S9 Kings Pre-Season Presser

[Darth Vegito]

Darth walks up to the podium with a vigor that hasn't been seen in years.

"Well… I’ll tell you what—this isn’t some mystery team walking into the season hoping things “come together.” We’ve got a very clear idea of who we are, how we’re going to play, and more importantly, how we’re going to make life difficult on just about everybody we line up against. This isn’t going to be slow-it-down, pound-it-inside, take 20 seconds off the clock basketball. That’s not who we are, and frankly, that’s not where this league is headed. We’re going to play fast, we’re going to spread the floor, and we’re going to put pressure on defenses from the moment the ball crosses half court.

Now you start with your backcourt, because that’s where this thing really takes shape. You’ve got Mark Price running the show for 40 minutes, and I don’t think there are many guards in this league who can control tempo and still hurt you from the outside the way he can. He’s steady, he’s smart, and if you give him an inch, he’ll make you pay for it. Alongside him, you’ve got Mitch Richmond, and I’ll be honest with you—that’s a tough cover for anybody. He’s going to carry a heavy load for us, and we expect him to. He can score in a variety of ways, he’s physical enough to handle contact, and when he gets into a rhythm, he can take over stretches of a game in a hurry.

Then you bring in Reggie Miller on the wing, and now you’re talking about a team that can really stretch a defense. Reggie’s not just standing around waiting—he’s moving, working, forcing defenders to chase him every second he’s on the floor. You lose him once, just once, and that’s usually enough. What that does is open things up for everybody else, because now teams have decisions to make, and most teams don’t like making decisions under pressure.

Up front, we’re doing things a little differently, and I know that raises some eyebrows. We’ve got Thurl Bailey playing a lot of minutes at center, and that’s by design. He gives us mobility, he gives us skill, and he gives us the ability to pull bigger centers away from the basket. Not every club is comfortable defending that, and we think that’s something we can take advantage of over the course of a game. Alongside him, you’ve got A. C. Green, and I don’t think he gets enough credit for what he does. He rebounds, he defends, he plays within himself, and he brings a level of consistency that every good team needs. He’s going to do a lot of the work that doesn’t show up in headlines, but it’s the kind of work that wins you games.

Now, one thing I’ll say about this club—we’re not just relying on five players. Our bench is going to matter. Calvin Natt is going to play significant minutes for us, and rightfully so. He’s versatile, he can score, and he gives us flexibility depending on matchups. Wallace Bryant gives us some size when we need it, Larry Drew settles things down when we need a steady hand, and we’ve got experienced players like Otis Birdsong and George Gervin who understand how to play this game. That’s important over a long season. You’re not going to get through this schedule with just your starting five.

Offensively, we’re going to push the pace and look to score early when the opportunity is there, but we’re not reckless. We want good shots, we want spacing, and we want to make defenses work for 48 minutes. We’ll take our share of outside shots, no question about that, but it’s not just about shooting—it’s about creating the right opportunities. If teams collapse, we’ll make them pay from the perimeter. If they stay home, we’ll attack. It’s about balance, even if it looks a little different than what some people are used to.

Defensively, we’re going to mix things up. You’re going to see man, you’re going to see help, you might see some traps here and there—we’re not going to let teams get comfortable. The goal is to keep opponents guessing just enough to disrupt their rhythm. And when you combine that with our emphasis on rebounding, especially on the defensive glass, we think we can control possessions and give ourselves more opportunities on the other end.

Now, I’m not going to sit here and tell you everything is perfect. We’re not the biggest team in the league, and there will be nights where we’re challenged physically. That’s part of it. But we believe our strengths—our speed, our shooting, our versatility—can offset that. This is a team built to play a certain way, and we’re going to lean into that.

As far as expectations go, we’re not coming into this season hoping to “hang around.” We expect to compete, and we expect to win. There are good teams in this division, no question about it—we’re well aware of that —but we didn’t build this roster to sit back and admire anybody. We built it to challenge them.

At the end of the day, we think we’ve got a group that’s going to be exciting to watch, difficult to prepare for, and capable of playing with anyone in this league. Now it’s just a matter of going out there and proving it.

We’re looking forward to getting started.

What questions ya got???"

[Eazy P]

Are you excited about Natt's return and also Mitch going purple in his 1st camp is great for your team. Do you change you make any changes to your training staff to get the best out of you players?

[Darth Vegito]

Are you excited about Natt's return and also Mitch going purple in his 1st camp is great for your team. Do you change you make any changes to your training staff to get the best out of you players?

Very excited about Calvin being back in KC. We always loved him and what he brought to our team. He helped bring this organization it's first title and I'm excited that he has a chance to help us bring another. If everything works out, we'd love for him to retire a King but we'll see how the future unfolds.

As far as training goes, the franchise is a tad bit strapped for cash at the moment so training may have to take a small back seat. But as we build our chest back up we'll see how the start of the season goes and make decisions based on that. Mitch did have a great TC and we are looking forward to seeing how he enjoys his Rookie of the Year trophy.

[greepleairport]

As Natt’s recent former home, I must confess he underperformed our expectations in golden state. Yes- he was 6th man of the year last year, but we had to get creative making sure he took less jump shots and more inside shots where he’s proven to be more effective. How do you stop him from taking 10+ jump shots a game at a 35% clip?? Do you think he’ll be 6th man of the year two years in a row?


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[AngryBanana]

Chet Youbetcha, Dimmadome News: Can you talk about the Hornets getting Reggie Williams and what lead you to chose him as your choice for the expansion draft?

[NickMalone77]

Nick Melon; Charlotte Observer: Given how young and explosive the Kings could be in the year ahead with the guards on the roster, you made it a point to acquire a talent big in AC Green. What went into that process and how does that possibly change the look of the Kings from just being more than outside focus team?

[WigNosy]

Steve Duin, the Oregonian:

Thurl Bailey really blossomed last year as your offensive focal point; any concerns that running more of the offense through Mitch Richmond will hurt Thurl's focus on the defensive end as he gets fewer offensive touches?