Coach Dave Joerger entered the fold this offseason and he brought with him a high post offense to the Sacramento Kings. This article examines recent quotes and what to expect as the season progresses.
Coach Dave Joerger became the Sacramento Kings head coach this offseason. He comes over from the Memphis Grizzlies and he is bringing a high post offense with him. The Grizzlies used Marc Gasol to great success in this offense. Let us examine what DeMarcus Cousins, the man filling the Marc Gasol role, had to say about the offense and what to expect and when to expect it from the new look.
DeMarcus Cousins’ Take
Below is a tweet from Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee featuring DeMarcus Cousins’ post game comments after the Maccabi Haifa game on the high post offense and how long it will take to implement.
More post game with DeMarcus Cousins pic.twitter.com/HhUcBTkTz2
— Jason Jones (@mr_jasonjones) October 11, 2016
I do not think Cousins said anything groundbreaking in the video, but I found the question and the response a little shocking. The interviewer mentions three to four months to the get the entire offense going and Cousins replies yes. That means the offense may not be in full swing until the calendar ticks over to 2017. That is not great news, but let us examine further.
DeMarcus Cousins the Key to Success
DeMarcus Cousins is really the key to this offense. He needs to be able to play that Marc Gasol role and initiate many of the offensive plays. I found this video about the Memphis Grizzlies offense from last season to give you a look into what the Kings are trying to create this season.
Now it is a different team and a different group of players, so we may not see every specific set or play, but expect to continue to see Cousins receiving the ball in the high post and being given the freedom to make plays. I think it is a fantastic idea for the Kings, but it will take some time to completely develop.
Expectations for Timetable
The offense will slowly be integrated over the next few months. The Darren Collison suspension does not help this plan, but barring a DeMarcus Cousins injury (knock on wood that doesn’t happen) I expect to see the Kings running the complete offense by Christmas time and throwing in some new wrinkles that fit their personnel.
A big difference between Memphis and Sacramento that I think we will see is the tempo. In Sacramento, Coach Joerger will try to play faster and look for the Kings to score earlier in the shot clock. It will not be the Memphis grit and grind style of playing a slower pace and slowing the game down.
Summary
The Sacramento Kings are making a switch to the high post offense this season. DeMarcus Cousins will find himself in a new role and he believes it will take some time to develop the offense fully. I expect to see the offense completely rolled out by Christmas and the Kings firing on all cylinders.
Next: Ty Lawson and Darren Collison A Hit on the Court Together
This should be something to monitor and look forward to Kings fans. The offense should be a fun new wrinkle this season. It will put the ball in the hands of Cousins, the team’s best player so that alone should be positive. Watch for new early season developments and what wrinkles the Kings introduce to become more efficient. Thanks for reading.