Vlade Divac: With Kings’ talent, we should be in playoffs

Vlade Divac already has his contract extension, but if he needs an endorsement, he’s got one.

From Vlade Divac.

Divac, via James Ham of CSN California:

“In terms of results, this team, with the talent we put together in the summertime should be in the playoffs,” Divac said. “We didn’t do it for some reason and after the season, we’ll sit down and find what was the problem and we’ll fix those things.”

The Kings aren’t making the playoffs. They’re 31-47 and already officially eliminated.

So, if the Kings had enough talent where they should’ve made the playoffs, that means something else went wrong. Maybe the players didn’t play up to their capabilities. Maybe George Karl, whom Divac inherited, didn’t coach Sacramento’s talent well enough. The team didn’t experience unusually bad injury luck.

But this isn’t the fault of Divac, who was charged with acquiring the team’s talent. No, sir. Just ask Divac.

A more plausible explanation: The Kings didn’t have enough talent to make the playoffs.

Preseason statistical projections based on player production by 538 and Nylon Calculus had Sacramento outside the postseason. Most analysts shared the same outlook, and it wasn’t because people doubted Karl’s ability.

DeMarcus Cousins is an elite player, but too many of his teammates are too flawed. The Kings would’ve had to overachieve to reach the playoffs. They didn’t, and that’s why they’re here.

If Divac truly believes this roster was playoff-worthy, that indicates a larger problem in talent assessment – a problem that could keep Sacramento out of the playoffs in future seasons, too.