PG for the Kings

[King Baller]

A fresh start at the 1 is needed in my opinion in Sacramento. Yes I think the Kings should reload at the PG position. The Kings need PG's who are a good defenders. I would like to see a veteran brought in such as Mike Conley, Jeff Teague or George Hill. Then a back up is needed who can score. I'm not sure if Seth Curry is ready. If you count on him to fill this role there is some risk. If Jarret Jack had not had the knee injury I would like him in a backup role for the Kings. In a perfect world IT would still be here winning Sixth Man of the year awards but he is now an All Star in Boston. I also like Norris Cole in the backup PG role. Finally I think the Kings should pull out all stops to draft Kris Dunn. A trade with Phoenix swapping picks and sending some combination of Koufos, Collison, and/or Mclemore may get it done. I have seen this trade mentioned here. By Baja I believe.

A complete retooling of the PG position is a lot to ask. I do think it is the correct path for the Kings though.

 

[lwc]

Sadly, I think you are right.

 

[KingsFanGER]

I tend to agree. Rondo has his limitations and DC may not be a starting PG going forward even though he was part of an impressive starting 5 for a few games in his tenure in SAC.
The tricky part is to get an actual improvement via a trade, FA or the draft.
Mike Conley will be the first priority for the Grizzlies and I can see every team with a need at PG going after him. Teague might be available, but he was an All-Star a season ago and will not come cheap.
Are there more teams with a logjam at PG?
Phoenix maybe, but Bledsoe had severe injuries.
The Bucks maybe want to move on from MCW, who despite his limitations would give us a lengthy defender, that can play both guard positions.
Boston maybe giving up on Smart, because of his shooting woes?
Lin wants to try himself as a starter again?

Other than that?
Just from the top of my head, I can't think of a candidate, who is set up for a breakout season.

So realisticly we either draft a PG, go after a guy like Lin, Chalmers or Jennings and hope they do well or wait until 2017 to try to fix this position.
Like this DC might get another chance to prove, that he can be a starter.

 

[kingsboi]

The Kings need to do everything in their power to get themselves a PG now, in the draft or via trade.

 

[206Fan]

I think the Kings should really look into going after Lin. He loves it in Charlotte, so it'll be difficult. However, he's from the bay area, so that's something that could convince him.

 

[IfAt1st]

I think the Kings should re-sign Rondo, as he's the best floor general they've had since...... they got to Sacramento.

It's amazing how Kings fans turn their nose up at (easily) the best PG they've had since Bibby.
Like they grow on trees or something.

 

[dude12]

So some people want to just dismiss Rondo and Collison already while hoping to get Dunn or getting a journeyman replacement such as Cole or Lin. The only guy I've seen listed that would make sense as an upgrade in Conley. If Dunn is our PG, here comes another non-playoff year. I prefer to see us keep one of PGs, then drafting Dunn or would be awesome, and use Curry as the combo.......or somehow land Conley.

 

[funkykingston]

Here's the thing about drafting Dunn.

I'm all for it if he's groomed behind a veteran for a year or two. I'm not as hot on the idea if he's the Kings starting PG right out of the gate.

Rookie PGs not named Magic Johnson take time to develop. If Collison is still on the team (or Rondo is resigned) and starting and Dunn comes off the bench to spell DC (or RR) and sometimes play alongside him then I think that would be a great situation. But asking him to be the starting PG on a team with a prime Cousins and aspirations of making the playoffs is a bad idea.

 

[funkykingston]

To me the Kings right now have three guys I absolutely want to see on the team next year:

Cousins, Cauley-Stein and Casspi. That's really it. I'm not opposed to any other players returning but if they could be dealt to improve the team I'm all for it.

Ideally Casspi isn't a starter but depending on who the PG & SG are Omri could be serviceable as the starting SF.

Assuming Butler opts out and taking those three guys as the building blocks the Kings have the following assets to work with:

$28 million in cap room
#8 pick
Rudy Gay
Darren Collison
Kosta Koufos
Ben McLemore
Marco Belinelli

Marco won't bring much back after his season so unless the team needs to move him for caproom for a signing I wouldn't think he gets moved. But there are enough pieces there to do some work.

 

[biltalent]

Mario Chalmers is another FA name to look at as a back up plan if we can't sign Rondo or Conley and Collison gets suspended. Not a flashy name by any means but he could hold down the position for one or two years

 

[KingsFanGER]

I think the Kings should re-sign Rondo, as he's the best floor general they've had since...... they got to Sacramento.

It's amazing how Kings fans turn their nose up at (easily) the best PG they've had since Bibby.
Like they grow on trees or something.

Ok. I think we can easily get Rondo back. But how do we overcome his defense and how do we incorporate a culture of ball sharing with him holding the ball for long stretches? I know the problem on the offensive side is the lesser issue. The PO showed, that you can overcome an uninspired offense until a certain point, when you are good enough defensively.
But an elite defense around Rondo? I just don't see it and I was one of the few guys, thinking Rondo could still defend, when he got to SAC.
We could try to hide Rondo on D, but we need at least 4 plus defenders to do so. And is Rondo good enough to justify that treatment?

 

[HndsmCelt]

I think that 3 guys need hash this out a bit. Vlade, Joeger and DMC. They need to be on the same page going forward and the starting PG is for next season is in many ways the first and one of the most important decisions the team needs to make. BUT it looks like we ALSO may need to find a solid back up PG as well and that is where you have to look hard and long at Dunn in the draft and or at bringing back Seth. I can see and appreciate the case for Connely, and Rondo both, but in the end DMC and Joeger have to both work closely with the PG whoever we go with.

 

[dude12]

Ok. I think we can easily get Rondo back. But how do we overcome his defense and how do we incorporate a culture of ball sharing with him holding the ball for long stretches? I know the problem on the offensive side is the lesser issue. The PO showed, that you can overcome an uninspired offense until a certain point, when you are good enough defensively.
But an elite defense around Rondo? I just don't see it and I was one of the few guys, thinking Rondo could still defend, when he got to SAC.
We could try to hide Rondo on D, but we need at least 4 plus defenders to do so. And is Rondo good enough to justify that treatment?

This is where Joerger has to earn his money. I think we are all banking on the new coach to get this turned around defensively and that would include getting Rondo to actually play defense if we resign him. And by the way, Collison also isn't very good on defense......ok at best. I think, or maybe hope, that either or both of these PGs become very good team defenders. That is what it takes for them to he our PG.

 

[bajaden]

Here's the thing about drafting Dunn.

I'm all for it if he's groomed behind a veteran for a year or two. I'm not as hot on the idea if he's the Kings starting PG right out of the gate.

Rookie PGs not named Magic Johnson take time to develop. If Collison is still on the team (or Rondo is resigned) and starting and Dunn comes off the bench to spell DC (or RR) and sometimes play alongside him then I think that would be a great situation. But asking him to be the starting PG on a team with a prime Cousins and aspirations of making the playoffs is a bad idea.

I agree with your premise, but I will say, that the only PG in the draft that could step in and be a starter is Dunn. Not the perfect scenario, but it wouldn't be a total disaster. Like you, I prefer he do his growing pains from the bench. He'd certainly get his minutes, because he can play both guard positions, and he may be the best defender on the team the moment he gets drafted. Toss up between him and Willie.

 

[funkykingston]

I agree with your premise, but I will say, that the only PG in the draft that could step in and be a starter is Dunn. Not the perfect scenario, but it wouldn't be a total disaster. Like you, I prefer he do his growing pains from the bench. He'd certainly get his minutes, because he can play both guard positions, and he may be the best defender on the team the moment he gets drafted. Toss up between him and Willie.

One of the better descriptions I've seen of Dunn is that he's John Wall but with B+ athleticism instead of A+. Which I think is true and will play a part in how well he does offensively as a rookie. But I DO think Dunn will come in as a better defender than Wall. I'd be perfectly comfortable with a Collison/Dunn backcourt. And while I agree that if he was forced to be the starting PG it wouldn't be a disaster, there WOULD be more growing pains than you'd want on a team trying to claw its way into the postseason next year.

 

[ParniValjak]

Here's the thing about drafting Dunn.

I'm all for it if he's groomed behind a veteran for a year or two. I'm not as hot on the idea if he's the Kings starting PG right out of the gate.

Rookie PGs not named Magic Johnson take time to develop. If Collison is still on the team (or Rondo is resigned) and starting and Dunn comes off the bench to spell DC (or RR) and sometimes play alongside him then I think that would be a great situation. But asking him to be the starting PG on a team with a prime Cousins and aspirations of making the playoffs is a bad idea.

Not sure if I am speaking on behalf of all the Dunn fan club here, but from my perspective, this is the ONLY scenario we should be thinking about. Drafting a PG whether it be Dunn or even Baldwin is not about having them as starters right out of the game. It is about getting the PG of the future to pair with Cousins long term but in the interim, you have a veteran starting and Dunn learning from them and getting spot starts when the veteran is injured or suspended or even rested if we decide to do that.

Bottom line is, our starting PG next season MUST be a proven veteran and whether it is this year or next year or the year after, we must get a young PG to develop to take over from that veteran. Unless of course we sign or trade for a young PG that we see as part of our future (e.g. someone like Payton - I knot that is not happening but that is the quality profile and age profile of the player we should be looking for)

 

[bajaden]

Not sure if I am speaking on behalf of all the Dunn fan club here, but from my perspective, this is the ONLY scenario we should be thinking about. Drafting a PG whether it be Dunn or even Baldwin is not about having them as starters right out of the game. It is about getting the PG of the future to pair with Cousins long term but in the interim, you have a veteran starting and Dunn learning from them and getting spot starts when the veteran is injured or suspended or even rested if we decide to do that.

Bottom line is, our starting PG next season MUST be a proven veteran and whether it is this year or next year or the year after, we must get a young PG to develop to take over from that veteran. Unless of course we sign or trade for a young PG that we see as part of our future (e.g. someone like Payton - I knot that is not happening but that is the quality profile and age profile of the player we should be looking for)

Personally I would be willing to sacrifice McLemore or Koufos, or both to move up in the draft to insure being able to grab Dunn. He would solve more than one problem on the team, and as you said, he would be our PG of the future. Dunn is as good off the ball as he is on the ball. Mostly, every other asset aside, he's a terrific defender on the perimeter, both on and off the ball, and this team desperately needs that.

 

[ParniValjak]

Personally I would be willing to sacrifice McLemore or Koufos, or both to move up in the draft to insure being able to grab Dunn. He would solve more than one problem on the team, and as you said, he would be our PG of the future. Dunn is as good off the ball as he is on the ball. Mostly, every other asset aside, he's a terrific defender on the perimeter, both on and off the ball, and this team desperately needs that.

I am 100% with you on this one. If the trade up the draft order happens, I think it will be with either Boston or more likely Phoenix. Timberwolves will draft Dunn at 5 IMHO.

 

[LPKingsFan]

The more I read about him, the more comfortable I am just taking Baldwin at 8.

 

[CruzDude]

To me the Kings right now have three guys I absolutely want to see on the team next year:

Cousins, Cauley-Stein and Casspi. That's really it. I'm not opposed to any other players returning but if they could be dealt to improve the team I'm all for it. Ideally Casspi isn't a starter but depending on who the PG & SG are Omri could be serviceable as the starting SF.

Assuming Butler opts out and taking those three guys as the building blocks the Kings have the following assets to work with:

$28 million in cap room
#8 pick
Rudy Gay
Darren Collison
Kosta Koufos
Ben McLemore
Marco Belinelli

Marco won't bring much back after his season so unless the team needs to move him for caproom for a signing I wouldn't think he gets moved. But there are enough pieces there to do some work.

In general I agree. FWIW Koufos is an ideal backup 5 who is not a 4 and can own most of the paint IF the new offense goes through the middle so would keep him. Marco seemed to admit he was in a funck based on poor attitude in locker room. For all the pluses he could provide on offense not sure his def gets by on a lower echelon team like Kings, yet. Quincy is a keeper. period. It will all depend on who Kings get in draft then the core builds from there.

 

[funkykingston]

In general I agree. FWIW Koufos is an ideal backup 5 who is not a 4 and can own most of the paint IF the new offense goes through the middle so would keep him. Marco seemed to admit he was in a funck based on poor attitude in locker room. For all the pluses he could provide on offense not sure his def gets by on a lower echelon team like Kings, yet. Quincy is a keeper. period. It will all depend on who Kings get in draft then the core builds from there.

I don't see much reason to deal Koufos either but he is essentially a 10-15 mpg backup when Boogie is healthy. But since Cousins generally misses a significant number of games the backup center will get called on. Of course if the Kings were to sign a guy like Ryan Anderson I'd imagine all the PF/C minutes would go to Boogie, WCS & Anderson.

So while I like Koufos he could be a trade chip depending on other moves.

I want Acy back but he opted out of his deal. He'd need to be re-signed. He seems like a good candidate for the room exception at 2-3 million.

 

[Sac.1989]

I think the Kings should re-sign Rondo, as he's the best floor general they've had since...... they got to Sacramento.

It's amazing how Kings fans turn their nose up at (easily) the best PG they've had since Bibby.
Like they grow on trees or something.

honestly i think our hands are tied.

we could go with this whole retool thing but we dont have time nor are we a sure thing of landing anyone penned.

We need to resign rondo and look to sort out our SG woes where the pool to bring someone in via FA or the draft is much bigger.

We need to absolutely win now. We have no more time and realistically Rondo is the most obtainable and has the obvious chemistry and relationships here to leverage and further build on

 

[Sac.1989]

I don't see much reason to deal Koufos either but he is essentially a 10-15 mpg backup when Boogie is healthy. But since Cousins generally misses a significant number of games the backup center will get called on. Of course if the Kings were to sign a guy like Ryan Anderson I'd imagine all the PF/C minutes would go to Boogie, WCS & Anderson.

So while I like Koufos he could be a trade chip depending on other moves.
.

agreed.

WCS will be huge for us this season (he will need to be for us to go far)

We cover all bases with a line of Boogie, WCS and Anderson. If Moreland can stay healthy then he also becomes a part of the rotation.

Touch wood nothing happens to demarcus but what do we feel about WCS at 5, and Anderson/Gay/Casspi at 4 ?

 

[andjel]

agreed.

WCS will be huge for us this season (he will need to be for us to go far)

We cover all bases with a line of Boogie, WCS and Anderson. If Moreland can stay healthy then he also becomes a part of the rotation.

Touch wood nothing happens to demarcus but what do we feel about WCS at 5, and Anderson/Gay/Casspi at 4 ?

That does not look good to me at all. There is no rebounder there nor enough strength.

I think that KK is a great fit as a 15-20 min backup capable to play a few games as a starter if DMC has to miss some time.
Trading him just opens another hole when one is not needed.

Again, why complicate things, we are quite well set on anything that is not guard with Cuz/KK/WCS/Gay/Casspi. Trading any of them just opens another hole.

Belli/Rondo/Ben/DC/Curry/pick/$$$ should be enough to get us 4 rotational guards that fit (whether some stay or we get new players).

 

[Mass]

At this point I would bring Rondo back and hope DJ can build a strong team defense and at least make Rondo acceptable on D. I'd love to have Dunn as a backup, but I don't see him being there at 8. Norris Cole is someone I would definitely try to get as our backup PG. good defender, knows his role, can hit the 3. He also won't cost too much and won't need too many minutes.

 

[KingMilz]

I wonder what it would take to get Corey Joseph from the Raptors, If DC has his charges dropped/limited I would probably try do a DC+ something else for Corey to be our starter and sign Ish Smith as the back up.

Also could have the option of trying to go high risk high reward with Bledsoe (due to injury) and Lawson (due to poor recent play) the latter would probably be dirt cheap due to the way he played.

 

[LA King Fan II]

I vote for Austin Rivers.

 

[funkykingston]

That does not look good to me at all. There is no rebounder there nor enough strength.

I think that KK is a great fit as a 15-20 min backup capable to play a few games as a starter if DMC has to miss some time.
Trading him just opens another hole when one is not needed.

Again, why complicate things, we are quite well set on anything that is not guard with Cuz/KK/WCS/Gay/Casspi. Trading any of them just opens another hole.

Belli/Rondo/Ben/DC/Curry/pick/$$$ should be enough to get us 4 rotational guards that fit (whether some stay or we get new players).

For the most part I agree but if the Kings decided they wanted to surround Cousins with shooters and went after Anderson or Teletovic or Ilyasova then I could see Kosta's minutes dropping to almost nothing. At that point you could get a less talented, cheaper player to fill those rare minutes. And even if Cousins missed games I'm guessing the starting lineup would become Anderson/Cauley-Stein. If the Kings DON'T sign a high profile stretch four then yes, there's no reason to trade Koufos who plays within himself, fills a role and is familiar with Joerger from their time in Memphis.

One other point though, Curry is a free agent. The Kings can't trade him and would need to re-sign him to have him on the roster at all - something I hope they do depending on other moves. If Dunn did somehow slip to the Kings I'd be happy with a PG rotation of Collison, Curry & Dunn.

I vote for Austin Rivers.

I wonder what it would take to get Corey Joseph from the Raptors, If DC has his charges dropped/limited I would probably try do a DC+ something else for Corey to be our starter and sign Ish Smith as the back up.

Also could have the option of trying to go high risk high reward with Bledsoe (due to injury) and Lawson (due to poor recent play) the latter would probably be dirt cheap due to the way he played.

None of those guys - Rivers, Joseph or Smith are better than Collison. And I can't understand why the Kigns would give up Collison AND something else to get Joseph, a PG that shot 27% from three and isn't a better ballhandler, passer, defender or shooter than DC. Smith is nice as a change of pace PG but on a good team he should be a backup PG.

 

[funkykingston]

If the Kings were to get lucky in the draft and get Dunn then just by re-signing a few free agents they'd have a pretty solid squad.

Cousins/Koufos/Moreland*
Cauley-Stein/Acy*
Gay/Casspi/
McLemore/Belinelli
Collison/Curry*/Dunn

*would need to be resigned

Moreland would likely be available for the minimum. Acy could be signed with the room exception at the end of the summer and so only Curry would eat into cap room. Let's say he costs a maximum of $5 million. Then the Kings have $23 million left to spend and a pretty decent roster already.

What's missing is a starting SG, a backup PF and a third string SF. If Butler decides to not exercise his option I'm fine with him as the third string SF and locker room presence. That would leave the Kings with $21.5 million in cap room to fill two spots with SG the priority.

Bazemore? Fournier? Lee? Afflalo? Henderson? Stephenson? Gordon?

Bazemore is the only sure thing on that list and the Kings would likely have to significantly outbid Atlanta (a team and city he seems to love) to land him. But if they decide to break the bank to keep Horford then Bazemore could be in play.

I like Fournier's shooting and playmaking but he's not a good defender and struggled to get floor time in Orlando which doesn't bode well.

Lee would be a very solid pickup but not really a needle mover or difference maker

Afflalo looked like he was on the downside in New York this year.

Henderson would also be solid but I'm not convinced he's an upgrade over Ben.

Stephenson is obviously a risk but Joerger knows him from last season in Memphis so I'd trust his judgement. But he's also not a great shooter and is honestly probably best suited off the bench where he could handle the ball and lead the 2nd unit. But if Rondo walks and coach signed off on it I could be on board with Stephenson.

Gordon is undersized, an injury risk and pretty one dimensional. He might be one of the very few free agents who will get paid LESS money next season.

At backup PF I like the idea of Ryan Anderson but in reality that caproom should be used on a starting SG rather than a stretch 4, especially since Gay & Casspi did pretty well sharing the forward spots in certain matchups last year. If Ilyasova is not retained in Orlando I think he might be a good option. Or Teletovic though both of those guys might cost too much depending on what is spent on a SG. Terrance Jones? Luis Scola? Bring back JT? (only half kidding there) Maybe Artūras Gudaitis comes over and simplifies things, letting the Kings spend the majority of their caproom on a guy like Bazemore.

Cousins/Koufos/Moreland
Cauley-Stein/Acy/Gudaitis
Gay/Casspi/Butler
Bazemore/McLemore/Belinelli
Collison/Curry/Dunn

Looks like a REALLY solid team to me. And when Dunn is ready to start he and Bazemore would make one of the best defensive backcourts in the NBA.

 

[andjel]

For the most part I agree but if the Kings decided they wanted to surround Cousins with shooters and went after Anderson or Teletovic or Ilyasova then I could see Kosta's minutes dropping to almost nothing. At that point you could get a less talented, cheaper player to fill those rare minutes. And even if Cousins missed games I'm guessing the starting lineup would become Anderson/Cauley-Stein. If the Kings DON'T sign a high profile stretch four then yes, there's no reason to trade Koufos who plays within himself, fills a role and is familiar with Joerger from their time in Memphis.

One other point though, Curry is a free agent. The Kings can't trade him and would need to re-sign him to have him on the roster at all - something I hope they do depending on other moves. If Dunn did somehow slip to the Kings I'd be happy with a PG rotation of Collison, Curry & Dunn.

I can see appeal, but I sincerely hope we do not go Anderson/KK swap way. That would mean we are (again) focusing on offense instead of defense and losing any flexibility what we can put on the court. Additionally, when Cuz is not around, frontline Anderson/WCS with Acy level backup I do not like at all. It just lacks strength, defense, rebounding and center skills, all else is good ;-)

Curry and Rondo are free agents. I included them since they can be target for Kings to bring them back in (if they want to).