Kings Open To Moving Young Players
The Kings are "very open" to moving some of their young players, reports Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (via Twitter), calling Sacramento a "willing trade partner."
Despite having plenty of talents on their roster, the Kings are off to another slow start, tied for last place in the Western Conference with the Hornets. As I pointed out when I recapped the team's offseason, Sacramento has assets, but not ones that fit particularly well together.
Tyreke Evans, DeMarcus Cousins, Jimmer Fredette, Thomas Robinson, and James Johnson are the Kings players still on rookie contracts, though obviously the club would be less open to moving some of those players. Fredette has been the subject of a few trade rumors, and Evans and Johnson are on expiring deals, so they all could be trade candidates, but I doubt Cousins and Robinson are going anywhere.
Western Notes: Evans, Wolves, Williams, Davis
There's only one game on the Western Conference schedule tonight, so as we wait for the Mavericks and Suns to tip off in Phoenix, let's round up a few notes out of the West….
- Tyreke Evans' play of late shows why he could either be an integral part of the Kings' rebuild or a valuable trade chip later in the season, writes Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com.
- The Timberwolves are finding success with bringing in international players from overseas, as an Associated Press report details (link via NBA.com). "To me, it's just a natural extension of scouting," said team president David Kahn. "Just as you can't afford to be negligent about the domestic side, you can't afford to not be on top of matters internationally."
- Andrew Perna of RealGM.com spoke to Derrick Williams about trying to live up to the expectations of being a second overall pick.
- In an Insider-only piece, ESPN.com's John Hollinger takes a look at some long-term deals signed this summer that have been money well spent so far. Ryan Anderson, Omer Asik, and Alexey Shved are among the names on Hollinger's list.
- Anthony Davis tells Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld that he's looking forward to a bright long-term future with the Hornets.
Western Rumors: Cousins, Brown, Iguodala, Fisher
A matchup of fourth-place teams, as the Mavs travel to take on the Suns, is the only Western Conference tilt on a two-game night in the NBA, but the action off the court is much juicier. We delivered the latest on the Pau Gasol saga earlier this morning, and now here's more from the West.
- Slumping as he begins his third season, DeMarcus Cousins is nonetheless coveted by several teams around the league, according to Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee, who adds that the Kings remain uninterested in trading the 22-year-old center.
- Mike Brown, still owed $10MM from the Lakers after the team let him go just five games into the season, tells Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times that he'll eventually get back into coaching, but is in no rush.
- Andre Iguodala, who can exercise an early-termination option this summer, is a safer bet to remain with the Nuggets than Carmelo Anthony was as his deal neared an end, according to Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post.
- Joe Kaiser of ESPN.com, after examining all the other options, believes the Mavs' signing of Derek Fisher was sound (Insider only).
- The Blazers have already declined their 2013/14 option on Luke Babbitt, but they might have to give him another look as an unrestricted free agent next summer now that he's jumped into the rotation, observes Mike Tokito of The Oregonian.
- Rockets interim coach Kelvin Sampson reached out to Carlos Delfino during the summer and touted the ability for the Argentinian swingman to play a significant role with Houston, helping convince him to sign with the team. Jason Friedman of Rockets.com has the details.
Latest On Kings, Potential Move
With an eye toward next spring's deadline to relocate for 2013/14, the Maloof family, who own the Kings, are studying their options, as Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee details. George Maloof, who has reportedly met with the Virginia governor and Virginia Beach mayor, is "particularly intrigued" with the proposed arena deal in Virginia Beach. Either the Maloofs or a family representative have spoken recently with officials in Seattle, San Diego, Kansas City and St. Louis, Voisin reports.
On the court, the team's dispirited play could cost basketball president Geoff Petrie his job "within weeks," Voisin writes. Petrie, the longest-tenured personnel chief in the league, is in the final season of his contract. Even if he's let go, coach Keith Smart is likely to stay, given his support from the Maloofs, Voisin notes.
While brothers Joe and Gavin cling to the belief that Sacramento can work, George Maloof is the leading voice within the family in favor of a move, according to Voisin. The family is united in its refusal to sell the team, which makes it somewhat more likely the team will stay, since investor Chris Hansen would likely outbid all other suitors and deliver the team to Seattle. The refusal of the Maloofs to sell could prompt Hansen and Seattle to look elsewhere for a team.
Voisin also provides detail on a local group trying to secure $120MM to $150MM in financing for a renovation of the existing Sleep Train Arena. The Bee scribe calls upon the Maloofs to overcome their fears of another public relations misstep and speak candidly about the future of the franchise, believing public trust and support of the Kings in Sacramento can't be rekindled until that happens.
Offseason In Review: Sacramento Kings
Hoops Rumors is in the process of looking back at each team's offseason, from the end of the playoffs in June right up until opening night. Trades, free agent signings, draft picks, contract extensions, option decisions, camp invitees, and more will be covered, as we examine the moves each franchise made over the last several months.
Signings
- Jason Thompson: Five years, $30.19MM. Signed via Bird rights. Fifth year is partially guaranteed.
- Aaron Brooks: Two years, $6.65MM. Signed via cap room. Second year is player option.
Trades and Claims
- Acquired cash from the Pacers in exchange for the No. 36 pick in 2012 draft.
- Acquired James Johnson from the Raptors in exchange for a 2014 second-round pick.
Draft Picks
- Thomas Robinson (Round 1, 5th overall). Signed via rookie exception.
Camp Invitees
- Cyril Awere
- Tony Mitchell
- Hamady N'Diaye
- Willie Reed
Departing Players
Rookie Contract Option Decisions
- DeMarcus Cousins, $4.92MM: Exercised
- Jimmer Fredette, $2.44MM: Exercised
It's been a rough few years for the Kings, who haven't qualified for the postseason since the 2005/06 season, and have had five different coaches patrol the sidelines since that point. After they finished the 2011/12 season with a 22-44 record, it wasn't realistic to expect the Kings to formulate an overnight fix this offseason. The best one could hope for was a few smart decisions that put the team on the right track.
With that in mind, it was a moderately successful offseason for the Kings. Heading into the draft, Thomas Robinson was considered perhaps the most sure-thing prospect not named Anthony Davis, so nabbing him at No. 5 was viewed as a coup. Sacramento also got a good price for Aaron Brooks, who returned from an impressive stint in China to ink an affordable two-year deal. And in exchange for a future second-round pick, the Kings acquired James Johnson, an all-around contributor on a small salary whose career PER had been steadly on the rise. If Sacramento decides Johnson isn't a part of the team's long-term plan, his contract expires at season's end, so the club could trade him or let him walk.
The Kings' new contract with Jason Thompson was a little more perplexing. A $6MM annual salary for even a modestly productive big man isn't a bad price by any means, and with few free agents clamoring to come to Sacramento, retaining players is important for the Kings. Still, five years is a significant commitment for a player who has yet to show he can be more than a decent rotation piece. By comparison, J.J. Hickson signed a one-year, $4MM deal with the Trail Blazers. Hickson is two years younger than Thompson, and their numbers over the last three seasons are fairly similar — Hickson has posted 10.4 PPG, 6.7 RPG, and a 15.3 PER against Thompson's 10.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and 14.8 PER.
Even if Thompson's contract is questionable compared to the team's other fairly solid moves, it's Thompson's deal that more accurately reflects the decisions the Kings have made in the past few years. Sacramento's cap is weighed down by a number of bad contracts, such as John Salmons', Francisco Garcia's, and Travis Outlaw's. Even the players on reasonable contracts don't mesh well together, with Marcus Thornton, Tyreke Evans, Jimmer Fredette, and DeMarcus Cousins among the other Kings vying for shots.
There are certainly talented players on the Kings' roster, but bad contracts and poor fits have kept the team from developing into a real postseason contender. Disregarding chemistry and simply bringing in talent hasn't worked for Sacramento yet, so it was a positive sign to see the team not rushing to extend Evans this summer. Since his standout rookie season, Evans' specific role with the Kings has been unclear, with his development slowed by the lack of a true position or complementary personnel around him. It's possible the Kings could still lock Evans up next summer if he takes a step forward this year, but the team was wise to keep its options open, and could field trade offers at February's deadline.
With Salmons, Thornton, Chuck Hayes, and many more players on this year's roster under contract through next season as well, the Kings don't have the cap flexibility going forward that you'd like to see from a rebuilding team. Their best chance at turning things around may involve building around Cousins, and bringing in the pieces necessary to support him. If Evans and Fredette can't be those guys, they represent Sacramento's most valuable trade chips.
Outside of a surprising long-term deal for Thompson, the 2012 offseason didn't include any real head-scratchers for the Kings, and Robinson has a chance to be a very good NBA player. But given the bad contracts and bad fits that were already in place before the offseason began, this summer's moves don't change the Kings' outlook a whole lot. This is still a club headed for the lottery in 2013.
Pacific Notes: Kings, Virginia Beach, Billups
The latest update on Virginia Beach's arena proposal comes from Dale Kasler, Tony Bizjak, and Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee. According to the Bee report, the arena proposal would include commitments of $150MM from the state of Virginia, $195MM from the city of Virginia Beach, and just $35MM from Comcast-Spectator. Part of that cost would be put toward relocating a professional sports team, presumably the Sacramento Kings, to Virginia Beach.
Given that the proposal calls for 90% public funding, it's already drawing opposition from some public officials, according to the Bee report — city councilman Bill DeSteph suggested that Virginia Beach "can't afford" to put $195MM into the project.
As we wait to see if Virginia Beach's arena plan continues to move forward, here are a few more notes from around the Pacific Division:
- Rob McAllister of Cowbell Kingdom is skeptical that Virginia Beach is really a viable relocation option for the Kings, contending that the Maloofs are playing the city in order to boost the value of the franchise.
- Chauncey Billups' return to the Clippers lineup was timely, writes Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game, who says Billups helped quell a locker-room revolt last season and could be instrumental in convincing Chris Paul to remain long-term with the Clips.
- Young Warriors players like Jeremy Tyler and Kent Bazemore could be shuttled back and forth between the NBA and the D-League this season, given the proximity of the team's Santa Cruz affiliate, writes Carl Steward of the Oakland Tribune.
- Making his case for why the Lakers should trade Pau Gasol, Sean Deveney of the Sporting News writes that it's "becoming obvious that the rumor mill may know something the Lakers and Gasol don’t seem to know — he would be better off elsewhere."
Western Notes: Fisher, Collison, Kings, Harden
If the playoffs began today, a team below .500 would make it to the postseason out of the Western Conference, a rare occurance in recent years, when the bulk of the league's better teams have been in the West. Of course, one of the sub-.500 teams right now is the Lakers, who are expected to turn it around sooner or later. The Mavs are another, and there's more news about their expected signing of Derek Fisher and other notes of interest from around the West.
- Darren Collison's inconsistent play had the Mavs thinking about a move for the past week or two, and it appears Fisher will take over as the starter in Dallas, writes Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News.
- Mavs coach Rick Carlisle says Fisher isn't a cure-all for the team, as Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com notes via Facebook, and Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com believes Fisher's signing is a desperate move that follows a series of mistakes.
- Virginia Beach mayor Will Sessoms hopes to have a binding term sheet with a pro team, presumably the Kings, by March, which would pave the way for the Kings to file for relocation in April, according to Nick Monacelli of WAVY-TV 10.
- James Harden shared his thoughts with reporters shortly before tipoff of his return to Oklahoma City as a member of the Rockets tonight, and John Rohde of The Oklahoman provides excerpts.
- There's a "decent" chance Nemanja Bjelica, a 2010 second-round pick whose rights are owned by the Timberwolves, winds up in Minnesota next year, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN.
- Blazers COO Sarah Mensah told Joe Freeman of The Oregonian that losing out on the team president job was a factor in her decision to leave.
- The Nuggets promoted a pair of front-office mainstays, observes Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post.
Kyler On Gasol, Redick, Varejao, Lakers, Fredette
Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld took to Twitter today to field a variety of trade-related questions from his followers. Some of Kyler's tweets were particularly notable, so let's round up the highlights below (all links go to Twitter)….
- The Lakers have kicked the tires on Pau Gasol trades in the past and are aware that any move they make would be a downgrade. Kyler notes that if the team falls out of contention, a Lamar Odom-esque salary dump is a possibility, but it's hard to imagine that happening this season.
- Even though J.J. Redick is on an expiring contract, a deal isn't necessarily likely since Redick fits the culture the Magic are trying to establish. Asked specifically about a potential swap with the Timberwolves involving Redick and Derrick Williams, Kyler says the Magic would want to include at least one bad contract in that type of move.
- The Cavaliers continue to say Anderson Varejao isn't available, but Kyler thinks the team will have to cash him in at some point.
- The Hawks still intend to re-sign Josh Smith next summer and build around him.
- Having traded most of their first-round picks in other deals, the Lakers no longer have the draft picks to facilitate a contract dump, so the team will find it difficult to move a point guard like Steve Blake or Chris Duhon.
- The Lakers have talked about the possibility of adding Mickael Pietrus, Delonte West, or Raja Bell, but nothing is close.
- Kyler also reiterates a point he's made before, saying Jimmer Fredette is unhappy with the Kings.
Pacific Notes: Bogut, Gasol, Kings, Virginia Beach
Microfracture surgery carries a worrisome stigma for NBA players, with guys like Penny Hardaway, Chris Webber, and Greg Oden having undergone the procedure on their knees in the past. However, in revealing that Andrew Bogut underwent microfracture surgery on his ankle this year, Marcus Thompson of the Contra Costa Times cautions that Bogut's situation is different.
According to Thompson, the microfracture aspect wasn't the major part of Bogut's surgery, and simply addressed a "minor" cartilage issue. The original timetable for Bogut's return took into account the procedure, and while the Warriors had hoped that timetable had accelerated, the big man's latest setback suggests he won't be back at full strength until 2013.
Here are a few more notes from around the Pacific Division:
- Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni scoffed at speculation that Pau Gasol isn't a fit for his system, as Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News details. "I don't see how a player as smart as he is, as talented as he is and efficient as he is, doesn't fit in anybody's schemes," D'Antoni said. "I got to reevaluate myself if I can't play with Pau Gasol. Come on. He's won two championships."
- Tyreke Evans is off to a good start in a new role for the Kings, and coach Keith Smart doesn't believe the strides Evans has made are the result of his playing for a contract. Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee has the details.
- According to WAVY-TV 10 sports director Bruce Rader, plans for a new arena in Virginia Beach have taken another step forward. Rader reports that Virginia Beach mayor Will Sessoms will ask city council for permission to request $150MM from the state of Virginia to help with construction costs and relocation costs for a professional sports team, which Rader assumes will be the Sacramento Kings.
- Tom Ziller of Sactown Royalty provides his own take on the Virginia Beach news, noting that even if all of Rader's details are accurate, there are still plenty of roadblocks the project must overcome.
Odds & Ends: Gasol, World Cup, Wizards, Freeland
With the NBA season four weeks old tonight, it's no surprise the Heat sit on top of the Eastern Conference standings. The Grizzlies, Spurs and Thunder aren't shockers atop the West, but two teams coming off their first meeting, not to mention eventful offseasons, share the fifth-best record in the league: the Knicks and the Nets. As we wait to see how the rest of the season plays out, here's the latest from around the league.
- Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni brushed off Pau Gasol trade talk, saying, "That definitely doesn’t come from us," notes Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Sulia link).
- Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun believes both Gasol and the Lakers could benefit from a trade.
- In no surprise, an NBA spokesperson said the league has no plans to take in-season breaks to accomodate the new qualifying schedule for the basketball World Cup, tweets ESPN's Alvaro Martin.
- HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy wonders if it's time for the Wizards to let go of coach Randy Wittman, and wouldn't be surprised to see the team make a deal at the trade deadline.
- Joel Freeland has gone from contending for the starting center job to out of the rotation, and while the British big man is frustrated, Blazers coach Terry Stotts remains optimistic, as The Oregonian's Joe Freeman chronicles.
- The Bulls' bench is a poor match for Tom Thibodeau, and demonstrates a disconnect between the coach and the front office, writes David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune. Still, Thibodeau isn't calling for any changes, as fellow Tribune scribe K.C. Johnson observes.
- Just as Tyreke Evans regressed following his Rookie of the Year campaign, Isaiah Thomas finds himself the odd man out of the Kings rotation a year after his impressive rookie season, notes Jim Cavan of The New York Times.