Gabriel

#1
So wonder what Wenyon’s future holds. The kid has definitely improved. He shot 4-8 from 3 last night and made a number of good defensive plays. Do the Kings promote him to Sacramento or leave him in Stockton.

A Guy / Gabriel pick and roll/pop could be fun to watch in Stockton.
 
#4
Since the Kings signed Justin James to a regular Kings contract, they may keep Gabriel on the 2-Way contract for a while, unless they decide they are going to sign one of the S.L. players to a 2-Way contract.

If that happens, they would probably promote Gabriel to the big league club and add another 2-Way player. Otherwise, they will probably go the Troy Williams route and bring him up from the G-League until his 45 days are up and then decide.
 
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bajaden

Hall of Famer
#5
It could be a numbers thing with Gabriel. The Kings currently have 14 roster spots filled if you count Holmes, who hasn't signed yet. Therein lies some of the problem. The Kings need to use the little mid-level exception, a tick under 5 mil, to sign Holmes. But in order to get that exception, they have to be over the cap, which they aren't. That means the Kings need to sign another player to use up the money they have left (about 1.5 mil) under the cap, which would also use up a roster spot, taking them to 15 spots filled.

That makes giving one of the few spots left to Gabriel a bit difficult. Now they could cut and stretch Swanigan, which would serve two things. One, it would open up another roster spot, and two, it would increase the amount of money under the cap with which to sign another player. Since my crystal ball is broken, I have no idea what the Kings intentions are, but something should happen fairly soon in order to get the Holmes situation resolved.
 
#6
It could be a numbers thing with Gabriel. The Kings currently have 14 roster spots filled if you count Holmes, who hasn't signed yet. Therein lies some of the problem. The Kings need to use the little mid-level exception, a tick under 5 mil, to sign Holmes. But in order to get that exception, they have to be over the cap, which they aren't. That means the Kings need to sign another player to use up the money they have left (about 1.5 mil) under the cap, which would also use up a roster spot, taking them to 15 spots filled.

That makes giving one of the few spots left to Gabriel a bit difficult. Now they could cut and stretch Swanigan, which would serve two things. One, it would open up another roster spot, and two, it would increase the amount of money under the cap with which to sign another player. Since my crystal ball is broken, I have no idea what the Kings intentions are, but something should happen fairly soon in order to get the Holmes situation resolved.
Not that I’m advocating it one way or another, but I’m assuming the could give Gabriel a non guaranteed contract at 1.5M and then sign Holmes.

I’m guessing they are waiting to see if they feel he has earned it or do they go the free agent route and keep him on the two way.

So basically the roster looks like

Center: Dedmon, Giles, Swanigan/Holmes
Power forward: Bagley, Bjelicia, Holmes
Small Forward: Barnes, Ariza, Gabriel/Free Agent
2 Guard: Hield, Bogdanovic, James
Point: Fox, Joseph, Ferrell

In either case, we need a your SF/PF behind Barnes and Ariza.
 
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#7
If vlade is watching the same summer league that I'm watching, swanigan won't be on the roster come training camp and Gabriel will. At very least as a 2 way guy, but I think he's proven to be a legit talent at this point and his game is perfect for the modern NBA. 4 of 8 from 3 and he hustles, gets boards, blocks, plays with passion, and has the lateral quickness and length to guard 3 to 5. That's serious, undeniable potential and our front office would be stupid to hold onto swanigan and pass on gabriel.
 
#8
I think Vlade is watching which free agents are left looking for a team and if that doesn’t work then a trade still may happen. No need to change or two way contracts at this point.

I do think we will add a combo forward as insurance for the season.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#9
If vlade is watching the same summer league that I'm watching, swanigan won't be on the roster come training camp and Gabriel will. At very least as a 2 way guy, but I think he's proven to be a legit talent at this point and his game is perfect for the modern NBA. 4 of 8 from 3 and he hustles, gets boards, blocks, plays with passion, and has the lateral quickness and length to guard 3 to 5. That's serious, undeniable potential and our front office would be stupid to hold onto swanigan and pass on gabriel.
Well Gabriel is already signed to a 2 way, so I doubt he's going anywhere. The question is whether he'll get moved up to the parent club. Gabriel is a very good athlete who can play either of the forward positions. Might even be able to play a little small ball center in time.
 

Capt. Factorial

trifolium contra tempestatem subrigere certum est
Staff member
#11
Why don't we just cut Swannigans ass. If he really cared he wouldve cut weight i dont know if that's the kind of player we want on our team anyway
Because it is strategically very very dumb to cut a player when they are not in the way of another move you want to make and still can potentially be included as a salary chip in a trade.

Cutting a player just because they're at the back of the bench is like tearing up a "Get Out Of Jail Free" card in Monopoly because you drew it when you were not currently in jail and the picture on it irritated you.
 
#12
Gabriel is a pro. He grew up in my hometown so I probably like him more than most. He was a really late bloomer. He played up until his senior year of hoops at a high school of about 500 students.

I don’t think he’s a star but he’s an engery role player that can stretch the floor that still has upside. I’d like to see him get a real shot at getting some minutes
 

dude12

Hall of Famer
#14
Wenyen is not strong enough to play the 5, he’s to slow of foot to guard 3’s, and I think he’s a year away from contributing at the 4. I’d keep him on the 2 way for now
 
#18
I like him @ the 3 next to Bagley in a year or 2. Thats where he can be a difference maker disrupting passing lanes and contesting 3 pointers while hitting a few 3's himself.
EDIT: Or @ 4 if Bagley is @ 5 i like the run and gun with space formula with Fox behind the wheel.
 
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#19
This summer (2019) they left Gabriel as the only big on the floor. He went up against the center on other teams. It was obviously not a position of strength.
I think they've been very intentional about Wenyen's role in Summer League - obviously to see how he handles what's thrown at him. Some of that has been as the lone big man (Center) and some as a stretch 4 with Mika or Swan at the Center spot. I think he has shown (thus far) that he is better suited as a stretch 4 and, for the Kings, he's a much more needed commodity than what Swan or Mika bring.
I think Wenyen has upside, and I'd like to see him in the Troy Williams role this year (floating between Sac and Stockton) so he can get some NBA minutes. But I'm disappointed that he doesn't seem to have improved his strength much since he came to the Kings org. Or maybe he has and I can't see it? What I'm flashing on is all his drives to the basket where one defender makes contact and stops Wenyen in his tracks. He has nothing left after contact. Even after contact with guys much smaller than him.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#20
Wenyen is not strong enough to play the 5, he’s to slow of foot to guard 3’s, and I think he’s a year away from contributing at the 4. I’d keep him on the 2 way for now
If the Kings want to keep Gabriel in Stockton for another year, I have no problem with that, and I might agree that playing him at the five might not be his best position. But if you think he isn't strong, or a good enough athlete to guard the three, you have no knowledge of Gabriel. Calipari had him play the three at Kentucky and mostly for his defense. Gabriel was an outstanding defender there, and is still a good defender. His problem has always been being behind the curve offensively.

One of the reasons I wanted the Kings to give Gabriel a 2 way was because of his athletic potential and natural instincts on defense. I've always thought that if he could ever hone his skills on offense, he could be a heck of a player, because he has a terrific motor and plays with intensity. He also has a great nose for the ball. He's always rebounded out of his area, which is something you can't teach. It's about time the Kings struck gold with an undrafted player. Gabriel might be that player!
 
#21
Gabriel is a 4
They played him as a 5 in summer league and that did not work. He is also not a small forward.
I agree, he's not a SF. I didn't see any huge negatives in him at the 5 though. He's certainly not a full time 5 but he can get minutes there depending. Derrickson also did solid at the 5. The issue this summer league was the coaches fetish for playing a volume scoring SG whether that be Doyle or Christon at point in crunch time. Can you tank for G-league draft picks in SL? If so, good job.
 

dude12

Hall of Famer
#22
If the Kings want to keep Gabriel in Stockton for another year, I have no problem with that, and I might agree that playing him at the five might not be his best position. But if you think he isn't strong, or a good enough athlete to guard the three, you have no knowledge of Gabriel. Calipari had him play the three at Kentucky and mostly for his defense. Gabriel was an outstanding defender there, and is still a good defender. His problem has always been being behind the curve offensively.

One of the reasons I wanted the Kings to give Gabriel a 2 way was because of his athletic potential and natural instincts on defense. I've always thought that if he could ever hone his skills on offense, he could be a heck of a player, because he has a terrific motor and plays with intensity. He also has a great nose for the ball. He's always rebounded out of his area, which is something you can't teach. It's about time the Kings struck gold with an undrafted player. Gabriel might be that player!
You know that what Gabriel did at Kentucky and what he is right now are different situations right? I just watched the guy in SL for the second year in a row. Not strong enough to bang in the paint against NBA centers. Not yet. And as far as being able to guard the 3, I just watched him not be quick enough when switched off to a perimeter guy. His length saved him at times but he’s not quick enough....I don’t care what he was at Kentucky, that’s 2 years ago. Also watched him try and drive into the lane several times and get tied up because he was not strong enough to absorb contact.

I’ve said early in SL, he’s a stretch 4 at this point. Also said his length is his best asset which allows him to get rebs out of his area and make up for his defense when a guy does get past him. I like him but I’m also being realistic about where he is right now. I think he needs to get another year stronger. I just can’t agree that he’s strong enough yet.
 
#23
Stockton Kings are a fun team to watch. There were more people there than I thought there would be. It's a real fun experience. Kind of like the Rivercats when they were affiliated to the A's. Apparently they had good attendance the whole year. The two games I went to were packed.