burekijogurt
Starter
I doubt any of these portals/reporters/insiders know what the real story is. That's why there are so many versions of events.
Still defending Vlade? (split from game thread)
- Thread starter Showtime
- Start date
Can you summarize the article, using your own words?
According to the article on a Serbian portal, Luka said that he wanted to play in Dallas, so he did not send medical documentation to the Kings. However, he expected to be drafted by them anyway.
The article in The Athletic spoke about the disconnect between Joerger and Vlade.
Amick talks about the disagreement between Joerger and Vlade about Luka's potential that had taken place at some time before and how Joerger's insistence that Bagley come off the bench was another bone of contention and frustration, leading to the well-known clash with Brandon Williams.
Amick then says:
Amick says after that, there was a gap between the GM and the coach that would not be repaired. Eventually, Vlade wiped the slate clean by firing both Williams and Joerger.
There's more, but that's the basics.
whozit
Starter
Tin hat time. Vlade's longevity might have something to do with between the lines. Management factions lined up with factions of ownership. He takes ownership but is it his to own. Williams was a Bagley believer (or so it seemed) while Joerger (seems like) a Donic believer. Williams apparantly had the support of that one female and Joerger Vlade (?). That female has been pictured with Vivek.
Did Vlade make the call? (Yes, he owns it by default) Or is he already more of a figure head, especially with Dumars on the scene. Or is Dumars reinforcement from stupidity?
A convoluted ownership doesn't make good bedfellows if not on same page.
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sactowndog
All-Star
for what it is worth, I heard if the Kings drafted Luka he planned to stay at Real Madrid. And while I get that players don’t want to be drafted here, Vlade is going to have to bite the bullet and draft them anyway.
whozit
Starter
There's a huge difference between biting the bullet on an American athlete and one from Europe. You could not afford to call someone's bluff and only find out they weren't bluffing. He was an established player and he was/is young. If he wasn't bluffing, he would've won the waiting game. An American player the team would've the upper hand.
There was a question if he wanted to play for the Kings or not. If what you heard was true, no way of knowing what the result would've been. It could have been a bluff ....... or not.
Yup I’m backing off of Vlade if this is true. If Luka did stay in Europe and they thought Bagley was a pretty good prospect you have to go Bagley. Vlade hands were tied he Jackson didn’t wanna come here either and his favorite prospect Porter was hurt. Really unfortunate
Sactown ExPat
Starter
If either this or the medicals issue are true, then they need to be confirmed by the team and pursued through the league office because it directly effects our ability to be competitive. It should be hammered in the next CBA.
We, as a city and as fans, financed and built a brand new arena for the NBA and the Kings under the assumption that we would be an equal partner in the league and capable of competing. If the league is not enforcing the draft process, then they are acting in bad faith. We end up with Bagley because JJJ and Luka refused to provide medicals. Who is drafting who here? And by the way, how was that Dallas trade brokered if that was the only team he provided medicals to? All it cost them was a 1st. Pretty meager compensation for an immediate MVP candidate. The MLB got tired of Boras manipulating the draft and fixed it. I would hope the NBA cares as much about all of their franchises as MLB does.
Anyway, this is also the type of info that I doubt Joerger would have been privy to. He may have known the broad strokes, but I doubt he was having any discussions with agents.
whozit
Starter
Medicals are one thing. You should not have the option of withholding if you put your name in the draft. Every team desiring them should have access.
Refusing to come. That is a different story. Players are people not commodities. If the player refuses, the player loses a year of potential revenue or more. The CBA gives both the team and player certain rights and options. If the player excercises his option, so be it. It does not come without substantial risks.
BLNINJA #81
Bench
If memory serves me correct, Chris Webber didn't want to come here either. Why cave to players demands all the time? They should be thankful they even get to play for millions!
whozit
Starter
Webber was under contract. A draft pick, a team may have the players rights, but until signed that is all they have.
Sactown ExPat
Starter
Concur—can’t force anyone to come. Medicals should be available to all.
Showtime
Starter
OK, and while he is destroying Europe his stock grows so even if he was trade fodder he's worth something. Remember, Vlade was dealt from LA to the Hornets because Kobe's demands, and he helped them make the playoffs. So the idea that even if he refused to play that he didn't have worth is dumb. Also, the Kings could have traded down and received even more. So I don't buy that excuse. This was a situation of simply being wrong about players. Vlade wanted MB3, and he was wrong.
Yeah I'm totally not buying Luka would not come to Sac, first of all a guy who clearly loves ball as much as Luka wants to play at the highest level regardless and second one of his good mates is here as well. This is another excuse, didn't Yi say he would never play for the Bucks?
whozit
Starter
I believe it is question/section 49 of Larry Coon's that addresses this. After one year, the player can re-enter the draft if he doesn't sign a contract. Bluff or not a bluff? Don't even know it happened. If I was going to put my bet on anything that might mitigate what appears to be a colossal mistake, it would be on a power struggle in ownership and leadership. And I don't know that either although I do suspect that there is a lot going behind the scenes that we are not privy to. And the team is secondary to that.
rosa u podne
Bench
They should set and enforce the rule, that draft prospects provide medicals to the league, and league shares the medicals with any team interested in.
Doncic stated his dream was to play in the NBA(like anyone that have the love for this game like he show every time he plays), he never picked an specific team he wanted to make his NBA debut.
King’s front office picked Bagley over Doncic not because hen didn’t send medical reports or he claimed he wanted to play only in dallas(imagine when u r not even been chosen in the draft yet, will u go around telling every team “hey dude don’t pick me ok? I want to play only in Dallas”
And finally the real reason that all of u r looking for why we picked Bagley over Luka?
Because Kings front Office thought Bagley was a better fit and a BETTER PLAYER.
Here is the link, so let’s just stop here, and pretend that we did our max effort to get Doncic and he didn’t want to come lol.
King’s front office picked Bagley over Doncic not because hen didn’t send medical reports or he claimed he wanted to play only in dallas(imagine when u r not even been chosen in the draft yet, will u go around telling every team “hey dude don’t pick me ok? I want to play only in Dallas”
And finally the real reason that all of u r looking for why we picked Bagley over Luka?
Because Kings front Office thought Bagley was a better fit and a BETTER PLAYER.
Here is the link, so let’s just stop here, and pretend that we did our max effort to get Doncic and he didn’t want to come lol.
I don't know how it works in Spain, but in the U.S. a general manager would NEVER call out a potential draftee for refusing to play for a team. You see rumors of that sort of stuff pretty frequently, but never do you see the team do anything but cover it up. I don't know if the recent rumors Luka threatened to stay in Europe are true or not (in fact, I have no idea what the source is) but this video is not good evidence to the contrary.
whozit
Starter
Take Luka out of the discussion. If you don't think games are played between the top prospects (i.e. agents) and the teams that might choose them, I don't know what to tell you. The world ain't fair.
In terms of Vlade and his decision, it is an interesting subplot. The person who mentioned hearing something has been anything but a fan of Bagley.
Every front office in the NBA "sells" every draft pick they make to the local media every year. Every front office, every pick, every year.
Wether Doncic "wanted" to be drafted by us is irrelevant. Of course he rather plays for a competent organization ran by competent people instead of an organization that has been incompetent and the worst in the league for the past 10+ years. You draft the best/most valuable player. You dont take the 6th best prospect at 2 because the top 4 dont want to play for you and one plays the same position as your best player. You either trade down and pick up valuable extra assets or take the best and most valuable player.
When you draft a player you basically own him for the next 7-8 years of his career. Draft the guy that is the best and most valuable. If that player demands a trade, you see what type of return star players like Davis or Paul Geroge gets you. Atm Bagleys trade value is extremely low , Doncic could get you three firsts, pick swaps and players. Thats why you take the best player
When you draft a player you basically own him for the next 7-8 years of his career. Draft the guy that is the best and most valuable. If that player demands a trade, you see what type of return star players like Davis or Paul Geroge gets you. Atm Bagleys trade value is extremely low , Doncic could get you three firsts, pick swaps and players. Thats why you take the best player
Try to look for Suns GM press conference explaining why they Picked Ayton, try to look for Hawks GM held a press conference explaining why they traded down.
You won’t find it... none of them explained nothing only press they hold was the player presentations.
They didn’t need to sell their product and Ayton is not looking much better than MB3,
Vlade hold a press conference only to explain their pick, why? How many GMs ever held a press conference not for player presentation but to explain a pick the day after the draft?
He did it cuz he was aware that maybe he screwed it
Showtime
Starter
This is what is so frustrating. Vlade and Grant are bending over backwards trying to justify the decision instead of just being objective. Bagley is a project that might pan out to provide the Kings a serviceable rotation big man who puts up a double double. That's a good outcome. He isn't a future all-star/franchise player (sans historic improvement along the lines of Nash).
Grant gets so excited if Bagley finishes a spoon fed layup it’s embarrassing
The Effort Police
Starter
It's been there since the draft. However, they did have dinner with Luka and he said he was sure that the Kings were going to draft him. We also saw Vlade's draft board and it went
1. Ayton
2. Bagley
3. Luka
I'm finding it hard to believe that that was the case. What out-of-shape 7-Eleven employee and Kobe-esque diva would be #3 on somebody's board?Even if you could say that board was before Vlade found out about that, Ayton and Bagley would still be higher.
whozit
Starter
I remember speculation around the draft about it but that is all I recall. Speculation. There was that picture of Vivek, Vlade and Luka and they looked happy enough before the draft. Photo op?
SLAB
Hall of Famer
I remember reading reports that he may or may not come over but the Kings franchise was never attached to the rumor as far as I can tell.
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