Kings Blog and Q&A

It started with Kevin Martin.

The Kings shooting guard made it clear leading up to Thursday's practice that he had a few things to get off his chest in regards to the ongoing situation with his coach. And by the time the media session was over afterward (and with one follow-up phone call to Beno Udrih), he wasn't alone. From Martin to Brad Miller, John Salmons, Udrih, and Bobby Jackson, it was a day of much discussion about the recent plight of Reggie Theus and his team. As an aside, The Bee's Melody Gutierrez chatted with a candid Quincy Douby after the continuation of his strife-filled season (story can be found on this page).

For those of you in the mood to absorb and analyze this mess and hear how they plan to clean it up, here's the extra material from those interviews that wasn't in today's story.

*This has turned historically bad for the Kings. There have been far worse beatings and many longer stretches wandering aimlessly in the dark, as if any veterans of this roller coaster need reminding. For lack of heart and lack of judgment, though, for really going it without a flashlight, the last four games hold up for the generations: the missed free throws, the perimeter defense, the overtime technical against the Nets; giving up 44 points in the third quarter against the Nets Jazz; scoring 78 points, having defenders quit on plays and losing to the Mavericks by 23; and seeing the chance to beat Utah disappear when Quincy Douby is thrown in the game cold. That was a poor impersonation of the Jazz -- no Carlos Boozer, no Andrei Kirilenko, no Matt Harpring -- but a flailing team simply needs to give itself a better chance for a much-needed emotional lift than a guy who played 33 minutes the previous seven games taking so many big shots.

*Jamal Crawford was a logical trade target for the Warriors, and not just because anyone was a logical trade target if it meant getting away from Al Harrington. Golden State needed a point guard and, better, a big point guard because the newcomer would be paired with a 6-3 shooting guard, Monta Ellis. Crawford is 6-5. The Warriors also considered 6-7 Shaun Livingston when he was a free agent and 6-5 Javaris Crittenton of the Grizzlies. Crawford definitely won't help them on defense, but his size will prevent the Warriors from getting run over in the backcourt once Ellis returns. Stephen Jackson would move to small forward in that scenario, but undoubtedly guard a lot of the opponents' best backcourt threats.

*And then there's Harrington. He missed six consecutive Warriors games with a strained lower back while unhappy with his role in the offense and hoping for a trade. He was dealt to the Knicks ... and played the first game after the move became official. He's cured! It's a miracle!

*Not merely a giant of the college game, the broader legacy of the late Pete Newell is that he may have touched basketball in California more than anyone. He grew up in Los Angeles, played at what is now Loyola Marymount, coached at Cal and USF, was general manager of the then-San Diego Rockets and the Lakers, worked as a consultant for the Warriors, and at the time of his passing lived in San Diego County. Though the impact in the pros gets little attention compared to his college work, the turn as coach of the Jerry West-Oscar Robertson 1960 Olympic team and the later years with the Big Man's Camp, Newell helped swing the trade with the Milwaukee Bucks that brought Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Los Angeles, the first step toward five Lakers championships.

Jazz (11-7) at Kings (5-14)

Scoring: Kings 18th (97.9), Jazz eighth (99.9).
Shooting: Kings fourth (47.4 percent), Jazz second (48.4).
Scoring defense: Kings 28th (105.4), Jazz 11th (96.3).
Shooting defense: Kings 29th (47.8 percent), Jazz tied for 18th (45.9).
Three-point defense: Kings 30th (43.8 percent), Jazz 28th (39.4).

The links: Jazz coverage in the Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret News.
The almanac: On this date in 1978, Al Attles of the Warriors became the 10th coach to record 400 victories. On this date in 1986, the Washington Bullets beat the Celtics to end Boston's 38-game home winning streak, with an asterisk. The game was played at the Hartford Civic Center, but still counted as a Celtics home game.

So, Spencer Hawes in as starting power forward and Mikki Moore out. Not a great surprise, in timing or personnel. Jason Thompson may be the PF of the future, but Hawes earned the first promotion and, besides, the Kings always felt he would pair well with Brad Miller in what by actual definition is a two-center lineup.

The Kings are losing, a lot, and lately looking especially bad in the process, so the search for signs of life turns to Hawes. That would make sense anyway -- obvious skills, a passion for the game, basketball IQ far beyond most 20-year-olds, all of which were known long ago.

The new, very important progress report:

Five weeks into his second season, and his first healthy season, Hawes is defending at a rate that surprises even him. This is not to be confused with quickly turning into a stopper. But compared to the projections of someone with the chance to be a standout on offense and an easy mark on defense, compared to what looked a year ago like a long road ahead, his defensive improvements early in 2008-09 has become an unexpected bright spot.

The issue of youth vs. vets resurfaced at Monday's practice and is examined in my piece in today's paper about Mikki Moore being taken out of the starting lineup.

But there were some interesting takes from all involved that I saved for the blog, from the views of coach Reggie Theus to Moore to Jason Thompson and Spencer Hawes. We'll start with Hawes, who seems to have a pretty good feel for this situation.

"There's a fine line you've got to follow, especially with the situation we're in now where we're playing young vs. playing the vets," Hawes said. "It's not something you can figure out overnight. It takes time and going back and forth."

Now, it's state-the-obvious time as we take a peek at a few reasons no one should be surprised if the move toward youth continues even further...

* It's a tough sell to management to get so little production from your starting power forward, no matter how legitimate the discussion of Moore's intangible value.

According to 82games.com, the Kings rank 29th in the league in terms of scoring at the power forward spot. And while that includes all the Kings' power forwards, Thompson has played a large portion of his minutes at small forward and Hawes has done the same at center.

And then there's PER, the John Hollinger (via ESPN) stat that puts per-minute statistical production into one number (league average of 15). It's anti-Moore math by definition, since it in no way quantifies intangibles like setting good screens, being a solid help defender and a good energy and locker room guy.

But it is also an increasingly-relevant gauge and hard to ignore when your starting power forward is ranked 59th among power forwards (10.80) while the guy you're putting in his position (Hawes) has a mark of 16.78 and is 16th among centers. As an aside, Thompson's PER is 15.78.

Until recently, Theus' argument about Moore and his impact on the defense was holding water because the team was far worse on that end without him in the four games Moore missed with his ankle injury. But allowing an average of 112.3 points in the last three games while falling to 28th in points per game allowed (105.4) and 29th in opponents' field-goal percentage (47.79) hasn't helped on that front.

And by the way, Mikki himself is well on his way to rolling his eyes at all these numbers by now. That's not a knock, just the candid truth from a guy who plays on feel.

"I'm not a big stat guy," he said on Monday. "Most of my stuff comes from playing defense and setting screens, getting guys open, offensive rebounds. That's about it. But you can't go out there and just keep losing, losing, losing and (be worried) about your stats."

* With the way Thompson played in the first couple of weeks this season, I doubt any of Theus' bosses would have minded if he were put in the starting lineup right then and there. Yet recently, he's gone from being a guy who averaged 27.4 minutes in his first 15 games to a guy averaging 18 minutes in the last four games (albeit while battling serious foul trouble).

* In light of the roster, injuries, lack of defense, occasional lack of energy etc. and the way the first month went overall, Jim Mora should be a postgame guest speaker every so often just to chime in with his infamous rendition of "Playoffs?!" The more out of contention this team gets, the less justification Theus has to rely on the vets.

* Theus - and most of the NBA at large - is very high on Hawes' progression. And while the coach explained Hawes' lack of playing time Saturday against Dallas as connected to Hawes having "reverted" offensively by going to too many moves in the post and trying to do too much, he was singing his praises before tipoff.

The discussion focused mostly on where Hawes was at as a defender, with the Bee's Scott Howard-Cooper inquiring with Theus about the relevancy of his gaudy block statistics to the state of his real progression on that end. Hawes, for the record, entered Monday tied with Boston's Kendrick Perkins for second in the league in total blocks (37).

Theus on Hawes

"I think he's doing extremely well. I think he's gotten a lot better. I think even his fouls are a good thing to the point where those will eventually change for him if he keeps playing that way, if he stays aggressive, and if he gets a little bit better with his positioning....I think he's doing really well, but I think he's still got a ways to go to be a great team defender. Going after every shot has not only helped us as a team, but it has helped him in the way he's perceived now.

On how different he is defensively as compared to last season

"I think he's more aggressive. Last year, when he was over on weak side of balls, we showed him tape after tape after tape about (how he wasn't) going after blocked shots. And this year he's going after them. As I've said, too, I never thought Spence got to be 100 percent last year after his (knee) surgery.
"I've told Spence this, said 'You're in a good place playing wise. Your consistency level is much better now than it ever has been since you've been in this league.'"

As for what some of the others are thinking, delve right in...

Moore on becoming a reserve (which he's done plenty before, if you consider he started seven times in the 303 games before his breakout season in New Jersey)

"Me and coach had a meeting this morning. He said it wasn't about me playing bad or anything like that, but he said he'd rather have my energy coming off the bench. With us losing, he wanted some new blood in the starting lineup but he said it's not (set) in stone.

"I'm not going to argue with coach. If that's what you think is going to work, I'll go with it. I'm not going to call my agent and (complain) about it. I'm going to let you do what you've got to do. I'll put myself to the side for the team. I'll come off the bench. If it stays like that, hopefully I'll get Sixth Man of the Year.

Moore on how his situation and Theus' aren't all that different

"He's just like me. I've got $6 million on the table. That's a big jump from ($6 million) to $2 million (which is what he's guaranteed if he's cut by June 20, 2009) and not knowing if you'll have a job. We're both on the hot seat, to tell you the truth. And I'm one of the vets on the squad. That's why I try to put a lot on my shoulders. I'm playing and my ankle's not 100 percent, but you know I've got to be out there. If you've noticed, I'm not dunking like I normally do because I can't get lift. But with me sitting on the sideline, I just can't help it." - Sam Amick

BLOG UPDATE: I hadn't been on hand for Kevin Martin's update interview, but it sounds as if the shooting guard is a gametime decision for tomorrow as opposed to a lock to return.

***

It's still the Jazz coming into Arco Arena tomorrow night, and possibly a highly-motivated Utah team at that.

A day after their Kings drubbing, they were on the other end of a blowout against New Jersey on Saturday. So with six straight losses overall, six straight at home and nine of the last 10 ending in defeat, a Kings lineup change doesn't necessarily change that.

Nonetheless, Kings coach Reggie Theus will roll out his eighth starting lineup tomorrow night. The most notable difference will be the absence of forward Mikki Moore, who will come off the bench and be replaced by Spencer Hawes. And while Kings shooting guard Kevin Martin will make his official return after his left ankle injury, he will not start. The lineup will be Beno Udrih at the point, Bobby Jackson at shooting guard, Francisco Garcia at small forward, Hawes and center Brad Miller. Swingman John Salmons (thigh strain) will be a gametime decision.

Theus went out of his way to make it clear that the decision had nothing to do with what Moore was not doing and everything to do with what he expects him to do coming off the bench. He highlighted all the little things he values in Moore's game. What's more, he discussed the reality that so many fans - and perhaps even the team's own front office - have nights when they would much rather see the team's young talent than the veteran big man. Ironically, Hawes will get the start after playing a combined 41 minutes the last two games (and nine through three quarters of the Jazz game).

"Anytime there's a charge being taken, 90 percent of the time it's Mikki Moore taking it," Theus said after today's practice. "He does all the little things, and those things matter. People talk about defense. The fans talk about defense, but then they want the guy who's a defensive guy to be out of the game.
"I look at several different things. I look at not only who's starting, but which combinations are best coming off the bench. I look at the fact that Spence has a tendency to get into early foul trouble. Is he better off getting those fouls late in the first half or early in the first half?...He's also got to learn how to not get those fouls." - Sam Amick

The Bee has a fun feature online right now. After going through photo archives, we are inviting you to play a game to see how many former and current Kings players you recognize. It's a nice trip down memory lane and a good way to pass the time while waiting for Kevin Martin to return.

Mavericks (7-8) at Kings (5-13)

Scoring: Kings 12th (99), Mavericks 11th (99.3).
Shooting: Kings fourth (48.2 percent), Mavericks 18th (44.2).
Scoring defense: Kings 28th (105.6), Mavericks 17th (98.3).
Shooting defense: Kings 29th (48 percent), Mavericks third (42.6).
Turnovers: Kings 24th (16.1), Mavericks 13th (14.1),

The links: Mavericks coverage in the Dallas Morning News and Fort Worth Star Telegram.
The almanac: On this date in 1997, the Wizards lost to the Bulls in the final game at what was then called US Airways Arena, ending a 24-year run at the Landover, Md., building. On this date in 1999, Tyrone Corbin of the Kings played his 1,000th regular-season game.

The leadership question is an actual debate now, not just one person's observations. Good. It's a very important topic in the moment and heading to the future, and so it deserves to be out there.

Don't miss the timing either. Reggie Theus was hoping someone would get angry Friday about a half after he was bothered by huge mental mistakes Wednesday -- the end of the Nets game until whatever that was in the third quarter of the Jazz game. This was not a coach flying off the handle.

Theus to Sam Amick after Friday's loss in Salt Lake City: "The one thing I would've liked to see is one of our guys get really angry ... about what was happening on the floor. Our team has a very good temperament, but somebody should've been angry about that. I see that as a leadership issue."

SALT LAKE CITY - Bobby Jackson played only 12 minutes. And if he wasn't Bobby Jackson, any beat writer in his right mind would wander right past his locker on a night like this.

After all, plenty of others played a far bigger role in the 120-94 drubbing from Utah on Friday night. But he is Jackson, which means he's sure to be candid and insightful and a fairly decent barometer for the locker room at large. So we talked.

The Kings guard had his voice heard in the game story when he disagreed with coach Reggie Theus' opinion on a lack of leadership, but there were some other interesting thoughts that didn't make it in the paper as well. Namely, the veteran said he's grown tired of hearing the team's various injuries being used as an excuse for poor play.

"Everybody uses the excuse, 'We ain't healthy, we ain't full strength,' but what's healthy got to do with effort?" Jackson began as he got dressed. "What's healthy got to do with playing defense? We shoot the ball, and everybody wants to ... shoot it and not get back on defense. Nobody wants to take a foul and everybody wants to take a jump shot. It ain't about leadership. It's about effort and having pride in yourself as an individual and as a basketball player."

There wasn't much for the Kings to be proud of in the second half. And suddenly, the bigger picture is changing again. For as much credit has been heaped upon this team when it has been valiant in defeat, the numbers game is starting to catch up here and threaten to change the outlook.

Eight losses in nine games is what it is, a streak bad enough to put them 5 1/2 games back from the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Regardless of whether the organization's aspirations to compete for a postseason spot were realistic, the fact remains it was a stated goal.

Now? Take a peek at that schedule and tell me where you're putting any part of your paycheck on a win. Saturday night it's Dallas, with the Mavs having lost to the Lakers on Friday after five straight wins and the Kings in danger of losing six straight at home for the first time since late in the 1997-98 season.Then it's a rematch with the Jazz (home), Denver (home, won nine of 12), Lakers (home, and fairly hard to beat), Lakers (away, and thus even harder to beat), quasi-respites against the Knicks and Minnesota and then four straight road games in Portland, Houston, New Orleans and San Antonio. It keeps going from there, but you get the idea.

If there isn't even an outside chance at making that playoff push, everything changes. Theus' status and the way in which he's judged. The futures of Brad Miller and Mikki Moore, both of whom are the next logical trade pieces and who become obstacles to the youth movement if the priorities are shifted heavily in favor of development over competing. It's changing quickly around Kingsland, and not for the better.

***

* Kevin Martin had yet another spirited workout before the Utah game and looked ready to roll by my untrained eye, but he's not expected to play Saturday. Tuesday against the Jazz is a real possibility.

* Kings swingman Francisco Garcia was a shell of himself in his return from a strained right calf, but no one could blame him. He missed two exhibition games and 17 regular-season contests, a span of 41 days. Needless to say, it will take him some time to get in shape.

"I'm gonna give it a go," he said before logging 12 mostly quiet minutes. "I didn't get to practice, so we'll see. I waited. I've been patient. But it's time to see how I am. I feel good."

I asked Garcia if it was safe to say he's out of shape.

"Of course, of course I'm out of shape," he said. "We'll see when I get tired how it feels." - Sam Amick

Kings (5-12) at Jazz (10-6)

Scoring: Kings 11th (99.3), Jazz 10th (99.4).
Shooting: Kings fourth (48.2 percent), Jazz third (48.4).
Scoring defense: Kings 27th (104.8), Jazz 11th (95.9).
Shooting defense: Kings 29th (47.7 percent), Jazz tied for 16th (45.3).
Assists: Kings ninth (21.1), Jazz first (24.9).

The links: Jazz coverage in the Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret News.
The almanac: On this date in 1992, Cavaliers coach Lenny Wilkens was involved in his 2,500th regular-season or playoff game as a player or coach, joining Don Nelson at that plateau. On this date in 1992, Larry Brown of the Clippers recorded his 400th coaching victory.

I stayed for Reggie Theus' post-game news conference Wednesday rather than go straight to the locker room, so I missed the quick-departing Brad Miller and was unable to ask about getting a technical in overtime against the Nets. But I did ask Theus.

"It's bad timing," the coach said. "Bad timing."

Not terribly critical, but not letting Miller off the hook either. Diplomatically critical. That probably translates into Theus being 100 percent bothered and not wanting to publicly bury one of his veterans on a night when Theus tore into players at halftime and then again after the Kings snatched defeat from the jaws of victory and handed the game to the Nets. Reggie could easily have said "Emotions are part of the game" or some such line, except that he was very on edge and not interested in giving Miller an out.

It may not even be about Miller specifically (then again: one-point lead in overtime against a bad team playing the second night of a back-to-back, taking a frustration tech rather than walking away, maybe it was all about him.) It may just be the latest example of a team lacking leadership.

Nets (6-7) at Kings (5-11)

Scoring: Kings 15th (98.4), Nets ninth (99.4).
Shooting: Kings second (48.6 percent), Nets tied for 19th (43.7).
Scoring defense: Kings 27th (104.1), Nets 28th (104.5).
Shooting defense: Kings 29th (47.9 percent), Nets tied for 22nd (45.9).
Rebound differential: Kings 22nd (minus-2.3), Nets 11th (plus-0.9).

The links: Nets coverage in the Newark Star-Ledger, New York Post, New York Times and New York Daily News.
The almanac: On this date in 1986, the Bucks beat the Washington Bullets to give Don Nelson his 500th coaching victory in 817 games, at the time reaching the milestone faster than anyone in league history. Pat Riley later got there in 684 games. On this date in 1994, the Cavaliers set a record by attempting two free throws the entire game, breaking the previous mark of three. On this date in 1999, A.C. Green of the Lakers set the professional basketball record by playing in his 1,042nd consecutive game. He passed Ron Boone, who set the mark in the ABA and NBA. On this date in 2000, John Stockton of the Jazz set the record for most career games with one team, 1,271.

A close loss to the Suns, a close loss to the Spurs, an inexcusable showing in a loss to the Grizzlies, a quality win over the Hornets on the second night of a back-to-back, a prideful effort in losing to the Lakers, another energetic showing on the second night of a back-to-back in a close loss to the Trail Blazers. Seven games, as many good moments as bad -- Reggie Theus isn't at Defcon 2 anymore.

But the additional supporting evidence, just in case someone starts putting empty boxes in his office, hint, hint:

*Brad Miller, 35.3 minutes a game.

*Spencer Hawes, 29.3.

*Jason Thompson, 27.

*Mikki Moore, 22.3.

*Shelden Williams, 10.1.

Strange timing by the Kings to announce the Jason Levien hiring so late in the day. The release was sent out just after 5 o'clock, meaning space was at a premium in the story in the paper and the overwhelming majority of material from my interviews had no home.

Except on the trusty blog, of course.

To offer a bit of background before we get into it, the news of Levien's impending hiring last Thursday evening sparked much Internet chatter (and e-mails sent my way) about what it meant for the future of Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie and questions about whether this was his eventual successor. Even more relevant is that similar questions were being asked within the organization, where all but a small minority didn't know this was in the works and who wondered if Petrie's end wasn't more near than they thought.

On the surface, the uncertainty is driven mostly by three key factors: Petrie's contract expires after next season; the organization just made a rare front office addition and committed to a multiyear deal; common sense told you sharp ones out there that an agent doesn't leave that life for this one unless there's the potential for a promising path in place. I addressed a few of these questions in this post, but the relevant parties finally weighed in now that it's a done deal.

PETRIE (By phone)

Opening comment

He's bright. He's knowledgeable, has a breadth of experience now in terms of the collective bargaining agreement. He's a lawyer. He has a good network of people and resources that I think he's developed over the years. I think he'll add a lot.

Q: When did you start to think about this guy in this capacity in terms of bringing him in house?

A: Obviously, going way back to when we drafted Hedo (Turkoglu), he was working for (agent Lon) Babby. He was doing some of the point-work there. Over the years, I had different conversations with him - obviously Kevin (Martin), and there were other players in that arena. I was impressed with his preparation, his knowledge. Again, it's his ability to do some things in house for us along with his basketball background will be valuable.

Q: When the story came out last week, by far the most frequent question being asked by your fan base was not only 'What is this guy going to do?' but - so long as your deal doesn't go beyond next season - people wonder where your career is at. Does this have any impact on that? Is there a bigger picture at play here at all?

A: I don't think so. I really don't. I mean, I want to continue doing what I'm doing as long as it works for everybody. Obviously, you're healthy enough and you think your track (record) is good and you're accomplishing something. I don't think people should be really caught up in that at all.

Q: I was just talking to Gavin (Maloof), who said Geoff will be with us as long as he wants to be with us.

A: My relationship, not just with Joe and Gavin but just with the Kings as an organization or to whatever extent it's an institution in this community, it's a huge part of my professional and even my personal life at this point. That's why I just keep trying to do a good job.

Q:Did it surprise you at all that an agent would want to switch sides, so to speak?

A: There's a lot of people who would like to get into the basketball side of the business, regardless of what their profession or qualifications are. I think the world of Lon Babby, too. I think he's terrific, and Jason worked for him. He's carved out a niche for himself on the player side of things. And to do that, especially when you're a sole proprietor, you have to have some sense of whether a player can make it in the NBA or even has the ability to make it in the NBA. If your clients aren't doing anything, you can't make a living. Right?
Again, he's got a breadth of experience that's really valuable.

KINGS CO-OWNER GAVIN MALOOF By phone

Opening comment

I know Jason pretty well. He's certainly a very bright individual. He loves basketball, cares about the Kings, has a good rapport with Joe (Maloof) and I and Geoff. It's just another set of eyes and ears and an opinion that we could use to help us draft other picks, help us with our current roster. ... He knows basketball and he's a bright guy, so you can't have too many of those around.

Q: Were you looking to make an addition and you started looking around and you honed in on this guy, or was it the other way where the more you got to know him the more you thought you'd want to bring him in?

A: You run across a lot of people in the basketball business. I guess there are a lot of competent individuals, but you have to find someone that you really get along with and that you really hit it off with. We kind of all just hit it off. That's what happened with us and Jason.

He's an attorney and a bright guy, so he'll work well under Geoff. He'll review players' contracts. He'll help us form the contracts, do a lot of legal work that we need done. Whatever is involved in the business, that's what he'll help us with. And he's a basketball junkie, which is great too. You've got to find somebody who eats, breathes, and sleeps basketball, and that's what he does. I feel fortunate to have him, and I think he's going to bring a lot to the table.

Q: Gavin, at this point I know you start working together and see how it goes and you hope he pays off in the way that you're confident that he will. But because Geoff doesn't have a contract beyond next season, a lot of fans see this and wonder what it means.
Is there a chance that this guy down the road could be somebody in a much more significant position if Geoff wasn't around anymore. I know that's a ways down the road, but does he have that kind of potential as you see it?

A: I don't know that we've ever discussed that, as far as him being our next general manager. I don't know that we've discussed that as far as his future role. I think we're just going to take what he can do for us now and see where the chips fall.
We'd love to have Geoff with us a few more years. As long as he wants to be with us, we want to be with Geoff. There's really no timetable. We're just going to see how it develops and see what happens.

Q: It sounded like last summer Geoff was telling you and Joe to just 'leave my contract alone for a little while.' Have you resumed talks in that area at all.

A: What do you mean, 'leave it alone'?

Q: Ailene (Voisin) had reported over the summer that Geoff wanted to leave his contract situation the way it is, meaning this season and next, and that you would see how things fall together and talk about the future at a later date.

A: He's got this year and another, so I don't know. I don't look anything into that. I don't know how to respond to that.

Q: I'm just asking if you have talked about an extension or if you plan on simply operating with the contract he has now.

A: We're just operating with the contract we have now. You know, if it was up to us we'd never need a contract with Geoff. The people that do the job for us, we'd prefer they didn't have a contract because they could have a contract for life as long as they're doing the job and we're satisfied. The contract is just a piece of paper as far as we're concerned.

And Geoff, like I say, he can be with us as long as he wants to be with us. We stand by people who do the job. If you do the job, and you're loyal, hardworking. We don't like to switch people. It's like (team president) John Thomas, who we've had for like 10 years now. As long as they're doing the job and helping us make informed decisions, then they can stay with us as long as they want to.

LEVIEN by phone

Opening comment

I'm pretty excited. I think it's a really unique opportunity. It gets me closer to the game I love. It allows me to use my skills and my resources and contacts in a different way. It's sort of like looking at a puzzle from a different angle. Rather than representing the players, you're representing the team. I think the people in the organization are terrific. From Geoff on down, I think I've had a great relationship with folks there. Obviously knowing the Maloofs like I have, I know how much they care and are committed to winning. I'm just excited to be a part of it, and to try to contribute and figure out ways that I can help shape things.

Q: Why does a guy of your level of success leave that behind? Even geographically, you're Miami-based and now you're coming out this way. Explain the motivation from your side of this.

A: I think it's a combination of a love of basketball, a real belief in the Kings and the people that make up the Kings organization from the owners to the president. And it's the challenge. It's a unique challenge.

I didn't get into the agent business to stockpile as much money as I could. I did it because I really cared about my clients, I really cared about the game, and I felt that I could give good advice and make a difference in their lives. I feel as though, you know, I'm not getting into this for the same reason obviously.

I enjoy remuneration like anyone else, but I think if you chase money your whole life and that's your only goal, then sure I probably should've stayed as an agent. I was doing very well. But I think there's something bigger out there and something I want to contribute to that's more important than that. This is the kind of opportunity you can't pass up if you really feel the way I do. - Sam Amick

Call it the John Salmons mentality. The Kings small forward had to wait seven seasons to become a starter, and he has certainly taken the better-late-than-never approach to his current state. The same logic, then, will be applied to this blog post.

The piece on Salmons may have come out a few days ago, but here is the remainder of material that didn't make the cut but that is worth listening to and watching for those who remain curious about this man. From interviews with Salmons himself, former teammate Allen Iverson, and his former assistant high school coach at Plymouth Whitemarsh (Jim D'Onofrio), questions are answered regarding everything from what Salmons thinks of Sacramento to why he pounds the ball to how he views his role this season.

A few disclaimers real quickly: The Salmons interview took place just before the regular season, so keep that in mind (and ignore background noise from Center Court restaurant); the audio files were edited to give you some of the better material (and avoid my own long-winded questions).

The video of Salmons' walk to the basketball court in his North Philadelphia home is referenced in the story, so be sure to read that first.

Audio Files (Click on links to hear interviews)

Salmons interview, part 1 (2:29) (On the difference between Philly and Sacramento and on his view of the media)

Salmons interview, part 2 (13:03) (On becoming a starter; on shade trees named Ron-Ron being gone-gone; on playing in the triangle and his candid take on his isolation/pounding style)

Iverson on Salmons (3:57) (On his former 76ers teammate finally getting a chance to shine and on his legacy as a player who overshadowed so many others)

D'Onofrio on Salmons (7:39) (On his work ethic growing up; on his offseason summer routine in Philadelphia)

- Sam Amick

The Kings' front-office hiring first reported in The Bee on Thursday evening was made official this evening, when the team announced the addition of agent and attorney Jason Levien.

For a Q&A about what Levien's hiring means, click here. Read tomorrow's Bee for more, but below is the press release in its entirety...

The Sacramento Kings today announced the hiring of Jason Levien to their Basketball Operations staff as Team General Counsel/Assistant General Manager, effective December 15, 2008, according to President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie.

Levien's primary responsibilities include drafting and management of players, coaching and management contracts, assisting in salary cap planning and analysis and overseeing team compliance with all NBA rules and procedures. He will also assist in scouting and report directly to Petrie and Vice President of Basketball Operations Wayne Cooper.

Levien, a former NBA player agent, represented more than a dozen NBA players over the past decade, guiding his clients through their careers which included navigating the NBA Draft process, free agency and contract negotiations. His clients included Luol Deng (Chicago Bulls), Udonis Haslem (Miami Heat) and the Kings' Kevin Martin. In addition to negotiating Martin's long-term extension with Sacramento in 2007, Levien negotiated the largest contract in Bulls' history in July 2008.

"Jason brings a breadth of experience and expertise which will enhance the Kings Organization," explained Petrie. "He is bright, knowledgeable and has an established network of resources which are valuable."

Having traveled the globe evaluating basketball talent, Levien represented a number of international players drafted into the NBA and professional basketball players in more than 15 countries. He developed a reputation for finding talented players that were either overlooked or flew under the radar.

"I've known Geoff Petrie for the better part of a decade and there's nobody in the basketball world that I respect more than him," said Levien. "Geoff, combined with what I think of the ownership in the Maloof's, who are incredible owners, passionate basketball fans and successful business people, made this opportunity unique and attractive. I'm looking forward to contributing in any and every way. This team has a lot of young, talented pieces and to be a part of the future was something that was very attractive and exciting to me. To go from the agent side of representing players to being a part of a team and organization is sort of an out of the box move, but it's something I'm thrilled about."

Levien has also spent time working in politics, including serving as the speechwriter for the Keynote Address at the 2000 Democratic National Convention and in The White House.

Levien is a graduate of Pomona College in Claremont, where he was a member of the basketball team. He served as an editor of the Michigan Law Review while earning his law degree and master's in public policy from the University of Michigan. Levien was later awarded a fellowship at Harvard Law School.

- Sam Amick

Kings (5-10) at Trail Blazers (8-6)

Scoring: Kings 10th (98.9), Trail Blazers 14th (98.4).
Shooting: Kings second (48.7 percent), Trail Blazers 11th (45.2).
Scoring defense: Kings 29th (104.9), Trail Blazers 13th (96.1).
Shooting defense: Kings 30th (48.5 percent), Trail Blazers 27th (47).
Three-point defense (being tracked in the House of Maloof): Kings 30th (43.2 percent), Trail Blazers tied for 25th (38).
Turnovers (ditto): Kings 22nd (15.9), Trail Blazers first (12.4).

The link: Trail Blazers coverage in the Oregonian.
The almanac: On this date in 1938, Oscar Robertson was born in Charlotte, Tenn. On this date in 1960, Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors grabbed 55 rebounds against the Celtics to set a single-game record, en route to averaging 27.2 rebounds for the season-long mark. On this date in 1986, Maurice Podoloff, the first chief executive of the NBA, died at the age of 95. Podoloff was NBA president, before the title was changed to commissioner in 1967, from 1946 through his retirement in 1963. On this date in 1999, the Heat beat the Hawks to make Pat Riley the third coach in history with 200 wins with three teams, joining Lenny Wilkens and Bill Fitch. On this date in 2001, Terry Porter of the Spurs became the only player to record 15,000 points, 7,000 assists, 1,000 steals and 1,000 three-pointers.

At least P.J. Carlesimo was fired Saturday in Oklahoma City with a full bad roster. Eddie Jordan got it today in Washington with the Wizards at 1-10, but also with the Wizards still missing Gilbert Arenas and starting center Brendan Haywood, just as they went part of the 2008 playoffs without Agent Zero, just as Arenas missed all the '07 playoffs.

That's how it goes. Fairness doesn't always enter into these things, which is why the move will generate sympathy for Jordan in D.C. and around the league, and why he will have offers to be a No. 1 assistant next season and maybe even interviews to become a head coach. He is respected.