We Can’t Help But Get Excited About the Sacramento Kings! | Locked On Kings

We Can’t Help But Get Excited About the Sacramento Kings! | Locked On Kings

Look, there’s a lot about this Sacramento Kings team to be nervous about going into next season, right? Plenty of things for us to be hesitant about or things that we don’t expect to go well. But no matter what, we can’t help ourselves, right? The closer we get to Sacramento Kings basketball returning, the more excited we become. That includes me and Deuce Mason from the Deuce and Mo podcast who joins me right here on Locked on Kings. You are Locked on Kings, your daily Sacramento Kings podcast, part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. And now, ladies and gentlemen, it is that time. Time for another episode of Locked On Kings. Hello and welcome into Locked on Kings, your podcast hub for Sacramento Kings coverage all off seasonason long. Today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel football season is here and right now new customers can bet just $5. And if your bet wins, you’ll get $300 in bonus bets. Download the FanDuel app or head to fanduel.com to get started. My name is Matt George. I have the privilege of being your host here. I’m a Sacramento sports anchor and reporter for ABC 10 News. And I’ve made a lot of friends here in the Sacramento media scene covering the Kings. And one of those friends is uh someone who also I think is is in some ways a mentor in other ways just a a guy who sets a bar that I and so many others in this uh this Kings media scene, especially in the podcast scene, try to reach. Deuce Mason is one half of the Deuce and Mo podcast. The two of them have been doing incredible work on that show for years and really have been trailblazers for the Kings podcast and just sports podcast scene in Sacramento. And of course, the two of them are doing amazing things for for Kings Radio, Kings Television, Stockton Kings, and now Golden State Valky’s games and broadcasting. So, they’re two incredible people and any chance I can have one or both of them on the show, it’s a real treat. So, I got Deuce Mason on today. And as you’re going to hear, we’re just going to chop it up about different Kings topics, right? How we’re feeling going in to this uh this incoming training camp, right? The questions that we have, talk about specific players, talk about Doug Christie and his approach to things, right? There’s a lot for Duce and I to get into. So, please, please enjoy and feel free to respond to anything that you you’d like to. You can do so via Twitter, Matt Georgeesack, email me, [email protected]. Leave your thoughts in the YouTube comment section down below. But if nothing else, enjoy my conversation with Deuce Mason. He’s been spending his summer off season abroad internationally and then calling Valky’s soontobe playoff games in the WNBA. Deuce Mason, do you even want Sacramento Kings basketball to come back? You’ve had an a pretty incredible offseason, my guy. Oh, yeah. I do. I do. And I I know like this year could be weird a little bit, but I crave it. And I know as we inch closer, we get to like media day, I’m going to have optimism where I’m like, you know, I don’t know, man. Maybe if it all comes together, they can win more games than last year. I know that’s going to happen, even if I don’t totally feel that way right now. You you you’re so much like me in so many ways. Before we dive into the G thing, no, you are. You are because we we I don’t know if I like that. No, you are. and you’re more talented and better at staying on track than I am. But you and I both are like cuz I was miserable heading into this off season. And then I hear you’ve been miserable for months. I’ve been miserable since basically Christmas when they fired Mike Brown. I was like this this Christmas sucks. It was the day after like two days after Christmas they did that which was horrible. Um but they they start this off season and the way they ended last season. They fire Monty McNair. Then Scott Perry does his press conference. I’m like, “Okay, I kind of like him.” Then Scott Perry and Doug Christie to their press conference like, “Okay, I can believe in this.” There Perry’s made some moves this off season that I’m choosing just to kind of trust like the Keon Ellis thing for example. But I think like that’s what I’m latching my my hope and optimism in right now is that relationship, the Scott Perry, Doug Christie relationship and kind of putting it all in their hands. When it comes to this roster and the players on this roster, there are guys that I certainly like, but I think I need to retrust or or re like have the trust reestablished with this roster. But with this front office and coaching staff, I’m I’m there in terms of uh believing in them. Here’s my thing, and you know this, we have seen so many front office and coaching changes over the years that at some point it’s just like, okay, just just show it to me. like just I hear the talk. I hear this. Just show it to me. And I think that’s kind of where most fans are at. It’s like cool. Like I I like what I hear from Scott Perry and what he wants to build. And you know, I I’ve loved Doug Christie forever, but you have to go execute it now. And I think that’s all what Kings fans want. I mean, they got this taste, a little Costco sample size of a 48 win season. It looked like they were on their way to be competitive for the next five, six years. Okay, what could it turn into? And then here we are going in to this year with so many questions looming about like who’s gonna be here come February. There’s still a chance that this this roster is not complete. I think we’re all still kind of sitting here twiddling our thumbs wondering what’s going to happen in the Kaminga situation. And then Russell Westbrook seems to still be a part of that too. It’s crazy. It’s September 9th and Russell Westbrook still is not on a basketball team and he might still be waiting for the Kings to figure something out to bring him here to Sacramento. But if this is the roster going into media day and training camp, which is either at the end of this month or very early next month, like how are you are do you trust it? Do you feel good about it? How do you feel about it overall? Like how would you evaluate this Kings team and what they’re supposed to be theoretically good at? I mean, they have offensive talent. Um, same thing for years. Yeah. Um, but like if you’re kind of coming back with the same starting lineup that you had last year, except you have Dennis Shruder, you could make a case, hey, Shruder is going to play with pace. It’s kind of a pest out there. It’s kind of like he he he talks some out there, which I I just like like I think the Kings have missed that. I like he’s a good player and him playing with pace I think that helps Lavine and maybe the offense could be really fun to watch at times but it’s kind of the same issues and I I think my biggest concern I’ve been talking about with Morgan is like okay like h how are you finding legitimate minutes for Keon Ellis how are in a contract year as Keegan Murray enters a really big year how are you g getting him more opportunity I know some of that falls on him he’s got to go get it too but how are you making sure he’s involved and showing what I think is the offensive potential he does have like this is a guy that’s like 6’8 with great size has improved his rebounding his defense is legit and I think he’s got more to give offensively how do you get him involved uh you still got Malik Monk uh Nick Clifford is even in the rotation to start the season so I’m going up and down the roster I’m like I just have many questions I I like some of the young talent and of course we all get sucked into the young talent because That’s upside potential, but I I I believe into you got to lean into that a little more, but your roster is composed with a lot of vets. So, I I’m just curious what’s the balance look like this year when you’ve got a line that is in all likelihood going to be Shruder, Lavine, D. Rose, and Keegan, and Sabonis. It’s It’s funny. I I kind of consider Doug Christie as young talent in in a way because it’s like this is his his first year of having the the full control as the head coach and I was talking with Jason Ross about this yesterday. Like I’m I’m so curious about like what does what’s the difference between interim head coach Doug Christie who is trying to as he says fix a plane while it’s in the air and taking over in the midst of a chaotic season where he’s coaching to hopefully secure the job versus the job is yours. you have an off seasonason and a training camp to put your stamp on it. So, how does that look? So, I’m very eager with the the starting lineup that you described is more than likely what it’s going to be, but you would imagine Doug Christie can obviously see the value in guys like Keon and guys like Nick hopefully and guys like Malik Monk coming off the bench. So, how he ch how he puts those pieces of the puzzle together, that’s probably the going to be the main thing that I’m focusing on. This is the first training camp in a while where I’m paying more attention to the coaching staff and their decisions and how they put things together than the actual players and how they perform in those uh specific roles. Yeah, I think the Doug angle is interesting because you’re right, taking over in the middle of the season is just tough no matter what. It’s not an ideal situation. Like when Mike Brown got fired, we’re like, “Okay, did they just punt the season away by doing this?” Um, and they had moments where it looked like, “Oh, maybe they’re getting it together.” But ultimately, we know how it all unfolded after the Fox trade. I think one thing that is big for Doug is, you’re right, an offseason, but it’s also an offseason with his coaching staff. Last year, something that I don’t think gets enough attention is, you know, Doug Christie wasn’t necessarily a Mike Brown guy, right? He was on Walton staff before that, then on Mike Browns, and you know, Mike had all of his guys that he hired and had great relationships with, and Mike loses the job, and then Doug jumps to be the interim guy. Mhm. All those guys underneath the support staff, you need to have like an immense level of trust with your assistant coaches and your support staff. All those guys, for the most part, were Mike Brown guys. Are you going to like break your back to make Doug Christie look good? Um, you’re probably thinking about what’s next and look, you’ve seen it. All those assistants for the most part are, you know, out with new opportunities. One left mid-season. I’ve never seen that before. So, like, like that matters. You know, I to bring it back, you mentioned the Valkyries earlier, their head coach is Natalie Nass, and she was talking a couple of games ago how she she’s got a close relationship with Joe Missoula, and she went and watched like Celtic. She was around the Celtics for a stretch over the offseason and she was talking about how connective their co connected their coaching staff was and how you could like look at the every member of the coaching staff and you couldn’t tell like hey who was the league guy who’s this because they were all so connected working with players and they just had a tight-knit group and she tried to establish that with her staff with the Valkyries. My point being is that is so important especially for a firsttime coach to have that support. So, I think going into this year, you know, with with Woodson and Miller, a couple of vets, and then Bobby Jackson, who he knows really well, um, obviously former teammate. I think that could be really good for Doug just to have that support, you know. I I think that goes a long way when you’re kind of, uh, feeling like a lone wolf or maybe you got a couple of people who have your back that that’s a challenging task. Like I said at the top of the show, today’s episode of Lockdown Kings is brought to you by FanDuel. The NFL season is here and FanDuel is making sure you’re ready for kickoff with a can’tmiss offer. Right now, new customers can bet just $5. And if your bet wins, whatever the bet may be, you’ll get $300 in bonus bets right away to use across the app and make even more money. Using FanDuel is so much fun because it fits the way you like to bet. Whether it’s player props or building a same game parlay or even jumping in live as the action is unfold unfolding in front of you. It makes every game way more exciting. Whether you’re watching your team play specifically, you’re just watching whatever the Thursday night or or or Monday night game is just to simply watch football or if you’re keeping an eye on your fantasy lineup. Add FanDuel to the mix to make things a little more fun and exciting. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s the best way to add a little more energy to your Sundays. If you’re ready to play, download the FanDuel app now by visiting fanduel.com to get started. That’s fanduel.com to place your first $5 bet. I think support is a good word, too. And I think the support is key from the higherups as well, right? Bringing back Scott Perry into the fold. And even honestly, like ownership should be a part of this, too. um supporting Doug in the event that he has to make tough decisions over the course of a season that’s either not going well or if I mean somebody’s not going to play or somebody’s minutes aren’t going to be where they want it. Whether it’s just using this as an example, Malik Monk is back to coming off the bench. It might not even be the sixth man anymore because Keon Ellis kind of steps into that role coming off the bench or Zack Lavine starts not playing defense at the level that Doug wants. So Doug starts restricting his minutes or or limiting him a little bit more, which is tough to do for a guy that’s the highest paid on the team, making almost $50 million a year. So I I’m I’m That’s one thing that I don’t want to qu ask a lot of questions about this team this year. Things are going to be bumpy. Things are going to be rocky. The one thing that I don’t want to hear about, talk about, even consider is Doug Doug’s relationships with his players or with the front office and and people not seeing eye to eye. Like there going to be disagreements naturally. I think that’s that’s important. You don’t just want a bunch of yesmen out there. But if we get even a wisp deuce of of this player is unhappy or this like the Scott Perry doesn’t agree with what Doug’s doing or there’s a disconnect like that to me is going to send out the mo the biggest alarm bells of the season. Like just if nothing else be on the same page. I’m curious too what these conversations have been like with players during the offseason with Scott and and the players of course and then even with Doug, right? Because like how there’s no denying the end of last year, especially that final playing game that I’ve tried to wipe from my memory against Dallas, there’s no denying like people the players did not feel good about things, you know, and if there if you’ve got some people coming into the camp and they’re not excited and happy about the opportunity, that’s concerning. So, I’m curious to see like what kind of like team building, what kind of offseason things and we’ve seen players together and SoCal and all that and coaches too. So, hopefully people come in with that with the right type of mindset. But going back to your other point is like the buyin. Yeah, it needs to be there. And I think fans are going to be watching. We’re going to be watching like, okay, Scott Perry and Doug Christie have talked about shifting the culture, which you hear almost every time, you know, new front office and coaching staff walks in the door of an organization. Okay. But if you’re going to be talking about defense, you’re going to be talking about these important things of sharing the ball. Are you are you holding those key pieces accountable? Are you willing to make the tough decision going, you know, living like ah, man, defensively a couple times there. I’m putting Keon in the close. And are you going to be supportive or are you going to pout? You know, this team wants to be the most well-conditioned team in the NBA. Scott Perry has talked about how like you look at the Miami Heat like they have a philosophy like we are going to like be in shape. The Kings want to do that. They want to be beyond in shape and that that’s great but are is everyone buying into that? Is tomorrow de Rozan coming to camp eager to be like, “Oh yeah, we’re going to be running a lot and we’re going to run run.” That buyin is so important and it’ll be interesting to see if like that buyin wasn’t there. What happens? Do the rotations look different? What what does that look like for this group? We’ve heard three or four different times this off season Scott Perry’s saying that a lot of people really like he he wants volunteers not hostages to what they’re trying to do here. Do we think do we the fact that he said it so many times are do we just think this is part of Perry’s personality and kind of a buzzword or the fact that this come keep keeps coming up so frequently do we think it’s a not necessarily a a I don’t know how to describe it like in in my brain I’m just wondering if he’s making sure to get that message across and put that out there so that his players know too like you’re going to buy into what we’re doing here or like we can we can move on like we’re not going going to tolerate someone who’s just here going through the motions. Am I am I reading too far into that and it’s just Scott Perry’s personality? Because it feels like the amount of times that he said it and Scott Perry seems to be be very intentional about what he says. I wonder if he’s making sure everybody, not just the fans and the media gets the message, everybody in that locker room gets the same message. Definitely. Definitely. But here’s the challenge with that. Let’s just say, all right, Lavine is like I I we don’t know this. I’m just using this as an example, right? Lavine’s like, “I don’t want to be here.” Okay. Well, we don’t want we don’t want hostages. Okay. Where are you sending it? Because no one’s trading for him. You know, that that’s just a lot of money to trade for, right? That’s a tough deal to make. So, that’s kind of the challenge with that. Um, but it it’s like how do you establish a culture when you’ve got this kind of mix of talent, some like, you know, older vets, uh, you got some younger people, maybe even the younger people that we don’t talk enough enough about, like Keegan doesn’t have his extension yet. Keon Ellis, you know, could be an unrestricted free agent next year. Like those things, contracts, playing time, all those things factor into a team success and if they’re going to buy in or not. Um, and so that that’s why this is this is so fascinating. I’ve been saying like I don’t think the team we’re seeing on opening night is the team we’re going to be seeing in February. And so I’ve just kind of accepted that this might be a little bumpy. And hey, if it’s better than we think, awesome. Mhm. That’s going to be amazing. And that means Doug Christie did a job that not many people think, you know, he could have done to get the buy in. Great. Um, but I I think it’s going to be challenging. And and then let’s just say everything’s bought in. They still have weaknesses. Like we we talk about like the mental buyin of it, but like we know defensively with this group when you have a lineup that features Lavine, Demar, and Sabonis, that’s challenging, right? And you know, we saw a lot of pressure on Keegan last year to defend, you know, bigger guys to Steph Curry to Donovan Mitchell and did a great job, but did that impact him offensively? So, I don’t know, Matt. I mean, as I sit here and talk about it, I’m like all over the place with this, but um I I think you could from a positive standpoint, you go, hey, they didn’t have a point guard at the end of last year. Literally did not have a point guard at the end of last year. Doug Christie didn’t have a coaching staff that was like supportive and all that. So now you got that you have Shruder in there that’s a vet, a presence, plays with pace. Like could they not be a 41 win team, you know, 41 40 win team again, be just as good as last year? Sure. I I want to talk more about Shruder in a second, but you I’ve done the same thing that you’ve done where when we’re using an example about like something that could happen this season, we talk about the top guys. We talk about Lavine or D Rozan or Sabonis. I’ve done the same thing. And it’s not because we expect one or two or all of the three of them to to have problems, but it’s because that at least in the I to me for Doug Christie would be the biggest challenge of how do you tell one of your highest paid players that they’re not doing their job and and try and hold them accountable and and potentially restrict their minutes or like there’s a video that’s circulated of Doug talking in the locker room or or talking to some players saying like on defense they’re going to feel us and if you’re not playing that way that like you can come sit next to me on the bench. Essentially, it’s like, okay, but are you able to back those words up with action for your top guys that are paid so much? And what I what I started thinking about, Duce, is like last season for last year’s front office after making the the Zack Lavine De’arren Fox trade and trading away your franchise player for a guy that has this massive contract that seemingly nobody else around the league wanted. If right then and there Doug Christie were to start having problems with him not playing defense and again just using him as an example uh or after giving Demand Sabonis that massive contract extension you’re starting to have problems with Demand Sabonis and you try and restrict those minutes that looks optically horrendous for the entire organization after extending Sabonis or trading for Lavine. Now that Perry and Doug are kind are coming in and Perry has inherited this roster. Is it easier to potentially make that without the I mean people are going to be critical no matter what especially if you’re losing basketball games but are Perry and Doug able to kind of walk in and go look we didn’t make this the Zack Lavine trade if he’s not fitting what we’re trying to do we’ll restrict his minutes and we’ll figure out the the the financial thing later. Is that easier or do you still get ripped apart for it? I think it’s challenging no matter what. Uh, we’re talking about vets in this league who have, you know, I know Zack Lavine is not the most popular king right now, but like offensively this guy is one of the premier shooters in the league and, you know, he’s he’s produced great numbers, you know, and so I think it’s on them. How do you get the most out of these guys? And no one’s asking for Zack Lavine to be a lock down defender. Sure. Okay. Just can just be neutral. If you’re just neutral, okay, you can live with that. From Sabonis’ standpoint, I’ve always defended his defense because I don’t think it’s I never look at Sabonis like, “Oh man, he really gave up on that play.” Like, Sabonis plays hard and uh rebounding matters, too. One of the best defensive rebounders and rebounders in the NBA. Uh you know how you end a position, a possession, you get the rebound and he does that. Okay. So, I think that matters too. He’s just not super long. So he’s not like blocking shots and I understand there’s problematic things with his defense, but I think that more has to do with team build than Sabonis as a defensive player. Um yeah, I mean I don’t think anyone would like to see minutes cut for themselves. There’s no way. But like again, we’re trying to build something long term here. And I think this is the tough part, right? Is like in some ways you’re like, “All right, you got to be patient here.” But you’re asking a fan base who’s been very patient for a long time to be patient. And that that that that’s a that’s a tough task. There’s a video that an edit that somebody put together. I found it on Instagram and immediately reposted it because it made me smile of just Dennis Shruder’s onc court personality from him hitting his like ice in the vein celebration next to LeBron to getting in players faces to just just being the kind of the eccentric uh aggressive personality that he is and not in a negative way but in a very competitive way. And that’s something that this this organization has lacked. If we’re talking about Dear Fox specifically, there’s no question that Dear Fox is a more talented basketball player than Dennis Shruder. But Fox, with the exception of maybe talking trash every now and then if Dylan Brooks got under his skin or something or throwing down a big dunk every once in a while, Fox wasn’t that wasn’t Fox’s personality. Fox let his actions speak, not necessarily his his words or or that. So that I like you and I have both talked about this off the or without cameras and microphones in front of us. I think this fan base is really gonna levitate towards and and kind of rally around Dennis Shruder. I think they’re going to like him a lot. I know he’s been bouncing around and and he might not be the answer long term at the point guard position for this organization, but the fire that he plays with and the pace that he plays with too, I think Kings fans are going to gravitate towards. Yeah, I mean I think he’s a solid option. I mean, I even think what he did last year in Detroit was big and, you know, players in that locker room really liked what he brought to that locker room, brought that edge, a veteran presence. You know, I think for him it’s, you know, striking the balance offensively to when he can go cook on his own versus getting everybody involved because, you know, the the Kings have a lot of guys who like to score, a lot of guys who want to go get buckets. I is he going to be able to find that balance of making sure to get others involved? And I think one area where he can really do that is just with the speed getting the ball up the floor and pushing in transition. I think that was lacking, especially once Fox got traded. You’re looking around going, “All right, who’s who’s going to do that?” Then Monk gets hurt and you’re like, “Okay, really, who is going to do that on a consistent basis?” I think just having a guy like him to get the Kings into their early offense, it it helps someone like Zack Lavine. It maximizes his ability. You know what I mean? So, um I also think he’s got the ability to get his. We’ve seen it right on display here at Euro Basket. We’re like, “Yeah, this guy has shown to be a really good international player.” Even last year at the start of the year when he was in Brooklyn with the Nets, he’s popping off. They’re letting him cook a little bit. You know, I don’t think he’s going to get those same opportunities here, but I I want a guy that’s going to push offensively and then defensively he can be an onball pest. I’m not going to say he’s a lockdown guy, but he’s going to play aggressive. And to your point, having a guy with a little bit of an edge, someone who’s gonna jaw a little bit, get the crowd into it. Yeah, I could easily seeing see him be a guy that the fans really like. We got to talk about it before we wrap up. The season that the Golden State Valkyries have had in the WNBA is is pretty incredible. And maybe it’s because of their color scheme that I’ll call it Kingsesque in in in some ways. Uh, I’d say we grew up, but you’re old. I grew up with the Valkyrie or with the the Monarchs here in Sacramento. 68 years old. Is that old nowadays? Flip the two numbers. You’re 82. We We Okay. grew up with of course Monarch’s basketball in in Arco Arena and and them bringing a title to Sacramento and and just such fond memories of of that. And then of course they disappeared and went away for so long. And then the Valkyries come back and I felt or the Valkyries were were born and I felt there was that instant immediate reaction of well what this means Sacramento’s probably not getting a team. But then it’s still in the Bay. It’s right down the road and and I’ve heard of a lot of Sacramento fans that have kind of gravitated towards well the Valkyries are my WNBA team and even though it’s in the Chase Center and we might not have a good relationship with that building in the wintertime, uh it’s it’s a great ball as they call it. It’s just a great place to go and watch some incredibly high level women’s basketball and the WNBA game is just exploding uh with the amount of stars and the amount of talent in the league right now. You’ve gotten to wi witness this firsthand. Of course, Morgan has is one of the television broadcasters for for the Valkyries. What is like it’s special what’s happening there. And again, I would I know the Bay has always had phenomenal fans and they’ve had incredible runs of of success with their franchises over the last couple of decades, but that they have that they still have kind of that small town Sacramento feel to them. And I’ve been very impressed and very I’ve enjoyed enjoyed from afar kind of Ball Hall and the rise of the Valkyries in that first season. What has that been like for you? not just being in that building, but being able to broadcast for and broadcast the moment on the radio that they historically clinched a playoff spot. Man, it’s been so fun. And going back to what you’re saying, growing up in Sacramento, yeah, the Monarchs, I mean, there’s so many talented players who came through here winning that championship. It It was epic. And it’s a shame that it was disb disbanded the way they just closed up shop. Um, and so obviously having a WNBA team in Sacramento would be amazing. And if you think back to that, like the Bay Area didn’t have a team at that point. And so you you had so many fans in Sacramento, but you had people from all over California, the Bay Area coming up to support the Monarchs. And it’s the same thing going to Chase Center. I’ve been amazed at how many Monarchs jerseys I’ve seen there and King stuff. You know, it’s there is a crosser because people love basketball and Sacramento is a basketball town. We love basketball. NBA, WNBA, we’re going to support it. And they even do like a going into the fourth quarter, uh, they they do like a city shout out and they go Sacramento in the house and like every there there’s a pop. You you know, there’s a lot of people from Sacramento who support this. But yeah, for those who have not been paying attention, the Golden State Valkyrie is an expansion team. They’re projected by Vegas. The overunder was set at eight and a half wins. Not supposed to be any good. And that’s by the way in a 44 game season. They don’t have any star players going into the year. It’s um definitely so they they’ve termed it as a bunch of six women and they have come together and they play defense. They play together. They’re so connected and they became the first ever WNBA expansion team to clinch a playoff spot in their inaugural season. So it’s just been a special ride. Like this is a big deal. And then all of a sudden these players who did not get opportunity elsewhere are getting these opportunities. They’re playing with more confidence and they’re playing fun basketball and having career years. It’s not like, oh, they’re having career years because they’re on an expansion team and they’re bad. It’s like, no, they’re they’re the six seed right now in the playoffs. This is awesome. So, um, that’s been special. And then the atmosphere. I was talking to a couple people with the Warriors and I said, “Hey, how did the playoff clincher compare to like moments with with the Warriors?” Mhm. I had two people, a separate conversation say it was the loudest that building has ever been and they compared it going back to Oracle. And so I feel that, you know, I’m listening going, “Oh, this it’s unbelievably loud. The passion is unreal.” It’s a different fan base than Warriors games. I think it it’s a fan base that comes in and they’re just hungry to see competitive basketball and it’s it’s a group of like people who have been craving women’s basketball and you see it when like even the visitors are announced announced right now like Paige Beckers is getting a pop like here is getting a pop a little bit once the game starts you know they’re booing but it’s just so cool to see 18,000 every night they just set the all-time WNBA single season attendance record this year 18,64 every single home game. So, no, it’s been a great story. And for me, like doing playbyplay on the radio for it, I’m like, are you kidding me? Like, this is crazy. This big moment for women’s basketball, and I get to be a small part of it and and tell that story. It’s been awesome. Uh, Gman, Gary Gerald, of course, has been affectionately known as as the Gman for so many years. Are you prepared to accept the the D man? Does that does that work for you? The the I don’t think anyone knows who I am and that’s fine. Um I’m calling you the D man. Anytime you do a radio broadcast, I’m calling you the D man. And you just have to you have to live with it. No, but honestly doing those games I I just I mean I’m even more appreciative of how talented the Gman is because doing radio playbyplay is so just to get nerdy for a second for the audience. doing radio playbyplay versus TV playbyplay is so different. TV, you know, you’re calling the game bar, you’re not calling every single thing that happens, right? Right. I asked Kevin Harlland years ago. I’m like, “Hey, what’s one big piece of advice you’d give about someone doing TV playbyplay?” And he says, “I don’t start calling the action till there’s 10 seconds on the shot clock.” Now, there just fast break, all that stuff. It changes. Sure. But on radio, you’re trying to describe everything. the color of the jerseys, where they’re positioned on the floor, it moves so fast. The game’s faster than ever. The ball’s whipping around and I’m like, Gman’s been doing it at this high level for 40 plus years. He’s in his 80s and he’s still killing it. So, it just goes to show you like how awesome um someone like Gary is. He’s just the man and it’s not an easy gig at all. Have you stolen his note takingaking of taking a file folder and writing Oh, that’s ittytty bitty. That’s so funny. I was because I have a game today. I there it is. So I have this, but mine’s typed out and like I do have written. No. So I have some game information on the front with like stats and stuff. More story lines on the back. And then I have my like both rosters with notes highlighted. And then I write out like where they are like offensive rating, defensive, like all these little stats I love to reference during the broadcast. But um no, I love doing it this way. I used to actually do it with just paper and then I realized, dude, I am mixing up paper so much. And so having it all on just one little thing like this, I can open up and it has both rosters, all the key information I need, story lines, quotes. Yeah. Makes it easier. The amount of work that Gman puts into is just on a like just on every flight on the team plane with these file folders and I’ve got you get to work with him on a nightly basis. I’ve gotten the opportunity to work with him every once in a while and he’s just every margin of that file folder is covered in the most finely written meticulous note that is like how could he possibly get all this into the broadcast then he does just seamlessly and he knows where everything is at all times he’s on top of it without hesitate it’s an art form man and to to see to see him and do it for so many years of course Jason Ross by his side to see Doug Christie go from broadcasting to now the head coach of the team yourself and and Mo from Stockton to the Golden State Valkyries. Man, it’s it’s cool. We Is Sacramento a broadcaster factory? That’s That’s what we got to talk about. Kucky’s a basketball factory. Sacramento’s a broadcaster factory. That’s what we got to talk about, dude. I I mean, I’m enjoying it, you know? I I feel so lucky. It’s like, yeah, I’m doing that. And then we are back this year on NBC Sports California. So, that’s good. And hopefully I’ll be on for more dates. I think I do get more dates this year, which is great. Um, and I’m enjoying that, too. It’s just fun to be a part of the pre and postgame coverage, talk about everything, and then I mean, my favorite is being at the home games because it’s just you feel the energy in the building. So, that’s fun. And yeah, I’m enjoying it, Matt. And I know you are, too. Like, look at where how much you’ve grown this. Like, it’s pretty incredible. I mean, we were talking right before it’s like, you know, our our podcast, we take like a little bit of a break before the season comes again because it’s so hard to come up with ideas for content and yet here you are like boom boom boom boom boom all off season like how do you even come up with that angle and you you put it together and you don’t have a co-host with you. At least I have Morgan with me. Um, so yeah, it’s it’s been fun to see see your journey too. Well, Duc and Mo set the bar. I’m just trying to reach it every once in a while, but it’s always a pleasure. By the way, right when we get done recording this, he’s like, you know, I was just kidding about that. No, better than you guys. No, if I I’ve gotten recognized as Deuce Mason in public and played it off like I was Deuce. That’s how much I love. And I told you this, I got recognized at a Kings game. Someone’s like, “Hey, Matt.” And I was ignoring them like they’re calling me Matt. And then they got my attention. I said, “I’m actually Deuce. Matt’s awesome, but I’m Deuce.” You took No, you took it as an insult. I got I took being called Deuce Mason as a compliment. I was excited about it. I didn’t necessarily take it as an insult, but like we don’t look alike. Not even close. We’re both white. We’re both skinny white guys. Yeah, that’s that’s about it. Look at the hairline and you’ll be able to tell very different very very much. Tell us apart. Deuce Mason, so nice to join me here on on Lockdown Kings right before uh with all the Valkyrie stuff going on. Of course, Deuce and Mo the podcast coming back very very short. You guys are about to go from like the off season of a billion things elsewhere to back to, of course, night chat and everything that’s going on over there after Kings Games. And we got media day coming up very quickly. So, Deuce, you and I are alike. You have to accept it. You and I are alike. As we get closer, it gets a little more exciting. I can’t wait, honestly. And I know like I just I love basketball. And so, even if this year’s tough, we try to find the joy in the tough moments. Um, we don’t ignore the tough moments, but we you have to enjoy something. At the end of the day, it is basketball and it’s a beautiful game. And I always like to say, even if sometimes I don’t believe it, it’s not going to be bad forever. One of these days it’s going to turn and it’s going to be beautiful, Matt. Yeah, we might get teased a little bit or be teased a little bit because the Kings home opener is against the Utah Jazz. We’re like, okay, one thing I know you’re wrapping up here, but I was looking at the schedule. I think they play OKC three times before Thanksgiving, Minnesota like three times and Denver three times. So that’s nine games be against those three teams before Thankiving. If you survive that, I don’t know, man. Might be pretty exciting. I was just saying that Juggernaut that’s open that opening weekend, man. I’m like, okay, we get Utah. Okay, home opener. Utah. Okay, we should win that. Oh, it’s the Lakers on Sunday. Okay, well LeBron and Luca. Okay, fit. Luca, hey, even if you’re going to be an awesome team potentially, like it was going to be hard. And last year I went in with 50 win expectations and my heart was hurt. So this year, I’d say I I’m projecting 35 to 41. Okay. Which you go, h that’s tough because you’re not good enough to be one of the best teams and you’re not bad enough to be one of the worst teams. Kind of in the middle. It’s the worst place to be. Let me delay wrapping this podcast up even more by tapping into your producer brain because as I’ve been just flush with a wealth of content to pull upon over the last month, I decided, you know, let me go on NBA 2K26. Let me let me simulate the Sacramento Kings season. and see how 2K predicts the Kings are going to do. 2K predicted that the Sacramento Kings are going to win 47 games and end up as the seventh seed in the West. So, are we feeling like 2K is completely fake or we feeling good about it? First of all, I I hate I hate that. That gave me a little ounce of excitement. I don’t care about that at all because has not been good for seven to eight years. Oh, it’s good this year. Okay, I I I’ll judge. You actually play. I haven’t played it yet. Um I I was talking to a fan uh a couple weeks ago and he’s like, “Oh yeah, I think we’ll get the fifth seed.” And I thought he I was waiting for him to laugh. And there’s people who who genuinely believe that. I want to get to that point. I just think the West honestly is just so so tough. Yeah. But you look at the top, you see OKC is going to be near the top, right? Denver. Okay. But after that, Houston, after that, it is kind of similar the last couple of years where there’s not a lot of separation between four and like 11. And so things happen, injuries happen, trades happen, surprises happen. It’s just this year you look at the West and go, “All right, who’s the bad team in the West?” Like legit the bad team. I think it’s Utah. After that, you can make a case for anybody to get into the playoffs. I think Portland’s going to be good. San Antonio should be good. I I mean we’re the one thing about playing in the west is as hard as it is, you’re in for pretty much a good game every single night. So that’s what we’re we’re spoiled with a little bit too. And clean up on the east. Oh, sorry. I I keep going. You’re trying to wrap this thing up. I mean, you have to go. You’ve been You have to go. You must be excited now. Now I’m all in my head going, “Hey, dude. Get in the plane. You never know what happens.” Hey, Malik Monk won six man of the year in the simulation. Mike Brown won coach of the year with the New York Knicks. Uh the Kings won in the playin. They defeated the Suns and then made it to the playoffs. Lost in the first round to the Minnesota Timberwolves. How many games? Uh, five games. They won the first They won the first game by 30 in Minnesota, but Zack Lavine sprained his ankle and Dennis Shruder broke his leg and the Oh my god. A couple of things though. Let’s just play that out. If that did happen, all of a sudden we’re talking a Lavine extension, right? Is that any How do we uh build this one out? That’s there there is a nightmare that we could spend so much time talking about. There is a nightmare of mine where the Kings are like surprisingly good and they get to the deadline and Perry goes, “Okay, let’s put let’s go for it.” And I’m like, “No, no, please don’t. It don’t. No.” Can I tell you what I want from this year before we go? Yes. Obviously competitive. I just want to see I want to get to late in the season. We’re like, man, Nick Clifford’s going to be good. Yes. and he’s playing like a decent role on the team. And oh man, Keegan took a step. Oh, Keon, let’s go. Like that. That’s what’s important to me. And you know, I’m not all I’m not one of those people that’s like, hey, just play the young guys to play the young guys. I’ve done that before. I go back to years ago when the Kings were losing nine in a row twice in a season and I’m over here advocating for like Kyle Guy and like the Quan Jeff that, you know, you you go to dark spots sometimes when you’re a fan. You’re just looking for any type of change. I’m not even saying that. I just believe some of the young talent on this team has a a good amount of upside. And so I’m excited to see what it looks like. Yeah. For me, by the end of game 82, if nothing else, whether they’re playing an 83rd game or or not, I just I want to know what the culture is and who fits it and who doesn’t. Like just that I want that question answered. There can still be a ton of other questions, but I want I want to know what Scott Perry and Doug Christiey’s vision is and who on this team fits it and who obviously doesn’t. And then we can go into a summer of all right now figure that part out. That’s it. That’s all I ask. Kings. That’s all. That’s all I ask. That’s simple. Is that too much? Is that too much to ask? As if we’re going to get to game three and then I’ll start asking for way more things. Oh, trust me. I’ve already in my head going. We’re going to be like game six of the season. We’re like, dude, Nick Clifford DNP’s for the first five games and he’s played like five minutes this season. How are we going to get this guy run? Max right now. What are we doing? Deuce and Mo are gonna have a song after game two, the win over the Utah Jazz. Have a song like we’re going to the playoffs when we beat the Jazz by 40. You know what? That’s You know what? That’s part of fandom. And some people hate it. Some people like, “Oh, you get too high. You get too low.” It’s like, you know, for me, I do um it’s a roller coaster ride sometimes, but um I think that’s kind of what makes it fun. Like last year when we felt so low and then when they rattled off seven in a row with Doug Christie, you’re like crazy. Is it happening? That’s that’s what it’s it’s being a sports fan. It’s supposed to be fun and painful and all of that. All right, Deuce, for real. I’m wrapping this up. Stop stealing my air time. Get off my podcast. That’s Deuce Mason. Thanks for joining me, brother. We’ll we’ll do it again very soon. Sounds good.

Matt George and Dave “Deuce” Mason from the Deuce & Mo Podcast can’t help but get excited about the Sacramento Kings season as training camp gets closer and closer.

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