Vet free agents and filling out the roster
- Thread starter ovrush
- Start date
It's an interesting summer when it comes to free agents.
Ideally, I would like the Kings to have a veteran, or a young veteran at every position. I like Kosta and Temple in their roles. With two young PGs I think the team must bring in a veteran that is willing to mentor these kids and still have some life left in those legs. I would like to bring Collison back at a reasonable price but he might be looking for better options for him. Someone like Beverly would also be great but I am very comfortable with Collison due to familiarity factor and his ability to play off the ball and share some time on the court together with Fox and Mason. You need some veteran leadership and some competition for spots for these kids.
We also need a SF and ideally that would be Porter. He is young to grow with the team, can play both forward positions, can defend and is a very good set shooter from the 3 which is what the team needs with a player like Fox who can get into the paint and collapse the defense. If as I suspect, Washington matches, then Joe Ingles would be a great option for the team. Gallinari would be good but I am not sure he is much of a mentor.
PF is another position we need to address. I see there are Millsap rumors but I think the length of that deal would scare me. If its a two year deal even if its at max, I might be OK with it but I would hate it if it meant that Skal is not getting 25-30 minutes per game next season. This is why I am somewhat disappointed that the team waived Tolliver. I think he would be just about perfect for this role. I could get on board with Millsap as long as its not for more than 2 years and Skal still gets 25-30 mpg.
Next year is about developing these kids and giving them an opportunity but they still have to earn it and this is where these vets come in. They will give the, competition every day but also mentor them to become the best players that they can be.
Ideally, I would like the Kings to have a veteran, or a young veteran at every position. I like Kosta and Temple in their roles. With two young PGs I think the team must bring in a veteran that is willing to mentor these kids and still have some life left in those legs. I would like to bring Collison back at a reasonable price but he might be looking for better options for him. Someone like Beverly would also be great but I am very comfortable with Collison due to familiarity factor and his ability to play off the ball and share some time on the court together with Fox and Mason. You need some veteran leadership and some competition for spots for these kids.
We also need a SF and ideally that would be Porter. He is young to grow with the team, can play both forward positions, can defend and is a very good set shooter from the 3 which is what the team needs with a player like Fox who can get into the paint and collapse the defense. If as I suspect, Washington matches, then Joe Ingles would be a great option for the team. Gallinari would be good but I am not sure he is much of a mentor.
PF is another position we need to address. I see there are Millsap rumors but I think the length of that deal would scare me. If its a two year deal even if its at max, I might be OK with it but I would hate it if it meant that Skal is not getting 25-30 minutes per game next season. This is why I am somewhat disappointed that the team waived Tolliver. I think he would be just about perfect for this role. I could get on board with Millsap as long as its not for more than 2 years and Skal still gets 25-30 mpg.
Next year is about developing these kids and giving them an opportunity but they still have to earn it and this is where these vets come in. They will give the, competition every day but also mentor them to become the best players that they can be.
I know it's a bit premature, because he's not 100% healthy yet, but drafting Giles (on top of Skal) basically cements our PF position until one of the two proves they can't cut it in the league. A stop-gap, sure. But I can't even remotely imagine us going after a top-tier PF to sit in front of Skal/Giles. We need to develop the kids, and putting somebody in the way of that would be dumb. We'll go after a SF in free agency no doubt, but PF, C, and SG aren't really positions where we need to upgrade long-term, not yet. At PG we need a mentor, and Darren would be great if that's what he wants to do. I see us going after 1) Bogdanovic 2) a legit SF like Porter/Hayward (but I imagine we strike out), 3) a veteran PF on a one-year deal, 4) a veteran PG like Collison on a longer deal to mentor the kids.
Maybe he is not salty but interested in returning. His twee t may be getting misinterpreted herw. I always thought there was a decent chance vlade offers him a new contract depending how thing shake out in the draft. Love how vlade valuea flexibility. AT is a big boy he must get this. If not then there is another side to his personality we dont see as fans and he is not a guy we want around.
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Thats what im getting at as to why i dont think he is being "salty" as was being implied by other posters. Its either he is who we think he is or someone completely different sendingng out immature salty tweet over a logical move by the front office which should have been expected given his contract. I think if he addef the little smiley eyes watching emoji then his intentions wouls be clear. I would expect to see AT in a kings jersey on another 1 year deal witb a 2nd team option.
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Yeah, that's the thing that still bothers me about cutting Tolliver.
This team is so far below the salary floor that Vlade'd probably still struggle to reach it even with AT on the team. It's not like Tolliver was some sort of James Johnson/Nick Young-esque locker room killer. Tolliver was one of this team's leaders at season's end and actually filled an increasingly important role in the modern NBA as a stretch-4.
Unless Vlade has some sort of plan to sign multiple max contract dudes (and considering the age and situation of the team, he probably shouldn't), there was really no need to get rid of Tolliver this offseason.
This team is so far below the salary floor that Vlade'd probably still struggle to reach it even with AT on the team. It's not like Tolliver was some sort of James Johnson/Nick Young-esque locker room killer. Tolliver was one of this team's leaders at season's end and actually filled an increasingly important role in the modern NBA as a stretch-4.
Unless Vlade has some sort of plan to sign multiple max contract dudes (and considering the age and situation of the team, he probably shouldn't), there was really no need to get rid of Tolliver this offseason.
Waiving AT with the option to pursue him and offer another contact in the offseason has zero risk. Its not like he is irreplaceable by any stretch of the imagination. Again it is tbe rostor spot that "might" and still "might" come into play. Why not open up the spot to to have more flexibility to make some deal. Gay could have had some setback amd decide to stay. Galloway was likely to stay. I think it was a smart move and shows the FO is on top of things and looking to put themselves in the most favorable position to take advantage of opportunities that might unfold. When the FO had to make a decision about AT they can't fast forward in time to be 100% sure Gay would be gone or galloway would be gone. When they gave AT. And AA the contracts they did it shows foresight and attention to the little things that can give small advantagea down the road. As a fan i appreciate that little extra effort and focus coming from the FO. Those opportunities might not have materilized but i would be annoyed if AT being kept prevented us from being able to pick up a salary dump as well as another late first pick etc.
If Bogdanovic comes over the Kings will have around $45 million in cap room and three open roster slots.
Goal one should be taking on another teams bad contract while getting back a promising young player or 1st round pick.
If that opportunity isn't out there, the Kings need to sign a PG and two forwards.
My first choice at PG would be Teodosic. I think he's a much better mentor for Fox than Lawson or Collison as his biggest strengths (elite passing/playmaking, running an offense) are areas of growth for De'Aaron.
At SF I like Porter and Ingles but they may be unattainable as both are RFA. But Utah might not match on Ingles to save some money if they can re-sign Hayward. I don't love Shabazz Muhammad but he could be a decent bench scorer.
I will always be a Casspi fan but I think that ship has sailed. Jerami Grant could be worth gambling on. Long term I see Justin Jackson as a reserve so SF is the one spot I think the Kings could look to sign a starter or in Grant's case, a guy with the tools to maybe be a starter.
At PF I'd prefer to have Tolliver back for his outside shooting and veteran presence. Otherwise Patrick Patterson and Ilyasova should be considered for that stretch 4 role.
Millsap wouldn't be my first choice but I understand the thinking. He's basically an all-star version of Tolliver. Overachiever, good locker room guy, but also a much better scorer, rebounder etc. This season should be a developmental one for Giles so Skal would still get the backup PF minutes. But even though Millsap would be a big upgrade, I'd rather see Labissiere start and get the lion's share of the minutes so we can see what the team has in him
Goal one should be taking on another teams bad contract while getting back a promising young player or 1st round pick.
If that opportunity isn't out there, the Kings need to sign a PG and two forwards.
My first choice at PG would be Teodosic. I think he's a much better mentor for Fox than Lawson or Collison as his biggest strengths (elite passing/playmaking, running an offense) are areas of growth for De'Aaron.
At SF I like Porter and Ingles but they may be unattainable as both are RFA. But Utah might not match on Ingles to save some money if they can re-sign Hayward. I don't love Shabazz Muhammad but he could be a decent bench scorer.
I will always be a Casspi fan but I think that ship has sailed. Jerami Grant could be worth gambling on. Long term I see Justin Jackson as a reserve so SF is the one spot I think the Kings could look to sign a starter or in Grant's case, a guy with the tools to maybe be a starter.
At PF I'd prefer to have Tolliver back for his outside shooting and veteran presence. Otherwise Patrick Patterson and Ilyasova should be considered for that stretch 4 role.
Millsap wouldn't be my first choice but I understand the thinking. He's basically an all-star version of Tolliver. Overachiever, good locker room guy, but also a much better scorer, rebounder etc. This season should be a developmental one for Giles so Skal would still get the backup PF minutes. But even though Millsap would be a big upgrade, I'd rather see Labissiere start and get the lion's share of the minutes so we can see what the team has in him
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To which I ask, who exactly is it that you plan on signing this offseason that requires three open roster slots and 40 million dollars?
Now isn't the right time to nab "big name" impact players. Is (insert player name here) a better use of that space and money that Tolliver? If the answer is no, you've essential cut a guy for no reason.
Now isn't the right time to nab "big name" impact players. Is (insert player name here) a better use of that space and money that Tolliver? If the answer is no, you've essential cut a guy for no reason.