Mo Bamba

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#5
Dang it! Now the Kings social media blog has like every other prospect that may go top 5, except for Luka Doncic!

Vlade is really trying to set that smoke screen up pretty good! :p

I swear, someone will ask Vlade what he thinks about Doncic and Vlade will respond, "Who"?
This is the way it should be. Remember when Geoff Petrie was in control, before the Maloofs tied his hands? We had all kinds of speculation and never knew anything for certain.
 

gunks

Hall of Famer
#6
I think you're mistaking all the hype from the media folks for statements from the front office. ;)

We've got the #2 pick. Of course they're going to hype all the possibilities for all their worth. They're doing everything they can to get fans engaged for the coming year.
I wouldn't say they're statements, but the FO is clearly using the media side of the org to send signals to other GMs. Which I suppose is smart, I'm sure Vlade doesn't want any backlash for trading down from 2 after we were lucky enough to land there in the first place. It's just getting a little tough to breathe with all this smoke lately!

I wouldn't freak out if we trade down btw. Just about everyone in the top 5 has multi-allstar potential, with various warts. If Vlade can get a decent haul of assets from a team desperate for Doncic, more power to him!
 
#7
I think you're mistaking all the hype from the media folks for statements from the front office. ;)

We've got the #2 pick. Of course they're going to hype all the possibilities for all their worth. They're doing everything they can to get fans engaged for the coming year.
Haha you’re right they probably already have Doncic name written down to turn in for silver
 

pdxKingsFan

So Ordinary That It's Truly Quite Extraordinary
Staff member
#8
I just can't imagine us not taking Doncic unless Phoenix takes him or trades their pick to somebody else who does.

But hey, Mo Bamba is a generational big man even though he is the 4th highest rated big man in this class! WHAT A GENERATION.
 
#9
I'm not sold on Bamba. The defensive potential is there, but if the offensive side doesn't come together he's going to end up being a 20-25 minute player come play off time with the way basketball is being played today. We could copy Utah since Gobert played over 30 and Favors stayed on the court as well, but time will tell whether they can win a championship playing in that manner. For me, I'd only consider Bamba if we traded down, but even then I'd favour Michael Porter if we swapped picks with Dallas or Orlando.
 
#10
I just can't imagine us not taking Doncic unless Phoenix takes him or trades their pick to somebody else who does.

But hey, Mo Bamba is a generational big man even though he is the 4th highest rated big man in this class! WHAT A GENERATION.
Forget what you see on tape he has a big wingspan
 
#11
i dont agree with trading down from 2.

At 2 just make your dam pick and move on. This is about securing quality now and not flipping the opportunity of that to secure a less then steller asset and another half piece down the road.
 

kingsboi

Hall of Famer
#13
i dont agree with trading down from 2.

At 2 just make your dam pick and move on. This is about securing quality now and not flipping the opportunity of to secure a less then steller asset and another half piece down the road.
Don't you see that Vlade is trying to pull a Ainge on a team and continue to acquire draft picks for the future without moving down too much? Not saying he is looking to move down but always weighing all your options is never a bad thing for a franchise that hasn't made the playoffs in twelve straight seasons. All options are on the table in my opinion.
 
#14
Don't you see that Vlade is trying to pull a Ainge on a team and continue to acquire draft picks for the future without moving down too much? Not saying he is looking to move down but always weighing all your options is never a bad thing for a franchise that hasn't made the playoffs in twelve straight seasons. All options are on the table in my opinion.
every GM has their play and Vlade slowly is becoming known as the one to trade down and turn one pick into multiple picks.

I think its a solid tactic but id much rather just take our star and move on. Its a two pick draft. Both are stars. We need a star. Now is not the time to turn it into Mo Bamba and a mid first rounder next year.

Thats just how i feel. Dont get me wrong, Mo Bamba and a mid first rounder would be solid additions. Star power is necessary to win though. Great team work will get you as far as Boston which really only works in the east.
 
#15
bout time someone started a thread on my boy Bamba...there is one on Jaren Jackson and Michael Porter, Mo deserves one too. I hope the Kings bring him in for a workout, he is an exceptional talent :)
His potential is sky high, I just think him and Jackson both are going to take some time and development to get there. I don't think that bothers our FO, but I don't think the fans will like it. The other thing is there are other high ceiling guys who may not need the time Bamba and Jackson may. Either the top of this draft is nice and we are in prime position to take advantage.
 
#16
every GM has their play and Vlade slowly is becoming known as the one to trade down and turn one pick into multiple picks.

I think its a solid tactic but id much rather just take our star and move on. Its a two pick draft. Both are stars. We need a star. Now is not the time to turn it into Mo Bamba and a mid first rounder next year.

Thats just how i feel. Dont get me wrong, Mo Bamba and a mid first rounder would be solid additions. Star power is necessary to win though. Great team work will get you as far as Boston which really only works in the east.
What if we drafted Doncic and say Dallas with the 5th pick is on the clock and Bagley is still available. If Dallas offered the 5th pick + next years top 3 protected for Doncic, would you pull the trigger?

Some would consider that a fairly even trade talent wise plus you'd be getting what should be a 8-10th pick the next year. Could be something to ponder if the situation arises.
 

kingsboi

Hall of Famer
#17
every GM has their play and Vlade slowly is becoming known as the one to trade down and turn one pick into multiple picks.

I think its a solid tactic but id much rather just take our star and move on. Its a two pick draft. Both are stars. We need a star. Now is not the time to turn it into Mo Bamba and a mid first rounder next year.

Thats just how i feel. Dont get me wrong, Mo Bamba and a mid first rounder would be solid additions. Star power is necessary to win though. Great team work will get you as far as Boston which really only works in the east.
keep in mind Ainge has built a championship squad before and he very well could do it again. Let's not forget that Boston is missing their two best players and are still making the Cavs work for it. Their approach is not a bad one to take at all, whether it's in the East or West.
 
#18
What if we drafted Doncic and say Dallas with the 5th pick is on the clock and Bagley is still available. If Dallas offered the 5th pick + next years top 3 protected for Doncic, would you pull the trigger?

Some would consider that a fairly even trade talent wise plus you'd be getting what should be a 8-10th pick the next year. Could be something to ponder if the situation arises.
I am sure Vlade will get his fair share of trade requests. For me personally, im taking Doncic or Ayton and calling it a day.
 
#19
keep in mind Ainge has built a championship squad before and he very well could do it again. Let's not forget that Boston is missing their two best players and are still making the Cavs work for it. Their approach is not a bad one to take at all, whether it's in the East or West.
completely agree however they cant win it without their two stars (which will become 3 shortly with Ainge's tact)

we need a star. we are on track to become similar to boston currently, a team of great complimentary pieces but no significant pieces. That will get you back in to the post season but in terms of winning it all, you need continuity and a star who has been raised within a system.

We are prime, right now to start our journey by adding said significant piece
 

kingsboi

Hall of Famer
#20
His potential is sky high, I just think him and Jackson both are going to take some time and development to get there. I don't think that bothers our FO, but I don't think the fans will like it. The other thing is there are other high ceiling guys who may not need the time Bamba and Jackson may. Either the top of this draft is nice and we are in prime position to take advantage.
when fans say he is going to take some time, I say...what's the rush anyway? Why not get it right this time and if he does take a few years, so what? It's not as if the Kings have a prime Boogie waiting to win now and must make the playoffs. What's a few more years of no playoffs, the arena is half empty most of the time anyway unless the Lakers, Warriors, Celtics and Bulls come to town. The Kings have one of the youngest teams in the league and would have the youngest if it wasn't for a few 30+ year olds, that said, Fox, Giles will take some time to pan out, if they pan out at all...Bogs & Buddy are the two that will soon be approaching their prime but that doesn't necessarily mean the Kings should rush and build around them, they can afford to be patient.
 

kingsboi

Hall of Famer
#21
completely agree however they cant win it without their two stars (which will become 3 shortly with Ainge's tact)

we need a star. we are on track to become similar to boston currently, a team of great complimentary pieces but no significant pieces. That will get you back in to the post season but in terms of winning it all, you need continuity and a star who has been raised within a system.

We are prime, right now to start our journey by adding said significant piece
similar to Boston? I think not. The Kings right now are on the Denver Nuggets approach in my opinion, solid head coach, lots of good to decent young players but not good enough to make noise in the playoffs until they get a star and Jokic is not a star in my eyes.
 
#22
similar to Boston? I think not. The Kings right now are on the Denver Nuggets approach in my opinion, solid head coach, lots of good to decent young players but not good enough to make noise in the playoffs until they get a star and Jokic is not a star in my eyes.
Yes thats a good comparison - your nuggets view.

Put it this way, add Mo Bamba and a mid first rounder next year and at best we will be Boston currently - solid team with good complimentary pieces but no star power to get it done.

Take a swipe at Doncic or Ayton and you have your star who will grow in your system with your solid coach and solid supporting cast and your ceiling is much higher.

Just my view.

At some point you need to take that plunge and say that's the guy and we are going all in on him. We were never truly committed to Boogie but this next pick of ours represents a chance to do this over, land our star and develop quietly whilst the west beats itself up for the next few years.

Complimentary pieces can be had in free agency and mid level trades. Stars are very difficult to come by, especially if you are the kings. The draft is our best way at getting a shot and we need to utilize that, not split resources by trading down in my mind.
 
#23
when fans say he is going to take some time, I say...what's the rush anyway? Why not get it right this time and if he does take a few years, so what? It's not as if the Kings have a prime Boogie waiting to win now and must make the playoffs. What's a few more years of no playoffs, the arena is half empty most of the time anyway unless the Lakers, Warriors, Celtics and Bulls come to town. The Kings have one of the youngest teams in the league and would have the youngest if it wasn't for a few 30+ year olds, that said, Fox, Giles will take some time to pan out, if they pan out at all...Bogs & Buddy are the two that will soon be approaching their prime but that doesn't necessarily mean the Kings should rush and build around them, they can afford to be patient.
I agree that the Kings are not in any rush so the development timeline should not be a problem. There may be more risk with a player needing more development though. I'm not really well-versed in how teams make these valuations but I could see a player like Bagley being valued higher solely because teams see him as being able to contribute sooner. I think the Kings need to hit big with this pick whether that requires a slow development process or not.
 
#24
similar to Boston? I think not. The Kings right now are on the Denver Nuggets approach in my opinion, solid head coach, lots of good to decent young players but not good enough to make noise in the playoffs until they get a star and Jokic is not a star in my eyes.
That's a good comparison. We hit on Giles and this year's pick and then we can talk Boston. :p
 
#25
Here is a video clip of Mo interviewing at the combine. When I thought we were picking later in the draft, Bamba is who I was hoping for.

I will leave the offense vs. defense debate alone for now.:)

He touches on a lot and is a very intelligent and well spoken young man. Towards the end he brushes on the evolution of the 5 in today's NBA, as well as working out with Kevin Garnett ( a favorite of mine ) as well as Embiid. Even mentions that Jojo gave him his secret recipe for drawing fouls and getting to the line. Worth a look.




Here is an article on the combine interview from a TX LH's affiliated site for those who prefer to read the gist of it.

https://247sports.com/college/texas...outs-with-Kevin-Garnett-Joel-Embiid-118352945
 
#27
when fans say he is going to take some time, I say...what's the rush anyway? Why not get it right this time and if he does take a few years, so what? It's not as if the Kings have a prime Boogie waiting to win now and must make the playoffs. What's a few more years of no playoffs, the arena is half empty most of the time anyway unless the Lakers, Warriors, Celtics and Bulls come to town. The Kings have one of the youngest teams in the league and would have the youngest if it wasn't for a few 30+ year olds, that said, Fox, Giles will take some time to pan out, if they pan out at all...Bogs & Buddy are the two that will soon be approaching their prime but that doesn't necessarily mean the Kings should rush and build around them, they can afford to be patient.
Because the team needs to learn to win. Regular losing is likely to cause frustration among players, coaches, FO, and ownership, and likely to lead to knee jerk reactions and large scale changes. It's not like we are in the first year of a rebuild (we are in the second year of the nth rebuild). Fans have been sold a certain dream, and it's quite likely that the ownership and FO believed in that. This does not mean making the playoffs, but certainly progress towards that goal, ultimately reflected in the W column will be important. It will be all the more critical this year, since we don't have a draft pick next year.

A team as young as ours is expected to improve significantly. Multiple young players saw significant time last year, and are expected to be much better this year. Not all of them will pan out of course, but if even some show some improvement, team shall be much improved. Add a high pick, and Giles, who has been sold as all that and more, and fans are right to be excited, particularly long suffering ones as us. If the team shows little progress, it might cause some heads to roll, and the resulting instability is something we can ill afford.
 
#28
Well, Bamba and his group have shown a real expertise at working the draft process. However, I have no idea how anyone can watch these WCF and ECF games and think “You know who should be a top 5 pick? Mo Bamba.” Let’s grant the Bamba Truthers that he could max out as Gobert with 42% shooting from 3...the problem is still that we are now passing on the guy (Doncic) that you need on the wing to fully activate that “Gobert with a wicked jumpshot”, and how do we acquire that kind of wing talent down the road?

Or, we could just take Doncic and find some other guys to play solid defense and hit a couple 3s from the 5 spot. Which scenario makes more sense? BTW, if WCS is doing anything other than shooting corner 3s all day right now he is seriously wasting his time. He’s worth $20M a year if he can stick that corner 3.
 

kingsboi

Hall of Famer
#29
Because the team needs to learn to win. Regular losing is likely to cause frustration among players, coaches, FO, and ownership, and likely to lead to knee jerk reactions and large scale changes. It's not like we are in the first year of a rebuild (we are in the second year of the nth rebuild). Fans have been sold a certain dream, and it's quite likely that the ownership and FO believed in that. This does not mean making the playoffs, but certainly progress towards that goal, ultimately reflected in the W column will be important. It will be all the more critical this year, since we don't have a draft pick next year.

A team as young as ours is expected to improve significantly. Multiple young players saw significant time last year, and are expected to be much better this year. Not all of them will pan out of course, but if even some show some improvement, team shall be much improved. Add a high pick, and Giles, who has been sold as all that and more, and fans are right to be excited, particularly long suffering ones as us. If the team shows little progress, it might cause some heads to roll, and the resulting instability is something we can ill afford.
if the front office personnel can't afford to be patient for some of these players to pan out then they won't be here long anyway. An NBA rebuild can happen quickly if you get lucky and get a star or two, if you don't, then you have to take a few seasons to mold them into solid NBA players. This talk about the team expected to improve "significantly" is just not realistic right now unless Vlade sways a trade for an impact player and even then, it takes some time to grow team chemistry, team concepts, style of play, etc. The Kings all ready have a plethora of young players so if they don't have a pick for next season, it's not the demise of the rebuild, unless it lands in the top 3 and even then it's not certain that the player selected will pan out. Too many scenarios to play out here. The Kings need to stay the course and let this play out how it may while continuing to stock pile on assets and draft picks if possible.
 

Kingster

Hall of Famer
#30
I just don't see why you wouldn't take Jackson over Bamba. I see Jackson as a much more athletic player in virtually every aspect of the game and his offensive potential is much higher, imo. Unlike the choice between Ayton, Bagley, and Jackson, it's easy for me to cross Bamba off my list.