Prepare to hold your nose: Would you....

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
Would you help a Pelican out and trade:

Carl Landry $6.75mil, $6.75mil, $6.75mil
Jason Thompson $6.0mil, $6.4mil, $6.8mil
Travis Outlaw $3.0mil (ender)

for

Eric Gordon $14.9mil, $15.5mil (player option)
Jeff Withey $0.8mil (ender)



I detest Eric Gordon. However, just looking at salaries I suddenly realized we could escape those bad frontcourt contracts and solve a problem at the same time. Gerbil says he wants to add shooting? Well there is a shooter. And some ballhandling? Ditto. Shaves a year off those bad contracts. Might even get Gordon to give us a strong contract year push in one or both of them. And New Orleans would a) love for him to be gone and out of the way; b) needs a big body in there to start next to Davis (hello JT/Reke) and c) already knows Carl Landry. Another Gay trade, unwanted pieces going both ways, maybe both sides get better.
 
Kind of meh all the way around. I like Withey and wanted the Kings to draft him in the 2nd round and Gordon would trim one year of bad contracts (possibly two if he opts out next offseason but I wouldn't expect that) but it doesn't really help the team in the short term. Gordon is undersized and not a good defender and if IT stays it means two gunners in the backcourt again.

Hard to see NO doing it either when they hope to play Anderson/Davis big minutes and don't need two backup PFs eating up $12.4 million.

That said, I am in favor of practically any trade that moves Landry.
 
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Kind of meh all the way around. I like Withey and wanted the Kings to draft him in the 2nd round and Gordon would trim one year of bad contracts (possibly two if he opts out next offseason but I wouldn't expect that) but it doesn't really help the team in the short term. Gordon is undersized and not a good defender and if IT stays it means two gunners in the backcourt again.

Hard to see NO doing it either when they hope to play Anderson/Davis big minutes and don't need two backup PFs eating up $12.4 million.

That said, I am in favor of practically any trade that moves Landry.

JT would become their starting center. They were desperately looking for one all last season. Even starting Jason Smith just to get a bigger body out there to bang, which Davis is not suited for.
 
I'd do it. It's essentially getting rid of bad contracts for an expiring, who is a talented 2 (even if his type of game doesn't equate to winning and he's completely overpaid) and could give us a year of good play. Withey is a nice throw in. It's a talent upgrade and clears up the logjam, as well as getting rid of some bad contracts.
 
I don't see NO doing this trade, but I would take it every day of the week. Eric Gordon has a disgusting contract but our 2015 offseason would be incredible and loaded with money.
 
I don't see NO doing this trade, but I would take it every day of the week. Eric Gordon has a disgusting contract but our 2015 offseason would be incredible and loaded with money.

New Orleans was absolutely frantic trying to dump Gordon all year long. Could find no takers, for good reason. Well, I just named my price for doing the dirty deed. The oddity is that if he's less cancerous than I have considered him, he actually would fit nicely in a lot of ways, if we dumped IT. Give us shooting and ballhandling at the 2 while Ben either develops, or not. And do it without adding anything to our salary footprint because we used our worst contracts to get him.
 
Withey, in the proposed scenario.

Another big frontcourt body would have to come come from somewhere, but elsewhere I have trade our #8 for Taj Gibson and their #19 so we should be covered :)

Taj Gibson, Withey and the #19 pick would be an outcome equal to drafting J Will, Trading for CWebb and signing Vlade. Well almost:)
 
Withey, in the proposed scenario.

Another big frontcourt body would have to come come from somewhere, but elsewhere I have trade our #8 for Taj Gibson and their #19 so we should be covered :)
LOL I did not realize the trade scenarios were cross-referenced, but yes I assume even with Withey we would want a 3rd big to play at the 5 against full grown front courts.
 
If the Kings are going to become the island of misfit toys and collect bloated contracts then let's go whole hog. Make the Gordon deal. Let IT walk and then deal Jason Terry and Derrick Williams (and their ending contracts) to Milwaukee for Larry Sanders. You trade down and grab a veteran and a lower draft pick. Maybe something like DeMarre Carroll and and the 15th pick and grab Tyler Ennis or a guy I'm liking more and more in Elfrid Payton. Hopefully Gay resigns a long term deal for around $11 or $12 million or at least doesn't opt out.

Now you have a starting lineup of:
C Cousins
PF Sanders
SF Gay
SG Gordon
PG Payton

with a bench of McCallum, McLemore, Carroll, Evans, Withey, Acy and a couple end of the bench signees.

Horribly overpaid squad, but one that could do some things.
 
I like all the moves if Eric Gordon stays healthy for his two seasons as a King. Gay resigns for less. Taj Gibson is the Big to start next to Cousins. Withey, Evans, Acy and the McRookies would be good off the bench. I figure IT signs elsewhere. That means a starting 5 of Cousins, Gibson, Gay, Gordon and ? Who plays the 1?
 
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On the face of it it is intriguing to me. Improving the 2 position is my priority because it's improving our weakest link and in two ways - first by simply upgrading the talent and experience at that position, and, secondly, by providing a ballhandlder that will make our PG better at sharing the ball whether that us pIT or anyone else. You can't get the best out of any PG without having a ballhandlder/passer at the 2.
 
If the Kings are going to become the island of misfit toys and collect bloated contracts then let's go whole hog. Make the Gordon deal. Let IT walk and then deal Jason Terry and Derrick Williams (and their ending contracts) to Milwaukee for Larry Sanders. You trade down and grab a veteran and a lower draft pick. Maybe something like DeMarre Carroll and and the 15th pick and grab Tyler Ennis or a guy I'm liking more and more in Elfrid Payton. Hopefully Gay resigns a long term deal for around $11 or $12 million or at least doesn't opt out.

Now you have a starting lineup of:
C Cousins
PF Sanders
SF Gay
SG Gordon
PG Payton

with a bench of McCallum, McLemore, Carroll, Evans, Withey, Acy and a couple end of the bench signees.

Horribly overpaid squad, but one that could do some things.
I would actually prefer Carrol as the starting SF and using the 19mil we woudl have spent on Rudy to get a couple nice solid vets instead at the PG spot maybe use that money to sign one Shanu Livingston. To me Cousins/Gay/Gordon is to much chucking between them. But I really like your idea props for coming up with that althought I'm not sure how realistic it is but on paper it's nice.

I don't know if it's possible to have Cousins on like 14mil + Sanders on 11+, Rudy on (whatever he signs for which will be over 10) and Gordon on 14/15million on one team.
 
New Orleans was absolutely frantic trying to dump Gordon all year long. Could find no takers, for good reason. Well, I just named my price for doing the dirty deed. The oddity is that if he's less cancerous than I have considered him, he actually would fit nicely in a lot of ways, if we dumped IT. Give us shooting and ballhandling at the 2 while Ben either develops, or not. And do it without adding anything to our salary footprint because we used our worst contracts to get him.
This is why I would do it and he is practically the ending contract going into season 2015-2016. In the man time, you get some ballhandling at the 2 and some long range shooting. He is seriously overpaid but so are the rest of the pieces that we are giving up but we cut the years down. Very similar to Rudy Gay trade!
 
With all this chaos in Memphis, Marc Gasol becomes an interesting 2015 free agent. Of course, our attractiveness as a free agent destination comes from a winning 14-15 season, and I'm not sure we can accomplish that without cashing in our various expiring contracts.
 
I like the set up, but if it were me, I would try my mightiest to pry Rondo loose from Boston before going for Taj. Would it be possible to do a sign and trade with Boston involving IT, Rondo, and the 8th pick (with some goodies thrown in if need be)? That way, Boston has two picks in the top 8, can get a great head start on rebuilding while we would have Cousins, Rondo, and a suddenly much more likely to resign Rudy Gay waiting in the wings. You add in Ben who has a year under his belt and hopefully will improve and whoever is playing at the 4 (JT... whoever we trade JT for??). Regardless, you're still great at 3/5 positions, and you continue to fill in around them.

Edit: I say this because as important as the 4 spot is, I think we need a PG more. We need someone that can run a proper offense and defend half decently at least. JT if not traded is at least capable of not being slaughtered night in and night out and plays solid defense. Not knocking IT, but he isn't starter material, for this team at least.
 
If the Kings are going to become the island of misfit toys and collect bloated contracts then let's go whole hog. Make the Gordon deal. Let IT walk and then deal Jason Terry and Derrick Williams (and their ending contracts) to Milwaukee for Larry Sanders. You trade down and grab a veteran and a lower draft pick. Maybe something like DeMarre Carroll and and the 15th pick and grab Tyler Ennis or a guy I'm liking more and more in Elfrid Payton. Hopefully Gay resigns a long term deal for around $11 or $12 million or at least doesn't opt out.

Now you have a starting lineup of:
C Cousins
PF Sanders
SF Gay
SG Gordon
PG Payton

with a bench of McCallum, McLemore, Carroll, Evans, Withey, Acy and a couple end of the bench signees.

Horribly overpaid squad, but one that could do some things.


smelling like the nets desperate for improvement.
 
I like the set up, but if it were me, I would try my mightiest to pry Rondo loose from Boston before going for Taj. Would it be possible to do a sign and trade with Boston involving IT, Rondo, and the 8th pick (with some goodies thrown in if need be)? That way, Boston has two picks in the top 8, can get a great head start on rebuilding while we would have Cousins, Rondo, and a suddenly much more likely to resign Rudy Gay waiting in the wings. You add in Ben who has a year under his belt and hopefully will improve and whoever is playing at the 4 (JT... whoever we trade JT for??). Regardless, you're still great at 3/5 positions, and you continue to fill in around them.

Edit: I say this because as important as the 4 spot is, I think we need a PG more. We need someone that can run a proper offense and defend half decently at least. JT if not traded is at least capable of not being slaughtered night in and night out and plays solid defense. Not knocking IT, but he isn't starter material, for this team at least.

free agency sign and trades don't happen until after july i believe. the draft is in june.. not sure how you can pull that one off unless there is a wink wink deal somewhere along the line.
 
smelling like the nets desperate for improvement.

To an extent, yes. But that also seems to be how the new front office is approaching things. Flirting with Iguodala, signing Landry and making the Gay deal aren't the moves of a club trying to build from the ground up but rather one that is trying to win now and retool on the fly despite not having the assets to do it right.

But I'd say the difference is that in the scenario I proposed the two big contract guys being brought in are 25. Unlike Garnett and Pierce, Sanders and Gordon would be available in a deal not because they are past their prime but because their play has been very disappointing given their contract numbers. The Nets were gambling that Pierce and Garnett had just enough left in the tank for another run or two. The Kings would be gambling that Gordon and Sanders could return to the form that earned them their contracts.

That said, just because I proposed it doesn't mean I'm in favor of it. I thought the Kings had a guy that gave 90% of what Gordon did for almost half of the cost in Thornton until this season when he just never got it going. If the Kings traded for Gordon and he continued to struggle it would be just like watching Thornton this year but for $7 million dollars more. And what does that do to McLemore's development?

Personally I thought the Kings should have stripped everything down, dealt for picks and opened up cap room to build around DeMarcus. But now I fear the team is in a no man's land. How do you take the team from where it is now to making the playoffs and eventually a contender?

Some gambles will be required. Otherwise you're looking at a hamster wheel of mediocrity.
 
To an extent, yes. But that also seems to be how the new front office is approaching things. Flirting with Iguodala, signing Landry and making the Gay deal aren't the moves of a club trying to build from the ground up but rather one that is trying to win now and retool on the fly despite not having the assets to do it right.

But I'd say the difference is that in the scenario I proposed the two big contract guys being brought in are 25. Unlike Garnett and Pierce, Sanders and Gordon would be available in a deal not because they are past their prime but because their play has been very disappointing given their contract numbers. The Nets were gambling that Pierce and Garnett had just enough left in the tank for another run or two. The Kings would be gambling that Gordon and Sanders could return to the form that earned them their contracts.

That said, just because I proposed it doesn't mean I'm in favor of it. I thought the Kings had a guy that gave 90% of what Gordon did for almost half of the cost in Thornton until this season when he just never got it going. If the Kings traded for Gordon and he continued to struggle it would be just like watching Thornton this year but for $7 million dollars more. And what does that do to McLemore's development?

Personally I thought the Kings should have stripped everything down, dealt for picks and opened up cap room to build around DeMarcus. But now I fear the team is in a no man's land. How do you take the team from where it is now to making the playoffs and eventually a contender?

Some gambles will be required. Otherwise you're looking at a hamster wheel of mediocrity.

I was assuming that also then they made the gay trade and tried to win meaningless games. Now they are stuck with a crapty draft position hoping some magic will happen. Personally I think the 76rs are in a better position than us in rebuilding. I keep saying this but the way gerbil is handling this is the same way they did with lebron before he bolted to miami. Try to compete and do lots of patchwork vets. It never happened bc they screwed their salary cap by trying to win now with miscellaneous pieces that didn't fit real well.

If you look at the spurs, they have the top 3 players identified that work well together and then add complimentary players. What the **** are we doing? Possibly holding onto IT instead of cashing him in at the peak value? overpay a full sized 3 to play the power position. bleeding talent? Well we have exactly 3 years to get this thing right before cuz enters in his final year of the contract.
 
I was assuming that also then they made the gay trade and tried to win meaningless games. Now they are stuck with a poopooty draft position hoping some magic will happen. Personally I think the 76rs are in a better position than us in rebuilding. I keep saying this but the way gerbil is handling this is the same way they did with lebron before he bolted to miami. Try to compete and do lots of patchwork vets. It never happened bc they screwed their salary cap by trying to win now with miscellaneous pieces that didn't fit real well.

If you look at the spurs, they have the top 3 players identified that work well together and then add complimentary players. What the **** are we doing? Possibly holding onto IT instead of cashing him in at the peak value? overpay a full sized 3 to play the power position. bleeding talent? Well we have exactly 3 years to get this thing right before cuz enters in his final year of the contract.

That's pretty much my take on things as well. For a team to be a winner it needs a core. You do anything you can to get the main pieces of your franchise in place. Ideally that's three very good to superstar level players or even just two all-star/superstar players if they are good enough and then you surround them with complimentary pieces. Pretty simple really. DeMarcus is 23 and won't turn 24 until training camp. Yes, you want to placate him but not with short term fixes that just take you from the top 5 of the lottery to the teens.

There's no one on the Kings team other than Cousins that I wouldn't deal for a second star. And if Rudy (or even IT) is that third player to form the core then let's roll. But don't let the Kings be the Cavs with LeBron or the Magic with Howard, making deals trying to appease a star only to have Cousins decide that these patchwork moves aren't getting the team anywhere.
 
I'd do it. Gordon is not my favourite player, but at least he has a shorter contract and he is still young. Yes, he can't stay healthy, but if he does I believe he could help this team with his shooting. He could also give McLemore the time to develop without having to be the starting SG.
 
I'm on board with any trade that involves getting rid of Carl Landry. Plus, acquiring Gordon would mean not having to start a shoot-first point guard, so you win twice on that one.
 
Looking at this trade, I'm liking it more and more. Only because I like the idea of getting out of bad contracts an entire year earlier.
 
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