The Sacramento Kings entered this offseason with an imbalanced roster. After drafting Devin Carter, another guard, the Kings faced a glut of guards and a lack of size. Following the sign-and-trade acquisition of DeMar DeRozan, the Kings are pretty much in the same place as before. Harrison Barnes, one of the few forwards on the Kings, was sent to San Antonio in the deal. DeRozan can play small forward, and has even played power forward at times in his career, but looking at the roster as it currently stands the Kings are still lacking in size.
At center the Kings have Domantas Sabonis and Alex Len. At forward the Kings have DeRozan, Keegan Murray, Trey Lyles, and Jalen McDaniels. That’s 6 players of the current 13 players on the Kings roster, meaning the remaining 7 players are guards. Even if Carter misses most of the season recovering from shoulder surgery, that’s still too many guards and not enough wings and bigs. It seems logical that another move is still yet to come. James Ham reported after the DeRozan trade that the Kings are still looking at another move, and didn’t rule out continuing to pursue Brandon Ingram or Lauri Markkanen. But Ingram doesn’t make sense to me anymore, as his skill set overlaps with DeRozan, Ingram would still cost a lot in a trade, and cost even more next summer. Markkanen also seems unlikely to me. Even though the Kings maintained most of their trade assets even after acquiring DeRozan, I just don’t see Danny Ainge giving up Markkanen for anything less than a king’s ransom.
Who else is out there? Let’s discuss both free agents and trade targets.
Free Agents
Free agency is winding down and most of the notable names off the board. The Kings, assuming they are aiming to stay under the luxury tax, also do not have much to offer free agents above a minimum contract. But there are still some intriguing names out there who may join an expected playoff team on a minimum deal.
Davis Bertans: Bertans has been overpaid the last few years, but is still a solid shooter with size. On a cheap deal I think he’d be a solid add.
Robert Covington: RoCo is well past his prime, and may be past being a playable NBA player, but he’s still available.
Cedi Osman: Cedi is a useful bench wing that I wouldn’t be upset about at all.
Precious Achiuwa: One of the best free agents still out there, I’d be excited to get him for some big man depth.
Doug McDermott: Another guy who is just a solid bench player. Not a ton of upside, has his flaws, but is solid.
Jae Crowder: Crowder has had an odd couple of years and it seems like he is strictly title-chasing, but he’s yet to find a new home in free agency.
Markieff Morris, Marcus Morris: I’m not a big fan of either player, but both would bring size and attitude.
Aleksej Pokusevski: Although I don’t expect him to actually remain in the NBA, Will Griffith would hunt me down if I failed to mention him.
Harry Giles: Bring him home, Monte.
Trade Targets
Kyle Kuzma: Marc Stein reported that the Kings could still be chasing Kuzma, which isn’t a big surprise. Kuzma would give the Kings another legitimate forward, but his fit on the roster would be a little more unclear at this point. Would Kuzma, who has been perfectly happy racking up shots on a bad team, be happy as the 4th or 5th option on offense?
Corey Kispert: Kuzma’s Wizards teammate is another interesting target. Kispert is 25 years old and will become a restricted free agent next summer. If the Wizards don’t want to pay him to stick around, he could be cheap depth for Sacramento.
Bobby Portis: Portis is supposedly available, but trading for him is tricky since the Bucks are a second apron team. They can’t aggregate outgoing players, and can’t take back a penny more than the outgoing salary of the player they trade. That means that even if the Bucks wanted to, they couldn’t trade Portis for Kevin Huerter, because Huerter makes more.
Isaiah Stewart: Beef Stew is a common target for Kings fans, myself included. He would give the Kings added size and toughness, and Stewart is decent three-point shooter for a big man. The Pistons recently claimed Paul Reed off waivers, but aside from Reed and Stewart the only other center on the Pistons roster is Jalen Duren. The Pistons may not be as eager to move Stewart as they’ve been rumored to be in the past.
Clint Capela, DeAndre Hunter: I like Capela but he might be a longshot. Capela is an expiring contract, but is still an effective big man. Hunter is a solid wing who has never really put it all together. He also has missed time with injuries. But the Hawks never seem to know if they want to break up their team or not. Atlanta could bring back Kevin Huerter, and the teams could even negotiate to remove protections from the pick Sacramento owes to Atlanta.
Cameron Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith: With Brooklyn blowing things up, either of their wings would be a great add for Sacramento. Both are versatile wings.
Day’Ron Sharpe: Another Brooklyn Net, Sharpe would provide big man depth for the Kings. Sharpe will turn 23 years old this season, so he’d also give the Kings a young guy with upside. For those same reasons, I’m not sure how eager the Nets are to move Sharpe, even after paying Nic Claxton.
Matisse Thybulle, Jerami Grant: The Portland Trail Blazers will be among the teams tanking for Cooper Flagg, so they have incentive to unload their veterans. Grant’s contract is a tricky fit with DeRozan on Sacramento’s books, but would be a really nice add at the power forward spot. Thybulle would add wing depth and defense. I’d be happy with either one, but it’s tricky to find a trade package that Portland would want back. They’ll want draft assets, and they’re likely not looking to add any more guards to their roster.
Bruce Brown: Brown would be a fun addition for a bench wing, but the contract is tricky. Brown’s upcoming free agency would also make me reticent to meet Masai Ujiri’s presumably too-high asking price.
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While I’ve tried to cover as many targets as possible, I’m sure I’ve overlooked a few. Chime in below with your favorite remaining targets for free agents or trades.
Brook Lopez anyone? Would the 3 and D center be a fit next to Sabonis?
Prior to the DDR trade I would have said no, but after that trade this FO is clearly trying to win now so Brook makes some sense and is a nice fit next to Sabonis. If no first rounders needed to be included, I’d be for it.
I think it would put the Kings $3M over the cap, severely limiting future trade opportunities. I don’t think this is an option unless the Kings make a move for a PF first. I do love Lopez as the Kings backup C.
Also, it would take Huerter’s contract to match salaries and I think he would be needed in any other trades (for a PF).
Just a thought on Lopez and the PF situation:
I think you could do two separate moves as long as its a one-for-one, the first one is Trey Lyles and pick(s) to MIL for Bobby Portis and the second one is Huerter (and picks if needed) to MIL for Brook Lopez.
MIL cuts some salary for younger players but I don’t think it improves them so I doubt they’d be interested considering their window with Lilliard is closing quickly. I just don’t think the Kings have the spare pieces that the Bucks could use, a 3rd team would likely be needed, maybe the Nets.
A lot of ppl suggest this but any team with athletic 4s that can shoot gonna have a field day with sabonis or Lopez on the perimeter
True, Lopez would require the Kings play a different defense when he is in the game as he is always going to drop in coverage, but he’s a good enough player that you could make it work.
Lopez is not a good fit next to Domas but I think he’s a great fit coming off the bench for Domas. Unless there is a crazy big lineup on the court (like JJJ/Edey or Sengun/Adams), you wouldn’t ever want to have two slow-footed 5s on the court together.
You could survive for short stints in that case, but I think you’d rather go with your own best lineup and just the run the opposing bigs into the floor or run PnRs on the perimeter like you suggested other teams would do to the Kings if they went with dual bigs.
Has McDaniels even been introduced by the Kings? I wonder if they even have any plans to bring him to camp. Just wanted to point out that his contract, along with Huerter, works for John Collins.
I’d be good with that trade. Although I’m sure Ainge is going to want a first attached to the deal which I wouldn’t include. I think KH is just as valuable of a player as Collins, it’s just we need a 4, and perhaps the Jazz need some shooting.
If Huerter is just as valuable of a player as Collins, then it won’t take a first to get him.
I’m in team Collins too.
I actually meant to include Collins. I agree he’d be a good target.
I’d be happy with either Collins
Add vodka and stir and I’m in.
Don’t think we can aggregate McDaniels in a trade for 2 months following acquiring him.I hope Monte has an agreement in principle to move him with KH to the Jazz for Collins, with a trigger date of August 28–still plenty of time before training camp opens.
Yeah, I too have seen the August 28 date as the first time he could be traded with others.
This could be our ideal finishing touch on the offseason. if MM can get Ainge off his hands. Collins could be both the 3rd Forward, and 2nd big the Kings are missing to tie the defense together, but Utah is occupied currently with bigger problems because right now, Markkanen isn’t re-signing there. Ainge knows it. He’s looking for a sucker. This may be the moment Ainge over-plays his hand and Lauri walks out for no return. I’m not sure what his play is. The value is leaking out of that contract the closer it gets to expiring. If I’m Lauri’s agent I’m pushing for the max right before I push for a trade. D. Ainge is about to find out free agency works a little differently in SLC than it does in Boston.
It would also help explain why he hasn’t been introduced.
McDaniels is like getting the title signed off for a broken sports car. You could invest the time to fix it, but you have a while before you have to put it in your name, and pay the fees. If someone will shell out for it before you invest any time or funds, it’s free money.
If possible I would go forthat.
None of the abovementioned FAs make sense to me, they’re still FAs for a reason.
Trading for BI no longer makes sense, nor trading for Lauri, the salaries moving forward just won’t work…I would say that rules out Jerami Grant as well.
I prefer one of the lower cost options like Collins, Portis, Stewart or Cam Johnson.
Somehow trading for Cam Johnson and DFS would fill two major holes in one trade.
Suffice to say, Monte still has a few more moves left in him to fill the 4 spot and get some size.
Vivek has money let him spend it. As fans our concern is the team on the floor and how they play. If there is a tax involved that is a front office problem not a fan problem. Many teams like the Warriors have intentionally gone into a tax situation in order to win. Kings fans deserve the same loyalty. As long as the team wins and it is not destroyed for the next decade I do not worry about his money. He is good.
Yeah, Vivek is not a billionaire, per reports of his net worth. But he bought the team at $534M and Forbes says it’s worth $3.33B now. Seems inflated to me, but what do I know? Either way, the team is likely worth a billion dollars more than when he purchased it. So the guy should be able to pony up some cash to win. I also totally agree that I prefer not to destroy the team’s chances for the next decade, a la the Phoenix Suns. Do it smartly, MM!
Side note: If the team’s value actually has gone up by more than $2 billion, I don’t fully understand why Vivek’s net worth is reportedly less than a billion. Either way, he’s going to have access to tons of equity cash, if needed.
The numbers aren’t public, so I don’t know exact percentages, but Vivek has always owned less than 50% of the team. Initially it was closer to 20%, but I think he’s bought out a couple of the other owners over the years so it’s probably a little higher now. He’s controlling owner, but has never owned the majority of it.
Interesting. Then that makes sense why he’s not considered to be a billionaire at this time.
Billionaire status and winning rosters do not correlate. He can pay players and pay the luxury tax. I do not think any championship level NBA team has not at least paid some luxury tax in the run to a championship. Vivek’s bank account is his business. My team winning is my only concern.
Adding Kuzma to 3 high usage starters (assuming Monk continues to be the 6th man) just doesn’t make sense. He’s a chucker who wants the ball in his hands. He NEEDS the ball in his hands.
I have watched the Wizards a lot, and Kispert is a nice addition offensively. Defensively is a huge liability. It’s mesmerizing. He tries, but has nu clue what to do. Doesn’t understand positioning, angles nothing. Headless chicken.
Bertans was a Wizard, but his only positive attribute is the 3 ball. He offers so little.
Of this list, I like Sharpe and Precious and would take a flyer on Poku.
Completely agree
Poku for the minimum only. He’d add some intrigue.
Agreed on Kispert. He’s a marginal NBA player at best, and the cons outweigh the pros.
Why would you do that to yourself ??!
Deni Avdija.
He’s a Portland Trailblazer now. For:
but at least it didn’t include a 2031 pick swap, so it’s a good trade.
Is Walker Kessler available if Markannen gets moved somewhere else? That could be a fun one. How about the availability of Vanderbilt?
I personally love the idea of signing Precious and trading for a PF.
I think we all see the same attributes the Kings need to upgrade. Rim Protection, somewhat bruising, Rebounding Backup Center AND 3 & D Rebounding PF to potentially start.
Isaiah Stewart checks those boxes. He might be 6’8, but has like a 7’4 wingspan.
We still need a dog that’s a big so Stewart would be ideal as a bench big. Not too many players have the stones to step up to LBJ.
Beef Stew is a beast. High motor, big body, doesn’t give up on anything and can shoot the 3.
Besides Harry Giles, don’t laugh, but what about Marvin Bagley? An athletic big who could get another shot. Doesn’t have to outplay Luka, just be Keegan’s backup at the 4.
Went number 2 in the draft (though you could go with the other meaning of that).
Lol.
Fun f(r)act(ure): Bagley’s longest career consecutive game streak is 22.
I happen to enjoy DraftKings and made some money off Bagley double doubles last season, so I was forced to watch a lot of Wiz games and I can’t tell you how often I wanted to yell at the TV watching him half ass run up and down the court, watching rebounds go past him, giving half ass screens, and so many other uninspiring efforts I’ve seen from him. I have nothing truly against him and I wish him the best but to me he’s a hard pass
I think that in terms of skill and athleticism MB3 is a legitimate NBA player. His problem is durability and effort. MB3 has left a trail of bad vibes to go along with his athleticism.
Maybe it is the stuff he was forced to deal with being selected by a bad team over a generationally great player?
I think if he puts together his usual numbers and develops a mindset of a grinder people will see it and he go on as an NBA player anywhere.
You think that’s what “Team Bagley” are looking for? I doubt it.
The biggest problem with MB3 is that he comes with superstar baggage, in an overall role-player package.
I just through up on my keyboard. NO!
Threw!
I like the idea of bringing back Giles. Backup player who has IMO some good skill sets. I personally like the guy.
So I put the following together to mostly see how the numbers might work, the picks would need to be adjusted to everyone’s liking, but here they are.
Kings/Pistons/Nets
Kings/Bucks/Nets
Kings/Rockets
Now go ahead tell me how dumb these are.
all picks shown are coming from SAC
I’d give up a lot to get Tari on this team. That kid plays basketball the right way and only getting better
As far as tradeable, matching contracts, I’d give C Jones for him, but it would be pretty tough to part with Keon Ellis right now.
Agree, Ellis is off the table for me. I really like C. Jones but if he was needed to make it work then I’d include him.
Boy, I really want to like Colby, but I’m still very much on the fence about him. His stat line from last night was actually impressive (12 pts, 12 rb, 5 ast, 2 stl). But his shot selection and decision making are still pretty suspect to me. I hope I land on “really like” soon!
Let’s suppose the Kings trade KH this offseason. Would we see some regular minutes from Colby in the rotation?
Personally, I actually think shot selection and decision making are some of his strengths. His shot-execution on the other hand is lacking, he moves laterally too much on his floaters/hooks and he doesn’t always wait to get his feet underneath him on his jump-shots (like he is rushing the shot).
I was hoping to see more growth/consistency from his shooting stroke as he has talked about re-working it last year and during the offseason, but maybe he just needs more full-speed reps using his new shooting form before he gets comfortable with it.
I guess I just feel like I see him forcing too many drives in traffic when he should be dishing out. But I also see what you’re talking about in his motion. It often ends up being an awkward shot at time.
There was one point where he tried to go up strong to the basket last night but was forced out of his driving lane and missed a 4 foot shot by a couple of feet. He may have been fouled on the play but I don’t think one was called – could just have been typical physical play.
That’s where I feel like his decision making needs refinement. He plays a little wild and needs to do a better job of learning how to feign drives to draw defenders and then pass out. He clearly can put up a few assists, so that’s what I’d like to see improve, too. I see your point about the shot form.
I think your assessment is pretty spot-on, I’m probably being a little lenient on his shot selection during SL since he was likely told to be more aggressive in looking for his own shot.
In terms of regular rotation mins for C Jones, I doubt it unless there are injuries.
Me too, I’d actually give up 2 FRPs for him (value-wise that is, adding quality players reduces what I’d offer in a pick-only trade).
When I look across the league, he is the one of the guys that I believe is extremely under-rated and under-utilized. I think if given the opportunity, he is set for a breakout season.
I have been saying that for a long time. The guy would be an ideal fit next to Sabonis. Go get him Monty.
Your 1st trade seems sensible enough. It’s hard to say how the other clubs would view deal like that, but I like it for Sac.
#2 sounds like a miracle. I can’t imagine why the Bucks would want that.
#3 sounds almost as good, and maybe Houston would do it. I think that could actually round out the top 8, with Monk (obviously) the 3rd guard, Eason the 3rd Forward (and maybe a starter) and Londale the 2nd big.
I agree in regards to MIL trading Portis, I probably should’ve changed one of those 2nds to a FRP pick but I figured that fell under “ the picks would need to be adjusted to everyone’s liking” caveat.
The only reason I see MIL doing it would be if they could also move Lopez in another trade and are trying to reduce their cap hit while also getting serviceable rotation players and/or refilling their draft assets after trading for Lilliard; maybe doing a separate trade moving Lopez to the Nets for Sharpe and Schroeder.
Cool
I personality like #3.
The main issue, I think, is that you probably can’t get Portis or Eason to Sacramento without giving up a first-rounder to their respective teams. The same may be true of Stewart.
Milwaukee has cap issues, but Lyles and a couple of second rounders may not be enough, and I mean no disrespect to Tre, who I think would work pretty well with the roster there.
On second thought, maybe you can get Eason for what you’ve suggested if they believe in Huerter’s game.
All are intriguing, thanks for putting it out there!
I would trade a first for Eason. Now you have a real good #4 next to Sabonis for a long time not for an exsisting contract. He’s worth it.
I’d be willing to give a up an FRP for Portis or Eason. I personally like Eason more, but I think Portis is probably MM’s ideal player-type to slide between KM and Domas.
It’s just that due to his relatively low salary and MIL’s trade restrictions, its very difficult to create a trade where MIL actually gets better by moving him.
I do agree with you about Milwaukee being unlikely to improve in a deal that moves Portis, but if I understand it correctly, they are more concerned about taxes right now than winning, per se.
There isn’t an ideal trade likely to be available from the Bucks’ perspective, so if Portis is moved, I’d say that their goal is to receive the least-bad return as opposed to expecting to come out of a deal with an improved squad. Sometimes the team that “loses” a trade ends up winning it, but that’s generally not apparent in the now or near-future.
Milwaukee is over a barrel (yes, I know), but to what degree is uncertain. If you can keep a player like Portis, you do it, and however that plays out, it will clearly illustrate the priorities of their ownership. I would think that given the cost to get Lillard, and needing to keep GA happy, they’d be foolish to let a player with Portis’ qualities leave for a middling return.
That said, let’s completely take advantage of the Bucks’ situation and get us a Bobby Portis.
Although his trade value is in the toilet, Huerter must go. The basis of this conclusion is that he has NO business starting, and having Malik and Huerter as backups creates an untenable Swiss cheese defense about the perimeter. Huerter has a problem getting shots. I wonder how many fans realize this.
It is not just that Huerter needs to make more shots to reverse his fast track to the China League. He needs to create more space to get shots. His challenge is two-fold. One, get open. Two, capitalize on being open.
News flash. Keon is better at one and two as he displayed last night in a scintillating performance. Keon, labeled as a defensive specialist and average by some around here, is in the process of discovery who he can be. We are smartly sending him to LVSL so he can get more reps towards maybe becoming a two-way star. It is more feasible than not a player so gifted defensively would have latent potential on the other end of the floor.
The normie take is Huerter is a better scorer than Keon. Huerter can’t even get open! I heard from a friend of a cousin of a colleague of the babysitter of the ball boy for the Bucks they offered Portis for Huerter and Keon Ellis. Our GM responded by saying excuse me while LOL.
I watched SAC vs CHI on 03/03/24 that De Marvelous De Rozan, Compton’s Finest, cited in his press conference. It was exciting and a disgrace. We led by 22 points in the third quarter only to give it away. Losing games like this is why we gave away our playoff spot, when we could have faced the Thunder or whomever, and anything could have happened, not because Monk and Huerter were unavailable. They were available and culpable on this given night, fiasco eve.
If only we had Huerter and Monk down the stretch! You mean like in said game, when they flubbed and marvin’d and chaperoned the opponent to the rim? With assets like this, who needs liabilities?
With Keon rotting on the bench, our overrated coach oblivious and dumbfounded, Colby White cooked to the tune of 37 points on 14 for 19 FGs. This never would have happened versus Keon. Colby was cooking like our GM cooked, to the dismay of the doomers and fence jockeys, masters of qualifiers and double speak, covering all their bases so they can never be wrong. Monk and Huerter were not going stop Colby. No chance in hell. They were not going to stop De Marvelous either, a master at his craft, and a joy to behold, from one shot in the first half to takeover in the crunch time.
De Marvelous always makes the right play. He doesn’t force anything. He doesn’t do heat checks. He probably has the best live dribble spin in the league. It is a beautiful pirouette to make a ballerina blush. The most important thing to know about De Marvelous is that he is going to draw doubles, the opponent has NO choice. Any team worth a damn will destroy doubles for dunks and threes and that is what we will do. Scoring 120 points a night will be a cake walk.
De Marvelous has seen it all, all methods and means to try to stop him. He welcomes the double, bring it so I can dissect you, is his thought process. He slithers through space and uses physicality as needed. Keegan needs to train with him this summer. De Marvelous can teach him how to combat the physicality imposed by the likes of Herb Jones and Trey Murphy, who took Keegan out of the play-In game that cost us a playoff appearance.
Keegan folded like a cheap suit after being extraordinary in the first play-in game. He was not ready for the physicality. DD can help to make sure that doesn’t happen again. A lot depends on doing your work in the weight room, but technique matters. I do not expect Keegan to take a step back in his offensive output with this tutelage and other factors. Keegan is going to average at least 18 PPG next season.
Demar does not have a selfish bone in his body, even in a 46-point masterpiece I watched vs IND including an incredible buzzer beater to send it to an extra frame. He scores his points in the flow, deferring when prudent. Decisions are dictated by instinct and experience not ego. Keegan is going to be the beneficiary of this selflessness, all the attention Demar and Fox demand. If you think that Keegan is going to disappear, you are misguided. HB did no favors for his teammates RE: shot creation. His replacement changes that.
I heard concerns that Domas and Demar occupy the same area of the court, and that will throw gum into the works. What areas of the court are the cynics and bullshit artists referring to? The pristine real estate where the opponent gets rekt? Domas and DD are so smart and so crafty as passers and finishers, they will identify the advantage and execute. Their dynamic will be interesting to watch develop. It will be an embarrassment of riches. The opponent will be forced to pick their poison. Of course there is an adjustment period, a get to know you phase to work out the kinks. Kyrie and Luka were awkward at the outset. Then they made the NBA finals.
McDaniels can be aggregated with other salaries after 60 days. If we add his salary to Red Diva, we get $4,441,800 + $16,830,357 = $21,272,157. Let’s go shopping. What is the best way to spend 21.3M dollars to get to the WCF? It is a more constructive thought exercise to think NOT what you would do, or what I would do, but what the GM would do, from his perspective, the Grand Master, the 4D chess player.
WWMMD?
Our GM seeks disproportionate value relative to cost. He seeks undervalued assets. Paying a fair or an inflated price is unappealing, for suckers and losers like Pelinka and Dunleavy. Cam Johnson (23.6M / 21.6M / 23.6) and John Collins (26.6M / 26.6M) are too expensive. Projecting Cam or Collins as a starter to justify their cost is tenuous, because in doing so you obligate Demar to defend out of position.
We tried post-ASB to turn Domas into a low post threat. It made sense in leading to the post season where tempo slows. We would intermittently throw that ball into Domas and let him work. Results were mixed to poor. Domas lack of half hook or face up shot along with a willingness to take said attempts was hindersome. He would have the tendency to hold too long and be indecisive. HB was probably our best low post threat, but we called his number infrequently.
Demar becomes our best post player with no close second. He will resort to back down his man when he knows he can beat him or invite a double. There is no doubt training with Kobe, who mimicked MJ, has a profound effect on his style and mentality. On defense De Marvelous is more limited, effective as hedge and help defender with quick hands. He is not helpless away from the basket, but he is no spring chicken. Lateral mobility is one of the first things that goes when athleticism declines, exposed in a projected lineup of:
PG: Fox
SG: DeMar
SF: Keegan
PF: Cam / Collins
C: Domas
Suppose Kings vs Suns. Demar would matchup better versus KD than being asked to check Booker or Beal. We would have cover for Demar by shifting Keegan to the backcourt defensively. This is not optimal to get the most out of Keegan. It is easier to match up defensively against the Suns and most opponents with a lineup of:
PG: Fox
SG: Keon
SF Demar
PF: Keegan
C: Domas
Only against teams that run two bigs, like the Wolves, would we run into challenges with size on the front line. This is where John Collins would be helpful, as a spot starter.
Does our GM want to pay 53M over two years for a backup and spot starter? Is Collins (26M) more than 2X or 3X better than Tres Lyles (8M), the man whose minutes he would take? I like Collins as a floor runner and lob threat. He made 37% of threes on 3.4 attempts compared to Lyles 38% of threes on 3.8 attempts. Where is the exponential upgrade to justify the price? Collins offers NO advantage to Lyles as a floor spacer.
There is NO basis to trade a future first for Collins other than charity. Ainge, an asshole to begin with, allegedly did not return our phone call when we put a deadline on our offer for Markkanen, is not incentivized to do a salary dump on Collins. He is more likely to be near the salary floor than tax line.
All roads lead back to Kuzma (23.5M / 21.5M / 19.4M). My concern is his acceptance of a limited role and fewer shots, hopefully better efficiency, or would he insist on being the alpha? It is more viable with the addition of Demar, Kuzma would temper his worst tendencies. Neither Fox nor Domas are vocal leaders. Demar has more gravitas and personality to fill this void. Adding Kuzma makes more sense now since odds are better that he will be committed to play the right way, defer to superior players and not worry about his stats.
I predicted before free agency in 2023 over a year ago Kuzma would be a King. The stars were aligning until Kuzma prioritized FGAs over winning, spurning us and our sales pitch from Fox. What is interesting is that we did not close that door permanently. Kuzma would be a King if Devin had not fallen to #13. Devin was too good to pass up, which makes his injury that much more disappointing. In a parallel universe where OKC takes Devin Carter at #12 instead of Nikola Topic, we could have Kuzma and De Marvelous on our team right now!
Did WAS require the #13 pick to move off Kuzma or is there still life to a trade under new iteration, namely, WAS having to wait to 2027 or 2028 to get their draft capital?
Adding JV signals WAS wants to create a competitive structure to nurture Sarr and Bilal. You can infer from this they will be inclined to keep Kuzma. They need more pain in the form of 5-20 record to start next season to shuffle the deck again. I can see us add Okoro or Beef Stew then possibly we package this asset at the deadline for Kuzma.
When there is a pain point triggered, sense of urgency or weakened negotiating position, like Bulls with the UFA status of Demar, this is when you can plot and pounce. We are not there with Kuzma. Hope springs eternal when you are 0-0. Let the Wizards suffer. Let their season unravel. Let the 30-point drubbings commence. Let the prey become weak. Then they will jump at our crumbs. This is the Mc Genius Method, patient and relentless and cunning on the path to greatness.
Personally, I don’t like Kuzma at all.
If the Kings are trying to form a WINNING team, then why would go out and get a guy who doesn’t care about winning.
I could get behind it if they are only be adding Kuzma to be used as a trade asset on a nice contract to be moved by the upcoming deadline or during next offseason for an actual quality player at the PF position.
Jack is gonna be real mad that John Collins wasn’t mentioned in this article.
Danny Ainge demanded two 1st round picks from Greg for the right to mention Collins in the article.
This is for Danny.
Jack suggested Tari Eason in another thread. Best suggestion I’ve seen for this roster. Can guard 3-5, protect the rim and defend the perimeter, rebounds at a high level, and can serve as a lob threat. Plus he hits his 3s at a decent clip. There aren’t many guys in his mold that exist, and far fewer that are actually available. But it seems he’s the odd man out in Houston. McDaniels or Colby Jones and some picks would probably get the job done.
Otherwise, DFS and Portis are probably my favorite targets. I’m not interested in Kuz or Cam now that DeRozan is here. We don’t need featured scorers and playmakers anymore, we need big versatile defenders that excel in a defined role. I’m not as interested in Stewart or Brook Lopez because they can’t guard the perimeter.
Thanks for your support. I wish you were Monty.
Where have you seen that Eason is the odd man out in Houston?
K murray is listed at 6’9″ at PF spot. He’s a few inches short. If they could find someone at the PF 6’11” that could really rebound, move Keegan to SF, Fox and DeMar ruling the outside would seem to be a nice team, especially since Monk is still with the team for some bad ass relief. I just don’t feel we have the height needed for a shot at the ring based on current teams today. With DeMar I feel we are sure to be in the playoffs so I’m super happy about him signing.
Height isn’t really the issue here…its wingspan. Most NBA “PF”s are 6’6″ – 6’10” but have 7’0″+ wingspans.
Keegan’s wingspan is 6’11” and his feet give him a mobility-advantage over most other PFs, but until he gets a bit stronger he will struggle to stop the more powerful PFs he’ll face.
During the most recent Team USA game, Keegan went from guarding Booker, to Tatum, to Bam Adebayo. He is a very versatile defender and is on an upward trajectory and the Kings will expect him to match-up with the other team’s best offensive F this year unless they can swing a trade for a bigger PF.
Kind of disagree. Keegan is not the most athletic 4. His lateral defense and speed is average at best.
His defense improved. But even if you switch him players like Booker and Tatum will blow right past him. It’s not just strength. But I just don’t see him as that quick.
He is more Tobias than Kawhi.
The Kings will still
have massive issues up front.
against a lot of teams. Like Houston, and Minny. They will continue to wreck the Kings up front.
Minmy alone has 3 of the top 7 players in the front in Reid, KAT and Gobert.
That is outstanding.
same with Houston: Now with Adams(who just owns the Kings) Senguin who can certainly surpass Domas this year and is in the trajectory to do so. Landale and Smith. Also outstanding.
I thought he looked good during the USA select game guarding against everyone but Bam, who was just too strong and pushed KM under the basket. On multiple occasions KM prevented Booker and Tatum from getting into the paint and forced them to pass out to the perimeter, that is a successful stop IMO. I think playing with Team USA is going to be end up as a huge benefit him.
With Ellis in the lineup, KM doesn’t need to worry about the other team’s best guard, Ellis takes the best G and KM takes the best F.
I agree that ideally KM shouldn’t be guarding people like AD, KAT, Reid, Randle, LeBron, Zion or any of the other large Fs. But with HB in SAS now, KM will have to be that guy until this team finds a better fit with more size at PF (Collins/Portis/Eason type).
MM still has work to do.
I agree but in most cases he will hold his own. Let’s get back with each other after this year.
Smith close. Landale no way Neither one will surpass Sabonis.
The guy doesn’t have to be 6’11’. 6’9′ would be big enough. It all depends on fit with a little bit of motor and great wotk ethics. We get Tari Eason and you will not be disappointed.
Also looking to see if Ellison continues to grow.
Sadly, I think Pervis has reached his ceiling.
When Trey Lyles arrived via Bagley, he was a toss-in for salary matching purposes only. I don’t remember anyone willing to consider the idea that he might add some value to an NBA roster. Is there a chance we’re writing McDaniel off too easily? He may not be the player the Kings are looking for, but he is the type of player we’ve all been speculating about. Is our prize defensive forward hiding in plain sight? I’m not shilling for him, but he looks like a guy who could make a leap with minutes and the right situation.
The difference with Lyles was that he was getting better at the time and just came off his best season as a pro. McDaniels probably regressed and is coming off his worst season as a pro (at least his most disappointing).
What was your opinion of Lyles when he came from Detroit? I don’t remember anyone being positive about him. In fact, he’s one of MM’s most low-key successes. Everyone was SO excited to finally be rid of Bagley, that the other details of the deal just seemed immaterial. I was thinking at the time, Monte must have seen more in the deal than was apparent on it’s face.
I looked back to see what I wrote on the trade that brought in Lyles, I didn’t mention Lyles at the time. I don’t think my take aged too poorly though…
The people with the most positive takes at the time (based entirely on my non-exhaustive research) in regards to Lyles were SneakerKing and BHE as both said and provided some context as to how he was a quality stretch 4. As you noted, most of the discussion was about the addition by subtraction narrative and MM finally landing DDV.
It’s curious that the Kings have yet to introduce him.
Also, while his body type might be along the lines of what we might be looking for (maybe not – more on that in a minute), his career rebound % is only slightly above Keegan’s rate last year (which was not fabulous), and he has a lower career block % than Malik Monk had last year.
Also, he lists at 205 lbs., the same weight as Colby Jones and only 5 lbs. more than Monk. So maybe a little slight to handle penetrating 4s?
Maybe he’s a 3. He’s more of a slasher than a shooter, although he could regain his touch. NBA.com has Jalen listed at 190 lbs., but Jaden is listed at 185 lbs., and some call him the best defender in the assoc.! Again, I’m not pimping the guy, and he obviously regressed, but I wouldn’t be concerned about his recent struggles much. Monte got what he wanted in the trade already anyway, but I suspect he’s hoping for a bonus. After considering his potential fit, I think he can produce more than Brown got from Edwards. They probably wanted a look at him, or maybe the bonus is the salary flexibility to offload Huerter..
It’s not out of the question. It would surprise me if McDaniels gave this team positive core rotation minutes, but I would have said that about Keon Ellis not too long ago.
Me too sir. Me too. SMH
Kuzma might be happy launching just as many shots on the Kings and not Hielding to other players on offense.
If we get Kuzma it will not help our status.
Off subject- Devin Carte has a labrum tear. Left shoulder. Same injury as KH.
6 months for “re-evaluation”
That’s early February.
This is a tough rehab, long and painful.
Hence, since season ends April, he could but may not come back this year.
FA’s Isaac Okoro
I had a labrum tear repaired on my left shoulder. It wasn’t nearly that bad, even though I never rested it properly
I think Huerter basically got his arm and hand twisted backwards then snapped in half. It was scary thing to see. I shocked all he had was a torn labrum. I do not think it is a great concern that Carter has this shoulder injury it is likely it is much less severe than the trauma Huerter encountered. There is not an obvious point in time that everyone is pointing to saying Carter was hurt. No point in time that his arm was ripped from body.
The good news for both players is that the tear is in their non-shooting arms.
but a labrum tear is a labrum tear, and the surgery is the same regardless of the grossness of the injury or even the size of the tear. It is the surgical procedure that dictates the time frame for healing not how grotty the injury was.
Okoro would be great, but as a RFA, I think Cleveland would match and retain him for anything MLE or below. Kings can’t really give him much more, unless a sign and trade with Huerter were to happen. Cleveland is also having cap concerns, so I don’t know how this would work.
I’m not sure a S&T is allowed with a RFA. Doesn’t the player have to sign an offer sheet first, which means the team needs the space prior to the signing? Kings could only offer what they have left under the apron, which Cleveland would surly match.
Yes, Okor would need to sign an offer sheet first, and for the $8m that the Kings currently have available, Cleveland would match that.
If the Kings made more cap space somehow, then they could get up the full MLE, but I don’t think Kings will do that.
On the Trade side:
Both BI and Markannen are going to want to hit Free Agency. If they come to Sac, they will help the winning, but they won’t help themselves as the 3rd or 4th option on offense, behind De’Aaron and DeRozan. A dip in their production numbers is more likely. I wouldn’t think that either would want that, headed into next Summer’s FA. And for the King’s ransom they would want, I don’t believe Sacramento is up to shelling out the samoloans.
I also agree that Kuzma wants to score, and the clever association to Buddy Heild is not far off the mark. He’s not Jordan Poole (remember him?), but both Lakers and now Washington are looking to offload him. Seems odd.
Davis Bertans? They just traded off Sasha Vezenkov, they don’t need his twin back. (I’d rather have Sasha). Speaking of twins – No and NO on the other MMs – the Morris twins. Lots of talent with lots of attitude that doesn’t seem to be a locker room fit for Sac (my guess).
Low usage PF with rebounding, rim protection, some 3 ball and some grit.
Naz Reid dammit, Bobby Portis, then John Collins.Also on the trade front – I am fan of Nikola Vucevic, Wendall Carter Jr (injured too frequently but has the rebounding/3 ball/grit thing has cheap salary), and Julius Randle (also oft injured). My lesser like is Kelly Olynyk as he really plugs a lot of holes, he’s just not a starter. Zach Collins is better – neither can guard PFs.
As for Centers – McNair passed on Hartenstein, Valunciunas and probably (gulp) DeAndre Ayton and James Wiseman (double and triple gulp).
If I had to guess – and we all are – I think a trade has to happen because free agency wise, there is nothing there that deserves even an eye brow raise. August 29th makes sense.
Vegas Summer League starts Tomorrow!!
You’d rather have Sasha than Bertans and I totally agree, good call. Carter Jr would be a huge get. It feels like there has to be a second wave of action at some point. Everyone is staring across the table. Someone always flinches eventually. Like Chicago did when they couldn’t find a deal for Levine, all of sudden Caruso comes available, and then DeRozen. We’re just waiting for the next domino to fall.
when can McDaniels be included n trade?
Help me if I’m wrong but can’t the Kings use their MLE in a trade?
Forgetting someone?
Dedmon tell no tales.
If we make another move, I really want it to be for a BU 4. If you haven’t seen this video, it does a great job on describing at Deebo could fit in with this team, and he specifically talks about how the Bulls moved him to the four on D. So we would slide Murray to the 3 on defense along with Ellis and Fox at 2 and 1. Anyway, definitely worth watching.
This makes me very excited seeing this new line up in action! I still feel like we are one move away from completing the group, but either way I’m stoked on the addition of DD.
Agreed. I’d be leery about a starting PF unless they were a defensive stopper because we’d be sliding everyone down and pushing Ellis out of the starting lineup. And as you can see in the video, the addition of Ellis made a huge difference in our lineup. So any PF you brought in would need to more than makeup for the defensive loss in swapping Deebo for Ellis.
After watching the video and checking the stats, I’d be good with bringing in a backup 4, but I really think there’s an argument to be made for keeping the starting five as Domantas, Murray, DeRozan, Ellis, and Fox. We gain a lot on offense, while still keeping the majority of what what us a top defensive team at the end of the year.
I mean I’m now looking at this as still having all the pieces that made us a top offense two years ago, plus a new offensive weapon that could really change things a lot, while not losing what made us a top four defensive team at the end of the year.
Replacing Huerter and Barnes with Ellis and Deebo, could make us a top ten team on both defense and offense.
Excellent points all the way around. If you get a legit stretch 4 with size, it’s hard to argue that Keegan is pushed down to three, and DeRozan to 2. It creates a more conventional lineup with each starter playing at the position for which they are best-suited.
All I know is that Ellis makes things happen when he’s out there, and that’s a traitl that every team needs. I wouldn’t be shocked if having Murray at PF, DDR at SF and Ellis starting at SG turns out to be a pretty effective unit alongside Fox and Sabonis.
If a stretch four materializes, I would hope that the starting unit would be chosen based on how it matches up with that night’s opponent, and not inertia, as it felt sometimes last season with Huerter starting. Consistency is generally a positive, but it isn’t the be-all-end-all, so I hope that Mike Brown will dare to be flexible on any given night.
Agreed. I wouldn’t feel this confident with most of our coaches and GMs, but I really believe that Monte is going to keep us on the right path and Brown will adjust the pieces as needed. If we get an amazing stretch four then maybe Brown just needs to convince one or more starters that they’ll get their minutes even if they come off the bench. That would be a great problem to have.
I do really love that idea that if Fox is getting bottled up or isn’t hitting that we have someone else to turn to. Monk was the only player I consistently felt that way about last year. Murray and Barnes had their moments, but you couldn’t count on them to put the team in their back in crunch time.
And I agree 100% on the Huerter thing. Maybe it was because Brown really felt like we needed Monk off the bench and wasn’t sure what we had in Ellis. But it definitely felt like we kept starting Huerter even when it was clear that wasn’t working.
I don’t like the idea Kuzma for the simple reason that he does not seem to have any presence on the court. He will score and put up individual numbers but when I see him play I do not see a competitor. This team needs more competitors. The people to score are here. We need a competitive and physical big to help out 11. Grant or Ingram are players that can do that. The trades and contracts are not so simple but success is found in the difficult.
That’s the thing that strikes me about interviews with DeMar and watching his style of play. The guy plays with a focus and intensity and has a deep love of the game. I see that same competitive fire in Fox, Sabonis, Monk, Keegan (he’s stoic but it’s there), and definitely in Keon. I’m not the overall arbiter of whether an NBA player has the passion to win because what I think I see isn’t always an accurate reflection of reality. But there are enough questions about Kuzma’s heart that I’m not sure he’s a good fit for this team. It’s difficult because he could answer so many of our positional needs. I have confidence that MM and team will make the proper evaluations and find a piece or two that fits.
Grant and Ingram fit this basketball team. As a fan I would like to see them here and winning. Monte can do something to make it work and the risk has the reward of winning.
Many people have pointed out here that BI would likely just be a one year rental. I’m fine with that as long as the Kings don’t mortgage the future to make it happen. But that injury history means you’re rolling the dice on his availability in a playoff scenario.
Great point about passion– all the guys mentioned have it. We want guys like that. I question Kuzma’s love for the game and the fit on the team.
Kuzma would be a waste of a draft pick. Grant is too expensive and BI could easily no sign with us (his cost is too high in terms of draft picks). The bottom line is that if the guy can’t shoot the 3 well and doesn’t rebound or defend, then it’s not worth cost to the team (financial, draft pick, and development of Keegan).
I think we need a big power forward that will compete. More people shooting three point shots without a real power forward has a well established result.
This is where Tari Eason comes in. He can do all that.
It’s weird because Kuzma was just the opposite of this interpretation during his championship run. Doing all the effort things and focusing on defense. So he definitely has it in him in addition to being a low calorie scorer.
Yes he did do it with Lebron and Rondo in his head the entire time. When I watch him play now there is not a fire to win. His situation is different. He might have shut it down knowing he has a ring and not having a chance at another one where he is.
Larry Nance Jr or Julius Randle ? Dont know if it works financially or contractually but they seem to be a great fit
Larry Nance, Jr. does a lot – but he is an undersized 5 because does not shoot the 3.
If he could shoot the 3 – his career would look very different. He’s a kinda undersized Mason Plumlee.
When Randle came out of Kentucky, I thought he was likely too small to be the kind of player he was in college, but I was completely wrong. He seems very self-motivated, plays hard, and has averaged over nine boards per game as a pro. He’s not a great three-point shooter, but teams can’t afford to simply ignore him away from the basket.
If he could be had on a cap-friendly deal, he might be a nice fit on the roster.
Jarred Vanderbilt would help with defense on the wing and rebounding, doesn’t need the ball. I think the Kings would need to shed a couple million to absorb him in to the MLE.
Nick Richards would make a good backup C for fairly cheap ($5m). He is a C only, but is a massive man.
I think Eason, John Collins, or Stewart are the best mentioned.
Those three are the best. Richards would be solid as a backup.
Tari Eason + Jeff Green for Huerter works well and sheds about $5m on the cap. Should give the Kings around $8m under the tax to use the MLE to complete the roster.
Not sure Houston wants to pay $16m for Huerter to come off the bench, but the scoring from Huerter would help them
I like this idea. We get Eason and Green would be gone in one year.
And that’s how I would rate them 1,2,3
Dan Favale proposed this scenario. Curious to know what y’all thought of it.
Charlotte Hornets Receive: Kevin Huerter, Jalen McDaniels, 2026 second-round pick
Sacramento Kings Receive: Cody Martin, Grant Williams
perimeter defense, toughness, team control. Reasonable annual salaries.
not sure where I stand on this.
I haven’t heard great things about Grant Williams as a teammate. Dallas got tired of his attitude and shipped him out, same with Boston.
Agreed on Williams, Martin also doesn’t play a position of need.
Martin just doesn’t play much. He also doesn’t spread the floor at all, nor provide anything offensively.
Yeah, I agree about Cody…I think people remember about his one good year shooting from 3 (38% in 2021 – a huge outlier career wise).
Williams is not a team player and would be a negative in the locker room
not for me.
Get CAM JOHNSON. Trade Huerter,Colby Jones, and a protected first for CAM. No one can double team us. We’ll just outscore everyone.
Maybe, get Ben Simmons on the same deal for defensive purposes.
That would put the Kings about $1.5m over the tax while still needing to fill the 15 man roster. I don’t see that happening.
I would like that if Cam plays defense. He could play 2, 3 or 4
Thoughts on Dean Wade? Haven’t seen him much but he looks like a stretch 4 that can play a little defense, and is fairly cheap at $6.1m this year and $6.6m next year.
Price and production for a guy playing 20mpg seems right.
He would be a good backup. I’m also thinking about Love because these two played together.
Because “All we need is Love!…da duh da da da”
Monte is in a spot he loves, he is fine with the roster and will only make a move now if he loves the deal, zero desperation.
we realistically have 9 rotation pieces so extra guards at positions where they won’t play doesn’t matter a ton.
if you squint your way to huerter playing backup 2 AND 3 minutes then it’s pretty balanced.
1/2s: fox,monk,keon
2/3s: huerter
3/4s: murray,derozan
4/5: lyles
5s: sabonis,len
one more 3/4 for huerter would be great or a 4/5 w/out losing him rounds out the roster.
monte got this.
I would go for adding a 4/5 without trading huerter. He can still give 20-25 solid bench minutes.
How are you going to do that. Need a starter #4. If so Huerter has to be in the mix.
Totally agree about the spot that he’s in. This offseason has been huge between landing Monk, DeMar, and Len (hugely underrated re-sign, imo). He’s in the catbird seat right now and can pounce when a great opportunity arises.
I have to say that your posts are among my favorites on this site, Mike. Very pragmatic overall. Also, midtown rocks.
Thanks buddy! If i could do gifs I’dhave the aww shucks one rolling
I find it hard to believe that he is fine with the roster. We are still lacking length, athleticism, and depth at the forward spot. And a bit of nasty. too.
I have not forgotten that the Pelicans owned us last season, and I can’t imagine Monte has.
agreed– this is a clear fact!
Only so many guys can play, like i said he would take something if there but doesn’t have to feel forced now
I would say we are a the 5-6th rank team in the West with the current lineup. With a very needed trade of KH for a big man (starter ideally, ut a back up would be fine), I think we could make it to the 4-5th ranked team.
I don’t trade kh for a backup unless it’s a very high level one, id rather have him to backup the 2 and 3
Derozen can play the 2/3 also.
Huerter to NO. B. Lopez to NO. Bucks future pick swap to NO (or heavily protected 1st).
Portis to Sac.
Ingram to Mil. Kings 2nd to Mil.
Pull this off and your starting lineup is Sabonis, Portis, Murray, DeRozan and Fox.
Monk, Ellis, Lyles and Len are your primary backups, and DeRozan can slide to the 3 when Murray is out. Profit.
I like it, I have been struggling to find a way that MIL would move off Portis.
The only real way to do it was moving Lopez and I think MIL would see Ingram as improving enough offensively that could cover up the loss in defense from Portis.
Does NO think Lopez & Huerter are the best they could get using BI? I think they’d have a hard time finding someone better as a rim-protector and low-usage 3pt floor spreader than Lopez and getting additional 3pt shooting from Huerter would likely be viewed as a bonus.
I would hate to see Lopez in NO, but if we could get Portis out of it then I am in full support.
Unfortunately, it appears that Milwaukee can’t aggregate contracts to make a trade because of the apron thingy. Oh well.
I mean, if they really wanted to…could it still be done?
The first two trades could be done at the same time but in separate trades keeping with the “can’t aggregate salaries” restriction.
1st Trade:
SAC & MIL
-Lopez to SAC
-Huerter to MIL
2nd Trade:
MIL & NOP
-Portis to NOP
-Ingram to MIL*
*I think MIL would also need to waive one of Andre Jackson Jr. or Chris Livingston as their max incoming salary is about $500K above the cap when taking in BI’s salary.
3rd Trade:
NOP & SAC
-Portis to SAC
-Lopez to NOP
There would be picks involved as well, but I don’t even want to get into that.
TBH, it would likely never happen because the 3rd trade couldn’t be done for 60 days after the initial 2 trades but it does work money-wise as long as MIL can clear $500K.
Scratch all that…the 2nd trade wouldn’t work either due to the 125% rule on incoming salary, completely missed that when I was thinking about the order of operations.
I may be in the minority, but I really like the idea of a Fox, Ellis, Derozan, Murray, Sabonis lineup. Kings have their two best defenders on the floor with Ellis as your POA pest and Keegan handling the opponents best wing. This leaves Fox and DeRozan to conserve some energy for their offensive repertoire.
I get the desire for a legit stretch 4 who can protect the rim, but maybe Monte is feeling Keegan can, for the most part, fill that role. I also feel DeRozan is better suited as a SF at this point of his career.
100% agree
I will also add, I’m 100% behind adding some extra length to the squad, but not convinced it has to be a starter. A 4/5 defensive wing would be a solid add to bolster the rotation. A Jared Vanderbilt type player could be a solid add that doesn’t jeopardize the cap or future assets. Maybe scour the summer/G-league for a Keon Ellis of long wings? Could be what Monte sees in Isaac Jones?
This roster as it is now is improved. A power forward potentially pushes this team into being a formidable team in the improved Western Conference. It isn’t the rim protector that is the huge difference. Another athletic big next to number 11 is a shift in the right direction. Sabonis free from a double team for some possessions will allow him to score more and create more room in the lane for everyone.
I guess part of me fears subtraction by addition. A starting athletic PF sounds great, but when you consider is slides Keegan to the 3 and DeRozan to the two, I really worry about our POA defense. As of today, I want Ellis starting next to Fox to pick up the opponents best backcourt player.
If we can improve the roster we should do it. If that means Ellis comes off the bench because someone on the team is better than him then so it is. Monte should be building a better roster with no concern about replacing a role player in the starting line up. There are players available that are better defensively and offensively than what this team current has. Those players should be acquired possibly at the cost of Ellis or any other role player.
Who are those players?
Ingram is definitely one. His risk of free agency is a real issue that Monte might be able to figure out. Markannen is another one. The fear of Ainge is overblown. I think Markannen is leaving and Ainge is losing leverage. Even Kuzma is an improvement.
Randle is also an interesting idea mentioned here.
How does Ingram fit in with the current roster build? Do you slot him in at a wing and slide Keegan to the four? Doesn’t that go against what you said about an athletic 4?
I get that talent is important, but simply adding talent without defined roles and roster balance doesn’t seem to work in today’s NBA’s CBA. Just look at PHX.
As to Lauri, how does he help the team defensively? Same goes for Kuzma. By just adding scoring and not addressing defense I feel you are just first round exit.
DFS, Cam Johnson, Stewart, Achiuwa, Robert Williams (?), Eason, Vanderbilt, Kris Murray (?), Dean Wade (?)
I think those are all gettable players with varying degrees of defense and switchability, along with some offensive abilities.
As you noted, I am sure there are 2-way/G-League players that being looked at to fill roles on the cheap.
I think Monte is going after impact guys- that’s why he took the trade route and not the FA route. He wants guys at the top of the rotation not 8,9, 10 guys
Perhaps after he achieves that, if he does, then he goes after G League and end of roster guys from other teams But that’s the end of the line
DaRon Holmes tore his Achilles- out for 12 months
So IF Sacramento had used the pick for him – he’d be on a Devin Carter (or worse) schedule. It’s more difficult to return from Achille’s than shoulder, but we’ll see.
Labrum is 6-8 months
achilles is 12
I think Ingram can play the 4 spot more than Keegan can. The CBA is the front office problem to deal with not the fans. I like Lauri because he will be another major scoring threat just like Ingram. There is only two people on the current roster that play defense at a high level. This team is built to score and should score a bunch. I like the idea of adding more. Smart team play and the ability to play in a half court offense are the next step for this team in my opinion. I like Ellis but if better players are available we need to get them. If Kuzma ends up here then Ellis is on the bench. Which is a positive because he is a better player.
I am not a Kuzma fan but I can see the world aligning in a way that he ends up here. He is better than quite a few of our existing players and can play at the 4 spot.
Everyone think Phoenix is done for the next decade. They will be ok.
That seems like the best starting 5.
Adding in Huerter for Ellis wouldn’t be good. Huerter doesn’t provide much else outside of shooting, and he does best in DHO. But the other 4 are out there for shots too. Same issue with Monk.
Lyles starting with fox, derozam, murray, sabonis could work, butt then there is no other PF to come in off the bench. It magnifies the lack of depth in the PF/C position.
Ellis is the low usage, spot up 3pt shooter that they need offensively with fox, murray, domas, derozan. His defense is also needed (as you mentioned).
Starters:
Fox, Ellis, DeRozan, Murray, Sabonis
Bench:
Monk, Huerter, Lyles….McDaniels, Len, Jones (?)
That’s a solid 8 man rotation, 9-11 is pretty weak. 8 man in a playoff series works, but regular season more depth is needed.
I would be okay with that. Then we have Huerter as a backup wing.
LVSL Thoughts
CLE vs ORL
Jett Howard can shoot.Anthony Black is performing the way he should as a lottery pick in his 2nd season, he looks good compared to everyone else.I like the early look of Tristan Da Silva & Jaylon Tyson. They both seem to be good picks at this point. Flyin’ Jay Huff!
Agree – Black was in charge, Jett Howard does a decent Tim Hardaway Jr impression and I like Triatan Da Silva who did a little bit of everything and under control.
Jayson Tyson was all energy and with great effort but the production was inefficient IMO. Emoni Bates had a much more impressive presence on the floor, IMO.
I really like Black and would love to somehow pry him from the Magic.
Bates def had a good game
Knect balled out, hope that doesn’tbite us
Of all the names, I think I prefer John Collins. Here’s an idea: Scout the hell out of Summer League and find a PF there, cheap.
For the Grizz – Jake LaRivia was easily their best player, GG Jackson was interesting.
Mason Jones was the top King which isn’t saying muc, but Boogie Ellis and then Adonis Arms were bringing it.
Keon Ellis is not a creator and isn’t a point guard. Colby Jones was awful. Really bad. He couldn’t do much of anything well. Very disappointing, but bad games happen.
Totally agree with you about Colby Jones. He was a turnover machine tonight and it seems as though his game has regressed from last year. He was very good in the G league last year but as soon as he plays with the big boys, he’s terrible. Probably will spend most of the year in the G league or get traded.
He has looked horrible and makes me wonder how we can save some money with him. The best case would be to attach him when KH goes out in a trade. Waiving him doesn’t make too much sense, but because we are strapped for cash, hopefully Monte can cut him loose for an extra spot on the team.
That 3pt shot is so bad that I’m not sure how he will ever become better than Davion in that department. His defense has to be on point or he literally has no value because his ability to dribble and get a good shot off is not really there. Hoping that he is a defensive presence ASAP.
Loved Cam on the Suns and DFS was solid on Mavs. Achiuwa sounds good. Not sure about some of these other guys but I’m feeling so greedy and thirsty right now after Demar, want a couple more nice signings to really push us forward.
I feel we are in the savvy acquisition phase. Monte may find a guy who doesn’t jump off the page in an ESPN stats kind of way, but shores up holes beyond our armchair GM minds have thought about.
No need to limit ourselves. Go get them all!
Da’Ron Holmes tore his Achilles. That sucks.
That sucks, hope he heals well.
DEN has the best player in the world and maybe the best starting lineup in the league still but no depth whatsoever. Wouldn’t surprise me if they fall out of the top 4 in the West. Minny really exposed them with their length and athleticism. At least DEN got their ship already.
Agreed– I see them as a team that the Kings, with one more defender at the 4/5, could move past. I also think that Dallas will be better than us, even with another move, but we are not that far off. NO with BI on the team would be better than us, Minnesota probably is, but if SGA doesn’t score 30+, we might win more head to head games. This is why Stewart, Collins, or another decent defender could make us top 4.
Kings still didn’t address any length. Minny and Pels both have more grossly more length and outstanding team D. No one is talking about Houston. Really going to surprise a lot of people. An incredible front line with the signing of Adams, Landale, Smith and Seguin. Kings can’t compete with that. I would not be surprised if The Rockets are Top 5. OKC and Dallas just have more depth and overall talent. Klay will open up their offense even more. And for those naysayers who say he’s washed. He still shot 40 from 3 last year. That’s better than most players in the Kings roster.’
Best I can see for the Kings is 5th. And could still be 6-8. All depending on Memphis and Denver. Everyone counts out the Dubs. They lost Klay, added a lot of depth. And if Kuminga and Moody make another jump I wouldn’t dismiss them either.
I don’t think Dallas is better than the Kings. I think they got hot at the right time and had a good match-up in the playoffs.
I would say Dallas and Sacramento are about even.
I don’t see the dallas love tbh, klay gonna miss a ton of games, they lost a great defender in fa. They had a magical playoff run until their middling support pieces didn’t show up, i think they fall back to like 6th range.
Naji Marshall for DJJ is a lateral move, imo.
Klay for Hardaway Jr.? That doesn’t seem like an upgrade either.
So all they did was add Quentin Grimes to the roster, in a sense?
lost Josh Green
losing KCP hurts a lot
Great rundown Greg. I too fear that we missed our window on Beef Stew if there was one. I did read on a Pistons fan site a few weeks back that they were shopping him, so I still have hope. I’d be very happy with Collins too, but I wonder if we have enough for Ainge, who’s always tough to deal with. If Bertans could get some life coaching from Porzingis on the value of defense, I agree he’s a sleeper, considering his career arc is downward right now. Interesting point about McDaniels. He’d be a valuable King without playing a game if he helped get us Collins!
Pistons loading up on wings- Bey etc. They have the cap room They had Duren, MB3 and Wiseman but “James” the dud savior is gone and MB3?
is Stewart still gettable?
McDaniels is not his brother. Therefore expendable but he can’t be traded until ?????
Bagley is collecting his checks in Washington, with all the other crooks.
This is amazing:
https://x.com/ScooterMagruder/status/1811875681799901647
(I don’t know how to embed these things anymore, but really worth the click).
Accurate. And F*#k Gilbert and his whiney Laker fan a$$.
That was great, thanks Rik
“How ya gonna talk trash when yo name is Gilbert?“
LVSL Thoughts
LAL vs HOU
Reed Sheppard looks like the real deal. His defense is actually translating so far against SL-level players.
Cam Whitmore did what he was supposed to as 2nd year player, his playmaking looked better too.
Dalton Knect is already over-rated IMO. Davis Bertans 2.0
Bronny reminds me a bit of Colby Jones, a smart and hardworking player with shooting issues. I don’t really get the hate on the kid, he seems like what you’d get with a late 2nd round pick.
+1 for the rare backcourt violation on an inbound pass from the baseline.
I saw some clips of Sheppard over the weekend, and jeez, he’s got all the confidence, and the game to back it up. I expect he’s going to have some trouble guarding bigger players, but he’s going to cause some nightmares with his offense. He seems to be able to free himself up at will.
LVSL Thoughts
MIL vs CHI
Not that it matters, but the refs decided the outcome of this game with the whistles. I didn’t really see any difference in the fouling of either side, but CHI got 37 FTAs to MIL’s 16. Its Summer League for the refs too I guess.
Beauchamp was, IMO, the best player on the court that game. Buzelis is 19 – he has a nice game, decent court sense, got some boards, blocked a shot, scored nicely. I liked what I saw.
Tyler Smith is big and tall,also a teenager. I see some Channing Frye.
All in all, of what I’ve seen, and unlike RobHessing, who says he knows nothing, he does, I don’t , I know less- however all of the first rounders and early second rounders, look like they have some belong in them. Sarr and Risacher are from France, but there’s no Wemby here this VSL. But it’s Summer League and they have nascent games.
Brandon Miller, a surprise to see here, is as expected- nice. Not impressive, but nice.
Agree with you about Reed Shephard – Brent Price or Mark Price crisp game – we’ll see. Cam Whitmore is my fave at this VSL.
Jared McCain didn’t shoot well, but he’s a baller. Bobi Klintman seems like a nice piece to develop
Isn’t anyone else watching but you and me?
McCain is solidly built but short. I don’t see how Philly could ever play Maxey and McCain together.
Their other options aren’t all that much better in Kyle Lowry or Eric Gordon
Maxey 6-2 H, 6-6 WS
Lowry 6-0 H, 6-2 WS
McCain 6-2 H, 6-4 WS
Gordon 6-3 H, 6-9 WS
Eric Gordon does have a 6-9 WS but this is a little misleading because Gordon has a negative vert.
As NBA franchises seem to have taken the tourney more seriously recently, they are actually putting decent players on the rosters and the games are usually fun to watch.
So Devin Carter has Eric Gordon anthropomorphics- I am unsure as to how to interpret that…
The SAS v. Blazer game has me very high on Donovan Clingan and highest on Stephon Castle. Based on the baseless value of Summer League (I am looking at you Doratio Kane) San Antonio’s Stephon Castle is my guess as Most Likely To Succeed of this draft class. He’s got the build, and the court presence at 19 – if he develops a better outside game- bingo!
I like him better than Ron Holland II.
Your thoughts?
Castle looks really good for his age and I think he’ll have a better and longer career than either Risacher or Sarr. He seemingly has a higher ceiling than Reed as well who also looks really good.
Clingan has more to prove IMO as I want to see him defending on the perimeter against NBA level talent. He looks like he will be great down-low, but even Gobert gets played off the court due to his inability to guard the perimeter. If he can just not be a liability out there, he’ll be starting over Ayton in no time.
Holland was my fav player in the draft. I also view the draft through the lens of a Kings fan so my fav draft targets tend to be players I wish the Kings would find a way to select.
Love the Derozan pick up but there has to be another move coming soon right? The timeline is now. One more big/semi-big move to contending.
I agree. We need to make the jump.
yes, go for starter, not 8,9,10 bench guy
Doesn’t have to be but monte will be looking if the price is right imo
I think — speculation — that there are deals on the table, but that moves won’t be made for a while. Jazz have until 8/6 to extend Lauri and have him be tradable this year. If it doesn’t happen by then, he’s not getting extended or he’s not getting traded. 8/26 is when we can move McDaniels (not annoucned) so he could be gone. We still have the full MLE. My guess is that moves will be made, but not until closer to the start of training camp just for the sake of contracts moving and things.
My question. Can you use your MLE to make trades? That;s over 12 mil.
What about Lyles, McDaniels and Jones and a first for Tari Easo and Jae Sean Tate? You still have Huerter.
Trader Jack- good trade for the Kings but terrible for Rockets.
The contract has to fit within the MLE amount. MLE is about $12.8m, so any contract would need to be equal to or less than that.
I mentioned this in the comment above with the video, but the more I think about it, the more I am content with us going into the season with exactly the lineup we have now.
If you look at our line-up the last two years, we had one year (22-23) being number one in offensive rating with essentially the same team we have now, except for adding Ellis and Deebo and trading away Barnes. True Deebo doesn’t stretch the floor like HB did, but looking at how good Ellis, Murray, Huerter, and Monk shoot threes and Fox’s improvement last year, we have plenty of options to spread the floor, making a Deebo/Sabonis pick and roll action seriously scary to guard.
Then last year, we ended up at number eleven defensively even considering the fact that Huerter started at the 2 most of the year. And that number went up to number four when we swapped in Ellis.
So looking ahead to next year, if we start Sabonis, Murray, DeRozan, Ellis, and Fox, we have three players who can spread the floor, four players, averaging over 5 assists, and the two best fourth quarter scorers in the league. Deebo even improves our free throw shooting and can dribble in traffic without turning the ball over.
On defense, we can throw Murray and Ellis at the other team’s best scorers, plus Fox who is fast enough to guard pretty much any PG, then put DeRozan on their worst shooter, and Sabonis on their big.
Assuming Brown uses them properly, there is no reason we can’t be top ten and maybe even top seven or so in both defensive and offensive rating in the same year.
That still gives us Monk, Huerter, Trey, and Len coming off the bench. Obviously the four of them aren’t probably all going to be on the floor at the same time. But that’s two starting level scorers, a banger, and a stretch four that can be subbed in and out. Once Carter comes back, if he’s anything at all like people are predicting, that’s another two way defender and scorer. I know Monk and Huerter would both want to start, but if we bring them in early and switch things around depending on who has the hot hand, they should be able to get enough points, wins, and minutes to keep them happy.
Now combine all that with the fact that we aren’t even in the tax, we have our MLE available, we only have one first round pick that we can’t trade (and one swap that doesn’t occur until 2031), and Huerter should have time to show he’s healthy, and we are in a great position to make a trade between now and now the deadline when teams decide to make moves.
I don’t want to get too optimistic because I’m a Kings, Raiders, and A’s fan, so enough said. But honestly looking at the west, I don’t see a single team that is clearly head and shoulders above this Kings team right now and also has the room to make moves that we do. OKC could be really tough. San Antonio has lots of pieces to improve fast. Memphis could be really good or really bad. Denver and Minny are both solid, but Denver got much worse, and we played them both tough last year. Our nemesis, the Pels, seriously look like kind of a mess at the moment. We have way more depth than Dallas and Phoenix, plus we should be much healthier than both of them. LA, LA, and GS are not bigger threats than they were last year, and we should have beaten them all with a healthy Monk and Huerter.
I don’t know. Maybe it’s rose colored glasses, but I don’t have to squint too hard to see a top 3-5 WC team with the potential to do some damage in the playoffs. So, if Monte decides to keep his resources and start the season as is, I’m going to be pretty excited.
I agree with what you are saying. So is Adamsite. To go just a little more what about Lyles, McDaniels and Jones and a first for Tari Eason and Jae Sean Tate, You still have your starting lineup but your backups would be Monk, Huerter, Tate, Eason and Len. Eason who is far better than Lyles can now come in or start at anytime especially if we are playing against a big or two. Fox, DeRozen, Murray, Eason and Sabonis. Tate can play SF or PF in the second unit. What you think?
I would honestly love that trade. Because it keeps what we already have and adds to it in ways that make us significantly better without mortgaging our future. There are other trades I wouldn’t mind as well. I’m just not in the camp that believes we have to make a big trade, or even any trade, right now to be competitive. If it’s there, great. But if not, I’m totally okay with waiting to see what else comes up.
If you had told me before the draft that we were going to draft a guard and not bring in really any free agents other than Monk, I would have been furious. But now I look at where we are, the fact that we still have cap space, that we didn’t have to give up any first round picks, and still even have Huerter, and I have to say, Monte looks like a freaking genius.
Again, I’m not saying this is a team that’s going to win the West. But I honestly wouldn’t be all that surprised to see us win at least one and maybe even two rounds of the playoffs, and we still have assets to make more moves. This was totally not how I saw us getting here, but I’m surprisingly okay with where we are.
Like honestly, if we had traded a boatload of picks plus players, for LM and had zero cap room and no moves left, I would be more concerned about the future of this team than I am now. Getting DeRozan was one of those sleeper moves that could have a much bigger impact than most of the media thinks. By itself, it’s solid, but combined with what we already have and what we could potentially do down the road, it’s exponentially better than the moves most of us were expecting.
BTW, I LOVE your trade ideas and comments. You do your research, understand the market, and value players on both sides realistically. Every time I see one of your comments, I know I’m going to like reading it. I’m a super old time STR member and it’s great to have people like you bringing new thoughts and ideas here.
What would ever possess Houston to make this trade? You obviously think the 1st would be enough for them to deal both Eason + Tate, not sure about that one.
First of all Tate means nothing to the Rockets. He hardly ever plays. Eason isn’t a starter either and is like their 3rd. player on the PF list, To the Kings Tate defensively could be backup wing. Lyles could be their backup PF and in reality be in the same position as Eason. I agree on McDaniels just a filler. Colby would be a player worth developing and they would also get a first. I would also throw in a second or two to sweeten the pot. I really think this is durable. We get in return IMO a starter for a long time. The guy can play basketball.
Colby Jones just scored 25 with 6 reb and 3 sreals. That should tell them something.
Yeah, Colby looked really good from the very start of the game. Impressive performance.
Hopefully Danny Ainge was impressed!
With San Antonio and Houston being better, their wins will probably come against Western teams, which could depress the wins from the Pelicans, Mavericks, etc.
Clipper appear to have gotten much worse.
Lakers are the same, if not worse.
Golden State added some depth, but I don’t think improved.
Denver seemingly got worse with KCP leaving.
Minnesota appears to be the same.
Grizzlies? Who knows. They are one stupid video away from being a bottom team again.
Pelicans lost Jonas, who was part of the reason Sabonis struggled against them. They lost Nance too, and he played the Kings tough.
Dallas made lateral moves, imo.
Portland sucks.
Phoenix can’t stay healthy long enough to make real noise.
Utah hasn’t improved.
OKC got better, so theyvwill be tough.
I think the Kings are 1 rotational piece away from hosting a playoff series. Someone better than a Trey Lyles level player to be a wing that can play defense and hit a shot.
That’s Tari Eason no question.
After in order would be Collins, Beef Stew and maybe Johnson( if he can play resonable defense). Sure can shoot.
100% on Eason – I also think he is actually attainable.
Someone else asked why Tari Eason would even be available if he was capable of being the player we think he is/could be…the answer is another unbalanced roster.
HOU
Sengun at C (backed up by Steven Adams and Jock Landale)
Jabari Smith Jr. at PF (backed up by Jeff Green, Eason, and Jae’Sean Tate)
Dillon Brooks at SF (backed up by Cam Whitmore and Amen Thompson)
Jalen Green at SG (backed up by Reed Sheppard)
Fred Van Fleet at PG (backed up by Aaron Holiday)
This is one of the only teams in the league whose has a deficiency (shooting from the G position) that matches up with what the Kings have to offer (Huerter) while also possessing the type of player that the Kings need (Eason) at a position of excess.
HOU can’t get the most out of all the quality players they have at the SF/PF positions because there simply aren’t enough minutes to go around as Smith/Eason/Whitmore/Thompson all need consistent mins to continue developing. HOU would be doing themselves a favor by balancing their own roster while also picking up another future draft asset(s).
I should also add that Eason’s contract (which has TOs for 2024 and 2025 at $3.6M and $5.6M, respectively) is up after next year. Unless HOU are planning to let Adams and VanFleet walk away after their contracts are up, Eason would be too expensive to re-sign as a backup F for a team that also needs to extend Smith, Sengun, and Green as all three are coming up on the final years of their contracts within the next 2 years.
Houston have two years to figure out if Eason is a large part of their future plans. I could see him being available as a part of a trade package for a star but Huerter is not that. Jeff Green and Jae’Sean Tate are expiring contracts that were behind Eason in the rotation last year so they are not impediments for getting young players into games. There are at least eight players that would get minutes over Huerter on the Rockets including Eason. Why would Houston want a future pick? So they could have the chance to find a player like Eason again?
Rose colored specs.
But if all went perfectly you are right in many ways.
At the same time, the team still has some areas for improvement: rim protection (fear of going into the paint), length to guard against the 3 ball, rebounding help for DS, some size. length and defense on the permitter, a lob target for Monk,. and an unbalanced team
These issues can be addressed by at least one trade. Monte sems to have forgone the FA route. There is Jones and Huerter and the un-introduced McDaniels. and the MLE and BAE?
any combination of Kuzma, Stewart, Collins ( not my fav), Cam, DFS and Precious would help.
Grant, BI and Markenon are probably out of range
Eason and Tate would be fine but Rockets would extract a big price
Give it a try monty
In all but the most-technical sense of the term, McNair recently made a rather significant free agent signing.
Two of the top ten in this off season, I think. Both DeRozan and Monk were technically FAs.
LVSL Thoughts
MIN vs IND
I suspect Monte might be done. This offseason, he’s made a bigger change than last offseason. Pretty clear to me that Vivek has placed payroll limits on Monte. I hope I’m wrong on both counts.
Reading some on other teams today. It seems like Porits is a possibility. I think Ellis and Lyles will bring back Portis this is a huge improvement. We have plenty of guards and finding a back up big is easier than finding a starting power forward.
I’d trust monte on that one, i wouldn’t pull the trigger on that trade but im really high on keon and also like lyles
me and you Mike- I like those 2 as well.
I like them too but Portis gets us something.
LVSL Thoughts
ORL vs NOP
Tristan DaSilva is a baller.
Jay Huff is having a nice Summer League.
Jordan Ford is now playing for NOP, I hope he finds a way to get on an NBA roster.
Yves Missi needs to add an offensive element to his game, he struggles to score.
Antonio Reeves defense is better than I thought I’d see from him.
Have you gone to any of the Stockton Kings games?
You follow so many of the G league players I really think you would enjoy it. I have been to a few. Enjoyable to simply watch basketball.
I have been to a few, the games were fun. I used to go to Sharks games too but I try to avoid Stockton for the most part.
Stockton is interesting and best avoided for all of the reasons that make it interesting. I end up there for work at times and if I am stuck there in the late evening I will catch a Stockton Kings game with a friend who lives there.
Hockey is fun to watch. I know nothing about it but the pace of the game and the constant motion is fun to watch.
Wow, I didn’t think many players changed teams. I hope we have a chance to grab Mensah from San Antonio.
The Kings already have all three two-way contracts filled (M. Jones, I. Jones, & I. Crawford).
Ford has a better chance of getting a two-way contract while playing directly under another team. If he doesn’t latch on somewhere, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him return to Stockton.
Any LVSL thoughts on the Jazz vs Kings game ?
I missed watching the game, but the numbers look like a different and better Colby Jones and for the team than we saw with that high turnover, could nothing right first game against Memphis. Keon Ellis flubbed though, but I can’t seem to gather more than a shrug for it’s lack of worth.
On the Jazz side – some nice mix on the numbers with Cody Williams, Kyle Filipowski and Isaiah Collier all of interest from this season’s draft class and Taylor Hendricks from 2023.
Did you watch?
I watched most of it with my daughter. Keon doesn’t have the ability to score. Colby Jones is fighting for his G league life. I see the summer league as a continued try out to hang on to the basketball dream for most players participating. The recent draft picks usually stand out and are just getting some run. All of the depth charts I see show Huerter>Monk>Ellis. If Ellis wants more minutes he needs to develop some better NBA scoring ability.
I did enjoy the interview with McNair. It was encouraging to hear him say that the intent is to win because that will bring more players wanting to play here. He also clearly understands they will have to beat somebody good to go anywhere in the playoffs. I think Monte gets it.
On the thought that Keon does not have the ability to score: it seems the coaches are asking him to play the point, where his shots come off self-creation; he seems not to be good at that right now (it may—or may not—develop with time).. Last season he seemed to score quite well when his shots came off opportunities created by De’Aaron, Domas, or others (and DDR should add to those opportunities). So that thought about his inability to score leaves out a lot of context.
Agreed. Keon’s role with the Kings is 1.) play stifling D at the perimeter 2.) hit catch and shoot 3’s. His role with LVSL is completely different as they try to gauge where else they can use him. If he is the starting SG (which I expect), he would be the team’s distant 5th scoring option.
D and 3 – in that order. DFS, Bruce Bowen – name who you want, are the same type of player. Their offense is situationally good enough to keep them on the floor. For Sacramento, the games and the numbers speak for themselves with Keon In vs. Keon Out.
Is he limited – absolutely. Is he still developing his game – yes, there is that too. Whether he will and where that takes him or limits him for the Sacramento Kings remains to be seen.
Summer League is advanced scrimmage time.
Right. Also, his +19 led all players. His 8 fouls did, too, haha.
The context is what he has actually done. He didn’t score in the game the other day and he has not been a consistent scorer in the NBA. The context is his game time as a whole. What he seems to do compared to what is written on the stat sheets are different. He does play decent defense. The depth charts show him at the number three guy behind Huerter and Monk. I think if he can figure out how to score he will get more minutes. He is story is cool but so is the story of almost everyone in the NBA. I would like to see him score. If he doesn’t he will be quickly replaced in the lineup.
I disagree with the characterizations here. First, the only depth chart that matters is Mike Brown’s. All others are speculative. Second, I would argue that Keon plays elite defense, not “decent” defense. The term “decent” seriously undervalues his impact on the starting five. Third, adding a fifth high usage player to the starting lineup would create a logjam on the ball. It would likely serve to make the entire offense less efficient, not more so. Keon has tons of value in the starting lineup precisely because he doesn’t need the ball in his hands.
None of our thoughts on this topic really matter at all because Mike Brown is going to do what he’s going to do. But, to me, the addition of DDR actually makes it far less likely that Monk or Huerter start in place of Keon. Fox and DDR can create their own shot, Sabonis is a playmaker who creates assists, and Keon / Keegan are top three point threats. Monk does not stretch the floor.
So it would be more likely that Huerter is back as a starter than Monk. But that presents a problem on defense, because with Huerter in the starting lineup, the Kings only have a very good defender in Keegan and a better-than-average defender in Fox on the floor. It’s a defensive recipe for disaster. As has been pointed out elsewhere, Keon at the POA takes a lot of stress off the frontcourt. He appears to be the rising tide that lifts all boats on defense. Also, Huerter is as good as gone by the trade deadline at the latest, imo. He does not factor into the Kings long term plans.
No single Las Vegas game is going to factor into Mike Brown’s decision. Keon is playing way differently in LV than he does in the regular season. He has 5 TOs in each game because he’s handling playmaking duties – something he simply doesn’t do with the big club. They already know what he does on the perimeter.
Keon plays excellent defense against 1,2 and 3. His skill is deflections and staying in front.
His value is just that- D. He seems to inspire Fox and allows Fox to guard the lesser of the 2 guards. A team can play with one non-shooter but not 2. That’s where there was trouble late last year: Keon plus HB. If Huerter does not pit coming off the bench then Keon stating is good.
It is tough to start a game, run into trouble and then the defensive guy out there, Easier to start a game, run into trouble and send the offensive guy out there.
He has been asked to take on unusual tasks this summer.
All 4 starters are legitimate threats. If KH is out there, too many threats, me thinks
11 pts in the first quarter on 4 of 4 shooting is pretty good for someone who doesn’t have the ability to score!
He has 29 so far. Consistency will be the key to his minutes. Hopefully he figures it out.
Consistency on defense is the bigger key to his minutes than consistency on offense, imo. As far as offense goes, his main thing will be consistency on catch and shoot 3’s because he should see a lot of open looks if he’s playing with the starting lineup.
I really hope Monte was just joking when he said the roster is pretty much set for training camp now. It makes too much sense to try to acquire Stewart. He offers everything Domas doesn’t. Switchability on defense, solid stroke from 3, and sufficient rim protection. Keeping Huerter as the 7th or 8th man makes little sense when he offers nothing defensively. When he is cold from 3 he has 0 purpose. Still a move away from being comfortably in the 4-6 range in the West.
I am going to give Monte some props.
Joe, the snake, Lacob says that some GM’s (read Danny Ainge) are illogical. and David Griffin, the NOP GM says trading Ingram is mechanically close to impossible.
Lacob wants all the other teams to bend to his well- like “I want KD” and I will go get him, then KD leaves and I turn that into Wiggins, then hate Poole and turn that into CP3. He hoodwinked and power punched his way into his way. Period. Now he wants never budge Danny to be logical which in Lacob’s eyes is “we will give you Moody who we don’t want (but oh but he is really good) and a few picks and you give us Lauri because we are the duds and we deserve it”. Never budge (who Monte had to deal with) wanted carrot top, Kuminga, Moody AND draft picks. But that’s illogical.
Joe- who tried to steal stole the California Classic from Sacramento is now left pounding sand.
Monte gave Danny a sell-by date and Danny, of course, ran right through that. So onto DeRozen. Good on Monte !
I said a bit ago that Monte decided to “forego free agency” and was put to the task for that comment. Malik was a free agent- ok, Monte got him but he was a Kings free agent. DeRozen was a free agent. Sort of. But the Kings had to trade to get him.
By “forego free agency” I was referring to the old we will sign a guy for the bench- like George Hill, Rondo, Bellinelli, Len the first time, -all those guys we added to the bench by using the MLE and BAE.
He went away from that strategy and went after top tier guys for the rotation.
Next- I think it is no accident that McDaniels has not been introduced. But there is a trade moratorium on moving him- I think he is moved (in the cloud) and there is a trade on paper , somewhere.
The chances of getting anyone out of Utah, like Jack’s heartthrob, John Collins, who I met in an elevator at summer league a few years back, are slim. Never Budge Danny is in charge.
There is someone out there, wearing a Kings uniform but doesn’t know it yet. And Jaden is shirtless.
Rim protection, size at 3/4, , defense at 3/4. a lob threat. All are needs.
BTW-NOP are very un-balanced. Trey Murphy, Herb Jones, BI and Zion all paying the same 2 positions?? They lost Daniels, Jonas, Marshall and Nance
and BI is playing pac-man trying to gobble up all the cash.
Do you know when McDaniels is eligible to be traded?
I don’t but as I recall it was later than what I would have liked. 2 months?
August 28th 2024 (60 days) say some sources, others say September 28, 2024 (90 days) and yet others, December 15, 2024.
I have unofficially seen the 60 day mark as most often referred to as the date Jalen (not Jaden) McDaniels is eligible for trade.
I think he can be traded right now so long as he is not aggregated with other Kings players. The info that I have seen says that he can be aggregated in a trade 2 months after his acquisition date of June 28, but I am not clear on whether “2 months” means 2 calendar months or 60 days.
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