Potential Free agent/trade/sign tracker
- Thread starter iowamcnabb
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Yeah, this salary dump only opened up flexibility via trade and a full MLE slot. I don't think people realize that with cap holds the Kings are still only about 2-3 million away from the 1st apron. This trade wasn't about gaining opportunity, it was about avoiding disaster. Monte has work to do although now he's one waiving of McGee and one of Len, Edwards, or Slawson/Ford away from actually getting under the tax. I'm not sure the exact numbers but the Kings can send out a little more money in a trade and gain more flexibility too once they get under for real.
That said, for anyone in the know, does timing out Monks re-signing matter? His cap hold is lower than the contract he got, so that could be up to 5-6 million of wiggle room or so if true.
That said, for anyone in the know, does timing out Monks re-signing matter? His cap hold is lower than the contract he got, so that could be up to 5-6 million of wiggle room or so if true.
Brown did play Keegan with the guard units though. I guess it depends on what Brown sees. I've seen quite a few people talking about how drafting Carter now gives the Kings the chance to stop relying on Keegan as the teams POA defender since that might have been a reason why his percentages dipped. I personally think it could be that combined with defenses figuring out the DHO but it's likely a part of it.
Portland remains an ideal "mark". They're going full youth movement and still have a lot of players who don't fit that timeline. Thybulle and Williams are perfect fits for our needs.
I'm also reluctant to bring in a high usage established player like Ingram (or LaVine, Kuzma, Jerami Grant, etc) as well since we run the risk of stalling or blocking Keegan's continued development as a scorer if we do that. It's nice to have more options on offense of course, but if we're looking to bring in another shot creator wing I'd rather it be a young guy we can develop. Mike Brown needs to continue pushing Keegan to be the #2 option after Fox in the starting lineup because building him up into a two-way star would give our team the highest ceiling possible without going into crazy luxury tax territory.
I'm also reluctant to bring in a high usage established player like Ingram (or LaVine, Kuzma, Jerami Grant, etc) as well since we run the risk of stalling or blocking Keegan's continued development as a scorer if we do that. It's nice to have more options on offense of course, but if we're looking to bring in another shot creator wing I'd rather it be a young guy we can develop. Mike Brown needs to continue pushing Keegan to be the #2 option after Fox in the starting lineup because building him up into a two-way star would give our team the highest ceiling possible without going into crazy luxury tax territory.
While it's possible, I don't think it safe to expect Murray to develop the kind of ball creation and handling under pressure that Ingram and Grant have. They are essentially huge on ball shooting guards offensively. The more the merrier to me. In fact, I think playing next to guys like that in practice would only help Murray since his physical characteristics are similar and he can see how they navigate in tight spaces since usually taller longer players are easily picked in traffic. Which is pretty much Murrays issues right now when dribbling more than a few dribbles into the paint and the defense shades and/or helps.
I think the only thing standing between Keegan Murray and 20+ ppg right now is his own mindset. If he didn't mind forcing shots and dribbling into contact/hunting fouls he would be a 20 ppg guy already. My concern is if you put someone ahead of him in the peking order who is accustomed to getting 15-18 shots a game that he will crystallize into a low usage catch and shoot guy and that's not maximizing the value of our 4th overall pick.
I don't expect Keegan to turn into a ballhandling wing who is going to create off a live dribble from outside the arc (at least not right away) but he has a size or speed advantage on most modern NBA forwards and great touch in the paint. Getting him the ball more when he's on the move or in that high post position where he can back down and drop step into a floater or a turn-around mid-range jumper is more what I want to see. Run some plays for this kid. He led the entire NCAA in scoring 2 years ago* and I don't think that was a fluke.
EDIT: After fact-checking my own comment, it turns out Keegs led the NCAA in total points scored and was 4th in points per game (behind 3 guys who were super-seniors playing for small schools).
I don't expect Keegan to turn into a ballhandling wing who is going to create off a live dribble from outside the arc (at least not right away) but he has a size or speed advantage on most modern NBA forwards and great touch in the paint. Getting him the ball more when he's on the move or in that high post position where he can back down and drop step into a floater or a turn-around mid-range jumper is more what I want to see. Run some plays for this kid. He led the entire NCAA in scoring 2 years ago* and I don't think that was a fluke.
EDIT: After fact-checking my own comment, it turns out Keegs led the NCAA in total points scored and was 4th in points per game (behind 3 guys who were super-seniors playing for small schools).
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I would for sure. Johnson is pretty big himself. I was watching highlights and yeah, the Kings defense was more positionless really. Didn't always work, haha, but that's what Brown was running. POA defender with two players down near the corners and a defender in the middle. Mostly Warriors defense.
Hmm, yeah I can see that point of view. That's why I liked the idea of drafting Ron Holland so much. He has some growing up to do himself with his ball security but he would have brought that ball handling skillset from the wing position which is not Keegan's strong suit.
I also like the idea of bringing in that type of player for all the reasons you mentioned, I just don't want the skillset to come attached to a player who'll gobble up loads of shots and limit scoring chances for more selective/passive guys like Murray and Ellis. If we find a young wing shot creator who is inexpensive and can grow into a larger role organically or an end of career vet who will happily accept a diminished on-court role in exchange for job security and more mentorship responsibility, that's more what I have in mind. Also that way we won't be hard-capped into oblivion...
Though the way the league seems to be headed right now, every team is going to be hard capped and it already takes 4 or 5 draft picks to get a trade proposal across the finish line so the next CBA will probably look a lot different than this one.
I also like the idea of bringing in that type of player for all the reasons you mentioned, I just don't want the skillset to come attached to a player who'll gobble up loads of shots and limit scoring chances for more selective/passive guys like Murray and Ellis. If we find a young wing shot creator who is inexpensive and can grow into a larger role organically or an end of career vet who will happily accept a diminished on-court role in exchange for job security and more mentorship responsibility, that's more what I have in mind. Also that way we won't be hard-capped into oblivion...
Though the way the league seems to be headed right now, every team is going to be hard capped and it already takes 4 or 5 draft picks to get a trade proposal across the finish line so the next CBA will probably look a lot different than this one.
AGREED. Owners/GMs will always overpay for star talent. You have to offer the max. There is no not offering the max if you want to hold onto your stars, and you need more than one to be a legitimate playoff team. So all the money will be headed to those at the top of the pecking order and its something akin to scraps for everyone else. The league's middle class is going to get massively squeezed between now and the next CBA.
Yep.
Is Scottie Barnes worth 5/275? No
Can TOR afford to not pay him that? No
I'm real curious who the first case of a quality player getting peanuts because there's just no money left around the league. FA is going to be dead because guys will have to stay with their teams in order to get a decent contract. And owners will have to live with luxury tax payments
Is Scottie Barnes worth 5/275? No
Can TOR afford to not pay him that? No
I'm real curious who the first case of a quality player getting peanuts because there's just no money left around the league. FA is going to be dead because guys will have to stay with their teams in order to get a decent contract. And owners will have to live with luxury tax payments
The trade market's gonna get weird, too. It kinda already has, honestly. With so much talent around the league, more teams are going to be throwing around max contracts and cresting one or both aprons. And with those escalating apron penalties, I don't think there will be as robust a market with which to improve one's roster via trade. There will be fewer teams you can deal with if you're trying to balance (or rebalance) your roster because first and second apron teams will be limited in the salary they can take back, and second apron teams will be unable to package players together in trades. Not only will the middle class of the NBA get squeezed, but more players will end up in sh*t situations, remaining with teams where their role is unoptimized with nowhere to go because of a tight trade market. Even the upper class of the league may feel it a bit, as stars trying to force a trade will find it more difficult to navigate themselves to the places they want to go.
Well, my belief is that starting SG spot is now locked in for a long time if Devin Carter is what he looks like he is. At least at some point in the future. He might end up being that secondary guy. Teams seeing a lead PG would have been disappointed but Devin has a very unique ability in passing out of the mid post to shooters. People kind of look at him as a guy who got stopped too much when doubles were sent up in pick and roll, and that was true, much like Keegan does, the difference is Carter does have the ability to change direction and probe defenses. He can even post up. In college Carter was facing down an entire defense, in the pros players like Keegan will be keeping him clear. I can see he and Keegan becoming locked at the hip at some point. Keegan racking up points, Carter racking up easy assists on dish outs.
The NBA has times where they can mysteriously "fix" a lot of that though. haha. Yeah, anytime the NBA has a new CBA with intended results, the reality is the opposite is going to happen. Want more parity? Right. Want more player movement? Right. Some of these rules will do the exact opposite over time. They are saying one thing and actually trying to build superteams that won't just break up after a season or two like the ones they were banking on to carry the league did. The Nets with Irving, Durant, and Harden just giving up and demanding to go elsewhere really must have made the league angry.
I’m a big “taking a flier on draft busts who are still very young and healthy” guy.
I would like the Kings to take a flier on one James Wiseman. Freshly minted UFA.
He fits a need. Long arms. Athletic. Rebounding. Shot blocking. Potential prime lob threat with Malik. A few buckets. He’ll be on the cheap and might just break out on a prove it deal with a defined back up center role.
Since he’s no longer burdened with the salary that comes with his draft position, and the expectation that he’ll break out to be a superstar anymore…he might finally find his way in the league.
I would like the Kings to take a flier on one James Wiseman. Freshly minted UFA.
He fits a need. Long arms. Athletic. Rebounding. Shot blocking. Potential prime lob threat with Malik. A few buckets. He’ll be on the cheap and might just break out on a prove it deal with a defined back up center role.
Since he’s no longer burdened with the salary that comes with his draft position, and the expectation that he’ll break out to be a superstar anymore…he might finally find his way in the league.
Atlanta did not pick up the Qualifying option ($8.5 mil) on Saddiq Bey. He's now an unrestricted FA.
Bey has been linked to Monte before when he tried to trade Marvin Bagley for him. He is coming off an ACL injury, but he may be a good get on a reasonable deal, if he can get healthy. Could slot in nicely at the SF/PF next to Keegan. Maybe we can get him with part of the MLE?
https://hoopshype.com/2024/06/29/hawks-decline-tendering-qualifying-offer-to-saddiq-bey/
Bey has been linked to Monte before when he tried to trade Marvin Bagley for him. He is coming off an ACL injury, but he may be a good get on a reasonable deal, if he can get healthy. Could slot in nicely at the SF/PF next to Keegan. Maybe we can get him with part of the MLE?
https://hoopshype.com/2024/06/29/hawks-decline-tendering-qualifying-offer-to-saddiq-bey/
