Darius at SF

[SDKing]

We all know that GP has made it clear that he wishes to resign Songaila, whether or not it is for a S&T we don't know. If we sign SAR we will have an abundance of players at PF. My question is do you think that Darius would be a better backup at SF than PF? He's got that 15 footer and he provides a better low post presence than Peja even though he is a little shorter. What do you think? If this is already being discussed forgive me. I didn't read all 40 pages of the SAR threads.

 

[VF21]

Technically, this isn't about SAR. It's about Darius...

 

[SDKing]

Technically, this isn't about SAR. It's about Darius...

I know, but it could be in there somewhere in the SAR thread. That thing is starting to look like War and Peace. Anyway, I like the thought of keeping Darius, he works hard, he works to improve, and he's capable of putting up numbers. Also, I don't think that anyone is going to offer him more than the MLE so we should be able to keep him with the early bird rights.

 

[funkykingston]

I like Songaila on this team.

I like him enough that I wouldn't mind if Kenny Thomas was dealt for expiring contracts just to open a spot for him.

KT is a better player, but his contract, attitude and need to have the ball in his hands on offense make me nervous.

If indeed Shareef is brought in, I'd prefer a more blue-collar guy who will know his role than a player who will grumble about not starting.

But to get back to your original question, Darius is NOT a SF. I can't think of more than one or two SFs that he could check at all, and making him guard perimeter players takes away from one of his greatest strengths, rebounding. KT's quickness might let him get away with a few minutes at SF in a backup role, but Darius would be a disaster.

I think it's a moot point though. If SAR is signed, not only is there a reduced need for Songaila, but signing him would likely mean surpassing the luxury tax threshold. Unless other moves are made, I don't see him back with the team next year.

 

[Kev.in]

Just because a guy can hit a jumpshot doesn't mean he can play small forward or is a small forward or will ever be able to be a small forward.

Darius picks up a lot of fouls as it is, can you imagine him coming in for Peja at the end of the 1st and trying to stick with a guy like Tracy McGrady, Shawn Marion Tayshaun Prince, Richard Jefferson, Rashard Lewis or Grant Hill?

 

[CruzDude]

Darius is great in the 10-18 ft range. At 20-21 ft he is at his outer limits for jump shots and is not a 3 pt shooter. A SF must present the 3 threat. Darius does not. He can go to the bucket but is not as fast as most SF. So can't see him there.

With SAR in the mix at PF and Pedja at SF we have Songaila, Skinner and Thomas who can fill in at PF. Skinner can also take the 5 when the matchups permit adn is, at this point, the only 5 backup.

Thomas brings a better all around game than does Darius but is at least 2" shorter and presents a defensive liability against the bigger PF's in the West. Songaila has faced up all of the PF in the west for 2 years and does well vs. all the 2nd stringers and holds his own vs. many of the 1st teamers.

We really have not seen enough of Skinner or Thomas to know where they fit. So Darius is a know quantity and quality and brings a banger and hustler mentality and his 10-18 footer has been deadly. Defensively, man-on-man (PF man), well.... he does OK. I don't know other 2nd stringers who do better.

If Thomas wants to start and we get SAR, Thomas will NOT start. So he and Darius and Skinner will battle for PF minutes. If Sampson comes along, he cannot go to NBADL as he has been in the league 4 years, and he is signed, then we have a real log jam at the 4. But any of those become trade value as they are better than most 2nd stringers and quite a number of 1st stringers.

 

[6th]

I like Songaila on this team.

I like him enough that I wouldn't mind if Kenny Thomas was dealt for expiring contracts just to open a spot for him.

KT is a better player, but his contract, attitude and need to have the ball in his hands on offense make me nervous.

If indeed Shareef is brought in, I'd prefer a more blue-collar guy who will know his role than a player who will grumble about not starting.

But to get back to your original question, Darius is NOT a SF. I can't think of more than one or two SFs that he could check at all, and making him guard perimeter players takes away from one of his greatest strengths, rebounding. KT's quickness might let him get away with a few minutes at SF in a backup role, but Darius would be a disaster.

I think it's a moot point though. If SAR is signed, not only is there a reduced need for Songaila, but signing him would likely mean surpassing the luxury tax threshold. Unless other moves are made, I don't see him back with the team next year.

Excellent post and my feelings exactly. I sure will miss Darius though, if this happens. I like the workhorses.

 

[Bricklayer]

Darius is, and remains, a problmeatic player for the Kings. he tries hard, but effort or not, his game is still soft. Can't rebound, is vertically challenged on defense. Putting him beind SAR takes the ridiculous and elevates it to the level of slapstick. If we had picked up reggie Evans, for example, then you could bring back Darius as "the skill guy". As it is...well nothing would surprise me anymore, but its not a good idea.


So could we put him at SF instead? Unfortunately no again. He lacks the footspeed and ballhandling to play the positon. He's pretty clearly just an undersized 4. Not much tweener to his game.

 

[Yoda]

For some reason many Kings fans have it in mind that a SF must be an outside shooter. Yes Darius can shoot but that doesnt make him a sf.

 

[AriesMar27]

why cant we trade thomas some where, anywhere? too bad grant was waived by the lakers we could have traded thomas and corliss for grant and not play him... then let his contract run out.... it be easier than keeping thomas.... but then again, grant brings his own set of problems.....

after this season we could've traded grant and saf for kg after the twolves fail to make the playoffs again and kg demands a trade.... too bad....

 

[Bricklayer]

after this season we could've traded grant and saf for kg after the twolves fail to make the playoffs again and kg demands a trade.... too bad....

Uh...no we couldn't have.

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

I like Songaila on this team.

I like him enough that I wouldn't mind if Kenny Thomas was dealt for expiring contracts just to open a spot for him.

KT is a better player, but his contract, attitude and need to have the ball in his hands on offense make me nervous.

If indeed Shareef is brought in, I'd prefer a more blue-collar guy who will know his role than a player who will grumble about not starting.

But to get back to your original question, Darius is NOT a SF. I can't think of more than one or two SFs that he could check at all, and making him guard perimeter players takes away from one of his greatest strengths, rebounding. KT's quickness might let him get away with a few minutes at SF in a backup role, but Darius would be a disaster.

I think it's a moot point though. If SAR is signed, not only is there a reduced need for Songaila, but signing him would likely mean surpassing the luxury tax threshold. Unless other moves are made, I don't see him back with the team next year.

I'm glad that someone else sees the validity in putting KT at small forward rather than the 4 spot. He could be better utilized there than trying to play out of position and have to muscle up against Garnett, etc. With a bench of Skinner, Darius, KT, Hart and Corliss(although I see him being dealt real soon), that is a pretty damn good 2nd team.

 

[Kings113]

We could trade Songaila to Seattle or Washington for Reggie Evans (don't think we could sign him straight up) or Etan Thomas (w/ another player possibly from Wiz). Both teams have high interest in him, especially Wizards. Nets want him, and pretty sure Philly still does too.

Thomas I think can and will be traded, or he comes off the bench. He did say, I think, he'd accept being in the "active rotation".

 

[gman23]

As far as Darius backing up Pedja, I agree with everyone that says other SF's would be to quick for him, which leaves me with this question. Will Corliss play better D on the SF's and with his post-up abilities he can also get them in foul trouble. I think GP is probably looking at the same scenerio.

 

[Bricklayer]

As far as Darius backing up Pedja, I agree with everyone that says other SF's would be to quick for him, which leaves me with this question. Will Corliss play better D on the SF's and with his post-up abilities he can also get them in foul trouble. I think GP is probably looking at the same scenerio.

Corliss can't D SFs either. He looks inspiring on defense at times because he has a good attitude and a wilingness to bang, but the fact is he pretty much sucks defending etiher positon (let alone center) becuase he's too slow for the SFs, and far too short for the bigger guys.

At least he can hurt SFs back the other way though with his post game.

 

[Kings113]

I don't think Corliss is too likely to be a King for next season... one of the SFs in my sig. will be the back-up SF.

Wouldn't really mind if we keep him though.

 

[CaminoChaos]

I like the fact that we can sign him without using the MLE and if it doesn't work out here we can trade him or one of the webber trade 3.

 

[funkykingston]

I'm glad that someone else sees the validity in putting KT at small forward rather than the 4 spot. He could be better utilized there than trying to play out of position and have to muscle up against Garnett, etc. With a bench of Skinner, Darius, KT, Hart and Corliss(although I see him being dealt real soon), that is a pretty damn good 2nd team.

Kenny would be out of position at the three, not the four. He's always been a PF. I can concede that he can play a few minutes at the three against certain matchups, but Kenny is much better suited to the four, despite being undersized.