Future of the Kings

[Beard]

2011/2012 Roster:
PG: Isaiah Thomas/Tyreke Evans
SG: Marcus Thornton/Jimmer Freddette
SF: John Salmons/Francisco Garcia/Terrence Williams/Travis Outlaw/Donte Greene/Tyler Honeycutt
PF: Jason Thompson/Chuck Hayes
C: DeMarcus Cousins/Hassan Whiteside

2012 Offseason Free Agents:
Terrence Williams: let go
Jason Thompson (Restricted): resign for 19 million over three years
Donte Green (Restricted): let go

Team Options:
Hassan Whiteside: exercise
Tyler Honeycutt: exercise

2012 Draft Picks:
5th (expected)
35th (expected)

PG: Isaiah Thomas/Tyreke Evans
SG: Marcus Thornton/Jimmer Freddette
SF: John Salmons/Francisco Garcia/Travis Outlaw/Tyler Honeycutt
PF: Jason Thompson/Chuck Hayes
C: DeMarcus Cousins/Hassan Whiteside

With free agents and options, I've put my opinion of what I think they should do. Let me know if you think this is inaccurate and I can amend.

Because the Kings are picking in the lottery, they get to keep their own 2012 1st round pick that was conditionally owed to Cleveland.

There has been a lot of talk about Tyreke Evans being displaced on this team and whether he should be traded.

What are the fans thoughts in terms of free agency, draft strategy, and potential trades? I'm a Sixers fan, but the Kings have always been one of my other favorite teams.

Before the Kings sign any free agents, they will have approximately 13.7 million in cap room. That's if they exercise their options on Isaiah (common sense) and Whiteside. If they were to decline Whiteside's option, it would add another 850K to that number. If the Kings were too amnesty John Salmons, you can add on 7.5 million. What are the chances the Kings can make a splash with a big name free agent?

[Sacballer916]

We are most likely not going to sign any big name FA cosidering our cheap owners. So we have to do it through the draft. We need to make a blockbuster deal on draft night.

[sacking101]

One things for sure Tyreke Evans is not going to be coming off the bench if he's here. As much as I want to see him develop on the kings he seems like the perfect trade piece right now with the emergence of Isaiah and thornton. I gotta believe a package of our 1st rounder and Tyreke is as valuable as any deal we'll see on draft night. I think we'll resign JT as long as nobody offers him anything ridiculous. As for big FA's we're not gonna get anyone. Like said before, we need to trade or draft to get a star.

[SacTownKings4Life]

Why would we let Terrence Williams go? Especially if we're supposed to be entertaining the idea of trading Tyreke?

[Beard]

Sorry I guess I didn't know TWill had been playing a bit better in Sacramento than Houston/NJ. You would have to resign him though as he is a free agent. Could probably get a pretty affordable deal (3-4 mil per year?) It just seems like half your roster already is small forwards and maybe the money could be better spent elsewhere. I don't know; you guys know your team better than me. That's just what I would think.

[The J Rocka]

Is Isaiah Thomas the future PG? Do you guys think he'll make a huge step next season or do you think he's better suited coming off the bench? Would you guys pursue an upgraded PG in FA or do you think he's the answer and will look to upgrade other positions first?

[rpa]

Is Isaiah Thomas the future PG? Do you guys think he'll make a huge step next season or do you think he's better suited coming off the bench? Would you guys pursue an upgraded PG in FA or do you think he's the answer and will look to upgrade other positions first?

First, I'm still not 100% sold on IT being our team's future starter at PG, but he has grown on me and I've been wrong before (many, many times). That said, a couple reasons that he's grown on me:
1) Unlike other guys his size (Nate Robinson for instance) Thomas is a much smarter and tenacious player. Robinson killed his own teams because he was such a defensive liability and made so many stupid mistakes. IT's ability to run the PnR as well as he does shows me he's going to make smart decisions, which means you can leave him out there on offense without worrying much about him.
2) He may be short but he's got enough meat on him to play the PG position defensively at 185 pounds.

I doubt the Kings could find a better starting caliber PG in free agency. I mean, being the Kings and all, we're probably looking at castoffs (Raymond Felton) or old guys (Andre Miller) that are either going to be expensive, old, big time question marks, or some combination of the 3.

[SacKingZZZ]

Well, I'm pretty much sold on this team going after Landry Fields. With the way this team has developed in the off the ball motion system he'd fit right in plus provide a huge boost defensively. Could really fill that Doug Christie role for this squad. He is even used to being the main defender on opposing PG's, very Christie like in that regard. Just super quick transitioning back to the corner 3 man as well, which is a major weakness for this team as we all know.

[pillwenney]

Right now, IT isn't a good enough decision-maker to be PG of a successful team. He's not terrible here, and he could still get better obviously (I mean, he just finished his rookie season), but right now, he has the ballhandling and passing skills, but doesn't really think like a PG enough for my taste.

But his D is the thing I'm worried about. He's pretty strong, and he has quick feet and he's scrappy, but it doesn't change the fact that guys can simply shoot over him and some (that actually have post skills) will be able to post him up. He can be as scrappy as he wants, but he's 4-5 inches shorter than most PGs in the league. Think of having a 6' 1" SG, or a 6' 3" SF.

I really like him over all as a player, but I think he's really best off being a great sparkplug.

[Little Digger]

The kings need a new defensive mentallity, but I'm not sure Cousins will ever mature enough to handle the coaching.

This is coming from a big Big Cuz fan..I hope he does grow up

[=LarryLegend=]

We should go after Gerald Wallace and Camby.

[longfellow44]

A couple things jumped out at me during the 1st games if the playoff.

Several teams have a major offensive presence at the backup sg role. in fact it seems to be successful they have all move their starting quality sg to the bench to playbwith the 2nd unit. mayo off the bench behind a role player, ginobli off the bench, harden off the bench and nick young off the bench.

It only makes sense that Thornton should also come off the bench and play with the se and unit where he can be the focal point of the offense.

The second thing that i noticed is that we simply don't have enough shooting on our roster at all. every other team seems to have shooters at multiple positions. i think we need to find a reserve big man that can stretch the floor.

[LongLiveIverson]

Let Jason Thompson, Donte Grene, Travis Outlaw walk. Amnesty Salmons

Trade Tyreke Evans for Andre Iguodala and Nikola Vucevic

Draft either Thomas Robinson or Andre Drummond to play alongside Cousins

C. DeMarcus Cousins/Nikola Vucevic
F. Thomas Robinson/Chuck Hayes
F. Andre Iguodala/Terrence Williams/Tyler Honeycutt
G. Marcus Thornton/Francisco Garcia
G. Isiaha Thomas/Jimmer Fredette

Cousins and either Robinson/Drummond forms a devastating front court. Vucevic can rotate in and play the 5 allowing Cousins to play powerforward for stretches. Vucevics outside shot and mid range game will help stretch the floor for a bruiser like Cousins. Hayes provides toughness and rebounding off the bench and can spell Robinson.

Iguodala and Terrence Williams both have similar skill sets and will be able to defend any wing on the court at any given night. Both are extremely unselfish players with good court vision and are efficient rebounders. This allows Thornton to do what hes good at, shoot the rock. Iguodala can also play PG for stretches, allowing Jimmer to come in and play off the ball for a few stretches. Unlike Reke he can also efficiently play both SF and SG.

Isaiah Thomas should be given another full season to prove himself as a starting PG in this league. While he may not be the long term solution, he will have plenty of options around him to succeed.

[City of Trees]

kings should package Tyreke/1st/? for the 1st pick


I can see where an argument can be made for the Bobcats (1st overall pick) to consider a packaged deal of Tyreke/ Kings 1st (3rd pick). That team needs talent, and lots of it. Tyreke would take control of that team, Bobcats draft Kidd-Ghilcrist and all of a sudden you have a young core of Kemba, Reke, Ghilcrist.

[SacKingZZZ]

A couple things jumped out at me during the 1st games if the playoff.

Several teams have a major offensive presence at the backup sg role. in fact it seems to be successful they have all move their starting quality sg to the bench to playbwith the 2nd unit. mayo off the bench behind a role player, ginobli off the bench, harden off the bench and nick young off the bench.

It only makes sense that Thornton should also come off the bench and play with the se and unit where he can be the focal point of the offense.

The second thing that i noticed is that we simply don't have enough shooting on our roster at all. every other team seems to have shooters at multiple positions. i think we need to find a reserve big man that can stretch the floor.

The only problem, or difference is Thornton is kind of this teams Rudy Gay. He's arguably the best offensive player on this team and a major focal point of the offense as soon as the game is underway.

Certainly need more shooting, or to at least play the shooters that are here AS SHOOTERS.

[KF10]

kings should package Tyreke/1st/? for the 1st pick


I can see where an argument can be made for the Bobcats (1st overall pick) to consider a packaged deal of Tyreke/ Kings 1st (3rd pick). That team needs talent, and lots of it. Tyreke would take control of that team, Bobcats draft Kidd-Ghilcrist and all of a sudden you have a young core of Kemba, Reke, Ghilcrist.

They wouldn't trade Davis for Reke/1st.

[City of Trees]

kings should package Tyreke/1st/? for the 1st pick


I can see where an argument can be made for the Bobcats (1st overall pick) to consider a packaged deal of Tyreke/ Kings 1st (3rd pick). That team needs talent, and lots of it. Tyreke would take control of that team, Bobcats draft Kidd-Ghilcrist and all of a sudden you have a young core of Kemba, Reke, Ghilcrist.

They wouldn't trade Davis for Reke/1st.

i know, notice the ?... Im not a GM, i dont know what it takes to make these trades happen. But Reke/1st/? is at least a starting point

[KF10]

kings should package Tyreke/1st/? for the 1st pick


I can see where an argument can be made for the Bobcats (1st overall pick) to consider a packaged deal of Tyreke/ Kings 1st (3rd pick). That team needs talent, and lots of it. Tyreke would take control of that team, Bobcats draft Kidd-Ghilcrist and all of a sudden you have a young core of Kemba, Reke, Ghilcrist.

They wouldn't trade Davis for Reke/1st.

i know, notice the ?... Im not a GM, i dont know what it takes to make these trades happen. But Reke/1st/? is at least a starting point

I doubt the Bobcats would go for that even if we added more. The only possible scenario that they would opt for a trade is we offer up Cousins + incentive (pending on several things). Which I think we won't do anyways imo. So it's all moot.

[SacKingZZZ]

Well, if these GM's thinking Davis will be a "little better than KG" are picking first you can pretty much guarantee there's not a player in the league that could nab that pick, hahaha.

Interesting to see the Marcus Camby comparison coming to light more and more. It's always times like these that people forget how good some players really were. Like Marcus Camby is a bad thing. Not too bad on the offensive side himself GM folk, was more accepting of his role players status though. Reminds me of when Jerry Reynolds told that story of some Bucks people asking who Bogut reminded him of and where he could top out and he said Vlade Divac. They scoffed and replied, "That's all?!"

[ICMTM]

Reminds me of when Jerry Reynolds told that story of some Bucks people asking who Bogut reminded him of and where he could top out and he said Vlade Divac. They scoffed and replied, "That's all?!"

I remember that! I can see Davis somewhere in between KG and Camby. I didn't watch much of him, but in the title game he struggled on the offensive end. I hope we win the lottery though and have the option of taking him.