represent the Kings at the 2017 NBA All-Star Game in New Orleans. His team may have been a sub-.500 bunch the whole year, but Cousins is still the best pure-talent at the five in the league. Few would argue that even now.
Cousins may have had his issues with the Sacramento media, but he loved the loyal Kings fans he played in front of every night. He had the opportunity to sign a massive super-max contract in two offseasons. In all honesty, Cousins probably meant what he said when he wished to stay in Sacramento his whole NBA career. Seeing his jersey hang in the Golden 1 Center would have been excellent, Rufus, but that wasn’t meant to be.
Because Kings general manager Vlade Divac is an old-school, new general manager, he really just likes to make deals with other clubs in face-to-face settings. That’s where Pelicans general manager Dell Demps and his assistant Danny Ferry came in and fleeced poor Vlade.
Kings owner Vivek Ranadive may have been reluctant to trade his star player in Cousins. It’s totally understandable for a small market owner like Ranadive to not want to part ways with the best player he’ll have for close to a decade. Cousinses don’t grown on trees. They’re from Mobile apparently.
Divac, Demps and Ferry all met in a dark speak easy somewhere in the French Quarter to hash out this blockbuster Boogie trade. Once Cousins didn’t play in the fourth quarter of the All-Star Game, we all knew something was up. During his post-game presser, Cousins was told via an ear whisper that he was staying put in The Big Easy. The Pelicans were doubling-down on their Kentucky big men with Boogie and The Brow.
So what did the Pelicans get in return in this blockbuster? A young Bahamian that believes in Boomer Sooner and smiling a lot in 2016 No. 6 overall pick Buddy Hield. Former Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans made his way back to Sacramento. A future pick as well. That’s about it.
Casspi joined Cousins in New Orleans for about a week to sweeten the deal. He got injured and was promptly waived by the Pelicans to open up a roster spot. Casspi could not have had a worse year. He played for three losing teams: one where his coached didn’t play him, another that cut him with his thumb on the fritz and a third had a coach that likes to yell “Defense!” in a gravely tone. Play for the Warriors on a minimum contract next year, dude. It’ll work out. I promise.
It wasn’t like Cousins helped The Brow — also known as Anthony Davis — get to the Western Conference Playoffs either. However, the Pelicans should be playoff viable next season maybe. As for the Kings….eh?
Hield is a nice player that Joerger can work with. The best thing that the Kings can do is let Joerger make Sacramento Memphis West and just grind, baby. Hield could be a Sacramento Grizzly for sure. It’s just a shame that Cousins couldn’t be the perfect blend Zach Randolph/Marc Gasol Memphis barbecue for Joerger.
The Kings will be picking in the NBA Draft Lottery. However, they could lose their first-round pick to the 76ers because Divac wanted to get rid of Nik Stauskas so badly that one time that he forget about the mid-level exception. The Wrath of Sauce Castillo could make the Kings even worse if the rebuilding 76ers nab Sacramento’s first round pick. Thanks a lot, Vlade!
Joerger might need some Jager while he tends with his horses in Northern California this offseason. It was long first-year for Joerger in Sacramento. At least he’s got Hield next year.
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Let’s not get too Stone Crazy and let’s just bury the season that was for the Kings. They tried their best to sell us gold when it was just cheap glitter and they got in all in their eyes. We mostly laughed at the Kings because they were the jesters we needed to get through this frankly boring NBA regular season. Keep it weird, Sacramento. Goodnight, sweet Kings.