Kings May Be Left Out in the Cold

[Purple Reign]

I must be the only fan who believes that the Kings will be screwed in the Free Agency market. All of their options are starting to dry up and in my opinion it looks like the 2005-06 Kings will look even worst than the team at the end of the season.

1. Mobley more than likely will sign with the Clippers who are under the cap and the Kings will get nothing in return. Which means that Nene, Abdur-Rahim (unless he signs for the MLE), Kwame Brown all become unavailable.

2. Songaila is on the market and probably will be scooped up for more than the Kings will want to offer.

3. Maurice Evans is a question mark

4. Greg Ostertagg in my opinion should be released with that one time luxury tax exemption.

Which means that you have a roster that consist of......

1 - Bibby, Jackson
2 - Garcia, Martin, and maybe Evans
3 - Stojakovic, Williamson
4 - Thomas
5 - Miller, Skinner

......to either use to make trades or go to war with in 05-06. I am not very encouraged. For one, I don't think you can improve this squad via trade unless you trade either Bibby or Miller. There are no pieces here with value. And I don't know about anybody else but I do not feel comfortable going into the season with this group plus possibly two open roster spots if the Kings stand pat.

What are the Kings options at this time, especially if Mobley leaves for nothing?

 

[Folsom Al]

July 22nd hasn't even come and you've already taken yourself "out of the game" and you've already "given up".

Patience - my friend

 

[iheartBrad]

^I agree

I find it hard to believe that the Kings higher ups are gonna be just sitting on their thumbs doing nothing...

 

[nbrans]

The mascot for this board should be Chicken Little.

THE SKY IS FALLING, THE SKY IS FALLING!!!!!

 

[piksi]

Two initials - GP

 

[sloter]

On the bright side: It's better to be out in the cold than to have Walker on your team.

 

[Yoda]

On the bright side: It's better to be out in the cold than to have Walker on your team.

Yup

 

[Purple Reign]

OK, I know that I am being accused of being a Chicken Little the sky is falling crap. Convince me!!! Give me a scenario or two that "could be" a possibillity. Petrie is great, but Petrie is human. If you have little to work with, what can you do? I will be glad to be the first one to admit I was wrong.

Convince me!! Where can the transformation come from. I'm sorry, I don't have the blind faith in this front office organization that I once had. Not after everything that has gone down over the past year.

 

[nbrans]

OK, I know that I am being accused of being a Chicken Little the sky is falling crap. Convince me!!! Give me a scenario or two that "could be" a possibillity. Petrie is great, but Petrie is human. If you have little to work with, what can you do? I will be glad to be the first one to admit I was wrong.

Convince me!! Where can the transformation come from. I'm sorry, I don't have the blind faith in this front office organization that I once had. Not after everything that has gone down over the past year.

Here are some ideas:

#1 - Give this current roster a chance. They never had a chance to play together without someone injured. Kenny Thomas is still a very good power forward who fits the system. Martin is promising at the 2. You still have All-Star calliber players at three positions, and Bobby Jackson off the bench. Who knows what can happen if everyone stays healthy.

#2 - Sign a quality free agent. There are too many free agents to list here, but other than the last few top players on the market there's lots of talent to be had at the MLE.

#3 - Trade. Again, the possibilities are endless.

But seriously, nothing can even happen for real until the new Collective Bargaining Agreeement is finalized on July 22nd. Give Petrie some time.

 

[Yoda]

Here are some ideas:

#1 - Give this current roster a chance. They never had a chance to play together without someone injured. Kenny Thomas is still a very good power forward who fits the system. Martin is promising at the 2. You still have All-Star calliber players at three positions, and Bobby Jackson off the bench. Who knows what can happen if everyone stays healthy.

45-52 wins, first or second round exit....I would rather see changes made in hopes of getting better.

 

[chelle]

There are 2 extreme ways to look at it this season.

1. We are going to totally stink. Probably end up at the bottom of the standing and a high lottery team.

2. (My choice) We will have an AMAZING season and win it all because Petrie is going to work a miracle and get some great new players or the team is going to be a miracle and stay the same but be incredibly competative.

Are either or those options going to happen? Most likely not. Either way, it is the off season so everybody is going to have their own opinions. I do not think anyone is going to cause others to change their mind. I prefer the happier outlook if I have to choose between the two.

Reality - It will take us a couple years to get back to an elite status. As fans, I'm sure we can hang on until then.

 

[nbrans]

45-52 wins, first or second round exit....I would rather see changes made in hopes of getting better.

I think that's a probably the most likely worst-case scenario and of course we want to get better and make changes, but as far as worst-case scenarios go it's not the end of the world.

 

[Yoda]

I think that's a probably the most likely worst-case scenario and of course we want to get better and make changes, but as far as worst-case scenarios go it's not the end of the world.

How do you figure, WC cellar teams are getting better. We limped or way to the finish last year minus CWebb. 52 and second round out is best case senerio at status quo, with an MLE sign.

 

[nbrans]

How do you figure, WC cellar teams are getting better. We limped or way to the finish last year minus CWebb. 52 and second round out is best case senerio at status quo, with an MLE sign.

Well, first of all it remains to be seen whether or not we're going to improve in the offseason.

I know that some people think that a 1st round exit is the worst case scenario because it means no championship and also no draft positioning. I think that's a very valid perspective.

However, there's also the perspective that if you're in the cellar you don't really have any tradable talent and you have to rely on the draft and free agency to get better. Ask Atlanta how that's working out for them. As Kings fans, we know that once you're in last place it's really, really hard to get out. Free agents won't go near you, the draft is a crapshoot, and chances are you have nothing to trdae.

I'd take a 1st and 2nd round exit as an ideal worst case scenario, because chances are, if it doesn't work out you still have some options with the talent on hand and you're an attractive place for a free agent. You're not that far from the top.

We have talent, we have options, let's see what Petrie does with it. But I really don't think we want to be in last.

 

[Yoda]

Well, first of all it remains to be seen whether or not we're going to improve in the offseason.

I know that some people think that a 1st round exit is the worst case scenario because it means no championship and also no draft positioning. I think that's a very valid perspective.

However, there's also the perspective that if you're in the cellar you don't really have any tradable talent and you have to rely on the draft and free agency to get better. Ask Atlanta how that's working out for them. As Kings fans, we know that once you're in last place it's really, really hard to get out. Free agents won't go near you, the draft is a crapshoot, and chances are you have nothing to trdae.

I'd take a 1st and 2nd round exit as an ideal worst case scenario, because chances are, if it doesn't work out you still have some options with the talent on hand and you're an attractive place for a free agent. You're not that far from the top.

We have talent, we have options, let's see what Petrie does with it. But I really don't think we want to be in last.

Id rather have my team suck then be mired in medeocracy.

 

[nbrans]

Id rather have my team suck then be mired in medeocracy.

Are you sure about that? When was the last time a team won a championship starting completely from scratch? Virtually every championship team is in the "medeocracy" before something propels them to the top.

The Spurs were a decent team when they lucked into Duncan in the draft, David Robinson just happened to have been hurt that year.

The Pistons were so-so, then they traded Grant Hill for Ben Wallace, signed Billups as a FA, drafted Prince late in the draft, traded for Rasheed and the rest was history.

The Lakers were perennial 1st/2nd round exiters until Phil Jackson came along.

I guess the last team to start from last place was the Bulls. And they did it by drafting the greatest player ever, not exactly something you want to depend on happening to your team.

It's much better to start from somewhere than to start from nowhere.

 

[LA King Fan II]

I must weigh in. IMO the current roster would not make playoffs, let alone win 42. The west is full of good teams. Sorry. Clips, Lakers and Warriors are better and we won't have Mobley. Spurs, Mavs, Suns, Grizz, Sonics already finished ahead of us. Garnett may bounce back, too. Then what? We need a change.

On the bright side, there are people who want Peja. I think.

 

[LA King Fan II]

oops not the Grizz.

 

[Gary]

OK, I know that I am being accused of being a Chicken Little the sky is falling crap. Convince me!!! Give me a scenario or two that "could be" a possibillity. Petrie is great, but Petrie is human. If you have little to work with, what can you do? I will be glad to be the first one to admit I was wrong.

Convince me!! Where can the transformation come from. I'm sorry, I don't have the blind faith in this front office organization that I once had. Not after everything that has gone down over the past year.

Petrie's track record.. That should be convincing enough. I swear every year people think we are going back to the lottery.

 

[Purple Reign]

We have talent, we have options, let's see what Petrie does with it. But I really don't think we want to be in last.

I agree we have talent, but not enough to consistantly compete, night to night with the top eight in the conference.

Spurs - CHAMPIONS
Suns (Added Kurt Thomas) - BETTER
Sonics (Lost McMillian) - NOT BETTER
Mavs - NOT BETTER
Rockets (McGrady and Yao maturing) - BETTER
KINGS
Nuggets

Throw in potential playoff contenders - Grizzlies, Warriors, Lakers, Timberwolves

I do not agree that we have options. The Kings can not stand pat with this roster and expect to make improvement. It is easy to say lets take the hit for a year or two. But the Warriors have said that since 1994, and they are just now coming back to some sense of respectibility. There has to be some improvemnet to this roster this summer, or I do not even want to speculate what could happen to this franchise.

 

[Purple Reign]

Petrie's track record.. That should be convincing enough. I swear every year people think we are going back to the lottery.

Name me three moves that Petrie has made since 2003 that have made the Kings better. I like Petrie too, but let's be real here.

 

[chelle]

I must weigh in. IMO the current roster would not make playoffs, let alone win 42. QUOTE]

I must disagree. In reality, we do not even know what our current roster can do. We played only a few games with them all together. People quickly forget that we played MANY games without Webb and honestly played better. (hurts me to say it because I am a Webb fan) I am not saying that we have a chance to go far in the playoffs without a player of comparable talents, but I believe that we are not going to stink as badly as many on this board think. We need help. That much is obvious, but I am not ready to conceed to the belief that we do not have players on our roster right now that are talented enough to keep us in the hunt until we find our "missing pieces."

As far as rather being a fan of a team that sucks as opposed to being in the middle of the pack - no way! It is closer to the top from the middle than it is from the bottom. Look at the Cavs. They had the best #1 pick in years and have not made the playoffs with him. Think we are lucky enough to get a player better than Lebron if we fall to the bottom? Not likely. I'll take a couple seasons in the middle anyday. We WILL get back to the top.

 

[nbrans]

Name me three moves that Petrie has made since 2003 that have made the Kings better. I like Petrie too, but let's be real here.

1. Traded Webber. Say what you will about who we got in return, there was no way the Kings were going to contend paying Webber $20 million a year
2. Let Vlade go. Vlade's broken down and did nothing for the Lakers.
3. Traded for Cuttino. Christie's broken down and did nothing for Orlando.
4. Signed Eddie House. Pretty solid player.
5. Signed Maurice Evans. Solid player.
6. Traded for Darius Songaila using a second round draft pick, then re-signed him
7. Drafted Kevin Martin
8. Drafted Gerald Wallace
9. Traded for Brad Miller
10. Anything I'm forgetting?

Petrie's questionable moves:
1. Signed Ostertag
2. Um. Signed Ostertag.
3. Did I mention he signed Ostertag?

 

[Yoda]

I added the bold. I really think Petrie has dropped the ball since game 7 of the WCF aginst the Lakers.

1. Traded Webber. Say what you will about who we got in return, there was no way the Kings were going to contend paying Webber $20 million a year Worse Record, we just dont know if it was good yet. As of right now, that move sucks, unless you hate the guy
2. Let Vlade go. Vlade's broken down and did nothing for the Lakers. We didnt get better -Tag
3. Traded for Cuttino. Christie's broken down and did nothing for Orlando. Maybe but Cat didnt exactly fit- if he sign for nothing it is wash
4. Signed Eddie House. Pretty solid player. No
5. Signed Maurice Evans. Solid player. He came to camp
6. Traded for Darius Songaila using a second round draft pick, then re-signed him Yes
7. Drafted Kevin Martin Under evaluation, at best
8. Drafted Gerald Wallace Bad draft
9. Traded for Brad Miller Maybe, but we havent gotten back to the WCF finals
10. Anything I'm forgetting? JJ was pretty good, but a no-brainer

Petrie's questionable moves:
1. Signed Ostertag
2. Um. Signed Ostertag.
3. Did I mention he signed Ostertag?

 

[nbrans]

Wait a second Yoda, aren't you the same guy who would rather suck than go to the playoffs?? How can you disagree with the Webber trade by the rationale that our lineup got worse?? It's exactly the type of thing you'd want!!

Are you just a complete pessimist?

And crimeny, give Petrie an ounce of credit for those moves, he deserves it.

 

[Purple Reign]

I will throw my comments in red.

1. Traded Webber. Say what you will about who we got in return, there was no way the Kings were going to contend paying Webber $20 million a year. Petrie said he made the move to make the Kings more flexible. That is yet to be seen. I do not think there is much market for Thomas, Skinner or Williamson. If you can not move any of those guys for quality pieces, the deal is not good, We will see.
2. Let Vlade go. Vlade's broken down and did nothing for the Lakers. Lost a ton of leadership and locker room presence. He would have been worth the money alone if even if he was hurt.
3. Traded for Cuttino. Christie's broken down and did nothing for Orlando. A wash, if Mobly walks away for nothing in return.
4. Signed Eddie House. Pretty solid player. Will not even be on the roster next year.
5. Signed Maurice Evans. Solid player. Yes, hope he returns.
6. Traded for Darius Songaila using a second round draft pick, then re-signed him Great move, he is gone now.
7. Drafted Kevin Martin. Still under evaluation
8. Drafted Gerald Wallace. Never lived up to athletic potential
9. Traded for Brad Miller, good move, but has not made the team better.
10. Anything I'm forgetting?

Petrie's questionable moves:
1. Signed Ostertag
2. Um. Signed Ostertag.
3. Did I mention he signed Ostertag?

Once again, I like Petrie, he is a great GM. he is going to have to be a straight up miracle worker to immediately improve this club.

 

[Yoda]

Wait a second Yoda, aren't you the same guy who would rather suck than go to the playoffs?? How can you disagree with the Webber trade by the rationale that our lineup got worse?? It's exactly the type of thing you'd want!!

I "get" getting rid of CWebb. I do not get Thomas, Skinner and Corlis for CWebb . Petrie...please prove mee wrong.

 

[Yoda]

Are you just a complete pessimist?

I will that for others on this board.

 

[Yoda]

And crimeny, give Petrie an ounce of credit for those moves, he deserves it.

DSong was great.
I think Miller was good, but we didnt get better.

 

[VF21]

A couple of random responses:

1. It would make no sense to cut Ostertag loose for the possibility of saving a bit on a luxury tax hit. We'd still have to pay his salary. He can be of some benefit if he's in shape. You don't just dump big guys.

2. It's only July 12. Now isn't the time to be watching for the big chucks of atmosphere to come hurling down on your head. Now's the time for hope and faith and optimism. And if you can't manage optimism, you could at least try "wait and see..."

3. I'm not about to count Geoff Petrie out quite yet. There's plenty of time for that later - if it becomes necessary.

Just my three cents...