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After the Monday game I sat down with Omri Casspi, the Kings first round draft pick (23rd) to see how he was coming along what with his 10 hour time change from Tel Aviv and virtually no practice before the first game.
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Interview Omri Casspi, Mon 13 Jul 09

KF: You came in a little late to summer league. It must be tough that way coming right into the game with not much practice.

Omri: It is, it is. I'm off my rhythm and trying to get my head right. To get on the right page and I'm struggling to get there.

KF: There must be a lot of pressure from your country (being the first in the NBA)?

Omri: I try to avoid to think about that and just concentrate on getting my game.

KF: Are you happy with your game at this point? What are you going to try to work on the next couple of games?

Omri: No, No. It's about me. I have to work on my rhythm. It was one of the worst games of my life. I never play like that. I don't know, I have to get my rhythm

KF: Do you think your trying too hard?

Omri: No, I think I'm just putting pressure on me

KF: How are you with the competition here (at summer league)?

Omri: Ok. I don't think so tough. I play against tougher guys in my league and I think my old team, Maccabi, is better than some of these teams.

KF: What about the time change (9-10 hours from Tel Aviv)? Has this bothered you?

Omri: A little I think. But I don't want to make any excuses.

KF: Will you play for your national team this summer?

Omri: No, I don't think so.

He really was a down on himself so I concluded the interview. Omri is really a nice guy, very quiet by nature but quite intense. But without the benefit of practice the others had it is little wonder.

In the first and third quarters the Kings played better with him in the game even tho' his game wasn't there. His defense is coming along and he moves well but it is obvious he is not yet familiar with the plays and other players. The Kings will practice Tuesday for their game Wednesday. So CruzDude is off to Margaritaville to soak away the internet disasters of Black Monday. All will be well on Wednesday and the interview then will be Jon Brockman.

The dust has settled. Our newest Kings are in Sacramento at this very moment, meeting their new fans and getting a first look at the place they're going to be calling home for at least a bit.

With the signing of Tyreke Evans, we can expect to garner some fans/new members from Memphis and we want to give each of you a hearty welcome.

With the signing of Omri Casspi, we are already experiencing the arrival of a lot of Israeli fans. We also want to extend a warm welcome to each of you, and actually envy you a little as your first national player has joined the ranks of the NBA. You're gonna have a whole lot of fun!

By acquiring Sergio Rodriquez in trade, we will welcome any Spanish fans who find us with the same hospitality.

Finally, by getting Jon Brockman we don't even have to guess which rookie will be carrying Spencer's stuff. Welcome to all of Brockman's fans, too.

It's shaping up to be a great time to be a Kings fan. Exciting new players and lots of new fans will continue to make KingsFans.com the place to come to share your passion for the Sacramento Kings.

Welcome one and all! We're very glad to have you with us!!!

As always, I have one final thing to say...

Now and forever, I LOVE THIS TEAM!!

When you're invited to come to Arco to view a portion of the pre-draft workouts, things like distance and time take a backseat to the idea that you just might be seeing a future King the first time he dons Kings gear.

First, a warm thanks to the folks at Maloof Sports & Entertainment for including Kingsfans.com in the mix for the media exposure. It's greatly appreciated. And, as always, dealing with the folks at MSE reflects just how much they love their jobs and being part of this whole fun ride. They're always friendly and helpful - from the securuty guard at the gate to the people outside trimming the grass to the guys like Steve, Andrew, Devin and Chris who were ready to answer any questions and generally make it a pretty interesting outing.

The Kings looked at six players today - forwards Earl Clark, James Johnson, Leo Lyons and Marcus Landry and guards Levance Fields and Dionte Christmas.

When they raised the magic curtain, allowing us to see into the practice facility I couldn't help but be reminded of the admonition in The Wizard of Oz. You know, "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain." But in this case, we wanted to pay very close attention to the men behind the curtain because one of them just might be wearing the uniform of the Sacramento Kings very shortly.

Our first glimpse of the six hopefuls was to observe them running some 3-on-3. The only real point guard on the court was Levance Fields and while he played with hustle and energy, I just don't see him as being what we're looking for in a PG. He's stocky and not that quick on his first step, although he gets down the court pretty well. He's definitely not a pass-first point guard, preferring to take pull up jumpers instead of dishing the ball away.

Dionte Christmas has a nice-looking shot from the perimeter, which seems logical considering he describes himself as a shooter. I've seen better, though, and I think he'll be lucky to garner a place on a team come fall.

Leo Lyons and Marcus Landry didn't make lasting impressions, as I kept finding myself drawn to James Johnson (Wake Forest) and Earl Clark (Louisville).

Clark reminded me a lot of Gerald Wallace. He's got a lot of athleticism and he's quick. He was also in the mix on virtually every play, hustling and banging around for rebounds.

It's hard to put too much emphasis on the few minutes we observed but I remain very impressed with Clark. And his interview afterwards was also encouraging. When I asked him what he thought he could bring to the Kings that we didn't already have, his answer was clear and succinct. "I could cause a lot of matchup problems," he said. "I'm athletic...I can block shots, rebound and create my own shot and shots for others."

Clark is a bit taller than Johnson, and both are just a little taller than SAR, who was also there working out the hopefuls.

One of the things I enjoyed seeing the most was Geoff Petrie, working closely with the young men, actually laughing and talking animatedly. It was pretty clear this is the kind of thing Geoff relishes. Fat Lever was there and even Jerry Reynolds was out there, looking more than a little unusual in "regular" clothes and not a suit.

Depending on who we get at #4, I think Earl Clark is definitely worth another look for our later picks should he still be available. He's got game...and I think he'd fit in quite nicely. He's not the complete polished player but there's skills to work with - mad skills - and as I said the athleticism is impressive. I found myself envisioning him on the court with Jason and Spencer and I liked what I saw in my mind's eye.

That's it from the forest. I just got home a little bit ago and it's been a long - but very enjoyable - day.

Thanks again to all involved.

So it's official. The Sacramento Kings will have the 4th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. And is anyone really surprised?

If I have to feel sorry for anyone, it's not us. We'll be okay. I'm reserving most of my pity for Blake Griffin.

"Hello, Blake?"

"Yes?"

"This is David Stern. I just wanted you to know the good news. You're going to LA!!"

"Whoa! Thank you, Mr. Stern! That's fantastic news."

"Well, I should probably clarify. You will be going to LA ... but you're going to the Clippers."

...

Click...

...

The basketball gods must really be pissed at Griffin for something. Of all the teams he could have gone to, can you imagine the heart-crushing disappointment of knowing his fate is now in the hands of Donald Sterling? That he'll be playing in Staples, but only as the junior varsity equivalent? So close yet so very, very far...

Of course, knowing Mitch Kupchak and the Lakers, they're already figuring out a way to trade Luke Walton and Derek Fisher to the Clippers for Blake and whatever else it takes to make the numbers match.

The Kings have an interesting task in front of them that just got more intriguing because of the ping pong balls. And if this doesn't prove that tanking isn't a guarantee of getting the best pick in the draft, I don't know what is.

In a way, we should have seen it coming. After a season like this, what could possibly make it worse?

We should never have challenged worse. Seeing Finley in the corner waiting for the pass was bad. Seeing the shot clock expire with the ball still in his hands, though, brought a smile to my face...but only until I realized Danny Crawford and the other two guys being paid to watch things like shot clocks and such didn't see what I - and pretty much everyone else on the planet not wearing black and white striped shirts - had seen. A clear shot clock violation was ignored. They could review the play to see if they should award two or three incorrect points to the Spurs but not whether or not the shot should count.

And yet, somehow, it all made perfect sense. It was Michael Finley, who is apparently going to stay in the league forever just to torture Kings fans, who made the shot that time forgot. It was the final home game of the season for the Kings, who have to finish their pathetic season on the road. And it was just another reminder that life - and NBA basketball - isn't fair.

There is, however, room for hope. By surviving the worst season in franchise history, the Kings and the loyal fans have set the stage for something special. A chance at a #1 pick in the 2009 draft.

Although the Kings have finished at home for the year, they'll be back in October. By then we'll know who our draftees are and we'll be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Sacramento Kings. We'll be able to talk about this latest affront and, with typical Kings fans gallows humor, we'll joke about finding fault with Finley.

Turn out the lights in Arco. The party is over ... for now. But hope springs eternal and I know a lot of us will stick around even after the final buzzer sounds in Minnesota on April 15. What else can we do?

Hello, my name is VF21. I'm a Kings fan...