3 Things Joerger Can Bring To Sacramento
The new Sacramento Kings head coach, Dave Joerger, built a system in Memphis that helped lead the Grizzlies to the playoffs in each of the three seasons he spent coaching the team.
Although things didn't work out for Joerger in Memphis, the success of his team is something the Kings' organization and fan base hope he can bring to Sacramento.
Under Joerger, the Grizzlies were known as a defensive first team, but they were also able to play as a team on offense in order to score enough points to win games.
There's no doubt if Joerger can duplicate, and even try to improve on the team he had in Memphis, the Kings can become a formidable team in the Western Conference.
Here are three things Joerger can bring from Memphis to immediately improve a Kings, who hugely underachieved last season.
1. Run The Offense Through DeMarcus Cousins
Cousins is an extreme talent as a big man in the NBA. His ability to rack up points is unmatched at his positions. However, the offensive flow tends to stop once the ball hits his hands. Cousins has shown that he has the ability to pass the ball, but he goes into these stints where passing isn't even an option for the big man.
In Memphis, Joerger ran a lot of his offense through his center, Marc Gasol. Take a look at the video below. Watch how Gasol's willingness to pass, as well as his skill, lead to easy buckets for his teammates.
Cousins will still need to be the guy Sacramento can count on for 20-25 points per game, but the team could benefit more with an offense like the Grizzlies' who played with a team concept.
2. Bring In A Player Whose Main Focus Is Defense
It's easier said than done, but Joerger's previous team was filled with these type of players.
Matt Barnes, Lance Stephenson, and Tony Allen are three players who won't contribute a whole lot on offense, but they will annoy the crap out of the other team while playing defense.
Allen is a perfect example of the type of player the Kings could benefit from. The defensive specialist was named on the all-defense team three times while Joerger was an assistant coach and once while he was the head coach.
This isn't to say the Kings need to make a trade for Allen, but if they can find a defensive specialist in the free agent market, it would greatly improve the team's defense.
3. Connect With The Players In The Locker Room
There seemed to be a disconnect between the players and George Karl last season. One of the biggest reasons Karl was let go was because it was believed he lost the locker room.
For Joerger, it will be important for him to create a good relationship with the players on the team, especially Cousins.
Check out Joerger's press conference after his Grizzlies were eliminated from the playoffs this season.
The emotion he shows when talking about the fight of his team is derived from the connection he had with his players.
If a coach can create a close relationship with his team, the players will fight harder for him, which was seen in the remaining minutes of a series sweep against the San Antonio Spurs.
One of the biggest criticisms of the Kings last season was that, on some nights, it looked like they just didn't care. A strong connection between the head coach and players is the best way to ensure everyone gives it their all -- day in and day out.