Welcome back to Chainmail! We’ve had a few things occur over the last week or so.
- The Kings have won two games in a row!
- The Kings held both of those teams to under 110 points!
- Tyrese Haliburton currently ranks third on the NBA’s rookie ladder, sitting behind James Wiseman (okay) and LaMelo Ball (lol).
- Nemanja Bjelica has been benched for personal reasons, or because of an injury, or because of the youth movement, or because he hasn’t played well, we aren’t really sure.
- Buddy Hield has returned to form, as he’s scoring 17.7 points per game, as well as knocking down 45.9% of his 10.6 three-point attempts per game.
- Glenn Robinson III and Cory Joseph both saw their minutes severely reduced in Wednesday night’s victory, as GR3 didn’t play in the first half and Joseph played his second-fewest minutes of the season, just 12.
- Hassan Whiteside returned from injury, pushing Chimezie Metu back out of the rotation.
Before getting to your questions, we want to thank our sponsor for the mailbag, Carter Imports! Carter Imports is a Sacramento-based company that imports some of the very best Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Cretan Thyme Honey available in the world today. There has never been a better time to support one of our own than right now!
Now, get to asking so we can get to answering!
Question:
If a group of online message board writers can take on Wall Street and turn the tables on them, why can’t we do the same with the Kings?
Where will Bradley Beal end up and how can the Kings possibly benefit in him being traded?
Disclaimer: I fully don’t think the Kings have the assets to get Beal, but I think they could be the beneficiaries as a third or fourth team in any deal.
Can imagine fox, Beal and Hali on the floor? ð¤¤.
A first in 2021, 2023, 2025, and 2027, plus swaps in 2022, 2024, and 2026 would surely get it done, but I’d jump off a bridge.
I hope McNair gets involved.
The good ol’ trade machine had me with this:
Wiz: Buddy, Maxey, and Danny Green (Plus picks; seems more valued in trades right now)
Kings: Tobias Harris, Jerome Robinson, Thybulle (Cant forget Thybulle lol)
Philly: Beal, Ish Smith, and Harrison Barnes
I feel like this would be ideal and a good starting point.
What would it take for Haliburton to win ROY?
He would need to play so well that there isn’t any question of his supremacy.
James Wiseman is looking like a solid bet, Edwards is showing a lot of potential to dominate at times, and half the NBA writers are already in the bag for another overrated Ball child. Maybe if Ty Ballgame starts making some really tricky behind-the-back and through-his-legs passes into the ninth row, the geniuses will start to consider it.
Wiseman’s advantage is he is on the Warriors. They have a shitload on national games. Sad but true about LaBall. I do think he is better than his brothers. Considering Hali’s draft position and the Kings invisibility (except for Shaqtin’ front office moves) is a real disadvantage for Hali. That said I would take him 100 out of 100 times in that draft for this team regardless of #1 or #12. He is the right guy for this team.
Eh, Ball is a fine choice and is right there with Hali by objective measures. Haliburton should be above him, but it’s really close.
Yeah, I think Ball is 1A and Hali is 1B right now. Lots of season left, though.
Haliburton has had a rough stretch as of late that’s evened things out.
If I had to guess, it has more to do with the Kings win total than anything. People around the league already think that Haliburton contributes to winning more than the other rookies at this stage. That means, to me, that the more the Kings win the more people around the league will value his contribution versus the guys with better counting stats.
Wow. Doesn’t that say a lot about the way personnel has been mismanaged over the years when a rookie that hasn’t played 20 games yet is one of the top players the Kings can’t do without?
I agree. If he gets the contributes to winning label, that’ll do it.
play the majority of the games that are scheduled
Has Richaun Holmes’ play this year been good enough to silence those that say he’s not part of the Kings youth movement (geez, he’s only 28) and does he deserve a contract extension going forward?
First, he’s 27, and I don’t think anyone doesn’t like him as part of the Kings future. The issue with him is his contract. He’s a UFA and there could be issues with how much the Kings can pay him.
I’d be inclined to try to keep Holmes, with the idea that in the next couple of years, he’d be the first big off of the bench.
Who beats him out ? Kings must be getting Embid or Jokic ! No 19 year old is going to take his spot based on actual performance !
Someone much more rounded. As far as Keeping him as always it comes down to the contract vs other options.
Evan Mobley
I agree but don’t bigs need a little more time to develop? I think it can be perfect overlap and switch roles when he’s ready. That’s why I love Holmes. You won’t hear him complain about coming off the bench either. I love that dude.
Then that would determine how much you are willing to pay Holmes.
Let’s think hypothetically. The Kings land the #2 pick and snag Mobley. That’s gonna cost the Kings roughly $22M over the first 3 years starting around $7.5M. Do the then go out just a few weeks later at free agency and give Holmes a hefty pay raise over multiple years. What would Holmes cost on the free market right now? $18-20M per year? Keep in mind Cody Zeller, at a year older than Holmes is making $15M this year.
On top of that you have Bagley at $11M next year and in line for a possible extension. That would be a lot of money tied up in big men.
Man, having $80MM tied up in Fox, Hield, Barnes, and Bagley isn’t feeling great. Holmes and a high pick could easily push them to the cap. Which is fine! Unless you aren’t a good team. Then not only are you not good, but you’re locked into your not-good-ness for the next 2-3 years.
Exactly, and that is where I’m hoping McNair is playing the long game and moves the contracts of Buddy and Barnes as those two will likely not be on the next good playoff Kings team.
Fortunately McNair has time and gets to see who he drafts before a decision comes to try and retain Holmes. Let’s say he selects a wing and is able to move Barnes, than I’m totally down to throw money at Holmes.
The question no one wants to ask, however, is maybe the wiser move is to strike while the iron is hot and move Holmes now if you feel you can’t retain him. It would absolutely suck to lose him in free agency for nothing next summer.
But it’s pretty clear the Bagley-Holmes frontcourt won’t work out. He looks good defensively in comparison to Bagley but he’s really not.
You can blame Walton’s schemes all you want, but he’s still manning the most important position defensively for what is comfortably the league’s worst defense. I can’t ignore that.
I don’t believe they’re ever going to be passable defensively with that as the starting frontcourt.
They’re also bottom 5 in DRB, and considering how both Bagley and Holmes are mediocre defensive rebounders, I think you can see why.
I love Holmes as much as anyone, but you are 100% correct. Truth be told Holmes is your first big off the bench on a contending team. It’s no knock on Holmes, but just the nature of his game.
I’m not sure that’s clear at all – the team has played quite well overall when those two have been on the floor. Small sample sizes, but it’s certainly not decided.
With the vaccines slow delivery who here would attend a Kings game, with say 2000 in the arena? If not what metric would you require to attend?
I posted something similar a few days ago and got no response (I did post after 2 new articles were going up so likely not so much traffic).
I see Kings @ Pels lower bowl for <$60 on Monday. I would go, I am bored to death at home and at work, however the airfare with such short notice is too much >$400. This would be the last scheduled game I could see where they are allowing fans. I see that Miami is now allowing fans and using Covid sniffing dogs at entry, I assume more teams will start allowing fans in going forward.
Give this man the ultimate Kings fan award for being willing to go through an airport a minimum of four times, be on a plane for at least eight hours, and attend a live indoor sporting event in one of the hardest hit cities in the country in the middle of a deadly viral pandemic to see a Luke Walton Kings team.
I’m not trying to be facetious, I used to make ridiculous trips like this several times a year before the pandemic.
LOL Lets not forget the question at the top, What would you require to see the Kings live again?
It’s not really about the Kings fandom thing it is straight boredom. I looked at seeing the Nets but Alas those games are $400 and up.
My Daughter is in KC and they have had little restriction and the numbers are similar to CA. I have been in and out of the Airports a dozen times during the Pandemic, they are pretty empty. I also avoided going early on to Dads funeral in PA., as too many old folks, and who wants to be responsible for killing their Aunties.
Fair enough, we all have our own levels of risk we’re comfortable with. I’m sorry to hear about your dad, I also lost a relative last year and no one was able to see them.
Personally, I would not be comfortable seeing the Kings or any sports team live until I’ve personally been vaccinated and the outbreak is under control wherever the team is playing.
SMF you are hereby nominated for Post of the Year.
I’ll take it, even if the notification email made me hope it was for the cologne joke.
You’re crazy! ð I won’t even buy league pass do watch a Kings game.
LOL Man someone answer the question about returning to G1C?
Just know last season 1/2 season 2 tix… $135each lower bowl. Kids are out of the house and I generally went with my adult daughters. Any trip would be with one of them for the experience. That would include the game, the city, and the food. One thing the old man left me with was you just never know, drink it up while you can. I enjoy being at the game, TV meh… Although I am watching Blazers Rocks as I write.
I’m fairly risk-averse on COVID. So I probably won’t be attending any Kings games this season, even if I get the vaccine.
But if I were to go, I think I’d try to wait until late in the season. There’s still a great deal of unknown, with the new variants of the disease.
I should add – my decision would certainly be influenced by the known science at the time. There’s still a great deal to be learned on the ability for even vaccinated people to spread the disease.
So, best case, I’d be vaccinated and masked up. More likely, I’ll be waiting until next season to attend.
If I still lived in Sac, I would go if the ticket was free for me. 2,000 people in a place that large? Meh, no big deal to me. I am also the attendee that usually just gets my food and sits in my seat for the entire game, unless I need a restroom run.
Will, how did you survive the night of the storm when your power went out? 😛
He gutted Greg and crawled inside him for warmth. The smell was unbelievable.
Like yoghurt pie?
Unbelievably good or bad?
Eau de humanity.
This team is good enough to win when they play at about an average level on Defense ! Two in a row and hope to see this more consistently instead of 25% of the time !
I mean who knows where we could go with an average defense, we already have a potential top 10 offense
Do the Kings actually have a good starting (most used) line up?
When compared to other teams (+/- Pts per 100 poss), they stack up pretty well. Better than many forecasted playoff teams (Denver, Portland, Bucks, Suns).
So what do you see as the biggest reason for not having a similar record to some of these teams? Poor coach/rotations, poor bench talent or is this a mirage?
I think the biggest thing is that the Kings don’t have lineup versatility. The starting 5, plus the closing 5 (swap Haliburton for Bagley) both have a net rating >10 in 281 minutes combined. The problem is that represents 34% of the total minutes played. In an alternate universe, if they had signed David Nwaba pre-bubble/McNair, completed the S&T for DiVincenzo, and done a S&T for Christian Wood, then this team would probably be above .500 assuming the overall roster health remains equal in this alternate universe.
I would tend to agree and lean that way. Getting DiVincenzo to take up the Joseph/”Buddy sucks tonight” minutes would have been fantastic.
I guess I tend to wonder that while we act on this board like this team sucks (which isn’t not true statistically speaking), I don’t know how far away they are from being competitive with right supporting cast and coach.
Now contender status…that’s a long ways off
Which trade would you rather pursue?
Buddy for Fournier and Bamba
or
Buddy for Cody Zeller and Malik Monk
(I considered adding Devonte Graham but I think that would need us to add something)
I really do not like Zeller and Monk, neither guy moves any needle and will get Luke PT. Bamba is a better option of the given, but I would keep Buddy before either of these deals. I would hope to get Buddy in as part of the Beal trade, or the Warriors and Pels. Late 1st and a young flyer, minimal salary back.
My thought process was to get off Buddy’s contract and push Haliburton into the starter spot. A flyer on Monk and maybe a pick could make that trade worthwhile.
I have no clue on what to expect from Bamba.
Can I say neither?
what other team fansite would be bold enough to misspell the nickname of its own team on its own nickname product line?
That mistake is so Kangz*
Kangs is just dollar store Kangz!
I posted this in the postgame threat but wanted get hear from others as well:
Is it just me or does Bagley look a bit less athletic than he did during his rookie year? It feels like there’s a lot of times he could go up for a dunk where he doesn’t get enough lift. And he misses a lot of easy shots in traffic. The only time I see him really jump is for uncontested rebounds.
He hasn’t looked less athletic in my opinion. I think he’s just been more patient rather than a balls to the wall, semi-reckless style that kept getting him injured in his first 2 years.
Does anyone else miss Grant? The Jones/Christie or Draper/Christie isn’t getting it. I missed the way Grant called the game and how he stayed focused on the action as opposed to missing plays and substitutions, inside jokes, and a lot of silliness, especially from Christie.
No. But keep in mind, I think announcers actually worth not muting are few and far between. And I especially dislike the excitable homers like Grant. Add in jerky radio personality and general shitty-person-ness and no, I don’t miss Grant.
I never liked Grant that much, but he was a better than average play-by-play guy. When I had League Pass, I listened to them all.
I don’t miss Grant one bit. Was never really a fan. I actually enjoy the Draper/Christie matchup best. Jones sounds like he’s doing an ESPN cast and not a hometown cast.
But what if it turns out that I don’t like that, and by the transitive property, also means that I don’t like NBA basketball?
This here is my question.
No…nooooooooooo
Oh, god no. Koz was pretty good last night, Doug’s still terrible though.
Koz almost made Doug tolerable !
I agree. And Christie is an awful commentator, he has great analysis of details but I don’t like that makes up words all-the time, gets uber-excited over normal plays, fake laughs at nothing, doesn’t remember Kosta, and he’s just annoying overall. I would like to hear a Jones-Koz called game.
The Draper/Christie match is unwatchable ! Totally go for mute and Radio G-Man !
fuck grant
Agreed. Don’t want him back. There is no way that I am going to Foster Grant.
I gave up and listen to radio now with the tv muted, it’s a 20 second delay and easy to sync. Draper and Jones are fine.
Both of your problem scenarios have one thing in common.
No.
Grant who?
Koz, Grant > Jones, Draper, DC
Well of course you will vouch for yourself, Grant.
Gotta be honest I can’t stand Koz. I like Jones though. I don’t think Draper is very good either.
I have seen to broadcasts this year, one with Jones/Christie and the Orlando game with Koz/Christie. Koz and Christie seemed to just be talking while the game was going on and I did not feel immersed in the action, and it seemed like they were more interested in their discussions than the game. Jones does not seem to have the connection with the team and fans, which makes it seem fake/impersonal. I usually mute the games for a reason.
What is Tyrese Haliburton’s ceiling? I have been puzzling over this for awhile and everybody keeps saying “super role player” but why isn’t it higher than that if he’s going to continue to be this efficient on the offensive end?
Brogdon
This makes sense but Brogdon was really old when he came out so I wonder if Haliburton has a higher ceiling.
Pippen
Kevin Martin
…hybrid with Shaun Livingston.
Already a much better defender than Martin was. Better passer and higher BBIQ as well.
A smaller Paul Pierce.
A more talented Michael Jordan.
You just blew my mind.
Small Pierce
You are amazeballs.
His ceiling? It’s that flat part at the top of the room, usually with some kind of light built in.
A lot of us know about some of the top picks in the draft (which have been covered on the site)…Cunningham, Mobley, Suggs, and even Kuminga.
With the Kings becoming more a little more competitive and possibly sliding down the lottery slightly- what are some picks in the 5-15 range that you like and why?
Caveat – I understand Haliburton was projected Top 5 and no one expected him to drop to us and he did. It isn’t a science. Unfortunately, the media really only discusses the top picks and the Kings may not fall below 5.
Secondly, what are some of your favorite (realistic) trade possibilities for the Kings that you would like to see?
The Kings have bet the farm on Fox, and assuming 22-23 would be a target year to make a playoff run the only other players under the King’s control for that season are Hield, Barnes, Haliburton, Woodard and Ramsey. Holmes has expressed interest in staying with the Kings, which is smart from a negotiations standpoint if nothing else. Holmes, Barnes, and Buddy are all about the same age (27-28) and Woodard, Ramsey and Haliburton are all rooks. Based on Haliburton’s salary and play, he is definitely on the 22-23 roster. Do you see any of Holmes, Hield, Barnes, Woodard, or Ramsey still being a King? I’m trying to plan my next Jersey purchase and the Bogi jersey last year has me reticent to jump all in on a player that is gone in a year.
If you don’t like Cash Considerations and are a Monte fan, you can always get a Cap Flexibility jersey.
Or, if you want one of someone who surely will be around for the next 5 years, go with Matina.
Cash considerations it is
I guess at this point, I wonder what the kings have to do to feel like a legitimate playoff team. I have no doubt that this bizarre covid season will keep them hovering around .500.
I don’t think they’re good, but if they stay healthy, I think they can hover around the play in.
Which front offices around the league are feeling the pressure of a slow start? How do the Kings match up as trade partners and which young players should the Kings target in return?
Does Monty go full tank by the deadline?
Circle one yes or no.
Thumbs up for exact direction following.
you must read the directions completely before starting this test
you were so close
Does Tank go full Monty by the trade deadline?
No pants, your kind of show?
When did Oscar’s get so damn expensive and why is a 23 now a 13????
Anyway you can coax Jerry into calling a game this season? Preferablly with Koz.
Buddy and a second for Lonzo and JJ, do you bite? Kings get a contract dump, a versatile guard that fits Fox’s timeline (who can actually pass and defend 1-3) and a trio of guards in Zo, Fox and Hali that will always have a reliable ball handler on the floor at any time. You’d need to put a few shooters around them, but the ball movement on that team would be terrific.
In a heartbeat.
It depends. Does Lavar stay in New Orleans?
if so then count me in.
Would Zo play alongside Fox or keep dodging him?
Yes, and then flip the expiring JJ to a contender for whatever. In the end you are going to have the rights to a younger Lonzo who will ultimately be much cheaper than Buddy. Come free agency you either match or sign and trade him. Either way you are getting assets for Buddy, getting out of his deal, and handing the keys to Hali and Fox.
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