Mobley opts out

[VF21]

Bummer. At this rate we could become lottery bound.

There's the problem, Yoda. We're not going to be bad enough to be lottery bound because we still have a good enough core to probably squeak into the playoffs as 8th seed. At least if we completely retool, we fans won't be delusional making plans to see games in May and June. This way, we just have to watch the carnage - useless to do anything about it.

 

[chelle]

I hate mediocrity as well. However, I am trying to be more optimistic. Not that it is an easy task, but I am trying. I am torn about Cat opting out. 1) I do not believe that he fit in with the style of play that our team has played so well over the past seasons, but I do think that he tried. 2) I do like how he seemed to have passion for the game. 3) What Joe Maloof said about "bouncing ideas off Petrie" scares me as well. I would MUCH RATHER Petrie make the decisions. 4) I never like it when a player decides that he would be happier somewhere else. In my world, EVERYBODY wants to be a part of the Kings. Whenever somebody does not want to belong with us, it makes me wonder about the locker room.

I usually hold to the philosophy, "Do not expect too much and you will not be disappointed." I did that this season, and believe it or not, it worked - at least until the final game! For the off season, I am going to force myself to be excited about the magic Petrie is going to work. I really believe he can do something big! I am more worried about a lock-out!

 

[VF21]

I am more worried about a lock-out!

Up until the last year or so, I was one of the most optimistic people you would ever encounter - on a message board or in real life. Slowly but surely, the optimism has been stripped away. Now I'm just fearful - and that's not pleasant. I don't like being afraid that all these things were done for the wrong reasons and that we'll be suffering the consequences for a long time.

But, you're right... I guess my main worry right now should be about the lock-out! I'll focus on that ... for now.

 

[Mad D]

1) I do not believe that he fit in with the style of play that our team has played so well over the past seasons, but I do think that he tried.

That style of ''Kings basketball'' is gone with the Divac/Webber era. The team doesn't have the personel to play that style as effective as before. Like Packt said we haven't been playing that way since pre-allstar break.

don't want to hijack, back to the topic..

 

[SacTownKid]

All I have been hearing about the Kings opinion on this is that they wanted him to opt out at the end of the season. Whether that means they plan to re-sign him and then trade him or they just want him gone, I don't know, but for anyone to be surprised he opted out is a shock to me. The Kings knew he was going to opt out when they traded for him.

 

[chelle]

That style of ''Kings basketball'' is gone with the Divac/Webber era. The team doesn't have the personel to play that style as effective as before. Like Packt said we haven't been playing that way since pre-allstar break.

don't want to hijack, back to the topic..

. . . Which is what makes me saddest of all. I get too attached to players. Now we have to wonder if we get players to fit the way we used to play when we had those guys or if we change the system completely. Big decision. I ope Petrie, and not the Maloofs, is making it.

As for not playing that way since pre-allstar , I COULD NOT AGREE MORE. However, I don't think we can compare the team we had before the break to the team after. Of course we were not playing the same. We were a more talented, more cohesive, and smarter (RA's word) before the trade. I like to look at teh second half of the season as practice for next season. Block it all out!!!! Denial is a wonderful thing!! I am one of the most unemotional people you could meet, except for when it comes to this team. Then you are talking rollercoaster city! Today I choose to believe that next season will be WONDERFUL due to a great off season by Petrie. Tomorrow, I will deal with reality.

 

[VF21]

All I have been hearing about the Kings opinion on this is that they wanted him to opt out at the end of the season. Whether that means they plan to re-sign him and then trade him or they just want him gone, I don't know, but for anyone to be surprised he opted out is a shock to me. The Kings knew he was going to opt out when they traded for him.

Just where have you been hearing this, pray tell?

I have to disagree, based on things Cat said himself. BEFORE Webber left, there were several occasions where he expressed his joy at being with Webber and looking forward to playing the next season with him, too. The Kings did NOT know Cat was going to opt out because there were lots of reasons to believe he would stay.

Not that it matters. By the time next season finally arrives, if it does, I think Cuttino's choice may be far down the list of things we're talking about.

 

[SacTownKid]

Just where have you been hearing this, pray tell?

I have to disagree, based on things Cat said himself. BEFORE Webber left, there were several occasions where he expressed his joy at being with Webber and looking forward to playing the next season with him, too. The Kings did NOT know Cat was going to opt out because there were lots of reasons to believe he would stay.

Not that it matters. By the time next season finally arrives, if it does, I think Cuttino's choice may be far down the list of things we're talking about.

Well unless Geoff Petrie was hiding under a rock he HAD to have known that Mobley was going to opt out. Even the owner of the Magic said Cuttino was planning to opt out. They decided that they didn't want to pursue him for the long haul so it didn't matter anyway.

He is still saying he wants to stay in Sacramento by the way, he is just opting out of his current deal.

 

[ParniValjak]

Well unless Geoff Petrie was hiding under a rock he HAD to have known that Mobley was going to opt out. Even the owner of the Magic said Cuttino was planning to opt out. They decided that they didn't want to pursue him for the long haul so it didn't matter anyway.

He is still saying he wants to stay in Sacramento by the way, he is just opting out of his current deal.

So in other words he is happy to stay with the Kings but he wants more money??????

 

[VF21]

Well unless Geoff Petrie was hiding under a rock he HAD to have known that Mobley was going to opt out. Even the owner of the Magic said Cuttino was planning to opt out. They decided that they didn't want to pursue him for the long haul so it didn't matter anyway.

So basically you're drawing conclusions? No problem, but you could have said that to begin with...

He is still saying he wants to stay in Sacramento by the way, he is just opting out of his current deal.

A lot of people don't live in Sacramento and/or don't watch sports TV 24/7. If you're going to make comments like that, it would really be helpful to the discussions at hand if you'd make some reference to where you're hearing these things...

 

[SacTownKid]

So in other words he is happy to stay with the Kings but he wants more money??????

Basically. He said he has to do whats right for Cuttino. Can't really blame the guy.

 

[SharpShooter]

Mobley is a very talented player but is not right for your system in Sacramento. I think Evans can really improve on his game as a starter. Good luck Mobley!

 

[ParniValjak]

Basically. He said he has to do whats right for Cuttino. Can't really blame the guy.

But what is he after???? More money per season than he was going to get if he din't opt out or is he after a longer term deal or both????

Sorry to ask all these questions but its kinda hard to keep up with things being on the other continent.

 

[VF21]

Sharp Shooter - What system? The one we had before the departure of Vlade, Doug and Chris? The one that came close but never got the brass ring?

We don't have that system any longer. In fact, we honestly don't know WHAT system we're going to have in the future. All we know for sure right now is we don't know much...and that's the way it's gonna be for a while. Geoff Petrie is not known for leaking secrets.

 

[VF21]

But what is he after???? More money per season than he was going to get if he din't opt out or is he after a longer term deal or both????

Sorry to ask all these questions but its kinda hard to keep up with things being on the other continent.

He can't negotiate right now. He is - as of this moment - a free agent and teams are forbidden to talk with him until July 1.

My guess is he's looking for a contract that will extend out as far as possible.

 

[SacTownKid]

What system? The one we had before the departure of Vlade, Doug and Chris? The one that came close but never got the brass ring?

We don't have that system any longer. In fact, we honestly don't know WHAT system we're going to have in the future. All we know for sure right now is we don't know much...and that's the way it's gonna be for a while. Geoff Petrie is not known for leaking secrets.

Well if Brad is still on the team I would think the "system" would still be here in some form. The guy is a superb passer and that won't change.

 

[SacTownKid]

But what is he after???? More money per season than he was going to get if he din't opt out or is he after a longer term deal or both????

Sorry to ask all these questions but its kinda hard to keep up with things being on the other continent.

I would assume longer term deal for security purposes. There are plenty of teams out there that need his shooting and while he won't command a huge contract he may pull a Kenny Thomas kind of deal.

 

[VF21]

One passer does not a system make, STK. And we don't know if Brad Miller will be here when the dust settles, do we? We're all agreeing some changes will be made. The Maloofs have come right out and said NO PLAYER is safe. You cannot assume anything right now...

 

[ParniValjak]

He can't negotiate right now. He is - as of this moment - a free agent and teams are forbidden to talk with him until July 1.

My guess is he's looking for a contract that will extend out as far as possible.

Thanks

 

[Alacron]

I agree with Brick. Damn.

And I don't think there's even a possibility of sign-and-trade because we're over the cap and can't offer enough for the sign part of sign-and-trade.

I am still of the mind that Mobley's not the right fit for the Kings, but now we have one less valuable piece to trade.

We now have two gaping holes, PF and SG. PF is still more important because Evans is ready to start (praying we're able to keep him), but we still need to pick up a solid, not necessarily spectacular, 2 guard in case Martin struggles.

Our lineup is now

PG: Bibby, Jackson
SG: Martin
SF: Peja
PF: Thomas, Williamson
C: Miller, Ostertag, Skinner

Evans and Songaila are not included because they are not sure to be on the roster. Evans is a free agent and Darius can opt out this year.

I fear to watch, yet I cannot turn away...
~~

 

[Alacron]

One passer does not a system make, STK. And we don't know if Brad Miller will be here when the dust settles, do we? We're all agreeing some changes will be made. The Maloofs have come right out and said NO PLAYER is safe. You cannot assume anything right now...

You can assume many of us will be very busy at the Realgm trade checker.
~~

 

[SacTownKid]

One passer does not a system make, STK. And we don't know if Brad Miller will be here when the dust settles, do we? We're all agreeing some changes will be made. The Maloofs have come right out and said NO PLAYER is safe. You cannot assume anything right now...

Well if Brad is here when the dust falls I would imagine he'll make a few passes out of the hight post once in awhile.

 

[nebs]

A lot of people don't live in Sacramento and/or don't watch sports TV 24/7. If you're going to make comments like that, it would really be helpful to the discussions at hand if you'd make some reference to where you're hearing these things...

And not even a nod to the thread that you locked explaining where that was discussed.

 

[KP]

Look, we'll never know what would have happened this year if the trades hadn't been made. Would Vlade have been injured had he stayed here? Would Doug have lost that will that drove him to give it everything he had for us and to never miss games over the past few years? Would Webber have continued to put up numbers like he had all year if not mired in offense he didn't feel comfortable with, a coach he obviously disliked, and a new teamate no other good player has seemed to be able to play with? Could the guys have held it together and made one last run at the Spurs with a less than 100% Tim Duncan and a struggling Parker? Would we be in a better spot had we waited to make moves this offseason instead? But now that the trades/moves have been made, we will know their merit soon enough. This postseason was awful, and should be a wake up call to some, but what if it's just the beginning?

 

[hrdboild]

Wait a minute. Mobley comes out and says he's opting out (which he practically guaranteed before even coming to the Kings in the first place - it's why he was traded) and now the sky is falling? The Kings are in no worse a position in the wake of this news than they were before. Mobley was as good as gone from day one. When the team went on that losing streak and the brain trust decided to pull the trigger on a Webber deal, that was the real end of our playoff run. Everything else was merely a technicality.

That being said, I think there's plenty of reason to be optimistic here. In Game 5 we lost to Seattle but our three stars played like stars. They played like three guys you build a team around and they've played like that many times before. I haven't lost faith in them yet as a championship core. Webber has been gone since his injury. The team has really been a mess ever since he came back. While acknowledging how great he has been for this franchise in the past, I think it's fair to say his absence will improve team stability. The roles are much more defined now. Petrie hasn't had a chance yet to build a team around these three guys with Webber floating in and out of the equation. This summer is his chance to find the right role players to play with who he's got. Given his track record, I think we have reason to be optimistic he'll do just that.

The Kings were one of the best teams in the league a year ago with a lineup of Bibby-Christie-Peja-Brad-Vlade. Personally, I don't think a way-past-his-prime Vlade and a slowed-by-age-and-injury Christie are impossible players to replace. While it's true that team didn't win the big one, they never really had a chance to try before the Webber return, and we all know how that turned out. They won an awful lot of ball games and judging by recent trends (Phoenix, Miami) that's as good an indicator as any what your title chances are. The sports journalists talk a good talk, but really all they are doing is looking for patterns in statistics. They can't watch every game all the time, so they have to guess and form theories and look for evidence. That's why even the most delusional of fans generally have a better understanding of how their team plays than your average sports writer. They'll keep pounding out how 'defense wins championships' and then someone like Phoenix will win one and they'll find a new axe to grind. Obviously this team has lost a lot of games because of weak defense. That doesn't mean that it's 'hopeless' without scrapping the lot and bringing in KG and Artest. Did any of you mention Bobby Simmons last year as a guy we need to get? What about Larry Hughes? Who predicted Steve Nash would win the MVP? Guys nobody has ever heard of blow up every year. We don't need to steal someone else's superstars to get the job done, we can breed our own. I think Maurice Evans is a star in the making. I'm happier with him starting at SG than Mobley because he's shown a strong commitment to playing defense when he's been asked to (ie "Guard Ray Allen. Good luck.") We definately need some more size and athleticism in our front line. There are some quality guys in this years draft that could fill the need. And there's some quality guys rotting on somebody's bench somewhere that are ready to become stars too.

There's no reason to be depressed about the outlook of this frachise. With a commited ownership, a reliable GM, a proven coach, and a trio of all-star caliber starters, we've got the beginnings of a great playoff run here. Don't panic now. Just think of it as the beginning of a new chapter in Kings history. Hopefully this one has a happier ending.

 

[KP]

Just think of it as the beginning of a new chapter in Kings history. Hopefully this one has a happier ending.

I hope you're right but like I said, we will soon see. Unless there is a lockout of course..

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

That's the spirit! (Y)

 

[jon e]

i loved having mobley as a king. he showed emotion while he played and thats why i liked webber so much. i loved watching those two together. i hope he stays with the kings cos he can be a great part in any championship team. we need to get back to that championship level as soon as possible. petrie has to do something big. i dont know if sacramento will stand for him to see what options he has for another year. most of us have grown accostomed to always being right there at the end of may at least. i know that i, as a die hard kings fan cannot sit arround for another season knowing that it is going nowhere. maybe if we were able to pull of getting a block buster star here and get the kings back on track to the championship, that would give cuttino more of cause to stay other than another team offering him more money for "cuttino". but bottom line, i say, do a big trade for a superstar and start bulding a solid team with stars and role players that can get it done. i plan on watching the kings in june 2006, not the monarchs.

 

[patrick204]

Good luck Cat!

I like his energy and attitude, but on an increasingly undersized team, he was not helping much on the defence, and on a team with excellent shooters, it was hard to get him to pass the ball.

The Kings core still plays Vlade/Chris/Doug style ball, as do Darius, Mo, Kevin and Eddie. So who do we replace, Cuttino or everybody else?

 

[Ryle]

Nene's salary is MUCH smaller than Cat's and there would have to be a package rather than Nene for Cat trade.

I think Denver, Portland and Cavs are in market for a SG and might look at Mobley.

I think Pacers would laugh off your suggestion of Kenny and 1st round pick for Artest

Actually I don't think that is the case. Denver will again be under the salary cap and they could absorb the higher salary if we traded Cat for Nene. Also, we still have Mobleys Bird rights so we can sign him to any size deal and trade him for matching salaries.....unless this all changes in the new CBA