What if the Kings Sign Raja Bell ????

[Peter_Gibbons]

Assuming we draft a big, be it Cousins or Monroe, we'll need another solid player at the SG position to really complete this team. I don't like Beno starting at the 2 as it weakens our bench or also allows team to switch their SG on Tyreke for D.


Bell is a career 41% 3 pt shooter, plays very good D and plays within his limits on offense. His main contributions on offense would be to use his shooting touch for open shots with passes from Tyreke and Cousins (hopefully). Also having Bell improves are team's D even further and we now have a defensive stopper for elite perimeter players in addition to Greene, Tyreke. I would start Bell and have Cisco come off the bench. A Beno and Cisco backcourt on the 2nd unit would be great.

Intangibles would be his veteran leadership and his rep for being a good teammate. As much as we want young talent, we can't have every player on the team be under 25 and still realistically think we start winning any time soon.

While most teams interested in Bell such as the lakers will try to lowball Bell, we can pay him around $3 million/yr and still out bid everyone else out there.

Thought???

 

[hrdboild]

I wouldn't make signing Bell a priority, but if it's late in the summer and we haven't picked up that solid veteran/leader guy we're looking for he'd be a good short-term signing for a year or two. If we get Cousins in this draft then I wouldn't be worried about what our lotto stock is next year. We'd be close to being a pretty complete team already. In that case I'd be okay with competing for a 7 or 8 seed.

 

[djsnaz]

I wouldn't make signing Bell a priority, but if it's late in the summer and we haven't picked up that solid veteran/leader guy we're looking for he'd be a good short-term signing for a year or two.

My thought exactly. Bell would bring some toughness and some additional DEFENSE to the team. I also like him a lot more than Cisco right now at our "phantom" two spot...

If we can get him for cheap - sign em...

If we don't, I could see the Lakers doing it...

 

[Peter_Gibbons]

I wouldn't make signing Bell a priority, but if it's late in the summer and we haven't picked up that solid veteran/leader guy we're looking for he'd be a good short-term signing for a year or two. If we get Cousins in this draft then I wouldn't be worried about what our lotto stock is next year. We'd be close to being a pretty complete team already. In that case I'd be okay with competing for a 7 or 8 seed.

I agree that the deal should be about 2 yrs, maybe 3. It gives time for the young kids to mature and having a good teammate like Bell helps. As you said, I don't think we'll be getting any high picks any time soon again if we get Cousins. We NEED good spot up 3 point shooters around Tyreke and Bell is such a guy.

Potential Starting 5

Tyreke
Bell
Cousins
Greene
Landry

Bench:

Beno
Cisco
SammyD
Casspi
JT

I really feel we should be able to compete for #7 or #8 with this team as is. When these young kids develop, sky's the limit.

 

['89 Kings Fan]

I will forever hate Raja Bell, for the Dallas series when he tried to hit Bobby Jackson in the face when Bobby was playing with a broken orbital in his face. So hopefully I never have see him in a Kings uniform.

 

[dvirc218]

his name is Raja nuff said

 

[hammystyle]

Pass. 34 years old. Go cheap and try to find the next Raja Bell.

 

[Superman]

I wanted Raja Bell six years ago. Now, no reason for him on our team.

 

[Gary]

I know this sounds as kooky as when I started a thread about it but what about bringing in a guy like Antonio Anderson to try out in camp? I still think he's got a ton of talent, can play D, plays well with Evans, can pass, but his outside shot needs work..

 

[Peter_Gibbons]

I know this sounds as kooky as when I started a thread about it but what about bringing in a guy like Antonio Anderson to try out in camp? I still think he's got a ton of talent, can play D, plays well with Evans, can pass, but his outside shot needs work..

Well... you suggested a Doug Christie type of player is need on the Cousins thread. I think Bell is very similar to Doug. I don't think you can find a young guy that can shoot, defend etc to come to the Kings for a small amount of $. Cousins and the rest of the guys are great talents, but most of our guys are young, very young. They NEED more veterans to keep their head on track and show them how to be a pro.

 

[Chupacabra]

Im on board with this idea. Ive thought since around mid season that Raja would be a great veteran player to have on our team. He does the things that we want in a role playing shooting guard. Hes also battle tested. This move would be reminiscent of having Vernon Maxwell back in 98-99.

 

[hammystyle]

Pass. 34 years old. Go cheap and try to find the next Raja Bell.

I rescind this. If he's cheap, he fits a need, and more importantly is a legit vet leader. Based just off a solid guy to set an example you can't do much better.

 

[mac]

I know this sounds as kooky as when I started a thread about it but what about bringing in a guy like Antonio Anderson to try out in camp? I still think he's got a ton of talent, can play D, plays well with Evans, can pass, but his outside shot needs work..

Nice cat you got there

 

[Megalodon]

Nice cat you got there

You know my shark is chinese

lol ... But no really it does look like a nice cat if its yours ... kind of looks like my kitty kitty.

 

[mac]

You know my shark is chinese

lol ... But no really it does look like a nice cat if its yours ... kind of looks like my kitty kitty.

Haha I don't know if you know what I'm talking bout. Gary would heh.

Things are very different around here after this year's draft as compared to last year's

 

[jalfa]

He clotheslined Kobe, what more could you possibly want? (if it's the vet's min, sure, if it's more, hardly)

 

[Bricklayer]

He clotheslined Kobe, what more could you possibly want? (if it's the vet's min, sure, if it's more, hardly)

really in our position, and with no apparent designs on a big FA this summer, it would be the length that would be more important than the amount. would want to limit it to one year to keep our cap room for next summer -- somewhat dubious actually if the CBA gets blown up and the cap is radically restructured. Who knows how much room you end up with? But anyway, that would be our interest.

What I can't figure, unless we just grossly overpay for the year, is why he would want to come play for us when you figure there just have to be contenders who would like to have him. Guys his age are normally chasing a 'ship before their career ends.

 

[Peter_Gibbons]

Im on board with this idea. Ive thought since around mid season that Raja would be a great veteran player to have on our team. He does the things that we want in a role playing shooting guard. Hes also battle tested. This move would be reminiscent of having Vernon Maxwell back in 98-99.

Agreed, his veteran experience and leadership will help our very young team. We won't win anything with a team of guys averaging 22 yrs old. He is a good shooter and plays defense well. Thats the type of guy you need next to Tyreke. Who cares if he is 33 yrs old? We only want him for about 2 yrs anyways and he is not asked to carry the team by any means with Tyreke & Cousins.

 

[hammystyle]

really in our position, and with no apparent designs on a big FA this summer, it would be the length that would be more important than the amount. would want to limit it to one year to keep our cap room for next summer -- somewhat dubious actually if the CBA gets blown up and the cap is radically restructured. Who knows how much room you end up with? But anyway, that would be our interest.

What I can't figure, unless we just grossly overpay for the year, is why he would want to come play for us when you figure there just have to be contenders who would like to have him. Guys his age are normally chasing a 'ship before their career ends.

That's a good point too. Especially this year where teams are trying to max out their cap on 3-4 players and then fill in around the edge. One thing is that Raja Bell hasn't had huge contracts that some other guys banked before they case championsips for the minimum. So even the difference between a 2M deal vs a 1M deal to maximize earnings at the end of his career could make a big difference.

Anthony Parker might be a guy if LeBron leaves Cleveland. They'd probly just give him away.

 

[Sparky6string]

Do we still have Ime? If we can score a good FA great, especially if it's an expiring. It'd be nice if we could finish up our roster with walk on guys or guys from D League.

 

[Peter_Gibbons]

Do we still have Ime? If we can score a good FA great, especially if it's an expiring. It'd be nice if we could finish up our roster with walk on guys or guys from D League.

He is no longer under contract. Ime is actually not a bad player to have around in case of injuries. His defense is decent and he can shoot ok. I have no problems with brining on a couple non-drafted or D-L guys but we need a couple veterans first more than anything right now. Our players' average age is 22 yrs old right now.

 

[Superman]

Things are very different around here after this year's draft as compared to last year's

Yeah, now with a young core in place (just missing a shooting guard, unless Cisco becomes fringe All Star type player), we could use a backup swing man off the bench, and having him be experienced wouldn't be a bad idea. Plus he has a reputation for being a tough, defensive-minded player. Wouldn't want Raja Bell taking minutes away from Greene and Casspi, though.

If we're talking a one year deal, then it's sensible. But aging vets don't usually sign with up-and-comers on one year deals, not if they have any value. He'll be looking at Boston/LA/Orlando, etc. Not Sacramento.

 

[Peter_Gibbons]

Yeah, now with a young core in place (just missing a shooting guard, unless Cisco becomes fringe All Star type player), we could use a backup swing man off the bench, and having him be experienced wouldn't be a bad idea. Plus he has a reputation for being a tough, defensive-minded player. Wouldn't want Raja Bell taking minutes away from Greene and Casspi, though.

If we're talking a one year deal, then it's sensible. But aging vets don't usually sign with up-and-comers on one year deals, not if they have any value. He'll be looking at Boston/LA/Orlando, etc. Not Sacramento.

Raja will be playing SG and Greene/Casspi are not SGs. They might have tried in the wacky formations this past season but they won't work at SG. All 3 of those teams are way over the cap. The most they'll offer Raja is the full vet's minimum for 1 yr, maybe 2 but I doubt it. If he feels this is his last contract, he'll go to the team that pays him the most. If the Kings pay $2.5 mil for 2 yrs, I think its a fair deal. Chasing titles that may or may not happen or make the most $ possible on your last contract... his decision is going to be based on that.

I don't think we should accept that we'll miss the playoffs again. We need to get the best team possible on the court and try making the playoffs this yr. No more waiting another 2 yrs. I don't want the young guys to get used to losing.

 

[Superman]

Raja will be playing SG and Greene/Casspi are not SGs. They might have tried in the wacky formations this past season but they won't work at SG. All 3 of those teams are way over the cap. The most they'll offer Raja is the full vet's minimum for 1 yr, maybe 2 but I doubt it. If he feels this is his last contract, he'll go to the team that pays him the most. If the Kings pay $2.5 mil for 2 yrs, I think its a fair deal. Chasing titles that may or may not happen or make the most $ possible on your last contract... his decision is going to be based on that.

As for what's gonna drive his personal decision for next season, I can't speak to that. But if a contender wants him, there's no reason they can't offer a portion of their MLE for his services. They could easily match a 2 year, $2.5 million offer from us, which is more than I'd want to give Raja Bell. Don't mind the $2.5, but the 2 years is a sticking point for me.

I don't think we should accept that we'll miss the playoffs again. We need to get the best team possible on the court and try making the playoffs this yr. No more waiting another 2 yrs. I don't want the young guys to get used to losing.

You're talking about a 25 win improvement in one season. That's incredibly rare, especially for a team with an average age of 22 that hasn't added a star free agent. I agree that it's time to reach for the sky, but I think our reach might be exceeding our grasp at this point. Pushing 40 wins after barely winning 40 games in the last two years combined is a huge step forward for a young team with a second year coach. But it takes 50 in the West, and I think that's highly ambitious.

Kenny Smith thinks we'll be a bubble team in late March, early April, and that's nice to hear. But I'm not betting on it. I predicted 34-38 wins in another thread, and that's where I think we'll be.

 

[Peter_Gibbons]

As for what's gonna drive his personal decision for next season, I can't speak to that. But if a contender wants him, there's no reason they can't offer a portion of their MLE for his services. They could easily match a 2 year, $2.5 million offer from us, which is more than I'd want to give Raja Bell. Don't mind the $2.5, but the 2 years is a sticking point for me.



You're talking about a 25 win improvement in one season. That's incredibly rare, especially for a team with an average age of 22 that hasn't added a star free agent. I agree that it's time to reach for the sky, but I think our reach might be exceeding our grasp at this point. Pushing 40 wins after barely winning 40 games in the last two years combined is a huge step forward for a young team with a second year coach. But it takes 50 in the West, and I think that's highly ambitious.

Kenny Smith thinks we'll be a bubble team in late March, early April, and that's nice to hear. But I'm not betting on it. I predicted 34-38 wins in another thread, and that's where I think we'll be.

Personally, I don't think those 3 contenders you named are willing to use their MLE for Raja, not even part of it. Because they'll be going after better and younger players. As always, the Cs and lakes will try to get a veteran to sign on for cheap late in the game for a chance to win a championship.

I don't know what Raja wants either, but wanting to make as much $ as possible towards the end of his career is probably at least equally important to winning, rather, chasing a title.

I'm not saying we are going to make the playoffs for sure next yr. But we should definitely try our very best. I don't think brining in a veteran for 1 yr is going to do any good. Maybe a little but it would be better if the player will be around at least for 2 yrs so the young guys can really learn and build a trust amongst each other. With the west you never know whats going to happen. The Nuggets can be great or bust. The jazz are the same depending on how their roster looks. Spurs are on the down trend as well. The Thunder are a young team and you don't know if they'll regress from their success or grow from it.

 

[Superman]

Personally, I don't think those 3 contenders you named are willing to use their MLE for Raja, not even part of it. Because they'll be going after better and younger players. As always, the Cs and lakes will try to get a veteran to sign on for cheap late in the game for a chance to win a championship.

I don't know what Raja wants either, but wanting to make as much $ as possible towards the end of his career is probably at least equally important to winning, rather, chasing a title.

I guess it goes back to what I said before the draft: He's not gonna make that much of a difference to our team, and we have other needs. We've addressed our most pressing needs through the draft, but we still need a veteran starter more than we need a veteran backup, particularly at shooting guard. That's not Raja Bell, so the benefit he'd bring to our team would be limited. And it's not like he's a reputed winner (we're not talking about a Derek Fisher type or even Ray Allen), so what is he going to bring to the table?

I'm not so dismissive of the idea as I was, but there's not a huge need for his services here. And he knows that, so why would he sign with us when he could get an equal contract with a contender? If he's gonna ride the bench here, why not ride the bench for the Spurs or something and have a better shot at a ring, or at least the playoffs for a few extra checks? He's not going to get any considerable amount of money, and at 34, he's probably looking at a one year contract, period. Even from us.

I'm not saying we are going to make the playoffs for sure next yr. But we should definitely try our very best. I don't think brining in a veteran for 1 yr is going to do any good. Maybe a little but it would be better if the player will be around at least for 2 yrs so the young guys can really learn and build a trust amongst each other. With the west you never know whats going to happen. The Nuggets can be great or bust. The jazz are the same depending on how their roster looks. Spurs are on the down trend as well. The Thunder are a young team and you don't know if they'll regress from their success or grow from it.

I'm sure the front office and coaching staff have their eye on the playoffs. They're trying their damndest to put together a potential playoff squad. Took some huge strides the last three years, I think (we're all talking about RekeDMC, but Thompson, Greene, Casspi, and the other secondary guys are gonna be good filler for a young team trying to break through.)

I'm looking at the picture from last season though, and I don't see it being any easier than it was. Maybe it doesn't take 50 wins this year, but even 45 is a huge leap for us. Portland won 50 games with a ton of injuries. We can hope the Thunder slide, but they're trending North, not the other way. The Spurs and even Dallas could fall off, but you still have Houston and New Orleans who fell off last year but anticipate being back in the playoffs. Memphis is trending North. The Nuggets are great or bust, but they broke in three years ago at 50 wins and haven't looked back. Utah should be good, if they keep Boozer (which they might not, but what if he goes to another team in the West?) It's tough sledding trying to make the playoffs in this conference. We won a total of 42 games the past two seasons combined, which wouldn't have been good enough in either season. We added a veteran shotblocking center and a rookie center, and we expect improvement from the rest of our guys, but to the tune of 20-25 games? I think that's a bit ambitious.

 

[Sparky6string]

He is no longer under contract. Ime is actually not a bad player to have around in case of injuries. His defense is decent and he can shoot ok. I have no problems with brining on a couple non-drafted or D-L guys but we need a couple veterans first more than anything right now. Our players' average age is 22 yrs old right now.

Right on paper he's the type of dude we are looking for, at least temporarily while we find better.

 

[Prince_XY]

Right on paper he's the type of dude we are looking for, at least temporarily while we find better.

He might actually be the best veteran option that Evans is asking for.

 

[Kingstime]

Bell and Ime are pretty much the same player and Ime hit alot of clutch baskets for us last year as well. I don't see really where the love for Raja Bell is randomly coming from sure he's a tough nosed defender and he can shoot but back when he was starting in the NBA it was definitely random then and it would be even more random now.

Ime already knows the system and the guys as well from last year he should get the first cheap look before anybody else IMO.

 

[TTown Kings]

Bell and Ime are pretty much the same player.

No they're not, Bell is a better shooter and defender. Just because two players play the same position and have similar strengths doesn't mean those strengths are equal and the players are "pretty much the same." Raja > Ime and would be an upgrade for the time being.