Darius Songaila Watch

Packt · Jul 1, 2005

I'm thinking Darius is gone. There is no reason to resign him with Thomas/Skinner already under contract. IMO, his drop-off towards the end of the season is related to playing behind Thomas. Thomas does just about everything Darius does, equally if not better. With Webber, Darius can come in and provide a change of pace that is beneficial to the team. Webber was still the better player, but Darius was certainly making a case for more minutes. Coming in for Thomas, means Darius has to do much more if he wants to make an impact. He can go into the game and just maintain the status quo, but when you're looking for a contract, the status quo isn't good enough, and with depth up front you can potentially get lost in the shuffle.

I like Darius, and was pleased with the trade for him two seasons ago, but not on this new Kings team.

VF21 · Jul 1, 2005

I've split this comment off into a new thread. It only seems fair.

Circa_1985_Fan · Jul 1, 2005

VF21 said:

Darius probably wants a few million, and he'll probably get it. I cant see him demanding a teams MLE or something like that. That being said, I think that $3 Million isnt that bad too bad to keep him, and now with Mobley off our cap, that gives us more room to work.

owensborocard32 · Jul 1, 2005

I like Darius as well and still think he has potential for growth in his game. What are the contract situations for Skinner and Thomas? How many years do they have left on their current deals?

Circa_1985_Fan · Jul 1, 2005

owensborocard32 said:

Skinner has 3 years plus a team option for a 4th, and Thomas has 6 years guaranteed left on his.

owensborocard32 · Jul 1, 2005

YIKES!!! Thanks for the info though...

Bricklayer · Jul 1, 2005

Darius is really not needed with the team as currently constructed, and indeed is actually a bit of a problem on our current roster. Basically another undersized jumpshooter without any interior presence. If we made major changes and brought in some lower skill bangers across the frontline, he would be useful as "the skill guy" to provide a change of pace from the hardhat types. But right now he's not change of pace, he's perpetuating a soft defensively challenged mentality that cannot continue. Much rather spend that roster spot on a rebounder/defender to try to change the soft frontcourt mentality we have sunk into.

Warhawk · Jul 1, 2005

Probably most useful to us in a sign and trade? I like him, but we need bigs who are, well, big. Might not be able to move some of the others as easily....

Bricklayer · Jul 1, 2005

As an aside, a report fom the Bergen County Register (bigger paper than the name indicates) has the Nets potentially interested in Darius.

Rowdyone · Jul 1, 2005

Bricklayer said:

I agree with you Brick but two things; a) DSong showed quite a flair for running the high post dispersal with some good passing last year and therefore would be valuable in that capacity as a backup and b) I think we should sign as many of our guys as we can to use for trade filler if nothing else.

SDKing · Jul 1, 2005

Here's two questions:
1. Has Darius made enough noise in the league for other teams to want him?
2. If so, what is the likelyhood that the kings will match their offers for him given our current frontline situation?

Ryle · Jul 1, 2005

Bricklayer said:

They were interested last year as well. It was intimated that he took less money to play for the Kings then what the Nets were offering.

whozit · Jul 1, 2005

I respectfully disagree.

Darius is a good role player. You let him go and then whoppee you have only Thomas and Skinner! Thomas is a good player but I don't know if I want him as the starting PF and there was indications he had a problem coming off the bench. I haven't seen any indications that Songalia has those issues and every indication that he knows his and accepts it. The PF position is a big issue but I am more concerned with the starter than I am the back-up.

fishgirl · Jul 1, 2005

I actually like Darius. I agree that he's a good role player. He's also still got a lot of room for improvement and I'd love to see him back next year. I don't know what the contract situations are with Thomas and Skinner, though.

tubiscus · Jul 1, 2005

Only for Matt

Thomas is a goner because he makes too much $ (6m next season I believe) to be a backup and is just to small a PF to start. I like him and his game and actually would be ok with him at SF if Peja were traded. I'm not advocating trading Peja yet, but .....

As for Darius, I think he was the most consistent performer on the Kings this past season. I'd only be ok with letting him go if we bring back Matt Barnes, another 6'7" F but a bit tougher imo.

SacTownKid · Jul 1, 2005

Bricklayer said:

I think I heard the Cavs may be interested as well.

I just hope, if, we do keep Darius that other teams don't drive up the price! If its too high they better let him go. But if no significant changes are made to the frontline in the OS than we may be forced to keep him even if its more than a bargain.

BobbyJ_for3! · Jul 1, 2005

im hoping for a sign and trade for an inside banger

d-song IS a good role player, but with the three guys we got for webber, we just dont need darius...unless its for a very low price

Entity · Jul 1, 2005

I agree with Brick on this one Darius and Kenny Thomas are cut from the same mold. Darius does have more of an upside as he can pass and hit the jumper at a higher percentage. I would love to keep Darius but, I don't know if it can be done with Kenny around. Bottom line we have to work a trade involving Kenny. Our best bet with his contract is to offer a bargain contract with him such as Bobby Jackson. I would hate to lose BJ but it may be the only way. even if it is for someone like Kwame Brown or NeNe and we have to take an unwanted contract with them.

VF21 · Jul 1, 2005

tubiscus said:

If you think Thomas is a goner, then where do you think he's going to go? Who's going to pick up a contract that lasts until the next millenium for some who makes too much and is too small to start at PF?

Andriod_KiNg · Jul 1, 2005

This is the one player i dont want to lose, so much potential, his jumper was like amazing and he was developing a nice inside game..

Andriod_KiNg · Jul 1, 2005

VF21 said:

He has been in the NBA for a while, a proven Double-Double guy, i think some one will want to look his way, Alot of teams in the east could use him....

Venom · Jul 1, 2005

I think he is gone. Use the MLE on someone like Reggie Evans or Gadzuric. Petrie's quote about pursuing defense and rebounding should bear out in free agency. There is no compelling reason to keep Songaila when you could use that money to steal Evans from Seattle.

VF21 · Jul 1, 2005

Andriod_KiNg said:

I hope you're right.

Packt · Jul 2, 2005

Andriod_KiNg said:

Potential is not a word I'd use to describe Darius. What you see is what you get with him. I don't see his game elevating much if at all anymore. He's a more skilled, but less athletic Kenny Thomas.

I'm not the biggest fan of Thomas on this team, but what can you do, he's locked in long term. There is no room for Darius in this A.W. era unfortunately.

Andriod_KiNg said:

No doubt, but what could we get for him. Unlikely to nab another big with just Thomas. Best case scenario would be to package him with one of our talented and underpaid players. Not sure if any team- Eastern conference or not- would want to swap size for Thomas. It’s more likely we see wing players back, than another useful big.

whozit · Jul 2, 2005

Venom said:

Not the same money. The early bird rights with Songalia allow the Kings to match any offer up to the mid-level (although with the new CBA would the team be allowed to match anything since he was a 2nd round pick?). If the team chose to match an offer for him, they would still have the MLE to do whatever they wanted with it. Now would they do both, is a different question

.

whozit · Jul 2, 2005

As for Thomas: (am mentioning him simply because several, including myself, see him as redundant if both are kept and see it as a either/or)

One team that might be interested is Washington. On another thread someone mentioned that with the qualifing offer made on Kwame, the Kings could swap them out straight across. Washington would possibly do it to allow Jamison to go to SF where he would create a lot of headaches for other teams there. Thomas could simply slip into the open PF slot created.

Circa_1985_Fan · Jul 2, 2005

VF21 said:

Damn, arent you a little hard on Kenny there, VF? I actually think that if someone were to want him, they'd want him to play SF, which we should be doing too. KT is worth his weight in gold, and is worth every penny his contract pays him, as far as I'm concerned. He has what EVERYONE on this team should possess: heart and determination. Kenny has a knack for the ball like no other one on this team, with the exception of maybe Bobby. I wouldnt trade KT anytime in the near future.

Andriod_KiNg · Jul 2, 2005

Packt said:

We shouldnt be asking for much, maybe a small contract then we would have some cap room with work with...

SacTownKid · Jul 2, 2005

VF21 said:

Hey if Q Rich for Kurt Thomas went down anything can happen. Those are two fairly bad contracts themselves. You just have to take a little to get rid of a little, or take a lot to give up a lot.

Speaking of Washington, how about Etan Thomas for Kenny Thomas. Etan is a true PF/C that has an equally horrible contract. Of course if it was just based on skill and talent I would probably keep Kenny over Etan but Etan provides some of the qualities we need more of.

VF21 · Jul 2, 2005

Circa_1985_Fan said:

We will agree to disagree although I have to question your use of a couple of superlatives:

KT is worth his weight in gold? Worth every penny his contract pays him? Well, let's see...

Gold is going at $432.60 an ounce. (Close of business Friday - NY Metals Market)

Kenny Thomas weighs, as of his official bio on NBA.com, 245 pounds or 3920 ounces. That would put his weight in gold at $1,695,792.

Unfortunately, on July 16, 2003, Thomas signed a 7-year contract for $50 million. Without figuring in the proportional raises, etc. that means about $7 million a year. Far in excess of his weight in gold...

Now about that other point:

Heart and determination? Perhaps. A tendency to put his own needs above those of the team? Apparently, based on his early dissatisfaction with his playing time. Kenny Thomas is a good player, but he's not the Michael Jordan impact player some people want to believe.

If we could get a decent defender and/or BIGGER PF for him, I'd not only approve of the trade, I'd actually volunteer to drive him to the airport.

He may be good, but he's more a SF than anything else - especially in the West. And, last time I looked, we already had a pretty decent SF.

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