Kings approach at the draft...

[sactowndog]

James Ham has written the Kings may be looking to move the 9th pick in an attempt to make the play-offs.

 

[Sluggah]

To react properly I’d have to look at what sort of players have been traded for a pick in the #9 range historically…but I’m lazy. So I’ll just assume there weren’t many that had the degree of needle-moving we would need.

 

[steelevt]

any chance that vet is chris paul, jimmy butler or lebron james?

 

[Volblorx8634]

I personally don't like the idea. Now, I'm not an NBA GM and until McNair has a few seasons to turn the team around, I'll put my confidence in his abilities as a GM, so if he does it, I'm not mad contingent upon the return. But I don't know what the goal would be with that. Try to make the playoffs and end the drought just to be eliminated by the first round?

I say use the pick and let your last four lottery picks age 23 and under try to get better and build a competitive team. Yes, this requires Fox, Hali, Bagley (yes, Bagley), and pick 9 to make developmental leaps. But this team doesn't even have an all star. There are only a handful of vets who have the influence to take a team like that and make them a playoff team.

 

[luckytkp]

I personally don't like the idea. Now, I'm not an NBA GM and until McNair has a few seasons to turn the team around, I'll put my confidence in his abilities as a GM, so if he does it, I'm not mad contingent upon the return. But I don't know what the goal would be with that. Try to make the playoffs and end the drought just to be eliminated by the first round?

I say use the pick and let your last four lottery picks age 23 and under try to get better and build a competitive team. Yes, this requires Fox, Hali, Bagley (yes, Bagley), and pick 9 to make developmental leaps. But this team doesn't even have an all star. There are only a handful of vets who have the influence to take a team like that and make them a playoff team.

I don't agree with the make the play and get eliminated in the first round. Almost every team has to go through that process. Utah eliminated in the first round last year and bounced in 2nd round years ago. Denver got eliminated in the final game of the season few years ago. Even the Warriors had to go through that before they became a championship contender. My point is that you don't really know what your team is missing until you get to the playoff.

 

[ockingsfan]

Depends on who we get in a trade for the #9 pick.

If we get LeBron James or Kahwai Leonard with the #9 pick, then heck yeah!

I’m just not sure the # 9 pick would net us an all-star type player that would put in the playoffs. So I would probably stick with the draft and take a high ceiling player that may slip, like Jalen Johnson.

 

[steelevt]

What if it got us a player like McCollum? Blazers trying to rebuild around Dame. No way we get him but they might trade the pieces around him. Something like buddy + #9 and filler. Or buddy, bagley #9 and filler for McCollum and nurkic. They aren’t stars but they will make us better. Blazers get a 3 pt champion and get cap space. Just don’t know if they’re interested in picks or young guys since they’re prob in win now mode with Dame.

 

[LPKingsFan]

I don't agree with the make the play and get eliminated in the first round. Almost every team has to go through that process. Utah eliminated in the first round last year and bounced in 2nd round years ago. Denver got eliminated in the final game of the season few years ago. Even the Warriors had to go through that before they became a championship contender. My point is that you don't really know what your team is missing until you get to the playoff.

Good point. It's easy to forget, given how much time has passed, but the last great Kings team was built incrementally, using a combination of trades, free agency, and the draft, and it was not a contender overnight. They got bounced in the first round by Utah and Lakers in succession, and did a fair amount of tinkering with the roster along the way. I think folks can get caught up in focusing too much on the draft, as if you have to put together a team composed entirely of guys in their young 20s and wait for them to all develop and turn into a contender together. (I certainly have been guilty of this in the past.) That's certainly *a* way to rebuild, but the history of the Kings shows it's not the only way.

 

[Woot!]

I personally don't like the idea. Now, I'm not an NBA GM and until McNair has a few seasons to turn the team around, I'll put my confidence in his abilities as a GM, so if he does it, I'm not mad contingent upon the return. But I don't know what the goal would be with that. Try to make the playoffs and end the drought just to be eliminated by the first round?

I think part of the point of that approach would be to show that a young team w/real growth potential nonetheless is already good enough to make the playoffs. Such a team becomes one that might excite a strong young vet FA.

I've gotta think Fox and TH would be an attractive pair to prospective FA. Fox is already there as (at least) a "Robin" and Ty hopefully will take another step forward. Add to that TH's court vision and hi-IQ play and the fact that both seem like genuinely good guys... but Ty needs to take another step in his sophomore season, they need at least one other ascendant young guy (hopefully Bags can yet be that guy), AND the team as a whole needs to make the playoffs.

 

[SLAB]

Sounds like a “I’m just going to cheer the Mavs even harder from now on” type of move for me.

 

[kingsboi]

Didn't the Grizzlies as the second youngest team in the association make the Playoffs? Don't we see year in and year out younger teams making the Playoffs? Getting vets isn't always the answer and I'd much rather they wait and see who is available at 9 before making any moves. A quality player drops in the draft almost every draft it seems.

 

[dude12]

It would be bad GMing for Monte to not explore what the pick or other deals are out there. It has to be the right player coming back who can move the needle for this club and not just a move to make a move

 

[dude12]

What if Monte could trade down into the late teens or early 20’s AND pickup a big or a wing to start on this team?

 

[LPKingsFan]

Didn't the Grizzlies as the second youngest team in the association make the Playoffs? Don't we see year in and year out younger teams making the Playoffs? Getting vets isn't always the answer and I'd much rather they wait and see who is available at 9 before making any moves. A quality player drops in the draft almost every draft it seems.

Val is 29, Brooks is 26. My guess would be the move, if there is one, would be a for a youngish vet in this age range. But you absolutely wait until you see who’s on the board at 9.

 

[iowamcnabb]

Of course he would move the pick for the right deal and I’m ok with that. I just don’t want a veteran in decline coming back.

I can’t even think of realistic targets? I circle back to Siakam occasionally if Toronto decides to hit the reset button but they probably would have moved Lowry at the deadline if that was the case. Who else is out there?

 

[ESP47]

Just depends on who the player is and what the contract situation looks like.

I think there's a difference in the quality of players in the top 8 compared to 9th so I wouldn't be completely opposed to it.

 

[kingsboi]

Of course he would move the pick for the right deal and I’m ok with that. I just don’t want a veteran in decline coming back.

I can’t even think of realistic targets? I circle back to Siakam occasionally if Toronto decides to hit the reset button but they probably would have moved Lowry at the deadline if that was the case. Who else is out there?

Siakam is a quality number 2 option, no way Toronto trades him for a number 9 pick and whatever Kings filler that isn't Fox or Hali. That being said, some options out there that Monte needs to look at is a big man since Holmes may leave in free agency. Maybe a Sabonis? Another option could be McCollum if Portland looks to find Dame another number 2 option and try again with a new head coach.

 

[ESP47]

Siakam is a quality number 2 option, no way Toronto trades him for a number 9 pick and whatever Kings filler that isn't Fox or Hali. That being said, some options out there that Monte needs to look at is a big man since Holmes may leave in free agency. Maybe a Sabonis? Another option could be McCollum if Portland looks to find Dame another number 2 option and try again with a new head coach.

I don't think McCollum does much for us with the additions of Haliburton and Wright. Just kind of keeps us in the "solid offensively, terrible defensively" category.

Sabonis is a needle mover but you'd have to start with Hali, #9 and possibly more. You'd maybe even have to start the conversation with Fox to get them to even listen.

 

[The_Jamal]

Depends what the move is. There's absolutely varying degrees of trading this pick here. Grabbing someone like Myles Turner or Christian Wood who are still young and see a future 5+ years on the team (if things go right in UFA), I think would be a decently solid "win-now" move that could very easily turn into a future move as well.

Siakam/Sabonis are out of the Kings price range unless we want to include Hali... which we shouldn't.

 

[iowamcnabb]

Siakam is a quality number 2 option, no way Toronto trades him for a number 9 pick and whatever Kings filler that isn't Fox or Hali. That being said, some options out there that Monte needs to look at is a big man since Holmes may leave in free agency. Maybe a Sabonis? Another option could be McCollum if Portland looks to find Dame another number 2 option and try again with a new head coach.

Yeh it certainly would have to be more than just #9. I might be willing to roll the dice with multiple firsts since Fox, Hali and Siakam would be a really good core. Monte has mentioned trades several times so I assume he knows he might have to take a risk sooner rather than later.

 

[kingsboi]

Yeh it certainly would have to be more than just #9. I might be willing to roll the dice with multiple firsts since Fox, Hali and Siakam would be a really good core. Monte has mentioned trades several times so I assume he knows he might have to take a risk sooner rather than later.

if they could somehow get a Siakam, you absolutely do it, even if it means giving up draft capital in the near future because if we as fans have learned anything over the last 15 seasons, it's that draft capital won't save this franchise like it does others.

 

[jiimbob]

Siakam is 27 which is not ancient but older than I thought.
I would gladly move Buddy, Bagley or both in this trade, but I don’t want to give up the 9th pick in this draft. To much possibility we get a young talent that compliments our exceptional young backcourt.

 

[SacTownKid]

If it weren't Ham I'd be a little more concerned. When the league is this stagnant for this long and teams in the middle are desperately trying to leap up, there likely isn't a lot of options for a team like Sacramento who is desperately trying to leap up to that middle. I can't see a 9th pick having the kind of value they'd need if they think they are "one piece away".

 

[pdxKingsFan]

It really depends who we bring back and the length of their contract. I don't want to trade for a 2 year rental guy. And definitely no to a McCollum level guy, though I may be biased watching CJ get blamed for what is really front court and coaching issues here.

Honestly I'm still dumbfounded we're bringing Luke back I don't care what our goal is, we're going to be a lotto team with Luke as coach next season so may as well take the BPA and have him for 4-7 years.

 

[SacTownKid]

if they could somehow get a Siakam, you absolutely do it, even if it means giving up draft capital in the near future because if we as fans have learned anything over the last 15 seasons, it's that draft capital won't save this franchise like it does others.

I think Siakam is a decent player but is he the final piece or anything close? Doubtful. Removing future assets for a true production PF in a non-true PF era is probably not wise.

 

[SacTownKid]

Depends what the move is. There's absolutely varying degrees of trading this pick here. Grabbing someone like Myles Turner or Christian Wood who are still young and see a future 5+ years on the team (if things go right in UFA), I think would be a decently solid "win-now" move that could very easily turn into a future move as well.

Siakam/Sabonis are out of the Kings price range unless we want to include Hali... which we shouldn't.

True but should they be in that range? Where have they led their teams once they got the reins?

 

[SacTownKid]

It really depends who we bring back and the length of their contract. I don't want to trade for a 2 year rental guy. And definitely no to a McCollum level guy, though I may be biased watching CJ get blamed for what is really front court and coaching issues here.

Honestly I'm still dumbfounded we're bringing Luke back I don't care what our goal is, we're going to be a lotto team with Luke as coach next season so may as well take the BPA and have him for 4-7 years.

And therein lies the issue with this franchise. They've proven time and time again that taking the wrong player at a position of no current need means they won't last anything close to that high number. And the Kings are in a spot where PG can't be the pick and likely a small or average sized SG can't be if you really want to get the value out of a lotto pick. If they take a production big and bring back Holmes, or even maybe not bring back Holmes it's trouble since Bagley is still here. Where are the shots coming from for them? The only position with long term questions or fit is on the wing right now. This franchise is right back to kind of being trapped by their own depth and stuck between win now and win later.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

And therein lies the issue with this franchise. They've proven time and time again that taking the wrong player at a position of no current need means they won't last anything close to that high number. And the Kings are in a spot where PG can't be the pick and likely a small or average sized SG can't be if you really want to get the value out of a lotto pick. If they take a production big and bring back Holmes, or even maybe not bring back Holmes it's trouble since Bagley is still here. Where are the shots coming from for them? The only position with long term questions or fit is on the wing right now. This franchise is right back to kind of being trapped by their own depth and stuck between win now and win later.

I don't think this team has anything set in stone beside Fox and Haliburton right now. Unless Bagley suddenly stops getting hurt and puts it all together. I really don't think the 9th pick is going to get a player that moves the needle. The problem is going for it, failing, and then keeping the coach that is leading us backwards.

 

[SLAB]

I don't think this team has anything set in stone beside Fox and Haliburton right now. Unless Bagley suddenly stops getting hurt and puts it all together. I really don't think the 9th pick is going to get a player that moves the needle. The problem is going for it, failing, and then keeping the coach that is leading us backwards.

Bagley + 9? Does anyone want his contract?

 

[pdxKingsFan]

Bagley + 9? Does anyone want his contract?

What do you think we get for Bagley and 9? Except egg on our face in a year or two?