Kings seriously pursuing Pau Gasol (multiple sources)

[Bricklayer]

Pau Gasol is certainly great player, one of the best european players ever. But to give up assets for less than 1/2 season rental of Gasol in his current state (while he's still very good, he's past prime) and also hindering WCS development as Gasol will probably play much more minutes than KK... just somehow not good idea.

I typed out a decent sized little post here trying to explain the fairly obvious intent behind such a move, if it were made. Then decided a simple visual would suffice on the picture is worth 1000 words theory.

=

I mean...I'm a little nonplussed at the nonplussment here. We, of all fanbases, should be able to instantly recognize the parallels. Its rather too obvious by Vlade really, if he were to make it happen. The wayward supertalented American headed into his prime, the saavy old 7'1" skilled Euro to be his wise head. The young limited defensive specialist to round out the trio. What mystery?

 

[mac]

I'm for it ... if not only for the entertainment value of watching Pau on the team and the chance that he actually gets Cousins to improve his post game.

 

[KingMilz]

I'm for it ... if not only for the entertainment value of watching Pau on the team and the chance that he actually gets Cousins to improve his post game.

While I'm against the trade I do agree it would be entertaining and it would move us closer to a complete clean out and rebuild which is not a bad thing imo since at this current point I have zero faith in Vlade/Karl/Cousins/Gay/Rondo.

Maybe the best thing is to make all in moves which in most cases fail and we still have massive assets (Cousins) to pull off some sort of rebuild. I'd personally take a different route but this route works as well.

 

[mac]

While I'm against the trade I do agree it would be entertaining and it would move us closer to a complete clean out and rebuild which is not a bad thing imo since at this current point I have zero faith in Vlade/Karl/Cousins/Gay/Rondo.

Maybe the best thing is to make all in moves which in most cases fail and we still have massive assets (Cousins) to pull off some sort of rebuild. I'd personally take a different route but this route works as well.

Some here have gone bonkers, some don't care anymore etc. I'm taking the more ... "meh just provide me with some entertainment and if we keep losing it's not very different from what I've become accustomed to anyway" approach.

 

[andjel]

Kings are currently tied for the 9/10 spot. Which means they would need to pass teams ahead of them to keep the pick. The odds of a team in the 7 spot or higher getting a top 3 are very slim so the chances of swapping is nil. Basically, does adding Pau increase or decrease the win total? If it increases then we are already giving the pick to the Bulls. Lowering the protection means nothing in the trade.

That was my thinking as well. There is a very small chance Bulls would benefit from the protection change, do not see why would Bulls insist on it.

 

[andjel]

Think about this for a second. DeMarcus Cousins is a free agent after the 2018/2019 season. The pick we gave Philly last year is unprotected in 2019.

Regarding the pick, it is NOT unprotected, it could be.
You have to be sure that kings will be in the bottom ten this year and in Cousins contract year to claim that.

With Pau this year, odds are it is not going to happen.
If 3 years from now we are bottom ten, Cousins is gone anyway.

 

[KingsFanGER]

I don't think watching two slow footed 7 footers getting killed from the perimeter and in the pick&roll will be a lot of fun or entertaining.
Cuz guarding stretch 4's or small ball PF's? We all know, how this ends.
Yes, if we can force teams to play big vs Cuz+Gasol it might work. But I would expect this to result into a lot of 2 for 3 three trading.
I don't get, why we would make a move, that would worsen our atrocious defense even more.

 

[Kings_on_the_RiSE]

At first, I wasn't too sure about this trade. But if we get Snell as well, go for it like a bat outta hell!!!

 

[Bosnian Diehard]

Via Amick:

On Pau Gasol-to-Sac possibility that the Yahoo crew reported, I'm getting skepticism from Bulls side that a deal will materialize today.

 

[Entity]

a good question would be is how much pau and thibs liked each other. could this be a move for Thibs and get Thibs to keep pau around type deal.

 

[Npliam]

This one should http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/1...s-utah-jazz-discuss-swap-ty-lawson-trey-burke

It does a little.

 

[Livinthedream]

Can't post the links, but check out Bruski tweets. Bulls tried to trade Snell for Ben straight up. Kings said no. Then they dangled Gasol. Kings still said no. Narrative is the deal was lopsided in favor of Bulls.

Pay attention. Chicago can't get any takers on Snell. East playoff teams still asking for Ben.

 

[Hoovtrain]

Via Amick:

On Pau Gasol-to-Sac possibility that the Yahoo crew reported, I'm getting skepticism from Bulls side that a deal will materialize today.

Shocking

 

[SacKings384]

I don't think anyone really thinks that Gasol would stay here after this season. He certainly wouldn't take a discount to stay. He's too old to offer a big contract. Why throw away assets for half of a season? I think Vlade saw that as well.

 

[Hansel]

Think about this for a second. DeMarcus Cousins is a free agent after the 2018/2019 season. The pick we gave Philly last year is unprotected in 2019.

Cousins is free agent after the 2017/2018 season, not 2018/2019 ( http://hoopshype.com/salaries/sacramento_kings/ ).
The pick is unprotected in 2020 (the 1st round pick the Sixers receive is top-10 protected in 2018. If the pick isn’t conveyed in 2018 it then becomes top-10 protected in 2019. If the pick is still not conveyed at the 2019 draft, the pick then becomes unprotected in 2020).

 

[Livinthedream]

Aaron Bruski on KHTK. "Teams are circling like vultures for a player like Ben."

I'm just glad Vlade seems to understand what it means to make a trade that makes the team better.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

Cousins is free agent after the 2017/2018 season, not 2018/2019 ( http://hoopshype.com/salaries/sacramento_kings/ ).
The pick is unprotected in 2020 (the 1st round pick the Sixers receive is top-10 protected in 2018. If the pick isn’t conveyed in 2018 it then becomes top-10 protected in 2019. If the pick is still not conveyed at the 2019 draft, the pick then becomes unprotected in 2020).

Actually, the pick is top-10 in 2018 and unprotected in 2019 by every media source I recall seeing. For instance, http://basketball.realgm.com/nba/draft/future_drafts/detailed

 

[Hansel]

Actually, the pick is top-10 in 2018 and unprotected in 2019 by every media source I recall seeing. For instance, http://basketball.realgm.com/nba/draft/future_drafts/detailed

Ok. We are ****ed.

 

[NewArena]

Pau has player option for next season which means a likely 30 game rental. Don't know if it's worth it to be honest.

i think it is. he seems like a loyal guy

 

[NewArena]

This "sweetner" for Philadelphia is what scares me. I'm concerned about Vlade completely mortgaging our future by giving too much.

what future? more lottery picks? eh

 

[NewArena]

Its really not. Or its an intelligent one.

Worrying about your 2019 pick when you have DeMarcus Cousins in his prime on your team is really just thinking like a loser, which Vlade clearly doesn't. I rather doubt the Mavs even knew if they had a pick year to year when Dirk was in his prime. To take your shot, here today, while you have Cousins, you have to mobilize all your assets.

Now I'm assuming Vlade wouldn't actually pull the trigger on this unless he has a feel or instinct about Pau and what he will respond to. Worst case, its a Koufos salary dump, to clear room to make a run at Ryan Anderson this summer. Best case its a new Vlade/Webber/Pollard trio with Pau/Cuz/WCS. Either way, the days of twin duplexes and talentless Jason Thompsons/Jon Brockman/Patrick Patterson/Chuck Hayes frontcourts would be a thing of the past. Vlade is, if there is truth to this, acting like a guy who expects and intends to win. Not 5 years from now. Next year.

exactly. we've been so conditioned to worry about the freaking draft

im over that

 

[NewArena]

Ok. We are ****ed.

oh please

 

[hrdboild]

Cousins is free agent after the 2017/2018 season, not 2018/2019 ( http://hoopshype.com/salaries/sacramento_kings/ ).
The pick is unprotected in 2020 (the 1st round pick the Sixers receive is top-10 protected in 2018. If the pick isn’t conveyed in 2018 it then becomes top-10 protected in 2019. If the pick is still not conveyed at the 2019 draft, the pick then becomes unprotected in 2020).

The 2019 draft occurs after the 2018/2019 season right? That means if Cousins walks at the end of the 2017/2018 season the following season we might have the worst record in the league. And that's the season where our pick is completely unprotected. Say what you want about Sam Hinkie, he's not dumb. The draft isn't a panacea but it is how teams typically try to rebuild after their franchise player leaves. Sure you may think the draft is irrelevant because it never helps us anyway, but we got Tyreke and DeMarcus with top 5 picks. And if we're going to trade 2 young players and more draft rights for a 35 year old who's 2 months away from being an unrestricted free agent we're rapidly burning through every tradeable asset we have right in the middle of DeMarcus' prime and may have nothing to show for it but a diminished roster and a grumpy star player.

 

[sdballer]

exactly. we've been so conditioned to worry about the freaking draft

im over that

Yeah those silly cheap assets that are treated like gold by most of the league. We should just throw those away so we don't have to be distracted by smart asset management.

 

[steelevt]

Chris Broussard– Verified account ‏@Chris_Broussard

I'm told Bulls and Kings still discussing potential trade: Pau Gasol and Tony Snell for Kosta Koufas and Ben McLemore
9:09 AM - 18 Feb 2016
345 RETWEETS251 LIKES

 

[NewArena]

the fact that this rumor is out, kinda kills the likelihood of it actually transpiring. but we'll see

 

[NewArena]

Yeah those silly cheap assets that are treated like gold by most of the league. We should just throw those away so we don't have to be distracted by smart asset management.

how far have those "assets" gotten us in the past? time to try winning some games. If we're still in the top ten of the lottery come 2018-19, then
we have MUCH bigger problems on our hands, folks.

 

[NewArena]

Chris Broussard– Verified account ‏@Chris_Broussard

I'm told Bulls and Kings still discussing potential trade: Pau Gasol and Tony Snell for Kosta Koufas and Ben McLemore
9:09 AM - 18 Feb 2016
345 RETWEETS251 LIKES

oh God, not Chris broussard ..

 

[LPKingsFan]

how far have those "assets" gotten us in the past? time to try winning some games. If we're still in the top ten of the lottery come 2018-19, then
we have MUCH bigger problems on our hands, folks.

This logic continues to baffle me. The Kings have drafted/developed poorly, so they shouldn't care about the draft? Well, you could say the Kings have also traded, selected coaches, and handled free agency poorly, too. We're not good at anything, so I guess we should just do nothing!

 

[hrdboild]

how far have those "assets" gotten us in the past? time to try winning some games. If we're still in the top ten of the lottery come 2018-19, then
we have MUCH bigger problems on our hands, folks.

This line of thinking amounts to ignoring the problem and hoping it will go away. Whether you like the draft or not, draft picks are assets that other teams value. I appreciate Vlade's willingness to be proactive, but he's threatening to push us further and further into debt on the one asset which is guaranteed to hold it's value throughout the league independent of injury or coaching incompetence. He already traded our 2014 pick, swap rights in 2016 and 2017, and our 2018/2019 pick. That Philly trade last year doesn't happen without picks included. This trade reportedly doesn't happen without pick rights included. Even if your policy is to trade all of our future picks to improve the team right now, we've nearly done that and we're still in the bottom 10. What happens next?