Interesting but I've read from several sources that PHX is dead set to take Isaac....I can believe the Tatum and Celtics angle as I don't think JJ has worked out for Boston
Celtics and 76ers deal
- Thread starter dude12
- Start date
Indiana has no leverage. George can just go to his desired destination LA as a FA in a year so yes it makes sense LA takes Ball over Jackson this year. I just woke up, and understand that Indiana might want to get something for George now, but struggle to see why any other team would get involved on a one year rental that's hell bent on playing in LA.
Suicide King
Starter
Correct. Jackson did not work out for Boston yet.
I believe the buzz for Isaac in PHX was under the assumption Jackson would be gone by the 4th pick.
Now, if PHX orchestrates a trade with LA to move up to 2 and grab Ball...
This draft is shaping into a spy vs. spy comic.
I believe the buzz for Isaac in PHX was under the assumption Jackson would be gone by the 4th pick.
Now, if PHX orchestrates a trade with LA to move up to 2 and grab Ball...
This draft is shaping into a spy vs. spy comic.
Suicide King
Starter
@Jimbob
I agree 100% . It makes zero sense for anyone other than the Lakers to give up assets for a PG rental, and LA can simply wait a year as opposed to giving up much.
PG's camp really screwed IND by leaking his plans to the media.
PHX may try and help facilitate an LA trade to land PG, but I just can't see what assets would be in play.
Guess that's why I am not an NBA FO exec.
I agree 100% . It makes zero sense for anyone other than the Lakers to give up assets for a PG rental, and LA can simply wait a year as opposed to giving up much.
PG's camp really screwed IND by leaking his plans to the media.
PHX may try and help facilitate an LA trade to land PG, but I just can't see what assets would be in play.
Guess that's why I am not an NBA FO exec.
@ Suicide King
Thanks for confirming that there's some method to my madness. I recon many of these rumors make zero sense when you break them down, and people get paid for this....
Regardless, the Lakers will not be in the gutter for long if they take Ball this year and and George bolts for them in free agency next year. I believe they forfeit their 2018 pick but who cares with George coming in.
Thanks for confirming that there's some method to my madness. I recon many of these rumors make zero sense when you break them down, and people get paid for this....
Regardless, the Lakers will not be in the gutter for long if they take Ball this year and and George bolts for them in free agency next year. I believe they forfeit their 2018 pick but who cares with George coming in.
LA King Fan II
Bench
Not to mention they may just get LeBron.
Sactown ExPat
Starter
Paul George wants to go to Cleveland this year, I imagine, then LA in free agency. That's why his camp released this information. Cleveland doesn't care where he goes in 2018, they just want to chase one more title. PG is trying to steer Indiana towards the Love deal.
ParniValjak
All-Star
Look I would prefer Fox but realistically, at 5 Kings will get a top end talent that addresses a position of need. Whether that is a PG or a SF is unknown as this stage. I am not worried about pick 5. On the other hand, pick 10 will be interesting. If Kings pick a SF at 5, will they be hoping that a PG falls to 10? Do they draft Mitchell or Ntilikina or do they trade down for more assets and pick a PG further down or do they try and trade up to get a SF or a PG or do they stay where they are and pick BPA?
What are the options if they pick up Ball or Fox at 5? Do they hope that a SF slides down or do they try and trade up or trade down?
Hell what happens if they don't address the positions of need at all? Will they be involved in any draft day trades? Will they cash in on the salary cap space and Afflalo's contract to get future assets or will they let that option pass by?
I am least worried about pick 5 to be honest. No matter which way you slice it and dice it, Kings will get a very good prospect that addresses a position of need.
steelevt
All-Star
I think a contender who thinks PG is that missing piece will go for a 1 year rental but won't give up much. My money is on the cavs or clippers. Rumor is lebron leaving after next year so might as well pair him with PG next year and go all in. Clippers might need to blow it up to get over the hump and if jerry west thinks PG will lure cp3 to resign it might also try to land lebron if it can somehow fit him under their cap.
lwc
Starter
I do not have any inside sources of any kind but I can't help but think that Vlade Divac is just sitting back in his office and saying whoever is the best player at 5 is who the Kings will take.
At the same time though, I could see him trying to play with the number 10 pick to get multiple assets. The rumor I've heard that makes the most sense is doing salary dumps with Portland to give them 10 and the Kings multiple mid first rounders.
With all of that said, I truly do not see Vlade Divac burning up the phone's trying to jump up into the top three to get ahead of Phoenix or anyone else that may try to take De'Aron Fox. I truly believe he's just going to take the best player at 5 that is not a pure 2-guard (i.e. Monk, Mitchell, Kenard) because I think he and the rest of the front office truly believes that Buddy is the future
At the same time though, I could see him trying to play with the number 10 pick to get multiple assets. The rumor I've heard that makes the most sense is doing salary dumps with Portland to give them 10 and the Kings multiple mid first rounders.
With all of that said, I truly do not see Vlade Divac burning up the phone's trying to jump up into the top three to get ahead of Phoenix or anyone else that may try to take De'Aron Fox. I truly believe he's just going to take the best player at 5 that is not a pure 2-guard (i.e. Monk, Mitchell, Kenard) because I think he and the rest of the front office truly believes that Buddy is the future
ParniValjak
All-Star
I don't see Kings moving up from 5. I definitely see Vlade staying at 5 and picking the best remaining player. No matter who that is, the player will be addressing a position of need (either a PG or a SF).
What I could see the Kings doing is maybe moving up from 10, depending on who is left on the board. To move up, I think there would need to be a trade with a team like Portland that allows Kings to take on contract or two and take a first round pick or two for their troubles. Kings would then have the assets to move up from 10 by adding Portland's pick/s to the 10th pick to get a player that they want.
Let's say they take a PG at 5 and attempt to move up to get whatever SF is left or vice versa. Either way I can see the cap space getting used to get 1st round pick/s and given how much youth there will already be on the roster I suspect the Kings might want future picks (preferably in 2019 when they don't have pick).
The Kings could have something close to $60 million in cap space which gives them an option to take on bad contracts and still have money for a max contract or two.
sidney
Starter
I certainly hope this is the angle. Use #34 and cap space to get from 10 to 7 or similar. It's pretty difficult to put together a PG/SF combo that ISN'T interesting with 5 and 7.
ockingsfan
Starter
Danny Ainge says that the player they would had drafted #1 overall should still be there at #3. If he is so confident that he will be there at #3, I'm thinking it may be Jayson Tatum.
The Lakers are debating between Ball and Jackson, so if Boston wants Jackson, they would have traded to #2 instead of #3.
So, if Boston takes Tatum at 3, Phoenix may be locked in on Issac at 4.
The Kings may have to chose between Fox and Josh Jackson.
What should Vlade do at that point???
The Lakers are debating between Ball and Jackson, so if Boston wants Jackson, they would have traded to #2 instead of #3.
So, if Boston takes Tatum at 3, Phoenix may be locked in on Issac at 4.
The Kings may have to chose between Fox and Josh Jackson.
What should Vlade do at that point???
It's a PG league....would be nice knowing that maybe we can go into games at some point soon and know that we won't get outplayed. The only way this happens is by drafting a PG and developing that player. This is the year we have to do it. I just don't think it's that close a choice. At some point we need to get a upper tier PG.
ParniValjak
All-Star
I think Phoenix will pick Jackson over Isaac.
ockingsfan
Starter
I have this fear of Kansas players busting on the Kings all the time. Plus, Josh Jackson measurables and size don't look as impressive as I would had thought. His arms are not that long, Tatum has a longer wing span.
I would probably take Fox too.
steelevt
All-Star
Choose one of the only two options and don't get cute
ockingsfan
Starter
That would make our decision easier, Fox would be my pick over Issac.
roasthawg
Starter
Me too... Jackson or Tatum. I think the Isaac love is a smoke screen for Phoenix being their worst case rather than first choice. We'll see...
roasthawg
Starter
Mine too. Jackson/Tatum/Fox in that order for me... We'll get one of them unless Ball plummets.
ockingsfan
Starter
Did anyone notice that Philly basically made this trade for the #1 and Fultz using the assets they got from us in that salary dump trade. 
Our #3 pick swap and potentially our 2019 pick!
Our #3 pick swap and potentially our 2019 pick!
steelevt
All-Star
Eh I'd much rather trade the #3 pick, our 2019 pick and stauskas for capspace than fultzDid anyone notice that Philly basically made this trade for the #1 and Fultz using the assets they got from us in that salary dump trade.
Our #3 pick swap and potentially our 2019 pick!
KingsFanSince85
All-Star
But is it really? The best players in the league are all SF. LeBron. Kawhi. Durant. All of those guys have titles .. and Finals MVP's. Behind them, you'll probably get a lot of people saying Anthony Davis or Giannis Antetokounmpo. Paul George was gaining steam before his injury and Jimmy Butler also gets a lot of run, but those 4 have yet to win like the others. Draymond Green doesn't get enough love because he's not a prolific scorer. But he might be as valuable as any of the 1st 3 guys I listed.
As far as point guards go, Russell Westbrook hasn't won anything. Neither has Chris Paul. Or John Wall. Or Mike Conley. Or Damon Lillard. All arguably among the best in the game.
It's really only been Steph Curry that's been the lead guy from the PG position that's won a title. And he did that on arguably one of the deeper teams you'll see in the modern NBA. Tony Parker and Kyrie were secondary players to a bonefide star or stars.
Go back and look at the NBA Finals MVP the past 30 years. There's not many PG's in there.
For regular season MVP, Curry, Rose, and Nash have all won it. Westbrook might win it this season. But only Curry has a title out of that group.
Most importantly, when you ask NBA pundits and/or educated NBA fans who the best overall players are -- a majority of them aren't PG's. Having a good one certainly helps, but with the ultimate goal being winning a title -- I'd say it's more of a SF or "wing" league. That's why Josh Jackson intrigues me and probably why Jayson Tatum intrigues many others.
Cavs don't win without Kyrie Irving, GSW don't win without Curry. Obviously, you need the other parts like Lebron and Durant who are best in the league. I don't see Lebron or Durant in this draft. Got to have a PG.
Mike
Bench
I think teams like the Cavs, Wizards, Clippers (etc) if they could keep their main core together and acquire George would be more than happy to take a one year rental if it helps them compete with the Warriors. The Cavs can offer Love for George which gives the Pacers an asset and the Cavs get an upgrade with George; and the Wizards can offer Otto Porter in a sign and trade, while getting George in return. If it gets them a ring then there are contenders that will be ready and willing to do a deal.
Mike
Bench
It would be a tough choice because both players fill a potential need. For me, I would probably take Josh Jackson because at worst he projects to be an excellent defensive small forward, granted you want more than that with the fifth overall pick but I see him having a higher floor than Fox, and if the offensive side of Jackson's game improves he arguably has as high a ceiling as anyone in this draft.
What does that mean for the PG position? Well we'd have to risk it and see if someone falls to ten. It stands to reason that one of Fox, Smith, Ntilikina, and Monk will be there at ten because the T-Wolves don't need to draft a guard. Even Orlando is debatable with Payton and Fournier currently penciled in, however I do think they should consider trying to upgrade Payton. So it is possible one of those guards are available at ten, and we can even try to bring back Lawson or Collison, or look to free agency, to give us a veteran guard to help the rookie's transition.
The issue with going PG first is that at ten there isn't really a small forward solution unless we go for the other Jackson or Isaac falls. That means we are looking at a big which is either a good or bad thing depending on your view of those prospects and the bigs on our roster.
lwc
Starter
Did anyone notice that Philly basically made this trade for the #1 and Fultz using the assets they got from us in that salary dump trade.
Our #3 pick swap and potentially our 2019 pick!
That is true but if we had not made that trade and still had our draft pick remaining the team may not have tried to tank as hard as it had the last couple years. For every action there's an equal and opposite reaction and the same is true with trades.
roasthawg
Starter
I fully agree with this... It's a small forwards league if anything. Josh Jackson is my #1 and Tatum is my #3.
Ozymandias
All-Star
The Philadelphia 76ers held discussions with the Chicago Bulls for Jimmy Butler before they moved up from No. 3 to No. 1 to trade Markelle Fultz.
The Bulls were seeking the No. 3 pick from the 76ers for Butler.
With the Celtics owning the third overall pick now, they are hopeful of trading it to the Bulls in a package for Butler and then sign Gordon Hayward in free agency while also keeping Isaiah Thomas and Marcus Smart. The Celtics also pursued a trade for Butler last offseason.
Boston is confident they have the best chance of any team of signing Hayward away from the Utah Jazz.
If the Celtics are unable to trade No. 3 to the Bulls, they are comfortable using the selection for themselves.
STEPHEN A. SMITH/ESPN
The Bulls were seeking the No. 3 pick from the 76ers for Butler.
With the Celtics owning the third overall pick now, they are hopeful of trading it to the Bulls in a package for Butler and then sign Gordon Hayward in free agency while also keeping Isaiah Thomas and Marcus Smart. The Celtics also pursued a trade for Butler last offseason.
Boston is confident they have the best chance of any team of signing Hayward away from the Utah Jazz.
If the Celtics are unable to trade No. 3 to the Bulls, they are comfortable using the selection for themselves.
STEPHEN A. SMITH/ESPN
lwc
Starter
With information like Stephen A Smith and others are putting out I'm wondering just how valuable our # 5 and 10 picks truly are. If Jimmy Butler can be had for a pick two spots above where the Kings sit now, what kind of package could we get back for 5 and 10?
Before this trade went down I was completely against trading the picks. Yet, knowing that an All-Star like Jimmy Butler can be had relatively easily, I'm open to the trade now.
As much as I want a player like Fox, he is completely unproven. Jimmy Butler is a fantastic two-way player, All Star, and potential all NBA player. I've always believed that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Before this trade went down I was completely against trading the picks. Yet, knowing that an All-Star like Jimmy Butler can be had relatively easily, I'm open to the trade now.
As much as I want a player like Fox, he is completely unproven. Jimmy Butler is a fantastic two-way player, All Star, and potential all NBA player. I've always believed that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
