Welcome back to Chainmail! We had some fantastic questions this week, so let’s dive right in, shall we?
From 1951:
Did the Kings trade away their best shot at real roster culture change?
Tim: I’m of the belief that winning changes culture, rather than culture leads to winning, so in that regard, no, not necessarily. Tyrese Haliburton seemed to truly want to be in Sacramento, and he seemed to truly want to be the catalyst to turn things around for this city, but we’ve also seen the same sentiments from Kevin Martin, Tyreke Evans, DeMarcus Cousins, and De’Aaron Fox over the years. I very much believe in Tyrese Haliburton’s skill, ceiling, and potential leadership abilities, but either the Kings are going to win games, or they aren’t. If they don’t, the culture will stay toxic. If they do, the culture will improve.
Will: So, I think that the Kings probably traded away their best shot at a successful long-term rebuild and maybe even the best player of Fox-Hali-Sabonis in four years, but I can also say I don’t think Haliburton was going to be the culture changer in Sacramento. He’s a good kid, a great basketball prospect, but you could see even in his short time in Sacramento how the pressure of this fanbase and the losing weighed on him. That isn’t a bad thing either, I’m not saying he needs to be a Jordan-level sociopath to impact the culture of the Kings. I just personally think his personality wasn’t such that we should have expected franchise changes due to it’s power. What he has going for him, what the Kings had going for them when he was a member of the Kings was… time. On paper, we had time to see if Fox and Hali worked out and if Fox decided the next few years on the Kings wasn’t for him, well, we had a young star-potential point guard in the wings that could play with whatever package of players and picks Fox got in return.
Now, the reality is much starker. The Kings have two seasons to thread the needle on this team or Sabonis could be gone, then presumably followed quickly by De’Aaron Fox.
Culture change is going to come with wins. It won’t be the rare singular talent in Sacramento – it’ll be a smart coach, picked by a smart GM, instilling a system with complimentary players and getting W’s. The meddling owner stuff, the suspicions about advisors, the low-blow potshots taken by reporters and stat-spewing twitter accounts… it all goes away when they start winning games. That might not be the case elsewhere. Toronto, Miami: their culture comes from the A/C units and the banners in the rafters and oozing out of every discussion with their GM’s. Winning solves everything, the Kings just severely shortened the length of the rope around their necks in trading away Tyrese.
Rob: Honestly, I don’t think Tyrese Haliburton is the culture-changing guy. Make no mistake, I love the guy. I think that he could be a potential all-star, and I will be rooting for him in a big way as his career progresses. If I were to entertain actually buying a ticket to a Kings game, it would be for Indiana’s visit next year. With all of that said, I noticed how quickly Hali deferred to Malcolm Brogdon the instant that Brogdon returned to the lineup, and I don’t know that he will ever be ferocious enough from baseline to baseline to be a true culture changer. I think that he is a guy that can promote a culture, but not necessarily someone that can change a culture. And to be completely fair, Domantas Sabonis is playing with at least the fire and passion of Tyrese Haliburton, and probably more. And as a veteran and two-time all-star, his voice and actions probably resonate more loudly than Tyrese Haliburton’s, at least in the present.
From Kings-Rebuild:
How many wins do the Kings need to get from now until the end of next season for Monte McNair to keep his job? What are the expectations?
Tim: For whatever reason, everyone seems to have once again extended Monte McNair’s life cycle with the Kings, and this time, the expectations have been shifted to what he does this summer/draft/offseason. In that regard, I don’t think the rest of this season really matters. Next year, the Kings need to win 41+ games and finish in the eighth spot, at worst. In order to do that, they’ll need to add around 15 or 16 wins this offseason…so…yeah. I’m guessing Monte is let go at the start of the 2023 summer.
Will: I mean, I haven’t EXTENDED Monte’s life cycle with the Kings – I’ve pretty much said all year long that he wasn’t going to get bounced this season. I still maintain that Vivek waits to fire folks a little too long since the Mike Malone firing blew up in his face. My guess is Monte has the length of his contract (two seasons) left to make the playoffs. In the ’22-23 season they’ve got to win in the high 30’s or low 40’s with either their new coach/system showing major progress or at least another large trade asset coming into the fold and then by the ’23-24 they’ve got to be solid contenders for a 6th-8th seed.
My reasoning is pretty simple: I don’t think Vivek is going to let his GM hire a new coach, then fire that GM after a single year AGAIN. It’s much cleaner for Vivek to give him two seasons – then if it’s not in the cards, he just doesn’t renew Monte’s contract, Sabonis walks free at the end of that season and the next GM can either strike the killing blow and completely blow the thing up, eating only a season or two left with the current coach, or try to salvage it if it’s a decent hire that needed more time. This is of course assuming that the Kings don’t give whatever new coach they’ve got a 5 year deal, but again I’d wager whoever they are, they’ll get three, maaaybe four at most.
Rob: I was not anticipating any post-trade improvement for this year. The change to the roster – six players, a low-post presence, a complete change in the offensive philosophy, the general lack of consistent outside shooting (exception: Harrison Barnes) – the lack of practice time, and the absence of viable starters at shooting guard and stretch 4-5 (Barnes cannot play up front with Sabonis on defense) all adds up to no real improvement in the near-term. There is still a lot of work to be done. I have no idea what ownership’s expectations might be, but for me it would be a .500 season next year, followed by an upper 40s win season in 2023-24. Note that the Kings are tracking towards 29 wins this season, so next season would have to show a 12 win improvement. That’s a winning percentage of improvement from .353 to .500. The Timberwolves and Cavaliers are the only two teams to pull off such an improvement this season (Toronto was at .371 last season, so throw them in if you like).
From GregoryI
Three-point shooting is a major problem for this team. What would be some realistic options to fix that via free agency/trade/draft?
Tim: I won’t dive into any trade scenarios, as those are too many to count, but the draft and free agency could both provide some interesting options. When it comes to signing free agents, the Kings will be limited to the non-taxpayer mid-level exception this year (they cannot become a cap space team), which allows them to sign a player to a 4 year deal at a starting salary of around $10 million, as well as the bi-annual exception worth about $4 million. The MLE can also be split into multiple, smaller deals, but it cannot be combined with other exceptions.
Two of my favorite targets for the MLE are TJ Warren and Malik Monk. Warren is coming off of a fairly serious injury and he’s struggled to stay healthy throughout his career, but he’s also a talented two-way combo forward who can knock down the long-ball, as he’s shot better than 40% from deep over the last two seasons. His deal would be a medium-risk, medium reward deal. Monk, a former collegiate teammate of De’Aaron Fox, would provide the Kings with a starting-caliber player at the two-spot, and he’s also a sniper from deep, having shot 40% from beyond the arc over the last two years as well. Either of those players would provide some much-needed floor spacing around De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis.
From the draft’s perspective, almost every player in the top six or seven has been able to space the floor in college. Chet Holmgren, my number one option for the Kings, is knocking down 41% of his three-pointers. Jabari Smith, number two on my big board, is hitting 43% of his deep shots. Jaden Ivey is at 36%. AJ Griffin shoots 47%. Keegan Murray is at 41%. Really, the only non-shooter in my personal top-6 is Paolo Banchero. The Kings can find shooting with their first round pick if they keep it.
Will: I’m going to second the idea of Monk in the backcourt with Fox. He’s not without his own risks but it certainly seems like he’s a financially feasible option and his relationship with Fox might be something that give the Kings an upper hand in where Monk wants to go. I’ll also herald the idea that Jerry Reynolds and Tony have put forth about going after Bobby Portis in the off-season. The guy is shooting a hair under 41% from deep and is only 26 years old… with Milwaukee’s money getting tighter all the time, the Kings might be able to bring Portis in to stretch the floor and take some of the pressure off of Sabonis.
As for trade targets, that’s a bit harder. Malik Beasley of the Timberwolves is one of those lights out shooters that I could see the Kings trying to buy low on… he’s got plenty of off-the-court drama that makes him undesirable from a personality standpoint, but for 16.5 mil a year, you get a guy who’s 3rd in the league in 3 pointers made, shooting 37.5% from deep all while coming off the bench. The dream would be a guy like Cam Johnson out of Phoenix. He’s 25, second in the league in three point percentage at 44.8% from deep and is going to want to get PAID after next season. Maybe Robert Sarver gets grumpy about his negotiations with Deandre Ayton this summer and gets stingy with a kid who has started a total of 33 games in his career and asks Phoenix to ship him out to save on luxury taxes for his championship contender. Seeing Chris Paul aging more and more each day, the Suns swap Davion Mitchell and whatever first they want in return.
Oh also, all those draft picks sound good to me.
Rob: This is a tough one to project, as I have no feel as to whether the Kings are going to keep or deal their 1st round pick. But if we play the odds and project that the Kings keep the pick, they might get some minor help via the draft (I am always hesitant to think that a rookie is going to come in and instantly light it up, especially from deep). Cut and paste Tim’s comments regarding Malik Monk, as well as Warren. Rodney Hood would be an inexpensive option, but he’s probably not much more than bench fodder at this point. I’m not sure how expensive Gary Harris might be, but probably out of the Kings’ range. And while Chris Boucher is not volume, I think that he could be a potential fit up front next to Sabonis.
From AmateurNerd:
Rank the following reasons for the Kings post-trade Kangziness, in order of likelihood:
1. Lack of roster talent, plain and simple. 2. Bad coaching. 3. Player apathy/lethargy/laziness. 4. Holbroc, Demon of Basketball Hell
Tim: The number one issue for the Kings this season, last season, the season before that, the season before that, the season before that, the season before that, the season before that, the season before that, the season before that, the season before that, the season before that, the season before that, the season before that, the season before that, the season before that, and the season before that has been overall roster talent.
The Kings are bad, bad, both post and pre-trade. They have three legitimate starters, no quality backup 3/4 (with Moe Harkless being the other option), their backup point guard is one of the least efficient shooters in the league, and they have zero reliable outside shooting outside of Harrison Barnes. Most of their bench (and maybe a couple of their starters) would not see real minutes for true contenders, Davion Mitchell, Richaun Holmes, and maybe Jeremy Lamb aside.
Outside of that primary reason for their terribleness, the Kings also need a real head coach. Alvin Gentry is historically and currently an unsuccessful head coach who is great as a number two or number three guy.
Fix those two issues and maybe the defensive energy and attention to detail start to resolve themselves.
Will: I definitely think you’ve got them in the right order, though I think the demon infects all other manners of the team listed and should thus be in his own, higher tier. Roster talent is easily #1 there. They upped their star power but their new depth is either injured (Lamb) recovering from injury (Donte D), not used to consistent minutes (Lyles) or not quite fitting into their new roles in Sacramento (Holiday). Davion Mitchell is now in a different role that he was previous and still having rookie swings, Richaun Holmes is dealing with confidence/off-the-court issues that have severely limited his ability to be effective and the rest are… well… playing like expected for this team.
Rob: I will rank ownership above any of that. It all starts at the top, and this organization has made mistake after mistake after mistake. And all of these mistakes have been made by either ownership or those that were hired by them. After that, it is a lack of talent, from the front office on down, which results in the lack of player talent and coaching talent. While it is true that there is nothing more important than having actual competitive talent on the roster, it is the actions of ownership and those that they have hired that has directly resulted in the product on the floor.
From jwalker1395:
Does Barnes make sense on this roster? I love his consistency, work ethic, and attitude. However, he’s best as a stretch-four in my opinion, but Sabonis and Barnes don’t make a viable defensive frontcourt. Is Barnes your SF moving forward, or is he Monte’s best trade chip, and if you’re going to move him, what are you in the market for to make this roster work together?
Tim: Yes and no. Harrison Barnes is a perfect example of the difficulty of building around a Fox-Sabonis core. From an offensive perspective, Barnes makes a lot of sense as one of the most reliable three-point shooters in the NBA, as well as his ability to occasionally put the offense on his shoulders and get a bucket or draw a foul. Those factors, in addition to his high efficiency and low usage rate, appear to make him a perfect partner for Fox and Sabonis.
Unfortunately, the defensive end of the floor exists, and this is where I struggle with Barnes’ place on this team. Domantas Sabonis can body up with beefy centers and he actually does a decent job of holding his own, but he gets lost in space against quicker, lankier bigs (think Bam Adebayo), and Sabonis also cannot protect the rim, especially in help defense. Meanwhile, Barnes has very little vertical pop on either side of the court, so his pairing with Sabonis can turn ugly at times, as we’ve seen with the Kings.
Since the trade, the Kings are allowing opponents to shoot 69.6% at the rim, 7.1% better than those teams’ averages and the worst mark in the league. They’re also recording just 3.8 blocks per game, tied for fourth-worst in the NBA. There is zero resistance at the rim for this starting lineup.
The best case scenario for the Kings is to upgrade the four-spot with a floor-spacing rim protector and to slide Barnes to small forward, although Barnes may also be the trade chip to get them said player.
Will: Yeah, I think for now unfortunately, Barnes is too good to be replaced by whatever you’d trade him for so… he’s gonna be your starting SF/PF for the foreseeable future. He’s a great role player for what this team is trying to squeeze into a playoff team, a reliable three point threat (though I take issue with him disappearing randomly a few games at a time) and he’s still at the right age where the Kings can sell themselves on having him be a part of the team for a good long while.
The Kings are headed toward this uncomfortable intersect where they need to upgrade their surrounding talent but are also running out of talent to send out on the trade wire. Picks are nice for some teams but outside of Barnes, they have a struggling Holmes, a young, unproven Davion Mitchell and then… what? Terrence Davis? Hopefully a resigned Donte DiVincenzo? You have to give up something to get something and while logic states it probably wouldn’t be Barnes to go… it also wouldn’t surprise me.
Rob: Barnes is a good stretch four if you have a rim protecting five. The Kings do not, so on this team he needs to be on the wing. This may not be his best position, but he would probably project as a better than average wing (with a gulf between him and the elite wings), and if you could shore up the stretch 4-5 spot with a starting caliber player, your front line would look pretty good with Sabonis, (insert name here) and Barnes.
The challenge for the Kings should they flip Barnes for someone is that you are now dealing with a net gain instead of a full gain. For example, if the Kings could somehow obtain John Collins in a Barnes deal, you may be a little better, but it is incremental as you have lost Barnes in the deal. And if the price is Barnes and a pick, you may not gain anything at all.
Right now the Kings have three NBA starters: Sabonis, Fox and Barnes. They need two net two more starters. Dealing Barnes for a starting grade player would not change the need for two more NBA-level starters.
From SlamsonsRollerskates:
Is Chet Holmgren the type of player that would be an ideal frontcourt partner for Domantas Sabonis?
Tim: Yes, he’s a great fit with Sabonis. Domantas has two areas of kryptonite in his game: rim protection and three-point shooting. Where is Chet projected to be at his best? Rim protection and three-point shooting.
Of course, there are concerns about Chet’s slender frame and his ability to hold his own against NBA bigs, but any coach who slots Holmgren opposite thicc centers isn’t doing their job correctly. Chet should be guarding opposing 4’s to start his career, as his ability to gobble up shots should make up for his lack of a sturdy body, and that freedom would also allow him to fly in for helpside blocks when Sabonis is tied up in the paint. If the Kings somehow land the number one pick, Chet should be the pick.
Will: General rule going forward when it comes to mailbags where Tim has me answering questions: Don’t ask the dude who loves Poku if he thinks Chet Holmgren is gonna be good.
Imperialist Poku is gonna be great and would be a fantastic fit next to Sabonis. He’s a floor spacer, a capable passer in his own right (though not with the same flash as my young son in OKC), able to run the fast break in Sabonis-like fashion and swats the hell out of the ball. It might take him a few years to fully develop into the guy the Kings would need him to be to get out of the 6th-10th seed pit but Chet is absolute a floor raiser for this Sacramento Kings squad from Day 1. He’s a funky player that fits what the Kings need like a glove… which means you shouldn’t even expect the Kings to have a shot at the kid.
Rob: Chet Holmgren is #1 on my draft board, under the heading of “don’t overthink it.” He has the look of a guy that would fit virtually any roster. That said, I think that Jabari Smith, Keegan Murray and maybe even Tari Eason would work up front with Sabonis. Paolo Banchero isn’t the answer that you would be looking for on the defensive end, but he could wind up being something special as well.
From TaintedMeat:
What is the realistic return for Holmes in the offseason, and which teams do you think will be interested?
Tim: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOF. I don’t know how much value Richaun Holmes is currently carrying. After signing the first large contract of his career, Holmes has missed about 40% of the season, and more significantly, he’s played terribly ever since his injury several months ago. Overall, Richaun has appeared in just 70% of his games since joining the Kings – not exactly the availability one looks for in a starting center. His value has probably never been lower since he started showing out for Sacramento. He looks pretty cooked right now.
As far as who might be interested, it’s probably going to be the same teams we always connect to Holmes: Dallas, Charlotte, Milwaukee, and Toronto. I just don’t know how much they’re willing to actually surrender at this point.
Will: This is a busted season for Holmes. There’s absolutely no denying that. But I’ll also say that there’s some truth to the adage that NBA GM’s know that a player isn’t just their previous season – especially if that player is residing in Sacramento. I’d agree in general that his value is lower than it was a year ago, but I also think that it wouldn’t be difficult for Monte to twist the arm of the right team and get what he wanted out of a transaction for Holmes. His contract is still incredible, his production this season can be hand waved to freak circumstances and he’s still one of the biggest energy boosts in the league… given that he has the opportunity to play.
I won’t expect much from a Holmes trade at this point and I wouldn’t be surprised if a new coach in Sacramento found a way to bring him in as a premiere bench big man either. Whoever ends up with him: Charlotte, Dallas especially – I would expect for his return to form, very, very quickly.
Rob: Best case is probably another team’s bench MLE player. Some team that has an MLE guy stuck at 8th or lower in the rotation that is looking for a backup big. Would Dallas prefer Holmes to Reggie Bullock? Does Holmes for Saric or Crowder work for Phoenix? That sort of thing. I’m not sure why the Kings were unable to get anything for Holmes at the deadline, but his devaluation is tracking at Buddy Hield-type levels right now.
From fossilizedflatus:
What in the world would entice any coach – be they up an up-and-coming prospect or now available established solid candidate – to accept being under the auspices of Vivek, Aneel, and Matina?
Tim: Before we get into why a coach would come to Sacramento, it’s probably important to note that the big names and the best candidates probably won’t come here. The chances of the Kings acquiring a top-tier coaching candidate feel low to me.
That being said, the old adage of “there are only 30 of these jobs in the world’ continues to ring true. While the Kangz Kangziness is well-known throughout the league, if someone is offering you millions of dollars in guaranteed money to try and turn this organization, are you really saying no? At this rate, you’re probably getting the final year or two of your contract paid while you chill at home.
There’s also the factor that the Kings are kind of fire-proof, and here’s what I mean by that. If you come to Sacramento, try to fix things, and fail, it’s extremely easy to blame the organization (which is probably true) and get a job elsewhere. Pete D’Alessandro is still in the league. Scott Perry is still in the league. Ty Corbin got another job as an assistant. Dave Joerger is still working. The list goes on and on (sorry, Vlade). Conversely, if you somehow save the Titanic, you’re a basketball god with nothing but good things ahead of you.
Will: Yeah, the fact of the matter is, when you get to this level, you want to be THE COACH somewhere in the league and messy ownership and management drama can only factor into your decision making so much if you’re anyone but a Top 10 guy in this league. Especially coaches trying to break through for the very first time – there’s no guarantee that your status of defensive guru or player whisperer doesn’t go away after a few bad seasons with whatever team you’re clinging to. Would I expect the Kings to entice an Eric Spoelstra, Steve Kerr, Quin Snyder away from their current jobs? No. Am I already expecting a guy like Kenny Atkinson to take a better fit for him? Absolutely. But there will be good coaches interested, maybe even great coaches… the Kings will just have to sort out who’s who.
Rob: Where else can you sign a four year deal worth multi-millions with the knowledge that you’re going to get a two year paid vacation before it is all said and done? Sign me up!!! Bottom line, there is a very finite list of unemployed head coaches that can set their terms and geographical preferences. The demand of wannabe coaches always outpaces the supply of available jobs. The issue is not who’s available, but making the right choice. The Kings pretty much did that when they hired Michael Malone but spit the bit. The Jazz got it right when they hired the NBA-unproven Quin Snyder. Not too many people other than Pat Riley knew who Erik Spoelstra was when he was given the job.
Yeah, it’s a narrower needle to thread for the Kings than it is for teams located in big markets and/or teams with top ten NBA talent. But there is a good coach out there for the Sacramento Kings to hire. The question is not whether the right coach will come here. The question is will the organization hire the right coach.
From ForKingsandCountry:
When do you believe the Kings will make the playoffs? Is it possible for them to make the playoffs while Vivek Ranadive owns the team?
Tim: I would guess the actual playoffs happen in three to five years, in the post-Fox and post-Sabonis era. And yes, I think Vivek still owns the team at that time.
Will: I’m sorry but to address Tim here, if the actual playoffs happen in three to five years, there is absolutely zero chance that happens in a Fox AND Sabonis free Sacramento. If they’re both gone, the Kings are in the tank and no where near the playoffs for the next five years.
Okay. Had to just say that. That’s just at a yogurt pie level of needing to respond. I think the Kings could get there in three to four years – with both or with Sabonis and the package that a fed up Fox fetches the Kings. There will be good coaches wanting this job, there will be decent free agents that CAN be had (not will have, but more, its possible) and teams rise and fall all the time. Every year there’s examples of teams that come out of nowhere after the right system and mix of players gel… one of these years it will be the Kings and this core is the best immediate shot at it in a long time. Not saying how long it’ll last or how successful they’ll be once they get there but, a Vivek owned team can make the playoffs in the next few years given a smart plan.
Rob: This summer tells the tale for me. If they can add a fourth viable starter and hire the right coach they have at least a chance at .500 in 2022-23, which would at least be in contention for the 8th seed. Add more in the summer of ‘23 and you could be flirting with top six in the West. And of course, it could all fail spectacularly and the Kings could be five – seven years away.
From NinjaFetus:
If the Kings fail to make the playoffs next year as well, and now that Domantas would have experienced basketball hell for over a year, what would you put as the odds of him re-signing when his contract is up?
Tim: Let’s jump into the technicalities of Sabonis upcoming free agency before discussing the possibilities of him returning. The first important aspect of this conversation to acknowledge is that there’s a zero percent chance that Domantas signs an extension prior to free agency. NBA veteran extensions only allow teams to offer 4-year extensions (or 5 years including the final season of the previous contract) with a 120% raise on the final season’s salary. That would grant Sabonis a contract of 4 years, $108 million, a potential loss of more than $100 million.
When Sabonis does enter unrestricted free agency, the Kings will own his full Bird Rights, a salary cap exception that grants Sacramento a significant financial advantage over other teams with cap space. The Kings can go as far above the salary cap as they would like to offer a max contract (30% of the cap) of five years with 8% non-compounding raises. Other teams will only be able to offer a four-year max deal (30% of the cap) with 5% non-compounding raises. While we don’t know what the exact salary cap will be in two years, based on estimates, here’s the breakdown:
Vet Extension: 4 years, $108 million
Non-Kings Free Agency: 4 years, $173 million ($43 million average)
Kings Bird Rights: 5 years, $220 million ($44 million average)
While the average salary between the Kings and other teams isn’t particularly significant, if Sacramento is willing to tack on that fifth year to pay a 33-year old Domantas Sabonis $55 million, they very well could have enough of a financial advantage to keep their All-Star.
Will: I love when Tim does all the math for me. It truly is a blessing. I’m going to say that the odds are really significantly higher than expected that the Kings re-sign Domas if there’s even a decent modicum of success in Sacramento. Sure they can’t pull this record off again but unless a potential super-team is calling with a seat for him to feature prominently, I think the financial advantage is enough to give the Kings a big edge. His family is in California, the bar for success is low and expectations won’t ever fall on him if it doesn’t work out… Sacramento is a decent gig for the right kind of player and if the Kings DO pull off an extended playoff run? The man is all but assured a jersey in the rafters and free food for life in the area.
Talking to Jerry on the podcast last weekend, he tended to agree. This might have been cut due to a technical difficulty but Jerry had even mentioned talking to someone in the Pacer’s org who does back of the bench stuff and that person said they’d expect Sabonis to re-sign as well. Crazier things have happened but that’s a decent little indicator I can dig my claws into until it happens two summers from now.
Rob: I think that the Kings will need to show significant improvement between now and the end of Sabonis’ contract for him to want to finish his career in Sacramento. As noted earlier in the questions, .500 for this next season and the .575 range the season after that. The win column will not only dictate Sabonis’ future in Sacramento, but Fox’s as well.
Personally, I believe more in Banchero’s shot than I do in Ivey’s. At least, I think he’ll be the better shooter relative to position.
Not going to happen, but I move Fox and this year’s first round pick for an upgrade. I don’t think Fox is ever going to shoot or play defense, and I also wonder if he can’t function without the ball in his hands, and that was what was plaguing him in the Tyrese era. I can’t say who the upgrade would be, because I’m not too smart, but I think the Kings should move on sooner rather than later. I hate to even make this comparison, but if Fox slows down 10%, the Kings have John Wall on their roster.
Is this the 5 time All Star, Top 20 in VORP 4 different seasons, 1 All NBA team and defensive NBA team John Wall?
Or the only played 70 games in 4 seasons John Wall?
Because I don’t know if either of those is an apt comparison to a 10% slowed down Fox. Unless we are just talking about perceived albatross contracts, which unless Fox has similar injury issues to Wall, I don’t see being the same, even if Fox’s contract is not getting ideal value to production at this 10% slowed down rate.
2018-19 John Wall, where he was still a decent player, but his team was bad, he was overpaid, couldn’t shoot, and his defensive rating was 10 points worse than his offensive rating.
That was also his 9th year in the league.
Fox was about the same in his 5th year in the league, for most of this season. Doesn’t mean he’ll always play that badly, or the tires are going to fall off tomorrow, but I’m not going to wave it away either.
Yeah – If we replaced Fox with Mitchell does anybody really think there will be a significant drop off in the Kings performance. Personally I prefer the guy who plays both sides of the ball and I think in two years given the opportunity Mitchell will be the better overall player. I’ll take that trade assuming we can get Jabari Smith, not have to take back any of Fox’s salary and position ourselves do get Koloko with the next pick. I’d probably sign DD under the very likely assumption we couldn’t get LaVine. I’m also try to move Barnes to Boston for Pritchard and a first or for Pritchard and Smart. I’d also move Holmes for cap space and a second. If you want to throw a little of the cap space at Monk okay.
Mitchell/Pritchard
DD /TD – maybe Smart, maybe Monk
Jabari Smith
Sabonis/Lyles
Koloko / Jones / Queta
That team would play a little defense and grow together to be formidable. So yes, move Fox for the right deal and yours isn’t bad. My other plan is probably more realistic. Draft Murray and Koloko and keep Fox and Barnes.
I really really really hope you are right….I really really really think you are not unfortunately.
I mean Fox for the first time is playing with an All Start level player/facilitator and has put up a fantastic stretch. It could be coincidence. Seems a bit unlikely.
Sure his defense is not optimal…but there are plenty of examples of teams making the playoffs with an offense first best/2nd best player. Key is building around those said weaknesses and deficiencies. Bc there are things he brings to the table (speed, ability to create and make own shot, get to the line etc) that are not easy to teach or find.
Honestly, it boggles the mind that people who claim to know something about basketball are unable to detect and/or acknowledge the difference in talent-level between Fox and Mitchell.
And this is not intended to be a shot at Mitchell or anyone else, as I believe he can have a very solid career. He isn’t ever going to be an all-star, and while the same may apply to Fox, the difference is that Fox has proven that he can play at that level.
I could see Davion making some all-defensive teams, though.
It boggles my mind that people who know little about basketball can project a players future after less than one season. We don’t know for sure but apparently Fox was someone management was willing to move but there didn’t appear to be a super strong market for him. I like Davion, he’s a winner and a fierce competitor, two attributes this roster badly needs. Now there is something that could change my mind. A fully capable Fox decides to play defense but so far that’s equivalent to getting Russell Westbrook to move without the ball.
That’s an excellent point, particularly when you don’t bother to acknowledge the stark difference in talent between Fox and Mitchell.
But other than that?
Based on various articles I’ve read on Davion, he hasn’t had a successful rookie season. Entering the league as an older rookie makes it even worse. I have a hard time seeing him get a max contract like Fox did.
Davion is not rated as a top ten rookie in any poll so count me out as thinking he would be anything more than a 3rd or 4th guard on a winner !
I agree that Mitchell projects as a 6th man at best, and that is only if he fixes his shot. That said, Fox wasn’t in the top ten of his class his rookie season.
I don’t remember if I said it on Twitter, but Fox was not a NBA player his first couple months.
In 1606 total minutes, Davion’s TS% is 47.6%. His WS/48 is -.003. His ORtg & DRtg (Bref) is 99 & 118 respectively.
De’Aaron played 2026 total minutes his rookie season. His TS% was 47.8%. His WS/48 was -.014. The ORtg & DRtg (Bref) was 94 & 113 respectively.
The difference is obvious between that 2017-18 roster and this one. But it’s an important difference and understanding it helps to understand Davion’s rookie season, like De’Aaron, and this type of difference requires context and thoughtful reflection to really understand it.
I look at the career arcs of guys like Bobby Jackson and Patrick Beverly, and I could see the same for Mitchell without squinting too hard.
Same. 6th man and as needed point of attack defender, but I don’t really see him as an offensive microwave…at least not yet. If one were very optimistic maybe they could hope for Kyle Lowry, but I think that’s pushing it.
That may be pushing it, but Lowry is also an excellent example of how a player hard to pigeon hole can develop.
And I don’t have a problem with those outcomes at the 9th pick. But I guess it just depends on what you think the Kings should have done with the players taken after Davion I suppose.
I was on the Moses Moody train when the pick came up. But I would have drafted Malik Monk over Donovan Mitchell, so, you know.
For sure, I think Moody was the top choice of a lot of fans at the time.
I tend to think of punditry as a 45-45-10 business. 45% you will get right, 45% wrong. The skill is getting the last 10% correct. And it’s nowhere near as easy as it seems.
Damn, I was hoping that those percentages were allow 45% of pundits to keep punditing, permanently stop 45% percent of them from punditing, and kill the 10% who so clearly deserve it.
Now apply that rule to all punditry, which I typed pundirty, and is probably a better name for it.
I’d kind of like to get the kill ratio to 45%, if I’m being honest. You could even double that number, and no discerning person would notice a dip in the quality of what’s vomited into our collective consciousness.
How exactly are the Kings getting Jabari Smith Jr, Smart, Pritchard, and Monk in this scenario? Holmes for cap space and second? Are you certain you know how trades work in the NBA?
If you plan is to roll out a starting 5 of Mitchell, DDV, Smith Jr., Sabonis and a rookie center taken in the second round in Koloko, I’d say you are crazy, unless the goal is to get the #1 pick in 2023.
You should go back and read the sequence of the posts more closely. I responded to a post proposing Fox and our first round pick to move up in the upcoming draft. So I said I would make that deal if I knew I could get Smith and then later Koloko. So I would use seconds and perhaps Holmes if necessary to get Koloko. May not have to. Monk I said I would make a modest free agent offer and we should have plenty of cap space if we moved Fox. The Smart and Pritchard scenario came from trading Barnes.
The goal is to build a long term sustainable winning team not to sneak in the lower end of the playoffs for one year. I’d rather take my chances on Mitchell and perhaps Jabari Smith than Fox and an 8th pick. I’d also take all that cap space that come with that swap.
Specifics please, otherwise it’s like saying the Kings should trade for Jokic. I can spitball with the best of us, but a pipe dream result without reality is just that….a pipedream.
There are currently 5 teams ahead of the Kings in the lottery: Detroit, Orlando, OKC, Houston, and Indy. Do you really think any of those teams are willing to give up their potential #1 pick in Jabri Smith for a package centered around Fox? I mean….really? C’mon man….
After what I said above, you can’t just move a rookie salary 5 year max extension without taking equal money/contacts back. The CBA has rules, including a limit on those kinds of contracts.
Again my friend, you may want to look into how trades work. I feel a lot of what you would like to do to the roster is fine and has an argument, but is just not feasible within the rules of the NBA.
I can see Detroit. It won’t effect Cade’s rookie max extension and nobody else is the rookie max on the roster atm. And if somehow the pick the Kings gave up was worth the rookie max, Fox’s contract would expire by that point.
But I don’t see the Kings doing that either way.
A point about that though. If somehow you draft a player worthy of that extension this year, the Kings would have a slot still open.
So you are thinking something like the #1 (Smith Jr.) and a contract like Jerami Grant for Fox and the #6 pick? I’d think the Kings would have to give up some additional future assets to make that work.
Pistons would have to add money because Grant alone isn’t enough.
The Grant & the #1 pick for Fox and the #6 pick isn’t something I’d do. But I tend to believe in Fox more than others here. And I’m certainly not giving up a pick to move Fox either.
You’re purposely misinterpreting what I said and you know it. I did not propose the Fox trade I responded to it. You could create longer term cap space by moving Fox so I’m not sure what your point is. Yes I think Orlando or Houston sitting at second or third would be willing to move down to say 7th for a package including Fox but maybe I’ll defer to you because you’ve had a lot of front office, coaching and playing experience.
Great. Show me that trade. I’ll probably laugh myself to death like I was a Judge Doom henchman, but I suppose anything is possible.
Your words, dude. Carl said he’d move Fox and this year’s pick for an upgrade. In your mind an upgrade is moving Fox and his $30M per year deal for no long term money in return, starting Mitchell, and a second round pick at center, all while somehow trading up to get Smith Jr. In what world is that possible?
Right? He is roster-bating without any real-world implications.
That’s the entire purpose of being childish, Mike. To do whatever the fuck you want with no consequences for your actions. Didn’t you get the memo?
Does Fox averaging 29.5/6.7/4.3 on .514/.395/.761 shooting since the trade was announced really mean nothing to you all? I get Davion is a superior defender but to suggest that we’d somehow be better if we were missing 30 points and 7 assists per game on that efficiency is just WILLLLD to me. He hasn’t even had a training camp with Sabonis, DDV, and a decent coach yet. Nobody is really willing to wait and see what we got here before trying to ship him off?
You make a good case and good post. We can all have our opinions on where Michell might be in two years in comparison to Fox. With that said, nobody is recommending to dump Fox for nothing. Absent of a substantial return, I favor keeping him. If however and that’s a big IF we can use Fox as part of a deal to move of in the draft and get a potentially perceived franchise player, it’s something I would entertain. That is what was hypothesized by another poster and started the discussion. Lastly, keep in mind, despite an impactful trade and the uptick in Fox’s performance, the teams performance hasn’t improved. Hopefully that will change next year.
Well, if you read what’s said on the website that covers the Kings most-closely, you’d know that Fox is terrible.
De’Aaron Fox is the new whipping boy, and he’s either Chris Paul and Ja Morant combined or he’s pure unadulterated shit, you see.
Seriously though, at this point, so many fans just see Fox for what he isn’t rather than what he is. And he’s a shiny reminder of what this franchise has done wrong for a really, really long time. It’s a hard emotional burden to shed, me thinks.
No. A ~15 game stretch picked out of a bad season doesn’t mean anything to me at all. Fox has a five year history of being a good (not great) player in spite of not shooting or defending.
And for those people making strawman arguments about people calling Fox “terrible” or “shit,” he’s neither. Fox is a good starter, and probably the third best player on a good team, who has real limitations. He can break down defenses and get to the basket and score, but he can’t shoot and won’t or can’t defend. Every team he’s been on has been terrible (which is more a talent problem than a Fox problem).
This season indicates that he’s either been injured, unmotivated or must have the ball in his hands to be successful. None of these things are good. Fox relies on athleticism (and the ball) to be successful, and the first one wanes over time. His comps to me are Westbrook and John Wall. Both are players that put up nice counting stats but don’t make other players better. Fox is a smart, thoughtful person and seems like a good guy and that means something.
You’re picking 15 games out of five years here. Fox is not going to touch those numbers over the course of a season. I’m not suggesting the Kings cut him and lose his contributions outright. I’m suggesting the Kings package him with a strong asset for another player that fits better with Sabonis, and hopefully (though there’s no guarantee with Fox’s salary) would be better than Fox.
This team doesn’t have enough top level talent and it has fit issues. They’ve looked bad even with their core guys all performing well, and Fox in particular way out of his norms. That’s not Alvin Gentry’s fault or even Puke Walton’s fault, or the lack of training camp. It’s a overall talent and fit problem. Adding a couple of average starters to the existing team, which is going to be pretty tough given the Kings assets, isn’t going to radically change that equation. They need to find a way to get better and maybe Fox’s talent, performance and contract make that impossible. But that’s the route I would be exploring.
I said it in jest. I even said in the next paragraph “Seriously though.”
He’s been shooting the 3 at a higher clip, and his TS% is near 60% since the Sabonis trade. That’s fucking elite. It’s also only 15 games, and you’re not going to give Fox the benefit of the doubt on a 15 game sample size over a 300+ game sample size. I understand that.
But I do ask this seriously: How many of these 15 games have you watched, if any? Because its not just that the shooting percentages are better, it’s also the types of shots Fox is taking, too. Particularly his 3’s. There are stepback’s, sidestep 3’s, that feel sustainable in the future. And he could make a few more if he even works on his shot seriously all summer.
He’s got potential as a 50/40/85 guy IMO. With 6 assists on top of that. And better defense than he’s showing under Gentry, for sure.
I dont know that I’m willing to throw out the baby with the bath water on this one. And I especially don’t see what’s out there that will get you anything close to what Fox could potentially become. But that requires faith, and faith I get you (and many others) are short on.
My only other question here (outside of how many games you’re watching these days) is: What would it take to change your mind on this one?
I would bet my groundskeeper shack against that ever happening in a season.
I agree that there may not be deals you can make for Fox, but because of his ratio of performance to salary.
Five years is too long to believe a guy is going to make a radical jump. I can believe that Davion Mitchell could become a good shooter, because he doesn’t have five years of history that says he can’t. With Fox, it’s just not going to happen over a long period. There’s a chance Fox could get to average as a three point shooter (he did it once!) which would be a huge benefit to his game. He’s got four seasons at 32% or under from three and one above that. He’s never going to be better than average and the most likely outcome is that he’ll always be terrible.
The team starts winning, or Fox shoots and plays defense consistently for a season.
Bits and pieces, passively. I’m certainly not watching closely. Sabonis is a good player, and I like Barnes and Fox as people, but this team is still hard to watch three games out of four.
Fox’s turnaround is great, but WTF has been going on all season? You’ve watched more closely than I have, and I can’t make sense of it. Is it Sabonis having gravity in the paint? Better ball movement? Was he pouting? Is it an injury healing? Coaching adjustments?
And1 – where I’ve lost faith over the last 16 years is expecting guys to be something they’re not, or hoping career bench players suddenly explode into stars. It just doesn’t happen enough for me to even consider it any more. Make upside plays for sure. Nothing wrong with kicking the tires on the bench and fringe guys the front office has brought in. But don’t count on that. The work that matters is at the top of the roster.
Agreed. And I think Sabonis was certainly an investment in unlocking De’Aaron Fox to a large degree.
I would cuz it’s a mythical shack! Seriously, though, I said potential not likely outcome. I think 50/38/82 is more likely and very, very doable for him. The hardest part to believe at this point for me is the 82% from the FT line. The 3 ball stroke looks online a lot of the time.
In other circumstances, I’d agree. But, I was extrapolating a little bit because this is what De’Aaron has done the last 15 games: 51/39.5./76.1 (FG/3FG/FT).
That feels…..sustainable. His TS% is 59.5% on 30 USG%.
Why?
First, I stress this is a hunch. I stress this is a hunch because while I know you read what I write, others often do not. This is for them.
So my hunch is….it’s a bit of Domas’ and the gravity he provides. He’s not expending as much as energy getting everywhere he needs to go.
It’s a bit of having fresher legs than if he had played 2300 total minutes to this point. Some of the 3’s he’s missed had more tired legs than shot broken feel to them, IMO, particularly in the 2nd half of games. A few of the missed attempts came at the end of a possession when someone had to get a shot attempt up.
Ball movement is better at times with Domas, mainly, but it does stagnate too often without Domas OR De’Aaron on the floor. It’s often noted when Domas is off the floor, but I notice it’s just as much a problem without De’Aaron. It’s kinda hard to pass to other players who aren’t scoring threats outside of standalone jump shots.
I’d love to give coaching adjustments credit, because I don’t think Alvin Gentry is entirely devoid in that regard, but it’s just hard to say what without knowing what’s going on behind that curtain. I do think De’Aaron is shooting it with more confidence and certainly some of that has to include encouragement from Gentry if nothing else.
Mostly I think it’s a basic point that sometimes it’s so easy to take for granted: It’s about how guys play. The way Tyrese played really didn’t impact or open the game up for De’Aaron in a meaningful way. Domas is the first guy De’Aaron has ever played with who commands a double team (and triple teams, too) every game. De’Aaron might just simply have more energy to defend consistently, and play off the ball than he did before because he simply had to create so much offense. And had to make incredibly difficult tight spots work consistently. Which it often did not.
Teams are not letting Domas beat them. And in many cases, they are trying with De’Aaron. What happened against Chicago was the Kings built a big lead, but the Bulls took a long, long time to climb that mountain in the 2nd half. The Kings largely built big leads in 4 minute stretches in the 1st half, otherwise the game was fairly tight. In both instances, it was largely because both De’Aaron or Domas were scoring the ball effectively. But then the Kings also took control because De’Aaron made nice reads and timely buckets. Domas was a big factor down the stretch. I don’t know whose Batman, but I don’t know whose Robin between these two either. I happen to like that, personally. They are a bit of both at times, fair or not.
One thing I’ve noticed about Domas is that during games, he grabs rebounds and he just doesn’t give up the ball. And then he starts to initiate the offense from the top of the key. He’s forcefully attempting to create better ball movement, and that’s a very key difference between a guy in his 6th year and a guy in his 2nd year. De’Aaron will always get the ball because he’s a G. But Domas not having to work to get himself open every possession is a huge advantage for him in Sac that I think Domas appreciates after years of playing on very slow methodical teams.
The strangest part of it all Spackler? It doesnt feel especially difficult to repeat. De’Aaron Fox can hit 3 or 4 3’s with regularity. He’s not going 6-8 on a heater than 1-6 the next 4 outings every time. Out of the 15 games he’s shot 3 pointers in, he’s had 33% or less 6 out of those 15 games. He’s been in the 35-40% range 5 times, and the other 4 he shot 50% or better. Isn’t that pretty typical for a good 3 point shooter? Feels like it’s so to me. If anything, sometimes I think he gets a bit too 3 happy. But that’s a minor nitpick, overall I’m okay with his shots he’s getting from 3.
Maybe where I’m going with all this is there is more freedom now? I’m not sure I understand it, exactly. And I need to see it consistently from here on out, too. I’m not sold he’s doing anything other than getting a tad lucky and reverting to the career mean.
But it’s interesting that it’s happening with both Domas and Domas not on the floor all the same. I feel if there’s one thing I’m optimistic about, it’s that Domas’ presence provides that stability De’Aaron has never had at any point in his career in Sac. I guess that’s my hunch, which probably isn’t much of a hunch at all really.
If we’re going off the ‘small sample size’ argument here, I’d say a whole lot of the Fox hate has come off of the first half of one season when he was forced to play out of position next to Tyrese. This past 15 games, combined with his past 3 seasons, seem to suggest to me he’s a young, still developing player who has shown improvement on his shooting and can average elite numbers if he can manage to do so consistently.
Still calming down from the phrase “thicc centers”…thanks for taking my question guys. Full agreement all around from me.
I also agree with Rob that Chet is out of our range…right now. I’m wondering if Monte buys in enough to the pairing of Chet and Domas (plus the Gonzaga connection, for whatever that is worth…incentive for Domas to stay?) that he would swing for the fences and trade up? Or, depending on lottery luck, hit a double and move up. Learning under Morey got him a Masters in trading draft picks for veterans. Just wonder if he would ever put together a large enough package of picks to trade up in a draft? I hope he does. If we stay in the 5-7 range though I hope we get Mathurin from AZ. I think his draft stock is about to explode come tourney time.
Re$ign or Resigned?
Piggybacking off the article, I like the idea of picking up Monk and Portis as they fit snuggily and shouldn’t break the bank.
Fox
Monk
Barnes
Sabonis
Portis
Not a terrible starting 5 for next season. With Davion and whatever rookie (hopefully a stretch 4) getting time off the bench.
I like that team a lot better and could be fun to watch . Hope for K MURRAY.
Getting K Murray would be the most beautifullest thing in this world.
That stretch 4 off the bench would be Lyles. I like that lineup with Murray, Griffin, or Mathurin in the draft.
I personally think we have our starting SG already locking in with TD but would love Monk as the backup. I also really like Portis, would be my #1 most realistic FA option. Keegan Murray with the #5/6 pick.
Fox, Mitchell
TD, Monk
Barnes, Murray
Portis, Lyles
Sabonis, D. Jones
With a solid coach I think that’s a legitimate playoff team in the west and is a very realistic off-season.
That is a solid and better team . Interesting that Jerry mentioned those 3 as guys he would like and thinks may be attainable . Certainly hope so .
You missed the most important question regarding the loss of the game prediction score link… 🤔 I’m beginning to wonder if Aneel runs this site.
It was addressed in the prediction post a couple games ago.
Since Rob is part of this mailgbag, what is his animal supposed to be in the article picture? 😉
I suggested a sloth, or an (l)otter(y).
Don’t like Monk at SG because because IMO, we need a wing and a big who can both play tough defense, hit open 3s, cut to the basket…but we could do worse than Monk, I just don’t see him as a large upgrade over DDV.
If I were the GM, attaining Chris Boucher from TOR at PF would be my main priority. I also prefer Lu Dort from OKC at SG/SF (would probably require a S&T), but any one of following would also work along with Boucher and none would require huge contracts:
L. Walker IV (career 34.4% 3PA), J. Tate (career 30.3% 3PA), L. Dort (career 33.3% 3PA), Caleb Martin (career 35.1% 3PA), Cody Martin (career 32.7% 3PA)
The only big that I think fits perfectly on paper next to Domas is Boucher as a rim-protecting stretch 4 but Mo Bamba is somewhat of a natural fit going the other direction ala Chet Holmgren (as in someone bigger than Domas).
I am on board for drafting K. Murray or AJ Griffin even if “better prospects” are still on the board. I like both of them more for the Kings than Banchero or Ivey. IMO, Holgren and Smith are on their own tier with Bachero, Ivey, Murray, Griffin and J. Davis in tier 2; and Duren, TyTy Washington, Mathurin, and Agbaji in tier 3.
Yeah i’m not a big fan of the Monk idea but i’d be willing to throw a small offer at him with the idea of him providing some scoring off the bench. I also like the Boucher idea. I love Lou Dort but I don’t think we can snatch him from OKC. Mamba just a flyer and I wouldn’t give up anything significant for him. I’m having some recent concerns about Banchero.
Totally agreed. Dort or Ja’Sean Tate both seem like good complements to Fox on either end of the floor. I like Boucher next to Sabonis as well. It seems more likely than not that our void at PF is solved through the draft and the SG is found through trade/FA. As for trading for a forward….are the Raptors interested in moving Siakam/Anunoby? Because I think either would slide in next to Barnes and Sabonis quite nicely.
In my opinion, a healthy Donte Divincenzo is a better all-around basketball player than Malik Monk. I’d be fine with both of them on the roster, but Donte is a better fit as a starter in my opinion. Fox needs his tenacity and defense next to him. Monk is not as good a fit defensively.
I don’t like either of them as a starter, but that’s where we may wind up. I like DDV as energy off the bench, Monk as scoring off the bench. But I don’t think either of them comes close to being top 15 at their position, and the Kings, lacking elite talent, really need five solid, viable NBA starters.
You don’t think DDV has potential to be a starting 2? He’s already exactly the type of defender that needs to play next to Fox, he moves well off-ball and is a willing passer. If he could somehow manage 15ppg and shoot 36% from deep, would you feel comfortable with him? I don’t think those numbers seem far away for him.
Clock is running. The Kings cannot afford to hope that a player grows into the position. They need a guy that has already met his potential, at least to the level of average NBA starter. Josh Hart / Anfernee Simons / Desmond Bane / Gary Trent Jr. level at the very least.
Agree, those are all better but would require a lot more money and trade capitol to get . Monk is a player that is getting better and would likely only require 12-14 million on a two year deal . Kings could do that without losing assets (few ) and big money commits .
I think it’s weird that there seems to be no discussion about Terrence Davis, and how largely redundant Monk would be if added to a roster including DiVincenzo. It’s always good to have another shooter, but if Monk is going to be commanding an eight-figure yearly salary, I think that there are better ways to spend that money.
It seems like season after season, there are more guys who are able to shoot better than league-average from distance, and they will be available among undrafted free agents and the G-league.
He’s dead. Total figment of your imagination, Sims.
As are most of you.
Agree on Monk with DiVincenzo and Davis on the team. I don’t think any of these guys are going to contribute heavily to the Kings winning, but Monk is pretty redundant with the other players unless one of them is moved, and even if you do say, move Davis for a bench wing and sign Monk, how much have you actually gained as oppose to signing a bench win outright?
I’m absolutely not opposed to small moves that make the team better. That’s a good idea, and I’d mostly (Tristan Thompson notwithstanding) trust the front office to make small moves that are upgrades. I’m just not sure whether anyone in this set of three players is really better than the others.
Similar to Kings saying that about Gary Trent jr a few seasons ago . Someone is correct and hope if Kings do not get him you are ! I like many fans liked Monk and his potential coming out of Kentucky and I still do .
He is on a one year 6 million deal . Kings should offer what is a good deal for them and if it requires 10+ million just say no . I think he will prove his lottery selection and top 10 HS All America was not a mistake in time . TD may prove his equal and hope he does but doubt it’s a debate in 2 years .
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