Jimmer Fredette saw regular playing time under former-coach Paul Westphal and performed pretty well primarily coming off the bench, although his defense left something to be desired. Once Westphal was fired in early January, Fredette immediately saw his playing time decrease for a multitude of reasons under Keith Smart.
Not only does Jimmer not really fit into Smart's system, but the emergence of fellow rookie guard, Isaiah Thomas, has drastically reduced the playing time for the former standout at BYU. Fredette did not enter the game on Tuesday night against the Heat and has played five or fewer minutes in three of his last five games. NBATV showed Jimmer sitting on the bench multiple times during their broadcast.
It was only a matter of time before the lack of playing time for Jimmer was bound to make someone upset. Who tweeted some harsh words about the head coach late on Tuesday evening? We have that for you after the jump...
can we please get rid of this interim coach who should be an assistant at best and bring in a real head coach!!
— TJ Fredette (@tjfredette) February 22, 2012
That would be TJ Fredette, the brother of Jimmer.
Those are pretty big words, and honestly some that appear to be shared by quite a few members of the Kings fan base. Smart has not been a popular hire across multiple stops in the NBA. Many in Sacramento were upset when they learned of a two-year contract for him before serving as head coach for a single game.
Fredette became an immediate fan-favorite after being drafted last summer and seemed to play well when given an opportunity, especially towards the end of January before seeing his minutes get cut. Smart isn't doing himself any favors by benching the first round pick and it isn't exactly like this team is contending for a playoff spot in the Western Conference this season. Why not let the kid play at least a few minutes each night?
For more on the Kings and discuss your feelings on Jimmer moving forward, head on over to Sactown Royalty.