The Kings and Freeagency:

ParniValjak · Dec 18, 2011

Hayes is an elite man on man defender despite lacking size BUT he is not the type of player that anchors your defence. Dalembert is that man.

I don't think AK47 is coming back to the NBA for this season at least but we will find out soon enough considering there is a bit of a break in the Euroleague now that the group stage is approaching the last round and top 16 is not scheduled to start until mid January.

Its a joke what we have done this free agency period. I like Chuck but he is someone you get in addition to keeping Dalembert not to replace him. We were going do great until the lockout ended and then we managed to blow up our cap space in 2 weeks without actually getting better. If anything we have more holes in our line up now than we did at the end of last season and that is a scary thought.

ElRey · Dec 18, 2011

I'm wondering what Dalembert is doing? or what his plan is? Most of the major free agents have signed, and here he is still in limbo. Maybe Kings can convince him to come back since AK47 look like its not happening.

RookieOfTheDay · Dec 18, 2011

ElRey said:

I'm wondering too. Houston obviously didn't want him too badly or else they would have secured him by now. He may have pulled a Bonzi and shot himself in the foot by listening to his agent.

steelevt · Dec 18, 2011

LWP777 said:

i understand your disappointment because im also a little disappointed with this free agency period. but the difference this year as opposed to past, is i actually see our names linked to free agents. all we can do is put out the offer. if they decide to go elsewhere, what can we do? all i wanted this year was resign thornton, sammy and go for a sf in battier/prince/ak. we resigned thornton and have been talking to sammy and ak. so at least we are trying. yeah its disappointing but its better than the years where we dont see our names linked to any free agents and end up signing mikki moore or lorenzen wright or some other disappointment

RookieOfTheDay · Dec 18, 2011

LWP777 said:

I've been as critical of the Maloofs as anyone but I can't fault them this year. They've put their money where their mouths are for the most part. They put out very lucrative offers to Crawford and AK47. At least that shows they're serious about improving the team. They can't put a gun to these guys heads and force them to accept the offers, though. As for Dalembert, I don't blame them for not re-signing him. Dude just ain't worth 10$ million a year, simple as that. If he was willing to play for a more reasonable sum like $6 or 7$ million a year they'd probably have paid him. But if he really thinks he deserves 10$ million a year, he can take a hike. I'd rather save that money for a big trade or next year's FA.

rainmaker · Dec 18, 2011

From the NY Post today:

Multiple league sources contend the Nets have done “virtually nothing” regarding a pursuit of Kirilenko, who is in Russia where he has battled through a shoulder injury and a broken nose.

Kirilenko, apparently content in his native country, has drawn interest from several Western teams, but there has not been an offer so enticing enough to get him to leave. The Nets are running out of small forward options: Caron Butler, Tayshaun Prince, Josh Howard, Shane Battier, all of whom they discussed, went elsewhere.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/nets/nets_keep_moving_forward_Pkis7BYtfF9fWUyTGj0ZhN#ixzz1guvZQ69M

Christ, just up the offer and get him here.

But then I see a quote like this in the Bee from the Maloofs.

We're paying Salmons/Outlaw a combined 11M per year. Why the hell wouldn't we just offer AK 9 or 10M per instead? He still hasn't gotten a good offer, while we're wasting 11M per on that combo?

RookieOfTheDay · Dec 18, 2011

rainmaker said:

From the NY Post today:

Multiple league sources contend the Nets have done “virtually nothing” regarding a pursuit of Kirilenko, who is in Russia where he has battled through a shoulder injury and a broken nose.

Kirilenko, apparently content in his native country, has drawn interest from several Western teams, but there has not been an offer so enticing enough to get him to leave. The Nets are running out of small forward options: Caron Butler, Tayshaun Prince, Josh Howard, Shane Battier, all of whom they discussed, went elsewhere.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/nets/nets_keep_moving_forward_Pkis7BYtfF9fWUyTGj0ZhN#ixzz1guvZQ69M

Christ, just up the offer and get him here.

They already made him a sweet offer. from what i heard he gives all his money from his current contract to charity, so maybe it isn't about money with this dude.

RookieOfTheDay · Dec 18, 2011

rainmaker said:

From the NY Post today:

Multiple league sources contend the Nets have done “virtually nothing” regarding a pursuit of Kirilenko, who is in Russia where he has battled through a shoulder injury and a broken nose.

Kirilenko, apparently content in his native country, has drawn interest from several Western teams, but there has not been an offer so enticing enough to get him to leave. The Nets are running out of small forward options: Caron Butler, Tayshaun Prince, Josh Howard, Shane Battier, all of whom they discussed, went elsewhere.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/nets/nets_keep_moving_forward_Pkis7BYtfF9fWUyTGj0ZhN#ixzz1guvZQ69M

Christ, just up the offer and get him here.

But then I see a quote like this in the Bee from the Maloofs.

We're paying Salmons/Outlaw a combined 11M per year. Why the hell wouldn't we just offer AK 9 or 10M per instead? He still hasn't gotten a good offer, while we're wasting 11M per on that combo?

Not sure where he got the $67 million number. By all accounts I've seen they're still only about 2$ million over the minimum.

Glenn · Dec 18, 2011

I thought we just signed Outlaw to a bargain basement price just to avoid being under the minimum salary. Is this what the Maloofs call "spending?" Either we, Kings fans, are wrong in our understanding of the salary situation or the Maloofs are. Can we clarify this a bit?

Capt. Factorial · Dec 18, 2011

Glenn said:

According to HoopsHype (Sham hasn't updated yet) we should be at about $49M with a floor around $46.5. I had to estimate several salaries (Outlaw - 3, Hayes - 5.1, Isaiah - 0.8) and accept their estimates for Honeycutt (0.8) and Thornton (7.1, with max raises so if we frontloaded it or went flat, it will be more).

At any rate, that should mean we have about $9M to spend.

As far as the minimum salary goes, it does appear that the Outlaw waiver claim did bring us above that value. But we were not required to reach the floor before the season starts (you can make further signings or trades to do that as long as the pro-rated average salary over the season is above the floor. Additionally, the penalty for not reaching the floor is not severe - you simply have to pay out the salary difference to your own players.

I don't think there's a whole lot of blame to go around for our apparent "lack" of spending. Of the big free agent targets, Gasol and Jordan were restricted and signed offer sheets that were matched by their own team. We weren't getting them. Nene resigned with his own team. We weren't getting him. Chandler signed with the Knicks to play with Carmelo and Amare. We weren't getting him. According to the Maloofs we looked into trading for Chris Paul, but he made it clear that he was only looking for certain markets. Same thing for Billups.

We've made the best offer on the table to Crawford, and he didn't come, choosing Portland over us. We've made an allegedly generous offer to Kirilenko, which he has not given any indications that he is going to take. Dalembert is still on the market and may yet happen.

I just don't get the idea that we blew this free agency because we didn't want to spend money. We've certainly tried, but we're not an attractive destination and most free agents don't want to be here. The only way for us to fix that is to either become as big a market as Los Angeles or to get ourselves into playoff shape via the draft (Tyreke, Cousins, Jimmer?), trades (Thornton, Hickson?) and other incremental pickups (Hayes, Outlaw?). We're trying.

Section 101 · Dec 18, 2011

RookieOfTheDay said:

He's referring to the life of the contracts not just this year.

bajaden · Dec 18, 2011

RookieOfTheDay said:

I think their adding the total value of both contracts (Hayes and Thornton) together. Sort of a weak way to do it, if intentional, even if it is accurate to some extent.

bajaden · Dec 18, 2011

Capt. Factorial said:

According to HoopsHype (Sham hasn't updated yet) we should be at about $49M with a floor around $46.5. I had to estimate several salaries (Outlaw - 3, Hayes - 5.1, Isaiah - 0.8) and accept their estimates for Honeycutt (0.8) and Thornton (7.1, with max raises so if we frontloaded it or went flat, it will be more).

At any rate, that should mean we have about $9M to spend.

As far as the minimum salary goes, it does appear that the Outlaw waiver claim did bring us above that value. But we were not required to reach the floor before the season starts (you can make further signings or trades to do that as long as the pro-rated average salary over the season is above the floor. Additionally, the penalty for not reaching the floor is not severe - you simply have to pay out the salary difference to your own players.

I don't think there's a whole lot of blame to go around for our apparent "lack" of spending. Of the big free agent targets, Gasol and Jordan were restricted and signed offer sheets that were matched by their own team. We weren't getting them. Nene resigned with his own team. We weren't getting him. Chandler signed with the Knicks to play with Carmelo and Amare. We weren't getting him. According to the Maloofs we looked into trading for Chris Paul, but he made it clear that he was only looking for certain markets. Same thing for Billups.

We've made the best offer on the table to Crawford, and he didn't come, choosing Portland over us. We've made an allegedly generous offer to Kirilenko, which he has not given any indications that he is going to take. Dalembert is still on the market and may yet happen.

I just don't get the idea that we blew this free agency because we didn't want to spend money. We've certainly tried, but we're not an attractive destination and most free agents don't want to be here. The only way for us to fix that is to either become as big a market as Los Angeles or to get ourselves into playoff shape via the draft (Tyreke, Cousins, Jimmer?), trades (Thornton, Hickson?) and other incremental pickups (Hayes, Outlaw?). We're trying.

I couldn't have said it any better myself! As they say, its takes two to tango. If you can't get any of the pretty girls to dance with you, or handsome guys (gotta cover all the bases) then your stuck with a decision. Dance with a lesser choice, or sit back down and watch.

Mad D · Dec 18, 2011

The Kings currently have 10 players that have 3 years or less experience (some going into their forth) taking up roster spots. That would probably be a contributing factor to free agents wouldn't want to sign with the team as well.

There is only one option left. The Vanilla Gorilla.

Glenn · Dec 18, 2011

bajaden said:

Only an owner would think this way. Now, I could argue that they have only paid 2 weeks of those contracts so have probably spent only $500,000 and that number would be just as irrelevant to normal ways of discussing contracts as the Maloofs throwing out $67 mil number. Just being funny. Ignore me on this one.

Glenn · Dec 18, 2011

bajaden said:

Just don't guarantee your buddies that you are going to be dancing with the prettiest or mucho guapo. Feel free to correct my Spanish. I'm doing the best I can.

Circa_1985_Fan · Dec 18, 2011

Is the Vanilla Gorilla a FA still?

Glenn · Dec 18, 2011

Circa_1985_Fan said:

Who do you mean?

Capt. Factorial · Dec 18, 2011

Glenn said:

Joel Przybilla. He's apparently seriously contemplating retirement to spend time with his family, but still a FA.

Prince_XY · Dec 18, 2011

rainmaker said:

Good point.

It makes me wonder sometimes if someone wants to sabotage this Kings team. We are just not active enough or giving lackluster effort in pursuing the best options for the team.

NoBonus · Dec 19, 2011

Looks like, with Chuck Hayes having his contract voided, the Kings are HEAVY in the Free Agent market... but who will they pick up? What are the options? Let's see:

Obvious choices:
Samuel Dalembert (wants lots of $$, I understand)
AK47 (also seems expensive)

Seems like everyone else would be bench fodder, but behind whom, I do not know. There are rebounding specialist like Kris Humphries and Reggie Evans. Lumbering oafs, like Przbilla... but if the Kings cannot pick up Dalembert and/or AK47, who the heck would start? Hickson? Thompson? Seems like a trade would be required if they cannot sign AK47 or Dalembert in order to pick up a starter.

Lastly, I hope they sign AK47 AND Dalembert... if they just re-sign Dalembert, it is basically the same exact team as last season + Hickson, Salmons, and Jimmer, but without Beno and Omri.

Hallama · Dec 19, 2011

NoBonus said:

+ a healthy Tyreke +

Smills91 · Dec 19, 2011

I'd like to see us target okafor via trade with te bulk of NOH incentive coming via our cap space.

Greene/TPE for Okafor as an example.

C- Okafor, Thompson, Whiteside
PF - Cousins, Hickson
SF - Salmons, Trout, Honeycutt
SG - Thornton, Garcia
PG - Evans, Jimmer, IT22

Maybe target humphries with any leftover fa money

MassachusettsKingsFan · Dec 19, 2011

Smills91 said:

I keep going back and forth on Okafor. Sometimes I want him, sometimes I'm scared. He has one huge contract .. more than signing Dalembert would cost, who is also a better fit.

I'd rather keep Sam at a lower amount, but if Sam signs somewhere else just because he'd rather go their than Sac (like Houston) then I'd make a call to NOH.. see what they are looking for.

Showtime · Dec 20, 2011

Smills91 said:

Ugh, Oak is NOT a good fit, especially being massively overpaid.

Jkbiker · Dec 20, 2011

I thought Ofakur was already traded to the Nets?

RookieOfTheDay · Dec 20, 2011

Showtime said:

So Dalembert is worth 10$ million but Okafor is "massively overpaid" at 12$ million?

Entity · Dec 20, 2011

Hallama said:

Also Thornton and tyreke only played 10 games together we went 6-4 now they should be on same page

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