Sim traded

[Bricklayer]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/239721/Raptors-905-Acquire-Sim-Bhullar-From-Reno-For-Ricky-Ledo

Not really Kings related...not really not. He was on the roster last season, has obviously been a Vivek project. But apparently the day before Halloween we/Reno traded him to Toronto's D-league team. Doesn't mean anything as far as being able to sign him or not -- I assume he's still just on a D-league contract. But would seem to indicate that with the pace pace pace old coach here the great Sim experiment may be over with?

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Well... at least we know now that you're not paying much attention to what goes on outside of the Kings Rap forum...

This was reported in the NBA forum last week.

 

[Spike]

For some reason I read this as "Slim traded", and got really confused.

 

[chasen4r1]

I view this as a positive thing. Another sign Vivek may have fully given reigns over to Vlade (and Peja for D-League) to tool this roster as he sees fit.

 

[Dime Dropper]

Ledo was actually a pretty decent prospect a few years ago too, he's had an interesting journey. He's still only 23, so who knows.

Athletic and has an excellent handle.

 

[John Galt]

I view this as a positive thing. Another sign Vivek may have fully given reigns over to Vlade (and Peja for D-League) to tool this roster as he sees fit.

Vivek staying under the radar for a whole week is a miracle and I'm overjoyed! Hope he keeps it up. I mean really, it is a freaking MIRACLE.

 

[chasen4r1]

Vivek staying under the radar for a whole week is a miracle and I'm overjoyed! Hope he keeps it up. I mean really, it is a freaking MIRACLE.

Just waiting for the quote "The first thing I told Vlade when he came in was get me Ricky Ledo, and he did that"

 

[funkykingston]

There are both basketball and non-basketball reasons to make this move.

The basketball reasons are that the Kings now have 4 players on the roster capable of giving minutes at center with Cousins, Koufos, Cauley-Stein and Moreland. All but Moreland are signed for at least two more seasons after this one. There's really no reason to continue developing Bhullar when he doesn't fit a need.

Where the Kings DO have room to try and develop a contributing player are a reserve PF, ideally one that is a scorer or stretch 4 and at SG where Ben McLemore has failed to make that starting spot definitively his which may lead to a trade or elevating Belinelli to a starting spot. And with Caron Butler nearing the end of his career a young, relatively athletic swingman that can play the 2 and the 3, handle the ball, pass and attack the rim is worth a flier to see if he develops.

I have concerns about Ledo because (1) he's never shown himself to be a good shooter, something the SGs on this Kings team really need to be, especially with Rondo as the starting PG and (2) I've heard a lot of negative things about his attitude and being a poor teammate. One coach called him a "program killer" and the worst player he's been associated with in basketball. Wow. But I also found this quote from our (now) assistant GM:

"[Ledo's] a talented scorer and a terrific athlete," said [Nuggets lead scout Mike] Bratz. "At the wing position, that's who you are going to be facing on a nightly basis in the NBA. You have to be a good athlete and you have to be able to shoot the ball and he can do that."

Worth a minor gamble I'd say.

As for non-basketball reasons, the biggest is that it shows Vivek isn't trying to turn the Kings into a circus and is allowing his front office to make the basketball decisions.

 

[Krunker]

If Ledo makes the team the arena has a reason to play "Lido" by Boz Scaggs