Who Goes? Who Stays?

[bajaden]

None of those guys you mention go unless it brings us some value. Good luck Pete in your hunt for value.

Last year at this time I wanted Fredette and Thornton gone no matter what. Others wanted Salmons, Outlaw, Hayes and maybe some others gone no matter what. I don't see the fan feeling so negative this year. The exception may be IT where 50% want him gone and the other half really want him to stay. The climate now is let's get a couple of quality players. And I think the FO is right there with us.

I don't think that many people want IT gone. I think the disagreement is over whether he should start or not. I don't like IT as our starter, but I don't want him gone. I want him as our sixth man. The problem is how much are we willing to pay him?

 

[sdballer]

IT: starter. SF- Acquisition or Draft. PF - Evans. Backup center - ?

That lineup likely finishes only slightly better than this year

 

[rainmaker]

Based on last years cap, which was 58.6 mil and which should go up to around 60 mil, and based on picking up the last year of Acy's salary, we would have around 13.5 mil under the cap to work with. However that doesn't take into account IT's cap hold of $1,148,995.00. It isn't much, but it does count against our cap. If the cap goes up to around 60 mil, then were back to around 14 mil in space. I would think that's enough to sign Deng, but I'm not sure he's worth that much.

Larry Coon is reporting he expects a 5M jump in the salary cap and the luxury tax threshold to be at 77M.

The NBA issued new projections for the 2014-15 and 2015-16 salary cap and luxury tax thresholds. The 2014-15 salary cap is now projected to be $63.2 million and the tax level is projected to be $77.0 million. The numbers for 2015-16 are now projected to be $66.5 million and $81.0 million, respectively.

http://cbafaq.com/blog/?p=304

With that info, I'm going hard after Lowry and Bledsoe, possibly Chalmers, then going after Sefolosha or Avery Bradley. Bolster the back court through free agency, use the pick to get a defensive PF or use the pick in a trade to get a PF.

 

[Big Cuz 15]

Well your guess is as good as any. But were trying to look inside Gay's mind and that's impossible. I don't know Rudy Gay any better than I know Ben McLemore. I would suspect that there are fans from other teams predicting that Cousins will ask for trade soon because of how the team played. But of course we know that's not close to the truth. Cousins is one of those unique players that doesn't want to ride the coattails of others. He wants to be the one that turns a franchise around. So who knows what lurks in Gay's mind. He might be more than willing to deal with another season of rebuilding as long as he's convinced that in the end, the Kings will be at minimum a playoff team, and at best, a contender.

I don't think Gay as reached the desperation period of his career. That usually happens when a good player turns 32 or 33 years old. If his team isn't contending for a title by that age, his patience has probably run its course. But, everyone is different and I have no idea what he'll do. He says he's comfortable here, and he wants to stay in one place for a while. So we have that going for us. Don't know why, but I have a good feeling about this. Let me put it this way. I have a better feeling about us retaining Gay than I do Thomas. I just have this gut feeling that Thomas will end up signing with the Magic. They can then move Oladipo back to SG where he belongs. I hope I'm wrong.....

if we get harkless out of it, IT's sacrifice is worth it. ball movement is stalled when micro pizza man is controlling the ball.

 

[mac]

I hope to see IT gone, just for the sake of giving the team something different. The guy is a baller and I don't trust Malone enough to believe that he would keep IT out of the starting lineup at all costs, even if we were to go out and sign another PG. IT is a good player but so far I just haven't seen the team make progress with him at the helm, nor do I think he's a good fit for us going forward. He can be a good 6th man but I just don't see him accepting the role - and we saw what that led to with Marcus Thornton. I'd rather just move on and try something new.

I think JT will be gone because the FO clearly doesn't appreciate his services. Don't see Landry being moved. Dwill might be moved if the right deal comes along, and if I were Rudy Gay I'd opt out. But then again, I have a more pessimistic view at this point heading into next season than most do.

 

[Section 101]

I think that there is a reason for him to opt out, that's to our benefit. Of course my scenario has nothing to do with the Lakers, and you could be right about that. But if I'm correct, if we were to try and give him an extension after he opts in, that extension would necessarily be very expensive because of his starting salary of 19 million. However, if he were to opt out, with the idea of resigning with us to an already agreed on contract, then we could resign him at a more equitable price. The only other option of course is for him to opt in, and we wait till the end of next season when he becomes a freeagent.

There are some benefits to waiting another year. His benefit is he makes an additional 19 mil, and also gets to see if the team is heading in the right direction. For us, we get another year to make sure Gay is what were looking for before committing a ton of money to him. Personally, if you separate the Lakers from LA and just compare the two teams, and where they are talent wise, I'd take the Kings right now. They might have Kobe on their roster, but he's just a stone's throw away from heading into the pyramid to be mummified. Take away Kobe, and who do they have? Of course you do have the smog and heavy traffic. Hard to compete with that.

An extension doesn't have to start at the last years salary. That is just the max it can start at plus the % increase. So he could take say a 4 year $60 mil extension this year or next year if he opts in.

 

[randymoss1881]

Based on last years cap, which was 58.6 mil and which should go up to around 60 mil, and based on picking up the last year of Acy's salary, we would have around 13.5 mil under the cap to work with. However that doesn't take into account IT's cap hold of $1,148,995.00. It isn't much, but it does count against our cap. If the cap goes up to around 60 mil, then were back to around 14 mil in space. I would think that's enough to sign Deng, but I'm not sure he's worth that much.

http://fansided.com/2014/04/18/nba-salary-cap-projected-jump-nearly-5-million-2014-2015/

The good news is the cap will be 63mill reported by realgm so that's better than it was projected.

On IT I say just let him go. We can't have Ray/IT at pg definitely not IT starting and expect to be contenders you just can't. With Gay and Cousins we don't need a scorer at pg we can roll a pg that knows his place. If we expect Ben to be a major player than IT can't play with him for obvious reasons (there's 1 basketball). DMC/Gay/Ben should be our scores and fill the PF and pg position with defenders

 

[jcwkings]

Larry Coon is reporting he expects a 5M jump in the salary cap and the luxury tax threshold to be at 77M.

The NBA issued new projections for the 2014-15 and 2015-16 salary cap and luxury tax thresholds. The 2014-15 salary cap is now projected to be $63.2 million and the tax level is projected to be $77.0 million. The numbers for 2015-16 are now projected to be $66.5 million and $81.0 million, respectively.

http://cbafaq.com/blog/?p=304

With that info, I'm going hard after Lowry and Bledsoe, possibly Chalmers, then going after Sefolosha or Avery Bradley. Bolster the back court through free agency, use the pick to get a defensive PF or use the pick in a trade to get a PF.

What in our free agent history makes you think that we would be able to sign Kyle Lowry and one of Sefelosha or Bradley? Those players want to play with winning franchises, the only way we get into conversations is by throwing absurd money out there(Iggy last summer), but more likely than not even that gets you nowhere. Our prized signing is Shareef Abdur Rahim with no knees for christ sakes. Its not fair but it is what it is, for us its the draft and trades as the primary way to acquire talent, with free agency being a way to sign a bench contributor or fringe starter at best.

 

[randymoss1881]

What in our free agent history makes you think that we would be able to sign Kyle Lowry and one of Sefelosha or Bradley? Those players want to play with winning franchises, the only way we get into conversations is by throwing absurd money out there(Iggy last summer), but more likely than not even that gets you nowhere. Our prized signing is Shareef Abdur Rahim with no knees for christ sakes. Its not fair but it is what it is, for us its the draft and trades as the primary way to acquire talent, with free agency being a way to sign a bench contributor or fringe starter at best.

If Gay opted out we could offer Bledsoe the max and I can put my life saving he would come considering he is really close with DMC








Unfortunately Pheonix will match the offer.

 

[pshn80]

http://fansided.com/2014/04/18/nba-salary-cap-projected-jump-nearly-5-million-2014-2015/

The good news is the cap will be 63mill reported by realgm so that's better than it was projected.

On IT I say just let him go. We can't have Ray/IT at pg definitely not IT starting and expect to be contenders you just can't. With Gay and Cousins we don't need a scorer at pg we can roll a pg that knows his place. If we expect Ben to be a major player than IT can't play with him for obvious reasons (there's 1 basketball). DMC/Gay/Ben should be our scores and fill the PF and pg position with defenders

I'd take IT over Ben any day of the week. If Ben can get good enough to start for us IT can become an All Star starting PG. Otherwise I agree with you.

 

[Gary]

I think IT and Rudy are both gone by the start of next season. I also think we will sign some vets which will know their roles more so than what we currently have.

We draft Exum or Smart and try to sign a SF in the mold of Trevor Ariza? As for PF maybe try to sign a guy like Varejao or Gortat at C?

If we aren't going to be paying Gay or IT then we should have a decent amount of cap space. Hell, maybe even enough to go after Deng?

 

[jcwkings]

I think IT and Rudy are both gone by the start of next season. I also think we will sign some vets which will know their roles more so than what we currently have.

We draft Exum or Smart and try to sign a SF in the mold of Trevor Ariza? As for PF maybe try to sign a guy like Varejao or Gortat at C?

If we aren't going to be paying Gay or IT then we should have a decent amount of cap space. Hell, maybe even enough to go after Deng?

NO!!!, small market loser teams like us don't have the luxury of letting talent walk for nothing because all we get in free agency are the Carl Landry's, John Salmons's, Chuck Hayes's of the league. There is no reason for us to be clearing cap space to spend big bucks on a prized free agent, it just isn't going to happen. Gay is the one I could see walking, if he truly wants to be on a winning team.

One thing to keep an eye on is the potential of re-signing IT and drafting a guy like Smart with the eventual goal of having Smart start and IT becoming the 6th man. They would even be very dangerous together(our own version of Dragic/Bledsoe), both are great penetrators(will help Ben a ton for open looks) and Smart has size and length to guard most SG's. That is something that intrigues me going into the draft.

 

[randymoss1881]

I'd take IT over Ben any day of the week. If Ben can get good enough to start for us IT can become an All Star starting PG. Otherwise I agree with you.

Why would you take IT over Ben. Ben has the potential to be a 2way player and he doesn't dominate the ball.

 

[Gary]

NO!!!, small market loser teams like us don't have the luxury of letting talent walk for nothing because all we get in free agency are the Carl Landry's, John Salmons's, Chuck Hayes's of the league. There is no reason for us to be clearing cap space to spend big bucks on a prized free agent, it just isn't going to happen. Gay is the one I could see walking, if he truly wants to be on a winning team.

One thing to keep an eye on is the potential of re-signing IT and drafting a guy like Smart with the eventual goal of having Smart start and IT becoming the 6th man. They would even be very dangerous together(our own version of Dragic/Bledsoe), both are great penetrators(will help Ben a ton for open looks) and Smart has size and length to guard most SG's. That is something that intrigues me going into the draft.

I don't think it's about us clearing cap space. I just think they wont return. Gay will probably opt out in order to sign a multi-year deal for a contender, and IT will probably be offered more $$ than we're willing to spend. You never know, we could actually be better. The adage "addition by subtraction" could come into play here..... Our front office knows what they're doing. I trust the hobbit.

 

[DMC916]

I hope they keep Gay,IT,DMC combo at least for another year to really see what they can do with a full camp etc... For some time they were clicking really well together the only players averaging 20 pts each on one team for a while. We need to give them a better supporting cast, but I think that's just it. Our bench really sucks really bad so bad that it confuses people how bad they really are..... I don't think IT,Gay,DMC are the problem. They just need the right players to compliment them. In the end though, im still happy as hell. The Kings stayed!

 

[KingMilz]

Here is a question. If Isaiah Thomas is retained, who's a better fit on this roster, Rudy Gay or Luol Deng?

PDA went HARD after Iguodala last offseason. Deng is a similar player who's spent years with the best defensive coach in the NBA. Not as offensively gifted as Gay, obviously, but he'd help solve the 'too many people looking for their own offense' thing.

I don't know the right answer. If Thomas is let go, I'm taking Gay, but if he isn't and Gay opts out, Deng would be a nice target to consider. And one that might actually work out better for the team despite what the statistics would say.

Gordan Hayward> both those in terms of fit and he's actually fairly young without many K's on his body. Depending on who we draft here's a list of guys I would like us to go after via trade or whatever other means.

PG: Livingston
SG: Afflalo
SF: Hayward/Ariza
PF: Jordan Hill/anyone who can block shots
C: Doesn't matter

 

[Tetsujin]

Gordan Hayward> both those in terms of fit and he's actually fairly young without many K's on his body. Depending on who we draft here's a list of guys I would like us to go after via trade or whatever other means.

PG: Livingston
SG: Afflalo
SF: Hayward/Ariza
PF: Jordan Hill/anyone who can block shots
C: Doesn't matter

You would hope a basketball wouldn't have accumulated many strike outs in his playing career.

 

[KingMilz]

You would hope a basketball wouldn't have accumulated many strike outs in his playing career.

K's as in kilometers I guess you guys use miles I forgot.

 

[Showtime]

I'd love for them to keep Ray as a starter and try to sign IT as a Bobby Jackson type 6th man, and go after Gay when he becomes a free agent after next season.

 

[pshn80]

Why would you take IT over Ben. Ben has the potential to be a 2way player and he doesn't dominate the ball.

P O T E N T I A L. He did before and he does now and he will in 2015-2016. IT doesn't have as much potential right now but he is still far ahead of Ben right now. He also doesn't have as far to go to be a successful starting PG. You pays your money and you takes your chance.

 

[bajaden]

Larry Coon is reporting he expects a 5M jump in the salary cap and the luxury tax threshold to be at 77M.

The NBA issued new projections for the 2014-15 and 2015-16 salary cap and luxury tax thresholds. The 2014-15 salary cap is now projected to be $63.2 million and the tax level is projected to be $77.0 million. The numbers for 2015-16 are now projected to be $66.5 million and $81.0 million, respectively.

http://cbafaq.com/blog/?p=304

With that info, I'm going hard after Lowry and Bledsoe, possibly Chalmers, then going after Sefolosha or Avery Bradley. Bolster the back court through free agency, use the pick to get a defensive PF or use the pick in a trade to get a PF.

Yeah, I saw those numbers this morning. Of course if Gay opts in, those numbers don't help because our salaries will be at around 66 mil, which will be over the cap. However, if he opts out and we can't resign him, then we have a lot of money to work with, and like you, Lowry is at the top of my list. I doubt we can get Bledsoe. Another player I'd like to acquire is Afflalo. Broke in as a defensive player, but now has added offense to his bag of tricks. It all depends on what Gay does.

 

[bajaden]

An extension doesn't have to start at the last years salary. That is just the max it can start at plus the % increase. So he could take say a 4 year $60 mil extension this year or next year if he opts in.

"A contract with an option can be extended if the player opts-in. A contract with an option can also be extended if the player opts-out, as long as the extension adds at least two new seasons onto the contract (excluding any new option year) and the salary in the first year of the extension is not less than the salary in the non-exercised option year. See question number 58 for more information on options and ETOs."

 

[Kingster]

Well your guess is as good as any. But were trying to look inside Gay's mind and that's impossible. I don't know Rudy Gay any better than I know Ben McLemore. I would suspect that there are fans from other teams predicting that Cousins will ask for trade soon because of how the team played. But of course we know that's not close to the truth. Cousins is one of those unique players that doesn't want to ride the coattails of others. He wants to be the one that turns a franchise around. So who knows what lurks in Gay's mind. He might be more than willing to deal with another season of rebuilding as long as he's convinced that in the end, the Kings will be at minimum a playoff team, and at best, a contender.

I don't think Gay as reached the desperation period of his career. That usually happens when a good player turns 32 or 33 years old. If his team isn't contending for a title by that age, his patience has probably run its course. But, everyone is different and I have no idea what he'll do. He says he's comfortable here, and he wants to stay in one place for a while. So we have that going for us. Don't know why, but I have a good feeling about this. Let me put it this way. I have a better feeling about us retaining Gay than I do Thomas. I just have this gut feeling that Thomas will end up signing with the Magic. They can then move Oladipo back to SG where he belongs. I hope I'm wrong.....

We'll see. If that happens, it's a great move for Orlando; not so much for the Kings.

 

[randymoss1881]

If the plan is to keep IT and Marcus Smart is gone would you guys trade the pick for Asik or get one of Gordon or Vonleh? I would like Asik in the front court with DMC and Gay.

 

[bajaden]

If the plan is to keep IT and Marcus Smart is gone would you guys trade the pick for Asik or get one of Gordon or Vonleh? I would like Asik in the front court with DMC and Gay.

Just exactly how do you trade the pick for Asik? Asik is due just under 15 mill next season. Unless your assuming that Gay opt's out, and we make no attempt to resign him. I like Asik, but I don't think he's worth as much or more than Cousins.

 

[HereWeBoogie]

IT, Rudy, JT, Acy, Outlaw Gone. Just my guess

 

[KingMilz]

Yeah, I saw those numbers this morning. Of course if Gay opts in, those numbers don't help because our salaries will be at around 66 mil, which will be over the cap. However, if he opts out and we can't resign him, then we have a lot of money to work with, and like you, Lowry is at the top of my list. I doubt we can get Bledsoe. Another player I'd like to acquire is Afflalo. Broke in as a defensive player, but now has added offense to his bag of tricks. It all depends on what Gay does.

He played really well for long stretches as a SF would you have him and Ben playing together on the wings? Or do you mean we get Afflalo and keep Gay?

Also if we plan on moving Cousins to PF, Mozgov is a guy I woould want, he;s massive and really mobile without the ball and has decent touch for a big man (Denver ran 3 point plays for him near the end of the season). He can block shots but is not a elite shot blocker but moves really well on D.

 

[randymoss1881]

I like Mosgov too but Denver won't trade him. Just take McGee coach Karl got him to play good last year in 39min. People keep dismissing every shot blocker that's brought up if we want one it will be either McGee or Sanders there's not another available we can resonably get.

 

[KingMilz]

I like Mosgov too but Denver won't trade him. Just take McGee coach Karl got him to play good last year in 39min. People keep dismissing every shot blocker that's brought up if we want one it will be either McGee or Sanders there's not another available we can resonably get.

While a elite shot blocker would be nice we just imo need a big mobile body who moves well and can cover up mistakes but does not have to be a elite shot blocker a guy who averages similar blocks to Cousins but rotates better/contests more (we don't want Cuz contesting all the time) is enough imo. To me Jordan Hill (health permitting) is more than enough as far as defence when combined with Cuz ability to be disruptive.

\ As for PF maybe try to sign a guy like Varejao or Gortat at C?

Gortat and Hawes would be great if Cousins didn't hate them and they didn't hate him.

 

[Chupacabra]

While a elite shot blocker would be nice we just imo need a big mobile body who moves well and can cover up mistakes but does not have to be a elite shot blocker a guy who averages similar blocks to Cousins but rotates better/contests more (we don't want Cuz contesting all the time) is enough imo. To me Jordan Hill (health permitting) is more than enough as far as defence when combined with Cuz ability to be disruptive.


Gortat and Hawes would be great if Cousins didn't hate them and they didn't hate him.

Why would we want Spencer Hawes? He outwardly expressed his approval of the malloofs trying to sell the team to seattle and he has no D. He is so soft that this site has nicknamed him "Soggy waffles". Admit that Hawes is a terrible idea and all will be forgiven.