SBNation.com User Blog: B-RAD

More amnesty scuttle: I'm told Charlotte, New Orleans and Sacramento all have levels of Scola...

B-RAD — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 18:07:17 -0000

More amnesty scuttle: I'm told Charlotte, New Orleans and Sacramento all have levels of Scola interest and weighing whether to lodge bids

Marc Stein, ESPN

I've posted this video before. It's my Nana who passed a couple years ago. Always puts a smile on...

B-RAD — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 07:19:04 -0000

I've posted this video before. It's my Nana who passed a couple years ago. Always puts a smile on my face no matter what's going on. It's also awesome to know that even people in heaven want the Kings to stay in Sacramento.

First place I went this New year

B-RAD — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 09:47:28 -0000

First place I went this New year

Sorry I'm not sorry

Happy New Year Everybody!!!

ESPN Power Rankings

B-RAD — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 17:46:15 -0000

ESPN Power Rankings

28. KINGS My new non-Casspi-related obsession: If Cousins' big preseason launches him to the ROY trophy, this'll be the first team to field back-to-back ROYs since my Buffalo Braves did it in 1973 (Bob McAdoo) and 1974 (Ernie D).

Which Coaching Staff Can Actually Play

B-RAD — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 23:46:01 -0000

Which Coaching Staff Can Actually Play

5. SACRAMENTO KINGS

Staff: Paul Westphal, Jim Eyen, Mario Elie, Truck Robinson, Pete Carril, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Otis Hughley

Comment: Crunch three or four generations of basketball guile and skill into one team and these Kings would be a force.

ESPN Insider Ranking teams 19-24

B-RAD — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 19:08:19 -0000

ESPN Insider Ranking teams 19-24

23. Sacramento Kings
The More Things Change: The Kings got a potential star in the draft, selecting 6-foot-11 power forward DeMarcus Cousins with the fifth pick. All the concerns surrounding Cousins related to his perceived lack of maturity. The Kings hired Cousins' high school coach, Otis Hughley, as an assistant to help the 20-year-old make the transition to pro ball and, perhaps more importantly, pro living. If Cousins matures and avoids trouble, the Kings have the makings of a potential contender in him and reigning Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans. It typically takes a great big man and a great perimeter player to contend in the NBA; Cousins and Evans could fit the bill. Athletic shot-blocker Samuel Dalembert could be a nice complement to Cousins inside, and the Kings also drafted 7-foot Hassan Whiteside. Whiteside is a project, but his upside -- again if he matures (and he may have further to go than Cousins) -- is high.

The More They Stay the Same: If Evans and Cousins both become legitimate stars, the Kings already have the role players in place: Dalembert, Jason Thompson, Carl Landry, Beno Udrih, Omri Casspi and Donte Greene. If the Kings don't implode -- if maturity reigns -- their future is bright.

Most likely team to go Lottery-to-Playoffs (INSIDER)

B-RAD — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 18:31:20 -0000

Most likely team to go Lottery-to-Playoffs (INSIDER)

6. Sacramento Kings (2009-10 record -- 25-57)
Can the Kings become the first team in NBA history to boast back-to-back Rookie of the Year award winners? With DeMarcus Cousins around, the chances are quite strong. Cousins has the size and skill to put up big numbers in his rookie campaign, but he'll have to earn his minutes alongside bigs Carl Landry and Samuel Dalembert.

The Kings have certainly beefed up their frontline after allowing the fifth-highest field goal percentage at the rim last season, according to Hoopdata.com. While they added muscle up front, they still miss Kevin Martin's scoring punch on the perimeter. Can they score enough to make some noise? Cousins may be the key.

Thorpe's ROY Ratings (Insider)

B-RAD — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:36:51 -0000

Thorpe's ROY Ratings (Insider)

9. DeMarcus Cousins, Kings
Remember, this is a look toward the first month or so of the season, not where I think the rookies will finish the season. Cousins, who was the No. 5 pick, clearly has the game to be special, and he should get there soon enough, but it's not going to be easy for the Kings to play him a lot in November.

The team acquired Samuel Dalembert, who produces with proper minutes, and will feature Carl Landry on offense. Jason Thompson, the Kings' 2008 lottery pick, should also be a rotation player. Thus, Cousins will be fighting for minutes early in the season. But as the season evolves, he'll surely rise in our report.

More Draft Busts DeMarcus Cousins Cousins is the darling of the statistical evaluations. One...

B-RAD — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 17:55:44 -0000

More Draft Busts
DeMarcus Cousins
Cousins is the darling of the statistical evaluations. One concern I have with variations of PER is that it rewards players with high rebounding and high field goal percentage numbers that play limited minutes. On film, Cousins is an advanced offensive player. His post moves are more developed than a lot of current NBA centers. However, his attitude could counteract those positives. Too often, Cousins showed signs of immaturity that made him an unlikable player to watch at Kentucky. It is one thing to get into it with the opposition; it's another to challenge your coach. Cousins also disappointed a lot of NBA people by saying that concerns about his behavior were media-driven. His work ethic, conditioning and defensive commitment are all question marks at this point.

www.espn.com/nba (insider)

The Heart of Darko Milicic We ranked Darko as the biggest draft bust of the past decade. When you...

B-RAD — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 17:52:57 -0000

The Heart of Darko Milicic
We ranked Darko as the biggest draft bust of the past decade. When you talk to people in the league who have had him on their team, you hear the same refrain, over and over: He's a very talented big man, he's a good athlete and he doesn't seem all that interested in using those talents in the NBA. Darko follows a long line of busts who just don't seem to like basketball all that much. Derrick Coleman was the poster child for it in the '90s. Kwame Brown ruined Michael Jordan's rep as a talent evaluator. Eddy Curry killed both the Bulls and the Knicks.

"Talent is the most important thing in the NBA," one GM said. "But if you lack passion for the game, a desire to get better and a killer instinct on the court, this league will eat you alive."

Big men, again, seem to be especially prone to this problem.

"I think a lot of big guys play basketball because they're told they should be playing basketball," another GM said. "A lot of times they don't have the same passion for the game that smaller guys do. Mom and dad forcing you to be here only works so long. These guys start making their money and then they check out. If you don't have a desire to be great, it shows in everything -- work ethic, hustle, days on the injured list -- you name it."

Potential 2010 Heart Bust Alert: DeMarcus Cousins, F/C, Kentucky

espn.com/nba

NBA Biggest Chuckers (INsider)

B-RAD — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 18:40:12 -0000

NBA Biggest Chuckers (INsider)

Tyreke Evans, Kings
Evans plays point guard much of the time and thus has a decent assist ratio, but that masks his major weakness as a playmaker: He thinks sequentially. As in, "First, I'll look for my shot; only when I am cut off, I'll look to see what's going on around me." As a result he might be one of the most frustrating teammates in the league.

He's one of a handful of players with a TS% under 53 and a usage rate above 25, but the visual is what really puts him over the top -- the idea of involving people just for the sake of their participation in the offense seems completely foreign to him. Too many times he's passing only as a last resort.

Andres Nocioni, Kings
The classic case of a jaded veteran on a bad team; you can practically hear him screaming "get me out of here" every time he catches and shoots a contested 22-footer in the first seven seconds of the shot clock. Known as "Red Bull" for his superior effort level in Chicago, his color is more blue these days -- check out all those cold zones on his NBA.com shot chart. Nocioni shoots 46 percent or less from every spot except the left corner and 39.6 percent overall. Does "El Rey Azul" work for anyone?

Icing on the Kosher Cake

B-RAD — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 00:51:13 -0000

Icing on the Kosher Cake

Casspi out with a bum ankle

NBA JAM 2010 Kings Team

B-RAD — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 20:28:20 -0000

NBA JAM 2010 Kings Team

Evans, Landry, JT, Spence and Noce will be in the game.

Omri Casspi Out with Stomach Virius????

B-RAD — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:08:22 -0000

Omri Casspi Out with Stomach Virius????

Yahoo Sports has him on the injured list for today. Any word if he is out for tonites game?????

ESPN Top Rookies to Look Out For Jon Brockman, Kings | Rookie card Overshadowed by fellow...

B-RAD — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 18:03:46 -0000

ESPN Top Rookies to Look Out For
Jon Brockman, Kings | Rookie card

Overshadowed by fellow rookie teammates Tyreke Evans and Omri Casspi, "The Brock Ness Monster" (easily my favorite nickname of the class) has a few things working against him. Most notably, he is too short and stubby (short arms) for an NBA power forward.

However, in a lesson I learned long ago, when players find a way to produce despite obvious flaws, they are to be respected and sometimes even feared. Brockman, despite his physical limitations, is averaging two offensive rebounds and two defensive boards a game in just 12 minutes. He has one of the highest offensive rebound rates in the NBA and is No. 1 in rebound rate for all rookies.

espn.com/nba

Some Omri Love from Hoopsworld

B-RAD — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 20:08:04 -0000

Some Omri Love from Hoopsworld

I know I know Hoopsworld sucks Laker balls but its worth a read...

Evans is competitive and coachable, and he carries himself maturely on the court, so it seems very...

B-RAD — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:07:11 -0000

Evans is competitive and coachable, and he carries himself maturely on the court, so it seems very likely he'll nearly reach his full potential. If this were a ranking of who will actually become the best player of this class in seven years, he'd be No. 1.....David Thorpe

He has Evans ranked number two with Earl Clark at the number one spot. I'd quote the whole thing but its insider and I dont want to get yelled at.

espn.com/nba

Evans Western Conference Rookie of the Month

B-RAD — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:31:35 -0000

Evans Western Conference Rookie of the Month

I assume this is the first of many "Player of the Month" we will be seeing...

Bye Bye Center Court

B-RAD — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:23:42 -0000

Bye Bye Center Court

too bad their wings werent half bad...

Scott-Howard Cooper NBA.com article

B-RAD — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:43:55 -0000

Scott-Howard Cooper NBA.com article

Good read....kinda a reality check....

Ailene Voisin is in my store...

B-RAD — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:20:11 -0000

Ailene Voisin is in my store...

any death threats you would like me to pass on???

ps the link is to her recent article not a bad read about Donte but she still sucks

luis in el paso, texas: hey bill: there is rumors going around that the rockets are gonna trade...

B-RAD — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:32:40 -0000

luis in el paso, texas:
hey bill: there is rumors going around that the rockets are gonna trade t-mac and jermaine taylor to the kings for k-mart, nocioni, and abdur rahim expiring contract but retired.. if true would you aproove this trade? your thoughts??
Bill Ingram:
That's because the Kings are talking about trading Kevin Martin. They talked about it last season before the deadline and I'm hearing it again. It helps stoke the flames of the rumor mill when you draft a guy who plays his position - and he averages 25 ppg when Martin is out (ok, that's just two games). The Kings would like to get out from under Martin's contract, and the Rockets would definitely listen if they called.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Chat.asp?CHAT_TOPICS_ID=581

Martin to have Surgery

B-RAD — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:13:51 -0000

Martin to have Surgery

The wait begins...

Kings request waivers on Desmond Mason

B-RAD — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:18:17 -0000

Kings request waivers on Desmond Mason

My 90 year old Nana from a couple years ago. I watch this little clip once a year before the season...

B-RAD — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:46:53 -0000

My 90 year old Nana from a couple years ago. I watch this little clip once a year before the season and it still makes me laugh. Thought I'd share enjoy!!!!!

The ESPN "Experts" Pick

B-RAD — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:01:44 -0000

The ESPN "Experts" Pick

Hey not all of them have us at last place....yay!!!!!!

Martin: Kings Not My Team

B-RAD — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:43:44 -0000

Martin: Kings Not My Team

I rerally dont know what to say about it

The rumor is that if the team ends up being a second-tier club, which is what is expected, Alston's...

B-RAD — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 19:26:40 -0000

The rumor is that if the team ends up being a second-tier club, which is what is expected, Alston's agent will be pushing for his fella to get traded, especially since such teams as the Sacramento Kings and Philadelphia 76ers could use a talented point guard, according to the Newark Star-Ledger. Plus, Alston is in the last year of his contract.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/rumors/post/Nets-Alston-getting-traded-this-season-?urn=nba,195028#comments

The Lowly Kings

B-RAD — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:41:18 -0000

Ok this is my first post so bear with me. This is pretty much just a rant but have anyone notice that everytime you read an article on yahoo sports or espn.com the writer refers to the Kings as the "lowly kings". Now i understand we suck and we are "lowly" but i have read this like 5 times in different articles. Cant these professional writers think of a better word than "lowly" or at least mix it up a bit. Thats all Go Kings