Should Kings stretch ZBo?(split)
- Thread starter KingsSelecao
- Start date
Just for future reference.
Unless we want to offer Smart or Capella over 20 million+ it's not necessary. And if we did, rest assure the same Vlade is an idiot crowd would scream what an idiot he is even louder as we're capped out on thanks to spending big on a player who will likely be coming off the bench in a year or two.
Whether you love Vlade or hate him, I think all of us are in agreement that he paid far too heavy a price to get the cap flexibility we have right now, but that doesn't mean it can burn a hole in our pocket and put us right back into the position of the teams that blew it.
ZBo is worth more as a trade chip. Especially since for teams actually trying to make a run at high priced free agents his contract coming off the books at the end of the season will be a boon.
But no, we should stretch him and pay that contract off over the next three years instead of signing more players now to hit the floor?
No. no. no.
Whether you love Vlade or hate him, I think all of us are in agreement that he paid far too heavy a price to get the cap flexibility we have right now, but that doesn't mean it can burn a hole in our pocket and put us right back into the position of the teams that blew it.
ZBo is worth more as a trade chip. Especially since for teams actually trying to make a run at high priced free agents his contract coming off the books at the end of the season will be a boon.
But no, we should stretch him and pay that contract off over the next three years instead of signing more players now to hit the floor?
No. no. no.
I don't think Z-Bo has much value right now, even as an ender, and a vet who can still score. I have mad respect for him, and what he's achieved despite his athletic limitations, but the game has morphed too much. It would have been tough for any big man to keep up, much less for a guy who was never athletic to begin with, and is only getting older.
That said, I do believe that Kosta and Shump could net us something. Not too much, given that they might be rentals for teams that trade for them, but we might be able to add to our pile of second round picks. Both can still help teams trying to make playoffs, and get us something small in return.
That said, I do believe that Kosta and Shump could net us something. Not too much, given that they might be rentals for teams that trade for them, but we might be able to add to our pile of second round picks. Both can still help teams trying to make playoffs, and get us something small in return.
Why would we stretch him when he comes off the books next year?
If the aim is to make a run at Capella, I wonder if the Rockets would be interested in a trade for Willie. If they lose Capella for nothing, they have no way to replace him, and would have lost another big piece for nothing. Willie is a good, young player, who might perform much better with two MVP level players breathing down his neck. That also gives them the option to sign him to a long term contract.
If the aim is to make a run at Capella, I wonder if the Rockets would be interested in a trade for Willie. If they lose Capella for nothing, they have no way to replace him, and would have lost another big piece for nothing. Willie is a good, young player, who might perform much better with two MVP level players breathing down his neck. That also gives them the option to sign him to a long term contract.
Even if he has zero value and is a locker room cancer we can afford to waive him. There is not a single reason to stretch him. Not to open a roster slot and not to sign some imaginary free agent that doesn't exist. Even if we really want to overpay for Smart or Capella we could do this with a sign and trade for any number of our expiring contracts.
I think they are going to assign him to Bagley and Giles to learn post moves or ZBo will kick their ass. Bagley in particular should be made to follow ZBo around like his personal valet and learn everything possible from the man. ZBo has forgotten more about positioning and angles than Bagley knows.
It's okay not knowing about the stretch provision. I'm pretty sure Vlade didn't know about the stretch provision either when he traded Landry, Thompson, Staukus, pick swaps, and next year's first round pick for nothing. It gave us the ability to have some salary cap room to sign, Rondo, Bellinelli, or Koufos? Could turn out to be the worst trade ever? It couldn't be worse than Hall of Famers Robert Parrish and Kevin McKale for Joe Berry Carrol and Rickey -who - Brown- could it? Too early to say.
The stretch provision is not a magic bullet. We made a bad trade that looks extremely foolish in hindsight but it aligned with the fact the Kings were trying to build around the most talented player we had seen in a decade. It doesn't even compare to what the Nets gave up to Boston for two over the hill former all-stars, let alone what most historians argue is the single worst trade of all time.
It does however show that banking on free agents to come to Sacramento after clearing space is a horrid idea, which is why we're far better off trying to move the assets we have for future assets even if their quality is unknown than just freeing up space at any cost. Especially when there is nobody to sign with that space right now and we still have to sign someone just to hit the salary floor.
It does however show that banking on free agents to come to Sacramento after clearing space is a horrid idea, which is why we're far better off trying to move the assets we have for future assets even if their quality is unknown than just freeing up space at any cost. Especially when there is nobody to sign with that space right now and we still have to sign someone just to hit the salary floor.
Actually it's not too early to say. Try to set your prejudice aside for a minute and look at the names in your post. Vlade traded two guys that are no longer in the league and one guy who's only marginally hanging on in order to clear space to sign three players that are still playing one of them is still a productive member of the team. If you think it still wasn't worth the loss of picks and a pick swap fine, but we did not get rid of valuable commodities on the court. I'm glad he DID bring in guys who could play.
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