They'll need a stud if they're to make top 4

We already knew that Hunter was out for the season, oh wait that other Hunter isn't worth a mention, atleast with Jordan you knew he'd give effort!

RJ is one of the worst imports we have seen in recent times, some of it is not his fault.

In his two games he is 5/16.

I am ashamed that my Celtics drafted this junk.

We of course wish RJ the best in his recovery and his future in NBL1.

Agree with Lovebroker, as a fellow C's fan that was not a good pick. As a side, we still cant seem to draft shooters (oh we can, we just trade them away..Bane) ouch.

One of the Kings most unbalanced, crappy teams in a long time, and that's saying something... At least Kings fans will know that they're not making the playoffs already and can make their peace with it... Kings management/ownership have to be one of the least proactive/most hesitant to make a move in recent history... Have they even been tempted to have a proper replacement for who was going to be the only decent Hunter on their team this season? That seems to me a pretty decent gap in their team that Martin won't fill, taking so many 3P attempts...

I know they've been hit with injuries (like most teams), but that doesn't preclude the rest of them making an effort at both ends...

Lack of leadership, zero defence, this Yank in charge thinking that he's gonna run it like an NBA team, but buh-bow...

WookieE, your last statement, 'this Yank in charge thinking that he's gonna run it like an NBA team', made me think of Scott Morrison at Perth.

Check out these two images (c & p of the images wouldn't work, for me!);
https://www.sen.com.au/news/2021/08/24/scott-morrison-named-perth-wildcats-coach/
and;
https://www.nba.com/bucks/sites/bucks/files/062321-chase-1.jpg?w=756&h=425

They even look (just a little) alike!

I'm a Sixers fan so I can't talk but the Kings seem to be run very poorly. Four different coaches over the last four years. Not even the Sixers can say that, currently 3 in 3 years.

The sad part for Kings fans was how much they buggered up the once in a lifetime type opportunity of the Bogut signing. Two years there never won anything just one GF appearance to show for it.

"What is Buford doing or is more to do with management?"
Yes and Yes. Management chose Buford because what, his dad is some NBA Exec? Who cares? They kept talking that up at the start and it didn't make any sense to me as really, does that mean anything?

It's typical Kings mentality... Style or "name" over substance... Go the big flashy thing instead of what is proven to win...

The Bogut thing was the perfect example of them being able to fuck up the most simplest of things... I reckon any other team could have done better with Bogut on their team than what the Kings managed to do...

It's pretty simple that it's rotting from the top down though, look at the owner...

The sad part for Kings fans was how much they buggered up the once in a lifetime type opportunity of the Bogut signing. Two years there never won anything just one GF appearance to show for it.

The Bogut thing was the perfect example of them being able to fuck up the most simplest of things... I reckon any other team could have done better with Bogut on their team than what the Kings managed to do...

This conversation intrigues me.

I don't think there is a right or wrong answer but what would be your definition of success and a 'pass mark' for the Sydney Kings during the Bogut era?

During that time they got one SF and one GF appearance.

Looking at it through a 36er lens, is that awful? No, it's decent.

I would agree Year 1 was subpar but made up for it in Year 2.

Firstly we should acknowledge when throwing around the name Bogut that this was not Milwaukee Bogut, he was not fully healthy and by Year 2 he didn't leave the keyway.

Year 1 - Smith gave you Bogut, Lisch, Randle (thats 3 MVPs) with Newley, Kicks, that's a decent line up...except there was David Wear.

There was also Andrew Gaze but you weren't going to fire him anyway.

Year 2 - another very competitive team good choice of next star, Moller was becoming valuable when not injured. GF appearance with a win in Perth, who would say that is a failure?

I would agree they squandered the chance to go on with the season but thats with covid in the background.

Are you people expecting 2 rings? 2 GFs? 1 of each?

Smith listens to what Pondgrass tells him,

Smith gave you Bogut, Lisch, Randle (thats 3 MVPs) with Newley, Kicks, that's a decent line up...except there was David Wear.

David Wear isn't even the worst player on that list, never mind the worst player on the team.

But yeah, the number of people here who consider a grand final appearance a failure is ridiculous. Cairns and Adelaide both made two grand finals in a decade that belonged to Perth and New Zealand, which nobody else did, and yet both clubs were regarded as basket cases.

Cairns and Adelaide both made two grand finals in a decade that belonged to Perth and New Zealand, which nobody else did, and yet both clubs were regarded as basket cases.

Incorrect. It was after that 2018 GF when the owner took to Creek to the Supreme Court to try and void his new NBA contract and the ramifications after that that left the Sixers the basket case it now is.

I didn't quite say failure, I said they managed to fuck it up, although one GF appearance in two seasons with those players, yes, I rate it as not good enough.

Those three MVPs and they still managed to hire Gaze, which, at the time really brought the Kings into the limelight in Sydney, without question, people were talking about them again, but at what cost? Could have signed him as anything else other than head coach, and people would still be interested in the Kings.

He was entertaining losing his shit in timeouts, but his stint as a head coach was more downs than ups.

Can anyone argue that if the Kings had hired Bevo (yes, bringing him up like always) he would have done the same as Gazey? But they wanted the biggest name in Australian Mens basketball... Never mind he was unproven as a head coach (what was his record coaching the Tigers?) they just wanted the big name.

Bogues' mate Kicks I would argue was pretty shit in a Kings uniform the first couple of seasons, but I bet they wanted to keep Mr Conspiracy sweet, so there you go... Newls was a great signing, but was never used correctly... Didn't Gazey want to run him as a small 4 or something?

I'm not saying that any other team would have been greatful to have that record in consecutive seasons, I'm saying that with THAT team, even with Bogut at half-speed, they managed to cock it up...

Good summary Wookiee.

I'll add that, and in defence of the Kings' plan, Gaze stopped listening to Vickerman at some point which was the whole basis for the structure in place.

@Perthworld - absolutely spot on... They brought in Vickerman to basically coach the team, but I remember clearly thinking there was a timeout in a game at one point where it was "Ok, Gaze has drunk his koolaid and is not listening to Dean anymore"

How has Dean gone since leaving the Kings? And how have the Kings gone? lol...

Kings front office has put (it seems) a higher emphasis on coaching in particular in being a gateway role to the NBA, rather than trying to establish a long-term coach, to the detriment of the team itself long-term. It's a common talking point in our member's section each and every season, and not just with the coaching but with the various player signings, locals and imports, in recent history. Forde was the exception as coach and although I'm not sure he was the right man for the gig, it certainly seemed like he was just a placeholder until the next flashy short-term coaching hire.

I guess the thinking is that with the contacts it establishes with the US and GLeague etc. that it will eventually pay dividends and open up some good opportunities for the Kings, but at the same time if we'd had a steady hire at the head coaching position for 3 seasons in a row we'd be in a better position than we are, where even with injuries we are basically starting fresh once again and under-performing with the talent we have.

Chase may or may not be the right man for the job, but at this point I hope we stick with him for a few years so we can actually build something, even if we don't make top 4 this season. Our 4th Q problems have been as much to do with fatigue as anything else IMO, because otherwise we've generally looked pretty good aside from one nightmare showing.

I don't doubt it.

Isn't this the goal of most professional coaches?

Use each stop as a stepping stone to something bigger and better?

Dennis.
Henare.
Gleeson?