Josh Smith?

[Tetsujin]

There really isn't a suitable backup for Cousins or Gay in that proposed situation. I imagine the thinking is you get a serviceable big man once you get all the talent. (like Blatche, who is EEEEEEEk suspect as all hell.)

Eh, Evans is a serviceable enough back up big (definitely not your ideal 5) and Acy is a solid effort guy. Certainly not a fearsome bench big group but not quite like the days when our big rotation was Burnt-out Brad Miller/Mikki Moore/Sheldon Williams/a dog turd.

And with Boogie and Smith eating up the majority of the minutes anyways, you don't exactly need a world breaker at the back up spot but instead a role player who plays D, rebounds, and gets the hell out of our good players' ways. Be it Reggie, Acy, Moreland, or some yet-to-be-acquired big man, we don't really need an offensive superpower back there.

 

[ParniValjak]

I am nervous trotting out Cousins-Smith-Landry frontcourt rotation. Just not good. On the other hand Cousin-Smith-Thompson is workable. Not great but an improvment. If we pull this off, we absolutely need to get back up who can play PF and C and Landry is not it. Unless they are planning on giving SF back up minutes to Smith which is not great either.

Smith would be an upgrade on talent, but not necessarily on IQ and that deal is LONG but I do agree with others that this could be part of the move for Rondo. Get two of his close friends in Smith and Gay to the same team who also happen to have the best young C in the world and a kid who can shoot at SG and all of a sudden Sacramento becomes more attractive to Rondo!

 

[andjel]

There is Josh Smith from last 3 years, and there is Josh Smith from before that in different role.
We need that previous Josh Smith that was more focused on defense and less on offense. Lets hope that coach can influence that.

We are lacking any depth on SF behind Rudy, so talking about minute distribution at front court, part of 35 JS minutes will be there opening more time for our PF platoon to be deployed as matchup dictates.

I do not see worry about the ball movement considering that JS was throughout career willing passer, but we will have glaring lack of 3pt shooting to spread the floor.

Do not think we can do much more than Josh to show Rudy we are serious about improving team, so there is that aspect as well.

Add Rondo story into play for next summer... yummy
7-8 player rotation of Rondo, Collison, Stauskas, Rudy, JS, Cousins, JT/Landry/Evans with maybe Ben ... not too shaby... the only thing lacking again is 3pt threat and maybe another big body.

Time to wake up

 

[TyFreak Evans]

Make it happen, PDA. Make it happen.

 

[Bricklayer]

Here is the thing that just jumps with Smith as opposed to any other proposed candidate: 16.7, 15.6, 16.0. Those are his FGA over the last three seasons, and that simply cannot happen. We just dumped a little guy who helped freeze the offense and turn it into a 3 man team with 15.2FGA. There is simply no possible way you can go: 16.8 (Cousins, 15.3 (Gay in Sac), and 16.0 (Smith) across your frontline. I wouldn't hesitate to say that has never been done before. Or even attempted, and for good reason. Let alone with a shoot first PG and a rookie or struggling sophomore SG.

In order for Josh Smith to work he would have to go, perhaps kicking and screaming, back to the 15ppg roleplayer who averaged 12.3FGA, 12.3FGA and 13.5FGA between 2008-09 and 2010-11. No more delusions of All Star hood. You're in the West now son. You ain't even average. Play defense, get out on the break, and know that we acquired Reggie Evans for the sole purpose of smacking you in the crotch every single time you take a 20ft jumper.

 

[Entity]

all that said. if nothing else is taking. this could be only chance to make a real splash. just have to hope for the buy in.

 

[ParniValjak]

Here is the thing that just jumps with Smith as opposed to any other proposed candidate: 16.7, 15.6, 16.0. Those are his FGA over the last three seasons, and that simply cannot happen. We just dumped a little guy who helped freeze the offense and turn it into a 3 man team with 15.2FGA. There is simply no possible way you can go: 16.8 (Cousins, 15.3 (Gay in Sac), and 16.0 (Smith) across your frontline. I wouldn't hesitate to say that has never been done before. Or even attempted, and for good reason. Let alone with a shoot first PG and a rookie or struggling sophomore SG.

In order for Josh Smith to work he would have to go, perhaps kicking and screaming, back to the 15ppg roleplayer who averaged 12.3FGA, 12.3FGA and 13.5FGA between 2008-09 and 2010-11. No more delusions of All Star hood. You're in the West now son. You ain't even average. Play defense, get out on the break, and know that we acquired Reggie Evans for the sole purpose of smacking you in the crotch every single time you take a 20ft jumper.

I think the hope from the fromt office is precisely that. Get Smith back to his most effective and that was when he was limiting his shot and was somewhat selective about the shots he took.

The thing is, the last 3 years he was probably expected to do more on the offensive end and really, in his career he had Joe Johnson as an offensive weapon and not much else. Here, he has two players who are proven 20ppg scorers and obvious #1 and #2 options.

These guys must have a plan. Everyone was bagging them for getting Rudy Gay but they were confident they could get him back to his best and put him in positions to succeed. I suspect they have a similar plan with Smith. If he goes back to being 15ppg, 8rpg, 3apg, 2bpg player, we just might have snagged another bargain like we did with Rudy.

However, if it does not work out, we have 3 years of crap to put up with!

 

[Bricklayer]

I think the hope from the fromt office is precisely that. Get Smith back to his most effective and that was when he was limiting his shot and was somewhat selective about the shots he took.

The thing is, the last 3 years he was probably expected to do more on the offensive end and really, in his career he had Joe Johnson as an offensive weapon and not much else. Here, he has two players who are proven 20ppg scorers and obvious #1 and #2 options.

These guys must have a plan. Everyone was bagging them for getting Rudy Gay but they were confident they could get him back to his best and put him in positions to succeed. I suspect they have a similar plan with Smith. If he goes back to being 15ppg, 8rpg, 3apg, 2bpg player, we just might have snagged another bargain like we did with Rudy.

However, if it does not work out, we have 3 years of poopoo to put up with!

It really is the Rudy situation all over again.

 

[Hadlowe]

heh...not sure you are aware of Josh Smiths modern rep.

Most people outside of Sacto think we are completely nuts for doing this, and that it will mean we have absolutely no chance for ball movement at all with ball stoppers all over the lineup. They might be right.

Smith was a chucker in Detroit and at times in Atlanta. I have my worries there.

He is also an above average passer and ball handler at the 4. If he can rein in the outside shots and focus on ball movement, the starting five (assuming Stauskas) has the potential to be electric on both ends.

 

[jdbraver]

He is not the 7'2" lumbering big that some of you want but he is a quick uber athletic off the ball shot blocker...and a good finisher on the offense with a decent mid offensive game. At the least the team will move and should be fun to watch.

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

Yup. This was to be expected.

It really is a difficult decision. I mean, lets be real, it's the Kings own fault they are IN this position, but here we are.

We have no flexibility with an extremely unbalanced roster. If we go into the season without making any other major moves this offseason would have been a failure, and we'd be setting the team and city up for another season of failure.

Its a dammed if you do, dammed if you don't situation here. I don't want Josh Smith here, really, but I also can't see why and how the Kings can jump into another season without making any major moves to turn this thing around.

Smith is a gamble. All of the national writers will kill the move, and they probably should, but they don't understand the situation the Kings are in. We run the verge of losing Gay if we don't improve, having Cousins seriously lose faith in this organization and ask out, having Ben McLemore bust ...

I mean, the doomsday scenario of Cousins asking out, Gay leaving next offseason, and Ben McLemore busting leaving us with nothing to show for the last 8 or so losing seasons is all to realistic.

Again, it sucks that it's come to this. It sucks that the Kings are essentially wasting millions of dollars on the likes of Terry, Outlaw, Thompson Landry, and Williams that could be used towards productive players, but ... thats what we have.

 

[Albatros]

https://twitter.com/vgoodwill/status/489769918792220672

Here's what I do know: Kings GM wasn't too enthralled with the deal. If anything, seems like it's being pushed by coach Mike Malone

 

[miltonap]

Good, do what coach says

 

[Hoovtrain]

Who exactly is in charge?

 

[jdbraver]

I don't get why people are hung up w/ who is in charge. All we know are rumors about owner wanting this, gm wanting that, coach wanting that. The only people that know haven't spoken so im not gonna fret about this as an issue just cuz the media report it.

 

[dude12]

Sounds like the deal could have been done a long time ago but Detroit is wanting us to take some of their crap in Datome, T Mitchell and/or Bynum. The first 2 guys are young and probably not going to ever make it, Bynum just sucks. This is where they need the 3rd team to help out. We should not take on any players in addition to Smith. The Detroit roster is already at 15 guys.

 

[Tetsujin]

I don't get why people are hung up w/ who is in charge. All we know are rumors about owner wanting this, gm wanting that, coach wanting that. The only people that know haven't spoken so im not gonna fret about this as an issue just cuz the media report it.

Let alone a Detroit beatwriter.

If I were a Detroit fan and Jason Jones posted something about SVG grappling with other people in the franchise, I certainly wouldn't take it as gospel. Don't see why we should do so with Goodwill's statement.

 

[jdbraver]

Let alone a Detroit beatwriter.

If I were a Detroit fan and Jason Jones posted something about SVG grappling with other people in the franchise, I certainly wouldn't take it as gospel. Don't see why we should do so with Goodwill's statement.

Plus sometimes difference of opinion does not equal turmoil.

 

[Kingster]

Here is the thing that just jumps with Smith as opposed to any other proposed candidate: 16.7, 15.6, 16.0. Those are his FGA over the last three seasons, and that simply cannot happen. We just dumped a little guy who helped freeze the offense and turn it into a 3 man team with 15.2FGA. There is simply no possible way you can go: 16.8 (Cousins, 15.3 (Gay in Sac), and 16.0 (Smith) across your frontline. I wouldn't hesitate to say that has never been done before. Or even attempted, and for good reason. Let alone with a shoot first PG and a rookie or struggling sophomore SG.

In order for Josh Smith to work he would have to go, perhaps kicking and screaming, back to the 15ppg roleplayer who averaged 12.3FGA, 12.3FGA and 13.5FGA between 2008-09 and 2010-11. No more delusions of All Star hood. You're in the West now son. You ain't even average. Play defense, get out on the break, and know that we acquired Reggie Evans for the sole purpose of smacking you in the crotch every single time you take a 20ft jumper.

And let me piggyback on this thought. I think it's a truism that veteran players are much more likely to compromise their individual goals to the overall goals of the team when: 1) the team is a playoff team, or even better, a championship contender; 2) when that team has a solid veteran core that isn't willing to put up with the selfish crap of one individual. The Kings meet neither of those criteria. Along with all the other baggage of Smith - his consistent inconsistency and his fervent belief he's a three - this is a gamble not worth taking.

 

[jdbraver]

And let me piggyback on this thought. I think it's a truism that veteran players are much more likely to compromise their individual goals to the overall goals of the team when: 1) the team is a playoff team, or even better, a championship contender; 2) when that team has a solid veteran core that isn't willing to put up with the selfish crap of one individual. The Kings meet neither of those criteria. Along with all the other baggage of Smith - his consistent inconsistency and his fervent belief he's a three - this is a gamble not worth taking.

What are we gambling with our roster beyond cuz and rudy have little value. We have no cap room. Players aren't lining up to be here. We need to gamble or we simply lose rudy next year and are bottom dwellers.

 

[Hoovtrain]

I don't get why people are hung up w/ who is in charge. All we know are rumors about owner wanting this, gm wanting that, coach wanting that. The only people that know haven't spoken so im not gonna fret about this as an issue just cuz the media report it.

It concerns me when i already have questions about the FO.

 

[fursty13]

heh...not sure you are aware of Josh Smiths modern rep.

Most people outside of Sacto think we are completely nuts for doing this, and that it will mean we have absolutely no chance for ball movement at all with ball stoppers all over the lineup. They might be right.

I'm in Detroit and I'm skeptical of Smith. I watched him chuck 3s at a career low % this past year. If Malone could find a way to convince him to STOP SHOOTING and just play defense and clean up shots near the basket/get out in transition, I'm all for it. But Smith has proven to be a head case and I don't think he'd listen.

 

[jdbraver]

It concerns me when i already have questions about the FO.

Because you were expecting easy decisions following the garbage the Maloofs left us with. Some of you expect miracles in the second year.

 

[John Galt]

So far, the Kings have presented a "strong coach" personality. I think Malone has control of his locker room and his players, with Cuz & Rudy bought in. I believe Malone can get Smith to bang, defend, and take fewer shots. I'm totally psyched at the prospect of this deal. It does seem a little like a Rudy Gay deja vu.

 

[Spike]

Because you were expecting easy decisions following the garbage the Maloofs left us with. Some of you expect miracles in the second year.

What's the waiting period on miracles? I thought they were more of an overnight thing. I think we're past "miracle" stage.

 

[Spike]

Along with all the other baggage of Smith - his consistent inconsistency and his fervent belief he's a three - this is a gamble not worth taking.

The one hope here is that if you pair him with Rudy Gay, he'll know he can't be the three. That's about all I've got wrt to that belief.

It's a major gamble, depending on who we send out and what we get back. If we can jettison some bad contracts and useless players, then maybe this will turn out ok. What surprises me is that we're not looking to get something enticing out of the deal. Josh Smith is a good talent, but certainly not at his contract - where's our sweetener for taking on that contract? If Detroit really wants to move him, then we're in the position of power, no? Unfortunately, I don't think the FO is seeing it that way.

 

[chasen4r1]

With D-Will and Ben both struggling in summer league (except for the last game) I wonder if this Josh Smith trade could be the first of a few dominoes to fall. Maybe resumed pursuit of Rondo in exchange for Ben?

And this is me completely reading into things, But that also lines up with Cuz recently stating that Rondo's the best PG in the league. FO wants to please their star, perhaps?

 

[kingsboi]

If these J Smoove rumors are being resurfaced again it goes to show you that we really don't have many options out there in order for us to get that shotblocking or stretch four that Pete ever so often mentioned. At this point just stay pat and revisit trades again in the February trade deadline if need be.

 

[Mass]

Smith is a big gamble, but I'm willing to take it. We don't have many options out there, and as we already discussed he could work well with Cuz. I'm one of those who think he will be better playing at PF. That's his natural position and there is a reason why he sucked in Detroit. He played out of position, and with Drummond and Monroe there was just no room for him inside.

Maybe I'm crazy, but I'm not even so sure that his contract is really so terrible. Yes, he's overpaid, but it's not like Stoudamire or Asik. Considering also the kind of contracts they are giving away this summer (Hayward anyone?), I'm not sure we would pay him much less if he was a FA and we wanted to sign him.

 

[Padrino]

hm. of all the risk-laden trades we've discussed at kf.com, this one continues to leave me the most nervous. it puts great pressure on mike malone to transform a player who may not want to be transformed...

a guy like rudy gay has always struck me as fairly malleable; rudy may have developed some bad habits over the years as an isolation player, but he was far from unsalvageable upon arrival in sacramento. coach has clearly already done quite a bit to get the best out of a player who was written off by the rest of the league. i think that's both a credit to malone's ability to reach his players and to gay's coachability...

josh smith, on the other hand, has some knucklehead in his DNA. at this point in his career, i don't know that he's nearly as open to change as someone like rudy. should smith come to the kings via trade, i'd certainly hope to be proven wrong, of course. it's a risk, and honestly, i'm not sure the kings have many options if their plan is to compete as soon as possible. they might have to pull that trigger and force a square peg into a round hole as convincingly as possible...

The one hope here is that if you pair him with Rudy Gay, he'll know he can't be the three. That's about all I've got wrt to that belief.

It's a major gamble, depending on who we send out and what we get back. If we can jettison some bad contracts and useless players, then maybe this will turn out ok. What surprises me is that we're not looking to get something enticing out of the deal. Josh Smith is a good talent, but certainly not at his contract - where's our sweetener for taking on that contract? If Detroit really wants to move him, then we're in the position of power, no? Unfortunately, I don't think the FO is seeing it that way.

i agree. the success of such a move has as much to do with the actual structure of the trade as josh smith's ability to adjust to a more appropriate role. if the right players go out, i could live with the gamble. but the key is in making the deal work for us. smith's contract is hardly a thing of beauty; we'd be absorbing considerable risk by doing detroit the favor of unloading that deal. perhaps this is why we've heard rumors of a third team being courted to help facilitate the trade...