Welcome back to Chainmail! A big thanks to everyone who submitted a question this week, as the queries ranged from offseason plans to Marvin Bagley’s 3rd season to who may be hired as the team’s General Manager in the coming months.
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Now, let’s jump into some questions, shall we?
From AmateurNerd:
Vivek seems to have used Joe Dumars’ presence to force Divac out. This is the second time he has used a new advisor’s presence to passive-aggressively oust a sitting GM (he used Vlade to nudge aside Pete D). Given Vivek’s apparent affinity for sh*tty office political games and the fact that he has literally never hired a coach or GM using a normal process, is there any reason we should feel confident that the current GM search/decision will be done professionally?
Tim: For unknown reasons, Vivek Ranadive loves “advisors” (whatever that actually means) and loves to give them power over titled executives within the organization. The hope here is that this search firm, as well as the internal and external pressure on Vivek, will force him to make a competent, professional decision. Will it actually go down that way? Probably not.
Will: Honestly, I do feel like there’s a little bit of hope in the process that the Kings are currently taking to find themselves a new General Manager. I agree that everything with Joe Dumars feels fishy, even now it sounds like Dumars is stripped of most of his hiring powers. Most of my confidence comes from them hiring out Sportsology’s Mike Forde to help vet and research candidates for him. Making sure Vivek has professional opinions outside of his immediate advisors is key in my mind and the more he sees reality through the eyes of someone who is being paid to find the best candidate rather than the find the best option for themselves, the better. Vivek still has a shot at being a decent to good owner. Most things on the business side of the Kings are pretty stellar and I think some of that comes from him hiring stellar professionals to do their work and not stepping in too often to meddle. Now, will elite GM candidates want to step into this mess? Maybe, maybe not.
Sanjesh: I am holding onto a sliver of optimism due to the possibility that multiple high-profile names would covet this position. Because the Kings will likely interview some marquee names, there’s hope that Vivek will learn and hire a qualified candidate that will lead the team in a new and (hopefully) positive direction. The steps the Kings have taken so far in making sure they make the right hire is a good step. The last time the Kings were making a hire, they didn’t set up interviews with anyone.
From AirmaxPG:
Can we get some kind of fan movement going on social media to bring Sam Hinkie to become the Kings next GM?
Apparently we have that kind of power, since we got Vlade fired (per James Ham).
And 2nd part, will Vivek’s ego allow Hinkie to have full control? (Since that’s the only way he’d even consider coming here).
Tim: While Sam Hinkie isn’t necessarily my first choice for the General Manager position, I also wouldn’t be upset if he ended up being the guy for Vivek Ranadive. It’s not like anyone’s going to spend multiple days writing thousands of words on why he’s the best choice for Sacramento or anything, so if you’re really super duper passionate about hiring Hinkie, using social media to try and gain the Kings attention isn’t the worst way to go, honestly.
Will: I am literally 3000 words into a piece on this exact subject and it should be out today or Thursday. Short answer, I would be right at the front of the line for this movement.
Sanjesh: Hinkie isn’t a top choice personally, but he’s more qualified than Vlade Divac so that alone is a plus. But still, I’d prefer the Kings pulling someone over from a modern, successful team than going back to a former GM. Secondly, the best thing Vivek can do is hire a qualified candidate and get out of the way. Jed York of the San Francisco 49ers learned from his mistakes, I seriously hope Vivek does the same regardless of the hire.
From Sacto_J:
What are some names that we’d be seeing on our GM search list if we were, say, a well respected team and what are the names we can actually expect since we’re the Kings?
Tim: The Kings will probably get a similar list of names in their search process that a respected team would get, assuming they actually pursue those types of candidates. There are only 30 of these jobs in the world, and the Kings are similar to the Knicks in that coaches and executives have a certain immunity to failure here. If a highly respected Assistant GM in the league were to come to Sacramento and fail, he could turn around and blame the chaos of the organization and no one would think twice about it – Pete D’Alessandro and Scott Perry have jobs, don’t they? Conversely, if a new front office succeeded in the hellscape that is this franchise, imagine the praise they’ll receive. They saved the Kings! As far as names go, I expect Trent Redden (LAC) to very much be in the running, along with guys like Eli Witus (HOU), Bobby Webster (TOR), Dee Brown (LAC), and Sam Hinkie (former PHI).
Will: I think Trent Redden is a good middle of the road name of someone we can expect to get an interview from, Dee Brown as well. Don’t be surprised if we hear some hype behind Stockton’s GM Anthony McClish coming up for an interview, as well. I also think we’re going to be disappointed with some names and the pull that they have with media members trying to hype up their candidacy. Chris Wallace is a name that comes to mind. At one point he was the absolute favorite and near foregone conclusion to be the next GM of the Kings and I think they’ll give him another go. Same with the likes of Scott Perry. Also, wouldn’t be surprised to see an interview of Warrior’s owner Joe Lacob’s son, who has been cutting his teeth in the NBA and has a good reputation in his own right. Might be a bit of that Warriors nepotism rearing its head, but that’s the cost of doing business. Again, I would love Hinkie to formally interview for the job, but I will be stunned if his name actually appears anywhere near the interviewee list. Something about the quiet around his name means he’s either told Vivek he’s not interested in what Vivek is offering, or Vivek isn’t going to give him the foundation of manpower Hinkie needs to succeed.
Sanjesh: As Tim said, the positional scarcity of GM’s league-wide will attract many respected people here. The Kings have talent (as we saw last year) but need a front office that can help make moves that’ll end the playoff drought. We’ll see good names involved, but the recent and frequent mentions of Scott Perry disappoint me. It’s another example of the Kings searching for someone who did good (for Sacramento standards) and hope they can be good again. Perry hasn’t seen success with the New York Knicks, so no thanks. But expect him to be mentioned quite often.
From Kangzville:
Who is your favorite candidate for the GM position and who do you think the Kings will actually hire?
Tim: I don’t know that I necessarily have a favorite name, because a lot of these guys in various front office have never proven themselves as the go-to decision-maker, but anyone along the names of the guys I mentioned above would please me. From a more controversial standpoint, I would be perfectly fine with a Sam Hinkie hire, although he wouldn’t be my first choice either. I think the Kings will end up hiring a well respected assistant General Manager from a successful organization like the Clippers, Rockets, or Raptors.
Will: Love that Tim set up all these Hinkie questions right up from so I can feel motivated to finish that monster. The names I’d be most happy with, in no particular order: Webster, Tolzman, Zarren and Hinkie. Get me one of those four guys and I’m legitimately optimistic. I think the Kings end up with someone outside of that group. Redden feels like a good middle ground. Perry is someone I worry about. Mostly, my favorites are the basketball minds and the guys who want to build champions. The guys I think the Kings are most likely to hire are executives who pat backs, schmooze agents and can get a middling star to begrudgingly take a big contract here.
Sanjesh: All I want is someone that has seen success in today’s NBA. I don’t want Scott Perry and Sam Hinkie isn’t the most ideal candidate either. Bobby Webster is probably the one I’d like the most due to the adversity Toronto has faced, only to prove they’re strong as ever as a team. Webster helped build a respected team as well as utilizing assets efficiently. Just avoid someone like Perry, who isn’t the worst candidate, but there is a chance to do so much better. A good GM would go under the history books for this city.
From Wonderchild:
Assume that Bagley comes back healthy next year and plays in at least 75% of the team’s games, what are some reasonable expectations on the court that you would consider a successful 3rd season?
Tim: Aside from the accomplishment of playing in 75% of his games, we really need to see Marvin Bagley progress in areas that that make his teammates better, rather than simply boosting his individual numbers. Offensively, he doesn’t space the floor with his shooting, rarely passes out of a scoring position, and is a highly ineffective target in the pick-and-roll. If he can’t tackle those areas, the Kings need him to improve defensively, both in switches on the perimeter and as a rim protector. Counting numbers don’t mean a whole lot when it comes to Marvin Bagley’s development in Sacramento. We need him to make a positive impact.
Will: 75% of however many games next season is would be a huge accomplishment in its own right. That being said, I think seeing something like 33% from deep on three plus attempts a game would be nice, maybe get his rebounding to nine, nine and a half plus. The Kings won’t be good next season. These will all be garbage stats as it is, so seeing him out there getting number on a bad team where he’ll be one of the defense’s focuses would be huge.
Sanjesh: Being available is the first step but Bagley has multiple areas where development is critical. Offensively, he needs to score at a reliable clip from anywhere outside the paint. It’ll open up the pick-and-roll aspects of the game and make him a dynamic scorer. He shot well from three to end his rookie season, but 13 games in year two severely hindered his growth. Defensively, there’s a ton of room to grow from rim protecting, pick-and-roll defense, defending smaller guards, etc. Much of that could be impacted by the muscle growth Bagley indicated, but we never got to see it in Orlando. He’s still 21 so he’s nowhere near a finished product yet, but expectations should be lowered for his return.
From SierraSpartan:
When Vivek bought the team, it was for a total purchase price somewhere in the neighborhood of $580M. The current Forbes value (prior to the COVID shit hitting the fan) is now $1.775B.
Is Vivek now where the Maloofs were five years before their sell-out, basically cash-poor but with sky-high equity? Might there be anybody in the current ownership group that has the money to buy out Vivek’s now-inflated share of the team?
Tim: I don’t think anyone in the media is particularly in tune with Vivek Ranadive’s personal finances, but it’s pretty clear from the team’s recent activities that the Sacramento Kings organization in and of itself is hurting for cash right now. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the team furloughed one-third of its full-time workforce for four months, before extending that stoppage in pay to at least November 1st and permanently laying off some of those 100 people in late July.
All of that being said, it’s important to recognize that Vivek Ranadive’s control of the franchise really has very little to do with his percentage stake in the team. In fact, he owns less than 20% of the franchise. Instead, his power emanates from his title of “controlling governor”, which grants him complete control over the organization, no matter how few shares he actually possesses. From my understanding, only three scenarios, all highly unlikely, could remove Ranadive from power: a voluntary step down from that position (not happening), if he sells his shares (almost certainly not happening), and gross financial negligence (COVID-19 losses don’t count). In short, Vivek isn’t going anywhere unless he decides to, and that feels very unlikely.
Will: I’m going to lean on Tim’s answer here a bit, but I also am not sure how cash poor Vivek is when he’s also opening up /raising $300-$400 million in funding for a blank check company in the hopes of merging it with an existing entity. Now, I won’t pretend like I know how much Vivek is throwing in or whether this smells more like confidence or desperation but I’m sure Vivek is hurting a bit. The only owner in the Sacramento area that I feel has the money to talk Ranadive out of the team would be future MLS owner and former whale Ron Burkle. I doubt this happens.
Sanjesh: Vivek will probably remain as the owner until we see what happens during the tenure of the next GM. The furloughs didn’t look so great, but playing in those few games in Orlando may have helped the team bring in some desired funds. I don’t see Vivek leaving anytime soon now that Vlade is gone as that move bought Vivek some extra time to turn the ship around.
From MaybeNextYear:
How much longer is Luke Walton the head coach of the Sacramento Kings?
Tim: As much as I would like to see the Kings give the power to fire Luke Walton to their new General Manager, I’m not sure that’s a realistic outcome from a financial perspective. My best guess is the new GM is asked to review Walton’s performance through the 2020-2021 season, and a decision will be made the following offseason.
Will: I think Luke Walton gets bounced from his current coach position near the All-Star Break of this next season. They’ll site disappoint records, the need for the new GM to weigh his options with one of the assistants and a clash of play style with Buddy Hield and De’Aaron Fox. I think it also depends on the new GM. If the Kings get a star replacement GM, there’s a chance that Luke is gone immediately. If the Kings force the GM’s to carry Luke for at least a year, I’d venture the Kings didn’t end up with one of the fan favorites.
Sanjesh: Considering that Luke Walton staying may mean Buddy Hield is traded (Walton can’t optimize Hield among everyone else), I’d hope the new GM brings in someone they want. It doesn’t make sense for a new GM to retain a coach they don’t want. Let the new GM bring in someone that shares the same vision for the team and go from there. Will it happen? No, it’s the Kings. I wouldn’t be surprised if Walton has another year to prove himself, but based off this season, he’s not the coach the Kings need.
From Klam:
Who are you picking to win the NBA title this year, and what will you do if it’s Luka Doncic leading the Mavs to a championship?
Tim: The bubble playoffs have been really interesting, haven’t they? Denver fell off of a cliff, Philly looked awful, Milwaukee seems vulnerable, and both Los Angeles teams haven’t performed at a particularly high level. I do believe that whichever teams comes out of the West takes the title, and that’s probably going to be the L*****s.
If Luka does win it all with the Mavericks, I’m going to be very happy for a special young player and very sad for an almost-30 year old not young anymore writer.
Will: My pick for the playoffs is still probably the Clippers. Paul George needs to get right in his headspace and certain guys need to heal up, but Luka Doncic is perfect Lebron practice for those guys and they’re going to come out of the Mavericks series pissy and ready to take James and the Lakers on in the Western Conference Finals. Not trying to look past their second round match-up – I just think they’ll breeze through them.
If Doncic finds a way to will his team to Finals, this year of all years, he’ll be a living legend immediately. The enormity of that would shift the balance of power immediately to Dallas and I would have a gritted smile through out the clinching game with enough pressure to blow my teeth in a powder by the end.
Sanjesh: My pick was and still is the Los Angeles Clippers, but they’re not looking sharp right now. Much of it lies on Patrick Beverley’s injury, but Paul George playing like Pandemic P is massive. If George can find the form he had in the seeding games, the Clippers should beat the Lakers as they’re slowly getting fully healthy. But if it’s not the Clippers, I still think Milwaukee is the team to beat unless they show they’re more of a regular season team than one built for the playoffs (in that case, keep your eyes on Toronto).
From Chent:
What should the free agency plan look like? And if you think they should sign guys, what type of player should they be looking at?
Tim: Outside of re-signing players such as Bogdan Bogdanoivc, DaQuan Jeffries, and maybe Alex Len or Kent Bazemore, and picking up Nemanja Bjelica’s non-guaranteed final year, the Kings don’t have a whole lot of flexibility when it comes to free agency this fall. They’ll be over the cap but under the tax, meaning the standard mid-level exception will be their primary spending tool. The MLE is dependent on the salary cap, which we have no idea where that will fall this season, but it will likely end up in the $8 – $9 million range. It can also be spent all on one player or split between multiple contributors.
Getting to actual players that the Kings could pursue, I would like to see the new front office look to upgrade the backup point guard spot, as well as some serious wing depth. Kris Dunn or DJ Augustin might be nice adds as primary ball-handlers, while James Ennis, or Jae Crowder could be available as cheap backup forwards.
Will: The plan should be to clean house. As good as they’ve been, let Bazemore and Alex Len hit the pavement. Try to resign Harry Giles with a vision of the future and the playing time that might entail in the lost season to come. As Daquan Jeffries how a back-up SF spot sounds. Then ask him how a starting spot sounds because Harrison Barnes is moving. Pick up Bjelica’s option and let him know he’s headed for a playoff spot come trade deadline time. Anything the Kings can do to regain some semblance of cap space. Now, also, sign Bogdan Bogdanovic and then see if Buddy Hield is absolute ready to move on. If he even blinks funky, ship him for expirings and firsts.
Sanjesh: The pandemic plays a large part in this, but re-signing Bogi and DaQuan Jeffries are the simple moves. You can’t afford to lose those players for nothing. I do like the idea of Bazemore returning, but if he costs too much I’d let Jeffries take his minutes. But also, Josh Jackson is an unrestricted free agent that could be pursued. He’s still 23.
Bringing back Alex Len could be a good move at a friendly price, but Nerlens Noel would also be available as a UFA and I’d prefer him instead as a backup.
The Kings also need a facilitator behind De’Aaron Fox, as Cory Joseph’s contract doesn’t equal the value we’ve seen on the court and Yogi Ferrell is probably done in Sacramento too. Shabazz Napier is a veteran guard I’d like to see or De’Anthony Melton, but since Melton is a RFA, he’ll get competition for his signature following a good season with Memphis. Another name I’ll throw out is Michael Carter-Williams, who has been serviceable with Orlando. The only issue is that none of these players can hit threes at a good rate and it’s a similar problem with Joseph. Reggie Jackson will be available and he hit 39% of his threes this year, but he’s not a solid facilitator either. Just hope Malachi Flynn is available in the second round.
From LandParkJimmer:
Why does Buddy insist on dribbling?
Tim: Buddy insists on dribbling because Buddy doesn’t live in the reality of who he actually is as a player. Adding to that issue is Luke Walton, who also doesn’t live in the reality of who Buddy actually is as a player, as Luke insists on using Hield as an offensive initiator, no matter how poorly that has gone over the past year. In short, a player’s weaknesses are being exacerbated by an incompetent coach, rather than being hidden as they should be.
Will: Luke Walton used this bubble as a training camp because he had no real sense of how to prepare these guys for a playoff run. He backed one of the best deep shooters into the league by benching him and told him the only way out was to become multi-faceted. Walton hoping that Buddy becomes Jamal Crawford is what is forcing Hield into this strange, over dribbling, turnover ladened mess of a player. Plus, having an offensive system that naturally just doesn’t fit your strengths would get you to dribble to find those old, wide open spots on the floor, wouldn’t it?
Sanjesh: That falls on the coach. We’ve discussed the poor utilization of Buddy Hield for the majority of the season and Luke Walton’s justifications for that usage isn’t enough. Walton wants Buddy to be more than what he is, but it’s evident that he won’t be. Just stick to his strengths like Dave Joerger did and the results will show.
From A_Night_At_The_Arco:
Given his play this season, and for much of the bubble time, why are the Kings looking to lock up Bogdanovic long term and for a lot of money? If he is resigned, what kind of contract makes sense at this point? Is there a sign and trade that might make more sense?
Tim: You have to pay Bogi because the other option is losing him for almost nothing. Sure, you can roll with a sign-and-trade, but those rarely benefit the team losing the player, at least in comparison to what Bogdanovic can provide to the team. My limit for Bogdan’s contract probably sits in the $16 million per year range, but with the cap issues that will undoubtedly pop up this summer, I don’t foresee him getting any offers in that range. Hopefully the Kings can stick right around their original offer of 4 years, $52 million.
Will: Yeah I think the strategy here is: don’t give away for free what you could get back assets for. Signing Bogi is a smart move, even with a slight over pay, because eventually either he or Hield is getting move. It’s obvious that Buddy doesn’t want a bench role and that Bogi isn’t really built to be a small forward and really wants a permanent slot as the starting shoot guard. When push comes to shove, I have no idea who ends up winning out, but you cannot get assets back if you don’t sign them in the first place. I’d be fine with 4 years, $60 million and anything under than increases what a competent front office could get back for Bogdan.
Sanjesh: Bogdan Bogdanovic’s biggest issue has been consistency. If he isn’t hitting his shots, he can still help set up others but that’s about it. His shooting came alive against Dallas and Brooklyn, which was needed because he didn’t look good after the San Antonio loss. It’s big to keep Bogi because there’s no clear replacement for him if he is to leave. He’s the second best playmaker behind Fox and though that isn’t the most ideal situation, it’s what the Kings have to deal with. Bogi turns 28 soon and I don’t know how much I pay to keep him, especially with the way COVID-19 will impact teams financially. When things were normal, I remember seeing figures in the range of $13-17 million a year but as of right now, I don’t know how confident I am to pay him in the high range of that. A sign-and-trade could be something to look for because Bogi is definitely an attractive talent, but I don’t trust the current front office to make the right move anyway.
From Kingsguru21:
If you were to offer Bazemore and Bogdanovic new deals, what would be the terms of these new deals?
Tim: Kent Bazemore has been pretty good for the Kings, although I don’t think his shot is going to stay as reliable as it has in Sacramento. With Bogdanovic (presumably), Hield,, and Harrison Barnes on the roster, as well as the up-and-coming DaQuan Jeffries, I’m only keeping Bazemore if he comes cheaply, something in the range of $5 -$7 million and for one to two years. Bogdanovic is a little more complicated because of his restricted free agent status, but as I mentioned previously, sticking to his original extension offer of about 4 years, $52 million would be pretty satisfactory for me.
Will: I’d be more than happy to drop Kent Bazemore 3 years, $30 million dollars for his services, maybe bump it to $12 mill a year if I knew I’d be getting rid of either Buddy Hield or Bogdanovic. I said it above but a 4×60 deal is about the limits I go for Bogdanovic.
Sanjesh: Kent Bazemore has been consistently good for the Kings. He’s one of the rare cases of a veteran coming to the team and not forgetting how to play. That alone is pretty imperative but if DaQuan Jeffries continues to shine, there might not be a pressing need to re-sign Bazemore. Bazemore made $19 million this season because his last contract was definitely…something. I’m very comfortable giving Bazemore a two-year deal with a yearly salary in the $8-11 million range but again, I’m not sure how teams will be financially impacted by the virus. For Bogi, it’s more difficult to put a figure because of the virus and how that changes his potential value. This may be the best contract Bogi can get money wise, so he’ll be looking for every cent possible. He’ll cost more to keep than Bazemore, so I wouldn’t hate a three-year deal worth $12-14 million a year (if financial impacts aren’t too tough on teams).
Mentioned this on Twitter – but I think one hopefully good sign is that we haven’t heard much about the search so far or had any interviews.
If the Kings really were set on hiring someone like Perry – I think they already could have interviewed him and also brought in a couple of credible other candidates to interview from non-playoff teams (i.e., Langdon) or who were former GMs.
The fact that everything has been so quiet makes me think they are really using the search firm and are vetting / targeting candidates from some of the playoff teams – guys like Simon, Webster, Redden, Zarren, and Zink.
Now this doesn’t mean they still won’t interview and potentially hire Perry. But it does at least suggest they are taking the process seriously and haven’t already zeroed in on a candidate just because he is already connected to the franchise.
And while I have my preferences, I am not going to pretend to be smarter or better informed than those making the decision – so if we do conduct a full and exhaustive process – then I hope we can come away with a credible name who we can support and feel good about as fans, at least for 2-3 years until we see their work.
I saw that and 100% agree. the fact that there isn’t that usual rumor mongering etc. means that the Kings are waiting out the process that Sportsology has implemented and it also hints that we’re going after guys that are still very much busy with their seasons.
…Or they are just in super secret negotiations with Scott Perry, and are currently discussing whether to give the Knicks one 1st round pick for the GM they likely are getting rid of anyway… or maybe it will be two.
Bravo, Tim. I hate counting stats, and you touched on most of the issues he needs to improve on to be a player who contributes to a winning team.
I would also add setting strong picks and boxing out on the defensive boards.
he can be a 20 and 10 guy might be my least favorite basketball phrases. Its just such a simplistic way of thinking about the factors that go into playing winning basketball.
He could be Derrick Coleman!
You know, 20/10 like Jahlil Okafor! Or Kanter!
If Vlade were still working for the Kings you know these are his targeted signings.
“Golden State has their Curry, now we have ours. Eddy’s a good player you know. A 20 and 10 guy. Can play the 3, 4 or 5”
Yup. I saw Carmicheal Dave use that the other day talking about Bagely. I cringed
Next year could be Bagley’s combine for getting a 2nd contract. Remember the days when players would compete at the combine and guys like Damian Lillard and Donavan Mitchell would catapult up the boards by showing their dominance. Now hardly anybody does that because they are afraid of getting injured, including Bagley, who did not play a full season at Duke, who played maybe half of his rookie year, and sat out his entire second year because of a sprained ankle. Now consider what he said when he got drafted: “I think Sacramento will be a good place for me to work on my game,” not we can win here, or I really think we can do great things, nope, just for him to work on his game, ie., a combine to earn his second contract. All the evidence points that way. It might be different if he shows something else in his third year, but are we really ready to throw him a enormous Andrew Wiggins contract because he showed some promise in one half a season? Bagley has to prove something because right now he’s just a dapper guy sitting on the bench cashing in paychecks who sees Sacramento as a stepping stone en route to when his real career will begin, somewhere else.
To me, Bjelly is done in purple. He’s an excellent bench 4, but that hasn’t been his role w us and he’ll feel disrespected like he did the last time he was benched and will play poorly. Picking up that option and moving him seems best. Resign Bogi, Jefferies & Bazemore. Trade Buddy for Tobias Harris. Trade Cojo and a 2nd for a younger fox-lite guard, someone like Delon Wright. Pray for Bagley’s lower body.
The only correct thing to do is to trade Bjeli to the Sixers.
I agree with Tim’s assessment of Bagley. If he does not show major improvement in some of those areas, especially as a team player, he is a guy I’d put on the trading block to collect assets that actually help the team.
Only one person mentioned Giles. I like Will’s approach to make Giles part of the Kings’ plan. If it is difficult to resign him, one possible move the Kings have is to trade Richaun Holmes, do not resign Len, thereby clearing the logjam at center, and tell Giles or his agent that Giles will be starting, no matter who the coach is because there are no other options at center except maybe Jabari Parker, Bagley, and Daquan Jeffries in a pinch.
Giles isn’t worth that kind of effort IMO. He has very rarely been a net positive on the floor, and certainly hasn’t shown an ability to anchor a defense. Holmes has.
One’s a 22-year-old with one season of minutes under his belt and flashes of hugely valuable offensive skills. The other is a mid-prime rim-runner. They both have value, but there’s no reason to compare them that way. A team like the Kings shouldn’t be making personnel decisions based on which of those two may be the better C next year.
Agreed. I just find it hard to believe we will be able to re-sign him.
There are not many teams that can offer Giles a starting spot. The contenders probably won’t. Most of the non contenders already have a center or a big man that they have to compensate for on the defensive end. Even if they could offer the starting spot, they probably wouldn’t because they prefer someone who shoots 3s or protects the paint better, or someone who does not foul so often and and does not get in petty fights with opposing centers. I think that might be the key to keeping Giles. Offer him a starting spot. If that’s not possible, draft Xavier Tillman assuming the Spurs don’t take him at #11.
I am firmly in the “do what you should to re-sign Giles” camp. I don’t think that should include a promise to start. I think they should give him an opportunity to start, but he should still earn it. He is a highly skilled player, with a tantalizing skillset, but he still needs to learn how to play within himself and be capable of locking in on the defensive end of the floor.
I disagree. Because I feel like being a contrarian today.
it is a day that ends in “Y”.
No, it’s just because I felt like it. Maybe in an hour I’ll feel differently.
Unfortunately, Giles’ agent is the same as Bagley’s agent. I just looked it up. conflict of interest? There’s something really fishy about the Kings not extending Giles’ contract. I swear this entire organization has been sabotaged.
I love a good conspiracy theory, but I don’t think we have to think too hard about this situation. They’ve made it pretty clear that they thought this would send a message to Giles to be more professional in terms of his preparation. We can discuss if not exercising the option was a good move for this organization. I just don’t see who his agent is would be a factor.
Everything I said was true. Is there a possible conflict of interest? yes. was there something fishy about the Kings not extending Giles’ contract? yes. Has the organization been sabotaged? yes.
why would sharing an agent be a conflict of interest? And who specifically is doing the sabotaging?
okay, have fun with the farm team.
That is one heck of a non sequitur.
Okay then how about this one. If this organization is a chicken with its head cut off, who are the chickens?
I literally have no idea what you’re talking about.
anyway, if we can’t resign Giles, I agree that we should not start riots in Sacramento, and instead should draft Xavier Tillman. Trade Bagley. New identity. team basketball. blue collar, skilled basketball players who compete. Guys who know no other way but to play hard. Take a guy like Malachi Flynn who fits this identity over a guy like Lamelo Ball who does not. It might be the only way to get this team back.
True is really a term that is generally used with objective facts. Those are all conjecture at best.
Giles makes his teammates better and reminds us all why we like basketball.
The bigger problem is Vlade in all of his infinite wisdom didnt pick up Giles’ option because he was confident Giles would re-sign with the Kings. Because his option wasnt picked up the Kings can only offer Giles a MAX of ~4.1 mil and he can walk regardless of what hes offered.
Agree. Vlade burned a bridge unnecessarily because he didn’t know how RFA worked. Though I don’t think Giles will get more than that next season on any team, so it’s sort of moot.
I think in wake of the corona crisis, there is a chance that Giles stays, since there won’t be a very active market for him. And to be frank, as much as I like, him, his play hasn’t merited a high offer.
Agreed. I dont think there will be teams with money to burn on such an unproven player, especially as a big that can’t protect the rim and hasn’t shown consistent three point range. I love Harry’s personality and hope he stays, but I dont think its a loss on the floor if he isnt on the team next year.
It really does not seem like Fox is looking to rebuild. Fox is the only real future the Kings have, Couldn’t the right Gm turn Buddy, Nemanja, and others into better pieces that fit with Fox, Barnes, Bogi, Holmes and others. Luke Walton is simply not a good NBA coach and the players know it. Fox said they didn’t know what adjustments to make against Houston and that it happened several times during the year. Firing Joerger and Malone were mistakes but keeping Walton would be worse. The fans are very frustrated with this team. This team needs leadership and a coach that does not let a 19-0 run happen without calling a time out or changing the line up. As a fan I’m not looking for a rebuild year.
The Kings have no real future.
All we have left is idle hope and some weird sense of loyalty.
Looking forward to the Hinkie article Will!
And for Sanjesh, I understand the want for a more “modern” GM. However we shouldn’t hold the fact that Hinkie has been a GM before against him. In fact that’s the biggest reason we should hire him. He’s a proven commodity and has the clout to keep Vivek/Matina away from all decisions. I think a younger GM might want to impress their bosses, and even humor them. I’d be fine with a Redden or Tolzman-type. But again, we don’t know if they are responsible for their teams success, or is it the fact they work under Jerry West or Masai Ujiri?
My point is we for sure know what Hinkie can do. He’s had all the power before, and he built a contender from a team that was on the mediocrity treadmill.
And let’s not forget how deeply entrenched in analytics Sam Hinkie is. He got his NBA start in Houston under Daryl Morey, and is a huge proponent of advanced statistics. He’s about as modern as they come.
I think anything even close to 10MM per for Bazemore is a HUGE overpay.
5MM is more palatable but I still would if do it. Bazemore types a easy to pickup on the cheap.
At least with Hinkie we would know the team’s assets were moving TOWARDS something, rather than just the typical cast off veteran cycle we’re stuck in.
I have no doubt they would become a young and exciting team in a hurry, rather than a boat drifting around the lake indefinitely, loose from it’s moorings.
Exactly. Even in the darkest days of the “process”, there were players like a young Richaun Holmes to root for. MCW’s rookie of the year campaign. RoCo coming up establishing himself as a solid NBA player. And by year 4 they were probably right in the same tier the Kings are now. But with all-stars in the making. Year 5 they won 50 games.
On a complete “ex-76ers” tangent, I still think the Kings should pick up Bolden off the scrap heap.
Thanks for answering my question for two reasons: 1. it was a great take from all of you and 2. I realize now how ugly my user name looks when bolded.
I agree that Bogdan’s biggest issue is consistency, and I feel like his cold streaks can go long at times. I also think he can tend to get tunnel vision even when his shot doesn’t fall. Still love watching him, but not sure I agree he’s worth a ton of money per. As an asset, I think he’s valued if his contract is fair value, and for a rookie deal, I’d say he’s lived up to that, and probably more so. The question is how much of an overpay is reasonable, and I think that’s a very difficult question the front office is going to have to figure out.
I like a lot of what was discussed on here. Here would be an ideal plan (IMHO) for the Kings this off-season to rebuild around Fox…
Trade Hield, ideally for a pick. I think he offers the most value for us right now, and should take advantage of that. If it is possible to deal him for a pick without taking Salary back (ATL, NYK), that would be ideal. For the sake of this hypthetical, lets say we deal him to NY for the 8th pick
Match Bogi’s offer sheet. No brainer IMO
Bring back some of the wings. I think Bazemore and Jefferies are worthwhile guys to bring back because they showed that they played well around Fox. We also have to see if we have anything in Justin James
Re-sign Len as our big-body backup.
Play Barnes at the 4 next year. Im not sure what Barnes trade value is, but I suspect not a lot of teams would be interested (maybe philly?). If he stays, we should play him at the 4, play small ball essentially. Gives us more shooters.
This one hurts, but I don’t think Giles comes back.
Play Bagely at the 5 with
Now for the 2 draft picks, we focus on Wings and Guards. Deni or Vassell at 8. Haliburton, Nesmith, Lewis Jr, etc… at the 12. I also wouldn’t mind a draft and stash guy at 12 like Aleksej Pokusevski
Here’s the funny thing. As much as I’m not a big fan of this draft, I would absolutely take 4 mid-to-late-1sts and happily draft Tillman and Bane for the roster and Poku and Bolmaro to stash.
I know drafting big men right now is not ideal, but I am so intrigued by Poku and his potential. Very sneaky good prospect
There’s nothing wrong with drafting bigs. The issue is drafting guys limited to traditional big skills. When it comes to guys with perimeter skills, the bigger the better. And Poku shows aptitude for perimeter skills.
Why stop at Hield? Fox’s value might never be higher. One more year on a rookie scale, and he’s likely getting $30M/year here. Is he the best player on our next contending team?
Fox, Hield, Parker for Portis, Robinson, Ntilikina, Gibson, #8 and 2021 NYK 1st (unprotected–which I believe they can trade since they have Dallas’ first that year).
Then, Barnes, Bagley and Bjelly to ORL for Fournier, Bamba, Isaac, Aminu & 2021 1st (top 4 protected).
Draft Halliburton #8. Nesmith #12.
Joseph, Ntilikina, Halliburton
Bogi, Nesmith, James
Fournier, Jeffries, Aminu
Portis, Gibson, Isaac (inj)
Holmes, Bamba, Robinson
Build up Bogi’s value and trade him at deadline for another pick/prospect. Same with Holmes. Joseph and Fournier expiring next year. Three first round picks in 2021 (including our own–which should be very high).
A nice quiet off-season…
I’m in the “blow it up” camp 😉
Me too!
I don’t think the Magic would trade Isaac straight up for Bagley. They both have injury issues, but Isaac has been a monster on defense when healthy.
Maybe not. But I think Bagley’s injuries have an air of flukiness to them, while Isaac is likely out for the entire season. I think the Magic want to compete next year, and this trade (I think) makes them better in the near-term. Bamba can barely get on the court, and Aminu seems like dead weight.
It might be a low 20’s pick in 2021, but it seems in that draft could still have some real value.
Bagley will have more injuries than Porzingis and Embiid combined. I agree, trade him, but not for Isaac. Do it for the pick that gets Xavier Tillman.
I’m fine with that too. But I like Isaac, and think it’s a terrific buy low opportunity.
I would love a complete blow-up. I am of the opinion that you cant build around a PG who struggles to shoot.
But I don’t think they will do that. So we have to find way to build better around Fox
I agree they won’t do that. Which is why our ceiling will always be limited.
Perhaps a top-notch GM though, will come in and honestly evaluate everything. Not act beholden to anyone. The only goal should be contending for championships.
I think these moves undo a lot of Vlade’s blunders. And hit the reset just enough to give us the best chance to grab a real alpha dog in the 2021 draft.
I think you’re throwing out the baby with the bathwater and you’ll be stuck in the farm team loop.
Just wait till you see the babies we can bring in the 2021 draft.
🙂 So I’m assuming Sanjesh is the puppy in this:
Is Will behind the recent article illustrations? I’m really enjoying seeing these creations. Please keep at it! The Chainmail illustration is probably my favorite still, but I know you’re going to surprise us with some more gems soon.
Sanjesh, it’s really awesome seeing how you’ve continued to improve in your work here as well. Especially your tape-watching series. Great work.
And Tim, you continue to provide some of the best analysis in Kings land, by giraffe or human.
There’s nothing I look forward to more than seeing what animal Greg is illustrated as. Or what color banana, should I say.
I really appreciate you noticing! I’m definitely the guy doing some of them. Chainmail is by far my favorite to do because it is so dumb and yet I end up laughing while I work on these dumb anthropomorphic animals. I try to at least have an in joke or two as well with each of the Game of Thrones characters…. My orangutan is wearing Jaime’s gold Kings Guard armor and I’m a big proponent of gold on Kings jerseys. Richard a couple of weeks back was a bearded dragon because of his amazing beard, so he ended up with Targaryen clothes. On and on.
This week I’ll have three total up there, with this, Bryant’s article on Bey and my Hinkie article dropping tomorrow.
At some point you are going to have to make a Kings Herald staff photo with everyone represented as an animal.
Greg is my spirit animal.
Me waiting for the Hinkie article:
There was once a Cat where the dog sits. Who was that? Or were you messing with Kosta? That guy looks a little familiar?
!!!
The hairless cat was Brenden, who is very outspoken about his hate for that particular breed of feline.
Ah yes, the mailbag. I think I would offer Bogey a 4 year 70 million deal. Bazey, I think I would offer a 3 year (3rd year being a player option) for 27 million with it being frontloaded as much as possible (and offering the biggest bonus to reduce the value of years 2 and 3 as well).
The only problem with this is that it remains to be seen whether or not the Kings can afford this. Or, afford to waive Jabari Parker without actually stretching his deal (I really hate the Kings continue to do that).
Like with the GM search, proof will be in the pudding as to whether or not this franchise spends any actual money to make moves that could help this roster.
Enjoyed the mailbag guys, thanks.
Bazemore has been good, but a 3 year deal, that seems crazy to me. He played well for the Kings in half a season in a contract year. By all means sign him, but to me its a two year deal with the 2nd year with a team option
I supect the Kings are stuck with Buddy with the cap lowering and his contract was signed under the old deal. Not that I don’t like Bogi I think the Kings should consider a sign and trade deal to get other talent for the roster
2 years with a 2nd year team option at about $4-5MM per is about my limit. High-energy one-way wing defenders are easy to find on the cheap.
Who are your cheaper alternatives that you prefer? Do you have a list yet?
It’s a bit hard to say because there are going to be a lot of guys end-of-the-rotation, two-way, and G-League guys that may or may not be available. But guys on the current 2020 UFA from spotrac that I think could at least approximate Bazemore’s production and will likely be had for around $5MM per or less include:
Roberson
Holiday
Sampson
Nwaba
Harkless
Stanley Johnson
Hollis-Jefferson
Kidd-Gilchrist
And, of course, the have Jeffries, the draft and trades, etc. So they don’t necessarily have to fill that positions via a cheap FA.
Interesting list. I think part of the reason I’m interested in Bazey is that there were some intangibles and leadership. I’m not saying that other guys can’t provide that, I just wonder how the Kings replace that.
The most interesting part was the DRB% Bazey provided, other than the 3 pt%.
It’s an interesting conundrum to be sure.
Yeah, the last thing I think the Kings should do is pay Bazemore as the guy he was for the 25 games with the Kings rather than the 525 games he was before that.
Sure, in theory, I agree with that. But the reality is that it’s worth considering. 3 years isn’t that considerably long of a time. And a contract that small (especially if isn’t a completely sunk cost) can still be traded down the line if need be.
I like Iwundu as well.
OT: Props to the Bucks players for having the guts to be the first to boycott a playoff game.
All games are postponed today.
Good on the other players.
Will: Totally on-board with your FA plan up until this part: then see if Buddy Hield is absolute ready to move on. If he even blinks funky, ship him for expirings and firsts.
That ship sailed for Buddy when he suckered Vlade into a new deal last year thru the media, and he continued complaining about it after this season to the media..
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