Who do we target in FA this summer?

[rpa]

With the Martin trade the Kings are on the hook next year for:

$31mil (Nocioni, Udrih, Garcia, Evans, JT, Hawes, Casspi, Greene, & Brockman) + $3mil (Landry) + ~$4mil (draft pick)
= $38mil

We will also have minimum salary cap holds to the tune of $1.5mil (3 spots). So basically the Kings are going to have right around enough to offer a max contract (possibly a little less). So, who do the Kings go after?

I'm of the opinion that we can't attract a superstar player, which means take out the following guys from consideration:
Lebron
Bosh
Wade
Joe Johnson
Amare (there's a .001% chance--as opposed to 0%--with Amare due to his relationship with the Maloofs)

I'm also of the opinion it makes absolutely no sense to go after any of the older guys, so take out:
Camby (36 years old)
Ray Allen (35 years old)

So who all is really left?
Boozer -- Not THAT old (turns 29 in November) but isn't the defensive big we need.
Gay -- I guess he could thrive in the right situation but do we really want another SF on this team?
David Lee -- Similar to Boozer but younger and may take less money
Haywood -- On the old side (31 in November) but provides rebounding and weakside shot blocking. I'd be worried about his age vs. how much you give him though. Would he come for $7mil a year for, say, 4 years? Anything more and you're really pushing into "after 2 years this contract may be ugly" territory
Scola -- 30 years old but he'd give us some toughness.

Some younger, off the radar guys:
Anthony Morrow -- Good spot-up shooter to play next to Evans. Not sold on him being remotely decent outside of the free-flowing Warriors offense though. He's restricted so the Warriors can match
Tyrus Thomas -- Good weakside shot blocker; dumb as a bag of rocks though. If he could be had cheap (like $3mil a year) he'd be a good pickup but I have a feeling that Charlotte would match (he's restricted and they just gave up a 1st rounder for him)


Not much else out there this summer IMO. So who would you go after?

[JSrose115]

probably go after david lee or morrow, if we can land at least bosh/joe johnson would be nice.

[darkadun]

I may be insane, but I think there is a possibility of landing Bosh or Amare. Combine having the cash and the fact we have a future superstar in Evans, I don't see why Bosh or Amare wouldn't come here.

Who knows what will happen this summer. Other teams and players might not work out, and suddenly the Sacto might be pretty appealing. I wouldn't say its likely, but its possible.

[bjax24]

I think teammates and money mean more than location when it comes to signing free agents. Who was the last free agent to switch teams to a big market? a 39 year old Karl Malone?

[Dustin5566]

I wouldn't count on Lee since they just tried to trade for him and he would not waive his no-trade clause. However, he would be someone I could really see GP overpaying to get.

[a-rod]

This Free Agents class is full of isolation and 1 on 1 players, These players need the basketball in their hands to be effective. those players would not fit with Evans is style well.

Amare have the skill set and chemistry to best fit with Evans. He is perfectly capable of playing the pick and pop and pick and roll game. And He's one the best finishers in the game.

I may be insane, but I think there is a possibility of landing Bosh or Amare. Combine having the cash and the fact we have a future superstar in Evans, I don't see why Bosh or Amare wouldn't come here.
Who knows what will happen this summer. Other teams and players might not work out, and suddenly the Sacto might be pretty appealing. I wouldn't say its likely, but its possible.

Agreed...

[OGSactownballer]

If David Lee comes anywhere near Sac - other than to play for ANOTHER team- I think that I might have to find a new team to root for!

[UKF]

I'm hoping we can get Bosh, but we'll see what happens when that time comes.

[king125]

More then likely we are not getting any of them. We will have to have another great draft and maybe be a 7-8 seed team next year with tons of money waiting for a blockbuster trade deadline deal a year from today. We could use some of our young talent, our 2011 first rounder, and Nocioni's contract to grab a tier 2 Superstar and make a run.

Or we wait it out and let this group develop into a great team centered around our potential tier 1 Superstar....Tyreke Evans (in about 3 years)

[ICMTM]

I'm hoping we draft well and don't sign anyone (with a high price tag). My thinking is I don't necessarily think getting Bosh would be the piece. We're going to resign people eventually. That's where the money will end up going. We're in a good position to make moves, but giving all that money to one guy may not be the best move.

[nolimit0820]

josh smith anyone? Isn't he a restricted free agent? I know we would have to overpay to get him. But I am a big fan of his game...he is really coming into his own and is an extremely important component to the Hawks success...

[Wolfay]

I sort of agree with ICMTM. If we can't sign a big-time free agent like Chris Bosh (which I admit is less than likely to happen), than I think we should hold rather than spending all of the money on a less-of-a-big-name player like David Lee.

[RekeHavoc]

I don't really want David Lee. I think we have a shot at Bosh or Amare or JJ or Boozer to be honest with you guys. I think we're going to be a pretty attractive destination with a 7th or 8th pick, 12-15 mill to spend(depending on whether the cap ends up at 50 mill or 53 mill), and a budding star in Evans+other young guys getting better.

[PetrieUnderstudy]

I was just thinking this same thing as far as who we should go after in free agency. Of course Lebron, DWade, Amare & Bosh would be the top choices but I can't see any of them signing here. With that said, factoring in age, I think I'd target Rudy Gay as our #1 option even with us having Greene & Casspi. What's the saying? One in hand is better than two in the bush. Get Greene & Thompson to really bulk up in the weight room. I'd also consider David Lee depending on what Landry does the next 2 months (I think he's going to excel) & Joe Johnson even though he's older. Josh Childress is intriguing as a glue guy on a reasonable contract. If we could somehow land John Wall or Evan Turner in the draft & sign Rudy Gay as a free agent we could run with this:

2010-11 Active Roster

John Wall or Evan Turner/Beno Udrih
Tyreke Evans/Francisco Garcia
Rudy Gay/Omri Casspi/Andres Nocioni
Carl Landry/Donte Greene/Jon Brockman
Spencer Hawes/Jason Thompson

Athletic, young, versatile, tough, scrappy & contenders within 2 years!

[SAUCERY_SWEET]

josh smith anyone? Isn't he a restricted free agent? I know we would have to overpay to get him. But I am a big fan of his game...he is really coming into his own and is an extremely important component to the Hawks success...

I think you would get almost any player from the Hawks before Josh the hometown boy, you almost have a better chance of getting Lebron. Who would you offer up for Josh?? Just interested.

[KF10]

I'm hoping we draft well and don't sign anyone (with a high price tag). My thinking is I don't necessarily think getting Bosh would be the piece. We're going to resign people eventually. That's where the money will end up going. We're in a good position to make moves, but giving all that money to one guy may not be the best move.

I have to agree with ICMTM.

The money will eventually be used to resign existing players in the roster.

[wiltchamberlain]

I'm hoping we draft well and don't sign anyone (with a high price tag). My thinking is I don't necessarily think getting Bosh would be the piece. We're going to resign people eventually. That's where the money will end up going. We're in a good position to make moves, but giving all that money to one guy may not be the best move.

I have to agree with ICMTM.

The money will eventually be used to resign existing players in the roster.

Agreed also. I'm sure come free agent time I'll be hoping like everyone else for a miracle, but now at least while I can still think logically I think it may be better if the Kings just pocket the money and wait.

[longfellow44]

I don't think Petrie will wait I think he will spend it this free agent season on who I don't know but I think he spends it.

[wiltchamberlain]

I don't think Petrie will wait I think he will spend it this free agent season on who I don't know but I think he spends it.

The thing is I think this goes against the Kings nature. I mean, we all know the biggest free agent singing of the last decade was Vlade, and at the time most people didn't think much of it. Obviously that signing worked out, but the point is this franchise traditionally does not make big plays for big free agents. Now we can argue as to whether this is because of Petrie's decisions or the Maloof's financial considerations, but either way I think the point is mute.

Something interesting I think about sometimes (I'm sure some of you guys do too) is the possibility of the Maloof's wanting to make a huge deal either in order to get positive publicity (and by proxy help with any future arena negotiations) or to get butts in the seats, as the old saying goes. I see this possibility as being the potential wildcard this offseason.

I guess concluding things I would say I don't expect the team to spend a lot, if they do I'd guess it would be overpaying a mid-level guy (as our history might suggest). However at the same time I wouldn't be absolutely shocked if the team did sign someone big, as of now I just doubt it.

[KM44]

I will do whatever it takes to get John Wall on this team. I do not care what FA we get because no one (that we could actually get) will make the same impact that Wall would. I say we forfeit every game and if we don't get the first pick, trade every pick from now until the apocalypse for Wall.