4. There are 96 minutes at the PG and SG spots.  The Kings have the following players who look to see minutes at those spots: Tyreke Evans, Marcus Thornton (it’s likely he’ll re-sign), Jimmer Fredette, Francisco Garcia, and John Salmons (who is more of a two than a three really).  Where does Aaron Brooks playing time come in?  The Kings also may have Pooh Jeter and/or Isaiah Thomas for spot minutes or as injury insurance (it remains to be seen whether Jeter’s team option will be picked up or if Thomas makes the team) 

via Sactown Royalty – For Sacramento Kings Fans.

Through the lens of a possible Aaron Brooks acquisition in restricted free agency, Aykis touches on the Kings’ current situation. Oh, hey, I found a digital representation.

 

It’s key to note here that I was the guy who said the Bulls should pass on Rose because they already had Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon. It’s also important to note Jimmer Fredette isn’t Kirk Hinrich (KURT!).

When the Salmons trade went down, Internet 911 was actually called to STR to try and contain the riots that broke out. They get it. But since they’re stuck with him, and there’s no way that Jimmer’s as bad as people like me think he is (nor as good as people like, well, you know, the Jimmer people think he is), we might as well take a look at what’s going on there.

The more I’ve thought about it, the more this draft means one of two things. Either this draft was about Reke, or it was about Reke. Let me explain.

1. The Kings may believe that Reke will never fulfill the promise of his rookie season, and want him to be the utility 2-3 slasher, finishing at the rim with that explosiveness and in need of a star creator. Under this paradigm the belief is that Jimmer can become that player more easily than Evans can. It’s partially built on doubts about Evans, which the Kings have slowly gathered more and more on (as seen in how they’ve modified his role throughout his two seasons, injuries not withstanding). It’s a stupid idea but if it works out, they look like freaking geniuses. Additionally, it puts Reke in a position to focus more on defending whoever the bigger, faster, more athletic of the opponents’ point guard, shooting guard, or small forward. With fewer responsibilities on offense, Evans can use his athletic talents in complimentary functions, as weird as that sounds. He’s going to need to be able to guard the best perimeter player because Fredette has to be placed on the single worst guy to step outside the arc for the other team. Salmons can cover the other, or Thornton can.

The actual most interesting lineup here is one of Jimmer-Thornton-Salmons in a small-ball lineup. Because any lineup with Evans not at point with any combination of the other two will just be frustrating. “Why is Evans not running point when the defense has so many fewer matchups on him than Jimmer?” “Why isn’t Reke creating for Thornton instead of watching Jimmer dribble around and shoot long 3s?” Maybe Fredette becomes a great passer, and you could see that happening in the small-ball lineup.

The best way to use these four would actually be in the triangle with Cousins. Have Jimmer bring the ball up the floor, regal, proud, hopefully mustachioed, then have his ass go sit in the corner and wait for the kick out like a good spot-up shooter. Run the triangle with Evans and Thornton/Salmons with DMC and you’ve got a nasty bit of balance with an offensive set that I think is one big fabrication built to make Phil Jackson seem like more of an X’s and O’s genius than he is.

2. This really is about saying “We know Reke can be the playmaker and creator on offense. We drafted Fredette to give him someone to throw to who isn’t Beno Udrih on the perimeter.” It’s kind of a weird reaction considering Buckets is sitting there, probably pissed off beyond all reason about having his FGA’s sliced in half during the course of 12 hours, but at least it maximizes the star player and the No.10 pick in the draft. Under this guise, Evans becomes more in the model of what James has done in Miami, kind of like if Iguodala ran point. He’s still going to need to be that defensive presence, still going to need to fill in the holes offensively, but this time he starts with the ball versus having to find it or give Jimmer the chance to find him. Fredette gets to focus on slipping screens and taking advantage of whatever mismatches he gets (if he can find one, I’m still not sold this magical shot-creation ability is going to translate as well when you’ve got Ty Lawson’s closing speed or Rondo’s creepy long hands bearing down on him).

Of course all this ignores the real reason Fredette was brought in, ticket sales. Which isn’t bad. He’s a good player, with his floor an Adam Morrison bomb-out but his likely spot a J.J. Redick 3-point specialist who busts his ass for three years to get good at defense.

Oh, yeah, I’m aware that I’m not supposed to compare him to Morrison and Redick because they’re white. Sadly:

Morrison was a weirdly shaped gunner who shot a lot of bad shots in college and made a bunch of them, was considered a “special” player for a non-big-name school and was supposed to defy all the odds.

Redick was a pure shooter who had a deceptive amount of athleticism and a work ethic that should translate to the NBA level and he could knock down shots from damn near anywhere.

So let’s just settle down on the bristling just because those guys were white. I’m not using racial basketball stereotypes. I’m using goofy-looking motherf*cker basketball stereotypes.