Now what Happens?

[_SRV_]

I don't think I ever saw them saying they'd pay to build a team even if the best they can achieve is ~.500 record, I'm almost sure that if they do think that, they won't call that "competitive".

[BMiller52]

I've heard the same thing as Mitch actually.

[pillwenney]

And even last year when the playoffs were pretty clearly out of reach they said they would "try to win as many games as they could". The goal of reaching .500 was even mentioned, despite the fact that everyone knew that wouldn't be worthy of the playoffs.

[_SRV_]

And even last year when the playoffs were pretty clearly out of reach they said they would "try to win as many games as they could". The goal of reaching .500 was even mentioned, despite the fact that everyone knew that wouldn't be worthy of the playoffs.

That's totally and completely different thing, you win as much as you can with the roster you have, especially when you have young promising players you want to instill winning mentality in, and a young coach who wants to earn experience and reputation, but
1. That doesn't make you competitive.
2. That doesn't mean you go out of your ways to sign players you know they aren't going to get anywhere significant.

[Draino]

I could see Moore/SAR going to Chi-town for Kirk Hinrich. Bulls save cash and get some frontcourt help. Kings get some PG help.

I'd love that, Kirk had a down year last season... but he's still a proven player, and an above-average guard. Especially a high-level defender. Plus he's one of my favorite players.

He'd be a very nice short-term solution

thats sad

im sorry

[Draino]

The way I see it, some long-term options that might be available could include Felton, Crittenton and maybe Aaron Brooks. Some shorter term options could be Ridnour or Watson, Beno or Pargo. Hinrich would be somewhere in between.

I would give my left nut to bring Crittenton here, a tall PG with a lot of potential, which won't work out in memphis as of now... so why can't sacramento make a move??

ALSo, on a side note, how hard was it to move ONE spot up in the draft and get Bayless, instead they let Portland jump in front of us and get him.... that sucks, horrible management, they should have pulled a deal right away, plus they wouldn't give up much anyways, its only one pick difference

[Ballings7]

thats sad

im sorry

I don't care.

[pillwenney]

And even last year when the playoffs were pretty clearly out of reach they said they would "try to win as many games as they could". The goal of reaching .500 was even mentioned, despite the fact that everyone knew that wouldn't be worthy of the playoffs.

That's totally and completely different thing, you win as much as you can with the roster you have, especially when you have young promising players you want to instill winning mentality in, and a young coach who wants to earn experience and reputation, but
1. That doesn't make you competitive.
2. That doesn't mean you go out of your ways to sign players you know they aren't going to get anywhere significant.

1) Again, I mean competitive in remaining a team that can compete with people as opposed to a bottom-feeder of the league.

2) When did I talk about this?

[_SRV_]

1) Again, I mean competitive in remaining a team that can compete with people as opposed to a bottom-feeder of the league.

Again, what you're saying is not competitive, it being your definition of competitive doesn't make it the consensus of the word, in fact your use of the word is very confusing if not wrong.

2) When did I talk about this?

You were talking about resigning Beno, and we just went into bidding war and gave him the most we can.

[pillwenney]

1) Again, I mean competitive in remaining a team that can compete with people as opposed to a bottom-feeder of the league.

Again, what you're saying is not competitive, it being your definition of competitive doesn't make it the consensus of the word, in fact your use of the word is very confusing if not wrong.

2) When did I talk about this?

You were talking about resigning Beno, and we just went into bidding war and gave him the most we can.

1) How? Being competitive means basically being "incline to compete". Another definition is "having a strong desire to compete or succeed". Nobody ever said this team would be able to contend. But everybody around here is so stuck in the idea that "it's either this way or that way", when we're not all the way in one direction. In this context competitive means not sucking. We didn't suck last year. We weren't an awesome team, but we didn't suck either.

2) So any team that's not close to being a contender shouldn't sign any player unless he's a superstar?

Regardless, I wasn't even originally arguing about what we should do, I'm arguing about what we're doing--which by itself seemed silly because it has been said several times by the people that run the organization that we're trying to remain as competitive as possible while rebuilding. It seems pretty self-explanatory to me.

[_SRV_]

Wait, what? So with Beno we're competing and w/o him we're raising white flag and stop playing? Compete for freaking what? and succeed how?

[Smills91]

Now this:

C: Brad Miller, Spencer Hawes, Shelden Williams
PF: Mikki Moore, Jason Thompson, SAR, Kenny Thomas
SF: Ron Artest, Francisco Garcia, Pat Ewing Jr
SG: Kevin Martin, John Salmons, Quincy Douby
PG: Beno Udrih, Sean Singletary

That's a pretty solid line-up. I like it. If we can stay healthy I think we'll once again over exceed prognosticator predictions.

With THAT line-up in tact I'd say the Kings win 40-45 games no problem next year.

[Sacramento_King]

That's a pretty solid line-up. I like it. If we can stay healthy I think we'll once again over exceed prognosticator predictions.

With THAT line-up in tact I'd say the Kings win 40-45 games no problem next year.

Great! Finish 10th or 11th and get the 12 pick again while we salivate over Rubio, Jennings and Griffin and talk about all the expirings we have.

[pillwenney]

Wait, what? So with Beno we're competing and w/o him we're raising white flag and stop playing? Compete for freaking what? and succeed how?

It's mostly about keeping fans in the arena more than anything. If we lost fans last year with a 38-win team (and a team that was damn good at home, at that) then imagine where we'd be if we were below 30 wins. That's why the Maloofs want to keep at least a decent team on the floor.

From Amick's article this morning:

Asked if the Udrih signing jeopardized the grand plan of clearing significant salary cap space the next two summers, Petrie said he, too, is without regret.

"You're trying to accomplish two things at once to a certain extent: Continue to keep value on the roster and still give yourself an opportunity down the road (to clear space)," he said. "I feel comfortable that, to this point, we're still in good shape there."

I think that's what a lot of this is about too--keeping value on the roster right now. With no PG, a lot of guys are going to look worse than they are and Beno himself is a valuable piece. I think it's clear that Geoff would rather create value on the team as is then just hope to get greater value in the draft.

[_SRV_]

I figured this is what the FO wants, my remark was and still is about your choice of word that made it sound different.
And I don't get Geoff, we needed to do that last year, when the values of Bibby, KT and Miller were negative from the Mussleman era, we got rid of Bibby, Miller raised his value and next year will become expiring with not much basketball value, KT is a hopeless case, SAR is done with his knee issues and the world and his wife know we're not extending Artest, I don't know what value we're trying to up.

[Cruel_Ruin]

Petrie has consistently rebuffed his small forward's requests for a lengthy extension, reiterated that the team is rebuilding, and indicated that, at best, the Kings might consider offering a short-term contract next summer. Even that possibility included a caveat of behavioral/performance conditions.

Unless Petrie altered his approach in the hours before Monday's deadline – and he insists he did not – Artest, somewhat inexplicably, envisioned a scenario that wasn't going to happen. He never was sketched into the Kings' blueprint. He's a closer, not a builder.

"This whole opt-out thing, from Day One, I said to Ron, 'It's your decision,' " Petrie said Tuesday afternoon, a few hours after Udrih agreed to a five-year, $30 million deal. "We talked again this morning, and I was very candid. The way I left it with Ron and Mark (Stevens) was, 'Let's see what happens these next few weeks, and I'll get back to you. Let's see what our team is going to look like, and I'll try and work with you.' The conversation ended calmly, amicably, but then I hear … I don't know. It doesn't do any good to overreact one way or another. We have a long summer in front of us."

http://www.sacbee.com/kings/story/1054791.html

Several sources close to the team said Artest entered with the hopes of discussing a lucrative, long-term extension – but was told the Kings were not prepared to take part in such talks.

The message, quite clearly, is that he was not a part of their long-term plans. Artest was told to play out the season and be prepared to either be traded or revisit the issue next summer, when he would be an unrestricted free agent. Not long after, Artest sent an e-mail to ESPN.com's Marc Stein expressing regret over his decision to stay.

http://www.sacbee.com/kings/story/1055055.html

Make no mistake about it. Petrie says we are rebuilding + Petrie indicating that Ron is not in our future plans = Ron should be dealt this summer. The timing is perfect, and we'll (finally) start the rebuilding process.

[Ballings7]

Agreed, some people are overlooking that aspect about his value... he's going to get better as a player to some extent (just one basically full season of starting), and is going to be in his prime later on. He's going to be a solid piece for internal and external reasons.

[_SRV_]

If Isiah was still in NY, I would suggest packaging him with SAR and KT to NY for Marbury, but Walsh won't go for it.

[SacTown Kings]

Just as I suspected and posted earlier it is clear that Petrie let it be known Artest isn't in our long term plans and most likely will be traded. Hence Ron regretting his decision to opt out because now he doesn't have much of a say so in where he goes. He could of opted out and had some control. I think it is clear Petrie is going to see what he can get for Ron over the next few weeks. Ron's gone, I wonder what we will get?

I think Ron envisioned himself on this team this year and leading us into the playoffs making himself look like a hero and getting a big contract when he becomes a free agent. Now there is a chance he gets traded to a bad team (although I don't think bad teams are interested in Ron, but I don't think Ron sees it that way), and it might make Ron look bad and he wont get his big contract next year. This is what I believe is Ron's mindset right now.

[Vlade4life]

It's mostly about keeping fans in the arena more than anything. If we lost fans last year with a 38-win team (and a team that was damn good at home, at that) then imagine where we'd be if we were below 30 wins. That's why the Maloofs want to keep at least a decent team on the floor.

Is 5 or 6 wins more really going to change anything as far as the fan base goes? Maybe it had less to do with the win loss record and more to do with the lack of excitement about the future. Nobody has any delusions about a team starting Brad Miller and Mikki Moore in their frontcourt. Fans would like better prospects than being a few extra meaningless spots higher in the standings of a conference we have absolutely no chance of competing in any time soon.