The free agent exodus from Sacramento continues as The Athletic’s Shams Charania is reporting that Alex Len is signing with the Toronto Raptors.
Free agent center Alex Len has agreed to a deal with the Toronto Raptors, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 23, 2020
Len joined the Kings last season as part of the trade that sent Dewayne Dedmon and a pair of second rounders to Atlanta. That trade also brought Jabari Parker to the Kings.
It’s hard to call Len a significant loss for the Kings considering he only appeared in 15 games for Sacramento. In those 15 games he averaged 5.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1 block per game. He also provided size that was otherwise missing on the roster, as Len stands a legit 7 feet tall and played a tough style of basketball.
The Kings still have Richaun Holmes to start at center. Beyond that there’s a notable lack of depth at center unless the Kings view Marvin Bagley as a center,as many have argued would be a better fit for his skills than playing power forward.
Free agency certainly isn’t over, and there will always be centers available, but the remaining options are beginning to be the bottom of the barrel.
For the Raptors, the signing provides nice depth behind Aron Baynes. The Raptors lost both Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol this offseason.
At the moment, this team is small. Unless one of the B guards can be flipped for a big, I’d wager that Monte will be digging deep into undrafted free agents to see if he can find someone to protect the rim and bang down low.
My recollection is that the Kings were giving up ton of offensive rebounds in the bubble, but since that seems like it was a few years ago, I can’t be sure.
There are many Ex-King bigs who are still floating around.
oops
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You are faster at finding images Rik 🙂 .. There is always Unibrow ..
Hilarious, yes. Like War and Peace.
Sign and trade for Tillman?
There was one sequence (I think it was against the Spurs) where there were 7 straight offensive boards by the opposing team. If virtual crowds could boo, they would have.
I’m not sure what I find more depressing. That we are losing all these role players, or that they are signing such small contracts to play elsewhere.
All of these guys are going to legit playoff teams. There was a time long ago when those guys used to sign here.
Which makes Bogi passing on the Bucks to sign with the Hawks a bit perplexing. He had an opportunity to go to a legit contender.
$$$$$$$$$$$$
Not much of a difference there in the end.
We don’t know. It appears that there may have been a $4m difference a year, $16m overall (if the Bucks were even offering a fourth year). This is Bogi’s only chance at a big contract, given his age.
I don’t think the fourth year is guaranteed.
See, e.g.:
https://twitter.com/TimMaxwell22/status/1330596651229175808
The 4th year could be player option, yes?
I mean, if this is 3/$54m with a team option and small buyout, I think that leans this much more into the match category.
Can we go back to last week when most of us were high on DiVincenzo and looking forward to what Monte had in store for his first draft? Those times were better.
I think knowing that McNair handled the draft damned near perfectly is better than the uncertainty from beforehand, but definitely, I was thrilled that we were getting DiVincenzo.
Buddy won’t be traded before the Kings have to decide on Bogi, and assuming Atlanta won’t enter into a S&T transaction (and they won’t), I think you have to eat it and let him walk. Paying Bogi $18 mil a year til he’s thirty-two seems bad, particularly when you factor in his recurring knee problems.
Also, it likely leaves the Kings better situated for next year’s loaded free agency, since you don’t really have to replace him. You sign a couple of role players (hopefully bigs) to two year deals with team options, and you’ve positioned yourself well for a big summer.
Or fall. Who the fuck knows?
“Kings better situated for next year’s loaded free agency”…what makes you think they will be able to sign any good FA’s next year? Doubt they would be able to sign a player as good as Bogi at market value next year or any year until they are a legit playoff team.
I didn’t say anything about them being more or less able to sign free agents.
Having a ton of cap room is better than being locked down with a couple of aging guards who won’t be around when McNair has built the team that he wants. If nothing else, you can take on salary for draft picks, and I’d wager that this is part of the long-term plan.
I wish they would do those trades too, but this FO/ownership group has a LONG track record of not doing so. I mean OKC has already done so 3 times this offseason, McNair could’ve already participated if he wanted to.
I just don’t think cap space in Sac amounts to much at all. We aren’t getting a top FA so if its not used in a trade scenario, it was wasted. I don’t like letting assets walk for free just to keep cap space for a very specific trade type/scenario (that while I would endorse) the team simply never gets involved in.
Until Walton’s here no FAs would want to sign with the Kings.
Are you trying to say we had a better deal two (ish) days ago?
We sure did
Can Bogi play center?
Boogie might?
Sorry, Boogie just signed with the Rockets…
I forgot about Frank the Tank!
We’re gonna sign Whiteside, aren’t we? 🙁
Better Call Skal
What?
Caleb Swanigan, Wenyen Gabriel ..
DMC to sign with Houston
Sounds like the Kings will be hosting open tryouts before too long! How many players are signed for next year?
I count 12 including Jeffries and Haliburton / Woodard. Guy and Ramsey (guessing) on two-ways. Could use “break glass in case of emergency” depth at C, SF, PG.
By the way, for this team at this time, I love this approach. Bargain bin shop to fill out the end of the roster. There is absolutely no need to get into a bidding war on any player right now, and absolutely no reason to be offering multi-year contracts unless they are at .70 on the dollar.
Im with you on this one Rob.
THIS is what the start of a true rebuild looks like. Not over paying for a FA that doesnt want to be here then convincing ourselves that he/they could help compete for an 8th seed while all these youngins take a year or 2 to improve.
Yeap. #FadinforCade
I agree with the approach as well… The Kings will be in the bottom half of the league regardless of Bogi or Len. Might as well get a shot at a ringer in the 2021 draft.
Mehh I could care less about these guys signing elsewhere. It’s not like we’re trying to compete for a playoff spot and no one is signing with the Kings. I’d rather go this direction and not sign anyone. Let the young guys play major minutes and tank our way into a top 5 pick in 2021. Find out who is worthy of getting minutes and a roster spot heading into the 2021-2022 season. I assume having a clean cap space, Monte can start getting free agents that fit with his roster and not be handicapped with all the unnecessary signings.
I am very attached to the pieces of a team that won 43% of its games last year!
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Solid reference.
Either Monty got Fox to buy into a drastic re-build or Monty simply can’t sign FA’s.
Those are not the only two choices…
Fox signed the deal because $163m-$195m. No more, no less.
Looking at the Kings cap sheet, I’m curious as to who you think was out there that would have moved this team into playoff contention. Because absent of that, why overspend on free agents right now? I’m betting it has less to do with McNair’s inability to sign free agents, and more to do with him not wanting to spend money if it does not fit the longer-term plan of re-tooling.
Anthony Davis is still available and we need depth at Center. Duh Rob
What FA’s do you think were attainable that wanted to come this sh*t show of an organization that could actually help this team win games? Over the past several years the Kings have overpaid FA’s that barely moved the needle in the win column, and then those players have wanted out or became disgruntled, leaving the team in another crappy spot with bloated contracts and guys that want to play elsewhere.
I get wanting to win, all of us fans want the Kings to be back in the playoffs on a consistent basis and compete for a title again. I just don’t see a path to happening any time soon, especially not by signing role players on huge contracts.
This is an understatement.
What the fans dont understand is…
Just because someone is a free agent doesnt mean they will play where ever a contract is offered. To put it in context, when someone is unhappy with where they are working they dont necessarily look apply any and every where for a new job. They usually apply for a job where they feel it will be a better situation.
We have heard plenty of times about agents either steering their clients away from Sacramento or players having little to no interest in playing in Sacramento.
I am not worried about these fringe signings. Do I like Len, Bazemore, and Giles – absolutely…but they don’t move the needle in the long run. Let them go to playoff contenders and enjoy their time.
In the meantime – trade Corey Joseph for a serviceable big and sign Shabazz Napier to a lower level deal while Ramsey develops. Find a home for Hield/Bogi at the deadline to free up minutes for Haliburton if the season starts to really tank.
Fox, Napier, Ramsey
Hield, Bogi, Haliburton
Barnes, Woodard, Jefferies
Bjelica, Bagley, Parker
Holmes, (serviceable big)
With each Kings UFA signing elsewhere I feel like this…..
I am assuming there’s a plan, but waiting for it is killing me.
I’m trusting (praying) a Buddy trade is in the works.
We’ve been waiting for 14 years for the playoffs….whats a few more weeks/months to see the whole picture.
He was good for a hot minute. Bye.
I was hoping we kept Len as a good value big body Center. But I’m not broken up about it. Play the young guys and see if there is a potential star or two in the group to pair with Fox. Get a top pick and don’t F it up. It may take two years of doing this to get two more foundational players. Think Philly’s process which got them Embiid and Simmons. Why cry about the guys who are leaving? They were part of a 31 win team.
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