Sacramento Kings Issues Continue Amid Dreadful Start

By Nick Avila | Nov 12, 2015

DeMarcus Cousins cussed out George Karl? Karl’s job is on the line? Sacramento Kings have to look toward the future without Cousins? Each piece of news that has hit the internet today has been a little piece of a much bigger puzzle as gossip and issues continue to bombard the Kings.

The only problem with all the rumors that are unfolding early into a rough 2-7 start for the Kings is deciphering what’s true and what isn’t.

But, the more the stories come, the more distraught fans have to be since once again the Kings are presented to the world as the most dysfunctional team of the NBA.

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The issues have been around from the get-go it seems, as Cousins and Karl never clicked the way Cousins and Mike Malone did.

Cousins and Karl’s spats led to rumors of Vivek Ranadive and Vlade Divac having to decide who to keep and who to rid themselves of. And while both are still in Sacramento, Vivek’s rumored recruitment of Kentucky coach John Calipari is still being mentioned even months after it originally happened.

It’s a complete soap opera between a team that could really use a break from the blinding spotlight, but it’s drama that has ultimately been caused by no one but themselves.

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News hit hard and heavy Wednesday morning when The Big Lead reported that Cousins had cussed out Karl prior to a team meeting that the Kings held after failing to keep up with the San Antonio Spurs in a game where they were clearly outmatched. They held their own for 36 minutes but faltered in the fourth quarter as the Spurs dominated them down the stretch.

Also, during that meeting, according to the same story, Divac reportedly asked the team what to do with Karl and if he should consider firing him.

The story is filled with unnamed sources, as usual with any type of rumored report, but if what’s told in the article is true, it’s a definite pouring of Kerosene on top of a team trying to pull themselves out of a fire.

Sam Amick also wrote in a USA Today story that Karl is “in trouble.”

Karl hasn’t seemed very vocal about the losing streak, which sat at six games before ending on Wednesday night with a win against the Detroit Pistons, and he’s been all but out of it on the sidelines and his energy is now being questioned, according to a story from Ailene Voisin.

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That is a definite issue, one of the many that came from Paul Westphal as well. An older coach, especially one with such a resume, possibly doesn’t have much to give to a young core. He can tell them “this is what I’ve done” but most of Karl’s best years in Milwaukee and in Seattle came when some Kings players weren’t even in high school.

The Kings need Karl to be vocal and to take control of his roster, but the Kings also need Cousins to have Karl’s back.

The grudge that they may or may not have needs to be dropped for this team to have a chance. Karl has been known to butt heads with players and Cousins — well, you already know about him.

The Kings have had to deal with early season injuries to Cousins and Darren Collison and they will continue to deal with the time it takes for an almost entirely new roster to develop chemistry with each other. While many will say this Kings’ season is another waste, there are still 73 games to go and the Kings could definitely put it together.

The Kings’ record doesn’t look good no matter what way you look at it but, in reality, the Kings have gone up against multiple playoff contenders, and title contenders through the first few weeks. The matchup against the Pistons was their first against an Eastern Conference opponent.

While a playoff push was probably never in the cards, if the Kings can get a grip on their issues, the light at the end of the tunnel could become a little brighter.

Or, the team could continue their spiral that’s lasted almost 10 years and continue to be an embarrassment. The choice will ultimately be up to them.

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