Team Expert/Cool Guy: Tom Ziller from the top Kings blog out there, Sactown Royalty.
Questions and Answers:
1. Will a full season of having Ron Artest make even more of a
difference during the regular season for the Kings? Now, will it be a
good difference or a bad one?
Having Ron Artest here for the full season - summer league and preseason - is a big thing. Artest has professed his love to the city after seeing the city profess its love to him last spring. He sold all his Indiana property and moved the family to the Sacramento suburbs. I believe he really is in a better place than ever before in his career. And everyone saw the difference dude makes on the court. I think he'll stay on it this year, and continue to be this squad's hero.
2. How will Eric Musselman do as the new head coach?
Musselman is the sharpest contrast you'll find from Rick Adelman, and that's a good thing for most of these players. Already, Mike Bibby is being called a "stopper" in training camp. The only thing he was stopping the last three seasons was ... Musselman is preaching toughness and accountability, which is exactly what this team lacked until Artest arrived last season. And with Ron-Ron as a top ally already, Musselman is making himself very comfortable in his position. He's worth at least 5 points per game on defense just because of that.
3. When will Kevin Martin and Francisco Garcia's time come? It seems like they have the talent, but aren't getting the minutes they
probably deserve because of starting players in their way.
Kevin Martin's time is now. He'll be the starter barring injury, and he's ready to score 16+ a game, even if he doesn't get much more than 30 minutes a night. He's a future All-Star, and he's going to get considerable attention from opposing defenders this year. Garcia still has a little ways to go. He's incredibly confident, which is good, because he's going to get opportunities off the bench. And he might be the King to benefit most from Musselman's arrival. The two have publicly hung out and worked out with each other a bunch this summer, and Garcia has added the much-needed muscle necessary to stay alive in today's NBA. He'll get plenty of opportunities as long as he stays healthy. It's just a matter of whether his incredible college shooting will translate. If not, he's still shown an ability to be a terrific ball-handler (if he moved to the one, he'd be the most athletic PG in the game) and he has very solid defensive principles. Some have said he's a New Wave Doug Christie in the making, and I don't think those folks are far off.
4. Is there anything else you want to say about the Kings?
Get ready for an exciting team. Not quite the White Chocolate-to-Webber days, but a new brand of exciting basketball. This was Billy Knight's dream team when he started drafting and acquiring every 6'7 shooting guard on the planet. Everyone on the rotation will be an above-average ball-handler and shooter for their position, and if Musselman gets his attitude to stick on the team's jerseys, this could be a contender. DO NOT SLEEP ON THE SACRAMENTO KINGS!
5. Who wins the NBA Finals this coming season (besides your team, that is)? Just give me a team name at least.
Cleveland. He's ready.
Tom, thanks for gracing these pages with your royal presence and taking audience with a lowly pauper such as myself. Much appreciated!
MY TAKE - Things Go Right If These Three Things Happen:
1. Ron Artest keeps his nose out of trouble and builds on last season's tenure with the Kings. Artest is one of the most talented players in the league, but just needs to harness the volatility.
2. Mike Bibby scores 20 points a game again because he is their best perimter shooter and complements Artest's ability to score down low very well.
3. With the chance to start now that Bonzi Wells is with the Houston Rockets, Kevin Martin hits the floor running as a starter.
MY TAKE - Things Go Wrong If These Three Things Happen:
1. Someone throws a soda at Artest from the stands.
2. Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Kenny Thomas don't like the way the minutes are being split for the power forward position, leading to some animosity and negativity in the locker room.
3. Brad Miller loses his intensity and Francisco Garcia gets discouraged from not being able to use his versatility more since he'll come off the bench, possibly behind John Salmons.