Sacramento Kings: Finding Basketball News After The Season Is Over
By John Kelly
The NBA offseason has very little news after summer league ends. So what can a Sacramento Kings fan do to bide the time until preseason comes around?
Some people want basketball news all-year round. NASCAR is ok, but the races only come Saturdays and Sundays. There are plenty of other sports to follow but they are not as great as basketball, in my opinion. For those hardcore fans who only love basketball, here are some ways to keep the sport around even after the season has been over for a couple of months.
Look Up Players Who Are Not Kings Anymore
Follow players who were scrappy team guys who left the team for many reasons. Losing a player in a trade to make the salaries match per NBA rules is common. We all wish our team could trade three underperforming players for one great player. But as we all know, we have to give up good players to get good players.
An example of a player I have followed is Omri Casspi. He played well for Sacramento at times but was injured more than most teams would like. Maybe that is why Omri was included in the trade that sent DeMarcus Cousins to the New Orleans Pelicans?
Casspi has bounced around with a few teams and now is with the Memphis Grizzlies. Casspi never really found a solid spot with the Kings but always played hard and encouraged teammates. It was well known that Omri is just a great guy to have on a team. Omri is also the first Israeli player to be selected in the first round in the NBA. How can you not wish him the best of luck somewhere else?
Other fan favorites that Kings fans can follow are Quincy Acy, Reggie Evans, Jack Cooley, etc. You will learn a ton just by doing the research. Without the everyday guys, the stars would not get the huge contracts. Teams then have to sign minimum-salary players. Or if one are the champs, they get older stars who want a ring and will play on the cheap. Carmelo Anthony to the Rockets is a prime example.
Look Up Former Players That You Are Happy Are Gone
For Kings fans, Jason Terry is on top of the list. The Kings sent Marcus Thorton who was a proven scorer, but overpaid, to the Brooklyn Nets. The Kings acquired Terry as a veteran guard along with Reggie Evans who is a good rebounder and energy guy. With the Kings, Terry had a knee procedure and sat out for his entire tenure with the organization.
Rumors quickly followed that Terry did not and would not play for the Kings. Did the Kings ever have a press conference that is a standard protocol when a new player arrives in town? It gives the local media a chance to ask questions after the introduction from the general manager and coach. What is Terry going to say, “I am not happy and will not play for the Kings”? Terry was given the rest of the season to rehab his knee back in his hometown. Hoping over the summer he might change his mind. Jason did not change his mind.
To make Terry happy, the Kings sent him to the Houston Rockets in another bad Pete D’Alessandro deal where the Kings gave the Rockets two future second-round picks along with Jason Terry. Pete “D” should have been fired for getting a player who would not want to play for the Kings and then giving up two picks to get rid of him! The Kings should have gotten two picks, not given away two picks. The Kings did get a mid-level trade exception, but draft picks are a better commodity. This was a horrible trade for the Kings.
WNBA is another way to keep basketball in your world.
The WNBA does not have the same following as the NBA, but do not be fooled. These women can play. They stick to the fundamentals of basketball more so than the men in the NBA. The talent is pretty even across the board, so playing together is a must to win. If you want to show younger kids a good example of team play, I believe the WNBA is a good way to do it.
Find top prospects in college who could be in next year’s draft.
This can be fun and will fill the void when there is nothing in the local paper or TV. Not only can you try to figure out who will get picked in next year’s draft, you can also try to guess where they get picked.
Picking the top twenty players in next year’s draft will keep you busy. Pretty hard to do, but when your prediction is the same as the real draft, well, you feel like the Kings should hire you as a scout.
The Kings win the title and you are the town hero. Unfortunately, Kings do not have a first-round pick next year unless they make a trade to get one. Kings will not be hiring. For those of us who must have hoops news all year, you can find it and have fun doing it.