Rumors, Random Thoughts, and Non-threadworthy Posts The 19th Hole

[Godaddycurse]

That is a lot for Murray’s track record so far. The question is how he projects. I still think it’s a lot.

This could be the next Patrick Williams deal if his shooting doesnt bounce back

[Blazinaway]

I mean 12.4 PPG last yr, 34% from 3 and 6.7 rebounds. I know new CBA rising cap stuff but this seems like a bad contract

[SkyHook]

I'm still a believer in Keegan's potential, but yeah, this seems a bit rich.

[Domejandro]

I do not think that Keegan Murray would have gotten that amount annually on the open market, next off-season. I am skeptical about leading with that figure a year early.

[jbk1234]

Read on Twitter

I'm trying to talk myself into this, but I can't get there.

[giberish]

Murray's young and certainly could improve to this level, but it's still questionable. IMO when extensions are given a year early they should lean towards being team-friendly in exchange for the player getting the money guaranteed earlier. This extension leans to being player-friendly.

[YayBasketball]

Pels updates: Looney to be reevaluated in 2-3 weeks due to knee sprain. So probably out the first month of the season. Queen still expected to miss the first few weeks. Leaving only Missi, Matkovic and Dickinson (2-way) as available Centers. Not ideal.

Hawkins has struggled, definitely the odd man out, but doubt any team takes his 5m salary without compensation.

[Devilanche]

Just random bad ideas but..

Carter and Saric for Kenrich and Dieng?

Sac gets two forwards.

Presti should waste a second (and cash) to dump Dario on some third team to preserve the tax space in case of some bigger deal later on.. But technically could just buy Dario out and sign Brooks.

OKC doesn’t need another defensive guard, but if Carter gets right and his shot forms back, Presti will be able to flip him next offseason.

I can see the utility in trading Kenrich but I can’t accept trading him .

Still a valuable “break glass in emergency” kind of roleplayer to me.

[brackdan70]

Seems high but betting on potential still. I get it.
He is not in the 60 highest paid guys with this contract….is it really that bad. He needs to take the next step to grow into it but you would expect that of him.

[jayjaysee]

I don’t think it’s too high, but I do think the timing is a bit weird to overpay him?

I also think you should have paid a second to dump Saric and made it flat and felt a bit better about it in a couple years.. but maybe they still are doing that.

Or not have had the tax space because you locked up Ellis, but at least your two defenders are now locked up..

Or not have the tax space because you traded Demar or Monk for another starting forward.. but at least your starters are set..

But I really still like Keegan and think he can take a step and make this look like a good contract.

[MoneyTalks41890]

Alright where’s the Bulls fan who wants Dieng? Need to open up a roster spot for Brooks Barnhizer

cant he just be on a two way contract?

Brooks actually looks good enough to get spot regular season minutes in a pinch.

Dieng simply hasnt reached that point yet after like 3 years in the league.

They should dump Dieng and get Brooks on the roster b/c the latter is more likely to be a decent spot minutes guy THIS year - despite one being a rookie and the other being a lotto pick going into Y4.

Presti will use the entire summer to evaluate all the fringe guys and if I had to bet I’d say Dieng goes into the season and gets traded at the deadline, with Brooks signing a regular deal in February like Ajay Mitchell did last year.

[The-Power]

I mean 12.4 PPG last yr, 34% from 3 and 6.7 rebounds. I know new CBA rising cap stuff but this seems like a bad contract

He's also a good and versatile defender (which the Kings more than any other team desperately need), at a position of need, with a history of being a better shooter than last year's percentage indicates (though I don't expect him to be the 40+% shooter he was during his Rookie season). Easy to plug into all kinds of different line-ups, too, and very healthy so far in his career.

I'm not sure what a solid starter on a solid team, playing a particularly valuable position, earns these days (on their second contract) but that's what he should be earning. At 28 million, he'd rank 63rd in the NBA for 2025-26. At the projected 24 million for his first year (by spotrac), he'd rank 80th. Considering there are always some underpaid players on Rookie contracts and some underpaid vets relative to their on-court contribution, that doesn't look bad to me. Perhaps a few million/year too high but nothing egregious really.

[shrink]

I mean 12.4 PPG last yr, 34% from 3 and 6.7 rebounds. I know new CBA rising cap stuff but this seems like a bad contract

He's also a good and versatile defender (which the Kings more than any other team desperately need), at a position of need, with a history of being a better shooter than last year's percentage indicates (though I don't expect him to be the 40+% shooter he was during his Rookie season). Easy to plug into all kinds of different line-ups, too, and very healthy so far in his career.

I'm not sure what a solid starter on a solid team, playing a particularly valuable position, earns these days (on their second contract) but that's what he should be earning. At 28 million, he'd rank 63rd in the NBA for 2025-26. At the projected 24 million for his first year (by spotrac), he'd rank 80th. Considering there are always some underpaid players on Rookie contracts and some underpaid vets relative to their on-court contribution, that doesn't look bad to me. Perhaps a few million/year too high but nothing egregious really.

I agree, and as more players get paid over the next few years with the rising cap, his rank will drop lower and lower.

When a player locks in for five years, the growth of the NBA is more and more important. He still needs to become a reliable #3 or #4, but that won’t be an unreasonable price tag in a few years if he does.

[Godaddycurse]

I mean 12.4 PPG last yr, 34% from 3 and 6.7 rebounds. I know new CBA rising cap stuff but this seems like a bad contract

He's also a good and versatile defender (which the Kings more than any other team desperately need), at a position of need, with a history of being a better shooter than last year's percentage indicates (though I don't expect him to be the 40+% shooter he was during his Rookie season). Easy to plug into all kinds of different line-ups, too, and very healthy so far in his career.

I'm not sure what a solid starter on a solid team, playing a particularly valuable position, earns these days (on their second contract) but that's what he should be earning. At 28 million, he'd rank 63rd in the NBA for 2025-26. At the projected 24 million for his first year (by spotrac), he'd rank 80th. Considering there are always some underpaid players on Rookie contracts and some underpaid vets relative to their on-court contribution, that doesn't look bad to me. Perhaps a few million/year too high but nothing egregious really.

I agree, and as more players get paid over the next few years with the rising cap, his rank will drop lower and lower.

When a player locks in for five years, the growth of the NBA is more and more important. He still needs to become a reliable #3 or #4, but that won’t be an unreasonable price tag in a few years if he does.

I would've waited one more year before deciding to commit given his downward trend the past couple years. 5/140 isnt bad for a #3 or 4 as you said, but if he's your fifth option (which he is on track to be this year) then its not optimal.

[gswhoops]

I mean 12.4 PPG last yr, 34% from 3 and 6.7 rebounds. I know new CBA rising cap stuff but this seems like a bad contract

He's also a good and versatile defender (which the Kings more than any other team desperately need), at a position of need, with a history of being a better shooter than last year's percentage indicates (though I don't expect him to be the 40+% shooter he was during his Rookie season). Easy to plug into all kinds of different line-ups, too, and very healthy so far in his career.

I'm not sure what a solid starter on a solid team, playing a particularly valuable position, earns these days (on their second contract) but that's what he should be earning. At 28 million, he'd rank 63rd in the NBA for 2025-26. At the projected 24 million for his first year (by spotrac), he'd rank 80th. Considering there are always some underpaid players on Rookie contracts and some underpaid vets relative to their on-court contribution, that doesn't look bad to me. Perhaps a few million/year too high but nothing egregious really.

I think a reasonable comparison for Murray position/skill/role wise is PJ Washington, who just signed a 4 year $90M extension ($22.5M AAV). So $28M AAV, while not egregious, is a bit of an overpay. Of course that assumes last year was a fluke and he continues to grow into a top 80-100 player in the league.

I just don't like the process here. Sacramento takes on all the risk (injury, stagnation/underperformance, unexpected cap shifts) by guaranteeing him money early. There's no seeming benefit to doing that if you're going to pay him at the high end of his market anyway. As ugly as the Kuminga drama was this summer, I'm very happy we didn't just give JK the extension he wanted last summer and hope that he would grow into it, because JK on a 5 year deal at $30M+ AAV would look like an enormous albatross now.

[jayjaysee]

How desperate does Sac have to be to look at a deal like..

Vando + “Carter value” + “LAL seconds” to Sac
Carter to third team (Utah?)
Saric to LAL

Feels incomplete with Saric going to LA instead of a useful body, but just a bad idea.

Spotrac says Saric can’t be aggregated, but I think it’s still 60 days so he should be able to..

[Godaddycurse]

How desperate does Sac have to be to look at a deal like..

Vando + “Carter value” + “LAL seconds” to Sac
Carter to third team (Utah?)
Saric to LAL

Feels incomplete with Saric going to LA instead of a useful body, but just a bad idea.

Spotrac says Saric can’t be aggregated, but I think it’s still 60 days so he should be able to..

think Kleber makes more sense than vando here?

[jayjaysee]

How desperate does Sac have to be to look at a deal like..

Vando + “Carter value” + “LAL seconds” to Sac
Carter to third team (Utah?)
Saric to LAL

Feels incomplete with Saric going to LA instead of a useful body, but just a bad idea.

Spotrac says Saric can’t be aggregated, but I think it’s still 60 days so he should be able to..

think Kleber makes more sense than vando here?

If Maxi has anything left, sure?

But it seems more likely that Vanderbilt can get back to his 2022 self than Maxi can. And LA getting to dump JV’s two extra seasons seems worth whatever seconds they have left regardless of the body coming back.. .

[Godaddycurse]

How desperate does Sac have to be to look at a deal like..

Vando + “Carter value” + “LAL seconds” to Sac
Carter to third team (Utah?)
Saric to LAL

Feels incomplete with Saric going to LA instead of a useful body, but just a bad idea.

Spotrac says Saric can’t be aggregated, but I think it’s still 60 days so he should be able to..

think Kleber makes more sense than vando here?

If Maxi has anything left, sure?

But it seems more likely that Vanderbilt can get back to his 2022 self than Maxi can. And LA getting to dump JV’s two extra seasons seems worth whatever seconds they have left regardless of the body coming back.. .

Vando's deal would make it harder for kings to avoid the tax next year barring any other cost cutting moves. I think they prefer kleber's expiring if they are dumping carter for 2nds

[jayjaysee]

think Kleber makes more sense than vando here?

If Maxi has anything left, sure?

But it seems more likely that Vanderbilt can get back to his 2022 self than Maxi can. And LA getting to dump JV’s two extra seasons seems worth whatever seconds they have left regardless of the body coming back.. .

Vando's deal would make it harder for kings to avoid the tax next year barring any other cost cutting moves. I think they prefer kleber's expiring if they are dumping carter for 2nds

If it’s Maxi.. they might as well not involve LA and just keep Saric (which hurts to type) and just getting whatever value Carter can return from the original third team.

At least JV offers the hope of a good fitting rotation piece. Even if it’s unlikely.

LA should not add much to go from Maxi to Saric and Sac might as well keep the smaller contract / tax space for whatever deal they eventually make.

As for the tax situation for 2026-2027.. I just think the team has to plan on some big moves (at least one of Demar or Monk) in next 18 months either way.