Rubio Declares

[boffacheerios]

A spanish newspaper confirms that Ricky Rubio will put his name into the draft. Also Steph Curry is said to be entering.

Rubio:http://www.as.com/baloncesto/articul...asdasbal_5/Tes (sorry it's in spanish)

Curry: http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... TORY_18138

[KM44]

Thank god!!! Im going to wait until it comes out in english before I truly get happy.

[boffacheerios]

Be happy then:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2009 ... id=4084579

[boshjonesford]

who do you guys pick with number 1

Rubio or Griffin

i know Griffin is better but you guys have Jason Thomson who plays the same position and is young but you guys have no young PG so its a tough call (i guess it comes down to workouts.)

[murray]

who do you guys pick with number 1

Rubio or Griffin

i know Griffin is better but you guys have Jason Thomson who plays the same position and is young but you guys have no young PG so its a tough call (i guess it comes down to workouts.)

Griffin. The bulls took Rose last year even though they have Heinrich and we will do the same. You select the best player, not the need with the 1st pick.

[deNIEd]

Griffin/Thompson/Hawes (if they all develop) would become the best PF/C rotation in the league without question.

Just like if a team had
Prime Boozer, McDyess, and Vlade all on 1 team.

[blkrob25]

Griffin over Rubio...10 out of 10x.

[murray]

Griffin/Thompson/Hawes (if they all develop) would become the best PF/C rotation in the league without question.

Just like if a team had
Prime Boozer, McDyess, and Vlade all on 1 team.

I agree, but I really think JT has to go in that situation. We can't worry about depth, until we figure out our starting lineup (pg). JT is one of our biggest trade chips, and becomes immediately expendable the second the Kings win the lotto. If we could trade him for a young point guard (draft/sessions/ etc) we will have a team that can compete. While depth would be nice, our team would still be rudderless and a losing team. JT would be expendable- While Boozer/McDyess/Vlade would be great depth, the team would go no where with no one running the offense.

[Wolfay]

Griffin/Thompson/Hawes (if they all develop) would become the best PF/C rotation in the league without question.

Just like if a team had
Prime Boozer, McDyess, and Vlade all on 1 team.

I agree, but I really think JT has to go in that situation. We can't worry about depth, until we figure out our starting lineup (pg). JT is one of our biggest trade chips, and becomes immediately expendable the second the Kings win the lotto. If we could trade him for a young point guard (draft/sessions/ etc) we will have a team that can compete. While depth would be nice, our team would still be rudderless and a losing team. JT would be expendable- While Boozer/McDyess/Vlade would be great depth, the team would go no where with no one running the offense.

The offense goes through Hawes, just like Brad before him and Vlade before Brad.

There's plenty of time to get a PG. You just don't give up a talent like JT for an average PG. Beno works for now.

[UKF]

Good thing to see. If we can get that number two pick I will be one happy Kings fan. Again I don't think we will get either of the top two picks, but if we do Rubio would be great. I also could see Geoff trading down from the #1 pick to the #2 so we can get Rubio.

What are the chances that if we take Rubio, that he says he doesn't want to come here and stays in Europe?

[murray]

Griffin/Thompson/Hawes (if they all develop) would become the best PF/C rotation in the league without question.

Just like if a team had
Prime Boozer, McDyess, and Vlade all on 1 team.

I agree, but I really think JT has to go in that situation. We can't worry about depth, until we figure out our starting lineup (pg). JT is one of our biggest trade chips, and becomes immediately expendable the second the Kings win the lotto. If we could trade him for a young point guard (draft/sessions/ etc) we will have a team that can compete. While depth would be nice, our team would still be rudderless and a losing team. JT would be expendable- While Boozer/McDyess/Vlade would be great depth, the team would go no where with no one running the offense.

The offense goes through Hawes, just like Brad before him and Vlade before Brad.

There's plenty of time to get a PG. You just don't give up a talent like JT for an average PG. Beno works for now.

That offense does not work when you do not have a Mike Bibby there to truly run the offense. I don't mind the high low with Hawes, but absolutely think the NBA is a point guard game now more than ever.

And I am not saying give JT up for an "average" player (even though JT is an average player), but get a young player with high potential who is capable of running the offense. I am a JT fan, but he is no star, and he will never be the difference between win and loss. I would trade him for Jennings/ Maynor/ Teague/ any of the other top pgs in the draft 10 times out of 10 if we also had Griffin on the roster.

If you want a shot at Wall the following year, by all means keep the trio and allow beno to cost us games. But if you want to win some games and keep the Kings in Sacramento, we should field the best team possible, and that does not include Jason Thompson on the Kings roster, but a young guard to play along side Martin/Griffin/ Hawes.

[pillwenney]

That offense does not work when you do not have a Mike Bibby there to truly run the offense. I don't mind the high low with Hawes, but absolutely think the NBA is a point guard game now more than ever.

And I am not saying give JT up for an "average" player (even though JT is an average player), but get a young player with high potential who is capable of running the offense. I am a JT fan, but he is no star, and he will never be the difference between win and loss. I would trade him for Jennings/ Maynor/ Teague/ any of the other top pgs in the draft 10 times out of 10 if we also had Griffin on the roster.

If you want a shot at Wall the following year, by all means keep the trio and allow beno to cost us games. But if you want to win some games and keep the Kings in Sacramento, we should field the best team possible, and that does not include Jason Thompson on the Kings roster, but a young guard to play along side Martin/Griffin/ Hawes.

1) What do you mean "truly run the offense"? Take the ball up? Occasionally get an assist swinging the ball or passing it to Webber/Vlade on a pick n' roll/pop? Because that was about the extent to which Bibby "truly ran the offense". But make no mistake--the offense revolved around Chris, Vlade and Brad.

2) JT is an average player right now--as a rookie. This means that he should likely be well above average in his prime.

3) A player is only the difference between a win and a loss if he's a star? What?

3) JT has all the tools to be a David West-caliber player--the same David West who is a 2-time all-star. Will he be able to carry a team on his back to anywhere? No. But he can still be a very vital part to a very successful team in the future.

4) No. Just no. You don't trade a guy that has proven that he is at least a decent player in this league and has the potential to be much more than "decent" for a complete unknown. Not unless that unknown has really huge potential (Dwight Howard). Those guys all have serious question marks (as 99% of NBA prospects do) and all could bust. We know Jason won't bust because he hasn't. And their potential isn't terribly higher than his if at all, to be honest. It is important to take care of needs, and trading Jason for a PG of the future may be a viable option--but that PG has to have higher value that that. We don't need the young PG right now (who by the way, probably won't be better than Beno next year). We're much better off being remotely patient.

[Wolfay]

Mike Bibby didn't run the offense. He usually dribbled the ball up the court and handed it to Webber/Vlade/Miller. The big men sit at the top of the key directing the offense, while everyone else moves around without the ball until an opportunity presents itself. That's an extremely simplified explanation, but that's essentially how the PRINCETON works.

And saying JT is only "average" is either pure hate or ignorance. JT is MUCH BETTER and has much more potential than all of those scrubs you want to trade for. You don't trade for lesser talent, especially unproven talent that hasn't even played in the NBA yet. JT CAN be the difference between a win and a loss. He can win 6th man of the year backing up Hawes and Griffin. You build a franchise by consolidating talent and then you sort it out later.

*EDIT: mitch beat me to it. Good post mitch, pretty much exactly what I said.

[KF10]

I think Rubio in Sacramento would be really big in terms of media attention and the feeling of vitality. Even moreso than Griffin. Griffin in Sacramento wouldn't be that huge compared to Rubio's presence IMO.

I'm not saying I would select Rubio for #1, of course not. Griffin is the surefire #1 pick in this draft but Rubio is one of the most popular and highly acclaimed player in the past years.

[RoyalCourtJestr]

I'd consider giving JT for Jennings - but I wouldn't give JT for a PG that we could realistically get with the Rockets pick (and Maynor is just that... getting seriously overrated lately). And no to Teague either, we don't need a SG trying to pretend he's a PG passing the ball.

Anyone we get with the Rockets pick (Mills, Maynor, maybe Flynn or Holiday) is equally sufficent until we get our PG in the future. To plan to trade anyone right now, especially JT is silly.

[Smills91]

Griffin/Thompson/Hawes (if they all develop) would become the best PF/C rotation in the league without question.

Just like if a team had
Prime Boozer, McDyess, and Vlade all on 1 team.

I agree, but I really think JT has to go in that situation. We can't worry about depth, until we figure out our starting lineup (pg). JT is one of our biggest trade chips, and becomes immediately expendable the second the Kings win the lotto. If we could trade him for a young point guard (draft/sessions/ etc) we will have a team that can compete. While depth would be nice, our team would still be rudderless and a losing team. JT would be expendable- While Boozer/McDyess/Vlade would be great depth, the team would go no where with no one running the offense.

That's SO myopic though. Grab a Jrue Holiday or maybe a Maynor @ #23. I think either would be a good starting PG moving forward. We don't NEED Chris Paul part deux to become a good team. We need good players and better chemistry. If for watever reason PG is still not there, draft one in 2010 or go after one in FA. Unless it's a no-brain deal like Thompson for Devin Harris, you don't trade Thompson because you won;t get a PG as good as Thompson is/will be.

[deNIEd]

I agree, but I really think JT has to go in that situation. We can't worry about depth, until we figure out our starting lineup (pg). JT is one of our biggest trade chips, and becomes immediately expendable the second the Kings win the lotto. If we could trade him for a young point guard (draft/sessions/ etc) we will have a team that can compete. While depth would be nice, our team would still be rudderless and a losing team. JT would be expendable- While Boozer/McDyess/Vlade would be great depth, the team would go no where with no one running the offense.

Even with Derrick Rose and Blake Griffin on this team, we still won't make the playoffs next year. No Rookie ever pushes a team into the playoffs. Lebron couldn't do it. Dwight couldn't do it. Paul couldn't do it. It just never happens.

There is absolutely no reason to believe that we do not end up in the lottery again next year.

You don't trade a good player like Thompson, just because you have a need that needs to be filled. We have our Houston Pick, 2010 draft, 2010 offseason....three great chances to fill that need. If by then, we still don't have a PG, you trade one of Thompson/Griffin/Hawes for the best option you have.

We can't worry about filling out the roster over talent at all right now....we have NO TALENT. Without question, we are the least talented team in the league. You simply don't give up a great talent like Thompson for a nonlotto player in probably the weakest draft in the past 2 decades.

[ICMTM]

1) What do you mean "truly run the offense"? Take the ball up? Occasionally get an assist swinging the ball or passing it to Webber/Vlade on a pick n' roll/pop? Because that was about the extent to which Bibby "truly ran the offense". But make no mistake--the offense revolved around Chris, Vlade and Brad.

2) JT is an average player right now--as a rookie. This means that he should likely be well above average in his prime.

3) A player is only the difference between a win and a loss if he's a star? What?

3) JT has all the tools to be a David West-caliber player--the same David West who is a 2-time all-star. Will he be able to carry a team on his back to anywhere? No. But he can still be a very vital part to a very successful team in the future.

4) No. Just no. You don't trade a guy that has proven that he is at least a decent player in this league and has the potential to be much more than "decent" for a complete unknown. Not unless that unknown has really huge potential (Dwight Howard). Those guys all have serious question marks (as 99% of NBA prospects do) and all could bust. We know Jason won't bust because he hasn't. And their potential isn't terribly higher than his if at all, to be honest. It is important to take care of needs, and trading Jason for a PG of the future may be a viable option--but that PG has to have higher value that that. We don't need the young PG right now (who by the way, probably won't be better than Beno next year). We're much better off being remotely patient.

QFT!

I'd like to see us be a little more active in the draft this year and use the 23rd + a player (Martin?) to move way up in the draft.

[KM44]

Honestly, I would rather have Rubio than Griffin, but if we got the #1, Griffin would be the pick. Obviously, drafting is for the best player, not the player of need.

The perfect scenario in my mind would be winning the lotto, trading it for the #2 on draft day, and hopefully sheading Noc's contract in the process. Then we draft Blair at 23 and Terrence Williams at 31. Then we re-up Diagu and finally, sign Marvin Williams.

Rubio/Beno
Martin/Garcia
M.Williams/Greene/T.Williams
Thompson/Blair/Greene
Hawes/Diagu/Blair

That is a lineup that could win some games!

[Inc]

When the game is coming down the stretch, you need your best players on the floor, which means one of Hawes, Griffin or Thompson would have to be on the bench, so no, they can't really coexist together..