Pre Draft Workout Thread

[RookieWall]

Only questions is are the problems with Cousins worth the 5th pick.

If he and Whiteside/Monroe are equal and you can add assets, why not make the move down?

[perezident]

Yea, guys it was just an inquire that the Jazz did. My boy just told me that the Jazz and Kings could do something...

[princeofpalace]

IRC Yahoo news reported that Utah may be interested in the Kings pick in that same sentence that they mentioned the Pistons. I will go back and find the quote but I know that it was in Yahoo News as well

[Catchall]

I'm a Jazz fan. If the Jazz make the move to 5, I think a player or two would be involved. I don't think the Memphis pick makes the difference between 5 and 9 unless everyone thinks the players are on equal footing.

The Jazz do like Monroe, but if they got the 5th pick, I think they'd take Wesley Johnson in this scenario. The Jazz need someone who can create on the wing so that D. Will doesn't have to do everything all the time. The Jazz also still have Okur, Fesenko and Tomic coming in at the C spot and it's not clear what advantage Monroe is going to bring. They have Millsap at the PF, and they can play Kirilenko there or get a defensive-minded PF to back up Millsap later in the draft or through free agency.

Personally, I'm not high on Monroe. He doesn't run the floor that well, can't seem to elevate much on either side of the ball, and doesn''t really seem like a defensive presence at the NBA level.

The question then is, what do the Jazz have that Sacramento would want?

The Jazz might float you AK, Miles, Koufos, the Memphis pick, etc. If you wanted to swap Millsap for Carl Landry or Jason Thompson, that could happen also maybe, but I'm not sure the Jazz would offer that.

Otherwise, I think the Jazz would try to get another team involved--like sending AK to Golden State, getting you guys their 6th pick and the Memphis pick, giving Golden State the 9th pick, and taking back a player. Etc.

[Catchall]

I think Cousins is going to be a beast if he can stay healthy and get with the program.

I also think Whiteside is going to be a very good player. He seems to have a lot in common with Jermaine O'Neal, but I would argue that he's even a bit more talented with his shooting touch and timing on blocks. The question is whether he's coachable. He's already working hard though, gaining weight, working on his moves. Clearly he wants to be a player.

[RIPskaterdude]

That's the thing, I can't see the Jazz having anything that the Kings would want. 2011 1st + Memphis 1st? That seems like too much for the Jazz to offer to move up 4 spots. Then again, how good would Johnson look with Williams/Millsap and (if they re-sign him) Boozer?

[RIPskaterdude]

I think Cousins is going to be a beast if he can stay healthy and get with the program.

I also think Whiteside is going to be a very good player. He seems to have a lot in common with Jermaine O'Neal, but I would argue that he's even a bit more talented with his shooting touch and timing on blocks. The question is whether he's coachable. He's already working hard though, gaining weight, working on his moves. Clearly he wants to be a player.

Yeah, I don't think Whiteside would work with "The Dream" unless he was serious about getting better.

[Catchall]

That's the thing, I can't see the Jazz having anything that the Kings would want. 2011 1st + Memphis 1st? That seems like too much for the Jazz to offer to move up 4 spots. Then again, how good would Johnson look with Williams/Millsap and (if they re-sign him) Boozer?

The Jazz have 2 years to make D. Will happy. For them, the next step is to make the NBA finals or at least contend with the Lakers and the up-and-coming teams like OKC in the WCF. The Jazz get a lottery pick so rarely--read once every 8 or 10 years--they would go all out to make the most of it. I think the Jazz would be happy to give a future 1st round pick, but their 2010 first round pick was swapped out in the Philly/Korver trade, so it would have to be 2012.

If there's a trade in the works, I think there has to be a player on the Jazz or a 3rd team that you would want to pull the trigger on. Otherwise, why pass on Monroe, Aminu, or Johnson?

[SacKingZZZ]

The Kings are really trying to build a talented team and the sooner the better. I doubt they trade down in order to pick up future draft picks.

[RIPskaterdude]

The Kings are really trying to build a talented team and the sooner the better. I doubt they trade down in order to pick up future draft picks.

But if Cousins is off the board, and they feel that Whiteside/Monroe are equal talents...why not?

[SacKingZZZ]

I think they'd rather have a deal that instantly brought an upgrade somewhere else, or more future cap space.

[Catchall]

For what it's worth, the Jazz could trade their 2011 first-round pick. They have the Knicks' pick so they wouldn't go 2 years without a first-round pick.

[RIPskaterdude]

I think they'd rather have a deal that instantly brought an upgrade somewhere else, or more future cap space.

Future cap space? Who else is there to move for future cap space? Garcia? Beno? For the first time in a long time, we're in a pretty damn good situation with our cap.

And I'm not sure who the Jazz have that would be a clear upgrade to our team (taking away the obvious answer of Deron).

[SacKingZZZ]

I think they'd rather have a deal that instantly brought an upgrade somewhere else, or more future cap space.

Future cap space? Who else is there to move for future cap space? Garcia? Beno? For the first time in a long time, we're in a pretty damn good situation with our cap.

And I'm not sure who the Jazz have that would be a clear upgrade to our team (taking away the obvious answer of Deron).

Him most likely. I don't know, as good as Beno was last year I get the feeling that Petrie is more than willing to move him and may do so sooner than we all think. I hope not, I really like Beno starting next to Tyreke.

[RookieWall]

The Kings are really trying to build a talented team and the sooner the better. I doubt they trade down in order to pick up future draft picks.

If this is true they would have done the Nocioni/Prince swap. Just think the Kings realize they're 2/3 years out so compiling assets is important.

[darkadun]

I don't see GP taking on cap unless its for a C Webb caliber player. I think thats the next move in Geoff's arsenel. Its unlikely a star quality player will sign with us, but he could pull off a trade to take on a player as he did with Webb. Thats where our cap will be helpful. Also, we have to remember that we'll most likely need to resign Landry after next season & Tyreke the season after that. Not to mention JT is a good bet at being resigned at some point, and then we'll have guys like Casspi and Donte who are on rookie contracts. If they really develop and shine, we'll need room to sign them as well.


Regarding the draft, I'm really curious who Petrie will draft. I honestly think he is changing the way he builds the current team. The last 4 players he has drafted have all been physically tough. Trading for Landry, then trading Hawes for Dalembert, all tough players, that rebound and play D. He even alluded to a shifting in phillosphy with regards to the Hawes trade.

Everyone thinks he might draft Monroe, but is he going to be a good defensive or physically tought player? And Cousins is a bruiser, but does have the tools to be a legit force on defense? That all remains to be seen, but I believe he will draft someone who fits the mold of our current roster.

[NUMBERICA]

Jazz fan here.

I'd be fine moving up for Johnson if the Wolves pick Cousins and would use the Memphis pick and the #9 to do that. How would you guys feel about that?

If Cousins is still on the board, I'd offer Kirilenko (expiring) and #9 for Udrih, Garcia, and #5. You guys would pay more this year but save a hell of a lot more down the road and have Kirilenko's Bird Rights going into a new CBA in the event you would want to re-sign (or give you guys more flexibility in a mid-season deal to pick up a salary dump).

The scenario where Cousins is off the board is less likely, though. Are my proposals shite?

[RIPskaterdude]

Jazz fan here.

I'd be fine moving up for Johnson if the Wolves pick Cousins and would use the Memphis pick and the #9 to do that. How would you guys feel about that?

If Cousins is still on the board, I'd offer Kirilenko (expiring) and #9 for Udrih, Garcia, and #5. You guys would pay more this year but save a hell of a lot more down the road and have Kirilenko's Bird Rights going into a new CBA in the event you would want to re-sign (or give you guys more flexibility in a mid-season deal to pick up a salary dump).

The scenario where Cousins is off the board is less likely, though. Are my proposals ****?

It's not terrible, but I just don't think the Kings will make anymore cap saving deals. Unless they are planning on making a BIG splash in the 2011 FA, I think they'll keep Beno and Garcia for now. Beno redeemed himself last year, and the Kings just don't have the PG depth to give up on Beno anyways. Garcia means more to us than to other teams, and hopefully he'll bounce back this year (considering he was out half the year with a serious injury).

[RookieWall]

Just to be clear, it seems a near certainty that Wes Johnson will go to Minnesota.

[princeofpalace]

What are the Kings views on Whiteside?