It wasn’t a traditional “come to Jesus meeting,” but it was one that was long overdue.
It was a meeting trying to get all the Kings’ core — DeMarcus Cousins, Rajon Rondo, and coach George Karl — on the same page.
In Milwaukee last week the three of them sat down for a two-hour meeting, reports Michael Lee of Yahoo Sports.“It was a powerful meeting for all three of us,” Rondo told Yahoo Sports....
The main thing Rondo and Cousins told Karl was that his film sessions would be better with more constructive criticism and teaching. Rondo and Cousins said they also told Karl not to hesitate to use them as examples in film sessions....
Karl said Rondo and Cousins also asked that he be more selective about pushing the pace offensively. Karl said he would agree to slow the offense down under one condition.
“I said, ‘OK, I will slow it down if you do what I want.’ That’s not fighting each other. That’s mutually coming together,” Karl told Yahoo Sports. “If we have to compromise something, we will compromise something.”
The Kings have gone 2-2 since that meeting, although getting Cousins back on the court after back issues sidelined him matters far more than what was said in the coach’s office. The Kings are 6-5 this season when Cousins plays, 1-7 when he is out. Coaching matters, being on the same page matters, but none of it matters as much as talent.
Cousins said that Karl has seemed more aggressive since the meeting, and that he and Rondo like that. The lines of communication seem more open. It’s a start.
In a down Western Conference the Kings at 7-12 are not out of the playoff picture, but they have a lot of work to do and can’t have any more serious setbacks. They need Cousins, Rondo, and Karl pulling on the rope in the same direction. They also need Cousins to just stay on the court.