nbrans
All-Star
I think we can all agree that we're not so happy about being stuck at #10, where even Petrie is saying it's possible to find a good player but not a great player. Certainly I'd be a thousand times happier with one of Jianlian/Brandan Wright/Horford than Hawes/J. Wright/Green.
The first two picks are out of the question. So here's how I see the other spots playing out and some possible trade ideas to snag the picks. (note: I know you can't trade Bibby during the draft, but it could be a handshake deal completed after July 1st)
#3. Atlanta
Atlanta needs a point guard and interior toughness. They have seven thousand talented small forwards (Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Josh Childress, Marvin Williams, Dominique Wilkins), an underrated center (Zaza Pachulia), but Shelden Williams was pretty terrible and Speedy Claxton's season was one of the worst by an NBA player in recent history (he shot 32%!!!).
Atlanta may be interested in Mike Bibby if we take back Speedy Claxton and Lorenzen Wright's contracts, but are they interested enough to give us the #3 pick? Bibby's not a perfect fit with their running system, so hard to believe they'd give up too much. The offer would have to start with Bibby and the #10 to get the #3 and some bad contracts, and I don't know if 1) if Atlanta would agree to this and 2) if that's even worth it for the Kings.
Possible trade: I really don't see this one happening.
#4. Memphis
Memphis badly needs a point guard and young players. I'm not totally sure they'd be interested in Bibby because they are so far away from contention and Bibby's on a relatively short deal, unless, again, the Kings take back some of their bad contracts (such as Stromile Swift and Damon Stoudamire). But then, they need whoever they're going to get with the #4 more than they need anything the Kings have. If we trade with them it's not going to be pretty.
Possible trade: Bibby, #10 for Stromile Swift, Damon Stoudamire, #4
#5. Boston
Here's the first spot where it could make sense to move up or even try and snag the pick outright. Boston has to decide if they're going to try and build a winning team around Paul Pierce or if they're going to trade him to keep rebuilding. Since Danny Ainge would get fired before he was able to complete a rebuilding project, I'm guessing they're going to try and win now. That means that if they're smart (big if) they'll realize that they're not going to get someone at #5 who is going to be ready to compete in the next two years who is as good as someone they could get by trading the #5.
They really like Rondo, so chances are they're going to be looking for someone to help them on defense, both on the wing and at center. Artest is the guy who might be able to get the Kings a shot at #5. Boston has trade assets (Ratliff's expiring and young players), but I think it's probably doubtful they'd give up anything too good to get Artest if they're going to give up the #5. It might take a three way trade to get the #5, and the Kings would probably have to take back Wally's contract.
Possible trade:
Marcus Camby, John Salmons to Boston
Ron Artest to Denver
Wally Szczerbiak, Tony Allen, #5 to Sacramento
#6. Milwaukee
Milwaukee badly needs to get better defensively, and their biggest hole is at SF given Bobby Simmons' bust season followed by a year-long injury. Sounds like a job for Ron Artest, right? Corey Brewer could be a really good fit for them at #6, but if for some reason he goes early, they just might be willing to dump Bobby Simmons and the #6 to get the guy they need. It would be tough to take on Simmons' contract, but the #6 would be pretty valuable.
Possible trades:
Ron Artest for Bobby Simmons, #6
Ron Artest, #10 for Brian Skinner, #6
#7. Minnesota
Oh boy what a mess. I have to think they're going to package this pick with one of their bad contracts and move out of the draft. Artest seems like he'd be a perfect fit in Minnesota next to KG. The question is who the Kings take back in return. Ricky Davis is expiring, so the Kings probably wouldn't get too much back for him, but then they have a whole mess of bad contracts. Artest for Davis might be enough to move up three slots, taking on a bad contract might just get the pick outright.
Possible trades:
Ron Artest, #10 for Ricky Davis, #7
Ron Artest for Troy Hudson, #7
#8. Charlotte
Charlotte has a young team and they're in no hurry to win. Hard to see what the Kings could offer them for this pick that they would want/need, unless they feel like they could get their guy at #10.
Possible trade: Francisco Garcia, #10 for #8
#9. Chicago
We all know what Chicago needs -- a shooting guard and interior scoring. We have Shareef, who could be a role-playing inside scorer for them, and they have the expiring contracts (Duhon, Khryapa) to give back.
The problem is that I can't quite see them giving up a lotto pick for Shareef, and trading Shareef for expirings probably isn't worth moving up one spot.
Possible trade: I don't see this one happening.
The first two picks are out of the question. So here's how I see the other spots playing out and some possible trade ideas to snag the picks. (note: I know you can't trade Bibby during the draft, but it could be a handshake deal completed after July 1st)
#3. Atlanta
Atlanta needs a point guard and interior toughness. They have seven thousand talented small forwards (Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Josh Childress, Marvin Williams, Dominique Wilkins), an underrated center (Zaza Pachulia), but Shelden Williams was pretty terrible and Speedy Claxton's season was one of the worst by an NBA player in recent history (he shot 32%!!!).
Atlanta may be interested in Mike Bibby if we take back Speedy Claxton and Lorenzen Wright's contracts, but are they interested enough to give us the #3 pick? Bibby's not a perfect fit with their running system, so hard to believe they'd give up too much. The offer would have to start with Bibby and the #10 to get the #3 and some bad contracts, and I don't know if 1) if Atlanta would agree to this and 2) if that's even worth it for the Kings.
Possible trade: I really don't see this one happening.
#4. Memphis
Memphis badly needs a point guard and young players. I'm not totally sure they'd be interested in Bibby because they are so far away from contention and Bibby's on a relatively short deal, unless, again, the Kings take back some of their bad contracts (such as Stromile Swift and Damon Stoudamire). But then, they need whoever they're going to get with the #4 more than they need anything the Kings have. If we trade with them it's not going to be pretty.
Possible trade: Bibby, #10 for Stromile Swift, Damon Stoudamire, #4
#5. Boston
Here's the first spot where it could make sense to move up or even try and snag the pick outright. Boston has to decide if they're going to try and build a winning team around Paul Pierce or if they're going to trade him to keep rebuilding. Since Danny Ainge would get fired before he was able to complete a rebuilding project, I'm guessing they're going to try and win now. That means that if they're smart (big if) they'll realize that they're not going to get someone at #5 who is going to be ready to compete in the next two years who is as good as someone they could get by trading the #5.
They really like Rondo, so chances are they're going to be looking for someone to help them on defense, both on the wing and at center. Artest is the guy who might be able to get the Kings a shot at #5. Boston has trade assets (Ratliff's expiring and young players), but I think it's probably doubtful they'd give up anything too good to get Artest if they're going to give up the #5. It might take a three way trade to get the #5, and the Kings would probably have to take back Wally's contract.
Possible trade:
Marcus Camby, John Salmons to Boston
Ron Artest to Denver
Wally Szczerbiak, Tony Allen, #5 to Sacramento
#6. Milwaukee
Milwaukee badly needs to get better defensively, and their biggest hole is at SF given Bobby Simmons' bust season followed by a year-long injury. Sounds like a job for Ron Artest, right? Corey Brewer could be a really good fit for them at #6, but if for some reason he goes early, they just might be willing to dump Bobby Simmons and the #6 to get the guy they need. It would be tough to take on Simmons' contract, but the #6 would be pretty valuable.
Possible trades:
Ron Artest for Bobby Simmons, #6
Ron Artest, #10 for Brian Skinner, #6
#7. Minnesota
Oh boy what a mess. I have to think they're going to package this pick with one of their bad contracts and move out of the draft. Artest seems like he'd be a perfect fit in Minnesota next to KG. The question is who the Kings take back in return. Ricky Davis is expiring, so the Kings probably wouldn't get too much back for him, but then they have a whole mess of bad contracts. Artest for Davis might be enough to move up three slots, taking on a bad contract might just get the pick outright.
Possible trades:
Ron Artest, #10 for Ricky Davis, #7
Ron Artest for Troy Hudson, #7
#8. Charlotte
Charlotte has a young team and they're in no hurry to win. Hard to see what the Kings could offer them for this pick that they would want/need, unless they feel like they could get their guy at #10.
Possible trade: Francisco Garcia, #10 for #8
#9. Chicago
We all know what Chicago needs -- a shooting guard and interior scoring. We have Shareef, who could be a role-playing inside scorer for them, and they have the expiring contracts (Duhon, Khryapa) to give back.
The problem is that I can't quite see them giving up a lotto pick for Shareef, and trading Shareef for expirings probably isn't worth moving up one spot.
Possible trade: I don't see this one happening.
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