Blow It Up

SLAB

Hall of Famer
All this talk about drafting all stars and what not ignores the fact that these players don't become all stars in a vacuum. So many variables. Drafting in the top 3 may increase the odds of better talent, but the player himself may not be able to overcome the dysfunction of the organization itself. In which case, fans will label him a bust.

A stable, well run organization may be able to cultivate a talented player picked 7+ into an all star caliber type player.
Luka would have overcome the disfunction. :(
 
Just about two weeks to the trade deadline and then some some clarity on this mess - either desperate panic (Simmons), nothing more than a fig leaf (trading Buddy & Bagley to give them their wish), or maybe something looking like a rational plan. Depending on how it comes out, I'm either going to resume watching or be very happy in never watching them again. I've watched the Kings a total of about five minutes over the last couple of weeks. It's so nice not wasting my time, doing something more productive. The entertaining thing has been visiting this board periodically. What can I say? I'm into black humor.

Feel sorry for the announcers, reporters, and commentators who have to cover this team. Yikes.
 
This line of silly thinking is seemingly prevalent yet just flat wrong. It’s been proven wrong.

Go back and look at every draft for the past dozen and more years and look what star players could have been had by the KINGS from where they stood. A comprehensive list has been provided numerous times. Yet ignored.

For the last freaking time. Top 3 picks aren’t the answer. Drafting correctly (and consistently) from whatever position they are drafting from is THE answer.

FWIW, during the SAC era the KINGS have drafted in the top 3 THREE times and came up empty on each and every occasion (Ellison, Owens, Bagley), although the Owens selection netted Mitch Richmond so we’ll label that the only win.

They’ve drafted 4th or 5th another 4x and many KINGS fans wanted to run 2 of the 4 out of town on most of the days the player played here (Cousins and Fox). The other two players weren’t star players either. One (Robinson) was a complete bust and the other (Evans) flamed out after several years and isn’t even in the league anymore.

Yet, here you are preaching top lottery picks as the answer. SMH.

Again, it doesn’t matter where the team selects — selecting the wrong player and/or matching up incompatible players over several drafts never works. And that is what the KINGS have largely been doing.

However they possibly got one right with Tyrese Haliburton and didn’t need a top 3 pick to do it. And EASILY could have built a title contender from all the picks they had in the 5-14 range had they just drafted the right players.

The Warriors dynasty didn’t involve a single draft pick higher than 7 among their core players (not including KD who signed as a FA). Same goes for perennial playoff contenders Miami, Denver, Milwaukee and Utah — just to name a few.

Please stop with the insanity! It’s a lazy approach. And ignores what could have been accomplished w/o top 3 picks had the previous GM’s (and the controlling ownership) merely been competent.

That can be changed going forward and maybe has begun to change judging by the past 2 draft picks — both outside the top 8.
I agree that A chess master GM can create more value with a lower pick than a sorry GM with a higher pick - And yeah the warriors are a perfect example. However! In the end of the day it is extremely hard to recognize the stephs and the clays in the draft - even truly the best of them GMs. (In hindsight it's crazy easy to be like "yeah if only we had drafted giannis"). Because finding true gems who will change your franchise (the star!! and not just a role player (we wanna change the franchise not just "get a little bit better") is extremely hard - I rather be in the top-3 - it is just more likely to find the superstar there.
 
Just about two weeks to the trade deadline and then some some clarity on this mess - either desperate panic (Simmons), nothing more than a fig leaf (trading Buddy & Bagley to give them their wish), or maybe something looking like a rational plan. Depending on how it comes out, I'm either going to resume watching or be very happy in never watching them again. I've watched the Kings a total of about five minutes over the last couple of weeks. It's so nice not wasting my time, doing something more productive. The entertaining thing has been visiting this board periodically. What can I say? I'm into black humor.

Feel sorry for the announcers, reporters, and commentators who have to cover this team. Yikes.
I'm right there with you. The next two weeks will go a long way in me figuring out how much of my life I devote to this team.... not just for the rest of this year but for years to come.
 
Stop putting lipstick on a pig. A re-build is necessary here. Keep your top 2 players, fine. So do the re-build smartly and cheaply-which means successive top 5 picks in the draft. So you need to think long-term and start the TANK.

Trades are hard to do in the NBA. NBA Players reach their level and it is well known throughout the NBA. Look at Buddy, do you expect more upside on Buddy. He along with other players, are well known quantities to the NBA.
 
Stop putting lipstick on a pig. A re-build is necessary here. Keep your top 2 players, fine. So do the re-build smartly and cheaply-which means successive top 5 picks in the draft. So you need to think long-term and start the TANK.

Trades are hard to do in the NBA. NBA Players reach their level and it is well known throughout the NBA. Look at Buddy, do you expect more upside on Buddy. He along with other players, are well known quantities to the NBA.
Yet they traded Buddy... technically. Monte bringing Buddy back after that was an issue anyone could have seen coming. When you jam your own foot in your mouth it calls for damage control. Lakers used you, get out from that negative cloud that results from it before it's too late. Monte or whoever is running things went for the wait and see while the big bright lights and train whistles headed right for him. Oops. Now Monte is in a tough spot if the goal is to actually build around Fox and Haliburton. He's on the cusp of Haliburton year 2 of rookie deal being done and over with. Time is ticking. Cap is hardening. Trade value is plummeting.
 
Yet they traded Buddy... technically. Monte bringing Buddy back after that was an issue anyone could have seen coming. When you jam your own foot in your mouth it calls for damage control. Lakers used you, get out from that negative cloud that results from it before it's too late. Monte or whoever is running things went for the wait and see while the big bright lights and train whistles headed right for him. Oops. Now Monte is in a tough spot if the goal is to actually build around Fox and Haliburton. He's on the cusp of Haliburton year 2 of rookie deal being done and over with. Time is ticking. Cap is hardening. Trade value is plummeting.
I disagree with some on this board with regard to Buddy in that I think Buddy has real value. Buddy has quick release, former 3 point champion and can light it up, has value....as exhibited in the almost Kuzma deal. Teams would love to have Buddy and Monte has not been willing to sell low at this point.

From my earlier trading days, you get exploited when you are desperate and you have to sell. Monte attaches a value, just like Morey does, and he would sell when he obtains greater value-could be draft choices, money, or players equivalent performance with a better contract. At this point, other GMs see the Kings as desperate and therefore, low-ball.
 
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Are one Jerami Grant away from the play-in babyyyyyyyy.

:::Shaka:::
Jerami Grant on the Kings would just be so perfect. The kind of move a desperate GM makes. Monte will likely follow it up with a trade for Bogi. Apparently he is traveling with the team. Get ready for Bogi to the Kings for two unprotected Kings picks. His IBM has concluded that letting Bogi walk for nothing was a mistake. Going to fix that mistake asap.
 
Stop putting lipstick on a pig. A re-build is necessary here. Keep your top 2 players, fine. So do the re-build smartly and cheaply-which means successive top 5 picks in the draft. So you need to think long-term and start the TANK.

Trades are hard to do in the NBA. NBA Players reach their level and it is well known throughout the NBA. Look at Buddy, do you expect more upside on Buddy. He along with other players, are well known quantities to the NBA.
I think the best they can do in the lottery is 5th this year. They need to make sure they don't catch San Antonio and the Pacers need to pass them before the end of the season. Both doable unless the Pacers have a fire sale and blow it up.

We really need them to wind up in the top 4 after the lottery this year. 3 of the top 4 mocked are PFs/Cs. Get the best fit and best player available in one shot. Outside the top 4 there is a glut of guards and maybe one SF mocked for the next handful of picks.
 
Just off the top of my head, here’s a list of Kings “misses” among their 1st & 2nd round draft picks in the recent past:

- Harry Giles
- Justin Jackson
- Justin James
- Kyle Guy
- Frank Mason

This rundown doesn’t even include the current crop of “prospects”:

- Bagley (underachiever based on draft position)
- Woodard (it’s not happening, folks)
- Ramsey (maybe the last guy on your bench)
- Queta (perhaps a serviceable role-player in 2 years)

It’s not a great track record.
 

Capt. Factorial

trifolium contra tempestatem subrigere certum est
Staff member
Just off the top of my head, here’s a list of Kings “misses” among their 1st & 2nd round draft picks in the recent past:

- Harry Giles
- Justin Jackson
- Justin James
- Kyle Guy
- Frank Mason

This rundown doesn’t even include the current crop of “prospects”:

- Bagley (underachiever based on draft position)
- Woodard (it’s not happening, folks)
- Ramsey (maybe the last guy on your bench)
- Queta (perhaps a serviceable role-player in 2 years)

It’s not a great track record.
But 2/3 of those guys are second rounders (you listed every second rounder we've kept for the last 5 years) and only one is from the lottery. Finding "hits" in the second round is pretty rare, 1 in 10 is pretty close to the going rate, so 0 for 6 still means we have four shots to get it right. (Alternately, you could point out that since we drafted IT, we actually are 1 for our last 10, right on pace.)

As for our more valuable picks, since you're not counting Fox, Haliburton, or Mitchell as "misses", that means we're hitting at 50% in the first round, and 75% in the lottery. That's really not that bad.
 
But 2/3 of those guys are second rounders (you listed every second rounder we've kept for the last 5 years) and only one is from the lottery. Finding "hits" in the second round is pretty rare, 1 in 10 is pretty close to the going rate, so 0 for 6 still means we have four shots to get it right. (Alternately, you could point out that since we drafted IT, we actually are 1 for our last 10, right on pace.)

As for our more valuable picks, since you're not counting Fox, Haliburton, or Mitchell as "misses", that means we're hitting at 50% in the first round, and 75% in the lottery. That's really not that bad.
I’m pointing out that the Kings don’t have anyone in the pipeline or poised to “break out”.

It’s a concern.
 
The Kings need to rest Buddy/Barnes and Fox until a trade because rock bottom is one of the three grossly overpaid average at best at their position players getting hurt (e.g Rudy Gay a few seasons back) and being stuck with them. They won't stop the tank by playing them since none of them contribute to winning so just rest them (make up some light injury) and wait for the trade.
 
Per CD, Monte is traveling with the team. Guess it's not so surprising that the players are playing like they're going to be traded. Monte is effectively meeting face to face with the following teams:

1. Detroit (at G1C) = Bey & Grant.
2. Boston = they wanted Barnes last year and need a PG.
3. Atlanta = interest in Ben, shopping everyone except Trae and Capela.
4. Philly = Nothing needs to be said.
 
Vivek and McNair are going to copy what the Bulls did last year. Sacrifice the future for a lower ceiling. Grant fixes the perimeter defending issues while Turner fixes the interior defending problems. And with Turner, because he can shoot, he'll mitigate some of the ball stopping issues that compound by adding Grant to the same floor as Fox. Yes, the Kings will make the play in with these two additions. Fans, who think Fox is a star, you're going to get your wish. This only works if Fox is a star.
 
Vivek and McNair are going to copy what the Bulls did last year. Sacrifice the future for a lower ceiling. Grant fixes the perimeter defending issues while Turner fixes the interior defending problems. And with Turner, because he can shoot, he'll mitigate some of the ball stopping issues that compound by adding Grant to the same floor as Fox. Yes, the Kings will make the play in with these two additions. Fans, who think Fox is a star, you're going to get your wish. This only works if Fox is a star.
If we somehow end up with fox, Ty, grant and Turner, I won’t be too upset