Sacramento Kings: Joerger is smart to manage expectations around the team

The Sacramento Kings are set to kick off the 2018-19 campaign, and HC Dave Joerger is doing all he can to keep hope alive – realistically.

It’s been a minute since the Sacramento Kings were anything close to being relevant or respectable. The last winning season this franchise has had, was all the way back in 2005-06, when Rick Adelman was still the coach, and the team was led in scoring by Mike Bibby, and Metta World Peace – the artist formerly known as Ron Artest, of course.

That’s 12 seasons, if you’re scoring at home. 12 years since the Kings last had a winning record – and as we get set to kick off the 2018-19, head coach Dave Joerger is striking a cautionary tone, that the streak will very likely extend to 13 seasons.

And given how stacked the Western Conference is, as well as the youth of his squad, Joerger is incredibly wise to temper expectations, and keep things in a realistic perspective – for both his team, and the fans – at this point in time.

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Joerger is entering his third season at the helm, and has compiled a record of 59-105 over his first two seasons.

It’s a record that might have gotten some other coaches around the league fired – did somebody say Dwayne Casey? But, when GM Vlade Divac hired Joerger on, they both knew it was going to be a long, arduous journey back to respectability, and they dug in for the long haul.

The Kings have spent the last couple of seasons shedding contracts, clearing cap space, and ridding the organization of perceived malcontents. They also turned to stocking the roster with solid, young talent they believe help turn this moribund franchise around.

With DeMarcus Cousins gone, Willie Cauley-Stein becomes the focal point in the middle of the Kings’ offense. He’ll be surrounded by a core of exciting young players like De’Aaron Fox, Marvin Bagley III, Justin Jackson, Harry Giles III, and of course, Buddy Hield.

The Kings also have a smattering of savvy veterans to help guide the youngsters in the form of, Iman Shumpert, Zach Randolph, and Kosta Koufos.

But, make no mistake, this young core of the Kings will be exciting, and they very well could help pull Sacramento out of the depths of the swamp they’ve been lingering in for more than a decade.

It just won’t be this season. Not according to Joerger, who is doing his level best to manage expectations, and temper the enthusiasm surrounding the team – especially in light of the 39-point preseason beatdown the same Jazz team they’re facing tonight, recently laid on them.

"“The game is going awful fast for a lot of our young guys, more so at the defensive end. It’s just going to take time. And they’re practicing against each other. There’s no Rudy Gobert in our gym to practice against day in and day out. So practices have been good, practices have been spirited, practices have been competitive. We look good against each other, so we’ve got to keep that spirit up and try to stay positive and keep getting better.”"

Sacramento Kings

It was a beatdown led by Jazz center Rudy Gobert, who racked up 18 points and seven rebounds in just one half of action. The Kings looked absolutely overmatched when it came to Gobert – something they’ll have to fix fast if they want to remain competitive in the stacked Western Conference.

To their credit, the team isn’t letting themselves get intimidated, and doesn’t appear to be pressing, understanding that this turnaround is going to be a process. Recently, Harry Giles echoed his coach’s sentiments to the press.

"“We’re young and it will come together. I believe in this team. My concern is people are going to think we’re supposed to have it all together in one day or one week or 10 games. It’s a whole process because guys are young.”"

Rome, as they say, was not built in a day. And neither will this Kings franchise be, either. However, after some turbulent years filled with uncertainty, they seem to be laying a solid foundation for success. With a core of young talent, a coach who can guide them, and a front office who is willing to give them the room to grow together, it’s a formula to have some success in the long term.

The Philadelpia 76ers went through some very lean years, always echoing the mantra, “trust the process,” whenever anybody asked – and now they seem to be on the right track toward relevance and respectability once again.

Now, it’s Sacramento’s time to trust the process.

The streak of futility very well may extend into year 13 this season, but if you squint real hard, and look, you can see a smattering of light at the end of the tunnel. You should probably take Joerger’s advice though, by tempering your expectations, and not rush toward it too fast.