Tristan Thompson is now a member of the Sacramento Kings which means he is essentially in NBA purgatory. Playing for the Kings can be a pretty horrific fate, even with the young core that seems to be doing quite well out on the court. They just can't seem to get it done, and with a record of 6-9, it is unlikely that this Kings squad is even going to sniff the postseason this year.
Last night, the Kings ended up losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and afterward, Thompson was asked about the team's motivations. Reporters wanted to know if head coach Luke Walton could do a better job of getting his team amped up to play, which led to quite the rant from Thompson who offered up some profanity in the process.
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“It’s not about Coach Walton inspiring you,” Thompson said. “I don’t need no f–king coach to inspire me – never have, never will. The day I need a coach to inspire me is the day I’m f–king retiring. I speak with my teammates with that quote. We don’t need a coach to inspire us. [...] “This is the NBA. No one’s going to feel sorry for you. C-Webb and Bibby ain’t coming through that door, so you’ve got to keep pushing each and every day. Keep getting better in practice, keep watching the film, learn from your mistakes.”
Moving forward, the Kings still have a lot to learn, and with trade rumors surrounding some of their young stars, it remains to be seen whether or not the Kings rebuild will have been all for nothing.