If the Draft Were Today...

#62
Buddy got that contract because of his 3pt shooting ability. He went on to win the 3pt shooting contest in the ASG this year. He has not lost value because of that contract. He posseses a basically historically elite skill and that is what he was paid for. Expecting his skillset to change simply because he was paid more money is not a realistic reason to sour on the contract.

Take a look at the past poll on this board when that contract was signed. Nobody complained about it back then. There was overwhelming support for it being a bargain deal.

Just because Kings fans don't like how he speaks in the media doesn't mean he has low value to other teams. He would be an absolute stud on the right playoff team.

If the argument is to trade him for salary cap reasons. That's fine. But don't just give him away for a #6 pick. Buddy was a #6 pick AND he worked out. That is way more valuable than a #6 pick in a weak draft when we don't know if the pick will survive in the NBA or not.
Many of the same people talking about trading Buddy are those that trashed Walton all season for misusing players.

If the latter is true, then why on earth would anybody want to trade a player proven to be among the very best at a skill that’s become so very important in today’s game? Makes no sense.

Can’t have it both ways either. Either Walton can’t coach and Buddy’s down season was largely caused by that factor or it’s all the player’s fault and Walton isn’t to blame. Which is it? Lol.
 
#63
I have no problem taking 3 and D in the lottery. You most likely aren’t drafting a superstar late in the lottery, and you really can’t have enough 3 and D wings.
 

dude12

Hall of Famer
#64
Here's a list of #6 picks of the past 20 years:

2019 Jarrett Culver, Texas Tech – Minnesota Timberwolves
2018 Mohamed Bamba, Texas – Orlando Magic
2017 Jonathan Isaac, Florida State – Orlando Magic
2016 Buddy Hield, Oklahoma – New Orleans Pelicans
2015 Willie Cauley-Stein, Kentucky – Sacramento Kings
2014 Marcus Smart, Oklahoma St. – Boston Celtics
2013 Nerlens Noel, Kentucky – New Orleans Pelicans
2012 Damian Lillard, Weber State – Portland Trail Blazers
2011 Jan Vesely, Czech Republic – Washington Wizards
2010 Ekpe Udoh, Baylor – Golden State Warriors
2009 Johnny Flynn, Syracuse – Minnesota Timberwolves
2008 Danilo Gallinari, Italy – New York Knicks
2007 Yi Jianlian, China – Milwaukee Bucks
2006 Brandon Roy, Washington – Minnesota Timberwolves
2005 Martell Webster, Seattle Prep HS – Portland Trail Blazers
2004 Josh Childress, Stanford – Atlanta Hawks
2003 Chris Kaman, Central Michigan – L.A. Clippers
2002 Dajuan Wagner, Memphis – Cleveland Cavaliers
2001 Shane Battier, Duke – Memphis Grizzlies
2000 DerMarr Johnson, Cincinnati – Atlanta Hawks

I'm gonna ignore pre-2005 and cos I didn't know those players well enough aside from Kaman and Battier, as well as Bamba/Culver since it's too early to tell.

Clearly better than Buddy:
Lillard
Brandon Roy

Maybe better than Buddy (when it's all said and done)
Jonathan Isaac
Marcus Smart
Gallinari

Definitely worse than Buddy/Pretty much bust
Noel
WCS
Vesely
Udoh
Yi Jianlian
Flynn

Obviously there are picks after #6 that are better than Buddy, but point being that having that pick is no guarantee of getting a player anywhere near Buddy's caliber. And let's please not pin our hopes on suddenly being the franchise that finds diamonds in the rough. As for the salary difference - who are we spending it on? Bogdan Bogdanovic? George Hill? John Salmons? C'mon guys let's be real here. You pray you find talent and you pay to keep them. Y'all mad at Buddy's comments that no star free agents are signing in Sac but it's the truth. I know you like to play armchair GM and you put a lot of thought into your 10-way trades but that just doesn't happen in reality.
Notice this gets ignored.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#66
I despise buddy but you don’t trade him for any pick in this draft it’s too weak.

On the draft it’s simple for me draft the best shooting/defending guy that’s between 6’7-6’9. We desperately need wings that can shoot/defend so we could move Barnes to PF and play modern basketball
I agree! You have to get more value for Buddy than a 1st rd pick in this draft. As to who you would want where were picking, not many players would fit your description. The main two that leap to mind, other than Vassell who is likely to be gone by our pick, are Saddiq Bey, and Patrick Williams. Both players are good defensive players but Bey gets the nod on his jumpshot hitting 45.1% of his three's. Williams is more of a freak athlete than Bey, and although he only shot around 32% from the three, his form looks pretty good, and he's an above 80% free throw shooter.

I think Bey is more ready to step in and play right now, but Williams may have the most long term potential. Plus, both are likely to be there when we pick. I'm still enticed by Kira Lewis. Must be something I ate.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#67
Many of the same people talking about trading Buddy are those that trashed Walton all season for misusing players.

If the latter is true, then why on earth would anybody want to trade a player proven to be among the very best at a skill that’s become so very important in today’s game? Makes no sense.

Can’t have it both ways either. Either Walton can’t coach and Buddy’s down season was largely caused by that factor or it’s all the player’s fault and Walton isn’t to blame. Which is it? Lol.
I think it's a little more complicated than that. Buddy appears to be unhappy with coming off the bench, which could be a problem. Can we afford to have two shooting guards on the team making big money, and if not, who do you want to keep? How do you keep Buddy on the floor in the last few moments of a crucial close game when he tends to make defensive mistakes, and turn the ball over at important moments of the game. Something you could live with if the player was a role player making 10 mil a year, but perhaps not when that player is making 26 mil a year.

The Kings over payed for Buddy, and then realized that they needed to get more out of him for that price. Problem is, Buddy isn't a good ball handler, he isn't a good defender, he isn't a good passer. He doesn't get to the free throw line with regularity, something great players do when their shot isn't falling. Fact is, I'd be happy with Buddy for 15 mil a year, maybe 17 mil a year, but not for 26 mil a year.
 
#68
Notice this gets ignored.
Is that the most logical argument though?

If we are going back and looking at past drafts with the 6th pick in our hand, that means we can pick anyone in those drafts other than the top 5. So that doesn't mean we can only look at the 6th pick in the past drafts and compare them to Buddy. You have free range to basically pick any guy in the vicinity of the 6th pick, as long as they aren't in the top 5. Because each GM is going to value players differently.

The odds that they are going to be better than Buddy are probably less than 50%. Is it a gamble? Absolutely. I'm not saying Buddy for the 6th pick in the draft is the best solution but the Kings have to gamble or they're just going to spin their wheels.

My question for you guys that are against big changes is how do you expect the team to improve? Are you going to put your money on Fox, Hield, Bogdan, Barnes and Bagley getting this team into the playoffs? Me personally, I don't see it. I think it's a waste of time at this point. Patching this current core with scrap heap veterans and the 12th pick is like a decade long version of deja vu for me.

Trading solid players for draft picks can certainly lead to the Kings being in a worse spot than they are now but the one positive that comes out of that is you get a higher pick in the draft which means you have higher odds of landing a star. But nothing is worse for the team than finishing 10th every year because you don't win, it's not very fun to watch and you don't get a good draft pick. Running in place like the team has always done.
 

dude12

Hall of Famer
#69
Is that the most logical argument though?

If we are going back and looking at past drafts with the 6th pick in our hand, that means we can pick anyone in those drafts other than the top 5. So that doesn't mean we can only look at the 6th pick in the past drafts and compare them to Buddy. You have free range to basically pick any guy in the vicinity of the 6th pick, as long as they aren't in the top 5. Because each GM is going to value players differently.

The odds that they are going to be better than Buddy are probably less than 50%. Is it a gamble? Absolutely. I'm not saying Buddy for the 6th pick in the draft is the best solution but the Kings have to gamble or they're just going to spin their wheels.

My question for you guys that are against big changes is how do you expect the team to improve? Are you going to put your money on Fox, Hield, Bogdan, Barnes and Bagley getting this team into the playoffs? Me personally, I don't see it. I think it's a waste of time at this point. Patching this current core with scrap heap veterans and the 12th pick is like a decade long version of deja vu for me.

Trading solid players for draft picks can certainly lead to the Kings being in a worse spot than they are now but the one positive that comes out of that is you get a higher pick in the draft which means you have higher odds of landing a star. But nothing is worse for the team than finishing 10th every year because you don't win, it's not very fun to watch and you don't get a good draft pick. Running in place like the team has always done.
Back to the basic question is the pick at 6 for Buddy a good deal? No. Would the Kings be getting fair value back In this deal? No.

Another idea might be trading Hield for fair value for a player that plays SF and allows us to move Barnes to PF. Bagley comes back healthy. Not having Bagley is kind of a big thing. How do we get better? Hire a GM that can identify talent where we pick and in the second round and undrafted rookie free agents.



Im also of the opinion that Walton has mismanaged the roster. I think he’s really bad. Hire a GM and coach who have a clear system in place. I’m watching Miami. They sure seem to have found a way. That is how I would like to see the Kings become
 
#70
Back to the basic question is the pick at 6 for Buddy a good deal? No. Would the Kings be getting fair value back In this deal? No.

Another idea might be trading Hield for fair value for a player that plays SF and allows us to move Barnes to PF. Bagley comes back healthy. Not having Bagley is kind of a big thing. How do we get better? Hire a GM that can identify talent where we pick and in the second round and undrafted rookie free agents.



Im also of the opinion that Walton has mismanaged the roster. I think he’s really bad. Hire a GM and coach who have a clear system in place. I’m watching Miami. They sure seem to have found a way. That is how I would like to see the Kings become
You're saying that as if it's an absolute. We have no clue. A Bradley Beal level player could be selected at 6. We have no way of knowing right now. Odds aren't great. We know that.

We differ on the Bagley thing because the stats show that players will his skill set have a very minimal impact on the game. Throw in his defense and I think the Kings would be better off with a standard defensive C than Bagley at the C with his offensive potential. Either way, best case scenario you're looking at Fox, Bogie, SF equal to Hield, Barnes and Bagley with the bench consisting of the usual rotation of average to below average veterans and young guys. Personally, I don't see it working.

I wouldn't hold your breath on second rounders turning out to be any good. Now those are some low odds right there. I agree that Walton mismanaged the roster and I think he's yet another waste of our time. Even if we had Joerger, the problem is that a few teams have potentially gotten better than us, while we have held course talent wise.

Miami has drafted some players that I really like but they are another product of the Jimmy Butler effect. They are 6-9 without him this year.
 
#71
I agree! You have to get more value for Buddy than a 1st rd pick in this draft. As to who you would want where were picking, not many players would fit your description. The main two that leap to mind, other than Vassell who is likely to be gone by our pick, are Saddiq Bey, and Patrick Williams. Both players are good defensive players but Bey gets the nod on his jumpshot hitting 45.1% of his three's. Williams is more of a freak athlete than Bey, and although he only shot around 32% from the three, his form looks pretty good, and he's an above 80% free throw shooter.

I think Bey is more ready to step in and play right now, but Williams may have the most long term potential. Plus, both are likely to be there when we pick. I'm still enticed by Kira Lewis. Must be something I ate.
See that’s the problem with building around Fox/Bagley we literally can’t draft another non shooting player to start.

I’m catching up on prospects right now the big wings that defend don’t look to be there where we pick.

I guy I’m liking a lot right now is Aaron Nesmith. Good size 6’6 - 6’10 wingspan and is a deadeye shooter being described as the best shooter in the draft. At his size he can play SG/SF and small ball PF potentially also he’s not a bad defender some teams would go out of there way to target him. He’s also a smart player who consistently moves which is great that’s Steph/Klay like and he has a very good basketball IQ which we need. Weakness, he can’t create for himself or others and he’s not explosive.

https://www.thestepien.com/2020/01/31/aaron-nesmith-scouting-report/

 
#72
Back to the basic question is the pick at 6 for Buddy a good deal? No. Would the Kings be getting fair value back In this deal? No.

Another idea might be trading Hield for fair value for a player that plays SF and allows us to move Barnes to PF. Bagley comes back healthy. Not having Bagley is kind of a big thing. How do we get better? Hire a GM that can identify talent where we pick and in the second round and undrafted rookie free agents.



Im also of the opinion that Walton has mismanaged the roster. I think he’s really bad. Hire a GM and coach who have a clear system in place. I’m watching Miami. They sure seem to have found a way. That is how I would like to see the Kings become
It’s gonna Harding than we think to trade Buddy most teams view him as a 6th man which he hates and his contract is bad. I’d say trade him for Spencer Dinwiddie but the salaries are too far off to match. The only team we match up with is Philadelphia, but what can we possibly want from them. The best scenario would be buddy, 12, and Holmes for Myles Turner, Jermey Lamb, and Pacers 1st
 
#73
As another poster said, Buddy can’t pass, handle the ball, or defend. Then we still have a coach in place that doesn’t work well with him. Then the point made, how far can we go with this current squad and a twelfth pick, maybe far enough to keep us a low lottery pick.
Trading Buddy for the 12th is a gamble in what some call a weak draft, while I see some interesting players, good fits, likely available at 6.
If we don’t trade him for a higher pick and considerations other trade options for a young established player could be explored, but I’m curious how high Vivek is on Buddy now, and if our new GM will be ready to make such moves straight out of the gate.
 
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#74
This is exactly the line of thinking that cost us Doncic.

There are lots of successful teams with multiple ball handlers. Fox isn't Chris Paul and can't just orchestrate the offense on his own for 36 minutes a night. For reference, Chris Paul averaged more assists sharing the ball with Harden than Fox does running the Kings offense.

Adding a player next to Fox that can average over 5 assists a game would help the team immensely. They might not be as good as the Lowry/VanVleet pairing because of Fox's shooting but there's no reason Fox can't get back to 35% or more beyond the arc if he has someone getting him open looks instead of constantly having to pull up off the dribble.
Doncic was still a legit F. He can run point but he's still a wing in the end. We're talking apples and oranges here. This is a PG through and through and one that tends to look better running the offense with the time to do it. Fox is a certain type of player who can be elite with space, but there are areas where you will stretch his versatility. For better or worse. Maybe Fox can transition to be more of a SG but is that best for the franchise and his game?
 
#75
The Kings over payed for Buddy, and then realized that they needed to get more out of him for that price. Problem is, Buddy isn't a good ball handler, he isn't a good defender, he isn't a good passer. He doesn't get to the free throw line with regularity, something great players do when their shot isn't falling. Fact is, I'd be happy with Buddy for 15 mil a year, maybe 17 mil a year, but not for 26 mil a year.
The Kings weren't surprised about who Buddy was after they signed him to an extension. The issue is the Kings changed coaches and signed Corey Joseph who can't run this offense. With Fox getting hurt and Corey not being worth HIS contract, the team put the playmaking responsibilities on Buddy. Now it looks like Buddy is faltering, when in reality the GM mismanaged the roster.
 
#76
The Kings weren't surprised about who Buddy was after they signed him to an extension. The issue is the Kings changed coaches and signed Corey Joseph who can't run this offense. With Fox getting hurt and Corey not being worth HIS contract, the team put the playmaking responsibilities on Buddy. Now it looks like Buddy is faltering, when in reality the GM mismanaged the roster.
Not to mention they subsequently replaced Buddy with Joseph at SG for a bit in the most critical stretch of games this franchise has seen in nearly 15 years.
 

dude12

Hall of Famer
#77
You're saying that as if it's an absolute. We have no clue. A Bradley Beal level player could be selected at 6. We have no way of knowing right now. Odds aren't great. We know that.

We differ on the Bagley thing because the stats show that players will his skill set have a very minimal impact on the game. Throw in his defense and I think the Kings would be better off with a standard defensive C than Bagley at the C with his offensive potential. Either way, best case scenario you're looking at Fox, Bogie, SF equal to Hield, Barnes and Bagley with the bench consisting of the usual rotation of average to below average veterans and young guys. Personally, I don't see it working.

I wouldn't hold your breath on second rounders turning out to be any good. Now those are some low odds right there. I agree that Walton mismanaged the roster and I think he's yet another waste of our time. Even if we had Joerger, the problem is that a few teams have potentially gotten better than us, while we have held course talent wise.

Miami has drafted some players that I really like but they are another product of the Jimmy Butler effect. They are 6-9 without him this year.
Back to the original question, Hield is worth more than just the 6th. Just my opinion. As far as Miami, I think they have a system that works on all fronts. From the front office, to the coach, to the talent that fits their system. Get the front office and the coach on the same wave length, add players that fit.

Id love to see that.
 
#80
Doncic was still a legit F. He can run point but he's still a wing in the end. We're talking apples and oranges here. This is a PG through and through and one that tends to look better running the offense with the time to do it. Fox is a certain type of player who can be elite with space, but there are areas where you will stretch his versatility. For better or worse. Maybe Fox can transition to be more of a SG but is that best for the franchise and his game?
I don't know what the best choice is but I know standing pat while attempting to acquire more supporting players probably isn't going to cut it.

Something semi drastic has to change in order to get the team into the playoffs.
 
#81
1. I really think this board is overrating Buddy's current value with the new contract.
2. I'm in the if the Kings can get #6 for him, do so and run category.
3. Pretty certain if Haliburton was available at 6 and if the price was Buddy, Baja would drive Buddy to the airport. Haliburton, to me, has the potential to be Doug Christie 2.0.
 
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#82
If I were the Kings GM, my preference in order would be:

1. Patrick Williams - His defense looks really good. His offense will take some time, but he seems to be the smoothest athlete in this group. I think he has the highest ceiling of the 3, but the lowest floor. If I were looking to try and hit a home run on this pick, for a potential star 2-way player, I think I would take Williams. It will probably take 2-3 years for him to hit his potential.

2. Aaron Nesmith - Reminds me of a scorer in the Glen Rice mold, with a chance to be a better defender. He will be a scorer in the league and will have a role either as a future starter or 6th man scorer type. Nesmith is a safer choice here.

3. Saddiq Bey - He has an NBA body and scoring ability from day one. Problem is his athleticism doesn't seem to be very good. His body and athleticism looks more PF than SF to me. He seems like he may be more a stretch 4, unless he can keep his weight in check. He will be a solid scoring forward in the league. He seems to have that bull dog scorer mentality, ala Donovan Mitchel. He's a safe pick here.
 
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#83
Is that the most logical argument though?

If we are going back and looking at past drafts with the 6th pick in our hand, that means we can pick anyone in those drafts other than the top 5. So that doesn't mean we can only look at the 6th pick in the past drafts and compare them to Buddy. You have free range to basically pick any guy in the vicinity of the 6th pick, as long as they aren't in the top 5. Because each GM is going to value players differently.

The odds that they are going to be better than Buddy are probably less than 50%. Is it a gamble? Absolutely. I'm not saying Buddy for the 6th pick in the draft is the best solution but the Kings have to gamble or they're just going to spin their wheels.

My question for you guys that are against big changes is how do you expect the team to improve? Are you going to put your money on Fox, Hield, Bogdan, Barnes and Bagley getting this team into the playoffs? Me personally, I don't see it. I think it's a waste of time at this point. Patching this current core with scrap heap veterans and the 12th pick is like a decade long version of deja vu for me.

Trading solid players for draft picks can certainly lead to the Kings being in a worse spot than they are now but the one positive that comes out of that is you get a higher pick in the draft which means you have higher odds of landing a star. But nothing is worse for the team than finishing 10th every year because you don't win, it's not very fun to watch and you don't get a good draft pick. Running in place like the team has always done.
I'm sure there's a more in-depth computation and analysis out there, but I think you can follow the simple argument. Looking at just the #6 pick gives you a reasonable sense of the expected outcome. Sure, we could have picked Devin Booker or Turner over WCS at #6; but we did not. Expanding it past the 6th makes it really complicated, because first of all you could also be picking Mudiay and Kaminski and Stanley Johnson, but by extension you could also pick Hezonja since you have to assume that the "top 5" could also be picking Booker.
It's possible the odds look even worse if you start expanding the selection.

What I'm trying to say is - if the assumption is that we are going to make the optimal pick, then that assumption has to carry to teams picking before us too. And if it's not an assumption, then it's a huge gamble like you said, a gamble where the odds are not close to 50% (a fact which a certain poster keeps masking).

To your question of how to not spin our wheels, I would see what a coach that plays to the strengths of Fox/Bagley/Hield can do. That is also largely predicated on Bagley being healthy. Fact is, we haven't had that, and I don't feel a need to break up this core just yet, especially selling low in a weak draft. You need to get a good sense of that and you need to establish whether the problem is just Buddy or is it also Fox and Bagley. Only then can you truly decide whether you need to blow it up, or just make tweaks to build around Fox or Bagley etc.
 
#85
If I were the Kings GM, my preference in order would be:

1. Patrick Williams - His defense looks really good. His offense will take some time, but he seems to be the smoothest athlete in this group. I think he has the highest ceiling of the 3, but the lowest floor. If I were looking to try and hit a home run on this pick, for a potential star 2-way player, I think I would take Williams.

2. Aaron Nesmith - Reminds me of a scorer in the Glen Rice mold, with a chance to be a better defender. He will be a scorer in the league and will have a role either as a future starter or 6th man scorer type. Nesmith is a safer choice here.

3. Saddiq Bey - He has an NBA body and scoring ability from day one. Problem is his athleticism doesn't seem to be very good. His body and hops looks more PF than SF to me. He seems like he may be more a stretch 4 when he gets to the NBA. I would prefer Williams or Nesmith, whomever is left after the Spurs pick.
#1. I can be swayed for and against him. A very raw Jimmy Butler type. A 99.99% Derrick Williams outcome. The #2 pick, UofA Williams.
#2. Rice is a good comp. Agree. High floor, low ceiling.
#3. SF version of Buddy Hield. With more defense, per Baja.
 
#86
I can confidently say Lillard, Roy, Smart, & Isaac are all better than Hield. Gallinari may be on a similar level, Bamba & Culver are too early to tell yet so I'd leave them out. So that gives you 4-5 players who are better so we'll say 4.5. That's out of 12 drafts (shouldn't be counting Hield's draft since he's the comparison and shouldn't be counting Bamba/Culver's drafts since it's too early to tell). So that's 37.5% of drafting a better player & a 17% chance of drafting an All-NBA player. You need to keep in mind that some of these "better players" are not only better, but much better. That should be considered in the decision.
Well first of all, you can be as confident as you'd like - doesn't make it fact. Care to back up why Smart and Isaac are definitively better than Hield? With the respective # of seasons in the league, please. Don't act like Buddy Hield as maxed out as a player.

So it comes back to what is our vision? Are we still trying to win now or are we hitting reset? Trying to win seems like futile attempt as we simply don't have the potential talent to ever really be a true contender in the future, so I do think the vision should be a rebuild while holding on to our 21 & 22 year old PG & PF/C.
Like I said, I see where you're coming from if the timeline is 4-6 years down the road rather than 2-3. Though if that's the case I don't think it's a given we should hold on to Fox and Bagley. Fox though a lot younger is only going to be signed for a year longer than Hield before becoming a UFA. Your timeline to be good isn't that different.


However, in a vacuum, the 6th pick is more valuable than Buddy Hield on a $22 mil/ year contract.

#6 has the potential to be better than Hield (and worse)
#6 makes $15.4 mil/year less than Hield (allowing us to use that cap space in other ways to add value)
#6 will come with RFA control while Hield's contract doesn't offer that
This is where we just can't see eye to eye. You keep saying "potential to be better (and worse)", as if the odds are 50%. They're not. I'm not even sure why I need to keep explaining this. The odds matter. The #1 pick also has the potential to better and worse. The #30 pick also has potential to be better and worse. Odds matter. You say to keep in mind that some of these better players are much better, but you don't seem to be considering that the odds are even more likely they could be absolute busts as well.

I don't deny that it gives us flexibility, but the question time and time again is flexibility for what? This comes back to my point about the scenarios you come up with. They're great. They work in theory. But they don't happen.

You're confusing style of play with responsibilities on the floor. Telling Luka to go sit in the corner isn't a "style of play".
The same paragraph included an example about being a defensive grit-and-grind team. Can you just learn to pick up on broad ideas that people are making (you know like they do in every day conversation) and not treat every forum post like a doctoral thesis where you need to rebut every line? Even then, whether or not this counts as "style of play" the point stands. Coaches dictate responsibilities on the floor, which dictates value you get from your player, and we don't have a long-term coach in place.

I'm fully aware of everything you have brought up. I would say the same to you though that you need to be aware of all the considerations I have brought up.
Ultimately, you and I disagree because you place a lot of positive assumptions and probability on all the outcomes you are hoping for. But you're not admitting that, and instead masking the odds and presenting outcomes as if they were a lot more certain than they are. If that were not true, you would not be so confident and ready to say that trading Buddy for #6 in a weak draft is so so so much clearly better than keeping him. Other posters have said that it's a gamble, that it's worth trying because we would be spinning wheels otherwise. I may not agree with them, but I respect the fact that they recognize it's a gamble. You are not saying it's a gamble, you are saying it's an obvious win and we would be laughed at for such a proposal.

With that, I'm going to bow out of this one.
 
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#87
Right now. Isaiah Stewart, Oturu, or Precious. Stewart being the player I think could fit next to Bagley long term if he develops that jump shot. Bagley will hit players with quickness and Stewart will simply physical envelop them. Both can run pnr with Fox and in time should work as a reversible inside/out combo.
Bagley hasn’t shown enough that we should be using him as “Fit”. We should take BPA which is likely a wing at 12.
 
#88
I agree! You have to get more value for Buddy than a 1st rd pick in this draft. As to who you would want where were picking, not many players would fit your description. The main two that leap to mind, other than Vassell who is likely to be gone by our pick, are Saddiq Bey, and Patrick Williams. Both players are good defensive players but Bey gets the nod on his jumpshot hitting 45.1% of his three's. Williams is more of a freak athlete than Bey, and although he only shot around 32% from the three, his form looks pretty good, and he's an above 80% free throw shooter.

I think Bey is more ready to step in and play right now, but Williams may have the most long term potential. Plus, both are likely to be there when we pick. I'm still enticed by Kira Lewis. Must be something I ate.
If we were in win now mode I would take Bey. We aren’t in win now mode and have a minimal chance to make the play-offs in the west. At this point we should pick the player with the highest upside and work to develop them.

I’m not convinced SA doesn’t take Williams.
 
#89
The problem is Hield is turning 28. He is not part of the core. This team as currently constructed could be the worst in the West.
Keeping Hield only makes sense if this team is close to being a contender. They’re not even a playoff team.
^ if the Kings were in position for the playoffs keep Buddy. they aren’t. Better to move him for a younger player. In retrospect the Cousins trade was horrible. Thank god Vlade is gone.
 
#90
Well first of all, you can be as confident as you'd like - doesn't make it fact. Care to back up why Smart and Isaac are definitively better than Hield? With the respective # of seasons in the league, please. Don't act like Buddy Hield as maxed out as a player.
I mean it's pretty apparent when watching them play. However, there's a lot of impact stats that we can reference:

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Like I said, I see where you're coming from if the timeline is 4-6 years down the road rather than 2-3. Though if that's the case I don't think it's a given we should hold on to Fox and Bagley. Fox though a lot younger is only going to be signed for a year longer than Hield before becoming a UFA. Your timeline to be good isn't that different.
Fox would have two more years on a 5 year extension. Fox would be 26 at the end of Hield's contract (and just entering his prime), and Hield would be 31 at the end of his contract.

This is where we just can't see eye to eye. You keep saying "potential to be better (and worse)", as if the odds are 50%. They're not. I'm not even sure why I need to keep explaining this. The odds matter. The #1 pick also has the potential to better and worse. The #30 pick also has potential to be better and worse. Odds matter. You say to keep in mind that some of these better players are much better, but you don't seem to be considering that the odds are even more likely they could be absolute busts as well.
Who said the odds don't matter? I said the pick has the potential to be a better player than Hield and it has the potential to be a worse player. That doesn't mean it's a coin flip. That's just you putting words in my mouth.

I think you're putting a lot of weight in that less than 50% of the picks are better than Hield. The potential to draft a star with that pick is something that should be heavily considered in these types of trades. This league is a stars league. You're going nowhere fast if you don't have star talent. Is Buddy Hield a star? No, not at all. Does the 6th pick give you a chance at finding a star player? Yes, it does. Lillard and Roy made All NBA teams, Isaac is already a very impactful player and has the potential to be a star (he'll at least make some All-Defensive teams), Bamba has All-Defensive team potential, & Smart has been on the All-Defensive team.

I don't deny that it gives us flexibility, but the question time and time again is flexibility for what? This comes back to my point about the scenarios you come up with. They're great. They work in theory. But they don't happen.
I've answered this question already. The extra cap space can be used to take on bad contracts for young assets/picks.

The same paragraph included an example about being a defensive grit-and-grind team. Can you just learn to pick up on broad ideas that people are making (you know like they do in every day conversation) and not treat every forum post like a doctoral thesis where you need to rebut every line? Even then, whether or not this counts as "style of play" the point stands. Coaches dictate responsibilities on the floor, which dictates value you get from your player, and we don't have a long-term coach in place.
Do you see a problem with drafting based on fitting a style of play? Is a team passing on Dirk Nowitzki a good idea because they want to play a "grit & grind" style? Of course not. You draft the best available talent, and let trades & a coach figure out how to mesh that talent together to build a team.

As a reminder, you brought this argument up because you basically said we shouldn't trade Buddy for the 6th pick because the new GM won't know what play style he wants. And I'm saying drafting with a certain play style in mind is just another term for drafting for fit, and drafting for fit usually results in you passing on the better talent.

Ultimately, you and I disagree because you place a lot of positive assumptions and probability on all the outcomes you are hoping for. But you're not admitting that, and instead masking the odds and presenting outcomes as if they were a lot more certain than they are. If that were not true, you would not be so confident and ready to say that trading Buddy for #6 in a weak draft is so so so much clearly better than keeping him. Other posters have said that it's a gamble, that it's worth trying because we would be spinning wheels otherwise. I may not agree with them, but I respect the fact that they recognize it's a gamble. You are not saying it's a gamble, you are saying it's an obvious win and we would be laughed at for such a proposal.
It's obviously a gamble. Never said it wasn't, but the gamble is well worth the price (and then some).
 
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