I like Nene and any other offseason where the Kings had cash I'd want them to go hard after him. But Dalembert (who is less than a year older) is more durable, a better shotblocker, a more consistent rebounder and most importantly the Kings won't be fighting Denver in a bidding war for Sammy like they would with Nene.
The Kings have Dalembert's Bird rights, so no other team can exceed the cap to sign him meaning the only teams they have to compete with are ones with big salary cap room. And those teams are ones like the Wizards, Raptors, T-Wolves etc. Again, unless Sammy doesn't want to return to Sacramento I see no roadblocks to the Kings resigning him.
The Kings have Dalembert's Bird rights, so no other team can exceed the cap to sign him meaning the only teams they have to compete with are ones with big salary cap room. And those teams are ones like the Wizards, Raptors, T-Wolves etc. Again, unless Sammy doesn't want to return to Sacramento I see no roadblocks to the Kings resigning him.
Nene is a good center, can't argue against picking him up. But, for the money, we should go after a player that is a 1st option. Tyreke an dCousins have PROVEN to me, that they would be outstanding 2nd option players(today). Free agency this year isn't very thick with talent, aside from notables like Thaddeus Young, Shannon Brown, JR Smith, Stucky(RFA), YAO, TJ FORD, Marc Gasolm and so on...but aside from Yao who is probably done, there isn't a 1st option among them like last year. They are good players, but none have championship written on their foreheads. Yes it may be too early to think Championship. I want more picks, and let Petrie do his freeagent thing, because its what hes good at. and let the maloofs draft, its what they are good at.
I'm going to disagree on needing a number one option. Assuming we resign Thornton, I think we then have a number 1, 2, and 3 option. As to who is number one, I don't care. let the cream rise to the top as they say. Whomever is the best clutch player is usually the winner. Here's an example. Not a perfect one, but in theory its similar. Jeff Hornacek, John Stockton, and Karl Malone. That was the big three in Utah during their glory years. Everyone else on that team, and you can take it year by year if you want to, was a role player. Brian Russell was probably the next best player on that team and he was a lifetime 12 points a game guy.
Now I'm not saying our three equals their three, but the premise is the same. You need three stars, or potential stars and then you build around those guys. And you do it with other players that won't argue with the concept. With Thornton, we have three young talentd players. All of whom could turn out to be stars in the league. Depending on your definition of a star. All you have to do is play in New York and your a star. Our three could turn out to be as good as Utah's three. Not necessarily as individuals, but as a team in the present time. If so, we're blessed. If not, we're still pretty dammed good. If, we put the right players around them.
As an aside, that Utah team should have won a championship. Maybe a couple. It had the unfortunate fate of playing in a time period that was blessed with some great teams. Over the span of time Utah had Stockton and Malone they had the misfortune of running into Houston with Olajuwon, the Bulls with Jordan, The Lakers with Magic, Detroit with Issiah Thomas, the Celtics with Bird and McHale and the Knicks with Ewing. And I could go on. Just tough luck.
Now I'm not saying our three equals their three, but the premise is the same. You need three stars, or potential stars and then you build around those guys. And you do it with other players that won't argue with the concept. With Thornton, we have three young talentd players. All of whom could turn out to be stars in the league. Depending on your definition of a star. All you have to do is play in New York and your a star. Our three could turn out to be as good as Utah's three. Not necessarily as individuals, but as a team in the present time. If so, we're blessed. If not, we're still pretty dammed good. If, we put the right players around them.
As an aside, that Utah team should have won a championship. Maybe a couple. It had the unfortunate fate of playing in a time period that was blessed with some great teams. Over the span of time Utah had Stockton and Malone they had the misfortune of running into Houston with Olajuwon, the Bulls with Jordan, The Lakers with Magic, Detroit with Issiah Thomas, the Celtics with Bird and McHale and the Knicks with Ewing. And I could go on. Just tough luck.
I would go for Nene, if only to strengthen the frontcourt. From what I hear over here, Nene wants an extension from Denver before the new CBA, which is crazy talk. I wouldn't want him if he's going to replace Dalembert. Nene would want the money and the minutes.
Isn't it nice to be in a position where we can be picky?
Isn't it nice to be in a position where we can be picky?
I like Nene, but thing is that you acquire him only basically as a replacement for JT. We NEED Daly's defense in there, and Daly and Cousins are a dominant rebounding duo (not a Nene specialty). But even as a third big you have to wonder how well Nene and Cousins do out there together on defense (Nene would have no problem playing PF), its tough finding shots for Nene, who is an offensive minded player although obviously not a shot muncher, and the biggee -- he costs us more than $10mil a year as a 3rd big. There comes a point when financially you actually need to just fill in with a good backup getting paid like a backup. Nene/Daly and Cousins could one day earn 35mil combined, cost as much as the Lakers frontcourt, except we don't have the Lakers deep pockets.
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I have floated the idea of signing Nene and Prince before but that was before we got Thornton. The idea was to roll out a 3 headed monster in Dally-Cousins-Nene and dare anyone to beat us. He would be a great upgrade on JT.
The issue however might be that signing Nene might lead to losing Dally and/or inability to extend Cousins down the track. JT is just about an ideal 3rd big off the bench as an energizer type player. I am very happy with that. I would try to get someone else in to give JT a bit more competition for the minutes as a 3rd big off the bench and someone that can play well if one of the 3 is out injured.
While I would love to roll out the Dally-Cousins-Nene-JT frontcourt, that would mean that we are going on the cheap somewhere else and we can't afford to do that. If we had owners who has no regard for spending, then we could load up everywhere but its not going to happen.
Petrie said he would like to add another front court player so I would be looking at a heady veteran who can still produce as a 3rd or 4th big off the bench. Sort of like what the Bulls got when they signed Kurt Thomas.
The issue however might be that signing Nene might lead to losing Dally and/or inability to extend Cousins down the track. JT is just about an ideal 3rd big off the bench as an energizer type player. I am very happy with that. I would try to get someone else in to give JT a bit more competition for the minutes as a 3rd big off the bench and someone that can play well if one of the 3 is out injured.
While I would love to roll out the Dally-Cousins-Nene-JT frontcourt, that would mean that we are going on the cheap somewhere else and we can't afford to do that. If we had owners who has no regard for spending, then we could load up everywhere but its not going to happen.
Petrie said he would like to add another front court player so I would be looking at a heady veteran who can still produce as a 3rd or 4th big off the bench. Sort of like what the Bulls got when they signed Kurt Thomas.
I think the Kings will likely get Prince than Battier or AK47.
Petrie has publicly showed interest in Prince before but unable to get a trade done probably because Detroit wanted more in return. Now, Prince is a free agent and Petrie got lots of cash.
Prince is a year older than AK47 but AK47 is a fragile commodity and would most likely demand more $$$. Battier is already beyond the good years and will most likely retire a Grizzly. And of this 3, only Prince has a ring. And he got that as a solid contributor even as a sophomore on that Detroit championship, so he will probably give the best from-personal-experience advise to our kids.
Another FA from Detroit that's interesting is Wilcox. This guy was drafted in between Nene and Amare. Haven't followed his career after leaving the Sonics but Detroit have him now at just 3M. And the way Detroit finished this season, I don't see him capable of demanding more $$$. He probably need a fresh start and he will be a solid 4th big on this team even if he only gets back to 50% of his talent.
Petrie has publicly showed interest in Prince before but unable to get a trade done probably because Detroit wanted more in return. Now, Prince is a free agent and Petrie got lots of cash.
Prince is a year older than AK47 but AK47 is a fragile commodity and would most likely demand more $$$. Battier is already beyond the good years and will most likely retire a Grizzly. And of this 3, only Prince has a ring. And he got that as a solid contributor even as a sophomore on that Detroit championship, so he will probably give the best from-personal-experience advise to our kids.
Another FA from Detroit that's interesting is Wilcox. This guy was drafted in between Nene and Amare. Haven't followed his career after leaving the Sonics but Detroit have him now at just 3M. And the way Detroit finished this season, I don't see him capable of demanding more $$$. He probably need a fresh start and he will be a solid 4th big on this team even if he only gets back to 50% of his talent.
I suspect that you are right regarding Prince, and I am fine with that. I think Kirilenko will probably end up with the Nets because of his close friendship with their owner. I think many of us would be happy with either Kirilenko or Prince. Many would prefer Kirilenko because he is more of a glue guy who can do a little bit of everything (score, pass, rebound, block shots, can play some PF so provides additional flexibility)
It wouldn't hurt to ask but I would not be surprised in the slightest if we do end up with Prince. He provides defense at SF and some 3pt shooting but is not a leader and doesn't bring many of the other things that AK does.
It wouldn't hurt to ask but I would not be surprised in the slightest if we do end up with Prince. He provides defense at SF and some 3pt shooting but is not a leader and doesn't bring many of the other things that AK does.
Yeah, I've wanted AK47 on the Kings for a long time now, and still am hoping Petrie can persuade him to come here...BUT, I wouldn't be disappointed with Prince, he is a freakishly crazy defender who can hit the 3 on offense...I'm not the biggest fan of Battier, but if the other 2 are gone, you have to get him, right? Let's hope he lands one of the first 2, though.