Re-signing Peja and/or Bonzi?

[Diabeticwonder]

With all of the trade talk that there is going on and with the trade deadline a little more than a month away (Feb. 23) the most prominent names that I'm sure we'll hear from the Kings in trades are Peja and Bonzi since both will be unrestricted free agents come this summer. So, what would you like to happen, assuming that both are completely healthy?

 

[piksi]

how much do I have to spend for them vs. what can I get for them vs. letting them walk

whichever option is best for the Kings

 

[John Galt]

I used to think Peja was a goner, but now it's probably getting where Geoff is the only guy who loves him anymore and he'll sign a reasonable 5-6 year deal with the Kings in the 8 Mil/yr ballpark. In fact Geoff may catch him in a weak moment and sign him to a lowball extension before the season is over (can he legally do that under the CBA?).

Bonzi will walk to the highest bidder which won't be the Kings.

Geoff will do nothing by the trade deadline - that's my prediction. Geoff cannot accept the notion that "Peja didn't work out" and he'll be happy to reap the benefits of Bonzi playing his butt off in a contract year - but he won't risk signing the volatile Bonzi to a long term deal.

 

[AriesMar27]

if we could only trade miller and thomas for jalen rose then let peja and bonzi walk we'd be set to sign a real free agent that could actually help us.....

 

[Diabeticwonder]

if we could only trade miller and thomas for jalen rose then let peja and bonzi walk we'd be set to sign a real free agent that could actually help us.....

The problem with this summer's crop of free agents is that it's not that strong at all. Most so called "experts" rank Peja as the #2 free agent behind Ben Wallace, who is almost guaranteed to re-sign with Detroit.

 

[Warhawk]

I voted for re-sign Bonzi, but as stated above, it would depend on $$$ for both.... Bonzi should be the priority.

 

[Slamson Gets You Lifted]

Peja has been in the league long enough to prove himself as a great jump shooter and that's about it...I know Geoff doesnt want to let him go since he scouted him out years ago...but it's time to let go and try to get a decent SF for him that can rebound and play D..and build our future with Francisco coming off the bench for the firepower....If peja does'nt sign by the end of this month (which I hope he doesnt) old Geoff better start working on a trade and FAST..or else we get NOTHING...It's already known that Peja himself is ready for change......As far as Bonzi goes I expect us to keep him and try to work a deal in the off season to re-sign...but you never know.....we let Cuttino go......

 

[Bballkingsrock]

Only Bonzi please!!

 

[Rowdyone]

At this point in time between injuries and poor play Peja has just about lost all of his value as a major trading piece...for what he would currently bring, by himself, it's hardly worth the effort to bring in a mediocre player. Perhaps if combined with another player a productive deal could be made but makes it that much harder to negotiate. Bonzi could sit the rest of the year and have accomplished his goal...to rehabilitate his reputation and make himself more attractive in the FA market next year. But, if he wants to stay I would rather pay him than Peja, he's more multi-dimensional. But if he wants to go FA then, IMHO, he owes us at least a sign and trade deal. We may just be stuck with Peja but certainly not for a max (or even near max) contract.

 

[LPKingsFan]

I'd say alot depends on where we are in the draft, and who we get. And what moves are made at the trade deadline.

So no comment, yet.

 

[BawLa]

I say let em both go. It's easier to understand letting Peja go. The injury prone SF has declined after his peak year. Most stars plateau. The amount of money he will command is obviously not worth it. Most of all, I don't see ANY fire in his attitude. I loved, and now i'll let go. Bonzi, on the other hand, has made a decent case for a re-signing. Defense, effort, intensity, and attitude with a clutch shot. Who wouldn't want him. Unfortunately we have another fellow who is making a good case for himself. Not to mention all of the other teams that will be courting him. Also, the prowess of injuries makes me feel a little uneasy about a resigning. But I am open to the idea of swinging him to the three position.

 

[Yoda]

trade them both, that will get the team the best value

 

[LPKingsFan]

On principle, I assert that Sign and Trade should also be an option.

 

[SacTownKid]

Gots to go with Bonzi!

As for the value we could get out them, I think the best we could get is a draft pick. I think people can really overrate expiring contracts. Unless somebody is looking to dump a star.

 

[Bricklayer]

With the way the kids are performing right now I am actually having a hard time seeing us resigning both these guys. One? Sure. Obviously Bonzi would be my choice, and the choice of most. But both...just not enough minutes for both guys AND both kids, so I would think one or the other are gone.

 

[AleksandarN]

With the way the kids are performing right now I am actually having a hard time seeing us resigning both these guys. One? Sure. Obviously Bonzi would be my choice, and the choice of most. But both...just not enough minutes for both guys AND both kids, so I would think one or the other are gone.

I would not be surprised if both were traded. I also it makes think that Bonzi will not be back next year. If want to keep Bonzi why not sign him to contract extention already? We do not have to wait untill end of the year like with Pedja. So if the Kings want to keep him why sign to that extention already.

 

[bozzwell]

With the way the kids are performing right now I am actually having a hard time seeing us resigning both these guys. One? Sure. Obviously Bonzi would be my choice, and the choice of most. But both...just not enough minutes for both guys AND both kids, so I would think one or the other are gone.

I am glad we're on the same page here. I would just add that Cisco and Kevin are well worth a risk and if we could fill other positions by trading Pedja and Bonzi before the deadline, I would do it. For Bonzi it would have to be a really great offer, or we move him to 3.

 

[thedofd]

What are the salary cap ramifications if we let both guys go? Does that give the Kings cap room to pursue a decent free agent, or will they still be capped out?

 

[bozzwell]

What are the salary cap ramifications if we let both guys go? Does that give the Kings cap room to pursue a decent free agent, or will they still be capped out?

I know it is 16 mil off the books, but we'd still be barely under the cap even when cap increases next year. 6-7 mil I believe.

 

[Bricklayer]

What are the salary cap ramifications if we let both guys go? Does that give the Kings cap room to pursue a decent free agent, or will they still be capped out?

Doesn't help much. We could get a little over the MLE, but only a little. Might be enough to tempt a guy here who's next best offer was somebody's MLE, but given the crop of free agents, who cares? I mean Peja and Bonzi are 2 of the top 10, laikely even top 5, guys out there this year.

Gotta conserve that talent base. Can trade players all you want, but you just have to keep on getting back equal or better players or the talent slowly drains away and you are stuck in lotteryville forever. Having both Peja and Bonzi just walk away would be a serious blow to our future, whether we actually see them as being part of it or not.

Not that I think this will happen or anything, but just as an example you could take Peja ($7.6mil) and trade him to Miami for:

$5.9mil James Posey (player option this summer)
$0.8mil Wayne Simien (29th pick 2005 draft -- undersized physical PF)
$1.0mil Dorrel Wright (19th pick 2004 draft, hyperatheltic SF))
and their #1 this year (let's say 27th pick)

And just based on their situation -- chasing a title, needing a shooter/3rd gun, Shaq aging, you might be able to get it. Or at least 2 of the 3 Simen/Wright/pick combo. If it comes to rebuilding, you pile in the youngsters, get a decent filler guy with a defensive mindset with a contract up soon. That's far more attractive than just letting the guy walk.

 

[Diabeticwonder]

I tend to agree with you Brick in that neither of them may be in our long term plans if the kids continue to impress. However, it is paramount that if we decide to go on without them that we get something in return for them. Losing both of them without getting anyone back would be a bigger blow to this franchise than anything that has ever happened, including the Webber trade. Like Brick said, with the way the salary cap is set up you just have to keep swapping out players of equal or better talent because like we saw with Cat, if we lose someone while over the cap and get nothing in return that money is gone and can't be used on anyone else. If Cisco and Martin continue to impress and grow then I see Brad and Mike sticking around and continuing to build around them.

 

[LPKingsFan]

Doesn't help much. We could get a little over the MLE, but only a little. Might be enough to tempt a guy here who's next best offer was somebody's MLE, but given the crop of free agents, who cares? I mean Peja and Bonzi are 2 of the top 10, laikely even top 5, guys out there this year.

Gotta conserve that talent base. Can trade players all you want, but you just have to keep on getting back equal or better players or the talent slowly drains away and you are stuck in lotteryville forever. Having both Peja and Bonzi just walk away would be a serious blow to our future, whether we actually see them as being part of it or not.

Not that I think this will happen or anything, but just as an example you could take Peja ($7.6mil) and trade him to Miami for:

$5.9mil James Posey (player option this summer)
$0.8mil Wayne Simien (29th pick 2005 draft -- undersized physical PF)
$1.0mil Dorrel Wright (19th pick 2004 draft, hyperatheltic SF))
and their #1 this year (let's say 27th pick)

And just based on their situation -- chasing a title, needing a shooter/3rd gun, Shaq aging, you might be able to get it. Or at least 2 of the 3 Simen/Wright/pick combo. If it comes to rebuilding, you pile in the youngsters, get a decent filler guy with a defensive mindset with a contract up soon. That's far more attractive than just letting the guy walk.

That's actually a very interesting deal, Brick. I've thought long and hard on Peja going to Miami, but saw it more as a 3-team deal. While on the surface it looks bad for the Kings, I think you do it.

This deal you do at the deadline, then wait for the summer to decide what to do with Posey's option.

As for Bonzi trades, I don't think anything will happen until this summer. But the talent drain is very real, and if we decide to hand the 2-guard position to Martin, we need to get something in return for Bonzi too.

 

[bozzwell]

Doesn't help much. We could get a little over the MLE, but only a little. Might be enough to tempt a guy here who's next best offer was somebody's MLE, but given the crop of free agents, who cares? I mean Peja and Bonzi are 2 of the top 10, laikely even top 5, guys out there this year.

Gotta conserve that talent base. Can trade players all you want, but you just have to keep on getting back equal or better players or the talent slowly drains away and you are stuck in lotteryville forever. Having both Peja and Bonzi just walk away would be a serious blow to our future, whether we actually see them as being part of it or not.

Not that I think this will happen or anything, but just as an example you could take Peja ($7.6mil) and trade him to Miami for:

$5.9mil James Posey (player option this summer)
$0.8mil Wayne Simien (29th pick 2005 draft -- undersized physical PF)
$1.0mil Dorrel Wright (19th pick 2004 draft, hyperatheltic SF))
and their #1 this year (let's say 27th pick)

And just based on their situation -- chasing a title, needing a shooter/3rd gun, Shaq aging, you might be able to get it. Or at least 2 of the 3 Simen/Wright/pick combo. If it comes to rebuilding, you pile in the youngsters, get a decent filler guy with a defensive mindset with a contract up soon. That's far more attractive than just letting the guy walk.

Now, you're talking!

Also, it should be considered that we can offer Pedja and/or Bonzi in package with one of the bad contracts so that rather then see them walk away for nothing we shed more in the long term. Something along the lines of Pedja and KT for Tim Thomas (expiring 14 mil). It leaves money on the table to resign other guy wuthout hurting ourselves too much and if somehow you also package Bonzi and Corliss for expiring deal, you're now in the position to offer max deal to Big Ben. I don't see Ben leaving Detroit, so I would trade Bonzi only for a big young athlete to pair up with Brad.

The only really bad thing that can happen is if we don't do anything before 23rd and both guys walk.

 

[John Galt]

Ah that would be sweet - James Posey is the only guy Peja ever really went "smack talk" on... remember how he said "I scored his number = 41"? I think Posey might have been on Memphis then.

It would be nice and symmetrical if he got traded for him.

 

[SacTownKid]

I don't know why, and I don't know if I like it, but I see Nene possibly being a King next year. We know Petrie wants him and Denver could use Peja or Bonzi.

I would love for Bonzi to stay though.

I was also thinking of almost that exact same deal from Miami the other day as well. I been reading how Posey hasn't been the shut down defender they though he was going to be. I wouldn't mind doing that one.

 

[BMiller52]

I don't know why, and I don't know if I like it, but I see Nene possibly being a King next year. We know Petrie wants him and Denver could use Peja or Bonzi.

I would love for Bonzi to stay though.

I was also thinking of almost that exact same deal from Miami the other day as well. I been reading how Posey hasn't been the shut down defender they though he was going to be. I wouldn't mind doing that one.

I don't know if I'd like it but I know I'd love it if NeNe were a king

 

[SacTownKid]

I don't know if I'd like it but I know I'd love it if NeNe were a king

Good player, but I am afraid we'd have to sign him to a "Brad Miller" deal, and I don't know if he is worth that much. Good player, no doubt.

 

[BMiller52]

Good player, but I am afraid we'd have to sign him to a "Brad Miller" deal, and I don't know if he is worth that much. Good player, no doubt.

Even with the fixed knee(and it's not going to be a bum knee, it'll be a fixed knee) he has LOADS of potential just waiting to be tapped. I see him as a 15/8/2.5 guy if we got him here. I also heard he's a really nice person. Denver's not gonna keep him. They need an OG/Shooter, we have peja and bonzi. They fit their needs. If we are going to S&T peja or bonzi I would love to get NeNe back.

 

[Bricklayer]

Why pick favorites -- strengthen one East team, stengthen them all. They're all competing in win now mode. Perfect time to dangle major players to them for youth.

1) Peja ($7.6mil) and trade him to Miami for:

$5.9mil James Posey (player option this summer)
$0.8mil Wayne Simien (29th pick 2005 draft -- undersized physical PF)
$1.0mil Dorrel Wright (19th pick 2004 draft, hyperatheltic SF))
and their #1 this year (let's say 27th pick)

2) Bonzi ($8mil) to Indiana for:

$6.3mil Scot Pollard (ending)
$2.3mil Fred Jones (our new Bobby)
and their #1 this year (let's say 22nd after Artest deal is done separately)

3) SAR ($5mil) + Hart ($1.5mil) to Detroit for:

$4.1mil Darko Milicic
$0.9mil Jason Maxiel
$1.0mil Carlos Delfino

Again, not in any way suggesting these things are going to happen. Just putting out plausible ideas for the type of deals you could get for our injured starters. Just to take that to the next level, you could field the same team that was so exciting to watch on Tuesday but also have all of the above. Or close to it. And no, that is not a team designed to win today. But if you are not resigning the Pejas or Bonzis for heaven's sake get back a pile of youngsters and picks for them.

Have Mike + Brad.
Have Pollard ending contract.
Have Corliss, Skinner, Posey ending contract next year.
Have Thomas neverending contract.

And then have a kiddie core of:
OG - Martin, 23 yrs
SF/OG- Garcia, 23 yrs
PF - Simien, 23 yrs
PF/C -Milicic, 20yrs
SF - Wright, 20yrs
PF/SF - Maxiel, 22yrs
SF/OG - Delfino, 23yrs
OG/PG - Jones, 26yrs
OG/PG - Price 22yrs
PF/C - Sampson 22yrs
+ 22nd pick
+ 27th pick

And yes I'm aware that that's too many players and that other things would have to be done. Just going for concept here.

 

[slugking50]

We need supersatars. Do not resign either and lets truely rebuild.