Top 5 FA you'd like to see the Kings pursue

[rainmaker]

A big problem with Dally's offense is our guards consistently passing him the ball ande standing around waiting for him to do something with it. And that goes for all our guards, namely Reke/Beno/Thornton. They all repeatedly made the stupid decision to pass Dally the ball and basically clear out. Give the guy the ball where he can succeed. not fail.

I don't have a problem with Dally taking 2-3 wide open jumpers per game. I like he and Cous playing the high-low with Cous up top, and allowing Dally to finish near the basket. But giving Dally the ball 15-18ft away and expecting him to create for himself is retarded. Both from the guys passing him the ball, and Westy for allowing to happen repeatedly. In fact, our rookie, and youngest guy on the team in Cous, appeared to be the only guy we have who realized Dally isn't effective when isolated on the wing, and therefor didn't pass him the ball there.

That is why I've been campaigning for a more structured offense all year. Our guys have too much freedom on the court. Can't have that until the decision making process improves. One of my main reasons for wanting a pg is that none of our guards realize when a players is hot, and feed him, or realize where their own teammates are/aren't effective with the ball.

 

[nebs]

I haven't even looked at FA this year until now. This is a pretty weak FA class isn't it?? No stars.

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

I think my list pretty much stops at 4:

AK47
Tayshaun
Dalembert
Thornton

Give me 3(Dally, Marcus and one of the others) on our team, along with the young nucleus we already have, along with Petrie making a likely trade for another PG...I say that team is pretty GOOOOOOD!!

 

[Bricklayer]

So let me get this straight. You think Dalembert is a good offensive player?

I think Daly is a better offensive player than people knew (including me), but no, that's not what I said. What I said was basic: he shot .473. Therefore if he was the single worst offensive player in the history of the planet (according to whoever)...he still shot .473. And .473 is well above what the rest of the team shot. Third amongst our rotation players, and after the first month+ when he was coming off of injury (he shot .384 in Nov, .434 in Dec) it was closer to .500 for the remainder of the season. And since his shots, whether shot by a "good" offensive player or a "bad" offensive player happened to go in considerably more often than did the shots of his teammates, you would be hard put constructing a rational argument as to how his shooting really hurt us last year.

And as an aside he's a career .520 shooter. Not a "good" offensive player. But an efficient one.

 

[Bricklayer]

I haven't even looked at FA this year until now. This is a pretty weak FA class isn't it?? No stars.

Not many. Fortunately that's not realy what we need, and in what we do need (defenders, SFs) its deep.

Biggest problem with the "no stars" nature of this offseason is that it focuses too mcuh attention on our own FAs. INthe LeBron year nobody would even have noticed a Daly or Thornton hitting the FA market. This offseason they practically are the stars.

 

[nebs]

Not many. Fortunately that's not realy what we need, and in what we do need (defenders, SFs) its deep.

Biggest problem with the "no stars" nature of this offseason is that it focuses too mcuh attention on our own FAs. INthe LeBron year nobody would even have noticed a Daly or Thornton hitting the FA market. This offseason they practically are the stars.

My thoughts exactly. We will probably have to way overpay for even our own role players.

 

[bajaden]

Interesting. I guess it's just one of those perception things then. He's one of those guys who misses so badly when he misses, that it makes it seem like he misses more shots than he does. You have to admit though, he does take some awful shots sometimes and at close range too.

At times it seems as though there are two Dalemberts. One that can't miss, and one that doesn't know where the basket is. I'll admit that I cringe a lot when he shoots. But I also have to admit that he's a better shooter than I thought. Just one of those things you have to live with.

 

[asakkings]

I hope we make a play for Marc Gasol, I think he would be beastly next to Cousins.

 

[Bricklayer]

[/B]

My thoughts exactly. We will probably have to way overpay for even our own role players.

When you have the lowest payroll in the league, you can afford to do that. Also, to the degree we are talking about Daly, Thornton, and a Kirlenko/Prince type, we are talking about 3/4 of our probable starting lineup, so its not as if we are having to waste money on depth.

 

[ParniValjak]

I hope we make a play for Marc Gasol, I think he would be beastly next to Cousins.

Who would defend PFs?

 

[SacTownKid]

Thornton - above ANYONE else.
Nene - if he's on the market
Prince - the kind of experience and skills this team needs
Battier - same as above
Daly - if no Nene he's the man

 

[TTown Kings]

Nothing crazy, just want to re-sign
1) Thornton
2) Dally

and sign a starting vet SF
1a) Prince
1b) AK47
1c) Battier

That along with our draft pick and I think we're good to go.

 

[Sptsjunkie]

Gifting the other team with maybe 1pt tops (many of those shots would be going in anyway), every three or four games, tops, is not much of anything.

I'll add that if the occasional goal tend diminishes Dalembert's BPG, than every altered shot, shot the opposing player doesn't attempt or jump shot a player takes instead of driving into Sammy must add to his BPG.

 

[Kingster]

I think Daly is a better offensive player than people knew (including me), but no, that's not what I said. What I said was basic: he shot .473. Therefore if he was the single worst offensive player in the history of the planet (according to whoever)...he still shot .473. And .473 is well above what the rest of the team shot. Third amongst our rotation players, and after the first month+ when he was coming off of injury (he shot .384 in Nov, .434 in Dec) it was closer to .500 for the remainder of the season. And since his shots, whether shot by a "good" offensive player or a "bad" offensive player happened to go in considerably more often than did the shots of his teammates, you would be hard put constructing a rational argument as to how his shooting really hurt us last year.

And as an aside he's a career .520 shooter. Not a "good" offensive player. But an efficient one.

According to that line of reasoning, Dalembert should be taking a lot more shots. In fact, if he leads the team in percentage shooting, he should be taking the most shots on the team.

 

[funkykingston]

Nothing crazy, just want to re-sign
1) Thornton
2) Dally

and sign a starting vet SF
1a) Prince
1b) AK47
1c) Battier

That along with our draft pick and I think we're good to go.

Pretty much my list though I have my FA small forwards as Kirilenko, then Battier and then Prince. In fact I'd probably go after Wilson Chandler AND Grant Hill before Prince. He's a good fit with the team talent wise but I don't see him being much of a veteran mentor or good locker room presence and that is something the Kings need.

I'd also be looking to either sign or trade (Casspi?) for a 4th big to replace Jackson provided we don't draft a PF or C. My hope at this point is for winning the lottery and grabbing Derrick Williams but we'll see.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

According to that line of reasoning, Dalembert should be taking a lot more shots. In fact, if he leads the team in percentage shooting, he should be taking the most shots on the team.

I think that was a badly worded phrase by Brick - Dalembert didn't lead the team in FG%, he was better than average. He was 6th on the team in FG%, and 4th among those who took at least 400 shots, behind JT, Beno, and Landry.

True Shooting percentage is probably a better measure of who should be taking shots, though, because it takes into account threes and how often you get to the line (and how you do there). Sammy was 10th in TS%, in front of only two players who took at least 400 shots, both of who figure to improve their efficiency next year - Tyreke (plantar excusiitis) and DeMarcus (rookie shotselectionitis). Beno, Cisco, Thornton, Landry, JT, and even Casspi all shot more efficiently than Dalembert last year.

 

[DesertFox]

I think that was a badly worded phrase by Brick - Dalembert didn't lead the team in FG%, he was better than average. He was 6th on the team in FG%, and 4th among those who took at least 400 shots, behind JT, Beno, and Landry.

True Shooting percentage is probably a better measure of who should be taking shots, though, because it takes into account threes and how often you get to the line (and how you do there). Sammy was 10th in TS%, in front of only two players who took at least 400 shots, both of who figure to improve their efficiency next year - Tyreke (plantar excusiitis) and DeMarcus (rookie shotselectionitis). Beno, Cisco, Thornton, Landry, JT, and even Casspi all shot more efficiently than Dalembert last year.

Good find.
Dalembert is not a bad FT shooter, and it would be nice if he traded some turnarounds jumpers for free throws.

And JT needs to eliminate posting up and practice his FT's. For all the Nene talk, JT could put up the same crazy efficient stats if he learned to finish and limited his offense to jumpers and driving to draw fouls. I would not be shocked if JT goes for 12 and 7 while shooting 60% as the 3rd big next year.

 

[Smills91]

I'd rather not 'waste' money on any of the free agents out there to be quite honest. I'd rather keep the two major free agents we have, draft the BPA's at 5 and 33. And look at retaining Darnell Jackson and maybe making a trade where we add salary.

Final roster:

C: Dalembert, Whiteside
PF: Cousins, Thompson, Jackson
SF: Garcia, Greene, Casspi
SG: Evans, Thornton, Taylor
PG: Udrih,

#5, and #33 - Likely at least 1 PG and someone else.

 

[ITSCdanimal]

I'd rather not 'waste' money on any of the free agents out there to be quite honest. I'd rather keep the two major free agents we have, draft the BPA's at 5 and 33. And look at retaining Darnell Jackson and maybe making a trade where we add salary.

Final roster:

C: Dalembert, Whiteside
PF: Cousins, Thompson, Jackson
SF: Garcia, Greene, Casspi
SG: Evans, Thornton, Taylor
PG: Udrih,

#5, and #33 - Likely at least 1 PG and someone else.

I agree with this. I don't see a single UFA that I would be excited to see on the Kings, but I would be very happy if the Kings made sure that Dalembert and Thornton stay put, and I agree that I would like to see Jackson and Taylor stick with the team just as fill-ins. I did not think that I'd be be hoping to keep Sammy around after this season when the 10/11 season began, but he changed my mind. I think that this leaves needing another PG who doesn't necessarily need to be part of the regular rotation, and it would be nice to swap the 'depth' that we have at the SF position with someone permanent, but I'm not sure what the best move would be there.

Personally, I think our three man rotation at the 4/5 and at the 1/2 looked promising at the end of the season, and I think that another year together, with Evans healthy and Cousins with a year of experience under his belt, they'll be even better.

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

Pretty much my list though I have my FA small forwards as Kirilenko, then Battier and then Prince. In fact I'd probably go after Wilson Chandler AND Grant Hill before Prince. He's a good fit with the team talent wise but I don't see him being much of a veteran mentor or good locker room presence and that is something the Kings need.

I'd also be looking to either sign or trade (Casspi?) for a 4th big to replace Jackson provided we don't draft a PF or C. My hope at this point is for winning the lottery and grabbing Derrick Williams but we'll see.

I thought about Grant Hill too, I think he'd be a good vet mentor to the kids...not a big fan of Chandler, though...I really think we can do better than him, even if we don't land Kirilenko. I think if we somehow could get both Prince and Hill, then Prince wouldn't need to be the mentor and he wouldn't have to worry about people thinking he needs to be. But I'm still 'all in' for Kirilenko...I think that you HAVE to throw everything you can at him to get him, then I could see Petrie pulling off another trade for another vet involving our draft pick and Casspi, for example. I think we could then pick up a couple of FA vets who still have some fight/experience left to bring off the bench.

 

[hiero]

I again just have to say I have seen Wilson Chandler play for years up close, and he is nothing special. Not awful. But he's the guy you always want to replace, not the guy you bring in as a replacement.

exactly... he is a future bench player for us. all he does is chuck and he's weak on defense. we don't need anymore mediocre chuckers. I know a lot of people want 3pt shooting badly but Chandler isn't the answer. especially since Thornton has picked up a lot of the 3pt slack. we need a guy at sf who can play some defense and can be our surefire starter. not a backup rotational scorer