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HP 2011-12 Season Preview: Jimmer. OK, OK, The Sacramento Kings. But Really, Jimmer.

December 23, 2011 in by with 0 Comments

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone. The lockout has lifted, we have a season, can I get an Amen? (Amen.) And in the spirit of renewal, our shiny new cadre of writers is putting together previews for all 30 teams in true HP style. From where teams are going to what their disgrace is to explorations of pop culture, we are about to rock, salute us, can I get an Amen? (Amen.) So sit back, relax, and ponder the awesomeness of this fully operational Hardwood Paroxysm 3.0. -Ed. 

Photo from Davers via Flickr

Quo Vadimus (Where Are We Going?)

By Noam Schiller

Call me old-fashioned, but I just don’t get reality television.

 It’s not that I’m an angry spinster that derives pleasure from raining in on joyous parades. There are plenty of things that I find entertaining in this world. But filmed, unscripted dysfunction theatrically brought to life through the vessel of self-entitlement that is a Snoochy or a Dauly P or a Ronkie-poodle or whatever current never-ending abyss calls itself? On my list, that ranks slightly below watching paint dry.

It’s not that I’m opposed to people doing incredibly stupid things, either. The innermost depths of failure can be a fascinating thing if presented correctly. The problem with reality television is how it insists on focusing on a group of people with absolutely nothing to offer. Which defeats the entire point. Failure can be fascinating, but only if it involves actual underachieving talent. It’s why the mid-2000s Knicks were fascinating while the 09-10 Nets or the 10-11 Cavs were just sad.

The Sacramento Kings may or may not fail this season. They most certainly will involve quite a bit of dysfunction. But one thing if for sure – you won’t be lamenting a lack of talent.

DeMarcus Cousins has a legitimate claim for most talented player in the league, and anybody claiming otherwise just hasn’t bothered watching him. A 6’11″, 270 frame, a rare combination of soft hands and rugged strength, a monstrous rebounder, a deft passer, and just 21 years old? Ignore the situation going on inside that noggin and tell me where you’ve seen a more complete hypothetical package.

ALL DEMARCUS WANTS TO DO IS LEARN

And DeMarcus isn’t even the best player on the team at this point. Tyreke Evans had him some plantar fasciitis fun last season, sending even the most loyal fans tumbling into a heap of frustration and pessimism. But how easy it is to forget just how good a healthy Evans was just 20 months ago – and he couldn’t even shoot! Sure, you always run the risk of him never actually learning how to shoot, but why would you even think of that? Why are you such a heartless bastard? WHY DO YOU HATE TYREKE EVANS?!

Unless you’re Byron Scott or Monty Williams, you can’t hate Marcus Thornton. 2 years and a new contract in, we should all realize what Marcus Thornton is – a fantastic, dare I say elite scorer, who is probably best suited coming off the bench but should play 30 minutes a night regardless how the game starts. Buckets gets Buckets, and he gets ‘em good.

And it continues down the roster. Jason Thompson may have been the exact same player for 3 years, but that player is a good NBA big man. J.J. Hickson can’t make a defensive rotation to save his life, but his hippity-hoppity brand of ineptitude is, at the very least, entertaining. Isaiah Thomas is not only named Isaiah Thomas, he also just happens to be an explosive 5’8″ shooting guard that isn’t named Nate Robinson. The league can never have enough of those. And The Jimmer. Good lord, The Jimmer. Call it divine intervention, call it freaky coincidence, but never have you seen a 32 footer so smooth. Heck, never have you seen anything so smooth.

The Kings still need the talent they have to work out. But at least they got it, loaded up the good ole Chuckwagon (finally), and are taking it for a ride. It’s just the first, second and third steps in a multiple-step journey towards respectability, but they’ve made multiple steps, and it’s hard to find fault in that.

Popular Theories  in Emerging  Basketball-Cultural Cross-References

by Curtis Harris

I’ve got Boogie Fever. You should, too. Why?

Because Demarcus “Boogie” Cousins is on the roster. The Boogie Man in the middle is a handful for opponents, especially when he hasn’t scuttled his own play with dumb fouls. However, there are other reasons to get the Boogie Fever with the Kings.

There are seven, count ‘em, 7 players on this roster between 6’6″ and 6’9″. Such equity in height hasn’t been achieved since… wouldn’t you know it… 1975 when the Sylvers were singing and dancing their butts off to… wait for it… Boogie Fever.* I hereby petition the Sacramento Kings to make a team video of Tyreke Evans, Francisco Garcia, Tyler Honeycutt and other dapper Kings regally getting down.

[flash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHKCHvpYq_8 w=600 h=400]

*Other boogie songs you should consider playing while watching the Kings: “Boogie Oogie Oogie“, “Blame it on the Boogie“, “Boogie Down“, “Jungle Boogie“, “Boogie on Reggae Woman“, “Boogie Ain’t Nuttin’ (But Gettin’ Down)“, “Aqua Boogie (A Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop)“, “I’m Your Boogie Man“, “Boogie Shoes“, “Boogie Wonderland” and “Move Your Boogie Body“.

Boogie Nights  the film was considered for discussion, but this is a family blog.

The Disgrace

By Noam Schiller

If you’re trying to develop talent, you need many things. And that environment needs to be monitored by a capable headmaster.

And then you have Paul Westphal.

Let me get this out of the way right off the bat: if the Kings’ youngsters fail to reach their considerable potential, it won’t be because of Westphal. The talent runs too deep for a single man to destroy, and the obstacles that stand in the way are easily apparent regardless of who’s it is running the show from behind the sidelines. It certainly isn’t hard to imagine a guy like DeMarcus Cousins flaming out even with the steadiest hand available showing him the way, and he could just as easily become a perennial MVP candidate even if the only coaching he ever gets is a bunch of Teletubbies standing behind him yelling “again! Again!” after he rips the arms off an unsuspecting defender.

But Paul Westphal is a horrible, horrible start.

His offense is “uhm, guys, we should probably score, K?”. His defense is “remember that thing I told you about scoring when we were on offense? Well, that’s a no-no”. His rotations change nightly, his substitutions random. There is no rhythm, rhyme, or reason – just a big ole “what?” dabbled with “why?”.

If your response to that last paragraph was “isn’t that the exact opposite of an ideal talent-developing system?”, the answer is yes. Consistency, stability, a clearly established and logically plausible grid of Dos and Don’ts – all absent, in the name of Westphal’s Whims. It’s a shame, because he strikes us as a genuinely nice person, but it makes watching what should be a fascinating team a frustrating chore.

You can do it, Paul. Just put the Tyler Honeycutt peg into the Small Forward hole.

Let’s Start A Cult About Really Really Enjoy: Jimmer Fredette

by Connor Huchton

Beyond all of the pointless hype and overwrought criticism, Jimmer Fredette possesses the tools to become a very good NBA player. Most evaluations of what Jimmer can contribute as an NBA player begin and end with his weaknesses (that’s the case with many players), but fail to understand one of Jimmer’s great capabilities: Capitalizing on his own strengths.

What makes Jimmer interesting beyond the boring narrative is what he can do so well: Shoot from anywhere on the floor. But his skills are far from encapsulated by the simple idea of the three-pointer. He can drive and pull up, he’s quick, and he has the depth of experience to know exactly what works for him and what doesn’t. Some of what he relied on may not translate to the NBA directly, but some of it absolutely will. The flashes of skill have been presented in spades during Jimmer’s first two preseason games (16.5 PPG on great shooting numbers), as have his weaknesses.

Jimmer will struggle to finish at the basket in the NBA, and his first step won’t prove as lethal against the league’s incredible athletes. He’ll try and fail to score against numerous matchups, especially in his rookie season. He’ll likely never be a star, though I’m certain jersey sales and endorsement deals may indicate otherwise. While those weaknesses will hinder Jimmer’s ability to become a solid NBA starter, his undervalued passing ability will expedite that process. He’s no longer on a BYU team that demands his every shot, and he’s shown the willingness to alter his game accordinly in two preseason games. The issue isn’t whether Jimmer can pass competently. He has that ability. The question is whether he’ll choose to pass, and early signs indicate he will.

I don’t want to start “a cult” about Jimmer Fredette. That line of thinking has become far too prevalent already. But I do want to be excited about a young, exciting player with quantifiable NBA skills. And that’s what Jimmer is now, once you navigate past the craze and hype. Just an NBA player, and an incredibly fun one to watch play.

[flash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqX_b_Bu4hI]

Choose Your Own Idol

June 27, 2011 in by with 0 Comments

Photo by What What on Flickr

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.

“There’s tons of critics out there,” Jimmer said.  ”There’s always been, my entire career and there’s some people that really like me and some that hate me.  There’s both ends of the spectrum and it’s my job to go out there and hopefully make them all love me and I think I can do that.”

Jimmer politely answered every question thrown at him today.  An unfamiliar media group hounded him with the mundane.  They hit him with everything from what will be his signature dance move to whether he’s the next Steve Kerr.  He smiled, he laughed, and through it all, he was a seasoned pro.  Late in the process, he slipped out this tidbit slip.

“It’s a team game and I’m not going to just be the star right away going into this league,” he said.  ”I realize that and I’m fine with that.  It’s a building process.”

I’m not going to just be a star right away?  Interesting line.  Seems like this kid enjoys the pressure and I think Kings fans are going to like him just fine.

via Cowbell Kingdom.com – A Sacramento Kings Blog.

That’s probably the area where I underestimate Jimmer the most. If he doesn’t try and come in and destroy everyone with those 40-foot gunners, if he doesn’t try and come in and save the day, if he just accepts he’s going to be a role player and goes to work every day? Honestly, if he takes the same approach J.J. Redick has taken in his career? The kid’s going to work out and could be the James Harden to this team’s Thunder.

Yeah, they’ll be a lot like that, with Evans as Durant, Thornton as Westbrook, and Salmons and DMC as the versions of Thabo and Perkins, only they want to shoot 20 times a game.

This should be entertaining if nothing else.