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The Kings 5 Keys To Small Market Success

Gabe Callahan
Gabe Callahan

A Royal Pain

Sep 13, 2015; Lexington, KY, USA; Vlade Divac vice president of basketball operations and general manager of the Sacramento Kings (L) talks with owner Vivek Ranadiv (R) during the Alumni Game between North Carolina and Kentucky at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

The Sacramento Kings are a small market team and they have struggled with small market problems since day one. Money troubles and luring all-star talent to the team are always going to be issues for organizations like the Kings.

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But the Kings ownership, who don’t mind spending some dough, and the beneficial revenue sharing of the CBA aside, small market troubles don’t go away if you just throw money at it.  You also can’t just copy and paste the “How To Conquer The NBA Playbook” from San Antonio. That system just cannot be reproduced without Pop.

But there are some things the Kings front office can do to start improving things for the immediate future. There has never been a better time than now for the Kings to improve their cow-town woes. Here are 5 keys to Sacramento’s small market success, in a very particular order, so pay attention.

Next: Building Through The Draft

Apr 4, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Traevon Jackson (12) shoots the ball against Kentucky Wildcats forward Willie Cauley-Stein (15) and guard Aaron Harrison (2) during the second half of the 2015 NCAA Men

1) Draft Best Talent, Not Positional Needs

A common piece of advice for small market teams is: build through the Draft. You don’t have to look any further than Oklahoma City to see that it’s a good rule to follow.  But the draft is a gamble and there are no assurances with picking new talent, even if you have the number one overall pick.

The Kings luck in the draft has not been the best over the years, and recently the thinking has been to draft players that might improve some aspect of the Kings game that is lacking. Kings have no outside shooting? Draft Nik Stauskas.  Kings need to improve on defense? Draft Willie Cauley-Stein.

Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Willie Cauley-Stein (Kentucky) Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The problem with that strategy is, it’s a coin toss whether these guys are NBA caliber to begin with, let alone able to plug one of the many leaks the kings have in their game.  A better option is to draft the best available player period.

The Kings are not “just one piece away” from anything right now. What drafting the best available means, is that the kings are using the draft to minimize the gamble they are making, and improving the roster as a whole.

At the very least if the best available draftee is a big body center, and the kings already have  enough big men in the line up, then The Kings now have a potential bargaining chip. Which is something they rarely have.

Next: Head Overseas

Sep 28, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings assistant coach Nancy Lieberman speaks with guard Marco Belinelli (3) during media day at the Sacramento Kings practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

2) Invade The Forgien Market

The young, often ignored players over in Europe are ripe for the picking at an excellent price. You don’t have to look further than the Spurs to know the impact these players can make in the NBA.  The Kings also have had several examples from past years, and from today’s roster, that foreign players can make an immediate impact.

But maybe you don’t find Euros exciting. Two questions for you: Do the Kings need help shooting? And, do foreign players usually excel at shooting?  The answer to both is yes.

But there is sometimes a problem scouting European players. It’s difficult getting footage of them playing, or even seeing them live and in person. If only the Kings had some people in the front office who had some knowledge and experience over there…

Like These two Sitting By Shaq

Next: Always Be Careful With Money

Sep 28, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Toronto Raptors forward DeMarre Carroll (5) during the media day at the Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Peter Llewellyn-USA TODAY Sports

3) Don’t Overpay Free Agents

It’s not worth the Kings money to lure talent over by promising more money. Overpaying players is a luxury large market teams have and Sacramento just cannot compete with them. Rondo’s contract aside, the Kings did a good job improving the roster with the addition of veteran players with a history of winning.

And they paid reasonable prices for them.  The front office is trying to “win now”  and FA is where you pick up players to do that, if only for short-term gains. This strategy is sometimes effective, but it’s a double-edged sword (e.g. Dallas’ roster right now).

But if they want long-term success, the Kings need to stick to solid draft picks and trades. The Free Agent market is for franchises that have the skyline, the money or the lack of income taxes to tempt players to their teams.

Next: Take Care Of Your Own

April 3, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) looks on during the fourth quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at Sleep Train Arena. The Pelicans defeated the Kings 101-95. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

4) Spend Money On The Stars You Already Have

If the Kings aren’t spending money on free agents, then they should be spending money on long-term contracts with the stars they do have already on their team.  DeMarcus Cousins is arguably the most dominant big in the NBA right now, throw money at him to keep him here.

Rudy Gay is an All-Star and a Team USA caliber player, make sure he feels safe and content. If WCS turns out to be a rebounding and defensive beast, then when his rookie year contract runs out the Kings should be showing him the money. These are players that we know already deliver the goods, and most importantly, are already here. 

So spend the money to keep them here and keep them happy.  Or you’ll end up depleted like Portland.
In this tweet you can compare how teams Like the Blazers, Spurs and Kings build their teams.

Next: Always Trust The System

Sep 28, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings head coach George Karl with assistant coach Nancy Lieberman during media day at the Sacramento Kings practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

5) Buy Into A System

In sports, having a plan, implementing it and sticking to it, equals wins. Popovich has had the same system for years.  Phil Jackson believed in the triangle offense and worked hard to make it extremely effective. George Karl has a system, and players and the front office have to buy into it for any of this to work.

This takes time, trust and a lot of work, but there is a reason the same coaches get hired over and over again. It is also why certain teams hold on to those coaches for multiple seasons.  It’s only after a system is in place and working, that teams can then go searching free agency for “that one missing piece.”

Teams like the Kings seem to be in a perpetual state of rebuilding. What they want to ultimately do is to expunge the term “rebuilding year” from their vocabulary. An overall rule of thumb for all small market teams like Sacramento is, don’t copy what the big cities are doing.

They have the money and influence to always do it bigger, faster, better. The Kings need to play their own brand of basketball and force all those large market teams adjust to them.

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Gabe Callahan

Gabe Callahan

A Sacramento area native that bleeds purple.