Crowned

I have to admit--going into Thursdays NBA draft I was a bit apprehensive. Getting ones hopes up for something that isn't a guaranteed, take-it-to-the-bank deal is never a smart move. It's true with gambling, the housing market, and it's certainly true with sports. Of course, everyone in the Sacramento region, from Vacaville to Fair Oaks, from Redding to Modesto, threw that sage wisdom out the window and went ahead and got excited anyway.

For once, we hoped it would pay off.

The Kings, with the 5th overall selection, were slated to take DeMarcus Cousins, the big, bad, bruiser, out of Kentucky. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. He was going to anchor, to solidify, not just the Kings' front court rotation, but the entire rebuilding process. How could we not get excited?

But as is the nature of sport (and the Kings are no exception), heartbreak is never far away, threatening, looming over everything like a haunting specter. I felt pretty confident about the first three picks: Wall, Turner, Favors. That seemed a lock for 1-2-3. But Minnesota at the 4th spot? Now that worried me. The last thing they needed was another big (they got their hands full in that department with a moody Al Jefferson, an under-played Kevin Love, and... Darko?), but there's something in the water up there that makes them a little pick crazy. Back-to-Back Point Guard selections in the first round of last years draft, plus another later on that same evening (that makes for three point-men total, for those of you scoring at home) understandably warranted that concern. What would have stopped them from nabbing Cousins?

Last time Kings fans were excited about the entire team? These guys were on the floor. We all know how that ended.

So it was with great trepidation that I watched David Stern (who was still practically glowing from the Lakers' championship victory. Which, by the way, he felt compelled to remind us of again. And you wonder why he gets booed?) take the podium for Minny's pick. He cleared his voice, and in that thick New York accent said:

With the fourth pick in the two-thousand-and-ten NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select... Wesley Johnson, from Syracuse University.

Sigh of relief. Cousins was still available, floating in the ether. But honestly, I was still a bit concerned; until his name was called and his face masked by that large brimmed hat (aside: they must've found those lids in a box marked '1993'), I would not rest easy.

After 4 long minutes of Jay Bilas praising Johnson's "open court athleticism" and lauding his ability "to not just be a position player, but be a basketball player" (analysis!), the Commish once again took to the podium to announce Sacto's pick.

This is what followed.



Hell. Yes.

A 292-pound, 6'-11'' piece to the puzzle. With that selection, The Kings just made perhaps the most dramatic off-season turnaround EVER. The Kings took Spencer Hawes and Andres Nocioni and somehow morphed that into Samuel Dalembert and Demarcus Cousins. Holy hell. Incredible.

The frontline is now solid. Hustle guys like Brockman and Landry (my top two favorite Kings) will do the dirty work, while Sammy and the rook will be busy playing home-run derby with lay-ups. Soft no more. Throw in Casspi and Greene's steady development. Mix in the veteran savvy of Francisco Garcia and Beno Udrih (the other, other Slovenian) and you have your self a pretty good team.

And the best part? The cherry on top? The Kings also have this guy.

Hey there, kiddo.

The Kings are one more guard away, I'd say, from calling this rebuilding process all done. And there won't be a dearth of options when it comes to that. Sactown Royalty has a nice little list of who they could pick-up. My personal favorites? Ronnie Brewer or Steve Blake. Or bring Sergio Rodriguez back. I'd be down with that too.

After that, it's off to the races for the Kings. I see a take-no-prisoners, ass-kicking, merciless squad in the making. I see the Kings sneaking into the playoffs and giving the perennial powerhouses a scare. I see Tyreke slipping into MVP conversations pretty soon. I see ESPN writers putting together pieces like "Are the Kings back?" I see the Kings and Thunder going at it for years down the road, with Sacramento sadly hating Kevin Durant at the end of it all. And, if I really let my imagination go wild, I can see, probably in 5-6 years or so, this squad blowing out a rapidly fading Lakers team in a packed, rabid, and out-of-control Arco Arena.

Granted, I realize this kind of thinking is the stuff of broken hearts, the stuff I said no one should do at the beginning of this piece. But hey, what's life without a little risk, a little hurt? And if it works out in the end what a pay-off it'll be. Even if it doesn't happen, if Cousins is a bust and things fall apart, it'll be worth it. Because the feeling, the feeling of potential? That's hard to beat.

Hear that sound? That rumbling? Yeah, that's right. That's the roar of the Sacramento Kings. Get on board now or get out of the way.