Would you rather start KT, or Skinner at PF?

[Ryan]

I would rather trade them for someone better :/

 

[hrdboild]

And that, in a nutshell, is the whole problem some of us have. The elite teams in the West, including the Sacramento Kings pre-trade, don't have "role players" as their starting PFs.

Yeah but how many legitimate star PFs (or potential star PFs) are there in the league?

Tim Duncan
Kevin Garnett
Amare Stoudamire (could play PF)
Jermaine O'Neal
Dirk Nowitzki
Elton Brand
Rasheed Wallace
Ben Wallace (could play PF)
Kenyon Martin
Emeka Okafor
Dwight Howard
Nene
Carlos Boozer (a bit of a stretch)
Zach Randolph (unless you like defense)

Do you see any of those guys being moved? A couple of them are question marks. I guess Nene was probably our best shot, but Denver considers him too valuable to trade. I don't blame them. Some of those guys have huge contracts and may be available, but then there's a question of how much their team would want in return. While I agree with you in principle that a star PF is the only way to really solidify this team as a contender, it doesn't look very likely this summer. Maybe something at the trade deadline, maybe something next summer. Who knows what will happen between now and then. For right now though, the way things are looking, going with a good role player at PF is probably the best we can hope for. As long as they aren't signed to some ridiculous contract, we remain flexible to improve in the future.

 

[SacTownKid]

with the exception of the bonzi/cuttino deal this is the same team that got beat 4-1 by a suprising seattle team. they had their shot. now it's time to bring in da big dogs.

This team wasn't given a chance! Half a season, with mulitiple injuries, etc. Thats no chance.

 

[Padrino]

of the two, its gotta be KT, if only for the fact that its ludicrous to pay a role player like thomas $35 million over 5 years to come off the bench.

 

[VF21]

Yeah but how many legitimate star PFs (or potential star PFs) are there in the league?

Tim Duncan
Kevin Garnett
Amare Stoudamire (could play PF)
Jermaine O'Neal
Dirk Nowitzki
Elton Brand
Rasheed Wallace
Ben Wallace (could play PF)
Kenyon Martin
Emeka Okafor
Dwight Howard
Nene
Carlos Boozer (a bit of a stretch)
Zach Randolph (unless you like defense)

Do you see any of those guys being moved? A couple of them are question marks. I guess Nene was probably our best shot, but Denver considers him too valuable to trade. I don't blame them. Some of those guys have huge contracts and may be available, but then there's a question of how much their team would want in return. While I agree with you in principle that a star PF is the only way to really solidify this team as a contender, it doesn't look very likely this summer. Maybe something at the trade deadline, maybe something next summer. Who knows what will happen between now and then. For right now though, the way things are looking, going with a good role player at PF is probably the best we can hope for. As long as they aren't signed to some ridiculous contract, we remain flexible to improve in the future.

It may not look very likely, but I firmly believe it's what's going to make the difference. I'm not going to give up hope that Petrie can bring something better into the mix than Kenny Thomas.

As far as us "remaining flexible," that has to be one of the biggest fairy tales ever contrived. We are, as has been stated by a number of people that I agree with, LESS flexible now than we were with Webber. But we've had that discussion many, many times - and the jury is still out on the final verdict.

Luckily, I don't have to worry about that. Petrie does. I just have to get ready for another season of Kings basketball, rooting for them and being very thankful that I don't have Petrie's headaches.

 

[Bricklayer]

I'd be tempted to go with Skinner for the better fit, but not sure that he's good enough at the hings he does to really hold down that spot permanently.

 

[hrdboild]

It may not look very likely, but I firmly believe it's what's going to make the difference. I'm not going to give up hope that Petrie can bring something better into the mix than Kenny Thomas.

As far as us "remaining flexible," that has to be one of the biggest fairy tales ever contrived. We are, as has been stated by a number of people that I agree with, LESS flexible now than we were with Webber. But we've had that discussion many, many times - and the jury is still out on the final verdict.

Luckily, I don't have to worry about that. Petrie does. I just have to get ready for another season of Kings basketball, rooting for them and being very thankful that I don't have Petrie's headaches.

Whether the Webber trade actually made the Kings more flexible for trades is open to debate. There's no guarantee that Petrie has been actively seeking out deals for those three, but if he has than they must not be very desirable. I would guess the general consensus here is that they aren't very desirable. That's a whole different issue from what I'm talking about though and I don't want to get into that again. What I'm talking about is not signing anybody to a longterm big-money deal unless we're sure we want them around for awhile. If you can get a good deal on a player and the length of the contract represents an acceptable level of risk (cause you have to assume that they'll be staying for the length of their contract) than why shouldn't we make that deal? If you can trade them later for a better player than your investment payed off. If they perform at or above their expected level than your investment payed off also. If they nosedive, well that's part of the risk involved. You just have to structure the deal in such a way that the worst case scenario won't cripple the team. (Looking back at the Webber trade, that probably wasn't the case - however, the percieved level of risk was probably low at the time of the signing. His potential knee problem, which I think developed throughout the 2002-2003 season probably, wasn't known about then.) We can improve for this season and still stay in position to make a bigger change in the future, provided we don't do anything stupid like signing Antoine Walker to a 60 million dollar contract. That's basically what I mean. A conservative plan for improving the team right now, managing risk effectively, and always keeping an eye on the future.

I didn't think that either Thomas or Skinner would be our starting PF next year either, and after the SAR drama in New Jersey (and the almost inevitable SAR signing by Sacramento that follows from that) I really don't think they will. So now I'm wondering, do you think SAR is an upgrade over Kenny Thomas? I think that's what Petrie's move will be and I also think it does improve the team. What it doesn't do is tear the team apart and rebuild it in a newer, tougher, incarnation. But given what Petrie has said and the moves he's made, I think it's pretty clear he's not willing yet to go to those drastic measures. Personally, I don't think the loss to Seattle in the first round was all that devastating. Some people act like that was the depths of the abyss we sunk to and the only way to get out is to blow up the team, but that's not what I saw. I saw a more talented team losing because they hadn't played together enough to take advantage of their collective strengths. Maybe this isn't the undeniable "team to beat" going into next season, but I think with this lineup it's a team that will make it to the second round at least and beyond that it's anyone's guess how it will go. As long as the payroll doesn't skyrocket into "just pay everyone the max" Dallas Mavs territory, I think it's a good move for the future of the team.

 

[Padrino]

i think the kings will look a lot better when williamson and thomas are off the books. skinner is a great reserve, if slightly overpriced. we could eat his contract. no big deal. but williamson and thomas have to go. i like thomas' style, to be honest. i think he's good enough to be a starter in the nba, and deserves a starting spot (though i dont think he's worth the money he's making). the kings need size, rebounding, and defense most of all, and thomas is not going to help us there. with the possible SAR acquisition, KT most likely not be starting, and i am dead set in my opinion that its absurd to pay kenny thomas $35 million over 5 years to do what he does off the bench. we'll probably end up eating williamson's contract (which is just the bull**** truth. apart from a near-expiring contract, he's got no trade value WHATSOEVER), but KT's got at least a lttle trade value, and needs to be moved. expiring contracts are appealing to me in this situation, cuz we're not gonna get the quality PF we want in a KT trade. if we did, that would mean GP was resorting to the Godfather's "either your brains or your signature will be on this contract" method. i wouldnt mind, but somebody in the league probably would.

 

[Evenstar]

Kevin Garnett!!!

oh alright........

i wouldn't mind seeing miller at the 4, skinner at the 5.

 

[hrdboild]

i think the kings will look a lot better when williamson and thomas are off the books.

Agreed. I would hope that becomes the new priority.

 

[Gary]

Thomas could bring some great minutes to us OFF THE BENCH. If he were happy in that position I would love to keep him here. He is more than adequate as a bench player.

 

[ParniValjak]

Thomas could bring some great minutes to us OFF THE BENCH. If he were happy in that position I would love to keep him here. He is more than adequate as a bench player.

That I agree with BUT the problem is his contract is that of a starter. He is also limited in his versatility somewhat.

As to who I would rather start at PF, my answer is Shareef Abdur-Rahim

 

[Bricklayer]

Thomas could bring some great minutes to us OFF THE BENCH. If he were happy in that position I would love to keep him here. He is more than adequate as a bench player.

He is, but if you bring in SAR and therefore abandon the concept of defense from the starter, and then bring KT off the bench for major minutes who also is not a defensive stalwart either, where do you get the defense from? Not from the starters, not from the reserves....from the RCD maybe?

 

[kingsofnba]

if the kings sign SAR, which i think would be a very good move by GP.... i would then concentrate on trying to make the bench more defensive minded... i would try to acquire a big, tough guy like PJ Brown from the hornets... the hornets are going nowhere fast and PJ is 36 years old, so they are willing to trade him for some younger players... but he is still one of the toughest SOB in the NBA...

now the hornets are having trouble getting anyone to sign with them... so they will be forced to trade players to get players... therefore, i think if the kings offered up Thomas and Corliss for PJ Brown and George Lynch (ending contract), the hornets would bite....

this would give the kings a tough defensive SOB to come off the bench and give the kings an ending contract (lynch).... the kings also gets rid of thomas bad contract (5 year, $35mil) for two shorter contracts... the hornets will get a very capable Power forward (thomas) to replace an older one and a very good SF(corliss), who could possibly start for the hornets...

Kings line up... more balance overall...

PF Abdur-Rahim / PJ Brown
SF Stojakovic/ Lynch (or FA Christie or Barnes)
C Miller/ Skinner/ Sampson
SG Wells / Martin / Garcia
PG Bibby/ Hart / Price

 

[Gary]

Well, if KT played half his time at SF he would match up better defensively. He isn't a BAD defender at the PF spot (although not a good one) and is relatively athletic. I think he would be quick enough to guard some of the taller SF at times.

I think the reason KT, and Skinner didn't make an impact is because we were putting them against guys that had 45-50lbs on them, a few inches, and telling them to muscle them around.

I could see a team of Miller (to set some mean picks), Skinner (defense at PF), KT (defense at SF), Wells, and Bibby on the floor at once, and maybe do well enough defensively and keep the offense..

The problem I see though is that we have too many players that have to be interchanged in order to do well defensively. Kind of like "type cast" players so to speak. We play an all defensive team of Sampson, Skinner, Thomas, Wells, Hart and where would the offense come from? We would hold the opposing team to 20 points in a quarter, but be lucky to score 10-12 ourselves. Thats not good basketball. The majority of the fans would rather see us outscore the opponent 35-30 and pray that we do the same every other quarter. It's much more exciting basketball.

Until we can have a good mix of offense/defense on the floor we will have to continue to experiment with players like Bonzi Wells. I don't think Petries not trying to get better defensively, I just think there is a lack of players that can fill the role in our style of play. Pre-injury Webber, Christie of 2 years ago fit perfectly.