Kings and free agency - part 4

I agree with Brick on trying to re-ink Luc for maybe 1 year guaranteed only and sort of team option on succeeding years. So I still hope the voiding is more on the contract clause and not really on our faith on the player. I mean, the guy played the most minutes again last year season after like 6 or 7 years. That alone would tell me his health concerns has already minimal.

If the injury is really serious, here's few players I would suggest for the Kings to look at.
(1) Andray Blatche - has not played in the NBA last season but actually played nicely in FIBA. For some weird reason he got qualified to play for Philippines in World Championship and actually played nicely as sort of stretch big during the tournament. He got no serious injury and seems to fairing well with his supposed "attitude issue".
(2) Nate Robinson - ideal spark plug 3rd PG. Question is, does Sac even interest him?
(3) The beard bros (Evans and Acy) - well Acy's perimeter shot has been steady in New York and his stints here. So might be worth a call. But if Moute is gone, we might as well bring old Reggie back. He is Cuz good friend and seems to still get good ties with the team (Ben, Rudy, DMC, and Acy are all playing on Reggies charity game on July 18). With Kosta and Trill here, we should no longer see any of the beard bro playing C if this roster, if they return.
(4) Tayshaun Prince - If the real Prince (Moute) is gone, this other Prince could still be good some limited minutes grind.
(5) Sergio Rodriguez - Older and wiser spanish chocolate
Blatche is actually a pretty solid idea. Our 4 bigs in Cousins, Koufos, WCS and Moreland can all play defense but only one of them can score. Getting a guy like Blatche will help out immensely on the bench. We need that big that can score, otherwise I have a feeling we're going to wind up running the shot clock down and forcing bad shots due to 40% of the players on the floor not being able to score. It's either that or run small ball...which no one is really a fan of.

Then again it's another iffy personality on a team with a few iffy personalities.
 

Mr. S£im Citrus

Doryphore of KingsFans.com
Staff member
Yes, and all the op said was this was a piece stating bright poopoo about the kings future. Wtf makes this different than anybody else's? Hmm maybe if Woj reported poopoo like that, it would be relevant to post. But since it's not Woj, posting it seems like a waste of time to people.

Come on man. The person I replied to obviously implied as one of the reasons why that piece was poopoo and irrelevant because the author was 18. If age was not a factor why mention it? Hmm?
And I still think that bringing up his age is legitimate, and a relevant factor. Because I think it's legitimate to question the validity of this young man's opinion, in this context, because he's not a professional writer. And, let's face it, how many people manage to become professional writers by the time they hit eighteen? Zero point one percent? I mean, I'm not saying that it doesn't happen but, if this young man were that good at eighteen, he wouldn't still be in school. Plus, eighteen year olds generally lack the perspective to be able to speak on subjects outside of their own lives, and I'm highly skeptical of the idea that he would have been able to develop any sources and/or resources that would have given him an informed enough opinion that I ought to take him seriously.

Signed,
the father of a reasonably smart eighteen year-old
 
We could aim at the relative safe bet in Dorrell Wright (but I wonder, why Portland limited his minutes to 12 per game).
Or we could try to take a closer look at guys like Landry Fields or Jeff Taylor and see, if they have anything left to resurrect their careers.
Or we could give a Summerleague, Euroleague or D-League prospect a chance to fill the wing defender role off the bench. Maybe Keith Bogans has something left in the tank? Or what about Ronnie Brewer?
Ok I admit that almost every option left, is somewhat scary and depressing.
 

funkykingston

Super Moderator
Staff member
The hard part is that (1) there aren't a lot of solid options left and (2) we don't know what starting lineup George Karl is going to use.

The reason that second part is important is that if Karl really does end up starting Gay at PF then another SF is a greater need than a another big. You'd have Koufos and then Cauley-Stein as your reserves with Moreland and whoever else is signed as your deep bench. In that case I'd push hard for Dorell Wright.

But if the starting lineup has Boogie and Koufos as the bigs then I think you have to have one more quality, veteran big man. Ideally one that scores. Seraphin is still out there. Arthur is more of a defender but he's there. I don't want any part of Andray Blatche. I've never been an Austin Daye fan but he can shoot a bit and is still relatively young.

A bit odd to say for a guy that was going to be the 10th or so player on this team but losing Luc really changed the landscape for the worse.
 
Anyone know what exactly caused the failed physical? I assume knee(s), but I'm not so sure you don't still try and pursue Luc at a lower contract - even a possibility ??
 
" Familiar face – The Kings’ front office continues to evolve. Back in an unofficial advisory role to principal owner Vivek Ranadive is former Kings assistant general manager Jason Levien, who wore a credential that said “guest of Ranadive” on Monday.

Levien resigned from his Kings post in 2010 after about 18 months amid speculation of friction with former Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie.

After leaving the Kings, Levien was a part-owner of the Philadelphia 76ers and then the CEO of the Memphis Grizzlies.

He resigned last year amid reports of a strained relationship with owner Robert Pera."


Oh god, from the Jason Jones article today... Looks like Jason Levien is back. Someone slap some sense into Vivek!
 
So we're officially out of the ty lawson suite stakes, right? Because I see the Kings name of one of the teams drawing interest.
One team that could work its way into the mix for Lawson: Sacramento. The Kings are coached by ex-Nuggets coach George Karl, who despite the recent signing of Rajon Rondo would welcome a reunion with his former player, per a league source.
– via Sports Illustrated

 Trade, Ty Lawson, Denver Nuggets, Sacramento Kings


Great now Karl is gonna pee off Rondo?
What? I don't see how we could do a trade anyway! If you traded Collison salaries to far apart and all our other players we are not gonna trade or we just signed so we cant trade them
 
" Familiar face – The Kings’ front office continues to evolve. Back in an unofficial advisory role to principal owner Vivek Ranadive is former Kings assistant general manager Jason Levien, who wore a credential that said “guest of Ranadive” on Monday.

Levien resigned from his Kings post in 2010 after about 18 months amid speculation of friction with former Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie.

After leaving the Kings, Levien was a part-owner of the Philadelphia 76ers and then the CEO of the Memphis Grizzlies.

He resigned last year amid reports of a strained relationship with owner Robert Pera."


Oh god, from the Jason Jones article today... Looks like Jason Levien is back. Someone slap some sense into Vivek!
"unofficial advisory role" What does that even mean?
 
One team that could work its way into the mix for Lawson: Sacramento. The Kings are coached by ex-Nuggets coach George Karl, who despite the recent signing of Rajon Rondo would welcome a reunion with his former player, per a league source.
– via Sports Illustrated

 Trade, Ty Lawson, Denver Nuggets, Sacramento Kings


Great now Karl is gonna pee off Rondo?
What? I don't see how we could do a trade anyway! If you traded Collison salaries to far apart and all our other players we are not gonna trade or we just signed so we cant trade them
per a league source, I took a poop this morning

I actually didn't take a poop this morning
 
I don't believe it. Old rumor + agent + desperate franchise + old Karl connection = plausible rumor to help out Denver and Ty. How many times are we going to be used for leverage this summer? Has to be a record.
 

Capt. Factorial

trifolium contra tempestatem subrigere certum est
Staff member
What? I don't see how we could do a trade anyway! If you traded Collison salaries to far apart and all our other players we are not gonna trade or we just signed so we cant trade them
The general rule is that if a rumor comes up but the salaries can't be made to match, it's BS. (I don't have salaries on hand here, but MAYBE Collison+Ben+Moreland+Stockton would work)

It does appear that we are the official "Make Up A BS Rumor For Clickbait" team, which I am oh so excited about.
 
John Galt posted in another thread

Vlade was asked about Lawson today on the CD show (about the hookah). He said something like "we all do dumb stuff, but we don't all put it on TV"

So you think two DUI's will change Vlade's opinion on Ty Lawson? I don't think so!!

No way no how this can even happen

At least not now, I suppose that After dec 15th when FA signings could be traded if Oct-Dec was a Disaster with Rondo we could trade knuckleheads?
Man I am already sorry I Just said that
 
The general rule is that if a rumor comes up but the salaries can't be made to match, it's BS. (I don't have salaries on hand here, but MAYBE Collison+Ben+Moreland+Stockton would work)

It does appear that we are the official "Make Up A BS Rumor For Clickbait" team, which I am oh so excited about.
Yeah, it's gotten to the point where I ignore anything that isn't from someone I trust. Shame on those other guys. It makes me feel old to say it, but all (most of) these people today care about is clicks, no matter how they get them.
 
The general rule is that if a rumor comes up but the salaries can't be made to match, it's BS. (I don't have salaries on hand here, but MAYBE Collison+Ben+Moreland+Stockton would work)

It does appear that we are the official "Make Up A BS Rumor For Clickbait" team, which I am oh so excited about.

The scary part is per RealGM that trade says it would work?

Two PGs in back court for Karl ?

OMG better have security sweep the locker room for WMDs in these two lockers
 
Rondo,Ty,Casspi,Gay,Cuz (Gay at the 4 and 2 PGs - Karls dream small ball 5)

VetminPG (Seth Curry),Marcos,Butler,WCS,Koufos

Anderson, Vet Min Big(Reggie Evans)

I can see Levien Whispering in Vivek's ear
 
Blatche is actually a pretty solid idea. Our 4 bigs in Cousins, Koufos, WCS and Moreland can all play defense but only one of them can score. Getting a guy like Blatche will help out immensely on the bench. We need that big that can score, otherwise I have a feeling we're going to wind up running the shot clock down and forcing bad shots due to 40% of the players on the floor not being able to score. It's either that or run small ball...which no one is really a fan of.

Then again it's another iffy personality on a team with a few iffy personalities.
I don't see an urgent need for a strong post scorer in the second unit. The way I see it, you build the starting lineup for toughness and grind and the second unit for speed and transition baskets. Omri, Belinelli, and collison can all push the ball in transition. WCS can outrun opposing bigs and find easy inside buckets. Then you just keep one of Rondo, Gay, Cousins or Koufos on the floor, depending on matchups.
 
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Probably the dumbest s*** I've read in a long while:

Players added: Willie Cauley-Stein, Rajon Rondo, Kosta Koufos, Marco Belinelli

Players lost: Ray McCallum, Nik Stauskas, Carl Landry, Jason Thompson, Derrick Williams

Offseason review: The Kings cleared cap space thinking they could bring in some big names with it. Unfortunately, the draft picks they gave up to create that room weren't worth it. Sacramento saw Andrea Bargnani, Monta Ellis, Wesley Matthews, Corey Brewer, Tobias Harris and Patrick Beverley all reportedly turn down offers from the Kings to take less money from other teams.

2014-15 season outlook: The Kings probably will be better than they were last year, but it would be an upset to see them in the postseason. Bringing in floor-scrunchers to surround DeMarcus Cousins, who needs space to operate in the middle of the floor, isn't the way to go when you have the best post scorer in the league, and the tension between him and coach George Karl is an awkward way to start the year.

GRADE: D

http://www.foxsports.com/nba/story/...10154082815894552&adbpl=fb&adbpr=112638779551
 
Probably the dumbest s*** I've read in a long while:

Players added: Willie Cauley-Stein, Rajon Rondo, Kosta Koufos, Marco Belinelli

Players lost: Ray McCallum, Nik Stauskas, Carl Landry, Jason Thompson, Derrick Williams

Offseason review: The Kings cleared cap space thinking they could bring in some big names with it. Unfortunately, the draft picks they gave up to create that room weren't worth it. Sacramento saw Andrea Bargnani, Monta Ellis, Wesley Matthews, Corey Brewer, Tobias Harris and Patrick Beverley all reportedly turn down offers from the Kings to take less money from other teams.

2014-15 season outlook: The Kings probably will be better than they were last year, but it would be an upset to see them in the postseason. Bringing in floor-scrunchers to surround DeMarcus Cousins, who needs space to operate in the middle of the floor, isn't the way to go when you have the best post scorer in the league, and the tension between him and coach George Karl is an awkward way to start the year.

GRADE: D

http://www.foxsports.com/nba/story/...10154082815894552&adbpl=fb&adbpr=112638779551
The "upset" would be to the national writers who have proven, once again, that they don't know what they are talking about. Dismissive, embarrassing writing from someone of very little brain who clearly had a deadline to meet and not much to say.
 
Rondo,Ty,Casspi,Gay,Cuz (Gay at the 4 and 2 PGs - Karls dream small ball 5)

VetminPG (Seth Curry),Marcos,Butler,WCS,Koufos

Anderson, Vet Min Big(Reggie Evans)

I can see Levien Whispering in Vivek's ear
I think you are wrong about Karl wanting to play small, to be honest. The Nuggets were consistently one of the lowest ranking teams in terms of three point shots per game during his tenure. His starting lineup for 2012-2013 was Lawson, Iggy, Galinari, Faried, and Koufos. With the exception of Faried, those are all full-size players for their position, and Faried plays bigger than his size.

He did play Wilson chandler at the 4 off the bench with some lineups, but he would also play Mozgov and Koufos or McGee together in limited stints to punish folks who went small.

Karl's philosophy for the last ten years has been to get a layup or get to the line. He doesn't like jumpers much, and has only recently started to let his teams take early threes in the shot clock. He has always pushed transition offense (going back to his Sonics days), so we can probably expect more Cousins triple-doubles this year just due to outlets to cherry-picking wings.
 
Probably the dumbest s*** I've read in a long while:

Players added: Willie Cauley-Stein, Rajon Rondo, Kosta Koufos, Marco Belinelli

Players lost: Ray McCallum, Nik Stauskas, Carl Landry, Jason Thompson, Derrick Williams

Offseason review: The Kings cleared cap space thinking they could bring in some big names with it. Unfortunately, the draft picks they gave up to create that room weren't worth it. Sacramento saw Andrea Bargnani, Monta Ellis, Wesley Matthews, Corey Brewer, Tobias Harris and Patrick Beverley all reportedly turn down offers from the Kings to take less money from other teams.

2014-15 season outlook: The Kings probably will be better than they were last year, but it would be an upset to see them in the postseason. Bringing in floor-scrunchers to surround DeMarcus Cousins, who needs space to operate in the middle of the floor, isn't the way to go when you have the best post scorer in the league, and the tension between him and coach George Karl is an awkward way to start the year.

GRADE: D

http://www.foxsports.com/nba/story/...10154082815894552&adbpl=fb&adbpr=112638779551
So, for the record, the Kings "will be better than they were last year" yet this is a "D" grade? Also, I love the list of players the Kings were spurned by... total fabrication; they only went after 2 of those 6.

What did the Kings ever do to have the media attack in this way?

Also, if you asked me to grade this trade:
Kings give up: Ray McCallum, Nik Stauskas, Carl Landry, Jason Thompson, Derrick Williams + draft picks
Kings get: Rajon Rondo, Kosta Koufos, Marco Belinelli

I would say that was an A+ swapping one marginal starter, a hobbled old man, and some scrubs for three players that are legit starters.
 
Here is my offseason grade (hey, if they can do it, so can I):

Players added: Willie Cauley-Stein, Rajon Rondo, Kosta Koufos, Marco Belinelli

Players lost:Ray McCallum, Nik Stauskas, Carl Landry, Jason Thompson, Derrick Williams

Offseason review: The Kings cleared cap space thinking they could bring in some big names with it and they did! It is great to see small market teams finally able to rebuild via free agency. In the Kings case, it is especially vindicating to see them legitimately rebuild; the fans have been told the team is "rebuilding" for ten years, when they, were in fact, just trying to shed salary and hire gimmicky, fan-favorite-type players like Jimmer Fredette to line the pockets of the Kings former owners.

2015-16 season outlook: The Kings undoubtedly will be better than they were last year; a great first step on building a playoff level team around the best big man in the NBA today.

GRADE: A+
 
Sacramento saw Andrea Bargnani, Monta Ellis, Wesley Matthews, Corey Brewer, Tobias Harris and Patrick Beverley all reportedly turn down offers from the Kings to take less money from other teams.

http://www.foxsports.com/nba/story/...10154082815894552&adbpl=fb&adbpr=112638779551
This narrative is getting flat out lazy. Wes matthews signed a deal for MORE money than the kings offered after Jordan didnt sign. Clearly an arranged deal. Ellis came out and said his decision was based on advice from Chris Mullin... who might have had some sour grapes towards an organization he'd hust been run out of... corey brewer, tobias harris, and beverly were all restricted with their teams pledging to match offers so if the kings had offered more they would have taken it and let their teams match for more money. Bargnani went somewhere he could have a meaningful role as opposed to being a 4th big deep on the bench (not to mention he stays in new york vs moving cometwly across county) we've actually seen free agents interested in playing for the kings this summer (clearly there's some boogie gravity). In the past we wouldn't have even made these rumors or been having these discussions.
 

Capt. Factorial

trifolium contra tempestatem subrigere certum est
Staff member
Here is my offseason grade (hey, if they can do it, so can I):

...

2015-16 season outlook: The Kings undoubtedly will be better than they were last year; a great first step on building a playoff level team around the best big man in the NBA today.

GRADE: A+
I'd probably go with something in the A-/B+ range since we didn't pick up a superstar and the only legitimate star came with question marks, but I can't fault the sentiment. We definitely got a good sight better. Did, say, Golden State?