Potential Free Agent/Trade/Sign Tracker, '25-'26 Season

[SacTownKid]

I wish we found someone to unlock Sabonis on offense; someone who gets in his ear for passing up good looks/not backing down his opponent. Sabonis is our star and he should be looking to score way more than he does instead of facilitating to 3rd and 4th options.

That would be nice but Domas is nearing 30, so that probably isn't happening. He could produce more maybe. This is the same thing we heard about Harrison Barnes too. The thing is the efficiency of both has more to do with the offense they pass up rather than what they get. Superstars take and make bad shots. Players like Domas and Barnes think the game and if they know a shot is bad they're passing it up. LaVine kind of looked like that last season too. He would eventually say F it and go for broke but it was almost always after the Kings were down too much or had too little time left. LaVine also has a much more varied arsenal as a shot creator than Domas does.

 

[twslam07]

Haliburton is a star, Siakam is an all star caliber player imo. They are better but Lavine is a 2 time all star himself and if he didn’t play for crap franchises his whole career he would be looked at differently. If kings had a star and a defensive team he would be perfectly fine as a #2.

Making an all nba team (twice) is different than making an all star team. Would you agree that indicates a level of separation in talent and impact?

But perhaps you’re right about LaVine. Maybe it has been the situation more than his talent. The reason I slate LaVine as a third banana is because of his decision making and playmaking. He’s a talented scorer, yes, but if you’re going to be a focal point of a team that is competing in the playoffs, you need to be able to pick apart a defense when/if they adjust. I’m not asking him to be Luka Doncic out there with his passing, but I don’t think he makes the best reads and decisions leading to some inefficient team plays and turnovers.

If you’re a star guard or wing in this league, I’d hope you’re at least posting a 2.0+ AST:TO ratio, and if you’re not, you better be making up for it on the defensive end. LaVine has yet to have one season with a AST:TO ratio of 2.0 or greater in his 11 year career and we both know he’s not the type of player that’s making up for it on the defensive end either.

 

[Joshyjosh31]

I wish we found someone to unlock Sabonis on offense; someone who gets in his ear for passing up good looks/not backing down his opponent. Sabonis is our star and he should be looking to score way more than he does instead of facilitating to 3rd and 4th options.

We all wish that but this isn’t a second or third year player at some point your are what you are

 

[Joshyjosh31]

Making an all nba team (twice) is different than making an all star team. Would you agree that indicates a level of separation in talent and impact?

But perhaps you’re right about LaVine. Maybe it has been the situation more than his talent. The reason I slate LaVine as a third banana is because of his decision making and playmaking. He’s a talented scorer, yes, but if you’re going to be a focal point of a team that is competing in the playoffs, you need to be able to pick apart a defense when/if they adjust. I’m not asking him to be Luka Doncic out there with his passing, but I don’t think he makes the best reads and decisions leading to some inefficient team plays and turnovers.

If you’re a star guard or wing in this league, I’d hope you’re at least posting a 2.0+ AST:TO ratio, and if you’re not, you better be making up for it on the defensive end. LaVine has yet to have one season with a AST:TO ratio of 2.0 or greater in his 11 year career and we both know he’s not the type of player that’s making up for it on the defensive end either.

For Lavine to be that second guy he’d need a Luka, Giannis, Jokic type to do all the heavy lifting play making wise. It’s too bad he can’t be an average defender otherwise he’d be a very good second option

 

[iowamcnabb]

For Lavine to be that second guy he’d need a Luka, Giannis, Jokic type to do all the heavy lifting play making wise. It’s too bad he can’t be an average defender otherwise he’d be a very good second option

Maybe with enough defensive infrastructure he can be decent. He was part of a top ten defense in Chicago and James Harden was part of an awesome defense in LA this year even though he is old and notoriously bad on that end. Lavine really has no excuse to not be solid. Elite athleticism, good size and length. If he wants to shed that loser reputation he needs to lock in this year.

 

[SacTownKid]

Making an all nba team (twice) is different than making an all star team. Would you agree that indicates a level of separation in talent and impact?

But perhaps you’re right about LaVine. Maybe it has been the situation more than his talent. The reason I slate LaVine as a third banana is because of his decision making and playmaking. He’s a talented scorer, yes, but if you’re going to be a focal point of a team that is competing in the playoffs, you need to be able to pick apart a defense when/if they adjust. I’m not asking him to be Luka Doncic out there with his passing, but I don’t think he makes the best reads and decisions leading to some inefficient team plays and turnovers.

If you’re a star guard or wing in this league, I’d hope you’re at least posting a 2.0+ AST:TO ratio, and if you’re not, you better be making up for it on the defensive end. LaVine has yet to have one season with a AST:TO ratio of 2.0 or greater in his 11 year career and we both know he’s not the type of player that’s making up for it on the defensive end either.

Actually for Domas all star games these days are going to be way tougher to get then all NBA because they killed the center position in the All star game. Lets not forget, back in the day Brad Miller was a two time All star getting one in each conference. If they had the rules of today he's probably not making a single one.

As for Lavine, yeah and he had some 3rd banana mindset going on last season and that was a bit worrisome. It might have been him just trying to fit in though. He flat out deferred to DeMar who was the only player consistently willing to go get buckets when necessary.

Regardless of how far people think the team can go with LaVine and Domas as the big 2, on paper they clearly represent the potential to return to that DHO Beam team stuff in so many ways. Which is partly why the PG talk is a bit perplexing and depends on what they mean. If they want a guard to come in and spam pick and roll then they should really monitor Carters development. He wasn't a pass first player out of pick and roll in college but was one of the best in the country in generating team points out of it. Which fits into the exact thing Perry has been talking about being a selfless team. Creating swing action out of pick and roll is all about the ability to get into the paint. Don't have that and it won't matter much.

 

[twslam07]

Actually for Domas all star games these days are going to be way tougher to get then all NBA because they killed the center position in the All star game. Lets not forget, back in the day Brad Miller was a two time All star getting one in each conference. If they had the rules of today he's probably not making a single one.

As for Lavine, yeah and he had some 3rd banana mindset going on last season and that was a bit worrisome. It might have been him just trying to fit in though. He flat out deferred to DeMar who was the only player consistently willing to go get buckets when necessary.

Regardless of how far people think the team can go with LaVine and Domas as the big 2, on paper they clearly represent the potential to return to that DHO Beam team stuff in so many ways. Which is partly why the PG talk is a bit perplexing and depends on what they mean. If they want a guard to come in and spam pick and roll then they should really monitor Carters development. He wasn't a pass first player out of pick and roll in college but was one of the best in the country in generating team points out of it. Which fits into the exact thing Perry has been talking about being a selfless team. Creating swing action out of pick and roll is all about the ability to get into the paint. Don't have that and it won't matter much.

We weren’t discussing Sabonis regarding All NBA accolades. We were comparing the star talent of Haliburton & Siakam vs. LaVine. None of which are Cs so the point doesn’t really land in the context of the conversation.

And I didn’t say “3rd banana mindset.” I said 3rd banana as in his skill level, talent, and impact slot him as a 3rd banana for me. His mindset is irrelevant in the argument I’m making. His mindset doesn’t improve his ability to make good decisions, passed, plays, etc. In fact, a “3rd banana mindset” (which I am interpreting as a more “passive” mindset) should probably result in a better AST:TO ratio but that’s not really what we saw.

The point I was making is that I don’t think he is a good enough decision maker/playmaker/passer with the ball in his hands which caps his ceiling as a 3rd banana for me. Again, I’m not referencing to his mindset at all. He could have a 1st banana mindset and the issues I flagged would still be valid.

 

[twslam07]

For Lavine to be that second guy he’d need a Luka, Giannis, Jokic type to do all the heavy lifting play making wise. It’s too bad he can’t be an average defender otherwise he’d be a very good second option

Yeah that’s fair. Maybe if the 2nd star is a MVP level player it could work but I find it highly unlikely that we can acquire such a player.

But even in Jokic’s case, I’d say Murray is a more impactful player than LaVine. He has the passing/decision making skill that I think LaVine lacks.

 

[The_Jamal]

Making an all nba team (twice) is different than making an all star team. Would you agree that indicates a level of separation in talent and impact?

But perhaps you’re right about LaVine. Maybe it has been the situation more than his talent. The reason I slate LaVine as a third banana is because of his decision making and playmaking. He’s a talented scorer, yes, but if you’re going to be a focal point of a team that is competing in the playoffs, you need to be able to pick apart a defense when/if they adjust. I’m not asking him to be Luka Doncic out there with his passing, but I don’t think he makes the best reads and decisions leading to some inefficient team plays and turnovers.

If you’re a star guard or wing in this league, I’d hope you’re at least posting a 2.0+ AST:TO ratio, and if you’re not, you better be making up for it on the defensive end. LaVine has yet to have one season with a AST:TO ratio of 2.0 or greater in his 11 year career and we both know he’s not the type of player that’s making up for it on the defensive end either.

This is true, but LaVine is also like, truly, one of the best scorers and shooters in the game. Just a handful of guys you can say are better than him as a true 3 level scoring threat. He's a mediocre-bad creator though, so he requires a certain team build around him. As well as the necessary defenders, which we sort of actually just have with Carter/Keon/Keegan to put around LaVine and Domas.

I really don't understand why people think LaVine just sucks. The contract I guess? But when he's healthy he's absolutely a fringe all-star type that I'm very comfortable ranking as a top 40-50 player.

 

[Noble]

Any faith in re-inserting Monk into the starting PG spot with an off-season to work on chemistry with LaVine and Sabonis?

 

[See_Hanks]

I would LOVE to get Trae Young. I wanted him on draft night.. Some of you all wanted Luka I think too.

 

[admira1]

Any faith in re-inserting Monk into the starting PG spot with an off-season to work on chemistry with LaVine and Sabonis?

Perhaps closer to hope than faith for the chemistry, but his role is firecracker scoring, he should come off the bench first even with heavy minutes. Here are the 3-man lineup stats (cool feature, nba.com!) for these 3 for the small (19 game) sample size:

TEAM	GP	MIN	OffRtg	DefRtg	NetRtg	AST%	AST/TO	AST Ratio	OREB%	DREB%	REB%	TO Ratio	eFG%	TS%	PACE	PIE
SAC	19	284	110.2	120.8	-10.7	60.9	1.57	17.9	33.4	77.3	55.2	0.2	53.8	57.3	102.42	45.1

 

[SacTownKid]

We weren’t discussing Sabonis regarding All NBA accolades. We were comparing the star talent of Haliburton & Siakam vs. LaVine. None of which are Cs so the point doesn’t really land in the context of the conversation.

And I didn’t say “3rd banana mindset.” I said 3rd banana as in his skill level, talent, and impact slot him as a 3rd banana for me. His mindset is irrelevant in the argument I’m making. His mindset doesn’t improve his ability to make good decisions, passed, plays, etc. In fact, a “3rd banana mindset” (which I am interpreting as a more “passive” mindset) should probably result in a better AST:TO ratio but that’s not really what we saw.

The point I was making is that I don’t think he is a good enough decision maker/playmaker/passer with the ball in his hands which caps his ceiling as a 3rd banana for me. Again, I’m not referencing to his mindset at all. He could have a 1st banana mindset and the issues I flagged would still be valid.

Yeah but position matters a ton when comparing accolades these days. There are different criteria for both. I'm not disagreeing, but him acting like one is the biggest concern IMO. That goes beyond skill and likely can't be changed.

 

[SacTownKid]

Any faith in re-inserting Monk into the starting PG spot with an off-season to work on chemistry with LaVine and Sabonis?

Not if they are true to their word about trying to get better defensively.

 

[Noble]

Perhaps closer to hope than faith for the chemistry, but his role is firecracker scoring, he should come off the bench first even with heavy minutes. Here are the 3-man lineup stats (cool feature, nba.com!) for these 3 for the small (19 game) sample size:

TEAM	GP	MIN	OffRtg	DefRtg	NetRtg	AST%	AST/TO	AST Ratio	OREB%	DREB%	REB%	TO Ratio	eFG%	TS%	PACE	PIE
SAC	19	284	110.2	120.8	-10.7	60.9	1.57	17.9	33.4	77.3	55.2	0.2	53.8	57.3	102.42	45.1

Damn, yeah that's pretty bad.

 

[dude12]

The issue is how do you get the necessary star talent (in the short term) to put in between those guys to make it a formidable playoff team? The defense would obviously be fun to watch but who is scoring on the other end?

Usually it’s best to have your stars/potential stars in place before you start loading up on very impactful role players. That can easily make you a treadmill team.

And considering Vivek’s “win now” mandate, how are we going about replacing the star talent without relying on the draft? At that point, you’re likely relying on sending out heavy pick packages to get the player you want and you probably need two of those types of players (as I don’t think LaVine, DeRozan, or Monk are good enough to be a 1st or 2nd star on a top team).

That is a good question but I would have to say we may want to hold onto Lavine and then look at free agency to obtain a star or go get a young player who can become a star.

But I do think we could find a path to being a Top 4 team in WC by making this type of deal as opposed to trying to fill in the pieces around Domas. Just my opinion

 

[KayDee55]

This is true, but LaVine is also like, truly, one of the best scorers and shooters in the game. Just a handful of guys you can say are better than him as a true 3 level scoring threat. He's a mediocre-bad creator though, so he requires a certain team build around him. As well as the necessary defenders, which we sort of actually just have with Carter/Keon/Keegan to put around LaVine and Domas.

I really don't understand why people think LaVine just sucks. The contract I guess? But when he's healthy he's absolutely a fringe all-star type that I'm very comfortable ranking as a top 40-50 player.

Agreed. And when you have LaVine on the same team as Domas, who needs a very special team solely to make him work on a regular deep playoff contender, you have a task that is impossible to fulfill.
That (and his "soft ask out") is a big reason for why we should get assets for Domas instead of keeping him
We wont be able to trade LaVine in a deal where we get equal value back, with Domas its easier PLUS its easier to build around a non defensive guard/wing then build around a non defensive big.

You build around LaVine with conventional players, that are useful in every team. Even if the "LaVine experiment" doesnt work, he will be an expiring next season and easier to deal.

Which is why imo the rumours of perry gauging Domas' value, are a good sign.

 

[Jdbraver137]

That is a good question but I would have to say we may want to hold onto Lavine and then look at free agency to obtain a star or go get a young player who can become a star.

But I do think we could find a path to being a Top 4 team in WC by making this type of deal as opposed to trying to fill in the pieces around Domas. Just my opinion

Top 4 team in the WC? No,no,no,no,no. Maybe in 5-10 years.