Kings & Hansen saga

[RJM]

It was a miracle that I found this forum. I didn't even know this place existed!

[bennith13]

How about a top three pick in next years draft or the draft after that? This draft sucks.

[jenn_gp]

^shhh, we'd like to keep I that way for now..

[Det the Threat]

How about a top three pick in next years draft or the draft after that? This draft sucks.

Not possible.
No one can guarantee you that before next years draft lottery and Cousins will be a RFA(assuming he's not extended) by then.

Still, Noel, Muhammed, McLemore or Zeller(coupled with the own lottery pick) could be good first pieces while starting a rebuilding process.

[bennith13]

Maybe I wasn't as obvious as I thought I was about being silly. I am aware that with the lottery teams cant guarantee draft pick status years in advance.

However, If a team like Charlotte or Washington or Toronto offered me two unprotected first I might be willing to gamble that those picks would have a pretty nice shot of being high and trade Cousins IF I thought we was going to continue to be a knucklehead and not really care about doing what it took to be a champion at some point.

[wiff]

.
However, If a team like Charlotte or Washington or Toronto offered me two unprotected first I might be willing to gamble that those picks would have a pretty nice shot of being high and trade Cousins IF I thought we was going to continue to be a knucklehead and not really care about doing what it took to be a champion at some point.

Man you drive a steep bargain. I'd settle for one top three pick and call it good.

[bennith13]

The Cavs got what ended up being the 4th pick in the draft from the Clippers two years ago just for taking on the half year remaining of Baron Davis's huge contract. The Sonics got two future 1st picks for taking on the last year of Kurt Thomas's contract. Picks now or young players with potential now are always worth more than future picks.

[SuperChronics]

There are a few good players in this draft, but I think there will be an elite player in Wiggins in the class of 14'. Would be nice to do whatever is necessary to snag that guy. Durant 2.0.

[bennith13]

That's what I am thinking.

[Det the Threat]

The Cavs got what ended up being the 4th pick in the draft from the Clippers two years ago just for taking on the half year remaining of Baron Davis's huge contract. The Sonics got two future 1st picks for taking on the last year of Kurt Thomas's contract. Picks now or young players with potential now are always worth more than future picks.

Nope.

The Cavs got the #1 pick(which turned out to be Kyrie Irving) in that deal, as the Clippers couldn't protect that pick thanks to owing a future(protected) pick to OKC for that Eric Bledsoe trade.

There are a few good players in this draft, but I think there will be an elite player in Wiggins in the class of 14'. Would be nice to do whatever is necessary to snag that guy. Durant 2.0.

Well, if you do trade Cousins and start the rebuild you've got a great chance at a top 5 pick in that 2014 draft.
Of course Wiggins or Parker will probably the main prizes but guys like Julius Randle, Noah Vonleh and Andrew Harrison wouldn't be bad building blocks as well.

[bennith13]

OK, well that proves my point even more.

[SuperChronics]

Well, if you do trade Cousins and start the rebuild you've got a great chance at a top 5 pick in that 2014 draft.
Of course Wiggins or Parker will probably the main prizes but guys like Julius Randle, Noah Vonleh and Andrew Harrison wouldn't be bad building blocks as well.[/quote]


Nope, not bad at all. Just the difference between good and elite imo.

[wiff]

OK, well that proves my point even more.

Actually it was a year and a half and Davis was washed up and he was making like 20mil. The Cavs were in dire need of star power and Davis was the best they could do once LeBron bounced.

If the Cavs wouldn't have won the lottery they would've had the 14th pick because the Clippers had the best record for teams who didn't make the playoffs.

So ya they got Irving, but the more likely scenario, they would have paid 30mil for the rights to draft Marcus Morris at the 14 spot.

They got really lucky with the draft, for them their 30 million dollar gamble paid off.

I'm all for acquiring draft picks I hope Cousins lands us boat loads. Personally I wouldn't have taken on Davis and his contract for a first but hard to argue that when it turned out so well for them.

[bennith13]

If you are not contending, why would you not want to take on a short term contract from a bad team that is willing to trade an unprotected pick?

[wiff]

If you are not contending, why would you not want to take on a short term contract from a bad team that is willing to trade an unprotected pick?

All depends on the size and length of the contract. Davis was making a gross amount of money at the time. They spent somewhere between 20-30mil for a washed up PG and a chance at the lottery. Yes they won it. They got lucky.

But a few years back Paul Allen and the Blazers were buying first round picks for 3mil a pop.

I'm willing to take a chance, but rolling the dice at 20+mil for a chance in the lottery seems pretty steep to me.

Again it worked so they look like freakin geniuses, but it's more risk than reward in my eyes.

Odds said they were going to be drafting 14. They proved the odds wrong. But if Portland is buying first round picks for 3mil I'd rather go that route.

[Det the Threat]

If the Cavs wouldn't have won the lottery they would've had the 14th pick because the Clippers had the best record for teams who didn't make the playoffs.

So ya they got Irving, but the more likely scenario, they would have paid 30mil for the rights to draft Marcus Morris at the 14 spot.

Nope, that pick was somewhere around #8 - #10 when they traded Davis and they ended up with the 8th worst record that year.

Still, it was a big gamble on Clevelands part and they got rewarded for it with the #1 pick and selected Kyrie Irving.

[wiff]

Nope, that pick was somewhere around #8 - #10 when they traded Davis and they ended up with the 8th worst record that year.

Ok so the 8th spot was Brandon Knight. Not exactly a world beater.

Brandon Knight, Marcus Morris, honestly there isn't much of a difference. I think you follow my point though.

[bennith13]

The only way to win a championship is to have two or more elite players. The only way for a team like Seattle or anyone not in LA, NY, or currently Miami to attract and acquire elite players is through drafts or really smart trades. The odds are better that we would win the draft lotto than sign a Lebron type in free agency. If we are going to be bad and we have few if any players on the current roster that we could build a championship team around then why not maximize our chances of winning a draft lotto?

IMO it is better in the NBA to be terrible than to be mediocre with players that will not get you a championship at some point in the near future. Most of the last decade while we had our team we were mediocre with one good player and a couple fringe level good players and we could never acquire better players because we were never bad enough to get a good pick... until of course our second to last year.

[Det the Threat]

The only way to win a championship is to have two or more elite players. The only way for a team like Seattle or anyone not in LA, NY, or currently Miami to attract and acquire elite players is through drafts or really smart trades. The odds are better that we would win the draft lotto than sign a Lebron type in free agency. If we are going to be bad and we have few if any players on the current roster that we could build a championship team around then why not maximize our chances of winning a draft lotto?

IMO it is better in the NBA to be terrible than to be mediocre with players that will not get you a championship at some point in the near future. Most of the last decade while we had our team we were mediocre with one good player and a couple fringe level good players and we could never acquire better players because we were never bad enough to get a good pick... until of course our second to last year.

+1

You're either good enough to compete or trying to rebuild/start over.
Anything right in the middle is a very tough place to be, as you're not playing for the title and aren't able to add young talent that might make the difference.

We've been there for at least a decade and on two five year plans within about 8 years, "to get back to championship level".
I think the league even thought about renaming that 12th pick to Sonics pick, as we always seemed to be right there.

So if we do get the Kings, I'd like for us to go into full rebuilding mode and assemble some talent via draft.
You could then use those players/picks for trades or let them grow together, so we could field an up and coming team once we'd start playing in the new arena.

[wiff]

I think Wally Walker defined mediocrity and look where the team ended up. Meanwhile Detroit was horrible and then they end up winning a ring like three years later.

Mediocrity is the worse place to be. Unless you had 8 wins the year before.