Possible Thomas/Okafor Trade?

[Flipstorm]

I can't believe people are actually saying they wouldn't do this because it would make us too good this year and sacrifice our ability to suck so much to get a high lottery pick. That's just complete stupidity! By that logic, we should trade JT, Martin and Reke now for whatever garbage we can get so we can suck as much as possible and get a high lottery pick. Then when we get guys who look like they have talent, lets trade them so we can keep making sure we can always have high lottery picks. I mean the lottery's da bomb! There's always going to be someone in the next draft class who's going to be the sure-fire GOAT and if we don't keep trading all of our good players so we can suck and get a high lottery pick, then we'll never have a shot at that next sure thing.

Exactly.
I think this team might be good enough to where we don't necessarily HAVE to get another top 5 pick next year to be successful. All we need are an additional big man and a talented 3. Okafor can be that added depth up front and solidify us as a rebounding powerhouse (did I just say the Kings could be a rebounding POWERHOUSE?). As for the 3 position, didn't we just get through drafting Caspi? And we still don't even have Garcia right now, who I wouldn't exactly call a scrub. Why not let some guys develop?

Is Evans/Martin/Noc/Thompson/Okafor going to contend this year? NO. But we're not talking about this year. Martin and Okafor are young enough to wait for Evans/Thompson/Hawes/Casspi to be in their prime without being washed up yet. You're acting like Okafor is 33 years old. Also, Kings have NEVER been known to attract free agents. What free agents could we get that are on the same level or better than Okafor? Answer: none. That is how you improve in Sacramento, draft and trades. This is absolutely a no brainer. We don't lose anyone who is apart of this future. We keep our entire core, while adding a perfect piece to what we're missing, who is still only 27. Not to mention a first round pick next year.

This too.
I invite anybody on this board to name me the last big name free agent who has willingly signed with Sacramento? (other than Vlade Divac) Also, in case anybody's forgotten, the 2002 WCF team did NOT have a legitimate "superstar" either, yet we were collectively the most talented team in the league, and should have won it all that year. So do not place all your hopes and dreams into the signing of the next big superstar. Plain and simple - WE ARE NOT GOING TO SIGN LEBRON JAMES, DWAYNE WADE, KOBE BRYANT, CHRIS BOSH, DIRK NOWITZKI, JOE JOHNSON, or anybody of the sort. We never have and we most likely never will. Players of that caliber do not have Sacramento topping their list of off-season destinations.

2 things: While we aren't contenders to sign any big names, players will follow the money, and if someone like Joe Johnson for example, doesn't get offers from any other teams he would come to whoever offered him the most money. And we aren't terrible at getting free agents, its not like we are Minnesota or something. We signed SAR, Salmons, etc.

And in 2002, Webber was clearly a superstar player, I dunno how you can deny that. He wasn't merely a "good" player. He was a franchise player, and an MVP candidate that year also.

[SacTownKings4Life]

2 things: While we aren't contenders to sign any big names, players will follow the money, and if someone like Joe Johnson for example, doesn't get offers from any other teams he would come to whoever offered him the most money. And we aren't terrible at getting free agents, its not like we are Minnesota or something. We signed SAR, Salmons, etc.

And in 2002, Webber was clearly a superstar player, I dunno how you can deny that. He wasn't merely a "good" player. He was a franchise player, and an MVP candidate that year also.

And why would there NOT be more attractively located teams willing to pay Joe Johnson? If you guys notice him so well, I'm pretty sure there just MIGHT be a few other people who do as well.
I didn't say we were "terrible" at getting free agents. I simply asked somebody to name me ONE big name free agent we've ever signed in Sacramento. One player who is at or near the caliber of next year's free agent class.

What did SAR do for us? His best years were before Sacramento. Salmons was "good", but clearly not even so much as all-star level at that point, let alone superstar status... (no disrespect to him though) He was a good player who thrived in a starting role.

Realistically, outside of Sacramento, who ever considered Chris Webber to be a SUPERstar rather than merely very good ALL-star? Chris Webber was never mentioned in the same category with the likes of the Tim Duncans and Kevin Garnetts of the world. Would YOU consider him their equal? And make no mistake, C-Webb never had a snowball's chance in hell of actually winning the MVP award, due to the two aforementioned players. 02, 03, AND 04 MVP awards went to Duncan, Duncan, and Garnett respectively. He never stood a chance.

Personally, it is my belief that it is next to impossible to win a significant post season award while playing in Sacramento, unless you just have an utterly JAW DROPPING season. (Bobby Jackson lucked up) There's just not enough media attention here. We don't have a single nationally televised game this year which means people won't get a chance to see us, and I believe the stigma of being the reigning last place team only makes matters that much worse. For instance, it wouldn't surprise me at all if Evans somehow DIDN'T win ROY despite maintaining his current level of play for the entire rest of the season. People just don't really... CARE about what's going on in Sacramento.

[brianmc]

in this economic era, why would a team in a market like Sacramento want to take on a long term contract for someone the Bobcats and the Hornets would have given up on? Makes no sense from Kings' perspective

[ICMTM]

in this economic era, why would a team in a market like Sacramento want to take on a long term contract for someone the Bobcats and the Hornets would have given up on? Makes no sense from Kings' perspective

Talent wise this is a great deal, but Okafor is paid too much. Unless Petrie sees something in Okafur that we don't he's way overpaid!

[ICMTM]

If anything this is a clear sign that Spencer Hawes IS NOT the answer. I bet he's wishing he went to Summer League now?

[is1531]

Do not make any Okafor deal. It's the biggest mistake you can make. I have seen this guy play for years. He has games where he looks like he is on vacation out there. Keep the 17million under the cap for next year and let Kenny Thomas contract expire. The Kings can sign a player via free agency and get another quality player in free agency. Do not tie up any saalry to Okafor. He is a stiff. That is why Larry Brown wants to dump him. DON"T DO IT. It's a car crash waiting to happen.

[longfellow44]

you do realize that okafor now plays for the Hornets right, not for the bobcats? Larry brown coaches the bobcats.

[rpa]

And when you find that savior free agent AND convice him to sign here, let me know...

I'll say it again since you still haven't picked up on it: it's not about signing a savior. It's about having the cap flexibility to:
a) Sign players that fill a specific need or will be valuable in our system
b) Take on extra salary in a trade

Again I say, the 2002 Kings were team FULL of "good" players, and we were the best team in basketball that year. Stop listening to the media hype.

If you define Webber/Divac/Peja (in his prime) etc. as "good" players then you must define most of our current team as steaming piles of crap, right? Webber's a HOF caliber player, Divac was a top 3 center in the conference, Peja (in his prime) was a legit MVP candidate.

2002 anybody??? Gosh!
First off, nobody STARTS OFF with a 1st ballot HOFer by the simple fact that no player starts off their career as a 1st ballot HOFer.

Really? Seriously? You're going to spend a paragraph arguing semantics? "starts off" doesn't mean what you perceive it to mean. It means that AT THE TOP they started with a first ballot HOFer--that's their #1 guy.

But the fact of the matter is, Championship and contending teams DO start with a solid foundation which is built upon over a number of years. They are not made overnight. (unless you're the Celtics) You cannot go anywhere in this league if you do not possess "good" players.

Championship contenders identify/obtain superstar caliber players and then build around them. You don't accumulate a bunch of "good" players and then add a superstar later on.

[SacTownKings4Life]

I'll say it again since you still haven't picked up on it: it's not about signing a savior. It's about having the cap flexibility to:
a) Sign players that fill a specific need or will be valuable in our system
b) Take on extra salary in a trade

So if the issue ISN'T about signing a savior, then what exactly is WRONG with Okafor? (even though the rumors were recently shot down) Does he NOT fill a specific need for us? Defensive big man? Isn't that the type of player fans have been crying about for the last... EVER?
Besides, Sacramento is a notorious career rehab clinic. Players who come through here leave much better than they were before. (see Webber, Bibby, Divac, Christie, B Jackson, Artest, Salmons...) Perhaps the same might occur with Okafor?

If you define Webber/Divac/Peja (in his prime) etc. as "good" players then you must define most of our current team as steaming piles of crap, right? Webber's a HOF caliber player, Divac was a top 3 center in the conference, Peja (in his prime) was a legit MVP candidate.

But were all three of them SUPERstars? All-star appearances do not necessarily equal superstardom. They were "good" players. And it wasn't very long after the year we lost in the WCF till people started demanding that we trade them. (except Vlade)
Sure, Vlade was a top 3 Center. But was it by default? Exactly how many halfway decent centers WERE there in the league besides him and Shaq?
Just like C-Webb, Peja never stood a ghost of a chance at actually WINNING MVP.
Oh, so Chris Webber went from superstar to hall of famer now? I should ask some people on the street... Seriously though, I think his injuries kept him from being a HOFer.
And you never answered my question. Does Chris Webber = Tim Duncan & Kevin Garnett in your opinion?

And I'm not trying to diss that team or anything. I was rooting just as hard for them as you probably were. I'm just saying that we did not have an out-and-out superstar on our team. We did not have a "people pay good money to come see him play" kind of player on our team.

Really? Seriously? You're going to spend a paragraph arguing semantics? "starts off" doesn't mean what you perceive it to mean. It means that AT THE TOP they started with a first ballot HOFer--that's their #1 guy.

Seriously? You make it sound as if 1st ballot HOFers grow on trees. And if you wish to be successful, you must pick from this tree.

Championship contenders identify/obtain superstar caliber players and then build around them. You don't accumulate a bunch of "good" players and then add a superstar later on.

That's because the league RELISHES high profile superstars. They figure, nobody wants to see a bunch of good players playing good sound team ball that picks teams apart quite handily. They want to see that one megastar guy that takes over the game and hits every single shot in the fourth quarter and barely squeaks his team to the win with a final shot at the buzzer.
Ever heard the term "superstars get the calls"? If not, read this - http://deadspin.com/5392067/excerpts-fr ... ou-to-read

Question. Did you watch the 2004 NBA finals to see the Pistons pick apart the Lakers with a squad of good players playing good team ball, or did you watch it because you expected to see Shaq & Kobe & company dominate? It CAN be done with good players, its just, people don't wanna see that.