Free agency kicks off at 3:00 PM PT. Use this thread to discuss any news from around the league.
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ok, I will start.
Kings commit to Len for 3.3 M and a 2.1 M cap hit. This signing will occur last. That’s reasonable and does not mean much All teams should have three centers.
Report out of Bulls camp- no one willing to take LaVine even with an attached first round pick.
I hope klank signs with an eastern team, like he and PG to Philly. And not with Dallas. or he resigns with the duds for so much money they have to give up Kuminga and carrot top.
and I hope the fakers sign brawney to a 45 M per year deal.
I hope Klank stays in the west. I think the dude is finished and I want the Kings to have more opportunities to abuse him. My preference is that the W’s overpay for him, but it seems Dunleavy isn’t a Vlade-level bad GM.
Klay is washed and therefore needs to end up on the lakers with LeBum to form a washed up duo.
Yeah, GS seems to have moved on, so my hope is LAL. What a delightful train wreck that would be.
With JJ at the head of it lol.
we could rename them flotsam and jetsam. Stuff that is washed up.
I really think this offseason and the trade deadline will provide ample opportunities to take advantage of teams desperate to get out of a bad financial position (see teams like CHI, MIN, BOS, NOP) and will be leveraged into selling low on a really good/great player or maybe offload a bad contract for multiple picks.
I really hope the Kings are in a position to pounce on a distressed asset or acquire some assets (like LaVine and some picks) to then make a bigger move.
In terms of trades, I’m pretty sure everyone is waiting on the PG decision as that sets dominos falling for other wings still under contract like BI, Kuzma, DFS & Cam Johnson.
Just took a solid power nap and woke up worried that Monte and co. may be content to basically “run it back” next season. The spin will be a healthy Monk and Huerter would have made the difference. I really hope that premonition is wrong.
A little photoshop, cut the sleeves off the jackets, and presto! – You Monte it Back 2.
Lol, I just woke up from a power nap too.
It’s the likely scenario, sign some mediocre players with the cap space available and call it a day and hope Coach Brown does a better job. That may be the thinking of Vivek and MM.
It’s starting…Warriors just waived CP3.
https://x.com/wojespn/status/1807530337465229762
Spurs showing interest, makes sense to further Wemby’s development in the PnR.
My guess is the Warriors are desperate to get below the 2nd apron, and maybe even the 1st. Why take on LaVine’s deal when you can erase $30M from your payroll. That’s a whole lotta cheddar when taking the tax into consideration.
Steve Ballmer’s Clippers are now 34 year old Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Norman Powell. Releasing Westie, PJ Tucker and whomever else kickstarts a rebuild unless they swing a deal (Durant? Why not Steph? or those pieces to Golden State?) which is unfortunate timing as the Intuit Dome opens it’s gates.
With the Clips and Warriors taking a slide, this should bolster the Kings.
When people start freaking out about the assumption that the Kings are going to roll it back and that other teams in the west will “overtake” them, this is the kind of thing that keeps me level-headed. Suns, Dubs, Lakers, Clippers are all treading water or sinking.
Strike when a good deal is available. Kick the tires on Kuzma, LaVine, Ingram all you want, just don’t make a deal for the sake of making a deal. Make the deal when it makes sense for the team.
I’m all for giving up Keegan, Carter, or Ellis in the right deal but overpaying like the Knicks did (or Suns / Durant or TWolves / Gobert) is not my cup of tea. If you make a move like that, you better be damn sure you opened up a legit 3 year window for a championship.
Harden returning to the Clippers.
https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1807532075542835525
Cunningham says Kings are pursing a trade for Ingram
https://x.com/SeanCunningham/status/1807535099648659540
Any deal breaking pieces for you?
1st round picks. Huerter, Barnes and a pick(s) for a possible one year rental of Ingram is a steep price, especially if N.O. is desperate to move him.
Huerter or Barnes along with Lyles and Carter works if they prefer expiring and a prospect.
Or substitute McDaniels or Duarte for Carter. if you are going to attach future picks. You could also substitute McDaniels and Duarte for Lyles, as they are both expiring.
McDaniels can’t be packaged, can he? I could be wrong, but it might have to be a non-simultaneous trade to include him in any deal.
I think the old rules were if a player was traded for another single player, as in a one-for-one trade, then the player acquired could be traded again in the same offseason without restriction.
But since we traded both Sasha and Davion for McDaniels, I think the team needs to wait a mandatory 60 days before McDaniels could be moved. I have no clue if the old rules apply to the new CBA though.
McDaniels has to be traded solo, not in a package until 6 weeks or so.
Yeah, I wouldn’t trade Carter yet. I think the Kings have high hopes for him.
IMO, it’s also too high a price to pay to a team that has no leverage.
Their leverage is that whoever loses out on the PG sweepstakes may have an interest in Ingram.
The guys on NBA TV are say that Keegan Murray has to be a part of these negotiations with BI.
That would only make sense if the Kings have an “agreement” to fully extend Ingram, at which point they would probably be unable to afford Murray’s next contract.
Man, I am not on board with trading a consistently available player for a consistently unavailable one. KM doesn’t feel worth 50 games from BI to me.
Yeah, I’m with you on that. Ingram is not at Sabonis levels like when the Kings traded Hali for him, but that would be the equivalent trade.
It would certainly give me pause, but if Ingram is available for 50 and healthy for the playoffs, I’d sure consider it. Big if, though.
It would still leave a gaping hole at the wing 3/4 spot if Keegan were included for Ingram.
It’s a different permutation if you retain Barnes, but yes, you’d want to go out and get a Jalen Smith or some such.
I don’t know how they would pull if off without including Barnes’ contract.
Huerter, Keegan, and Lyles works, but destroys the depth.
Huerter, Keegan and Duarte / McDaniels works as well.
If no pick is included, I’d definitely consider it.
Reminds me a lot of the Saboins trade.
IMO, there is no way MM should even consider including Keegan in a deal for BI, talk about wasting a team’s assets. If I’m moving on from Keegan, it’s only for Jaylen Brown or Lauri Markkanen.
agree- the top tier, not the second
that’s why they are on NBA TV and not running a team somewhere
no, would not do that one.
Is Vlade Divac on NBA TV these days?
I wouldn’t either since Mitchell is now gone.
I would have dealt the 13 and any combination of those players for Ingram before the draft, and I would do it today.
That would really shorted the guard rotation to just Fox, Ellis, Monk and an unproven Colby Jones. I think Mitchell was dealt in part because Carter is taking his place in the rotation.
Now…If the Pels included Alvarado…I’m listening.
For me, I’m not going to let improving the absolute top of the roster get stalled by worrying about the middle or lower end of the roster. I have my preferences, but at the end of the day there is no one in that cocktail of aforementioned players that would make me walk away from an Ingram deal.
That’s a solid black and white point. Talent trumps all.
Now, that said, and to your very important point, if you can deal salary for salary, you still have your full MLE, which takes on added importance after this trade. So the best swing would be Barnes and Huerter and a pick for Ingram, then turn around and spend some of your MLE money on (say) Jalen Smith. A small contract for an emergency PG and an emergency big, use the BAE for a bench wing, and your work is done.
But then you are in the 1st apron. I’m still waiting to see if Vivek gives that approval.
You could stretch a Duarte or McDaneils toward the end of the season
I think the Kings really liked Carter- he was one of their top on the board, They did not expect him to fall and when he did, they nixed trades with Washington and the Nets.
They want him and are not trading him. He is the “new never trade part of core Keegan”
They are dangerously close to the apron, so I don’t think they’d want additional salary for this upcoming season. They’d be hard capped.
I say Huerter, Barnes, and a handful of 2nd rounders, maybe a first round pick swap, and that’s about as high as I’d go.
I don’t see the Pelicans wanting to take equivalent salary back, especially if it is not expiring.
It seems like a 3rd team would be necessary, or they will move him to a team that can absorb at least some of the contract into salary space.
Would you rather have Ingram with all his negatives or John Collins who really fits the best next to Sabonis?
And cheaper. Don’t have to use Huerter in Collins trade. Instead with Huerter go after Isaiah Stewart. Two for one with no hangups.
With Ingram you think as his opponent, , oh, shit he is going to make it. With Collins and Stewart as his team-fan, it’s oh shit I hope he makes it.
Ingram, and it’s not close. He is by far the better player. By far. The risk is keeping him healthy, but you take that swing.
Collins might not even be the third best player on your roster if you trade for him. Ingram easily is, and maybe even higher.
Nice thught as he lays in the hospital. Two in the bush healthy compared to one in the broken hand worth 40mil or more.
Yeah, I’ll opt for the top 40 player, even limited use, over a poo poo platter of guys that don’t crack the top 100. I went to that movie for 16 straight years.
It comes down to cost for me. Ingram may cost a first and two solid rotation pieces, while Collins may only require matching salary. Or it could be that Ingram comes cheaper than we all realize.
On paper Ingram is clearly the super talent and this league is all about talent.
Come on Adamsite both Collins and Stewart have talent. Imgram isn’t the only one in the league. In that case get rid of Murray. Ingram will take all his points away from him. And Murray has no talent either right.
If you get Ingram with all our pieces and starts who is going to rebound and protect the rim and shoot threes better and cost less. If Ingram starts and so does Murray you won’t have any of the above.It just doesn’t make sense.
not Carter.
I agree…NOP needs to move him either now or before the trade-deadline.
You just let Mitchell go draft what the experts gave you an A and now you want to let him go. I was looking forward to watching him play in a Kings uniform.
Has to be Huerter and Barnes for salary purposes, right?
Yeah, I would think so.
It all depends on the cost. 1 first. Sure. 2 firsts I start to get quesy after 1.
I would guess that there are discussions about what is BI’s criteria for staying. Siakam did not meet that and was not traded for. Not an issue for Kuzma but BI is a better player.
I know there will be fit problems. Like Defensive problems, holding the ball, passing too little etc but the due can go get a bucket and makes it very safe to play Keon.
I would go with some combination of a package of HB, Huerter, Duarte, Lyles and pick(s)
One pick- ok, two ????? and the MLE can somehow be used.
Huerter is better player but logjam at guard. HB would be solid back up.
Not if but when he gets injured there goes all your money down the drain.
If Monte signs Jalen Smith I will consider the offseason essentially complete with the caveat that a trade happens sometime this season for another rotation-caliber, athletic forward (Collins, Portis, Kuz, hell…even Jerami Grant).
Fox/Monk
Ellis/Carter/Colby
Murray/Huerter
Smith/Barnes
Sabonis/Len
Bring that one other forward in and this roster is ready to contend.
Are you saying the word signsmean we use the MLE to sign Smith.
I would use the full MLE on Smith if that’s what it takes, yes.
And that has nothing to do with Ingram trade. We might get both. As you are trying to get Ingram then don’t forget about Smith. Other teams are also looking to get Smith.
I don’t think Ingram is gonna happen. NOP have more leverage than we’re giving them credit for. Ingram is an excellent player and wants to be in NO, that means that if the offer isn’t right they can sign him long-term in their worst-case scenario. Retaining high level talent is not a terrible thing, even if the fit and $$$ are wonky.
That means our offer needs to impress them. They’re not going to give him away for free. Our best offer probably involves using the MLE + approx $20M in salary filler to absorb Ingram so that they can free up as much money as possible – and they’ll want picks too.
I like Ingram a lot and he’d be great offensively as a secondary creator and scorer next to Fox. But he’s a little redundant with Keegan, and he doesn’t provide the defense on the interior that we’re looking for in a forward. Plus he’s a mediocre perimeter defender and average shooter from deep. And then you’ll have to pay him $50+M/yr for the next few years, and that’s assuming he doesn’t walk in free agency!
Overall, he’s just not the guy that I’m willing to make a big offer for, and the Pels have enough leverage to demand one. It’s just probably not gonna happen.
Wait, can the MLE be combined with other contracts in a trade? I thought a contract in trade would have to fit in whole into the MLE?
My understanding is it can be combined but it’s a new rule and I’m very ignorant!
I thought it was the MLE amount only. So under $12.8m or whatever the actual price is.
I’d rather target Miles Bridges personally. I think he’s more gettable. Will be more cost controlled and ultimately a better fit for the roster.
I really really agree with your take on this matter.
Forget Ingram. Too much negatives in the package. With what we would have to pay for Ingram we could get two really good players like Collins and Stewart and still get Smith with our MLE.
i also wanted Naji Marshall if not Smith but he went to the quess who Dalles Mavericks. One down. Better not wait to long or Smith will be gone too. Then who do we get Bey, Can’t play defense.
The only one we might get is Bridges but we won’t. One mistake and we won’t want him.
I think you are over valuing Smith- he has never been an impact player.
And neither was Lauri Markkannen until suddenly…he was. 23 years old, protects the rim, knocks down the 3, rebounds, scores efficiently. The advanced and Per 36 numbers love him. That’s a guy you take a chance on and hope blooms. And that’s also why I specify getting a starting caliber 4 as insurance in case I’m wrong.
i really like Smith maybe not as a starter just yet but IMO a valuable backup PF and center. If we get him with the MLE I don’t think he will disappoint but starting to improve when given the chance.
Why wait. Bring hin in and start winning now, PS. Please not Grant. First Collins then Kuzma then Tari Eason. I might put Eason second. He can rebound and protect the rim and his motor is so much better than Kuzmas
This is the slowest beginning to free agency that I can ever recall.
Yeah, I thought they would come rolling in. Maybe agents & teams are smarter about it now and are willing to wait an hour or two before letting it be known…or maybe not and its just slower than usual due to lackluster list of FAs available.
Maybe everyone is waiting to see where Paul George goes before things start to fall?
yep, PG and then things start cooking, so may not happen until tomorrow.
I think it seems slower because so many players who re-signed with their original team has been trickling for days, rather than announced right at the opening bell.
Shams saying Knicks are trying to get “un-hardcapped.” They want to keep Hartenstein. I wonder if Randle is on the block?
they also need salary to add to the Nets (Mikal Bridges) deal, would love to get in on that if we could grab DFS and Johnson
That would be interesting but looks like we are going after Ingram.
I’ll take Johnson but not DFS. Can really shoot but not much on defense.
I feel bad for the Knicks.
On second thought, every year I feel bad for the Knicks.
Why would you feel bad for them- they have become title contenders.
I actually think the Kings are similar in that Knicks owner backed off and let FO run show -and now they are getting good. Vivek maybe backed off a bit and letting FO run the show.
My hope is Monte can/will keep making moves-like the Knicks have
Well, lots of reasons.
They were title contenders before the trade.
Now they are title contenders with much fewer draft picks.
And as we are seeing, they are already struggling with the hard cap.
All of that just to improve their chances of a championship by a few percentage points.
Thankfully, Monte’s no fool. He understands the Kings’ situation well enough to avoid imitating the Knicks front office.
Poor pitiful title contenders. So hard to play in the playoffs.
Why do it?
Yeah, I don’t buy the Monte is smart trying to not sacrifice the future.
The future is now and I’ve heard Monte expressing that moves have to/will be made now.
There are degrees to move making. I simply disagree with all of your opinions on this topic–specifically, eagerness to overpay, to make more deals, and to accept cap liability.
All of those opinions tend to lead to a front office that has less flexibility, a lower ceiling, and overpriced contracts.
We saw all of that before with Vlade. No thanks.
I’m not eager to overpay, I’m saying at some point Monte is gonna need to probably overpay or risk in order to improve this team.
And I don’t mind that you disagree with my opinions. That’s cool
And if that is this off-season Lauri Markannen is the guy to blow your wad on.
Remember when this team was a perennial playoff team?
I think that was before Vlade as a GM?
They shouldn’t have done it. That’s my point.
Done what?
Why should they remain the same and not strive for improvement?
It’s a two-post conversation. Just go back and reread if you’re confused.
I have read it.
What did they actually do?
You haven’t made a clear point.
What was the downfall?
When did this team over commit?
Just reread it until you understand. If you never understand, embrace the mystery.
Yeah….no chance of you making a point or participating in a conversation.
I’m with you Yakshi, I’m ok with shooting and missing, but the Knicks are fringe contenders make a go for it trade and are better, fringe contenders. Milwaukee is the example when you should go for it. Jrue holiday, put them over the top when they were truly a player away. The kings are a borderline playoff team. Blowing your load now just gets you around the 4-5 seed. You don’t blow your load to win a round. Then stare at an ugly, bumpy rebuild like the nets. The Knicks shouldn’t have done it because they just weren’t close enough. I don’t think this kings core has enough high end talent to make a real run personally and it goes all the way back to the vlade era. Monte has had to work magic just to get this to a borderline playoff team and this is just from fixing a lot of the vlade mistakes. It’s really hard to build a contender and I’m more on board with not overreaching, eventually taking steps back if this group stalls out, like I think it will, and taking steps back to eventually build a true contender that has assets to fire to create a real championship window.
So to improve this team needs a power forward.
Trading a couple of players for one is now the end all?
If the Knicks arent bothered too much by tax, no problem. I don’t think they’re screwed or in a bad place in any way.
I think adding OG and Bridges makes a big difference. Bridges this year. Kinda like what Boston did. Bringing in Holiday after they were contenders. Etc.
I would like to see Monte go for more/risk if he has to. It’s the only way to get over the hump.
Either way- Monte is going to need to make moves now/soon/this year. I think/hope he will.
The Knicks and the Kings are in different situations.
Luckily, Monte is unlikely to imitate the Knicks’ blueprint of, say, sacrificing numerous first-round picks to improve a team that isn’t even a championship contender.
“The Knicks are in a space where they’re going for it, and I respect it, I think you got to go for it at some point,” Green said on “The Draymond Green Show.” “But what just happened with the trade was that you know if this doesn’t work in 2 to 3 years, the Knicks will be rebuilding again because they traded all their picks away, and then they’ll be trying to trade those guys, get picks back and that’s kind of how it all plays out.”
It’s nice to be a contender but Knicks fans are going to be pissed and in for a long, bumpy ride if it doesn’t work out.
We should avoid going for the playoffs. If it doesn’t work we would have to rebuild. Horrific.
You have your opinion, I have mine. I absolutely want to go for the playoffs. I just think it better fucking pay off if you send four first round picks and prospects away for one impact player. You differ from that opinion and that’s just fine with me.
I want the Kings to build a perennial contender like the Nuggets have. Being in the playoffs every year for the past 6 straight is a great model for the Kings to emulate. You want Monte to blow his wad and don’t mind the idea of another 5-plus years of not contending after the window closes. You do you, bro. I know where you stand. And again, it’s perfectly fine to have different opinions.
Trading Keegan is blowing his wad?
Keegan and Ellis go. We get a solid player in return.
How is this the end game?
What happened when we unfortunately had to deal Haliburton?
“Trading Keegan is blowing his wad?”
I didn’t say that at all. It’s hard to take your hyperbole seriously.
I mentioned trading Keegan.
You stated “You want Monte to blow his wad…”
Where is the hyperbole?
Where in this thread did you mention trading Keegan? Jesus fucking christ, do I have to be this goddamn specific? We want the same thing, Mr. Bagley – a winning Kings team, if in fact you are actually a Kings fan.
Just trading Keegan for an asset can be a good thing or it can be a bad thing. In *this fucking thread*, I was talking about giving away four first round picks and prospects for a player. I did not define “blowing your wad” as simply trading Keegan.
The straw man thing is tiresome.
Always? Yeah, always. I’ve always gotten touchy when dealing with people who intentionally misinterpret things I say, particularly when it’s done to get attention on the internet, Mr. Bagley.
I already did, Mr. Bagley. I feel great.
I’m frustrated for you.
He is troubled.
Not really, Marvin.
File this idea between “The Kings don’t play defense” and “I hope we can trade Keegan for Brandon Ingram.”
Solid.
Ingram isn’t a good defender either. I would rather have a player who rebounds protects the rim etc. that just another shooter. We have those already.
Why do you care if Vivek has to pay a tax?
Because I understand how that impacts the acquisition of future players.
Why are you asking?
How many winning teams are paying the tax?
I prefer this team wins. Not concerned about the billionaires at the top.