Sacramento Kings

Kings Draft Afterthoughts

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:30:02 +0000

The Sacramento Kings draft was pretty nice all around. I actually like a player they picked up later in the draft a lot, Jon Brockman. Brockman was a stand out at the University of Washington and he will be reunited with former teammate Spencer Hawes.

Tyreke Evans from Memphis was the first new King to be crowned, however. I like this pick for Sacramento. It adds athleticism to the team as well as flexibility. My sources say Evans will have to overhaul his jumper, but outside of that this kid is the most NBA ready player to come out of this year's draft. He is going to help the King's out immediately.

The Kings had a horrible record last season, but I think this season is going to be a little bit better. There slowly turning the franchise around with this draft. A lot of people considered this draft weak, but from what you could take out of it the Kings definitely are better today then they were this time last season.

Omri Casspi who came from Maccabi Tel Aviv is a 6-9 forward who shot an outstanding 71 percent from the field in the Israeli League. He is former teammate to current NBA players Carlos Arryo, Dee and Marcus Brown. I believe he is a guy who can come into Sacramento and add to the offence as well as make plays on the defensive end.

Bobby Jackson is a guy that brings a lot of veteran experience as well. Young guards in Sacramento should get mentored by him. He's a guy who knows how to win, and has been a great teammate for many years and a fan favorite in Sacramento.

The Kings also have other players returning that can help out a bit more this season such as Rashad McCants who was drafted by the Minnesota Timber wolves a few years ago, former Spur Beno Udrih and former Bull Andres Nocioni will also be key returnees.

Two players that will be dominate in Sacramento this year will be Spencer Hawes and Jason Thompson. I had a chance to go to the Bakers-Kings game back in April, and they played really well. As did Francisco Garcia.

Hopefully Kevin Martin will be able to stay healthy this year. To be honest, if everyone stays healthy I really don't know why Sacramento couldn't attempt to contend for a low playoff seed after this draft.

Tyreke Evans

is the real deal.

It'll definitely be interesting, but the Pacific Division isn't much tougher even with Blake Griffin in Los Angeles. The Lakers will take the division, again, but after that it's anyone's ball game for 2nd.

I guess we will have to wait and see, but mark my words Kings fans, this draft will go down as one of the best Sacramento has seen this decade.

Go Kings!

Varejao Opts Out, Becomes Unrestricted Free Agent

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:59:00 -0500

Could Anderson Varejao be headed elsewhere this summer?

Dan Fegan strikes again.

In what is no surprise to anyone who has followed the Cavs over the past year or so, Anderson Varejao has decided to exercise his player option and opt out.

Forward Anderson Varejao did not exercise the final year of his contract on Tuesday, making him an unrestricted free agent this summer, a source close to the player told ESPN.com's Chad Ford.

By opting out of his deal for next season, Varejao is leaving $6.2 million of guaranteed money on the table to try and test would could be a bare market this year.

It's been reported that Varejao could be seeking a contract with a per year earning of upwards of $9 million. In this economy with very few teams having that type of cap space, it's unlikely Varejao will get an offer that is around his asking price.

Right now it looks like there will be 5-6 teams that could challenge the Cavs for Varejao's services and offer a lucrative contract. Those teams with significant cap room are: Detroit Pistons ($19 million), Oklahoma City Thunder ($13 million), Memphis Grizzlies ($13 million), Sacramento Kings ($7 million), Portland Trail Blazers ($9 million), and Toronto Raptors ($9 million, if they let Parker, Marion and Graham walk).

Out of those teams it looks like Varejao may get a look from 3-4 teams.

The Pistons have bigger fish to fry than Varejao and are looking at some top free agents.

The Toronto Raptors are looking for a perimeter scorer and it's questionable how far under the cap they'll get at this point.

The Oklahoma City Thunder look like they want to add a young player and make a splash in free agency, so Varejao might be a back-up plan with them needing some bigs there.

The Memphis Grizzlies were rumored to be interested in Varejao last off-season so if things fall through with their other targets (reportedly David Lee) then some of that interest could be re-kindled.

The Sacramento Kings were adamant about including Varejao in the Mike Bibby talks a couple years ago and that could parlay the Kings into offering all of their cap space to Varejao should their other options dry up.

The Portland Trail Blazers have reportedly been looking for toughness and defense to backup Aldridge and Varejao would be a great fit there. The only problem is that he might be too expensive.

The good news for the Cavs is that Varejao isn't going to garner a ton of interest from the teams with major cap room and that Varejao isn't looking like anyone's primary option.

While the Cavs can't match any offer because Varejao is unrestricted, the Cavs do look like they're going to put re-signing Varejao as their #1 priority and should get it done if Varejao keeps his demands reasonable (you never know with Dan Fegan).

It's been speculated that the Cavs might be willing to pay up to $9 million per year for Varejao but that might change once he hits the open market and the Cavs see what's available.

The right thing for the Cavs to do would be to re-sign Varejao at a reasonable price.

(P.S - And no, re-signing Varejao to a long-term deal doesn't mean the Cavs won't have 2010 cap space and not be able to sign Bosh. The 2010 cap space is an illusion and there's no way the Cavs will be able to have enough cap room to field a competitive team. So don't be worrying about that.

The problem with Varejao will be determining his value to the team. While I'm sure Fegan and Varejao see it as one thing, I'm also sure the Cavs see at as another.

Varejao is a good player but he's not worth $8.5-$9.5 million a year. Maybe if it was on a short-term deal (2-3 years), then it could be possible. But there's no way I can see the Cavs paying him that type of money over a long commitment.

Varejao's worth is probably in the $7.5 million range (give or take a half million) for a decent amount of years.

If Varejao and Fegan can't come to grips with reality, then the Cavs will probably be forced to either do a one-year deal at a high rate or sign-and-trade Varejao.

While the Cavs may not want to sign-and-trade Varejao, it may ultimately come down to that.

The one good thing is that Danny Ferry and Dan Fegan have since repaired their relationship since they hit rocky times last summer while negotiating Varejao's previous contract. Having a good working relationship is critical in working with agents and crossing the line when the two parties start getting into uncomfortable territories.

So will Varejao end up staying with the Cavs? Right now it's anybody's guess but with the way the market looks and how bad the Cavs want Varejao back, it looks like it's in the Cavs favor.

Slipping Away: Glen Davis' Return Becoming Less Likely

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:35:00 -0500

Jason Kidd rumors and more from CelticsBlog.

With the Draft and the majority of blockbuster trades behind us, a question still looms concerning the Celtics. A question that, at the moment, I don't want to answer: Will we re-sign Glen Davis? Davis' last words of solid encouragement (I mean statements that suggested that Davis was surely going to return back to the Celtics) to the fans dates back to... well, I won't say it just to save you a trip to the ER.

Davis implied that he'd love to come back to Boston and play off the bench just recently, but like other times when he's talked to the reporters, he's also strongly implied that he's "curious," and would like to look around the market to see what he can get.

And let me tell you folks, this big baby is going to get a monstrous contract. Not just big, because I know you were expecting me to say that. Teams with young players like the Thunder possess of raw talent and would like to know that they have a future All-Star big man down low -- no matter how small. Despite the fact that Davis is merely 6-9, he compensates as he is a hefty 289 pounds. He also averaged 15.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in the playoffs, in which he substituted for the injured Kevin Garnett. I'm sure OKC would enjoy a slice of him.

You might as well call Davis a bull of a basketball player. The budding power forward is capable of slowing down massive centers such as Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard. Now, understand me when I say "slow down." I'm obviously not saying Davis could completely shut down the two All-Stars, but with help (like Perkins or Garnett), the "Ticket Stub" can surprise most people when facing up against guys like O'Neal and Howard.

The fact that Davis will be satisfied in any basketball city scares me. Read what he has to say:

"I'll be very excited to come back to the Celtics or go to a team where I might start. Wherever I'm at, I'll be happy.''

And believe me, Davis truly does mean "anywhere." The big man would be happy on a contender where he is a factor off the bench, but he is also looking to start if he happens to land on a team that may be a touch below the "contender" category. So that means teams like the Kings, the Grizzles (although that's quite a stretch), and the Warriors are all in consideration. That's not a good thing.

Teams like the Kings, Grizzles, or Warriors may be an undesirable destination for most free agents (of course, those only playing for money would book a flight to any one of those cities in a heartbeat), but for Davis, shockingly, they still may be a valid competitor in the "race for baby," as I like to call it. Here's why.

The Kings, although being notoriously seen as the laughingstock of basketball (yes, basketball, not just the NBA), would take a step forward by acquiring Davis. They have good young big men on their roster, some being Spencer Hawes, Donte Green, and Jason Thompson. Sacramento MUST add one more young big guy to that list, and what do you know, Glen Davis is a perfect match. He would compliment Hawes especially as his outside game could be another passing option for the skilled Hawes down low when he finds trouble shaking free of defenders. Both Thompson and Green are very athletic, and I find that Davis, when paired with one of those two, could become part of a dangerous open court game.

The Grizzles have many guys tradeable on their roster that could bring in some fresh blood. Rudy Gay (although he's one of those tradeable players), an explosive small forward, would help Davis immensely when trying to find an open shot. Gay would compliment Davis in so many aspects of the game, especially when Davis is trying to get open. Gay will soon be drawing constant double and maybe even triple-teams, and it would be deadly for the other team if Davis could sneak down low for the easy two or creep out for a wide open jumper.

The Warriors would be able to offer Davis an enormous amount of cash, as well as giving him the opportunity to become an offensive player no one had predicted when seeing him the first time as an NBAer. He would flourish under Don Nelson, the offensive mastermind that is partly running the Golden State Warriors team. With the new backcourt of Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis, an addition of Davis would basically make them the second coming of the 2005 Phoenix Suns -- only Amar'e Stoudemire's role would be played by a noticeably smaller player.

Davis sure does love to play defense, which all three of these teams scarcely seem to focus on. He's followed in his hero's footsteps, Kevin Garnett, to become an undeniably intense defender. I'm sure he'd be extremely disappointed to find that these teams don't thrive as much on defense as the Celtics do.

Every Boston Celtics fan that is existing on the face of this Earth would give anything to see Glen Davis come back. Hopefully, he'll realize the support he has under him in Boston from both the fans, coaches and players, and return to blossom as one of the league's best.

Danny Ferry: You Screwed This Draft Up

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:30:00 -0500

Far be it for me to be a Negative Nancy.

Last year, when the Cavs selected little-known power forward J.J. Hickson from N.C. State, the masses were up in arms. They didn't know Hickson. Picking him at 19th overall was cause for an uproar. People automatically labeled him a bust. They wanted a wing player. Chris Douglas-Roberts, they said. Bill Walker, I said (or was saying before that draft).

But after the pick was made, I came on here and defended Ferry, Hickson, and that pick. I liked it. Here is exactly what I had to say about the Hickson pick immediately after it was made amidst the mass disappointment:

In 31 games with the Wolfpack, Hickson achieved double-figure scoring 25 times and reached 20 points on seven occasions. Hickson also notched 10 double-doubles.

All that...as a freshman.

Which is why you should be excited.

This pick was all about building on a core group of young players for the future. Leave the "LeBron/Jay-Z" rumors to the clowns who have nothing better to do with their lives. The Cavs can't live in constant fear of LeBron, and they have to make the best pick for today as well as tomorrow. And based on the kind of player Hickson can become within the next five years, they certainly did that on Thursday night.

Today, in the wake of the 2009 NBA Draft, I cannot say that I maintain the same attitude. Because I know that Ferry effed up. And effed up badly.

That's because when Ferry selected Christian Eyenga, a 6'6" swingman out of Congo, with the 30th pick of the draft, there were better players available. He didn't -- for a fact, actually -- get a guy who could contribute right away. And even worse, he picked a guy that might have still been around when the Cavs picked again at #46.

These aren't the Oklahoma City Thunder, Memphis Grizzlies, or Sacramento Kings. These are the Cleveland Cavaliers. You know, the same team that made massive headlines yesterday after acquiring Shaquille O'Neal? The same team that has The King? The same team that has to win and win now in order to please said King?

Eyenga wasn't even expecting to be drafted, let alone get drafted in the first round with a guaranteed contract. Hell, even he seemed shocked out of this world when his name was called. Even David Stern was a little surprised (as if to say, "What the F, Ferry? I pretty much forced Steve Kerr to hand over Shaq to you and you screw up less than 24 hours later?").

Here's what draftexpress.com's live blog said when the Cavs made their selection:

10:25 Cleveland locks up the [1st] round with Christian Eyenga? This is an insane pick. Eyenga put his name into this draft hoping not to get picked period, and now he goes in the first round? Over DeJuan Blair and Sam Young? Wow. It looks like Eyenga's plan to avoid the first round salary scale definitely backfired.

Last year was a good time for a project/developmental pick. The Cavs were 45-37, and the Hickson pick had to be made. The Cavs badly needed a young frontcourt player. Hickson was the best one available. Some considered it a reach, but it probably wasn't considering that Hickson wouldn't have fallen much further.

This year, the Cavs got a player in Eyenga who will not contribute the way Hickson did last year. Here's a guy that will probably be stashed away overseas for a year, maybe two. And even worse, the Cavs could have gotten a much better player to fit the very need that they probably want Eyenga to fill.

His name is Sam Young.

I thought that the Cavs would have had to trade up to get Young. Many mocks had him going as high as #20 to Utah. Some on draft morning even had him going 18th overall to Minnesota. But Young, for whatever reason, fell all the way to the Cavs' pick at #30. And the stars were aligned for a match made in heaven, a Godsend for the Cavs.

Except Ferry failed to cooperate.

Young wound up going just six picks later to Memphis at 36th overall. But the Cavs whiffed on a tremendous opportunity to pick an NBA-ready rookie who would be ready to contribute right away. They did the same damn thing last year when they passed up on Courtney Lee, but again, picking a young big man was necessary and Hickson's selection was easily justifiable.

A year later, don't even bring up the word "justifiable" to describe Ferry's draft-day skills. As someone who lives in Portland, I've seen a team use the draft as the single avenue to build its way back up and take a 21-win team in 2006 to a 54-win team in 2009. So I know it can be done.

The Cavs need a player to help them win now. Christian Eyenga won't even be on the roster next year, let alone rotation.

And this just adds to the fact that the Cavs are failing miserably in adding young talent around LeBron James. ESPN.com's Chad Ford recently wrote that when 2010 comes around, there will be no basketball reason for LeBron to stay in Cleveland. There will be no young wingman that he can form a legendary Jordan-Pippen 1-2 punch with. Mo Williams just isn't that guy. Shaq is 37 and might even be gone after this year.

That's not to say that Sam Young would have been the single reason to convince LeBron to stay in Cleveland, but at least the Cavs would have started to build a core of nice young role players to grow with LeBron and fit around him. Young is 24, the same age as LeBron, so he would be able to complement James for the rest of his career.

Add a guy like Young to other young guys like Mo, Delonte West, Daniel Gibson, Anderson Varejao, and Hickson, and you're finally starting to piece together some nice young parts that can help form the foundation for this team.

And anyone using this draft's "weakness" as an excuse should just stop right now. Every single draft -- every single draft -- has guys who can be core rotation players right off the bat. Did you know that 17 of the 30 second-round picks from a year ago made an NBA team this past season? Many even received playing time. None of those two will apply to the Cavs' first round pick from this year!

Speaking of second round picks, North Carolina's Danny Green was a great pick at #46, a pick the Cavs were supposed to give away in the Shaq deal. But as great as the Green pick was, his selection would have been unnecessary had Ferry taken Young and then settled for hs Congoan mancrush at 46.

So get excited about Shaquille O'Neal if you must. It's a move for 2009-10 and nothing more. But for an organization that has been obsessing itself over what happens after that, Thursday certainly wasn't a step in the right direction.

Can The Kings Get The Job Done?

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:53:09 +0000

Do you remember how it was a few years ago at Arco Arena, with the famous cow bells? They had the loudest arena in the game; they just couldn't get the job done when it mattered, always falling to the much hated Lakers in the playoffs.

The Sacramento Kings misfortunes this past season continued in the NBA Draft Lottery. The Kings who had the NBA's worst record in the 2008-09 season, ended up getting the fourth overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.

That means there chances of getting a Blake Griffin, Ricky Rubio, or Hasheem Thabeet are as likely as them winning an NBA Championship while they're in Sacramento.

Now the Kings had their chances of becoming a great franchise earlier in this decade, with stars such as Chris Webber, Mike Bibby, Vlade Divac, Peja and Doug Christie. However the closest the Kings got to a championship was a game seven loss to the Lakers at home in 2002.

Since then the Maloof brothers have gotten rid of key players for the Kings from earlier this decade, and have been attempting to rebuild ever since.

They found a star in Kevin Martin, and brought back former sixth man of the year winner, and fan favorite Bobby Jackson.. They found good young talent in Francisco Garcia, Spencer Hawes and Jason Thompson, but it's not enough to be a playoff team -not yet.

On to tomorrow's draft! The Kings have two first round draft choices. This might be the most important draft for the franchise in their Sacramento history.

They obviously have a need at point guard, however Ricky Rubio is out of the question, forget about that guys.

They must get another man in the middle who can rebound and score, and I believe the guy to fit that role will fall to them, it's just a matter if they'll pull the trigger or not.

Jordan Hill from Arizona, who averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds as a Wildcat, would be the perfect compliment to Hawes and Thompson. Hill is a big man who is athletic and can be an excellent weapon for the Kings offence.

A bit later in the draft I believe they can address the point guard issue by drafting Darren Collison from UCLA. He is going to be a steal, just like the other former UCLA point guard, and now world champion Jordan Farmar.

That would be a dream draft for the Kings, who could pickup a good talented scorer in Dionte Christmas with the first pick in the second round.

They could accomplish everything they need, another big man, a point guard, and a scoring guard off the bench.

That would be three very solid additions to this young squad, and there future would look pretty darn bright. They would have some work to do, but it'd be a very promising future, and a sign that Sacramento was going in the right direction.

Perhaps I would amend my earlier statement about a championship in Sacramento.

A note to the Maloofs:

Kings fans have been loyal to you and the franchise, and we deserve to be treated with a solid team, go draft us one this off-season.

Weekly Fix Podcast - Episode 60

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:58:09 -0800

NSFW at ALL.

Let me warn you right away. There are a couple of problems with this podcast:

1) Lots of inappropriate jokes.
2) Very little basketball talk worth listening to.
3) More inappropriate jokes.
4) Mom, please don't listen.

But with that said, it was a pretty funny episode, at least to me. Andy Eisner returned from suspension to join us for a discussion during the time of year in which actual good basketball discussion is hard to create. The Finals have been over for too long and the draft is a week away and not worth hashing out until a couple days before it happens

So we just discuss Andy's vices and occasionally mention things like Kobe Bryant's shirt, LeBron's shirt, and Kevin McHale's departure.

Hope you enjoy and if you're offended in any way, I tried to warn you.

Musical Break: Ghetto Rock by Mos Def

Any comments, concerns, or criticisms can be directed to zharper@talkhoops.net

Don't forget that we're still looking for more iTunes reviews and more subscriptions. We don't care if you listen off of iTunes. Just download and Support the Habit.

Tags:

Trade Speculation And The Bulls' Offseason

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 01:31:21 +0000

Every Bulls fan thinks he/she has a brilliant idea for the perfect trade, if only Jerry Reinsdorf would take the time to listen. I'm no exception. I found a few trade ideas on Blog-a-Bull (my personal favorite Bulls blog) that I've provided links to, some good, some lousy. I'll throw in a couple ideas of my own as well. Feel free to share your own ideas in the comments.

Washington/Bulls 2-way
Bulls get: PF Antawn Jamison, F Darius Songaila, and #5 pick
Wizards get: PG Kirk Hinrich and F Tyrus Thomas
I'm not a fan of this idea, and I don't think the Wizards would like it either. The Wizards would lose their only good post player (which are hard to come by right now), and we would have an undersized backcourt (if Gordon stays) with atrocious defensive abilities. John Salmons would be our starting SG if Ben Gordon left, and I'm not sold on Salmons guarding quick shooting guards.

Spurs/Bulls 2-way
Bulls get: F Bruce Bowen and C Fabricio Oberto
Spurs get: G/F John Salmons
This looks terrible at first (and maybe second) glance, but there actually is some solid logic to back this up. Bowen and Oberto hold non-guaranteed contracts, and we would release them both. The Spurs would get a good scorer for free, and releasing Oberto and Bowen would allow them to go back to San Antonio after a brief wait. Meanwhile, the Bulls would free up some cap space to re-sign Ben Gordon. However, I do like Salmons and the extra offense he brings, and, if we fail to re-sign Gordon, Salmons' scoring would be missed. I'd rather get more for Salmons than just cap space, if at all possible. Otherwise, we should just keep him, as he played pretty well for us last year.

Clippers/Bulls 2-way
Bulls get: #1 pick
Clippers get: PG Derrick Rose
This looks terrible at first, second, and all subsequent glances. That's because it is terrible. It's downright awful. Derrick Rose is going to be a superstar, and he makes everyone around him better. Blake Griffin will likely be a very good player in the NBA, but he's not a sure thing (nothing is, just look at Michael Olowokandi), and Rose has proven he has what it takes to become an elite point guard. This trade idea deserves a communal booing. Boo!

Raptors/Bulls 2-way
Bulls get: PF Chris Bosh
Raptors get: PG Kirk Hinrich and SF Luol Deng
This won't work. Why would the Raptors want Hinrich when they have Calderon? Why would they want two huge contracts when neither player was consistently healthy and productive last season? I'd love to see it happen, but it won't.

Pistons/Bulls 2-way
Bulls get: SF Tayshaun Prince
Pistons get: SF Luol Deng and #26 pick
Easily the most poorly written post I've ever read. Add to that the fact that the Pistons would never be dumb enough to make the trade, and I'm honestly not sure why I even bothered mentioning the post. Comic relief, I guess.

There are also tons of ideas involving package deals with the Blazers, most of which involve Hinrich leaving and Steve Blake and Travis Outlaw coming to Chicago. Provided we don't give up much else, I like that idea. Here are some ideas of my own:

Bulls/Kings 2-way
Bulls get: F/C Jason Thompson, SF Donte Greene and PG Beno Udrih
Kings get: PG Kirk Hinrich and #16 pick (or future 1st round pick)
With this scenario, we get a solid PF who can rebound consistently and play three positions fairly well (he had a 15.7 PER as a PF and a 16.1 PER as a C, according to 82games.com). Udrih could also be a serviceable backup for Rose, while the Kings would get a much-needed upgrade at point guard. They already have the 4th pick in the draft, which they could use to replace Thompson, and they could use the Bulls' 16th pick to improve that awful bench of theirs. Greene makes the salaries balance out, which is the only real reason his name appears in the trade.

Hornets/Bulls 2-way
Bulls get: PF David West
Hornets get: F Tyrus Thomas and G/F John Salmons
I think West would complement Noah well, as West could use his range to stretch the D, freeing Noah up down low. Both could rebound well and run the court, which would keep our up-tempo offense going, and the Bulls would finally have the low-post scoring threat they've needed. The Hornets, in return, would get Thomas to replace West, and maybe they could do a better job of getting him to use his potential. Chris Paul could work some nice alley-oops with Tyrus, and Salmons would provide the Hornets with a much-needed scorer.

Hawks/Bulls 2-way
Bulls get: SG Joe Johnson and C Randolph Morris
Hawks get: PG Kirk Hinrich and G/F John Salmons
This is not very likely to happen, but, if Mike Bibby doesn't re-sign with Atlanta, they'll need a point guard. Salmons could help replace Johnson's scoring, and Hinrich would do a good job of replacing Bibby. Johnson's a free agent in 2010, so the Hawks might want to at least explore the possibility of moving him, since there's no guarantee he'll stay beyond 2010. Morris balances the salaries, and does little else in this deal. I would really love to see this deal happen, but, once again, I think the chances of this happening are slim.

Thibodeau Staying in Boston

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 08:08:59 -0500

From Boston.com:

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said that assistant Tom Thibodeau withdrew from consideration from the head coaching job with the Sacramento Kings.

Thibodeau, who also interviewed for the Philadelphia 76ers job, is expected to rejoin the Celtics bench next season.

I love the fact that he will be back for at least one more season. Personally, I think he deserves a head coaching position in the worst way, but other franchises continue to pass him over. Their loss, our gain. Now let's go get title #18 next season!

Original Publication Source

Trading Up for the #2 Pick?

Quick Celtics Update -- More C's Rumors, Including the Grizzles #2 Draft Pick

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:38:53 -0500

Podcast galore (Project Spurs and TNLP combine for one live event)

Memphis Commercial Appeal (h/t CelticsBlog)

As the rumor mill churns, the Griz have been approached by several teams about acquiring the second overall pick. Boston, Houston and New York are said to be among the most recent suitors.
Boston and Houston would likely have to offer an established NBA player or two, given that neither team owns a first-round pick. New York owns the eighth pick and likely would want to move up for the opportunity to take Rubio.

Real GM (h/t Red's Army)

"Boston offered us tony allen and Jr Giddens for (Willie) Green verbally...not sure what that does for us. Probably nothing."

Sac Bee

Sources with knowledge of the situation said the team's hypothetical offer that Westphal already agreed to would apply to Rambis as well: two seasons guaranteed at $1.5 million with a third-year team option worth $1.75 million. Incentives were likely in both cases to increase the salary based on the team's improvement, but it remains unclear whether Rambis, who is believed to be the front-runner, will accept those terms. It is not known whether those terms have been discussed with Thibodeau.

MVN NBA Outsider Mock Draft: Fourth Pick

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:11:49 -0800

The Outsider crew at MVN always puts together well thought out pieces on what's going on in the NBA and how things are shaping up for the future of the NBA. Well, with the NBA Draft just 16 days away, they're putting together their Mock Draft by calling upon bloggers from all over the country to decide the most logical/likely pick.

This Mock Draft is being unveiled over the next week and can be followed by refreshing this page.

Well, they called upon me to advise on the picks of the Sacramento Kings (picks 4 and 23) and try to come up with the most logical/likely choice. The fourth pick article by me has been posted. The rules were to come up with who will be the likely choice based on who is off the board. Here are the picks so far:

1. Los Angeles Clippers -- Blake Griffin by Steve Perrin from Clip's Nation

2. Memphis Grizzlies -- Ricky Rubio by Chip Crain from 3 Shades of Blue

3. Oklahoma City Thunder -- Jordan Hill by Bill Ingram of Hoops World

And here is a snippet from my piece on who the Kings should take with the fourth pick:

With Ricky Rubio off the board and Hasheem Thabeet still on the board, the Sacramento Kings now have a puzzling situation in front of them. Do they take the perceived best player on the board with an absolute monster of a man who blocks shots and clears the glass? Or do they tell themselves that Jason Thompson and Spencer Hawes are the big men of the future for this franchise and address their glaring and debilitating hole at the point guard position? Do they believe in Donte Greene and Francisco Garcia on the wings to play alongside Kevin Martin? Hell, do they believe that Kevin Martin is ACTUALLY their franchise-building guy?

Well, let's assume that they believe in Kevin Martin, Donte Greene and Francisco Garcia. They have multiple years and roughly $60 million+ locked up in those guys and still have Andres Nocioni for the next three years as well. This isn't a team that can currently afford to add a bevy of wing players with so much money locked in to the guys they already have. So now it comes down to grabbing the most intriguing and sought-after big man left in the draft or putting someone immediately in front of Beno Udrih who was one of, if not THE worst long-term contract signing in team history. Well, the pick can't be Hasheem Thabeet because it would endanger the growth of their big men and you can't bank on the fact that you might be able to trade him for assets or answers at point guard later on in the summer.

You can read the rest of the article and who the actual selection is here.

NBA Outsider Mock Draft: Sacramento Kings Select Jrue Holiday

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:00:00 -0500

NBA Outsider is hosting a 2009 NBA mock draft, where bloggers from all over come together in an attempt to project the draft results that will take place June 25th .

T alkhoops.net's Zach Harper picks for the Sacramento Kings at No. 4. The Kings decide to take a chance on "the floor general" with their selection of Jrue Holiday out of UCLA. Follow the mock draft here.

With Ricky Rubio off the board and Hasheem Thabeet still on the board, the Sacramento Kings now have a puzzling situation in front of them. Do they take the perceived best player on the board with an absolute monster of a man who blocks shots and clears the glass? Or do they tell themselves that Jason Thompson and Spencer Hawes are the big men of the future for this franchise and address their glaring and debilitating hole at the point guard position? Do they believe in Donte Greene and Francisco Garcia on the wings to play alongside Kevin Martin? Hell, do they believe that Kevin Martin is ACTUALLY their franchise-building guy?

Well, let's assume that they believe in Kevin Martin, Donte Greene and Francisco Garcia. They have multiple years and roughly $60 million+ locked up in those guys and still have Andres Nocioni for the next three years as well. This isn't a team that can currently afford to add a bevy of wing players with so much money locked in to the guys they already have. So now it comes down to grabbing the most intriguing and sought-after big man left in the draft or putting someone immediately in front of Beno Udrih who was one of, if not THE worst long-term contract signing in team history. Well, the pick can't be Hasheem Thabeet because it would endanger the growth of their big men and you can't bank on the fact that you might be able to trade him for assets or answers at point guard later on in the summer.

So the pick has to be a point guard and your top three candidates for this pick would be Jrue Holiday, Tyreke Evans, and Brandon Jennings. The problem with Tyreke Evans is you don't know if he's a legit point guard or more of a Gilbert Arenas style of point guard that is looking for his shot more than his teammates. The Gilly style of point wouldn't be bad on this team but Evans definitely isn't the shooter Arenas is by any means. The problem with Jennings is that he failed to some degree in his venture across the Atlantic Ocean. Playing time was sporadic but when he did play, he didn't prove that he could play in the second best league in the world, let alone the NBA.

So, why pick Jrue Holiday? Jrue had an exceptional workout with the Kings during the first round of workouts and he really impressed VP of Ops Geoff Petrie. Holiday struggled shooting off the dribble and was average in shooting spot-up jumpers. But he was a very good athlete with good speed. He's very strong for a point guard and is the biggest guy at his position in the draft pool. He makes good decisions and plays exceptional defense for a young guard with such little experience. Putting him next to Kevin Martin for the next four years in a more up-tempo style than what he played at UCLA (think JVG on Quaaludes) could develop one of the top 10 to 15 points guards in the NBA in a few seasons.

I'm Back!... And There's A Lot to Talk About

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:17:00 -0500

Well guys, I'm back. Sorry for the lack of news on the blog -- we've obviously been very busy. I'd like to thank Brian for conducting a wonderful interview, featuring yours truly. It was a treat for me to read when I was able to check in on the blog. Now, time for some analysis on a couple of (very) interesting news releases.

An NBA source said ex-Celtics forward Antoine Walker is in his best shape in years, as he hopes to return to the NBA after being cut by the Grizzlies last season without playing a game. The source also said veteran forward Tim Thomas, who will be paid $6.4 million next season, has told people close to him that he'd like to be moved to the Celtics. The 6-foot-10-inch, 240-pounder averaged 8.5 points and 3.1 rebounds and shot 41.3 percent from 3-point range with the Clippers, Knicks, and Bulls in 64 games last season. Thomas played with Allen in Milwaukee. -- Boston.com

Insight: I don't want to go after Walker. As much as I enjoyed watching the Walker Wiggle, his antics and distractions are too much for an already ego-filled locker room. However, the addition of Thomas would be nice. We are in need of a veteran, as well as a big man, two roles that fit Thomas. His experience and polished game (on both ends of the floor) could help us immensely. (Sidenote: There's a poll up asking readers if they feel the C's should sign Thomas. As always, the poll is below the recent articles and ad.)

Adrien quickly found his way into the playing rotation with his toughness and ability to play much bigger and stronger than his height. He hopes he can follow in the footsteps of other undersized NBA big men such as Boston's Glen Davis and Leon Powe, ex-Boston College star Craig Smith of the Timberwolves, Houston's Chuck Hayes, and Utah's Paul Millsap.

Although Adrien doesn't have a workout scheduled with Boston, he said he would love the opportunity to aid the Celtics. A spot could open in Boston since Davis and Powe are free agents. The Celtics have the 57th overall pick, in the second round.

"Just give me a chance and good things will happen," said Adrien, who can be followed daily on Twitter at adrien4. -- Boston.com

Insight: Always liked Adrien. In his days with UConn, I'd noticed his ability to work hard and overcome his disadvantage (height). However, despite his short height, Adrien has a very strong and vigorous body. If a team can manage to turn him into a small forward, he could be an intriguing young player. Hopefully, that team will be Boston, who has had experience with smaller players with a desire to play down low (Davis, Powe).

According to two sources with knowledge of the situation, neither [Kurt] Rambis nor his representative has negotiated potential terms of an offer. And while the Kings appear poised to do so, those potential discussions might not occur until the series against Orlando ends. In the interim, fellow candidates Paul Westphal (former Phoenix and Seattle head coach) and Tom Thibodeau (Boston associate head coach) might be brought in for a second interview. -- CelticsBlog

Insight: Well, that's not good. A second interview most likely means that they have interest in him, and although they haven't verbalized this particular interest, you can sense that they have expressed it to Thibs.