Hoops

Lisch to miss 8 weeks

Spot on, Steve... How can we oust JvW and get you in there?

I thought Daly proved enough during the pre-season that he was worth a chance, at least in the short term, and why he was given a DP spot in the first place... I didn't even click about the specific effect it would have on Ellis, but if Lisch was letting opposition players into the paint and having their run of the place, Cadee will be gift-wrapping it for them...

It's surely not rocket science to figure all this stuff out, it baffles me as to why the Kings have persisted with their head in the sand dickheadery this season...

With Cadee presumably slipping into the starting 5

If the Kings can go .500 for the time Lisch is out I think this wouldn't have been too bad but its a big risk as we know from last season 1 game meant potentially slipping 3-4 spots on the ladder.

Gazey is a grown arse man who would be able to use his position as the best male Aussie basketballer ever to impose at least some of his opinions on the team if he wanted to or had any good ones...

He's not who people should be feeling sorry for...

Not the right type of player and it smacks of being a rushed, knee-jerk reaction to try to cover poor vision and initial recruiting...

Very underwhelmed with this decision, especially after Gaze said in the video posted last night that because it could take a couple of weeks to get someone in, Jeremy could bet that couple of week stop gap...

Crap decision after crap decision after crap decision... Much more of this crap and I'll be asking for a membership refund...

The Kings should just throw open the doors and let everyone watch games for free. Charging punters who think they're coming to watch professional sport is taking money under false pretences

With Cadee presumably slipping into the starting 5, Kendle gives us bench scoring which is definitely important. He doesn't address our biggest needs, no, but he's an NBL-calibre scorer who got better game-by-game last season who should be able to contribute immediately off the bench... Not ideal, no, but we could (and have...) done worse.

I have to agree that Kendle is not the best fit here. Still not confirmed but I believe he's still training with them today for this week's games, so high likelihood he's in.

Kendle would be able to cover for Lisch's offense and ballhandling but not comparable on defense. He's an ok defender but Kev is on another level entirely and the Kings sorely need that.

Kendle will probably be released when Lisch returns but in the event that he becomes a key component, someone has to go. I doubt it'd be Leslie, most likely Garlepp or Thoseby.

Kendle was pretty good in his stint with the Bullets last year, wasn't he? Not a bad pick-up at all.

In his 7 games with the Bullets last season Kendle averaged 11 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.4 apg shot 47% from the field and 28% on 3pt.

not me

Even trailing Kendle suggests winning is not the goal this season.

If they want a decent replacement, why don't they go after Nate Tomlinsahahahahahhahahahahahahha

Even NBL.com.au is chipping in with suggestions

Even NBL.com.au is chipping in with suggestions

5 NBA cuts the Sydney Kings should sign

This is really starting off as a real frigging nutbag of a season and for the Kings, that's really saying something...

I just can't see what the hell the Kings are doing, bringing in the "best player in the country that is available" even though he doesn't actually fill a need properly... So no doubt, if he DOES get signed (and teh Kings restraint on at least trialing how he will go with teh team is admirable, surprising and not like them at all), he'll get cut when Lisch comes back, or before and they go back to playing Lisch out of position and STILL being too light up front, so if they go for an import big THEN, it will be too late for him to gel quick enough and/or make much of a difference IF he gets in the required games for an unlikely run at the playoffs (which is the reason that you'd spend that money in the first place).

Which all might be a moot point if they leave acting too long and the Kings are so off the playoff race and in the cellar that the only point would be to avoid another wooden spoon...

*helpless shrug*

Big chance for Caddee here.

Im sure he's not happy about being 6th man.

Im still not sold on him. Take's way to many 3's for someone with flawed technique.

Needs to try and penetrate more and accept he's not the Australian Steph Curry.

Will be a big audition for another team next year...

As a team who specialize in washed up ex NBA players I think the Kings need to jump on that!

Now this: Sydney have announced on their official Instagram account that Jeremy Kendle has been "brought in to Sydney Kings training as the team looks to find an injury replacement for Kevin Lisch.
Kendle is arguably the best player in SEABL and played a starring role for the Australian side that took on China in the offseason.
Plenty more to come... stay tuned."
https://www.instagram.com/p/BaU44YJlh9q/?taken-by=officialsydneykings

@paul has hit the nail on the head. Kings need defence, there offence is fine. I do think that means they need an import PG, though. Mostly because Cadee is an open gate, defensively.

I agree with @Wookie that Leslie has not shown he is up to the task of being primary ball handler, so it seems an import PG would be the go. The question then becomes what to do with the bigs department, and includes whether or not Leslie stays.

Has Leslie shown enough to warrant playing him as the starting 2 guard and maintaining the small-ball lineup of Newley at 3, Blanchfield at 4 and Ellis at 5? That would allow Cadee to come off the bench at either 1 or 2, and Thoseby's role to continue to be limited.

If they sack Leslie to make room for an import big, then Cadee has to start at 2 (until Lisch is able to return) and Blanchfield comes off the bench at 3 or 4, with Ellis starting at 4, and the new import at 5. This would also reduce Pineau's role somewhat, which may not be a bad thing.

Knowing the Kings, they'll sign an athletic 3.

If I was Gaze and JVG, I'd be giving strong consideration to taking Kendle on to help with PG duties- along with Cadee and Leslie- for the next 8 weeks.

Sign a gun import big to fill out the roster later.

If you want to win a Championship, which is the goal, Kendle is not the man to get that done. Casper will bust his ass.

Based purely on NZNBL numbers, Kendle looks alright.

Kendle is not confirmed yet. He's currently being assessed at training.

Reality, you seem to be out of touch with reality.

Jeremy Kendle is American.

Kings have gone with Aussie PG Jeremy Kendle, which leaves a spot for an import centre.

Cant help but hope it is someone associated with the Utah Jazz, keep the lines of communication alive and next year perhaps have more of a working relationship... but isn't the Kings owned by the same consortium that owns the Lakers?

@Shano76 LOL btw Randle tweeted:

I pray my boy @kevinlisch gets better and have a speedy recovery

There are still two great needs and it's the Kings initial recruiting that have put them in this position...

It's incredibly frustrating to have Gaze hint at reasons at why they only went with two imports and then spin it into a positive when if he was truly concerned that if one of our guards, especially Kevin, (who was coming off an injury/surgery, so it's really very reasonable to take this into consideration) would go down, they should have recruited someone who was a proper PG in the first place... Like so many of us were screaming for...

Now we're still light on in the front court and they're going to burn an import spot that if Kevin DOES come back, we'll have one too many guards and STILL have the weakest front court in the league and getting overrun in the paint...

Part of the spin when Leslie was signed was that he could handle the ball as well... I had my doubts and nothing he's done so far has reassured me... I think it's possible to bring in an import PG AND strengthen our front line, as Maric is apparently back and considering retirement... Sure he's at the tail end of his career, but his experience and talent is worth so much more than Pineau and Singh, even in limited minutes... Will give Isaac a big body to bang against in practise as well and it's not like he doesn't have a wealth of knowledge to pass on to the youngster...

Just have to weigh up the options for Aussie vs import talent... If we can get Maric back (please please please please please) it will be easier to being in that import guard...

Otherwise, still bring in a workhorse import big (like Hammer described), which the team seems to have been SUPER reluctant to do for some mysterious reason that Gaze eluded to in the press conference, and manage for 8-10 weeks (in reality) which is at least 13 games (our most concentrated part of the season) with Jason and others stepping up...

Which is the lesser of two evils and which is the worst path for the Kings to most likely choose in the end?

Jerome!

Get a PG who can create some shots for Kev and problem solvered. Having to create 100% of your own shots is enough to wear anyone down

An opportunity to get Powell (brainsnap) back !!!

Should see if that Blake guy from last season is available.

My guess is they bring in Jeremy Kendle at PG for eight weeks then bring an import big in eight weeks time when Lisch comes back for Kendle,Sydney always take there sweet arse time reacting so what's eight weeks.

Lisch can shoot fine, the problem is the shots he's getting... A lot of long 2s he's creating off the dribble and contested 3s low in the shotclock. This has been consistent since he came to Sydney - our offense just doesn't create anything for him, and I think he would benefit more from a natural PG next to him than anyone else on the roster.

A lot of miles on his legs though, four years in Perth, a full season in Puerto Rico, a year in France, a year in Spain, a year at the Hawks, another offseason in Puerto Rico and now second year at Sydney.

He's only 31 years old

Lets say the Kings bring in a good PG and stays, then lisch comes back and slots in perfectly back in as SG.

They have Cadee and Thoseby and to me Leslie becomes excess of requirements and that slot is needed up front.

Call me crazy, but this might help in the long run... Get an import PG, throw Humphries in the middle with Blanchfield/Leslie as 6th man and I think we might be able to turn things around.

http://www.sportando.net/eng/world/oceania/30337/new_zealand_breakers_sign_cedric_jackson.html