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Important road trip for Kings; Kings could move to Seattle next season
By Ken Gimblin February 6, 2012 |
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SACRAMENTO--The big morale victory finally came for the Kings last Thursday against the Portland Trailblazers after losing five straight games to Memphis, Portland, Denver, Utah,and Golden State. The Kings after beating the Trailblazers at home made it two straight with a win over the Warriors on Saturday night 114-106. The Kings are starting a brief but crucial road trip which started on Monday night in New Orleans and then flying for a game the next night in Minnesota Tuesday for back to back games. The Kings after beating the Blazers and Warriors look like their coming together and former Kings head coach Paul Westphal was an excellent coach he might have had different communication skills than the present Kings head coach Keith Smart. Smart as you know did a nice job with the Warriors last year. The thing is the players are actually responding to him better, the team is young but they are improving and they're doing well under the circumstances and making good progress. Smart has got the appreciation of the players and the reason Golden State let him go the new owners wanted to bring in their own coach but he certainly did a nice job at the W's last season and he certainly proved himself with the Kings because some of the attitudes of some of the players have turned around. You certainly don't hear any more DeMarcus Cousins stories since Westphal left. The job of rookie Jimmer Fredette: This is a young team and Fredette reflects just one of the players that is an upcoming team and the Kings sincerely hope that Fredette will be able to help the team in the next few years not just this year. He's a player that is a crowd pleasing player the way he plays and the way everybody seems to enjoy watching him play and he's improved and he's helped the team since coming back from his injury which shows in the those Portland and Golden State victories. The Kings going into Monday's action were 8-15 and in last place in the Pacific Division and when they started out they were a nice young team too. The fact that their proving the attitude is better that's where Smart gets credit for that.The attitude of Cousins has changed and Fredette has been a big plus to the club which makes a huge difference. Other NBA notes: The city of Seattle is working on trying to bring back an NBA franchise and if it happens they'll be known as the Super Sonics just like the old Sonic team that left Seattle to go to Oklahoma City. The city retained the naming rights of the Sonics and their talking about building an arena near Safeco field in downtown Seattle. It would be built if Seattle can get a team to go there in the near future. The NBA has several clubs that are losing money and might make that move, amongst them are the Kings if they don't get an agreement for a new arena in Sacramento, the other is the New Orleans Hornets. If a move was made by one of the clubs above for example they would have to play at Key Arena the old home of the Sonics and move into the new building when it was ready. The city is working out details of obtaining an NBA team and the Kings have been floated around as that franchise. As you know the Kings almost moved to Anaheim this season but that move was voided by NBA Commissioner David Stern. The Kings will stay in Sacramento if a new arena is agreed upon but if no deal is forthcoming then the Kings would be heavily considered for moving to Seattle and can be there as early as next season which makes a lot of sense. There are other NBA teams out there who also are treading on thin ice. Seattle could very well have a team and is a city who deserves an NBA team. Ken Gimblin covers Kings basketball for Sportstalk with Ben Schneider on game night coverage |
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