Post by Deleted on Jul 16, 2013 21:48:47 GMT
Though the Kings appear to be in prime position to take the leap from punchline to playoff team, the organization found criticism and controversy around every corner along the way. Today we will recap some of these events and look toward the future.
Issue #1: A Nation Divided
- I would like to have a current franchise that is at least in the same city that I played most of my career. (Gary Payton)
Many thought the Kings would be taking their talents and heading to Seattle. While not totally against this move, Kings GM Vlade Divac remembers "the raw emotion going on during this time. We made all those draft day moves [drafting Lillard and trading a bunch of times to end up with Harrison Barnes] and things looked good. The next day people are talking about moving us to Seattle. I know Damian felt lost during this process because the move overshadowed his 22 and 7 season in which he won the Rookie of the Year Award. Trust me, that is not an easy thing to do." Many thought it would be better for the Kings to move to Seattle, but in the end the valiant effort of GM Vlade Divac to rebuild the team's roster in a short time paid off, and the NBA ruled that the Kings would stay in Sacramento.
Issue #2: The Trade
- Leaving Damian behind was a tough thing to do, but the NBA is first and foremost and business. Thus, I will try my best to help the Brooklyn Nets in anyway that I can. (Harrison Barnes at his Nets Introduction Press Conference)
PF Serge Ibaka 82 $2,180,443/$3,187,808
C Omer Asik 72 $8,208,000/$9,110,000/$9,600,000/$10,000,000/$11,000,000(PO)
PF Andrea Bargnani 81 $10,000,000/$10,750,000/$11,500,000
SG Dion Waiters 76 $1,865,300/$1,949,200/$2,033,200(TO)/$2,592,330(TO)/$3,530,753
SF Harrison Barnes 75 $3,105,500/$3,245,200/$3,385,000(TO)/$4,282,025(TO)/$5,647,991
2015 1st (Nets)
2013 2nd (Nets)
2014 2nd (Pacers)
Total: $25,359,243
Kings Get:
SG Russell Westbrook 90 $14,511,000/$15,599,325/$16,687,650/$17,775,975
C/PF Chris "Birdman" Andersen 78 $4,526,000/$4,818,000
SF Al Thornton 70 $490,198/1
Contract of Dexter Pittman: $854,389/1
Total: $20,381,587
This issue captured the D5 League for a week or two, and no one could decide which team won the trade. An anonymous poll of NBA GM's throughout the league say that 55% of the them think the Kings won, while 44% of them think the Brooklyn Nets won. Some on the trade committee expressed concern at the King's move, including Commissioner Noble.
Also this creates a backcourt of Lillard and Westbrook which, whilst fucking amazing, are essentially two PGs which is going to look really odd. You can say Westbrook is a SG, but he's a very undersized SG.
Also conversely, whilst I think this trade favours the Nets, it does leave them without a PG.
I'm going to need to hear some reasoning from Vlade.
This is a lot to give up Vlade. I'm guessing the rebuild is over?
dynasty5ive.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=acceptedtrades&action=post&thread=2279"e=11798&page=1
One division rival even criticized the move.
Therefore, while the majority of the league likes the deal for the Kings, they do not seem to be publicly supporting the deal. When asked about it, Mr. Divac said "I have received several PM's telling me I made a good deal, but that doesn't really bother me. Like I said before, no player that I traded possessed super star potential other than Harrison Barnes. In my opinion, and I should know since two of the best kept me from getting a ring, superstars win championships. If this moves works, I will be GM of the Year and everyone knows it." Divac went on to say that "people are down on Russell Westbrook because of the knee injury and the criticism from people, like Skip Bayless, who think he cannot play point guard, but the fact remains that Westbrook is only 24 years old, averaged 23/7/5 in the regular season to go along with 24/7/6 during the playoffs. Keep in mind that he played next to one of the best players in the league, Kevin Durant, while putting up these numbers. Now, he is our number one scoring option and can be a secondary player maker with Damian Lillard at the point guard."
The dynamic between Lillard and Westbrook remains an interesting one. Last year, both guys played primarily with the ball in their hands. Lillard quarterbacked a young Kings that everyone in the league thought could be great. On the other hand, Westbrook ran the show for a pretty good Nets team that made it to the playoffs two years ago. Experts questioned how these two guys would work together.
The Real Skip Bayless Tweets: Damian Lillard better hug that Rookie of the Year Award when he sleeps because that is the ONLY award he will be winning as long as Russell Westbrick in on that team.
Would they want to be on the same team? Why would the Kings give up so much talent to create this problem? "At first I really did not like the idea, but the more Mr. Divac talked about it the more I realized I am not really a play maker but rather a primary scoring option" said Westbrook after the trade. Lillard offered a more emotional response to the answer "I know the NBA is a business, and I want to win a ring as much, if not more, than the next guy. However, when you build a bond throughout the course of a year with guys like Serge Ibaka, Omer Asik, Dion Waiters, and Harrison Barnes, especially the latter two, its tough to see them go. The four of us played on this team virtually the whole year, and I am not going to lie I questioned management on the move. However, the Miami Heat showed the blue print for how two perimeter scores can play together." Next, Mr. Divac's remarks shed some light into the insight of the move "Honestly, Russ and Damian are more compatible than Lebron and D-Wade. Damian is a play-making point guard that likes to shoot first and pass second. While Russ can do some of those things, especially scoring wise, he can also finish much better than Damian could ever dreamed of. In that respect, we will be tough to beat if Russ will trust Damian to make sure the ball gets to the right place. I mean wasn't that the knock on Westbrook in OKC? I could have waited for Barnes to develop into a super star, but why wait for a cub to grow into a lion when you can go get a stud lion first? I mean NOTHING in the NBA is guaranteed! If these two guys get it together will be tough to beat."
Issue #3: The Future
- What I felt many people missed about this trade was the cap flexibility it provided our team. We could get a stud free agent or two and be instantly transformed into contenders. (Vlad Divac)
The above quote summarizes how GM Vlade Divac feel about this deal and how it can impact the future of this franchise. "While Russ was a great addition, I do not think the spoils from that trade are over. If we can get a star free agent or two then we will be a contender."
However, can the Kings get a star free agent? We know that this potential free agent would probably need to be a post player. When asked about the possibility of joining the Kings, Chris Paul exclaimed "I'm not trying to win 6th Man of the Year." While obviously jesting, this sentiment can be felt around the league. Most sources think the Kings will target Dwight Howard, Josh Smith, and/or Al Jefferson. The possibility of the Kings signing two star free agents would depend on how important a max deal is to one or both of the guys. This can be attributed to the fact that the Kings possess 32 million in cap space. In theory, they could sign both guys for 16 million in the first year. Then again, Dwight Howard's real life contract averaged 22 million. Would this be feasible? Would any of these guys want to play in small-market Sacramento? Of course, Vlade thinks they will. When asked the previous questions, Vlade answered "why wouldn't they want to come to Sacramento? We currently have two stud guards on our roster that no other team with cap space really can match. Also, our media doesn't lie and make up things about particular people."
Is there anything more the Kings can do this off-season besides try to persuade free agents? Russell Westbrook, Damian Lillard, Danny Green, and Vladimir Radmanovic are the only players currently under contract, which makes potential trades hard. However, the Kings do own the 7th pick in the draft. This pick could be crucial to landing a free agent because it maybe the teams best chance to acquire depth. "We really need to make a good pick at 7" said Divac "there were a few guys that we really liked, such as McLemore, Noel, and Bennett, but they are now gone. Our draft board only has one name on it, and if that guy is gone we will be trading the pick." While it may seem easy in theory to trade a top seven pick, many consider this draft to be weak and the offers are not what Divac wanted. "I haven't seen that one offers that blows my mind away, although I have received some very good ones."
Boston Celtics: The 7th pick, the Warrior's 2014 1st, Danny Green, Vladimir Radmanovic, and Ekpe Udoh for Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen.
Milwaukee Bucks: The 7th pick for Kendall Marshall and the 8th pick.
Minnesota Timberwolves: The 7th pick for the 12th pick and the 14th pick
Indiana Pacers: The 7th pick, Danny Green, Vladimir Radmanovic, and Ekpe Udoh for Danny Granger
As you can see, the Kings could go in a lot of different directions. As Vlade so eloquent put it "we could go a lot of different directions, but the next move we make will determine the course of the franchise. For that very reason we are still taking offers for the pick and cannot say with certainty what we will do once on the clock."
Issue #1: A Nation Divided
- I would like to have a current franchise that is at least in the same city that I played most of my career. (Gary Payton)
Many thought the Kings would be taking their talents and heading to Seattle. While not totally against this move, Kings GM Vlade Divac remembers "the raw emotion going on during this time. We made all those draft day moves [drafting Lillard and trading a bunch of times to end up with Harrison Barnes] and things looked good. The next day people are talking about moving us to Seattle. I know Damian felt lost during this process because the move overshadowed his 22 and 7 season in which he won the Rookie of the Year Award. Trust me, that is not an easy thing to do." Many thought it would be better for the Kings to move to Seattle, but in the end the valiant effort of GM Vlade Divac to rebuild the team's roster in a short time paid off, and the NBA ruled that the Kings would stay in Sacramento.
Issue #2: The Trade
- Leaving Damian behind was a tough thing to do, but the NBA is first and foremost and business. Thus, I will try my best to help the Brooklyn Nets in anyway that I can. (Harrison Barnes at his Nets Introduction Press Conference)
Nets Get:
PF Serge Ibaka 82 $2,180,443/$3,187,808
C Omer Asik 72 $8,208,000/$9,110,000/$9,600,000/$10,000,000/$11,000,000(PO)
PF Andrea Bargnani 81 $10,000,000/$10,750,000/$11,500,000
SG Dion Waiters 76 $1,865,300/$1,949,200/$2,033,200(TO)/$2,592,330(TO)/$3,530,753
SF Harrison Barnes 75 $3,105,500/$3,245,200/$3,385,000(TO)/$4,282,025(TO)/$5,647,991
2015 1st (Nets)
2013 2nd (Nets)
2014 2nd (Pacers)
Total: $25,359,243
Kings Get:
SG Russell Westbrook 90 $14,511,000/$15,599,325/$16,687,650/$17,775,975
C/PF Chris "Birdman" Andersen 78 $4,526,000/$4,818,000
SF Al Thornton 70 $490,198/1
Contract of Dexter Pittman: $854,389/1
Total: $20,381,587
This issue captured the D5 League for a week or two, and no one could decide which team won the trade. An anonymous poll of NBA GM's throughout the league say that 55% of the them think the Kings won, while 44% of them think the Brooklyn Nets won. Some on the trade committee expressed concern at the King's move, including Commissioner Noble.
I'm willing to accept because I think the Kings have a good team that can take this kind of hit, but I'm very surprised they want to do it, even with Westbrook included.
Also this creates a backcourt of Lillard and Westbrook which, whilst fucking amazing, are essentially two PGs which is going to look really odd. You can say Westbrook is a SG, but he's a very undersized SG.
Also conversely, whilst I think this trade favours the Nets, it does leave them without a PG.
I'm going to need to hear some reasoning from Vlade.
I'm gonna wait to vote on this
This is a lot to give up Vlade. I'm guessing the rebuild is over?
dynasty5ive.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=acceptedtrades&action=post&thread=2279"e=11798&page=1
One division rival even criticized the move.
There are 2 trades that were very perplexing to me, the first would be Denver sending away Chris Bosh for Brook Lopez considering Bosh is already locked long term and you have a nice young nucleus it didn't make sense why he would make that move for a talented yet expiring player in Brook Lopez. The Sacramento trade for Russell Westbrook was also perplexing as he gave up literally his entire team just to get Westbrook leaving his team bare at other positions and possibly in trouble for the future as his team has lack of bigmen that can help Westbrook and Lillard win.
Therefore, while the majority of the league likes the deal for the Kings, they do not seem to be publicly supporting the deal. When asked about it, Mr. Divac said "I have received several PM's telling me I made a good deal, but that doesn't really bother me. Like I said before, no player that I traded possessed super star potential other than Harrison Barnes. In my opinion, and I should know since two of the best kept me from getting a ring, superstars win championships. If this moves works, I will be GM of the Year and everyone knows it." Divac went on to say that "people are down on Russell Westbrook because of the knee injury and the criticism from people, like Skip Bayless, who think he cannot play point guard, but the fact remains that Westbrook is only 24 years old, averaged 23/7/5 in the regular season to go along with 24/7/6 during the playoffs. Keep in mind that he played next to one of the best players in the league, Kevin Durant, while putting up these numbers. Now, he is our number one scoring option and can be a secondary player maker with Damian Lillard at the point guard."
The dynamic between Lillard and Westbrook remains an interesting one. Last year, both guys played primarily with the ball in their hands. Lillard quarterbacked a young Kings that everyone in the league thought could be great. On the other hand, Westbrook ran the show for a pretty good Nets team that made it to the playoffs two years ago. Experts questioned how these two guys would work together.
The Real Skip Bayless Tweets: Damian Lillard better hug that Rookie of the Year Award when he sleeps because that is the ONLY award he will be winning as long as Russell Westbrick in on that team.
Would they want to be on the same team? Why would the Kings give up so much talent to create this problem? "At first I really did not like the idea, but the more Mr. Divac talked about it the more I realized I am not really a play maker but rather a primary scoring option" said Westbrook after the trade. Lillard offered a more emotional response to the answer "I know the NBA is a business, and I want to win a ring as much, if not more, than the next guy. However, when you build a bond throughout the course of a year with guys like Serge Ibaka, Omer Asik, Dion Waiters, and Harrison Barnes, especially the latter two, its tough to see them go. The four of us played on this team virtually the whole year, and I am not going to lie I questioned management on the move. However, the Miami Heat showed the blue print for how two perimeter scores can play together." Next, Mr. Divac's remarks shed some light into the insight of the move "Honestly, Russ and Damian are more compatible than Lebron and D-Wade. Damian is a play-making point guard that likes to shoot first and pass second. While Russ can do some of those things, especially scoring wise, he can also finish much better than Damian could ever dreamed of. In that respect, we will be tough to beat if Russ will trust Damian to make sure the ball gets to the right place. I mean wasn't that the knock on Westbrook in OKC? I could have waited for Barnes to develop into a super star, but why wait for a cub to grow into a lion when you can go get a stud lion first? I mean NOTHING in the NBA is guaranteed! If these two guys get it together will be tough to beat."
Issue #3: The Future
- What I felt many people missed about this trade was the cap flexibility it provided our team. We could get a stud free agent or two and be instantly transformed into contenders. (Vlad Divac)
The above quote summarizes how GM Vlade Divac feel about this deal and how it can impact the future of this franchise. "While Russ was a great addition, I do not think the spoils from that trade are over. If we can get a star free agent or two then we will be a contender."
However, can the Kings get a star free agent? We know that this potential free agent would probably need to be a post player. When asked about the possibility of joining the Kings, Chris Paul exclaimed "I'm not trying to win 6th Man of the Year." While obviously jesting, this sentiment can be felt around the league. Most sources think the Kings will target Dwight Howard, Josh Smith, and/or Al Jefferson. The possibility of the Kings signing two star free agents would depend on how important a max deal is to one or both of the guys. This can be attributed to the fact that the Kings possess 32 million in cap space. In theory, they could sign both guys for 16 million in the first year. Then again, Dwight Howard's real life contract averaged 22 million. Would this be feasible? Would any of these guys want to play in small-market Sacramento? Of course, Vlade thinks they will. When asked the previous questions, Vlade answered "why wouldn't they want to come to Sacramento? We currently have two stud guards on our roster that no other team with cap space really can match. Also, our media doesn't lie and make up things about particular people."
Is there anything more the Kings can do this off-season besides try to persuade free agents? Russell Westbrook, Damian Lillard, Danny Green, and Vladimir Radmanovic are the only players currently under contract, which makes potential trades hard. However, the Kings do own the 7th pick in the draft. This pick could be crucial to landing a free agent because it maybe the teams best chance to acquire depth. "We really need to make a good pick at 7" said Divac "there were a few guys that we really liked, such as McLemore, Noel, and Bennett, but they are now gone. Our draft board only has one name on it, and if that guy is gone we will be trading the pick." While it may seem easy in theory to trade a top seven pick, many consider this draft to be weak and the offers are not what Divac wanted. "I haven't seen that one offers that blows my mind away, although I have received some very good ones."
Purposed Trades for #7 Being Consider By the Kings:
Boston Celtics: The 7th pick, the Warrior's 2014 1st, Danny Green, Vladimir Radmanovic, and Ekpe Udoh for Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen.
Milwaukee Bucks: The 7th pick for Kendall Marshall and the 8th pick.
Minnesota Timberwolves: The 7th pick for the 12th pick and the 14th pick
Indiana Pacers: The 7th pick, Danny Green, Vladimir Radmanovic, and Ekpe Udoh for Danny Granger
As you can see, the Kings could go in a lot of different directions. As Vlade so eloquent put it "we could go a lot of different directions, but the next move we make will determine the course of the franchise. For that very reason we are still taking offers for the pick and cannot say with certainty what we will do once on the clock."