Sean May: Continued

[AriesMar27]

Οh, are you trying to jinx it on purpose? It can always be worse!

I do think that there are a few interesting faces in the roster this year, and now we're left to see if they can be utilized properly. I am cautiously optimistic until proven otherwise (=until the season starts?).

it doesnt get much worse than a 17 win season....

 

[Nika]

it doesnt get much worse than a 17 win season....

True. But it can still BE worse, that's all I'm saying.

And now back to our regularly scheduled optimism for the upcoming season. Honestly, I do agree on the sentiment of it has to be better because it can't be worse, but I do have a little hope that it will be better because the team will be better.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

it doesnt get much worse than a 17 win season....

The Seventy-Sixers would like a word with you...

 

[VF21]

I really dislike the Petrie-has-no-"plan" meme.

"Having a plan" is not synonymous with "getting a backup center". Just because Petrie didn't do what you wanted him to do doesn't mean he's floundering hopelessly. As if Petrie, who has 18 years more experience as an NBA general manager than you, can't look at the roster and realize that he doesn't have a 7-foot stiff to put into the lineup when Hawes sits.

Maybe part of Petrie's plan is not to go out of his way to sign players who have no hope of being a contributing piece in the future. Let's look at exactly what Geoff "Planless" Petrie has done ths summer:

1) Replaced inept interim coach Kenny Natt with veteran NBA coach Paul Westphal. Westphal has had a degree of NBA success in the past, and is noted as a good NBA teacher. We have young players that could use a good NBA teacher. This looks suspiciously like part of a plan to improve team play and improve the basketball skills of our kids.

2) Traded a few draft slots in the second round to get a legitimate pass-first backup point guard, and cash to cover part of his (not-so-large) contract. This looks like part of a devious plan to add useful players.

3) Drafted a dynamic guard who has the potential to be an all-star in only a few years. The debate over whether he is a point guard or not is irrelevant - he will be a good player, and we will find a way to have him on the floor. Plan to draft a kid who might turn into a franchise cornerstone? Check.

4) Drafted a tall, tough, skilled small forward. This isn't a kid who is expected to be a star, but he looks like he could pan out to be a good role player and glue guy. Again, looks to fall into the useful players portion of the plan-that-doesn't-exist.

5) Drafted a tenacious, hustling, bruising, great-rebounding power forward. For a second-round pick, I don't know what more you can ask for. He may not get big minutes, but it's pretty clear that when he is in, he'll be a positive rebounding force - and rebounding was one of our big weaknesses last year. Not only that, but he'll be pushing our starting bigs in practice, and hopefully force them to improve their own rebounding skills. Plan: improve team rebounding.

6) Signed a skilled offensive power forward who killed in college and had a promising start to his NBA career before being derailed by surgery to a cheap contract. Has he had injury issues in the past? Yes. Has he had weight issues in the past? Yes. But he also has the potential to be a good player - easily potential enough to entrench himself in a solid NBA frontline rotation. There's no guarantee that he'll reach that potential, but he's not a hopeless stiff. And he's cheap. Adding young, potentially talented players who might stick with the team for years on the cheap = part of a reasonable plan to improve.

7) Signed a washed-up wing to a non-guaranteed contract. Yeah, fine, whatever. See what he's got, and if the answer is nothing, toss him out.

8) Outside of the first round draft-picks, added no guaranteed money beyond this year. If the salary cap doesn't drop next year, we'll have something like $17M to play with in the offseason (subtract our first-round pick). Not enough for a superstar (who we'd be unlikely to land anyway) but certainly enough to grab a solid player after we've spent this season assessing our strengths and weaknesses going forward. Plan: determine our weaknesses with this new group of players without removing the flexibility to address them next offseason.

I think we took a lot of positive steps this offseason. They will likely not all work out, but our team should be better than last year's, while also being younger and being in a better position financially to improve in the 2010 offseason. I'm sorry that Geoff Petrie didn't feel that getting a backup 7-footer without regard to quality was the #1 priority this offseason, but maybe, realistically, it wasn't.

Nice analysis, Capt. I'm excited about the coming season. I'm looking forward to seeing how our kids and veterans will respond to a coaching staff that doesn't look like it was picked by committee. I think there's some real potential on our lineup and, if nothing else, I think we're going to see a lot of heart and hustle.

 

[Oprostaj]

It was actually quite refreshing to read the Capt.'s post. I don't share the enthusiasm that many do on this board (read, does not mean that I'm not optimistic, I'm just very cautious and am going based on the decisions made in the past couple of years) but it was still nice to look at it in a half full sort of way. At this point though, all I ask is no more ridiculous long term contracts (Hi Mikki, hello K9... Beno! What are you doing here?) and a commitment to youth. I don't even care about the playoffs, it would just be nice to know for sure where we seem to be going. Make it happen please...

 

[Capt. Factorial]

It was actually quite refreshing to read the Capt.'s post. I don't share the enthusiasm that many do on this board (read, does not mean that I'm not optimistic, I'm just very cautious and am going based on the decisions made in the past couple of years) but it was still nice to look at it in a half full sort of way.

I don't want to give the impression that I'm unrealistically enthusiastic about the team (and I'm not sure I did, but just to be clear...) We're not a playoff team this year, and there are a lot of gambles/question marks. We didn't take any sort of massive step towards improvement unless Evans lives up to the hope (not that there was an all-star player waiting to fall into our lap anyway). But we did make some moves in the right direction, and to characterize our offseason as aimless wandering just seemed plain wrong. That was what I really wanted to get across.

 

[Bricklayer]

I don't want to give the impression that I'm unrealistically enthusiastic about the team (and I'm not sure I did, but just to be clear...) We're not a playoff team this year, and there are a lot of gambles/question marks. We didn't take any sort of massive step towards improvement unless Evans lives up to the hope (not that there was an all-star player waiting to fall into our lap anyway). But we did make some moves in the right direction, and to characterize our offseason as aimless wandering just seemed plain wrong. That was what I really wanted to get across.

But was it?

What did we do this offseason?

We hired a new coach. I mean, duh. After two months of dickering, and having our apparent first choice turn us down in favor of the...Minnesota Timberwolves, we hired our 2nd (or third) for the absolute cheapest, shortest deal we could offer.

We took our draft picks. I mean, duh x2. I suppose the Sergio trade showed a minor pulse, but swapping 2nd round draft picks to plug a minor roster hole with a backup PG = pretty minor evidence.

And then we....did nothing. Filled out the roster as cheaply as possible.

The best evidence of a plan this offseason has nothing to do with anything we did, because we did nothing more than we had to. The best evidence of a "plan" is simply the lack of evidence of no plan that we have shown for the past 5 years. No MLE signings. Only the one slightly questionable Mason move (questionable just in its effect on the young SFs).

This is what we have to be thankful for anymore in the Kingdom -- we didn't affirmatively screw anything up. The case for aggressive prosecution of a well thought out plan however...can't be made because we decided to have a coach next year and to actually take our draft picks.

Nowq what I wil go in for is that rather than a plan evidenced by anything this offseason, I think we've got more of a trend. A long, slow, tedious trend, but a trend. We didn't do much this offseason, but combined with the last couple of years the overall effect on the roster has been dramatic. Its a true rebuild roster now. But as I noted elsewhere, its basically a rebuild roster built entirely with our first round draft picks from each year. Spencer, Jason, Tyreke, Kevin, Cisco, Casspi. Only Donte resulting from any other activity. And since we are required to actually draft people every year, this again isn't exactly grand plan stuff. I shudder to think where we might be if we had gotten off to a decent start with Theus last year. Brad still here? Salmons? Maybe another MLE to bolster our #8 seed chase? Sometimes disasters are a good thing. Wash away the old so you can build anew.

 

[Kingsguy881]

But was it?

What did we do this offseason?

We hired a new coach. I mean, duh. After two months of dickering, and having our apparent first choice turn us down in favor of the...Minnesota Timberwolves, we hired our 2nd (or third) for the absolute cheapest, shortest deal we could offer.

We took our draft picks. I mean, duh x2. I suppose the Sergio trade showed a minor pulse, but swapping 2nd round draft picks to plug a minor roster hole with a backup PG = pretty minor evidence.

And then we....did nothing. Filled out the roster as cheaply as possible.

The best evidence of a plan this offseason has nothing to do with anything we did, because we did nothing more than we had to. The best evidence of a "plan" is simply the lack of evidence of no plan that we have shown for the past 5 years. No MLE signings. Only the one slightly questionable Mason move (questionable just in its effect on the young SFs).

This is what we have to be thankful for anymore in the Kingdom -- we didn't affirmatively screw anything up. The case for aggressive prosecution of a well thought out plan however...can't be made because we decided to have a coach next year and to actually take our draft picks.

I think the fact of the matter is we didn't make any more lateral moves that did nothing to improve the team. The players already here are going to get better based on natural progression, we drafted correctly and passed on the over-hype. We didn't make any silly mle signings, we decided to let the players we have develop more before making any moves with regards to our salary cap.

They brought in Sean May who has a chip on his shoulder, looking to prove all of the doubters wrong which is a great situation for the Kings, especially if he does prove everyone wrong and the Kings were the team that gave him that chance which would hopefully prompt him to re-sign.

Petrie brought in some veteran presence in Ely and Mason, players that will be great for the youngsters in practice, teach them the little things they know that will help them succeed in actual gameplay.

And how do you know that Rambis was the first choice? Are you involved in the upper management and their decision making? We wanted to interview him, he wanted to remain with his team while they were mired in their championship run, so we chose to go a different route because the draft was looming and Petrie wanted everyone on the same page. You're going to tell me that Petrie really wanted Rambis over an Adelman clone? Really?

 

[Section 101]

But was it?

What did we do this offseason?

We hired a new coach. I mean, duh. After two months of dickering, and having our apparent first choice turn us down in favor of the...Minnesota Timberwolves, we hired our 2nd (or third) for the absolute cheapest, shortest deal we could offer.

We took our draft picks. I mean, duh x2. I suppose the Sergio trade showed a minor pulse, but swapping 2nd round draft picks to plug a minor roster hole with a backup PG = pretty minor evidence.

And then we....did nothing. Filled out the roster as cheaply as possible.

The best evidence of a plan this offseason has nothing to do with anything we did, because we did nothing more than we had to. The best evidence of a "plan" is simply the lack of evidence of no plan that we have shown for the past 5 years. No MLE signings. Only the one slightly questionable Mason move (questionable just in its effect on the young SFs).

This is what we have to be thankful for anymore in the Kingdom -- we didn't affirmatively screw anything up. The case for aggressive prosecution of a well thought out plan however...can't be made because we decided to have a coach next year and to actually take our draft picks.

Nowq what I wil go in for is that rather than a plan evidenced by anything this offseason, I think we've got more of a trend. A long, slow, tedious trend, but a trend. We didn't do much this offseason, but combined with the last couple of years the overall effect on the roster has been dramatic. Its a true rebuild roster now. But as I noted elsewhere, its basically a rebuild roster built entirely with our first round draft picks from each year. Spencer, Jason, Tyreke, Kevin, Cisco, Casspi. Only Donte resulting from any other activity. And since we are required to actually draft people every year, this again isn't exactly grand plan stuff. I shudder to think where we might be if we had gotten off to a decent start with Theus last year. Brad still here? Salmons? Maybe another MLE to bolster our #8 seed chase? Sometimes disasters are a good thing. Wash away the old so you can build anew.

100% disagree. They have a plan. It's the cut costs plan. Too bad they didn't do it 4 years ago. Then maybe we would be seeing a young team on the end of the upswing.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

But was it?

Yes.

It's easy to dismiss our moves this summer as things we were forced to do (hire a coach, select our draft picks, fill out the roster). I think you're undervaluing the effect of what we didn't do, though you touch on it when you mention our unspent MLE.

We could have stuck with Kenny Natt, but we didn't, and instead we got a better, experienced coach who I suspect was Petrie's #1 option (just a gut feeling).

For that matter, we could have stuck with Miller and Salmons. We could have drafted Rubio, who very well might not have come over for #4 money just as he didn't for #5 money. We could have spent that MLE on a veteran who turns out to be lazy or injured.

But we didn't. We started retooling the roster around young players, with only three contracts left that the front office might not be fully on board with: KT (acquired in desperation trade), Nocioni (acquired in salary/vet dump trade), and Beno (acquired in a desperate move to fill an empty PG slot). We grabbed a very high-potential draft pick without worrying about whether he fit on the roster. We let the MLE go and instead acquired a couple of young, hungry guys who can't afford to let their chance slip on the cheap instead (May, Rodriguez).

There wasn't a superstar on the market this summer, and we didn't have the capspace to grab one if there were. You yourself were not high on Hedo for this team at this point in his career. Outside of getting young kids with potential on the cheap and keeping cap space for next year's FA market, what else was there to do?

Rome wasn't built in a day, and we aren't going to go from 17 wins to the playoffs in one offseason. We moved in the right direction, and we're ready to take the next step (whatever it turns out to be) come summer 2010.

So, yes.

 

[Nika]

Rome wasn't built in a day, and we aren't going to go from 17 wins to the playoffs in one offseason. We moved in the right direction, and we're ready to take the next step (whatever it turns out to be) come summer 2010.

Word. Realistically, what I hope from this season is that it will build us a good basis for the future. I want to meet here next summer and discuss how much progress the team has made in the past season, and I think that there are a few good reasons to believe that this progress is possible (with the appropriate cautious optimism, of course).

 

[Section 101]

Yes.

It's easy to dismiss our moves this summer as things we were forced to do (hire a coach, select our draft picks, fill out the roster). I think you're undervaluing the effect of what we didn't do, though you touch on it when you mention our unspent MLE.

We could have stuck with Kenny Natt, but we didn't, and instead we got a better, experienced coach who I suspect was Petrie's #1 option (just a gut feeling).

For that matter, we could have stuck with Miller and Salmons. We could have drafted Rubio, who very well might not have come over for #4 money just as he didn't for #5 money. We could have spent that MLE on a veteran who turns out to be lazy or injured.

But we didn't. We started retooling the roster around young players, with only three contracts left that the front office might not be fully on board with: KT (acquired in desperation trade), Nocioni (acquired in salary/vet dump trade), and Beno (acquired in a desperate move to fill an empty PG slot). We grabbed a very high-potential draft pick without worrying about whether he fit on the roster. We let the MLE go and instead acquired a couple of young, hungry guys who can't afford to let their chance slip on the cheap instead (May, Rodriguez).

There wasn't a superstar on the market this summer, and we didn't have the capspace to grab one if there were. You yourself were not high on Hedo for this team at this point in his career. Outside of getting young kids with potential on the cheap and keeping cap space for next year's FA market, what else was there to do?

Rome wasn't built in a day, and we aren't going to go from 17 wins to the playoffs in one offseason. We moved in the right direction, and we're ready to take the next step (whatever it turns out to be) come summer 2010.

So, yes.

I dont think petrie had much choice in the matter. They just dont have the money to spend. I think if he had the chance he would have done another MLE type deal.

I think your "diection" is pure money based and not part of any "plan".

 

[Oprostaj]

Brick sort of hit it on the head for me, although I'm probably somewhere in between his and Captain's thoughts. Part of me is saying... all we really did was hire a coach and draft the best available player (to our front office's thinking). I mean, both of them had to be done, and both the coach and player choices were not unanimous among fans/media, so it's not like they can be lauded as "saviors". We are basically brimming with optimism because we have not ****ed up. THe sheer notion that this has to be applauded shows where we stand.

On the other hand... there is not much we could have done. The economic situation is sure not helping the $$$ aspect of things. The attendance is down, understandably, and it is hurting our ability to direct cash flow and "splurge". Not sure we could have gotten much even if we had tried, so this offseason can be deemed a success so far.

Bottom line to me is that we still are not 100% sure where we stand, simply because we don't know where our young players are. JT, hawes, Greene have not gotten enough playing time for anybody to say that they are locks in this franchise. We have enough for optimisim, and we have more than enough to fuel the skeptic in me. I would have preffered we blow the whole damn thing open, play all of our youngsters and see where we are. During the season, I would trade Kmart, get something out of K9, and start retooling next year with draft picks (from Martin trade) plus the contracts coming off the books. Then again, I'm just a disgruntled fan that's slightly tired, I'm not advocating one way or another.

 

[bajaden]

I dont think petrie had much choice in the matter. They just dont have the money to spend. I think if he had the chance he would have done another MLE type deal.

I think your "diection" is pure money based and not part of any "plan".

Petrie had a lot of choices. He has Kenny Thomas sitting there as an ending salary next year. I'm sure he could have worked some deal for a player using that salary. We were around 5 mil under the cap before bringing Mason and Ely on board. he could have easily signed someone with that kind of money. And if he had, you and many others would be complaining about Petrie going out and signing mediocre players to long term salarys, and having no plan for a rebuild.

You don't like Petrie. I get it, and I'm not about to say he's the be all/end all of GM's. But having suffered through some real idiots in the early days of the Kings reign here, idiots that set the franchise back years if not decades with their stupid trades and draft picks, Well, Petrie still looks pretty good to me. Perhaps out of fear the we'll return to those days with another idiot at the helm.

To be honest I'm surprised that he still here. With the Maloof's penchent for sexy, media oriented type personalities, I'm surprised that they haven't fired him for a more flamboyant type of GM. Anyway, for those that would want him gone, be careful what you wish for. It could get worse. I know, I've witnessed it first hand. Hey, I think Isiah Thomas is looking for a job.

 

[kennadog]

To be honest I'm surprised that he still here. With the Maloof's penchent for sexy, media oriented type personalities, I'm surprised that they haven't fired him for a more flamboyant type of GM. Anyway, for those that would want him gone, be careful what you wish for. It could get worse. I know, I've witnessed it first hand. Hey, I think Isiah Thomas is looking for a job.

And we should remember who will pick a new GM, if Geoff is gone. That really scares me, considering the Maloofs coaching hires!

 

[Section 101]

Petrie had a lot of choices. He has Kenny Thomas sitting there as an ending salary next year. I'm sure he could have worked some deal for a player using that salary. We were around 5 mil under the cap before bringing Mason and Ely on board. he could have easily signed someone with that kind of money. And if he had, you and many others would be complaining about Petrie going out and signing mediocre players to long term salarys, and having no plan for a rebuild.

You don't like Petrie. I get it, and I'm not about to say he's the be all/end all of GM's. But having suffered through some real idiots in the early days of the Kings reign here, idiots that set the franchise back years if not decades with their stupid trades and draft picks, Well, Petrie still looks pretty good to me. Perhaps out of fear the we'll return to those days with another idiot at the helm.

To be honest I'm surprised that he still here. With the Maloof's penchent for sexy, media oriented type personalities, I'm surprised that they haven't fired him for a more flamboyant type of GM. Anyway, for those that would want him gone, be careful what you wish for. It could get worse. I know, I've witnessed it first hand. Hey, I think Isiah Thomas is looking for a job.

By trading KT for a player you would be taking on future salary. I don't think the Kings have the money to pay someone. So no I don't think that was much of an option. I think KT is here till the trade deadline then he just drops off the cap.

Yes the Kings had/have cap space. But again, they don't have the money to sign anyone. They could have had 15mil in cap space and they would not have used it. Look at every deal since and including Bibby and they were all about lowering costs. None were based on talent.

 

[bajaden]

By trading KT for a player you would be taking on future salary. I don't think the Kings have the money to pay someone. So no I don't think that was much of an option. I think KT is here till the trade deadline then he just drops off the cap.

Yes the Kings had/have cap space. But again, they don't have the money to sign anyone. They could have had 15mil in cap space and they would not have used it. Look at every deal since and including Bibby and they were all about lowering costs. None were based on talent.

What you just posted makes no sense at all. If your incapable of understanding what I posted, then I'm not going to waste my time with you.

 

[Section 101]

What you just posted makes no sense at all. If your incapable of understanding what I posted, then I'm not going to waste my time with you.

What part dont you understand?

By not having money I mean they dont have money in the bank to pay someone. Cap space is irrelevant if you don't actually have money in the bank to pay someone.

They don't actually pay Mason and Ely their salaries up front. They don't even get paid till after the first games. So if they aren't here they get nothing.

 

[Kingsguy881]

What you just posted makes no sense at all. If your incapable of understanding what I posted, then I'm not going to waste my time with you.

Hey man, it's hard to have a battle of wits with an unarmed person. You said so yourself.

 

[Section 101]

Hey man, it's hard to have a battle of wits with an unarmed person. You said so yourself.

Gee, start with personal attacks. That really contributes.

 

[Kingsguy881]

Gee, start with personal attacks. That really contributes.

He was basically stating that there was room to make moves, moves that would have sucked, moves that would have financially strapped the Kings, moves that people say he needs to do but once done they would say how it was such a crappy move and it locked the franchise into garbage for the next so an so years and yada.
He was saying that sometimes it's best to take what is given to you and not try to overindulge in needless wasting of personnel and money. That sometimes less is more. But you didn't get it. So I had to remind him the frivolousness of arguing points with someone when he has that for a signature. Nothing against you, especially if you are not witless. I'm just reminding him not to frustrate himself. Some of us are picking up what he is laying down.

 

[TaxMan]

What part dont you understand?

By not having money I mean they dont have money in the bank to pay someone. Cap space is irrelevant if you don't actually have money in the bank to pay someone.

They don't actually pay Mason and Ely their salaries up front. They don't even get paid till after the first games. So if they aren't here they get nothing.

How do you know the Maloofs aren't willing to pay money for players? Heck, Petrie kept Noc last year when it was reported there was a salary dump trade available at the time.

Don't you think it's at all possible, that, you know, they could actually have a plan to not add long term contracts right now because they feel there are better opportunites next year in free agency? Or maybe they have a plan to keep salary down going into the year so they can take more on with a Kenny Thomas trade at mid-season (which is when his expiring contract actually holds a lot of value).

Who do you propose the team should have signed or traded for that would have significantly improved our prospects for 2009/2010?

 

[Section 101]

How do you know the Maloofs aren't willing to pay money for players? Heck, Petrie kept Noc last year when it was reported there was a salary dump trade available at the time.

Don't you think it's at all possible, that, you know, they could actually have a plan to not add long term contracts right now because they feel there are better opportunites next year in free agency? Or maybe they have a plan to keep salary down going into the year so they can take more on with a Kenny Thomas trade at mid-season (which is when his expiring contract actually holds a lot of value).

Who do you propose the team should have signed or traded for that would have significantly improved our prospects for 2009/2010?

LeBron James.

Like I said before all the trades since and including Bibby were about cutting costs. They aren't going to be taking on salary in any future deals until the economy changes.

As Petrie has shown with stuff out of the blue SAR, mikki moore then extending Garcia (not out of the blue) what is his trend (oh add the Mason thing too). The Kings financial situation had more to do with the off season than any "plan" they may or may not have to sign players.

 

[TaxMan]

LeBron James.

Like I said before all the trades since and including Bibby were about cutting costs. They aren't going to be taking on salary in any future deals until the economy changes.

As Petrie has shown with stuff out of the blue SAR, mikki moore then extending Garcia (not out of the blue) what is his trend (oh add the Mason thing too). The Kings financial situation had more to do with the off season than any "plan" they may or may not have to sign players.

I think you missed my point. Clearly since the trade of Bibby, the team has been in re-build mode, so of course that leads to getting rid of high priced vets. Is the team in a great financial situation right now? Of course not, but I don't think that is precluding Petrie from signing players. I think he is simply evaluating the benefit of signing a, likely, non-impact player at this stage of the teams rebuilding. It's just not going to make a material impact on the wins and losses.

Now, if we don't throw money around next off season (assuming we see an improvement in the young players on the team, and it looks like we have a nice nucleus and a 'team of the future'), then I'd start to believe in your theory. Right now, I don't think it's quite as clear cut.

 

[bajaden]

To think that the Maloof's don't have any money in the bank borders on total ignorance. There is a distinct difference between not having any money and simply being careful what you spend your money on when the economy is in the dumper. The Maloof's made the statement earlier in the year that they wouldn't be oppossed to spending money and going over the cap if the right deal came along. They've been willing to pay the luxury tax when it was necessary. To suddenly accuse them of being cheapskates is unfair.

This was from the year 2000, so one can assume that the values listed have probably increased since then.

The Maloof Family Empire

BEVERAGES

Joe G. Maloof & Co. The foundation of the family business, it distributes mostly Coors beer.

(Value: $350 million)

SPORTS

53% stake in the Sacramento Kings basketball team, as well as ownership of that city's women's professional basketball team and a professional soccer team. Also owns Sacramento's Arco Arena, a 17,000-seat indoor arena.

(Value: $260 million)

CASINOS

Central Palace Casino in Central City, Colo.; Fiesta Casino Hotel in Las Vegas; and a planned casino to be built just off the strip.

(Value: $150 million)

BANKING

16% stake in Utah-based First Security Corp.

(Value: $320 million)

TOTAL VALUE OF FAMILY HOLDINGS

$1.1 billion

The team is currently valued at $350 million, and I'm sure their Las Vegas investments have increased considerably, since they've built another casino since this appraisal. I'm also sure that they've lost some money with the stock market drop and I also believe they lost some money invested with Madoff. So to think they have no money in the bank to work with is ridiculous.

It would appear to the casual observer that the team is doing exactly what most of the other teams in the league are doing. Tightening their belts where they can and waiting till the next offseason to make whatever splash they can in the freeagent market. I don't have an agenda here. I don't drink the Kings koolaid, but at the same time I refuse to get locked into some negative approach to everything the FO does. I do my best to be objective and thats not easy, because, well, I'am a fan. I want to believe that Evans is going to be a superstar and Thompson is the next coming of Karl Malone. And yes, I know its possible that those things could happen. Its also possible that I'll win the lottery.

My point is, that every thing the team has done is exactly what I would have done. If no great deal was available in way of a trade, then I wouldn't have made a trade just to make a trade. All my free agent signings would have been one year deals, thereby giving me flexablity in next years offseason. If Sean May ends up being what everyone thought he would be when he was drafted, then I would take a long look at resigning him to a multiyear deal at the end of the season. But my goal would be next offseason. The Kings will have money under the cap and another draft pick to add to the team. They have this season to see how all the pieces fit together and then make adjustments next offseason. Now frankly, that makes sense to me. It may not be sexy or exciting to the average fan, but right now patience is important. For the FO and for the fans.

 

[Section 101]

You realize they keep their different investments seperate. They rarely steal from paul to pay mary. The Kings by themselves are losing or just breaking even. Also, the value of their assets isnt in cash most of it is real estate and other holdings, not liquid.

And no, I dont think they have 0 in the bank. They have enough to cover the players they have now and operating costs. Taking on more salary = increasing costs and lowering the profit margin. So I stand by my statement that they really don't have extra money right now to spend. They are doing trades just to get money out of it because it surely wasn't about the players. That says alot in itself.


Finally, no I don't think it's such a bad thing. It's something they should have done 3-4 years ago. I don't blame them at this point after the terrible attendance the past few years.

 

[Bricklayer]

I think you missed my point. Clearly since the trade of Bibby, the team has been in re-build mode, so of course that leads to getting rid of high priced vets. Is the team in a great financial situation right now? Of course not, but I don't think that is precluding Petrie from signing players. I think he is simply evaluating the benefit of signing a, likely, non-impact player at this stage of the teams rebuilding. It's just not going to make a material impact on the wins and losses.

Now, if we don't throw money around next off season (assuming we see an improvement in the young players on the team, and it looks like we have a nice nucleus and a 'team of the future'), then I'd start to believe in your theory. Right now, I don't think it's quite as clear cut.

I think this is more or less the correct approach to it -- with the 2010 FA rush coming up, that half the teams in the league have been saving up for for years, you just can't know at this point, here today, whether we have been saving money to be cheap, or saving money to be a player in the LeBron etc. sweepstakes. Claims either way will have to wait until summer 2010 to be proven.

I will say that I half expected us to bail out before 2010 wiht so many teams clearing cap space for that rush, and to use our capsapce ahead of time to try to secure what players we could ratehr than trying to outcomepte a dozen other teams for an elite guy who will probably sign back wiht his own team anyway. But a combination of the economy tanking as well as our season tanking may have made it easier just to sit on the space for 2010. We lost money last year, and no available FA was going to turn fortunes significantly before the 2010 rush. The real question is just can we, coming off a league worst record, in a small city, with arena issues, really compete for a top FA next year when everybody has cap room? I rather doubt it -- our time to strike would be in a year when we were one of the only teams with real room, not in an open market against half the teams in the league. Then again, they say LeBron and the Maloofs like each other, and the only hole in the roster where we don't have a young starter is SF, so...

 

[bajaden]

I think this is more or less the correct approach to it -- with the 2010 FA rush coming up, that half the teams in the league have been saving up for for years, you just can't know at this point, here today, whether we have been saving money to be cheap, or saving money to be a player in the LeBron etc. sweepstakes. Claims either way will have to wait until summer 2010 to be proven.

I will say that I half expected us to bail out before 2010 wiht so many teams clearing cap space for that rush, and to use our capsapce ahead of time to try to secure what players we could ratehr than trying to outcomepte a dozen other teams for an elite guy who will probably sign back wiht his own team anyway. But a combination of the economy tanking as well as our season tanking may have made it easier just to sit on the space for 2010. We lost money last year, and no available FA was going to turn fortunes significantly before the 2010 rush. The real question is just can we, coming off a league worst record, in a small city, with arena issues, really compete for a top FA next year when everybody has cap room? I rather doubt it -- our time to strike would be in a year when we were one of the only teams with real room, not in an open market against half the teams in the league. Then again, they say LeBron and the Maloofs like each other, and the only hole in the roster where we don't have a young starter is SF, so...

Please! Don't even tease me with that last line. I can't allow myself to even think about the possiblities. LeBron, Evans, Martin, and who cares who else. OK, I've got to stop right now. Damm you Bricky for ruining my night....

 

[bajaden]

You realize they keep their different investments seperate. They rarely steal from paul to pay mary. The Kings by themselves are losing or just breaking even. Also, the value of their assets isnt in cash most of it is real estate and other holdings, not liquid.

And no, I dont think they have 0 in the bank. They have enough to cover the players they have now and operating costs. Taking on more salary = increasing costs and lowering the profit margin. So I stand by my statement that they really don't have extra money right now to spend. They are doing trades just to get money out of it because it surely wasn't about the players. That says alot in itself.


Finally, no I don't think it's such a bad thing. It's something they should have done 3-4 years ago. I don't blame them at this point after the terrible attendance the past few years.

Maybe we can agree that not spending money that they don't need to spend right now is a good thing, even if we can't agree on why their not spending money. We could argue this last point till hell freezes over and obviously I'm not going to convince you of any other possibilites than the one you want to believe. So enjoy!!

 

[AriesMar27]

for the record the kings have added salary since the bibby trade... beno got a 5 yr deal, garcia was re-signed to a 5 yr deal and they traded for nocioni who had a longer deal than the player he was traded for, miller or salmons depending on how you look at it.