OxAndFox wrote:kevin44 wrote:Are you happy OxandFox with the Fox trade? Fox will be playing with the best player in the league for years winning multiple championships. The Kings will be back in the lottery.
No I'm not, on a number of different levels. I am going to switch the mode back to GM and not owner for this post, but I think we can see Vivek had his little paws all over this.
But let's open up a 10 point trade reaction.
#1 - Draft Capital. No decent draft picks. Hold the line for the Hawks '25 instead of the Charlotte 1st. You switch them and it's more palatable.
#2 - Buy High. You just went and traded for Zach Lavine at the highest point his trade value has been in forever, and most likely will ever be until he is expiring. Next up, Cam Johnson.
#3 - Address Needs. You didn't address any of the weaknesses this team has (this can be done over the next few days I understand so it's a little premature).
#4 - I'm Not The Worst. This wreaks of having a deal lined up, but the Kings were holding their nerve for better picks and then the Luka trade came along and they saw a ready made distraction to the the heat off them.
#5 - Bold Strategy. A team that has been healthy for the most part, but truly lacking depth is now hitching their wagon to a guy that is as injury prone a player the Kings have ever seen.
#6 - Paying The Freight. The Sacramento Kings paid the freight on Zach Lavine, not the Spurs. Another reason this is a brilliant trade for them (which makes me believe they knew Mr XYZ has given orders to Monte to get Lavine. If the Bulls wanted to just get off the Lavine money then the Kings should have been paid for doing so.
#7 - Reverse Big 3 Creator. You have now just allowed the Spurs, who if you're trying to stay competitive, is a direct competitor, an easy pathway to creating a big 3, which they will have done by this deadline or at the draft this coming off season. Great thinking.
#8 - Young Stud. At least get a young stud that can be the prize. Castle should have been leaving San Antonio (whether that was to the Kings or to someone else with value to the Kings), 100% guaranteed, otherwise Fox doesn't go there.
#9 - Keon Ellis. A Fox trade gave this franchise a great opportunity to progress forward with a great role playing SG that plays both ends and is a true difference maker. I'm still of the belief the Kings are holding this dude back deliberately.
#10 - Slow Down Dude, No Hurry. Worst case scenario, you hold off until the off season when everyone knows there would be more teams willing to not only nab Fox, but have better assets to give Sacramento.
To your point #9.
I fully believe that this is EXACTLY what is happening and I smell Vivek all over it to try to keep his deal cheap.
It’s stupid and self sacrificing for the guy who literally has the best +/- (+18) as a starter on the team. They claim to want to “win now”, yet don’t play the teams best players by metrics maximum minutes?
Idiocy.