Kings active in trade talks?

[bajaden]

it's not just about the draft itself, truth be told; it's as much about the decline of the previous generations. the league will change dramatically in the next few seasons, if only through osmosis. the last of the old guard are slowly falling by the wayside. kobe bryant is kicking and screaming against the mileage to no avail. tim duncan and manu ginobili are nearing retirement, as is dirk nowitzki. steve nash is done. kevin garnett and paul pierce are done. etc...

then there's another group of established veterans, many of whom have disappointed at the present stage of their careers. amare stoudemire is barely a shadow of his former self. there are serious questions about whether or not carmelo anthony is a winner. deron williams can't stay on the court long enough to rediscover the magic. neither can his teammate brook lopez. andrew bynum is an embarrassing case study in failing to meet expectations. etc...

for teams with premiere young talents, the time to rocket up the standings is either right now, or it's right around the corner. the eastern conference playoff race is a joke. any of the east's worst teams should be able to take advantage of their various youth movements in the coming seasons and cement themselves near the top, behind indiana and miami (provided miami is able to lock up lebron james once again). and the western conference playoff race is wide open, with few teams able to truly distinguish themselves from the pack. we're seeing the young talent in phoenix take advantage of that fact...

while there are legitimate questions about just how high the ceiling actually is for the 2014 draft class, there's no denying that it is a very deep and talented pool of players. some of them will inevitably make a large dent in the nba landscape because there won't be very much standing in their way. in my opinion, it's a good time to have a high draft pick, to rebuild a losing team, and to reshape the future of the league. wherever the kings end up picking, they're likely to come away with a player who can make a difference...

Excellent post! I could't have summed it up any better myself. I might add, that with the new CBA placing financial restrictions on teams over the luxury tax, and with added roster restrictions as to how many Bird exception players your allowed to have, or max 5 year players, the draft will become even more important because players won't be able to move around as freely. I doubt you'll ever see three players like Wade, Bosh, and Lebron come together at the same time on a team again.

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

The Gay acquisition made this draft less crucial. The way I look at it, Gay is our draft pick and now we have to focus on winning. The draft will fill in holes in the lineup as opposed to getting that crucial piece. Now, if we also get a stud, that's the cherry on top.

I'd love to pick 29th or 30th.

We "picked" Rudy Gay at the "3rd" position and Derrick Williams later in the first round at "19" overall

 

[fanop]

VERY good point, IMHO. If we could try to resume the separation of trade discussions vs. potential draft pick discussions, I think it would be a lot more beneficial.

can members create new threads? sorry I'm still not too familiar with this site yet

 

[fanop]

It doesn't do much good to focus on the draft when you're bound to pick 29th or 30th.

I seem to recall a pretty big focus on the draft here since the Hawes draft - which means every lottery year since...oh man it's been so long! Anyway, combine another lottery year with a very high-talent draft, and you'll get that focus. I have a feeling that if Gay sticks around next year this will be our last lottery for a while.

Fans in 2006, "I can't wait for the 2014 draft!".

 

[fanop]

Lamb is shooting 45.0% overall and 38% from the three. He was a good shooter in college and he's still a good shooter, not to mention he's a very good defender. Lamb's problem is he needs to add strength. He has good size and length, but he's way to thin. This is only his second year in the league. I'd love to have him to develop. Jackson is in a similar position as Lamb. Still a young player that hasn't really gotten many minutes up till this year. Considering his experience, I think he's doing a credible job. I mean you can't compare him to Westbrook! The truth is, is that he's an inexperienced PG, and I have no doubt that the Thunder would love to have a more experienced PG out there.

Does that mean you're trading IT and BMAC for Jackson and Lamb? I think that's an overall bad deal. Jackson for IT is nowhere the same value. With his many opportunities with Westbrook out, he hasn't impressed me very much. He's still a 2nd year player, but I don't see him helping our team in any way. I think Lamb might have a higher ceiling than Ben, but it's not that much greater. I'd rather trade BMAC for Lamb straight up or throw in Thornton somehow.. I think we could get a lot more for IT than that. Even if you don't include Ben in that trade, we would still have a long jam at the 2.

 

[pshn80]

I understand that perfectly and as usual will follow. My point is that a trade has to take into account what is coming up in the draft. It is extremely likely that a defensive big will be found in the draft and any trade that discusses getting a big man should be moot. Why trade for one when one can be had for considerably less money in the draft? PGs is a completely different issue.

I presume that spoils the fun so we can continue to post trade after trade that ignores the reality of the draft.

You and I both know that the reality of the draft is that there is a handful of excellent picks, maybe, and we may get one so it's safe to ignore the draft on the trade venue, or not. Just responding to "reality".

 

[Glenn]

You and I both know that the reality of the draft is that there is a handful of excellent picks, maybe, and we may get one so it's safe to ignore the draft on the trade venue, or not. Just responding to "reality".

I am sure that people posting trade ideas will ignore what can be had in the draft. I doubt if PDA will.

 

[LPKingsFan]

I am sure that people posting trade ideas will ignore what can be had in the draft. I doubt if PDA will.

What if Embiid goes first and the Kings pick third? What if certain players decide to stay another year?

Of course you can't ignore the possibilities of the draft, but you can't assume any particular outcome of the draft in January or February, either.

 

[Warhawk]

can members create new threads? sorry I'm still not too familiar with this site yet

Yep, in any forum there should be a button near the top that creates a new thread.

 

[SacKings2002NBAChampions]

What if Embiid goes first and the Kings pick third? What if certain players decide to stay another year?

Of course you can't ignore the possibilities of the draft, but you can't assume any particular outcome of the draft in January or February, either.

Kings would draft Wiggins more than likely. I think Wiggins will go first when the season is said and done. Parker second and Embiid third. Again, depends on what a team is looking for but you just can't pass up on Wiggins. He has sooooo muchhhh up that it's ridiculous.

 

[HndsmCelt]

it's not just about the draft itself, truth be told; it's as much about the decline of the previous generations. the league will change dramatically in the next few seasons, if only through osmosis. the last of the old guard are slowly falling by the wayside. kobe bryant is kicking and screaming against the mileage to no avail. tim duncan and manu ginobili are nearing retirement, as is dirk nowitzki. steve nash is done. kevin garnett and paul pierce are done. etc...

then there's another group of established veterans, many of whom have disappointed at the present stage of their careers. amare stoudemire is barely a shadow of his former self. there are serious questions about whether or not carmelo anthony is a winner. deron williams can't stay on the court long enough to rediscover the magic. neither can his teammate brook lopez. andrew bynum is an embarrassing case study in failing to meet expectations. etc...

for teams with premiere young talents, the time to rocket up the standings is either right now, or it's right around the corner. the eastern conference playoff race is a joke. any of the east's worst teams should be able to take advantage of their various youth movements in the coming seasons and cement themselves near the top, behind indiana and miami (provided miami is able to lock up lebron james once again). and the western conference playoff race is wide open, with few teams able to truly distinguish themselves from the pack. we're seeing the young talent in phoenix take advantage of that fact...

while there are legitimate questions about just how high the ceiling actually is for the 2014 draft class, there's no denying that it is a very deep and talented pool of players. some of them will inevitably make a large dent in the nba landscape because there won't be very much standing in their way. in my opinion, it's a good time to have a high draft pick, to rebuild a losing team, and to reshape the future of the league. wherever the kings end up picking, they're likely to come away with a player who can make a difference...

While I respect this position and I do realize this is a uniquely promising draft, after decades of watching both NBA and college ball thee one truth I have learned is that very, very few "sure picks" exist. Honestly the last guy I remember watching and saying that guy is defiantly going to be big in the NBA was LBJ, which raises the question which established players would you trade a top 5 pick for? Being a Karl Popper skeptic, I still hold that smart trades and FA acquisitions are the best way to dependably build a team, while the draft is a higher risk higher reward path (perfect for teams in complete rebuild)

I would be surprised if we are NOT in the running for a top 8 pick, but I am also convinced that we are 2-3 ROLL PLAYERS away from being a top contender so our needs may be better met at the trade table than with ping-pong balls.

 

[miltonap]

let's trade for Anthony Bennett

 

[TheBadGuy]

let's trade for Anthony Bennett

Why would you want a bust?

 

[miltonap]

Why would you want a bust?

lol, I'm kidding. he's terrible

 

[TTown Kings]

lol, I'm kidding. he's terrible

no kidding. The Cavs are a joke. Four top five picks and they end up with Tristan Thompson, Dion Waiters and Anthony Bennett. Talk about wasted opportunities

 

[miltonap]

no kidding. The Cavs are a joke. Four top five picks and they end up with Tristan Thompson, Dion Waiters and Anthony Bennett. Talk about wasted opportunities

I feel no sympathy for them. I think Dan Gilbert is an idiot and they deserve it

 

[TheBadGuy]

no kidding. The Cavs are a joke. Four top five picks and they end up with Tristan Thompson, Dion Waiters and Anthony Bennett. Talk about wasted opportunities

Tristan is decent enough though and sometimes he puts up double doubles.

 

[Padrino]

no kidding. The Cavs are a joke. Four top five picks and they end up with Tristan Thompson, Dion Waiters and Anthony Bennett. Talk about wasted opportunities

man... when you say it like that... it's almost enough to make me forgive the jimmer fredette and thomas robinson picks...

 

[Kingsfan23]

The cuz and IT picks alone could come close to erasing some of petries draft transgressions possibly

 

[SacKings2002NBAChampions]

man... when you say it like that... it's almost enough to make me forgive the jimmer fredette and thomas robinson picks...

You might be adding Ben Mac soon to that list

 

[jalfa]

You might be adding Ben Mac soon to that list

a) still too early for that kind of judgment, b) in contrast to the T-Rob and Jimmer picks, none of the guys selected after those two present a clear-cut solution to a glaring hole in the roster in the way that Leonard or Drummond would have. it'd be nice to have MCW or Burke instead of Ben, but it's not on the same level.

 

[Hoovtrain]

VERY good point, IMHO. If we could try to resume the separation of trade discussions vs. potential draft pick discussions, I think it would be a lot more beneficial.

Sorry for being so high maintenance. I can't believe I am actually "that guy" who is complaining about this, but I was all pumped up with possible trades then it completely derailed. I just want more trades!

 

[SacKings2002NBAChampions]

a) still too early for that kind of judgment, b) in contrast to the T-Rob and Jimmer picks, none of the guys selected after those two present a clear-cut solution to a glaring hole in the roster in the way that Leonard or Drummond would have. it'd be nice to have MCW or Burke instead of Ben, but it's not on the same level.

I said "might"
It's never too early for a "might"
Just like Wiggins "might" be a bust in the near future and he's still in the NBA.

After the draft was said and done many expected Ben Mac to be a top 5 pick if not as high as #1
So, I think the expectations were pretty high when we got him especially when Lebron tweeted about him on draft day...
Pretty disappointing thus far but many greats had even worse seasons

 

[jalfa]

I said "might"
It's never too early for a "might"
Just like Wiggins "might" be a bust in the near future and he's still in the NBA.

After the draft was said and done many expected Ben Mac to be a top 5 pick if not as high as #1
So, I think the expectations were pretty high when we got him especially when Lebron tweeted about him on draft day...
Pretty disappointing thus far but many greats had even worse seasons

dunno, there may have been some people that came out of draft day thinking he'd be a star (I wasn't among those, btw, even made a, somewhat facetious, Wesley Johnson comparison), but once summer league was over, those expectations were already tempered. as of now, it looks bad, but circumstances have been chaotic and his numbers aren't that far off from those of other good shooters' rookie numbers. you can really only call him a bust if you thought he had serious all star potential and even then it's too early. and to reiterate: even if he busts, the disappointment cannot possibly be as bad as it was with the Jimmer and T-Rob picks, just because of who was drafted after those guys and who was drafted after Ben.

 

[Chubbs]

Mclemore was the obvious pick, and I don't think we passed on anything like with the jimmer and Trob picks.

Whether Ben works out or not, it was the right pick.

 

[Gilles]

Well, Adams could've been a nice player to have. Still Ben is showing some signs of life, in the end a shot as good as his will start to go in and with Boogie/Gay you don't need creativity from SG spot anyway.

 

[funkykingston]

Well, Adams could've been a nice player to have. Still Ben is showing some signs of life, in the end a shot as good as his will start to go in and with Boogie/Gay you don't need creativity from SG spot anyway.

Yeah, obviously the best case scenario was that McLemore become the wing complement to Cousins, the second scoring option, a shooter who opened up the floor and a very good defender.

With the trade for Gay the Kings have their second option and complement to Cuz. Not to mention IT still being a highly effective and efficient scorer.

If Ben's game comes around I think he's actually ideally suited to play with Cousins & Gay as a 3&D wing.

The Kings aren't that far from being an impact team. A trade or more likely a draft pick for an shotblocker/weakside defender (Embiid, Cauley-Stein, Vonleh) and a defensive minded PG to either start or back up IT would give the team great balance. Landry and Williams can add bench punch and Thornton & Outlaw (both expiring contracts starting this offseason) as well as possibly Thompson become trade chips to fill out the roster.

 

[VF21]

I feel no sympathy for them. I think Dan Gilbert is an idiot and they deserve it

The fans don't deserve it. They've gone through enough. Having LBJ rip their hearts out was bad enough; seeing all their good draft picks amount to nothing more than footnotes is just cruel. I feel very sorry for them. Plus, as I said elsewhere, they also bear the burden of living in Cleveland.

 

[VF21]

Sorry for being so high maintenance. I can't believe I am actually "that guy" who is complaining about this, but I was all pumped up with possible trades then it completely derailed. I just want more trades!

No problem. I understand the trades. I want us to get to the point where we aren't even thinking about trades.

 

[jalfa]

The fans don't deserve it. They've gone through enough. Having LBJ rip their hearts out was bad enough; seeing all their good draft picks amount to nothing more than footnotes is just cruel. I feel very sorry for them. Plus, as I said elsewhere, they also bear the burden of living in Cleveland.

they lost some respect for booing Bennett two weeks into his career. no matter how disappointing he has been, you just don't do that to a rookie.