Sacramento Kings 2018-2019 Preseason Media Presser

[NOLa.]

Welcome everyone to yet another edition of the Sacramento Kings Preseason Media Presser! As always, I like to begin with a look at the previous season for us and how it ended, and going through to the offseason up to training camp.

This time last season in my media presser, the main goal was to make the playoffs. After not making the playoffs the season before that with basically the same starting group, I knew my roster had talent led by Derrick Rose and that the playoffs were a good goal to set. With the almost the same starting lineup going into last season, I bolstered my bench with some solid signings that I felt fit the team. I made a couple of trades in the season, one that swapped Reggie Jackson for Iman Shumpert and the other that brought in Jeff Teague and Nicholas Batum for points. The moves were simple but effective in building a team that could pass the ball and play defense. I went on to win the Pacific division unexpectedly and with fierce competitiveness by the Clippers, obtained the #1 overall seed in the West, and made it to a Game 7 Finals overtime experience that ended in a loss to the Detroit Pistons.

It was a spectacular season. I cannot put it in any other way.

Going into the offseason, I was presented a difficult decision to make: Rose, Barnes and Shumpert were all under contract into the next season and roll with the same group that made the Finals, or take notice that Jeffrey Duren is the future and to begin collecting young assets to grow with him. A choice of “use Duren to build the team” or “build a team around Duren.” The other factor is that I just went $19M deep into the tax, and with Rose and Noel under max contracts and Duren’s RFA coming up, there was no cap relief coming up for any of the subsequent seasons. It was tough, but the decision to build a team around Duren and relief cap was the right choice.

I began by sending Derrick Rose to the Portland Trailblazers for young PG Ronald Small and SG Lawrence Arbogast. Small’s passing, defense and athleticism was noted by our scouting department this season. I then sent over Iman Shumpert to the Cleveland Cavaliers for the #14 pick of the draft and Harrison Barnes to the Philadelphia 76ers for the #10 pick of the draft. With the 10th and 14th pick, I selected SF Don Houghton and PF Arthur Hardie.

The RFA period was quiet. Jokic was a douche.

The UFA period was quiet but successful. With a rebuilding team I only looked to grab key backups that would be great role players on competitive teams on very affordable contracts. I was able to bring in Joel Embiid, Paul Webb, William Turner, Kevin Quinn and Elias Satterfield. I think most of these guys will find new homes on a competitive team by the end of the season.

Training camp was a mixed bag that has left me uneasy going into future camps. The good news is that the team overall had a solid camp with improvements in their currents. What left me feeling uneasy was the fact that a total of 5 guys received hits in their potentials on the team. 2 of them were insured (Duren and Pearsall), but new rookie Don Houghton was hit and Noel once again has been a bitter disappointment in training camp two seasons in a row. Pearsall jumped to blue potential despite being hit due to insurance saving him an his athleticism jumping enough to push him into blue potential territory.

Looking forward this is meant to be a rebuild season, but the Pacific looks terrible. It’s possible to be somewhat competitive with this team, but I wouldn’t expect any big moves or a push from my team this season.

Floor is open to questions.

[false9]

What would you consider a successful season for you?

[Inner_GI]

You cite future tax implications as the reason to rebuild now, but do you think it was too soon with the landscape of the West? You'd have a cakewalk to the finals for 2-3 seasons if your kept your team going.

[digiskunk]

What are you expecting out of Ronald Small's sophomore season? Will Paul Webb be your starting point guard?

[NOLa.]

What would you consider a successful season for you?

A successful season for me would be to trade off some of the role players I have and to get my rookie contract guys the most minutes I can possibly play them.

A bonus would be to trade for Desantis.


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[NOLa.]

You cite future tax implications as the reason to rebuild now, but do you think it was too soon with the landscape of the West? You'd have a cakewalk to the finals for 2-3 seasons if your kept your team going.

The West is pretty open but I’m hopeful it will remain that way for a few more seasons as my team grows. As good as my previous team was, this new core I’m building will be better. I


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[NOLa.]

What are you expecting out of Ronald Small's sophomore season? Will Paul Webb be your starting point guard?

Ronald Small has a terrific camp, 2nd best overall if I’m remembering right, but he is still so very very raw. I’d expect some improvement in his numbers last season but nothing to write home about.

Paul Webb will be a great backup to Small, but I’m hopeful to find him a team that needs either a starting PG or a strong bench guy.


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[trillotto]

With a logjam of talented young bigs, how will you prioritize minutes? Is there a possibility of moving frontcourt players for help at the thin guard positions and to allow for prospects like Pearsall and Hardie to get reps?

[NOLa.]

With a logjam of talented young bigs, how will you prioritize minutes? Is there a possibility of moving frontcourt players for help at the thin guard positions and to allow for prospects like Pearsall and Hardie to get reps?

Right now the plan is to actually start Pearsall at PF and Ferris at C, and have Hardie come in and take up some of the remaining minutes. The rest of the frontcourt will receive limited minutes to allow my rookies to maximize the minutes needed for rookie contract trainings. I’m hopeful to be able to move one or more of the frontcourt pieces for picks or points, like Embiid and and Turner.


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[digiskunk]

Rafael Santiago, ESPN Deportes. Would you rather have sex with your cousin in secret or not have sex with your cousin but everyone would think you did?

[WigNosy]

What is Noel’s future with the Kings?

[Darth Vegito]

I'm told you had the best training camp overall out of all the teams. How do you have such great training camp luck? And how do you always downplay your amazing training camps so well!?

[ballsohard]

We know the plan was to play duren as a bigger 1 when he was drafted. Despite this, you’ve routinely gone out and gotten more traditional 1’s to lead the team . Is this an indication that Duren’s main position won’t be leading the offense but more of a scorer who can pass at the 2? What made you decide to move forward this way?

[garbageman]

With your team swinging from contender to rebuilder year in and year out as of late, is this a rebuild that you plan on sticking with, especially with the Pacific division remaining fairly wide open?

[kucoach7]

Is Arbogast in your long term plans or do you see him more as a piece to be moved later?

[NOLa.]

What is Noel’s future with the Kings?

I am counting down the days until his contract ends. I personally will take bitter satisfaction watching him ride the bench earning 0 minutes a game.


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[NOLa.]

I'm told you had the best training camp overall out of all the teams. How do you have such great training camp luck? And how do you always downplay your amazing training camps so well!?

The great overall camp was due to not having a player over 25 with many raw players nowhere near their potential caps. Unfortunately where the team fell short was the potentials training, but it is what it is. We’ve had GMs complain and whine about single hits, and as much as 5 hits suck, I try not to dwell on it. 2 players got saved and the rest were not so fortunate. I guess my insurance investment was out to use is the silver lining.


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[NOLa.]

We know the plan was to play duren as a bigger 1 when he was drafted. Despite this, you’ve routinely gone out and gotten more traditional 1’s to lead the team . Is this an indication that Duren’s main position won’t be leading the offense but more of a scorer who can pass at the 2? What made you decide to move forward this way?

The original plan was to move Duren later in his career to PG, but you’re right I’ve changed my mind before he even played his first NBA game.

The change was a particular build I want to attempt from the ground up. I want my backcourt guys to do two things well: pass and defend. I call those two skills the “team player skills” that will help any team. Having two guards with good athleticism that can lockdown defend and pass was the goal, and I’m ecstatic having Small.


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[NOLa.]

With your team swinging from contender to rebuilder year in and year out as of late, is this a rebuild that you plan on sticking with, especially with the Pacific division remaining fairly wide open?

This is the core I want: Small/Duren/Pearsall. I’m still searching for the other pieces, but this core I’m confident in letting grow. The Pacific is open currently, but let’s be serious here, who else besides my team is currently building for the long-term? The Suns and Clippers still have the Kevin’s that are finally entering the 30s and the Lakers/Warriors GMs have been MIA.

Yes, the Pacific is open now, but trust me when I say I scout the league and the Pacific will be open for seasons until someone changes their direction here. I’ll begin building for the future so I can compete for a dynasty, not a season.


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[NOLa.]

Is Arbogast in your long term plans or do you see him more as a piece to be moved later?

I can definitely see Arbogast being a long term piece. He’s not going to be a starter but he can be an affordable piece to keep for seasons as a role player.


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[78#]

How much of a factor was Rose's contract when deciding on a rebuild?


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