State of the Kings Post Deadline Edition

[ShastaKingsFan]

I think that's right - in re not tanking next year. And, more generally, the Kings just can't afford to tank away seasons while the clock ticks on Fox's max contract. For sure, this was the year to do it if they wanted to go that route.

Problem w/free agency, leaving aside the challenge of getting a top free agent to Sacramento, is that it's a slim-pickin's year. Kawhi is about the only difference-maker who would fit and, uh, hard to see him coming to the Kings. For the longer term, Jarrett Allen's about the only guy who excites me, and he's restricted.

Leonard is outside the age bracket that some have created. He's too many months older than Haliburton

 

[Woot!]

Leonard is outside the age bracket that some have created. He's too many months older than Haliburton

I suspect they'd make an exception for Leonard.

Fox, Ty, HB, Leonard, Holmes? Yeaaaaah.

 

[hrdboild]

I’d hate to continue to derail the thread but still gonna throw in my 2 cents. I was in the trade buddy over hb camp (for the right price for both that is). I actually like buddy overall, maybe not as much as you, but definitely more than some around here. I think he’s used wrong and if used correctly, while valuable, is kinda overpaid and replaceable. I always saw him as a Duncan Robinson, Bertans, McDermott, joe Harris, Kyle korver 3 point specialist mold. While I’d rather have buddy over most of those guys, I think we can replace him with a 3 point specialist for half the price or at least 2/3 the price. Also currently our options to replace either if traded leaned towards the favor of keeping hb. Ty is playing terrific and is shooting lights out from 3 and defensively. What were our options replacing hb? At 4 we had bagley who is always hurt or players not ready yet like Woodard or dqj at the 3. In the end I wasn’t gonna be happy letting any go for peanuts cuz I’m fans of both. But if I had to choose, due to money, and being replaceable, I’d have to go trade buddy. Hopefully this doesn’t hinder resigning holmes.

Just responding to this comment about Buddy being overpaid and replaceable, it's getting harder and harder to make that argument every year. This past off-season alone Bogdan got $18 million/yr, Davis Bertrans got $18.75 million/yr, and Joe Harris got $18 million/yr and none of these guys are shooting the volume that Buddy is or contributing as much as playmakers (though we know that Bogdan could if Atlanta allowed him to handle the ball more). When Duncan Robinson's rookie contract ends he's going to get a similar contract in the $18 million or more per year range.

So is Buddy overpaid at the $20.4 million per year average he has remaining after this season? Not by much. And that assumes he's replaceable. Harris and Bertrans re-signed with their old teams. Robinson almost certainly will as well. Bogdan was a restricted free agent who was available only because we already had Buddy signed to a large contract at the same position. As a rule, teams with elite shooters aren't giving them up right now. And if we're talking about overall volume, Buddy is in a class only matched by a truly elite few (3PM leaderboard for 2021) and that's right where he was the past two seasons as well. (3PM leaderboard for 2020) (3PM leaderboard for 2019)

He can be a frustrating player to watch but I think a lot of good arguments have been made in this thread for why he's not only a valuable contributor to the team but probably even undervalued by most Kings fans. If we divorce ourselves from the way his turnovers may make us feel at times, what he is contributing offensively is darn near impossible to replace at any cost especially for a small market team that isn't a big free agent destination. If an extra $2-3 million a year and at least one dumb turnover per game is the price we have to pay for having one of the league's truly elite shooters on our squad, I have to admit that's a price I'm comfortable paying.

 

[joemama]

I think the next 7 games will be telling. If we can go 6-1 and get back to 500, i have hope.

Cleveland
@ San Antonio 2x
Lakers
Milwaukee
@ Minnesota
Detroit

Pop said Lonnie Walker is out for a week, thats big for our two games against them.

 

[sactowndog]

OKC starting their tank. Hoping for 2 top 5 picks.



As the Oklahoma City Thunder turn to younger players in the nightly rotation, five-time All-Star center Al Horford will no longer will be active for games this season.

Horford, 34, plans to remain with his Oklahoma City teammates and train at the team facility, but he won't play in the final 28 games for the Thunder.

 

[iowamcnabb]

In the most recent power rankings, Zach Harper trashes the Kings for not trading their veteran assets

“They decided to be buyers at the deadline instead of looking to shed some veterans for trade assets, and I just don’t think the Sacramento Kings can possibly look at the ceiling for this team any worse than they have.

The Kings are once again on a winning stretch this season, and it just makes me sad because their regression to the mean will be brutal to this fan base when the spiraling happens.”


and then a paragraph or two later heaps praise on the Raptors for not trading their expiring vet

“I love the fact that Masai Ujiri held firm in not trading Kyle Lowry away from the Toronto Raptors because it was a power move for the future in showing teams that if you don’t come correct with a trade offer, you’re not going to get him to break his stance.”

 

[sactowndog]

In the most recent power rankings, Zach Harper trashes the Kings for not trading their veteran assets

“They decided to be buyers at the deadline instead of looking to shed some veterans for trade assets, and I just don’t think the Sacramento Kings can possibly look at the ceiling for this team any worse than they have.

The Kings are once again on a winning stretch this season, and it just makes me sad because their regression to the mean will be brutal to this fan base when the spiraling happens.”


and then a paragraph or two later heaps praise on the Raptors for not trading their expiring vet

“I love the fact that Masai Ujiri held firm in not trading Kyle Lowry away from the Toronto Raptors because it was a power move for the future in showing teams that if you don’t come correct with a trade offer, you’re not going to get him to break his stance.”

to be fair we gave away draft assets. They could have shed Bjelicia and Corey for picks instead of looking to be buyers.

 

[iowamcnabb]

to be fair we gave away draft assets. They could have shed Bjelicia and Corey for picks instead of looking to be buyers.

yeh it remains to be seen if Wright and Davis prove to be more valuable than late second rounders. I was surprised Belly didn’t get us at least a second, but maybe there really was no market for him.

 

[SwipaTical]

yeh it remains to be seen if Wright and Davis prove to be more valuable than late second rounders. I was surprised Belly didn’t get us at least a second, but maybe there really was no market for him.

Second rounders are sitting at the end of the bench and havent seen the court (ramsey, woodard) so id say they've already proven to be more valuable.

 

[iowamcnabb]

Second rounders are sitting at the end of the bench and havent seen the court (ramsey, woodard) so id say they've already proven to be more valuable.

in the short term, no question