SB Nation User Blog: otis29

ESPN NBA Rumors - Diogu not coming back?

otis29 — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:46:43 -0000

ESPN NBA Rumors - Diogu not coming back?

I didn't see this up on the site yet, but I'll delete if I'm mistaken. This is an Insider feature, so enter at your own risk. Here is the relevant information (and why can't we blockquote in the link area of Fanshots - or am I just missing something?):

"FREE AGENCY: Diogu's return to Kings unlikely

The Sacramento Bee reports Ike Diogu has not heard from the Kings since they declined to tender him a qualifying offer.

"I was disappointed (the Kings declined the offer), because I felt that I handled myself extremely well in a very tough situation last year," Diogu said. "I felt I could've helped the team a lot earlier than I was given the chance to, and I felt like they knew what they were getting."

Diogu's agent told the newspaper that he has no reason to believe his client is in the Kings' plans.

"I haven't had any conversations with them (since the offer was declined)," Thaddeus Foucher said. "With the way they finished up, I thought we could've got something done really quick, but obviously they went in a different direction and that's their prerogative. (But) if you look at the team and what they need, I think he'd be a perfect fit."

Are These Desperate Times?

otis29 — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 23:51:29 -0000

As the summer of 2009 approaches its halfway point, I find myself in a strange position. My first sporting love has always been baseball, and the team I’ve lived and died with since I was a young boy – the San Francisco Giants – are having a surprisingly fine season, and seem to have that “magic” that occasionally goes hand-in-hand with a team unexpectedly thrust into playoff contention. Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain are both among the early favorites to win the NL Cy Young award, the bullpen is solid after some really ugly years, and the team is actually getting production from some of its homegrown bats. Add to this, I frequent McCovey Chronicles, arguably the finest, most entertaining sports message board on the ‘net. The energy that one feels as a Giants fan right now is off the charts.

Another of my passions is fantasy football, which satisfies the stats geek side of my personality to no end. Normally, at this time of the year, I'd have a few spreadsheets thrown together and I'd be setting up player ratings by position and hanging out at a few different fantasy football sites getting the inside info that will assist me come draft day. And on draft day, I will spend five or six hours with a dozen of my oldest friends and catch up on what's happening in their lives. I usually start getting excited for draft day two or three months out (yes, I'm turning into an old fogie).

So why is it I find myself spending most of my available internet time here at SacTown Royalty? Three and a half months out from the start of the regular season - and I'm arguing (seemingly endlessly) about Tyreke Evans' ability to play the point guard position in the NBA, and loving every minute of it.

Have I gone mad? Am I depressed? Have the years of caffeine abuse finally caught up to me?

There is something about this particular version of the Sacramento Kings I find increasingly compelling. Not that I sense this team will be substantially better record-wise than in the '08-'09 season. And not that I think Paul Westphal is a Rick Adelman redux. Nope, there is something more working here. And I think I've figured it out - the word that would most likely apply to my current mental state regarding this team is "desperation".

As I've written here in the past, my connection to this Kings franchise goes back to it's very first days as a Sacramento entity. During my senior year of high school, I was lucky enough to spend a fairly significant amount of time with many of the original Kings and their families, most notably LaSalle Thompson and Mike Woodson. Having been a huge sports fan growing up, and still absorbing the notion that our little 'burg really had a professional team coming to town - I felt like a lottery winner when I discovered that many of the Kings were moving into homes within a block or two of my parent's home. Before I would finish up high school and move out of that house, I would get to know a few of those Kings fairly well - and not a one of them ever gave off the vibe you would expect from an elite athlete. What a great group of ambassadors the Kings were lucky enough to bring with them from Kansas City.

So there was an immediate connection with this franchise, one that gradually pushed my Giants down to second fiddle on the hierarchy of "important things" in my life. A quarter of a century later (wow), and nothing has changed in that regard. They are still numero uno, the bomb, the one team I'd take with me if I were stranded on a desert island.

But that still doesn't explain the feeling of desperation I have over the impending Kings season. I think I've known for a while now that this is THE most important season ever of Kings basketball.

There is the most obvious issue - a small market team with declining attendance and arena issues needs to improve to get butts in the seat to get that arena built and ensure its continued existence in said market.

Additionally, you have a highly regarded general manager that appears to be in the twilight of his career. His missteps of the last few seasons have been well documented, and the question surrounding him is whether the condition of this team is related more to an attempt to delay blowing up the team to reach for a championship ring, or to the possibility that the game has passed Geoff Petrie by. Players come and go, but NBA general managers of Geoff Petrie's caliber are hard to find. As a fanbase, I know we all hope that Petrie still has whatever "it" is and can get this team back into contention rather than visiting Secaucus every June.

The short-term outlook is fairly positive. Petrie (or the calendar if you are a cynic) has shed the team of most of its ornery contracts. This franchise has drafted at its highest position since 1989 and appears to have found a dynamic young talent in Tyreke Evans. The frontcourt may need a defensive/rebounding specialist, but seems to have found a solid tandem in Spencer Hawes and Jason Thompson. And the still young Kevin Martin adds the type of efficient scorer any team with playoff aspirations would love to have. In short, there is some talent on the roster, and some tradeable assets (including KTEC). These are not your Kings of the late 80's and early 90's, devoid of wins and talent.

Looking at these last few paragraphs makes me think of one question - is this the beginning of the end, or the end of the beginning?

And this is where the word "desperation" comes into play. If Petrie & Co. have made the wrong decisions - if Tyreke Evans does turn into the next Larry Hughes or John Salmons, if the team makes another putrid signing with the mid-level exception, if Donté Greene and Omri Casspi end up netting us nothing from the Ron Artest deal - we may well be seeing the end of our beloved franchise in Sacramento. Another seventeen win season and an average attendance of around 10k per game (I believe) results in a relocation request by ownership.

Maybe this is why I've turned into such an unabashed fanboy of the Maloofs and Petrie and Tyreke Evans. I think at this point, I have to have faith they are going to turn this thing around. Because the alternative is unthinkable.

Although Millsap is a restricted free agent, meaning the Jazz can match any offer, the Blazers are...

otis29 — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:33:05 -0000

Although Millsap is a restricted free agent, meaning the Jazz can match any offer, the Blazers are preparing what one source called a "toxic" offer designed to exterminate interest from other teams.

...

If Millsap signs an offer sheet accepting the Blazers' deal, Utah will have seven days to match the offer. The Jazz is already facing the luxury tax next season with a team salary of more than $73 million. Their finances, and prospects of competing with a lucrative offer to Millsap, took a hit last week when Carlos Boozer ($12.6 million), Mehmet Okur ($9 million) and Kyle Korver ($5.1 million) all exercised options to stay in Utah.

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/07/blazers_preparing_offer_for_ut.html

Bill Simmons Hits a Home Run

otis29 — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:33:13 -0000

Bill Simmons Hits a Home Run

I've sort of weened myself off of the Sports Guy over the last few years - for many reasons, but primarily because he's been insufferable since Boston turned into Title Town. He's also anti-blog and anti-small/middle markets, and has become more of a bully and less of a voice of the common fan IMO.

But this is a pretty damn good read. You may disagree with his solutions, but I think he hits the mark regarding this year's playoffs. There have been some potentially all-time great series going, but the officiating has made them more of a disjointed mess than they should be.

Silliest Feud Ever

otis29 — Mon, 18 May 2009 19:12:23 -0000

Silliest Feud Ever

Mark Cuban should just call the man and his mother and apologize. He started this nonsense and he should take the high road and end it.

I enjoyed this Kenyon Martin quote though:

"The world got to see it before the person who it was meant for got to see it. That tells you how that goes. I ain't never known nobody apology to somebody through other people."

That statement is reason #1235 to cross the University of Cincinnati off my daughter's list of potential college choices.

Open Playoff Thread

otis29 — Sun, 10 May 2009 00:14:17 -0000

Sorry if there is one out there that I missed...and moderators, feel free to replace this with something more official. But we really need another open playoff thread.

Bummer for Dallas today, they got the screwjob at the end. It looked pretty clear to me that the Dallas player was trying to use their extra foul on Carmelo prior to him making the game winning three.

I eagerly anticipate Cuban's next post to his blog, and the subsequent enormous fine the NBA will dole out. He appeared fairly homicidal on the court after the game.

OT: Manny Suspended for Violating MLB Drug Policy

otis29 — Thu, 07 May 2009 15:54:21 -0000

OT: Manny Suspended for Violating MLB Drug Policy

Well, this will give ESPN something to obsess over for the next month or so...

Henderson Declares for the Draft

otis29 — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 20:42:15 -0000

Henderson Declares for the Draft

No agent, though.

Hath noone noticed??

otis29 — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:50:12 -0000

Hath noone noticed??

There is now a Sam Amick amongst us.

Three interviews at KHTK.com

otis29 — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:40:35 -0000

Three interviews at KHTK.com

As much as I dislike KHTK, it really is the only place to hear Kings discussion in Sacramento. Three things you may want to take a listen to:

First is the John Moag interview from March 2nd. Kudos to Grant and Mike for a solid interview, asking all the right questions.

Second is the Gavin Maloof trainwreck of an interview from March 11th. Lord knows I've defended the Maloof brothers regularly around here, but this was unconscionable. When are these guys going to get a VP type that can elucidate the direction of the franchise in a better manner? Grant and Mike bent over backwards to try to lead that horse to water (aka not sound like a jackass), but he wouldn't drink. Say what you want about a guy like Ralph Barbieri, he wouldn't have beaten around the bush and would have (rightfully) hammered Gavin for the nonsense he was spewing.

Third is the item at the top entitled "Bobby Jackson on REVENGE". Let's hope that Donté isn't in the car when Bobby burns it down.