Amick: No dealings for Kings

[Kings113]

No trade winds blowing for Kings

By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

It is, to be sure, a cell phone world, with global communication easier than ever and no need to be in the office to get work done.
With that said, Geoff Petrie's presence on the other side of the globe held no special significance in relation to the hottest trading period of the NBA season.
Still, the Kings president of basketball operations returned Sunday from a week of scouting in Spain, meaning he was hardly standing by in Sacramento, waiting for offers or making calls with hopes of improving his team.
And as the trade deadline looms Thursday at noon, Petrie said his best work - and only work - will likely begin and end with the Ron Artest trade that has surely changed his team's season.
"You're always open to looking at (trade possibilities), or what not," Petrie said Wednesday. "It's obviously a period of increased chatter, but if you're looking for the chatter box, you're going to have to go elsewhere.... With us sitting here today, it's very, very unlikely that we'll do anything."
The only bit of Kings chatter came last week in the Denver Post, which reported a trade rumor that had the Kings sending guard Bonzi Wells to the Nuggets for point guard Earl Watson and shooting guard Voshon Lenard. The Kings have been using rookie Francisco García in a quasi-backup point guard role of late, while he's also run the point with Mike Bibby on the floor at times. Meanwhile, Jason Hart, who was brought here from Charlotte in the offseason to fill the same role, has played in just 10 of the last 15 games, averaging 8.3 minutes per outing.
"You have conversations with teams," Petrie said when asked if there was any truth to the report. "To the extent that you have conversations, that has nothing to do with whether anything got beyond that.... The trade winds for us right now are blowing us out to sea, not up on shore."
Still, Kings history says anything can happen. Before Chris Webber, Matt Barnes and Michael Bradley were traded one year ago today to Philadelphia for Kenny Thomas, Brian Skinner and Corliss Williamson, Petrie was quoted by The Bee that there would be no last-minute deals.
"There are some calls you make and some calls you take," Petrie said the night before the trade. "I think for us, we've made one major acquisition (Doug Christie for Orlando's Cuttino Mobley and Bradley) already, and my sense is we're going to go with the guys we have."
Hours later, Webber was traded. If he stands pat this year, Petrie will have done more than enough to revive his squad's season. The Kings' 7-5 record since Artest arrived could just as easily be 9-3, as they gave games away late in Utah and Memphis. Their defense is among the best in the league in that stretch, and the current nine-game home winning streak (six with Artest) has restored the old tradition of dominance at Arco Arena.

http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/14218056p-15043902c.html

I'm still not believing it till 3:01pm tomorrow.

 

[SacTownKid]

Hmmm. Actually its 12 PM PST right?

We shall see. I can see nothing happening, but I can see a whole lot happening too.

I still want a defensive big man!

 

[Rain man]

I don't think we will make a trade, but we have seen an article like this before every major Kings trade that has gone on in the Geoff Petrie era.

Basically, saying that Geoff is quiet and not talking to anyone is generaly a sign that he is. With so many GMs whose moves are known weeks ahead of time it is nice to have a GM who plays his cards close to the vest.

Geoff is the last person I would ever want to play poker with!

 

[Kings113]

Hmmm. Actually its 12 PM PST right?

We shall see. I can see nothing happening, but I can see a whole lot happening too.

Yeah, but I'm east coast.

 

[VF21]

Hmmm. Actually its 12 PM PST right?

We shall see. I can see nothing happening, but I can see a whole lot happening too.

I still want a defensive big man! (that doesn't make me gay does it?)

12 PM PST time IS 3 PM EST.

Kings113 is in NY.

 

[SacTownKid]

12 PM PST time IS 3 PM EST.

Kings113 is in NY.

You say tomato, I say...tomato.

 

[Andriod_KiNg]

Good, i am very happy with this team at full strength.

 

[VF21]

There's a great site for all kinds of FAQ about the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, and the trade deadline is mentioned as the 16th Thursday of the season, but not a specific time.

Here's a link you might want to bookmark:

http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm#88

 

[DocHolliday]

I heard 3pm EST Thursday.

 

[ForlornKing]

He's not trading Bonzi.

 

[Kings113]

It's 3PM EST/12PM PST, tomorrow, the exact deadline.

 

[VF21]

He's not trading Bonzi.

We won't know until tomorrow. Any time Petrie denies anything is in the works, I get a nervous stomach.

 

[DocHolliday]

We won't know until tomorrow. Any time Petrie denies anything is in the works, I get a nervous stomach.

Yeah but Webber got traded shortly before 9pm PST the night BEFORE the deadline. We haven't made many deals on the day off. It doesn't leave us much time in the morning to do anything. Only till noon.

 

[ForlornKing]

We won't know until tomorrow. Any time Petrie denies anything is in the works, I get a nervous stomach.

Right, but I truly do feel this time he wants to wait with Bonzi and see if this team can play together.

Although he has played tremendously, Kevin Martin's starting breakthough role can wait another year

 

[Bricklayer]

Right, but I truly do feel this time he wants to wait with Bonzi and see if this team can play together.

Although he has played tremendously, Kevin Martin's starting breakthough role can wait another year

Here's the problem with that -- and I am not anti_Bonzi at all and think he is still a better option to win wiht consistently right now, especially wiht all these road games -- in any case, Bonzi's a free agent. Just like Mobley. And that means if we DON'T do anything right now we are faced with the serious possibility of seeing Bonzi also walk away for free. And for those keeping count that would mean we basically swapped:

Vlade
Webb
Christie
Bobby

for

Thomas
Skinner
Corliss

 

[ForlornKing]

Here's the problem with that -- and I am not anti_Bonzi at all and think he is still a better option to win wiht consistently right now, especially wiht all these road games -- in any case, Bonzi's a free agent. Just like Mobley. And that means if we DON'T do anything right now we are faced with the serious possibility of seeing Bonzi also walk away for free. And for those keeping count that would mean we basically swapped:

Vlade
Webb
Christie
Bobby

for

Thomas
Skinner
Corliss

Very true. I'm just glad I'm not in Sir Geoff's chair right now.

 

[SacTownKid]

Right, but I truly do feel this time he wants to wait with Bonzi and see if this team can play together.

Although he has played tremendously, Kevin Martin's starting breakthough role can wait another year

Kevins "breakthrough" bench role has just begun.

Or has it??? Stay tuned until tomorrow at 2 pm CST!!!

 

[SacTownKid]

Here's the problem with that -- and I am not anti_Bonzi at all and think he is still a better option to win wiht consistently right now, especially wiht all these road games -- in any case, Bonzi's a free agent. Just like Mobley. And that means if we DON'T do anything right now we are faced with the serious possibility of seeing Bonzi also walk away for free. And for those keeping count that would mean we basically swapped:

Vlade
Webb
Christie
Bobby

for

Thomas
Skinner
Corliss

I'd put Skinners #'s up against Vlade's any day! Vlade has been nearly invisible this season. Same with Doug.

 

[GoGoGadget]

Vlade
Webb
Christie
Bobby

for

Thomas
Skinner
Corliss

Eeeeeww.

 

[Bibby-4-Three]

Here's the problem with that -- and I am not anti_Bonzi at all and think he is still a better option to win wiht consistently right now, especially wiht all these road games -- in any case, Bonzi's a free agent. Just like Mobley. And that means if we DON'T do anything right now we are faced with the serious possibility of seeing Bonzi also walk away for free. And for those keeping count that would mean we basically swapped:

Vlade
Webb
Christie
Bobby

for

Thomas
Skinner
Corliss

Actually it'd be more like we swapped

Webb and Bobby for Thomas, Skinner and Corliss

The reason why I say this isbecause injuries forced Vlade and Christie to retire (and had we kept them around, we would have had just two locker room uplifting dudes and that's it).

 

[tjobrien]

You mean the Vlade who played like 5 games all season and then retired? The same Vlade who walked away from the Kings (yes, for a better offer), but was not traded? And the same Christie who played poorly for Orlando and 7 games for Dallas this season before being released? The same Bobby J who had played only 130 or so games over the previous 3 seasons? I'm happy with the production seen by Mobley, who helped us get to the playoffs last season (something Christie probably couldn't have done). I was sad to see Bobby, Vlade, and Christie go...but it was time. They're all old, it's time to move on.

 

[Kings113]

I agree with TJ.

 

[Bricklayer]

You mean the Vlade who played like 5 games all season and then retired? The same Vlade who walked away from the Kings (yes, for a better offer), but was not traded? And the same Christie who played poorly for Orlando and 7 games for Dallas this season before being released? The same Bobby J who had played only 130 or so games over the previous 3 seasons? I'm happy with the production seen by Mobley, who helped us get to the playoffs last season (something Christie probably couldn't have done). I was sad to see Bobby, Vlade, and Christie go...but it was time. They're all old, it's time to move on.

You're missing the point.

You can't keep the same players, but if you want to be good, to stay good, you have to keep turning your assets over into new ones. The old guard was getting old, but only an idiot would end up getting nothing back at all in return for the core of the most talented team on the planet all of 4 years ago. Its not about the old guys, its about the new guys. Or utter lack thereof. Thank bleeping God for the Artest trade.

 

[GoGoGadget]

Thank bleeping God for the Artest trade.

You can bleeping say that again.

 

[love_them_kings]

Here's the problem with that -- and I am not anti_Bonzi at all and think he is still a better option to win wiht consistently right now, especially wiht all these road games -- in any case, Bonzi's a free agent. Just like Mobley. And that means if we DON'T do anything right now we are faced with the serious possibility of seeing Bonzi also walk away for free. And for those keeping count that would mean we basically swapped:

Vlade
Webb
Christie
Bobby

for

Thomas
Skinner
Corliss

Hmm... not a pretty picture!!

 

[pdxKingsFan]

I think we could move Bonzi in a sign and trade in the offseason if we wanted or had to. Wasn't the reason we lost Mobley for nothing more due to limited interest? Bonzi brings a little more to the table and even though he's sat out a good chunk of the year I would expect he'd command more than the MLE and interest from multiple teams.

 

[captain bill]

You're missing the point.

You can't keep the same players, but if you want to be good, to stay good, you have to keep turning your assets over into new ones. The old guard was getting old, but only an idiot would end up getting nothing back at all in return for the core of the most talented team on the planet all of 4 years ago. Its not about the old guys, its about the new guys. Or utter lack thereof. Thank bleeping God for the Artest trade.

I can agree with not wanting Bonzi to walk for nothing, but come on. Be realistic. Who would have traded for Vlade? He was going to play here or in LA. And I somehow doubt LA would have traded anything for him, much less anything worth the money and years we'd put into them. Face it: Vlade essentially retired and decided to get a couple mil out of LA before he made it official. As for losing Christie for "nothing," that's not fair. We traded him for Cuttino, who we lost for nothing by no fault of the management's. If you don't think GP tried to get a S&T for him, or looked for good trades midseason, you are naive and just looking for ways to bash him. Same goes for Bobby- getting Bonzi was the smart thing to do, and right now GP has clearly been in discussions for getting something more in return. But if you advocate jumping at the first amount of salary we can get in return, we've got a one-way ticket to Knicksville. The Webber trade is exactly why we should not listen to your line of thinking- trading a player that management wanted to get rid of in order to have more "tradable" pieces, no matter how ugly they are. Because somethings better than nothing, right? Wrong. Taking bad contracts and adding glut to the team rather than improvements is the wrong way, worse than letting a player walk and trying to save some salary. Teams fade, even great ones. You can't keep reloading at any cost- there are always diminishing returns on those great players. Had we tried to keep turning over old players to new ones, we'd have a bunch of Kenny Thomases and Corliss Williamsons and Brian Skinners on our team. Middling talent, long contracts, nothing resembling a contender. FA, the draft, and good trades (when they come along a la Artest) are the ways to rebuild a team, not desperate trades to maintain some semblance of talent. Our shabby, saddled down frontcourt is exactly the result of that philosophy.

 

[Bibby_10]

Here's the problem with that -- and I am not anti_Bonzi at all and think he is still a better option to win wiht consistently right now, especially wiht all these road games -- in any case, Bonzi's a free agent. Just like Mobley. And that means if we DON'T do anything right now we are faced with the serious possibility of seeing Bonzi also walk away for free. And for those keeping count that would mean we basically swapped:

Vlade
Webb
Christie
Bobby

for

Thomas
Skinner
Corliss

Wow we got jacked!

 

[leader]

Thank bleeping God for the Artest trade.

I am a bit bothered to read that. In my opinion, it's something that shouldn't be expressed.

 

[thesanityannex]

Here's the problem with that -- and I am not anti_Bonzi at all and think he is still a better option to win wiht consistently right now, especially wiht all these road games -- in any case, Bonzi's a free agent. Just like Mobley. And that means if we DON'T do anything right now we are faced with the serious possibility of seeing Bonzi also walk away for free. And for those keeping count that would mean we basically swapped:

Vlade
Webb
Christie
Bobby

for

Thomas
Skinner
Corliss

It is still Webb for Thomas, Skinner, Corliss. This was a trade. Vlade and Christie were a matter of being paid or not. Say they had signed a couple to lengthy contracts, would you still want them, with two years left on their contracts? Bobby should have stayed, but often injured and wanting to finally start, this trade works for both. Even if Bonzi leaves. Bonzi sparked an interest here again that was much needed. I believe he'll stay. I'm hoping he sees the potential this team has.