Josh Smith?
- Thread starter Schmoe
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People keep saying this like it's a bad thing.
You know what's bad? When fans just disappeared off the board completely because they were too disgusted or disappointed to even talk about the Kings.
A sports message board is all about arguing and debating what improvements should be made, especially in the off-season. The last few TDOS around here were like a morgue. Personally, I'm pretty happy we've got people here talking about the Kings again, even if I don't always agree with their opinions.
You know what's bad? When fans just disappeared off the board completely because they were too disgusted or disappointed to even talk about the Kings.
A sports message board is all about arguing and debating what improvements should be made, especially in the off-season. The last few TDOS around here were like a morgue. Personally, I'm pretty happy we've got people here talking about the Kings again, even if I don't always agree with their opinions.
For the Kings to land Bledsoe (on a deal starting at $13-14 million) AND Josh Smith while staying at or under the luxury tax level they'd need to send out $27 million dollars in salary or so. And that's without considering whether Detroit or Phoenix would be open to the offers.
Carl Landry, Derrick Williams, Jason Thompson, Jason Terry, and either McLemore or Outlaw gets you there salary wise.
To try and do it without including JT (so there's be some size left on the bench) would mean moving Landry, Williams, Terry, McLemore, Outlaw AND Evans.
All of this is assuming that the Kings can't use their recently acquired trade exception in either move which I think they can't.
Now if the Pistons and Suns were okay with those packages then it could theoretically be done though it would mean signing the last three guys on the roster at bargain basement prices. Summer league type guys.
I figured Phoenix would never let Bledsoe walk but they have Dragic, drafted Ennis and signed IT. Maybe they aren't willing to go all out to keep him. Hmm.
Carl Landry, Derrick Williams, Jason Thompson, Jason Terry, and either McLemore or Outlaw gets you there salary wise.
To try and do it without including JT (so there's be some size left on the bench) would mean moving Landry, Williams, Terry, McLemore, Outlaw AND Evans.
All of this is assuming that the Kings can't use their recently acquired trade exception in either move which I think they can't.
Now if the Pistons and Suns were okay with those packages then it could theoretically be done though it would mean signing the last three guys on the roster at bargain basement prices. Summer league type guys.
I figured Phoenix would never let Bledsoe walk but they have Dragic, drafted Ennis and signed IT. Maybe they aren't willing to go all out to keep him. Hmm.
This would work:
Landry OR JT and Terry OR DWill for Josh Smith- all of those options work on trade machine
You can then get to 13-14 million in salaries to send the Suns by including:
One of JT OR Landry OR DWill OR Terry (whoever is left from the Detroit trade) AND Ben, Outlaw, and Acy. If you give them DWill or Terry, they get 10 million in expirings and Ben. If you give them JT or Landry instead of Dwill/Terry, they get 4 million in expirings, Ben, and a power forward. It is not great value, but it is better than letting Bledsoe walk. As so many pointed out here with IT, once you get to sign and trade you are only getting back 25 cents on the dollar. It is not a bad haul if the Suns have no options- a young guard prospect, an intriguing piece in Acy, and cap relief.
Possible lineup
Cuz
Smith
Gay
Nik
Bledsoe
Bench
One of JT/Landry/DWill (preferably JT)
Collison
Evans
Ray
Positives- the glut of PFs is gone, the roster is very talented, and this roster might even work out well
Negatives- you are capped out with only nine players, meaning you need to add several minimum players (Moreland, Marshon, etc...); Does Collison buy in after you promised him the starting job? What about Ray- back to being buried? No real wing depth.
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Ray is not good enough to complain about lack of playing time. Collision is a professional being paid millions of dollars who most likely would play the biggest role off the bench. I'm sure he can get used to that since he did it last season. For Bledsoe and Smith I would pretty much go to great lengths to make it happen, mostly to get Bledsoe who is the real prize in my eyes.
It would be interesting if we were able to steal Bledsoe away from them. If he is looking for the max, I think he will be overpaid as I don't really see him as a franchise player. For the sake of arguing, let's say he's looking for the max and the Suns would rather move him. What would it take to get him?
Kings Get:
Ben McLemore
Ray McCallum
Jason Thompson
Jason Terry
(Total salary of $15730,575)
for
Suns Get:
Eric Bledsoe
(Max salary of $14,746,000)
The Kings get their starting PG of the future while the Suns get two young players with potential, a very good third big, and an expiring.
PG - Bledsoe/Collison
SG - Stauskas
SF - Gay/Williams/Outlaw
PF - Evans/Landry/Acy
C - Cousins
From there we could trade for Josh Smith, and add that shotblocker next to Cousins.
Pistons Get:
JR Smith
Derrick Williams
Travis Outlaw
(Total salary of $15,313,770)
Knicks Get:
Carl Landry
(Total salary of $6,500,000)
Kings Get:
Josh Smith
(Total salary of $13,500,000)
Pistons shed long term salary and pickup a little value while doing it (Smith & Williams). Knicks we're rumored to be interested in both Thompson and Landry. This deal sends them Landry while giving up a bit of knucklehead. Kings take on long term salary, but they get their athletic shotblocker next to Cousins.
PG - Bledsoe/Collison
SG - Stauskas
SF - Gay
PF - Smith/Evans/Acy
C - Cousins
This team's payroll would be $72,536,726. That leaves $4,463,274 before hitting the tax level. Since we can't go into the season with an eight man roster, we would have to sign player to veteran minimums to fill out the roster. These players could potentially be nice fill-ins:
PG - Shelvin Mack ($948,163)
SG - MarShon Brooks ($948,163)
SF - Jordan Hamilton ($948,163)
PF - Eric Moreland ($507,336)
C - Greg Oden ($948,163)
That would bring our payroll to $76,836,714 ($163,286 shy of the luxury tax).
PG - Bledsoe/Collison/Mack
SG - Stauskas/Brooks
SF - Gay/Hamilton
PF - Smith/Evans/Acy
C - Cousins/Oden/Moreland
That's not a bad looking team at all.
Kings Get:
Ben McLemore
Ray McCallum
Jason Thompson
Jason Terry
(Total salary of $15730,575)
for
Suns Get:
Eric Bledsoe
(Max salary of $14,746,000)
The Kings get their starting PG of the future while the Suns get two young players with potential, a very good third big, and an expiring.
PG - Bledsoe/Collison
SG - Stauskas
SF - Gay/Williams/Outlaw
PF - Evans/Landry/Acy
C - Cousins
From there we could trade for Josh Smith, and add that shotblocker next to Cousins.
Pistons Get:
JR Smith
Derrick Williams
Travis Outlaw
(Total salary of $15,313,770)
Knicks Get:
Carl Landry
(Total salary of $6,500,000)
Kings Get:
Josh Smith
(Total salary of $13,500,000)
Pistons shed long term salary and pickup a little value while doing it (Smith & Williams). Knicks we're rumored to be interested in both Thompson and Landry. This deal sends them Landry while giving up a bit of knucklehead. Kings take on long term salary, but they get their athletic shotblocker next to Cousins.
PG - Bledsoe/Collison
SG - Stauskas
SF - Gay
PF - Smith/Evans/Acy
C - Cousins
This team's payroll would be $72,536,726. That leaves $4,463,274 before hitting the tax level. Since we can't go into the season with an eight man roster, we would have to sign player to veteran minimums to fill out the roster. These players could potentially be nice fill-ins:
PG - Shelvin Mack ($948,163)
SG - MarShon Brooks ($948,163)
SF - Jordan Hamilton ($948,163)
PF - Eric Moreland ($507,336)
C - Greg Oden ($948,163)
That would bring our payroll to $76,836,714 ($163,286 shy of the luxury tax).
PG - Bledsoe/Collison/Mack
SG - Stauskas/Brooks
SF - Gay/Hamilton
PF - Smith/Evans/Acy
C - Cousins/Oden/Moreland
That's not a bad looking team at all.
Well this is taking into account Bledsoe getting a max contract. I don't think he will end up getting it. If he takes less, we could offer the Bi-Annual Exception.
But even if he did, you only have 5 players on your books next year (Cousins, Smith, Bledsoe, Stauskas, and Collison). If you sign Gay for around 12-14 mil, you just opened up more cap space for your bench. You could add another MLE (~$5 mil) and a Bi-Annual Exception (~2 mil) and fill out the rest of the roster with veteran minimums. Collison, MLE, and Bi-Annual Exception should be a solid three player bench next year.
But even if he did, you only have 5 players on your books next year (Cousins, Smith, Bledsoe, Stauskas, and Collison). If you sign Gay for around 12-14 mil, you just opened up more cap space for your bench. You could add another MLE (~$5 mil) and a Bi-Annual Exception (~2 mil) and fill out the rest of the roster with veteran minimums. Collison, MLE, and Bi-Annual Exception should be a solid three player bench next year.
Don't know if anyone has mentioned this already but a three way deal with the Knicks would work as Phil Jackson is rumored to be trying to move JR Smith and supposedly interested in Kings forwards.
Kings
Outgoing: Carl Landry, Derrick Williams
Incoming: Josh Smith
Pistons:
Outgoing: Josh Smith
Incoming: Derrick Williams, JR Smith
Knicks:Outgoing: JR Smith
Incoming: Carl Landry
For the Pistons it means a starting SF in Williams on a one year tryout and a backup SG and 6th man in JR Smith who only has a year left on his deal after this season meaning quite a lot of cap relief and some usable wings in the meantime.
Most importantly it lets the Kings keep Thompson as a backup PF/C. I think that's a big deal, but I think PDA would much rather move JT and keep Landry which I think is a bad decision.
Kings
Outgoing: Carl Landry, Derrick Williams
Incoming: Josh Smith
Pistons:
Outgoing: Josh Smith
Incoming: Derrick Williams, JR Smith
Knicks:Outgoing: JR Smith
Incoming: Carl Landry
For the Pistons it means a starting SF in Williams on a one year tryout and a backup SG and 6th man in JR Smith who only has a year left on his deal after this season meaning quite a lot of cap relief and some usable wings in the meantime.
Most importantly it lets the Kings keep Thompson as a backup PF/C. I think that's a big deal, but I think PDA would much rather move JT and keep Landry which I think is a bad decision.
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