What Does This Team Need Most?
- Thread starter Spike
- Start date
reptilexcq2
Bench
I can see Memphis giving up on him. But I don't like his game though, I think he sucks as far as basketball IQ. He took horrible shots. He's not clutch. But if the Kings can trade Lavine or DeRozen for him, I am all for it because of size.
I think the Kings need to reshuffle their lineups, it's just not working. Either Lavine or DeRozen got to go. I would think that DeRozen is someone GS want giving Curry age and needing to win now. I would trade him for Kuminga. Kuminga was a force early in the year, but has dropped off near the end and out of rotation right now. You got to believe he still can get back to where he once were. Try to trade Lavine for Cam Johnson and maybe give up some draft capital. If Kings decided to reset, then trading Sabonis to Spurs for Castle+others isn't a bad idea. They really screwed up the Fox trade...should have gotten Castle.
SacKings123
G-League
I understand that the path we are most likely going to take is a retool but if we are being honest, starting from scratch and rebuilding is 100% the best way to approach this. Here is the list of the last 10 nba championships
1. Boston Celtics
2. Denver Nuggets
3. Golden State Warriors
4. Milwaukee Bucks
5. Los Angeles Lakers
6. Toronto Raptors
7. Golden State Warriors
8. Golden State Warriors
9. Cleveland Cavaliers
10. Golden State Warriors
What do they all have in common? A bonified star(s) leading the team with a bunch of good players built around them. Kings do not have that and the best way for a small market team like the Kings to do that is through the draft. We just aren’t made to land a superstar (if we go by our history).
Knowing this, the only 2 people we can ‘realistically’ build around with our current roster are Sabonis and Lavine. Start there and figure out the pieces you will have to find that compliment those 2.
1. Boston Celtics
2. Denver Nuggets
3. Golden State Warriors
4. Milwaukee Bucks
5. Los Angeles Lakers
6. Toronto Raptors
7. Golden State Warriors
8. Golden State Warriors
9. Cleveland Cavaliers
10. Golden State Warriors
What do they all have in common? A bonified star(s) leading the team with a bunch of good players built around them. Kings do not have that and the best way for a small market team like the Kings to do that is through the draft. We just aren’t made to land a superstar (if we go by our history).
Knowing this, the only 2 people we can ‘realistically’ build around with our current roster are Sabonis and Lavine. Start there and figure out the pieces you will have to find that compliment those 2.
Joshyjosh31
Starter
Problem is it would take Sabonis to get JJJ but I’m not a fan of MR. 4 rebounds
Also there more noise to trading Morant especially with Pippen breaking out they don’t miss a beat with Ja out as much if they lost JJJ. JJJ and Sabonis would be a good frontcourt with Eddy getting bench minutes while we get Morant. Perry said we are in need of a guard so that fits his plan as well
I hear you, especially with his basketball IQ. I’ve never been a big fan of his game, he’s absolutely flawed and will cost a lot, but in terms of fit he complements Sabonis nicely. And we go from an undersized team, to Sabonis/JJJ/Keegan upfront and one of the bigger frontcourts in the league. The length and rim protection from JJJ and Keegan at the forward spots would cover for Sabonis and LaVine nicely. So if the price is DeRozan + picks and the org wants to commit to Sabonis moving forward I think it’s something to consider.
I really don't have a clue what Memphis wants. Obviously DDR is a salary match for JJJ so there's no need to get super creative on the CBA side to make a deal like that happen.
I would point out that JJJ's shotblocking is in serious decline the past two years, so that's a concern. He seems to fit on paper but I wouldn't want to put too many eggs in a JJJ basket if he's not actually going to lock down the paint for us.
sactowndog
All-Star
Honestly what do you see us trading that would acquire this ideal player with limited caveats. The best chance for that kind of return was Fox and yet here we are.
MizzouKing
Starter
If ai could pick one thing we need most, I'd say "filler." We need a key trade that brings in guys who accentuate our existing strengths. Would moving DDR for Dalton Knecht (6'6") and Rui Hachimura (6'8") be a step towards accomplishing this?
iowamcnabb
Hall of Famer
I’m assuming the Lakers will need those assets for a center, not having one really sank them in the playoffs. It’s going to be hard to find an ideal wing defender in a trade for Deebo because nearly every team needs them
Joshyjosh31
Starter
Lakers need size and defense not a non defender with no size , athleticism, and defense.
Bosnian Diehard
Starter
To me, the top priority is taking a swing and trading for a star. My list of people I would consider, depending on the price for each, would be Ja, Trae, LaMelo, Zion, and Harden. I didn’t include KD and Giannis because they have the power to block a trade to Sacramento, I would assume, that the others I mentioned wouldn’t.
I think the most realistic of all these options is a trade for Trae Young. Atlanta has been stuck in purgatory with him and they haven’t been able to surround him with a secondary star to be a real threat in the East. It would make sense for Atlanta to start a rebuild and for Trae to look for a better situation to win now as he enters his prime. I would prioritize keeping Sabonis in a Trae trade and moving LaVine (Trae/LaVine backcourt defense would be awful).
Potential trade:
SAC: Trae Young
ATL: Zach LaVine, Devin Carter, 2026 SAC 1st, 2027 SAS 1st
Atlanta can move LaVine to a team for draft capital at the 2026 deadline or in the offseason, use Carter to kickstart the rebuild with Johnson/Daniels, and they get two firsts, as well. Trae Young has one season + a player option, so I would hope to get an indicator from his agent/team that he would be willing to stay long term. But this is another reason I think he is more gettable than the others.
Young/?
Ellis/Monk
Murray/?
?/LaRavia
Sabonis/Valanciunas
You can use DeRozan + other draft picks in one or more trades to fill the roster out for another 3/D wing (Wiggins, Collins, etc.). Also have the MLE.
Joshyjosh31
Starter
I think this would be the best we could do and would help us a lot. Atlanta doesn’t need Sabonis so that’s a good thing they would for sure like the Daniel’s/Carter backcourt. I love the trade and Trae game translates to the playoffs.
Another Derozan trade that’s possible with the clippers losing is Derozan and Issac Jones for Derrick Jones and Bogi
Keegan would become our third option with the starters he has to be able to take the next step with more shots as well as less defensive pressure with Ellis and another 3D guy starting
sactowndog
All-Star
So your solution is to get smaller and worse on defense?
sactowndog
All-Star
Let’s be honest. The real answer here is a sudden change in ownership.
Bosnian Diehard
Starter
Trae is bad on defense but so is LaVine. But Trae is a much better offensive player, more consistent, Playoff proven, much younger, and less injury prone. The trade would also balance our lineup and ironically make us better on defense simply by clearing up a starting spot for Keon. Ellis is arguably an elite NBA defender and could help cover up Trae’s shortcomings similar to Dyson Daniels.
Joshyjosh31
Starter
For a 20/10 guy yes
ockingsfan
Starter
How about a DDR for Jaquez and Terry Rozier (provided he's cleared from gambling investigation). We get a full size defensive wing and a stop gap PG/SG until DC is ready to start.
Starting line up would be more balanced:
PF: Keegan /
SF: Jaquez / LaRavia (resigned)
C: Sabonis / JV
SG: LaVIne / Keon
PG: Rozier / Monk / DC
Joshyjosh31
Starter
Rozier shot 39% from the field and 29% from three and got zero minutes from Miami in the playoffs if we trade for him it better be to match salary
When I said "bad salary", Rozier was one of the players I was referencing. I'm not really a fan.
twslam07
All-Star
It’s a little disingenuous to simply say both Young and LaVine are bad on defense.
There are certainly different levels of “bad on defense” and by essentially every advanced impact stat, Young is consistently one of the worst defenders in the league year after year. In short, Young’s “bad” is way worse than LaVine’s “bad.”
Then on top of that, you combine one of the worst defenders in the league with Sabonis’ defense/rim protection and you have the makings of an atrocious defense that would be absolutely picked apart and targeted possession after possession in the playoffs (assuming the team’s offense is good enough to even get them there).
A Young/Sabonis pairing seems like a sure fire way to lock yourself into a 1st round exit team (at best). Young is a no for me.
Padrino
All-Star
Trae? Playoff proven? That's a stretch if I've ever heard one. He's had exactly two regular season finishes above .500 in his career, made the playoffs three times, flamed out twice in the first round, and made it to the second round once. All in the lesser conference. Miss me with pining after All-Star talent who can't scrape above the play-in line in the effing East.
twslam07
All-Star
If we do go after Zion, I think we would need to send out Sabonis.
Ideally, Zion needs a great defender at C who can control the glass and space the floor. Those are obviously hard to come by but Sabonis is obviously not the type of defender you’d want next to Zion. And a frontcourt defense of Zion/Sabonis is less than ideal to say the least.
Let me propose a massive, multi team trade framework just for fun
...
--------------------------------------
BOS GETS: Malik Monk
BOS GIVES: Jrue Holiday & #28
WHY FOR BOS? The Celtics shed $16.4 mil in payroll next year which gives them huge tax savings while at the same time still getting a productive guard who is just entering his prime (27 years old) who is locked up for the next few years (allowing them to extend their window). Meanwhile, Holiday will be 35 years old at the start of next season.
PG - Monk / Pritchard / Davison
SG - White / Scheierman
SF - Brown / Hauser
PF - Tatum / Walsh
C - Porzingis / Tillman / Queta
--------------------------------------
DAL GETS: DeMar DeRozan
DAL GIVES: Daniel Gafford & Caleb Martin
WHY FOR DAL? The Mavs add another legit go-to scorer on the wing to go along with Irving and Davis. They’d still have a ton of size, length, and defense in the starting lineup with a frontcourt of Washington, Davis, & Lively (not to mention Marshall off the bench), but then they’d have the luxury of DeRozan leading the bench unit and providing steady offense for when Irving and/or Davis rest.
PG - Irving / Williams
SG - Thompson / Christie / Hardy
SF - Washington / DeRozan
PF - Davis / Marshall / Prosper
C - Lively / Powell
--------------------------------------
MEM GETS: Domantas Sabonis, #16, & 2026 ORL/PHX 1st (More Favorable of the two)
MEM GIVES: Ja Morant
WHY FOR MEM? The Grizzlies move on from Morant and his antics and pair Sabonis with the perfect complement at PF (Jackson) in an attempt to elevate him even more. Grizzlies also have Pippen who's been very solid at PG for them and can help pickup the PG slack. On top of Sabonis, they also pickup a couple more 1st round draft picks to add to their asset pool.
PG - Pippen
SG - Bane / Williams / Konchar
SF - Wells / Jackson
PF - Jackson Jr / Aldama / Clarke
C - Sabonis / Edey / Huff
--------------------------------------
NOP GETS: Jalen Suggs & Daniel Gafford
NOP GIVES: Zion Williamson
WHY FOR NOP? Pelicans move on from the Zion era and add a promising, young SG as well as a solid rim protecting/rim running C. Suggs, Jones, Murphy, and Gafford is an excellent defensive core who can also space the floor at a solid clip. They could use then use their picks to try and add a star talent (or hope their top pick this year develops into a star) that would make that rotation very formidable.
PG - McCollum / Alvarado / Payton / Murray (injured)
SG - Suggs / Hawkins / Reeves
SF - Jones / Boston
PF - Murphy / Olynyk / Matkovic
C -Gafford / Missi
--------------------------------------
ORL GETS: Ja Morant, Jonas Valanciunas, & Caleb Martin
ORL GIVES: Jalen Suggs, Jonathan Isaac, Wendell Carter Jr., #16, & 2026 ORL/PHX 1st (More Favorable of the two)
WHY FOR ORL? The Magic add a much needed PG to help facilitate the offense while also giving them another legit star talent to go along with Wagner & Banchero and is still young enough to grow with their core long term. Valanciunas gives them some more C depth with Isaac & Carter going out, and Martin can be a decent rotational wing.
PG - Morant / Anthony / Joseph
SG - KCP / Black / Harris
SF - Wagner / Howard / Houstan
PF - Banchero / Da Silva / Wagner
C - Bitadze / Valanciunas
--------------------------------------
SAC GETS: Zion Williamson, Jrue Holiday, Jonathan Isaac, Wendell Carter Jr, & #28
SAC GIVES: Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, Malik Monk, & Jonas Valanciunas
WHY FOR SAC? Zion elevates the Kings ceiling and gives them a legit #1 option on offense (28.3 PTS per 36 min on .627 TS% for his career). Holiday gives them a legit PG to facilitate the offense and is an excellent fit next to LaVine. Isaac & Carter Jr can be great complements next to Zion as both are good/great defenders and rebounders and have the ability to space the floor (although both of them saw a decline in their 3PT% this past season). On top of that, they also get back into the 1st round this year to add some cheap young talent.
PG - Holiday / Carter
SG - LaVine / Ellis / Davis
SF - Murray / LaRavia (resigned)
PF - Zion / Lyles (resigned)
C - Isaac / Carter Jr. / Jones
--------------------------------------
Ideally, Zion needs a great defender at C who can control the glass and space the floor. Those are obviously hard to come by but Sabonis is obviously not the type of defender you’d want next to Zion. And a frontcourt defense of Zion/Sabonis is less than ideal to say the least.
Let me propose a massive, multi team trade framework just for fun
...--------------------------------------
BOS GETS: Malik Monk
BOS GIVES: Jrue Holiday & #28
WHY FOR BOS? The Celtics shed $16.4 mil in payroll next year which gives them huge tax savings while at the same time still getting a productive guard who is just entering his prime (27 years old) who is locked up for the next few years (allowing them to extend their window). Meanwhile, Holiday will be 35 years old at the start of next season.
PG - Monk / Pritchard / Davison
SG - White / Scheierman
SF - Brown / Hauser
PF - Tatum / Walsh
C - Porzingis / Tillman / Queta
--------------------------------------
DAL GETS: DeMar DeRozan
DAL GIVES: Daniel Gafford & Caleb Martin
WHY FOR DAL? The Mavs add another legit go-to scorer on the wing to go along with Irving and Davis. They’d still have a ton of size, length, and defense in the starting lineup with a frontcourt of Washington, Davis, & Lively (not to mention Marshall off the bench), but then they’d have the luxury of DeRozan leading the bench unit and providing steady offense for when Irving and/or Davis rest.
PG - Irving / Williams
SG - Thompson / Christie / Hardy
SF - Washington / DeRozan
PF - Davis / Marshall / Prosper
C - Lively / Powell
--------------------------------------
MEM GETS: Domantas Sabonis, #16, & 2026 ORL/PHX 1st (More Favorable of the two)
MEM GIVES: Ja Morant
WHY FOR MEM? The Grizzlies move on from Morant and his antics and pair Sabonis with the perfect complement at PF (Jackson) in an attempt to elevate him even more. Grizzlies also have Pippen who's been very solid at PG for them and can help pickup the PG slack. On top of Sabonis, they also pickup a couple more 1st round draft picks to add to their asset pool.
PG - Pippen
SG - Bane / Williams / Konchar
SF - Wells / Jackson
PF - Jackson Jr / Aldama / Clarke
C - Sabonis / Edey / Huff
--------------------------------------
NOP GETS: Jalen Suggs & Daniel Gafford
NOP GIVES: Zion Williamson
WHY FOR NOP? Pelicans move on from the Zion era and add a promising, young SG as well as a solid rim protecting/rim running C. Suggs, Jones, Murphy, and Gafford is an excellent defensive core who can also space the floor at a solid clip. They could use then use their picks to try and add a star talent (or hope their top pick this year develops into a star) that would make that rotation very formidable.
PG - McCollum / Alvarado / Payton / Murray (injured)
SG - Suggs / Hawkins / Reeves
SF - Jones / Boston
PF - Murphy / Olynyk / Matkovic
C -Gafford / Missi
--------------------------------------
ORL GETS: Ja Morant, Jonas Valanciunas, & Caleb Martin
ORL GIVES: Jalen Suggs, Jonathan Isaac, Wendell Carter Jr., #16, & 2026 ORL/PHX 1st (More Favorable of the two)
WHY FOR ORL? The Magic add a much needed PG to help facilitate the offense while also giving them another legit star talent to go along with Wagner & Banchero and is still young enough to grow with their core long term. Valanciunas gives them some more C depth with Isaac & Carter going out, and Martin can be a decent rotational wing.
PG - Morant / Anthony / Joseph
SG - KCP / Black / Harris
SF - Wagner / Howard / Houstan
PF - Banchero / Da Silva / Wagner
C - Bitadze / Valanciunas
--------------------------------------
SAC GETS: Zion Williamson, Jrue Holiday, Jonathan Isaac, Wendell Carter Jr, & #28
SAC GIVES: Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, Malik Monk, & Jonas Valanciunas
WHY FOR SAC? Zion elevates the Kings ceiling and gives them a legit #1 option on offense (28.3 PTS per 36 min on .627 TS% for his career). Holiday gives them a legit PG to facilitate the offense and is an excellent fit next to LaVine. Isaac & Carter Jr can be great complements next to Zion as both are good/great defenders and rebounders and have the ability to space the floor (although both of them saw a decline in their 3PT% this past season). On top of that, they also get back into the 1st round this year to add some cheap young talent.
PG - Holiday / Carter
SG - LaVine / Ellis / Davis
SF - Murray / LaRavia (resigned)
PF - Zion / Lyles (resigned)
C - Isaac / Carter Jr. / Jones
--------------------------------------
R2D2
Bench
I believe that what this team needs most is an identity.
I thought we had that when Mike Brown ended the playoff drought. To be honest, I was not a fan of the identity that has formed (something in the line of “we will outscore our opponents no matter how much they score”), but in the current NBA it worked. That said, it wasn’t sustainable and MB was fired, and so I am once again looking for a team’s identity.
I am not a fan of trades simply because pieces look either tradable or complementary on paper. In my experience, a team only gels if everyone buys into its clear identity, that translates into game planning, which in turn translates into Ws, which then helps attracting the right talent (especially to smaller markets).
We had that in the early 2000s, with a group of players designed to deliver a dazzling offence (a.k.a. “the greatest show on court”), but somehow lost the plot.
Frequently changing owners/GMs/coaches/players (all of the above) is not a recipe for success, IMO.
I thought we had that when Mike Brown ended the playoff drought. To be honest, I was not a fan of the identity that has formed (something in the line of “we will outscore our opponents no matter how much they score”), but in the current NBA it worked. That said, it wasn’t sustainable and MB was fired, and so I am once again looking for a team’s identity.
I am not a fan of trades simply because pieces look either tradable or complementary on paper. In my experience, a team only gels if everyone buys into its clear identity, that translates into game planning, which in turn translates into Ws, which then helps attracting the right talent (especially to smaller markets).
We had that in the early 2000s, with a group of players designed to deliver a dazzling offence (a.k.a. “the greatest show on court”), but somehow lost the plot.
Frequently changing owners/GMs/coaches/players (all of the above) is not a recipe for success, IMO.
"Not easy to trade for one, sign one, or draft one, but we need to go get 2 or what's the point?!" Fox was the closest we've had in a while to one, but he was NOT a superstar and was not going to be the guy for us, as much as I loved him here. Spurs got generational talent with multiple first round picks. We botched our shot at our generational talent, so we're probably gonna have to wait a while for the basketball gods to forgive us for that one.
ockingsfan
Starter
What if Miami attached a 1st round pick (probably protected) in the trade?
DDR to Miami for Jacquez, Rozier and a protected 1st round pick.
But let's be more honest and understand this isn't a realistic choice for this discussion too, right?
coolhandluke
Starter
Jacquez appears to be on the outs in Miami. Declining production with no outside shot meant that he didn't even get playing time in the playoffs. Also, hooking up with your coach's ex-wife may not have been prudent. He can be got without giving up a valuable piece like DDR. Definitely no need to pick up a poison contract like Scary Terry either.
twslam07
All-Star
If DeRozan for Wiggins swap is in fact on the table, it got me thinking of what we could get if we offer up Murray (since Wiggins can easily slide in as a starting SF).
We could technically offer up…
Malik Monk
Keegan Murray
Jonas Valanciunas
Terrence Davis
Picks
For
Giannis
Again, combine that with the DeRozan for Wiggins swap and the resigning of LaRavia & Lyles, and we’d have the following roster going into next year…
PG - Ellis / Carter
SG - LaVine
SF - Wiggins / LaRavia
PF - Giannis / Lyles
C - Sabonis / Jones
We could technically offer up…
Malik Monk
Keegan Murray
Jonas Valanciunas
Terrence Davis
Picks
For
Giannis
Again, combine that with the DeRozan for Wiggins swap and the resigning of LaRavia & Lyles, and we’d have the following roster going into next year…
PG - Ellis / Carter
SG - LaVine
SF - Wiggins / LaRavia
PF - Giannis / Lyles
C - Sabonis / Jones
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