Hoops

What can the Kings do to improve in 15/16?

Definitely need JChill, No 1 that can shoot threes, and a big No 5. Get rid of the "role players" and the "defensive specialists" and get some depth into the team. This is what hurt us last year.

Unfortunately the King's a big on "fostering local talent", instead of going for the best available talent. So it looks like players that no other team would have, like Kevin White, Daniel Joyce will be staying. If you have a comment on their facebook to the contrary, it will be deleted by management.

Brandt has a great hook shot, but is constantly having troubles with his knee.

I thought so too, but there were some reports that he was on a bit more than what you'd guess, so I just took a stab...

It's been mentioned numerous times in the past that it's not just about the money with Childress, and I have to take him at his word... So while he won't take chump change, hopefully the Kings can put a decent offer to him both for on the court and for off the court as well, which was a selling point to him initially... If nothing else, maybe try to get his dog here (legally, not like that whole Johnny Depp mess!) which could make him feel more at home lol...

Childress doesn't really strike me as the money type. Could have got more elsewhere regardless, so his NBA contract isn't that relevant.

I've got a bad feeling that White will be running around again for the Kings next year, catching the ball and holding it for 2 seconds before passing it straight back to the player who gave it to him. Kings made him defensive player of the year, they must actually think he is good at basketball.

yup, moving to whoop-whoop around halfway through the season, I think it works out, so as mentioned many times before, the management REALLY need to get their fingers out with regards to marketing and a membership push...

They've organised a two part membership this season where you can buy a full season or just at a venue, so hopefully that can see us maintain a decent crowd at the Kingdome where they might have dropped off otherwise, thinking that it would be a waste if they didn't go out to Homebush for the 2nd part of the season, and also help with some numbers from the West that might have otherwise not wanted to venture all the way into the city...

The Kings REALLY need to push both these angles to the respective areas, especially...

I agree that cash is an issue, although last season that could have just been a reflection of the level of talent that we actually had on the team... Duinker wouldn't(shouldn't) have been on much, Ellis would have been on his initial rookie deal, another rookie in Brandt, some cheapies in White and SoJ, I think Garlepp is on the record (an article from Hammer) as not really playing hardball with his contract which I s on his final year of, so really, you have Madgen as the main local paycheque of note and I think that's an upside to Madgen leaving as he would have gotten a hefty raise on his re-signing...

Of course I'd love Gibbo over Markovic (despite some evidence, I'm not a complete idiot :) ) but with having to rebuild our starting 5 from scratch apart from Garlepp, primary funds should go to Childress and Khazzouh (or AJ) and an import SG don't we agree? If we CAN get JChill, Jules/AJ and/or Lisch/Clarke is there really going to be that much cash left?

That would be:

??? / Cadee [$90k]
Lisch [$150k] / ???
JChill [$150k + marquee extra?] / ???
Garlepp [$100k] / ???
Jules [$250k] / Brandt [$70k]
total = $810K

and I think that's low balling a couple of them...

So unless someone in the Kings management has really good negotiating skills, I don't think Gibbo can be squeezed in, as with his 7pt rating, he would be a pretty hot ticket for most teams...

Dan Trist could be a very good upgrade on Duinker. He starred in the Patriot League for Lafayette and brings a legitimate post game.

Losing Madgen has been a big blow but it all revolves around getting JChill back. Money is not the issue, it's the team they can build around him. Move SoE to SF, get AJ or the Big Sneeze back home, and sign Dan Trist to sort out the big men. I would have liked to see Matt Nielsen go round for one last farewell season in Sydney before hanging up the boots.
SoJ is done and hopefully White as well, need to upgrade the backup SG badly, someone who can reliably hit the 3. SoC can play starting point, but that won't win a championship. Kings were looking at Lisch 2 seasons ago so if that can't sign him they need an import PG. Steven Markovic may be from Sydney but Adam Gibson is a free agent and a better choice at starting PG.

Gibson [7] / Cadee [6]
Lisch [10] / McCarron [3]
JChill [10] / Ellis [5]
Garlepp [7] / Trist [3]
AJ or Khazzouh [9] / Brandt [3]
Total = 63/70

Still plenty of points to play with there.

Yeah, we need to recruit a big Aussie name, and preferably a big Sydney name, which I think out of Khazzouh and Ogilvy, Jules would be the bigger and more recognisable name... If we can snag him (I doubt making the NBA is really a possibility for him at this point? Can't hurt in trying, I guess...) AND Childress, I think the money would be getting used up pretty quickly... We'd have to go one as the marquee player for sure... But I think that would push forth Markovic's case more as he'd be a cheaper option, get him for the last few seasons of his career, playing at home in front of his family and friends...

I'm all for Ellis coming back, I thought in limited minutes last season he really worked his butt off, and I would hope that he gets some more generous share of the minutes if he's retained... However, there has been a rumour that the Kings are looking at/have signed Dan Trist out of Lafeyette, who by all accounts had a very good senior year, is a Sydney boy and could be good to groom as a very good local talent... I'd guess that it is either one or the other...

Mitch McCarron played for Coach Cotter in the U19 squad, is two young players too much to ask for on the one team? I don't know terribly much about him other than the D2 POTY award, but looking at highlights and stats, he'd be on some coaches wish lists for sure... Looks to have a scorers mentality and can shoot from outside and likes to get to the basket... A decent sized guard, at least for the NBL... We HAVE had some luck with kids coming out of Metro State, too...

Markovic [8] / Cadee [6]
Lisch [10] / McCarron [3]
Childress [10] / ??
Garlepp [7] / Trist [3] or Ellis [5]
Khazzouh [9] / Brandt [3]
Total = 59/61

Lisch was on the FA points list, not sure about his legitimate availability, but his wife IS from Sydney, and surely Kev has to pay (similar to Matty Nielsen and his wife's family in Perth?) for dragging her around to all those terrible overseas countries (Italy? blegh!).

So with a backup SF to go, I think that's a pretty awesome starting 5 and a decent bench, if not a bit young... Could do worse than getting Brad Hill back, he filled his role, even though he was used out of position last season and runs really hot and cold... I just doubt there'd be much left in the budget to be able to use up the rest of the points cap...

It appears that the owner of the Utah Jazz's D-League Affiliate (Utah Flash) Brandt Andersen really wants to see a rematch between Michael Jordan and Byron Russell.

Obviously stemming from MJ's Hall of Fame speech, the Utah Flash owner has offered a $100,000 donation to a charity of the winners choice if Jordan and Russell face off in a One-on-One game of 21

Andersen says he has spoken to Russell and left a message for Jordan through a mutual friend. Andersen's suggestion: Jordan vs. Russell during halftime of the Utah Flash's home opener.