Fill in the blanks - What Kings should do in the offseason

[bajaden]

Draft: If it’s in the top 2, I draft the best player regardless of position. Otherwise, I’d be leaning big… but I wouldn’t screw up the pick just for size or a center.

Free Agency: Unless, I could sign a true super star. I would save my cap for next summer. http://www.kingsfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36290 Under almost all circumstances, the Kings should not sign anybody to a deal that averages more than 7 million a year. It’s truly buying Sacto real estate at peak prices – just months before the bubble pops … except you know it’s going to pop. Which is both short sighed and dumb.
There will be some bargain vets late. If the Kings want to kick the tires and can get a deal - Great. If not, more cap space for after the lockout … even better.

Trades: Unless, (1) somebody is giving a star/very good player away for money reasons with a one or two years left on a deal … kick the tires; or (2) you can make an otherwise good trade … I doubt anything we’ll see much action here. Nobody needs to go. Other than Beno, nobody is probably in the “We should trade him before his stock nosedives” camp. And I’m not sure Beno is there either. I doubt anybody is salivating to get Hawes or Garcia, so why dump them for 60 cents? Thus, I doubt we’ll be trade players. However, at the end of the summer, I could see the Kings making some trades to rent any cap space they don’t use. Ie – Sergio Rodriguez / Hilton Armstrong.
So I think it will be a pretty boring off-season, and that the right move.

IMO - Right now, you’ve got:
1. Reke. A legit ace.
2. A gaping hole for a second banana.
3. Landry is either the 3rd or 4th guy on a good team.
4. A need for a center with enough size and shot blocking to help cover for Landry.
5. I’d like a vet role player that’s good at setting up his teammates, but he doesn’t need to play the whole game – Doug ish 2-3

If the Kings get a top 2 pick. You’ve gone a long way to fixing 2 and 3.
To me Cousins, fixes 3 and 4 … but not 2.

Drafting another PF at 5-7 might be the right move … but probably doesn’t help my shopping list a ton.

I think they can dig somebody like item 5 out of the free agency bargain bin.


Even if you disagree with my assessment of the needs / draft candidates, logic says the right move is to draft the best player available and be prudent with the cap space.

I agree with most of what you posted. Especially that part about the bubble bursting, and that there are going to be some very good cheap investments for third tier and possibly second tier players as freeagency winds down. Having cap space at the end of the 2011 season could be a lot more valuable than this coming offseason. It would try the patience of the fans though, and I can hear the " Maloofs are cheap bastards " being shouted through the rooftops.

On the trade situation. The one player I would make a big effort to trade is Nocioni. We have log jam there with Greene and Casspi, and I'm tired of seeing him argue with Evans during the games.

 

[Chupacabra]

If we draft Udoh we should trade Hawes and/or Thompson for Nene. Use a rotation of Nene, Landry, Udoh. I like the sound of that. Like a nice lil Denver Nuggets type of bigman rotation.

 

[Superman]

Free Agency: Unless, I could sign a true super star. I would save my cap for next summer. http://www.kingsfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36290

Who qualifies? I'm assuming this is a short list, and it gets even shorter if you assume that certain players just aren't coming to the Kings, no matter what. So who's on your short list?

 

[Larry David]

Who qualifies? I'm assuming this is a short list, and it gets even shorter if you assume that certain players just aren't coming to the Kings, no matter what. So who's on your short list?

You are reading me right. Probably Joe Johnson/Amare are the “worst” players I’d consider giving a max deal to. Even though I wouldn’t deem them true super stars. Since I don’t think Lebron, Bosh, Wade, Johnson, Amare, ect … are coming here. And a GM is going to put an Iggy sized dent into his franchise with the top of the next tier … Gay, Lee, ect. I don’t really have a short list. It’s all people we can’t get and shouldn’t sign.

Sure, offer Bosh and the like max deals. When they say no, fold up most of that money, put it in your pocket, and scout the bargain bin in late July.

 

[dbfish]

Short List

My short list is 1. Muggsy Bogues- 5'3"

2.Earl Boykins- 5'5"

3. Spud Webb- 5'7"

 

[Larry David]

It would try the patience of the fans though, and I can hear the " Maloofs are cheap bastards " being shouted through the rooftops.

On the trade situation. The one player I would make a big effort to trade is Nocioni. We have log jam there with Greene and Casspi, and I'm tired of seeing him argue with Evans during the games.

We agree.

But let me make these two points. While you want to keep them happy, you cannot destroy the long term future of your franchise for 6 weeks of summer press. Ask a Pistons fan how – spending all the cap space you’ll have for 5 years, recklessly, simply because you have it – is working out from them. Fans will be upset if we sit most of this summer out. They will also be upset if the teams stinks for a long time due to bad short sighted moves designed to make the fans happy. See, Raptors. Fans make bad GMs. See fan reaction to taking Peja over John Wallace.

If the Kings don’t want to look cheap – the proper move is to buy one or two first round picks in late teens or mid twenties. With the 2010 free agency bonanza, there will be even more sellers than usual looking for an extra million in cap space. At the cost of 3 million dollars, you get a cheap player, improve the team, and don’t hurt the cap. You can tell the fans with a straight face – “Look we’ll spend. We offered Bosh a max deal and he said no. There was good value in the draft, so we spent money. But we aren’t going to be foolish with our cap space.” We should all start pushing the idea of buying at least one pick wherever you can … the team needs to do it both basketball reasons and the fans.

As for Noc. I’d like to see him gone, but not at the price it will take. He’s the new KT. He’s on the books for 6.85 million next year and he’s not expiring. With his level of play and most teams looking to dump players for tax reasons, you are going to have to give up players or picks to sweeten the deal. Thanks no. Just sit him.

Like last year, there will be many teams offering good players making 5-7 million essentially for free to teams willing to take on the salary. Other teams will have much better players offered than Noc at that price. He was already available at that price most of this year and no takers.

If I had to guess, Noc is a King all of next year, no season the year after that, and then nobody take Noc’s option two summers from now.

 

[Superman]

You are reading me right. Probably Joe Johnson/Amare are the “worst” players I’d consider giving a max deal to. Even though I wouldn’t deem them true super stars. Since I don’t think Lebron, Bosh, Wade, Johnson, Amare, ect … are coming here. And a GM is going to put an Iggy sized dent into his franchise with the top of the next tier … Gay, Lee, ect. I don’t really have a short list. It’s all people we can’t get and shouldn’t sign.

Sure, offer Bosh and the like max deals. When they say no, fold up most of that money, put it in your pocket, and scout the bargain bin in late July.

I would probably take Joe Johnson out of the equation, and if you wanna make offers for Bosh, LeBron, Wade and Amare and see what happens, fine. But they aren't signing in Sacramento straight-up, and we don't have the pieces to work a sign and trade, so we aren't getting them, I don't think. And Gay, Lee, etc., I wouldn't go after, simply because they'll eat into our cap space and into the Maloofs' wallet, without making us a considerably better team. Certainly wouldn't make us a title contender the way you'd expect the others to.

So you fill out the roster with whoever is available late in the summer, and you go to work with your draft picks and your second year stud, and hope the team makes a jump into the high-30/low-40 win territory, just from being a year better and having a solid coach. Then see what becomes of the negotiations between the NBA and the players' association, and proceed accordingly. Whoever gets saddled with five year, $60 million contracts for David Lee and Rudy Gay is going to be screwed when the next incarnation of the CBA comes to fruition.

 

[Larry David]

I would probably take Joe Johnson out of the equation, and if you wanna make offers for Bosh, LeBron, Wade and Amare and see what happens, fine. But they aren't signing in Sacramento straight-up, and we don't have the pieces to work a sign and trade, so we aren't getting them, I don't think. And Gay, Lee, etc., I wouldn't go after, simply because they'll eat into our cap space and into the Maloofs' wallet, without making us a considerably better team. Certainly wouldn't make us a title contender the way you'd expect the others to.

So you fill out the roster with whoever is available late in the summer, and you go to work with your draft picks and your second year stud, and hope the team makes a jump into the high-30/low-40 win territory, just from being a year better and having a solid coach. Then see what becomes of the negotiations between the NBA and the players' association, and proceed accordingly. Whoever gets saddled with five year, $60 million contracts for David Lee and Rudy Gay is going to be screwed when the next incarnation of the CBA comes to fruition.

Agree 100%. No matter how many games they win next season, that's still the right move ... unless something really odd pops up.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

If the Kings don’t want to look cheap – the proper move is to buy one or two first round picks in late teens or mid twenties. With the 2010 free agency bonanza, there will be even more sellers than usual looking for an extra million in cap space. At the cost of 3 million dollars, you get a cheap player, improve the team, and don’t hurt the cap. You can tell the fans with a straight face – “Look we’ll spend. We offered Bosh a max deal and he said no. There was good value in the draft, so we spent money. But we aren’t going to be foolish with our cap space.” We should all start pushing the idea of buying at least one pick wherever you can … the team needs to do it both basketball reasons and the fans.

If there was ever a year to buy extra first-round picks, this is probably it. Right now, the draft is shaping up to get flooded by players trying to cash in a first-round chip before the CBA changes/possible lockout. There may be some pretty good talent available in the 20s, so I'm on board with this idea.

 

[bajaden]

We agree.

But let me make these two points. While you want to keep them happy, you cannot destroy the long term future of your franchise for 6 weeks of summer press. Ask a Pistons fan how – spending all the cap space you’ll have for 5 years, recklessly, simply because you have it – is working out from them. Fans will be upset if we sit most of this summer out. They will also be upset if the teams stinks for a long time due to bad short sighted moves designed to make the fans happy. See, Raptors. Fans make bad GMs. See fan reaction to taking Peja over John Wallace.

If the Kings don’t want to look cheap – the proper move is to buy one or two first round picks in late teens or mid twenties. With the 2010 free agency bonanza, there will be even more sellers than usual looking for an extra million in cap space. At the cost of 3 million dollars, you get a cheap player, improve the team, and don’t hurt the cap. You can tell the fans with a straight face – “Look we’ll spend. We offered Bosh a max deal and he said no. There was good value in the draft, so we spent money. But we aren’t going to be foolish with our cap space.” We should all start pushing the idea of buying at least one pick wherever you can … the team needs to do it both basketball reasons and the fans.

As for Noc. I’d like to see him gone, but not at the price it will take. He’s the new KT. He’s on the books for 6.85 million next year and he’s not expiring. With his level of play and most teams looking to dump players for tax reasons, you are going to have to give up players or picks to sweeten the deal. Thanks no. Just sit him.

Like last year, there will be many teams offering good players making 5-7 million essentially for free to teams willing to take on the salary. Other teams will have much better players offered than Noc at that price. He was already available at that price most of this year and no takers.

If I had to guess, Noc is a King all of next year, no season the year after that, and then nobody take Noc’s option two summers from now.

Once again were in agreement. Unfortunately your probably right about Noc. It would be nice to move him, but I can't think of any way to make it happen. I'm totally on board with aquiring a second first round pick. Hell, I take another second round pick while I'm at it. There are going to be some players picked in the second round that will end up being better than some in the first round.
Another senario would be to trade for someone like Dalembert and just absorb his salary. He makes around 12 mil a year and were going to be around 16 mil under the cap. The 76's shed salary and we do a rental for one year since his contract expires at the end of next season. I wouldn't consider anyone beyond one year though unless its a no brainer.

 

[kpm308]

We will have to find a 3rd point guard somewhere, and there really isn't much to choose from in the draft aside from some second rounders. I think whoever we pick up to fill that spot should be more of a quick defensive type than an actual point guard, as between Beno, Tyreke, and a little bit of Garcia we should be able to get into our offenses but we have had trouble all year with the super quick guys like Earl Boykins, JJ Barea, Iverson early on, and a few others who are just too quick for either Tyreke or Beno to keep up with. I think the perfect fit for our third point would be a guy who could come in as a defensive stopper type when we run into these quick guys. CJ Watson is the first player that comes to mind here, he has been the Warriors best defender for 2 years now, but with Curry and Ellis and a resigned Morrow, they probably wouldn't put up much of a fight if we went after him in free agency, as a bonus he can hit the 3 and make plays for himself, his game is similar to Bobby Jackson in his day. If AJ Abrams falls into the second round he would be a good choice as well. If the Jazz would let Ronnie Price go he seems to have grown into the type that would fit our backcourt well also.

I know that a third point guard isn't earth shattering or anything, but with the position the team is in this would be an ideal time to try and bring in a guy to compliment a Reke, Beno, Garcia backcourt.

 

[xrzn]

The goal should always be to win a championship no matter what situation the team is in.

 

[LPKingsFan]

5. I’d like a vet role player that’s good at setting up his teammates, but he doesn’t need to play the whole game – Doug ish 2-3

Agree with most of what you wrote, but I think we may already have that guy/s. He's been in and out with injuries all season, but I can really see Cisco playing that role for the Kings. Plus, Donte has shown flashes of fitting in really well, too. I really think that among Tyreke, Beno, Cisco, Donte, and Omri, we have the 1-3 spots filled well--at least among guys who are going to play most of the time. Maybe another PG that can shoot would be nice for emergencies.

The big questions remain at big men. Who is avalable when we draft? Who is available to trade for in a salary dump? How do we combine them with the 3 rotation big men we already have? Are Hawes and Landry both in the team's plan after next season, and, if so, how do you overcome their combined deficiency in rebounding? So many questions, and the answers are all dependent on one another.

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

SAR isnt working. we need to hire a REAL big man coach.

He's a pretty good ball boy for GP during pre-draft workouts I hear.

 

[FakeInjury]

Every year Petrie picks up a veteran who has fallen out of favor with 29 NBA teams. I am thinking we get Joe Alexander on a 2 year tender. Draft a big or someone who plays big(P.P.). Use the second round to get a PG, Especially Bledsoe if he falls far enough, or the Pg from Kansas. Trade Noc on draft day for more picks. My moves if i could choose.