Game 78: Kings (37-40) @ Cavs (62-15)

[codydaze]

Apologies for the short absence and late game thread but the final 5 games of the year begin in Cleveland against the top team in the East.

[OxAndFox]

That was a good W.
Great game by Domas. Just a real force. Too many TOs though. Lavine was terrific too. Good mix of taking it inside and shooting from range as well as attacking on the break.

Lucky Cavs couldn't hit a thing except for Strus/Hunter and Jerome when they hunted DDR.

[codydaze]

Three games left for Dallas and four for Sacramento. If we simply match their win total, we will finish 9 and host the first play-in game. The one silver lining of conveying the pick to Atlanta is that 2026 should be an even better draft class than 2025. This year's class is top heavy but tapers off in the late lotto.

[OxAndFox]

Three games left for Dallas and four for Sacramento. If we simply match their win total, we will finish 9 and host the first play-in game. The one silver lining of conveying the pick to Atlanta is that 2026 should be an even better draft class than 2025. This year's class is top heavy but tapers off in the late lotto.

Yeah I agree. I have been all in on the keep the pick, but in reality it opens up a lot of future draft capital for trade. I just hope it's a new FO that has experience and they trade the Kings' picks into the future along with DeRozan for a great fitting 4. I have this feeling its going to be KD if I'm honest.

[codydaze]

Three games left for Dallas and four for Sacramento. If we simply match their win total, we will finish 9 and host the first play-in game. The one silver lining of conveying the pick to Atlanta is that 2026 should be an even better draft class than 2025. This year's class is top heavy but tapers off in the late lotto.

Yeah I agree. I have been all in on the keep the pick, but in reality it opens up a lot of future draft capital for trade. I just hope it's a new FO that has experience and they trade the Kings' picks into the future along with DeRozan for a great fitting 4. I have this feeling its going to be KD if I'm honest.

I really hope we don't chase KD. It wouldn't surprise me but we should be getting younger, not older. Moving our newly freed up picks for KD's twilight years would be such a massive let down.

[LightTheBeam]

Three games left for Dallas and four for Sacramento. If we simply match their win total, we will finish 9 and host the first play-in game. The one silver lining of conveying the pick to Atlanta is that 2026 should be an even better draft class than 2025. This year's class is top heavy but tapers off in the late lotto.

Yeah I agree. I have been all in on the keep the pick, but in reality it opens up a lot of future draft capital for trade. I just hope it's a new FO that has experience and they trade the Kings' picks into the future along with DeRozan for a great fitting 4. I have this feeling its going to be KD if I'm honest.

I really hope we don't chase KD. It wouldn't surprise me but we should be getting younger, not older. Moving our newly freed up picks for KD's twilight years would be such a massive let down.

I guess it would depend on what it leads to. I'm massively anti-all in with this team. But durant even at this age would be probably a top 5 king of all time lol.

What do we have to give up is my first question? Because if we could move lavine/demar/picks and get KD and say Marcus smart? I think I'd be okay with it. We are anti tank, so if that's the route, might as well have fun doing it.

3 years of
Smart/Monk
Keon/Carter
Keegan/
Durant/Laravia
Sabonis/JV

I don't think thats a title winner by any means, but I think this team could compete for home court next year.

[OxAndFox]

Yeah I agree. I have been all in on the keep the pick, but in reality it opens up a lot of future draft capital for trade. I just hope it's a new FO that has experience and they trade the Kings' picks into the future along with DeRozan for a great fitting 4. I have this feeling its going to be KD if I'm honest.

I really hope we don't chase KD. It wouldn't surprise me but we should be getting younger, not older. Moving our newly freed up picks for KD's twilight years would be such a massive let down.

I guess it would depend on what it leads to. I'm massively anti-all in with this team. But durant even at this age would be probably a top 5 king of all time lol.

What do we have to give up is my first question? Because if we could move lavine/demar/picks and get KD and say Marcus smart? I think I'd be okay with it. We are anti tank, so if that's the route, might as well have fun doing it.

3 years of
Smart/Monk
Keon/Carter
Keegan/
Durant/Laravia
Sabonis/JV

I don't think thats a title winner by any means, but I think this team could compete for home court next year.

Yeah. I'm not for the KD idea really, but I just can see the organisation wanting to do it.

I thought it would look like DDR/JV/Picks for KD. Saving the Suns some money.
Then I would do a trade for Obi Toppin into the MLE/Picks

I actually don't mind going in with Lavine as long as there are enough defenders around him. I'm also leaning towards the organisation leaning on Keon to develop his PG skills this off season. He doesn't need to be a great floor general, but he does need to improve and do some more heavy lifting in that department.

Keon/Monk/Fultz
Lavine/Carter/Mason Jones
Keegan/LaRavia/2nd Round
KD/Obi Toppin/Jones
Sabonis/Min. FA/Min. FA

[BoogieTime]

Tonight was the first night that trio looked working and I possibly understood an angle for them at the same time. Not sure inserting who won’t be in the nba next year in the lineup was the key (to be fair he could be a min towel waiver somewhere), but he got dpog. was about to make a post about Keon’s end to the year, but was ok tonight (progression on o, some d slippage)

If you accept the pick is gone probably the most important season win, giving momentum and hopefully for these playins