Sacramento Kings

First off I would like to say another StR member came up with the first idea I'm presenting you,and I believe his username is "O Swan" If the Kings decide the best option in the draft is for them to trade down,I'll be one happy dude.My ideal situation would be for the Kings to trade the #7 pick to the Hawks for #17 and #18 picks and for the Kings to draft Tim Hardaway Jr and Tony Snell.If one of these guys is gone by the time we pick than I'd hope we take Jamaal Franklin but Tyreke driving and being able to kick it out to Snell and Hardaway Jr or DMC kicking out to them from the post would be DEADLY assuming they're willing to pass it to them. Just thinking about the miss matches this lineup would bring on both ends of the floor is awesome.Just think about it,our smallest guy is 6'6 and we would have 3 guys that are able to guard 3 different positions and if Patterson is on the floor with them than we have 4 guys who can guard 3 positions.Also, imagine how lethal our fast break would be with Tyreke bringing it up with Snell and Hardaway Jr filling in the lanes. I can see Snell and Hardaway Jr making the rookie first team if they both end up on the Kings and I really hope they end up in Sacramento. I see Snell with a ceiling of Kawhi Leonard and a floor of Thabo Sefolosha.I see Hardaway Jr with a ceiling of Kevin Martin and a floor of Daquan Cook but I see him being similar to Arron Aflalo. My next ideal would be for the Kings to trade down for Utah's #14 and #21 picks.At #14 I would like them to draft Shabazz Muhammad or Sergey Karasev.I like them both and I see Shabazz with a ceiling of a mix of James Harden/Paul Pierce and a floor of John Salmons.Karasev is see ending up similar to Hedo Turkolou and a floor of Luke Babbit.At #21 I would select Snell or Lucas Nogueira.I see Nogueira with a ceiling Joakim Noah and a floor of Ekpe Udoh. I think some of these guys I mentioned might take a while to develop into their full potential but in the end it would all be worth it. First off I would like to say another StR member came up with the first idea I'm presenting you,and I believe his username is "O Swan" If the Kings decide the best option in the draft is for them to trade down,I'll be one happy dude.My ideal situation would be for the Kings to trade the #7 pick to the Hawks for #17 and #18 picks and for the Kings to draft Tim Hardaway Jr and Tony Snell.If one of these guys is gone by the time we pick than I'd hope we take Jamaal Franklin but Tyreke driving and being able to kick it out to Snell and Hardaway Jr or DMC kicking out to them from the post would be DEADLY assuming they're willing to pass it to them. Just thinking about the miss matches this lineup would bring on both ends of the floor is awesome.Just think about it,our smallest guy is 6'6 and we would have 3 guys that are able to guard 3 different positions and if Patterson is on the floor with them than we have 4 guys who can guard 3 positions.Also, imagine how lethal our fast break would be with Tyreke bringing it up with Snell and Hardaway Jr filling in the lanes. I can see Snell and Hardaway Jr making the rookie first team if they both end up on the Kings and I really hope they end up in Sacramento. I see Snell with a ceiling of Kawhi Leonard and a floor of Thabo Sefolosha.I see Hardaway Jr with a ceiling of Kevin Martin and a floor of Daquan Cook but I see him being similar to Arron Aflalo. My next ideal would be for the Kings to trade down for Utah's #14 and #21 picks.At #14 I would like them to draft Shabazz Muhammad or Sergey Karasev.I like them both and I see Shabazz with a ceiling of a mix of James Harden/Paul Pierce and a floor of John Salmons.Karasev is see ending up similar to Hedo Turkolou and a floor of Luke Babbit.At #21 I would select Snell or Lucas Nogueira.I see Nogueira with a ceiling Joakim Noah and a floor of Ekpe Udoh. I think some of these guys I mentioned might take a while to develop into their full potential but in the end it

The Sacramento Kings have announced their schedule for Las Vegas Summer League.  They’ll tip off action the day after competition officially kicks off on July 12.This summer’s showcase of fringe and and new NBA talent will also debut a tournament style schedule.  The 22 participating teams will compete in three preliminary round games before being seeded in this year’s playoff-style bracket   Each team is guaranteed a minimum of five games to play, with a possible sixth contest to play for the summer league championship.Below is the Kings’ schedule.Saturday, July 13 vs. Dallas Mavericks (3 pm, Cox Pavilion)Monday, July 15 vs. Golden State Warriors (5:30 pm at Thomas & Mack Center)Tuesday, July 16 vs. Toronto Raptors (3:00 pm at Cox Pavilion)Games 4 and 5 to be determined after tournament seeding.Before action tips off in the desert, the Kings typically hold a brief mini-camp with its summer league roster.  No word yet on where it will be held, but the team is apparently mulling over holding the four-day camp in Las Vegas as opposed to Sacramento this year.

For a few weeks now, DraftExpress has stood firm on their projection of Trey Burke to Sacramento, but in their latest mock draft, we see Burke going to the New Orleans Pelicans at 6 and UNLV's Anthony Bennett going to Sacramento at 7 and Jackie Carmichael at 35. Bennett is widely regarded as one of the more offensively talented players in the draft, with great athleticism and a huge wingspan despite his underwhelming height. Bennett is not working out for teams due to a shoulder injury, but he is interviewing. As of yet he has not interviewed with Sacramento, nor does there seem to be any indication that he might. Meanwhile, Chad Ford dropped a couple of Kings-related draft tidbits on Twitter: Kings could really shake-up the draft at 7. Heard they like both Tony Snell & Tim Hardaway Jr. a lot. Both in Sacramento today working out — Chad Ford (@chadfordinsider) June 19, 2013 Kings also like Muhammad, but he had to pull out of a 2nd workout w/ Kings today because of an injury … — Chad Ford (@chadfordinsider) June 19, 2013 Now, I doubt the Kings like one of Hardaway or Snell so much that they'd consider taking them at 7, especially with Pete D'Alessandro on the job for just a few days. But both players would be great targets if the Kings moved down in the draft and/or acquired another mid-to-late first round pick. Today is Snell's second time in Sacramento, and would have been Muhammad's second as well had he not injured his ankle in a workout for the Timberwolves on Sunday.

This is my first fanpost and I’m still trying to learn how to work this so please bear with me! Per Chad Ford Chad Ford @chadfordinsider Kings could really shake-up the draft at 7. Heard they like both Tony Snell & Tim Hardaway Jr. a lot. Both in Sacramento today working out Let’s say we're really interested in both, my Draft Day Dream Scenario would be: Trade #7 pick to Atlanta for picks #17 & #18 Draft Tony Snell w/ Pick 17 and Hardaway Jr w/ 18 New Starting line up PG: Tyreke/IT/Douglas SG: Hardaway JR/Jimmer/Salmons> SF: Snell/Salmons/Outlaw PF: Thompson/PPat/Hayes C: Cousins/JT/Aldrich I’d be ok with trading Thornton for whatever we can and letting Jimmer be our primary back up SG. The shortest player in our starting 5 would be 6’6, possibly causing offensive & defensive nightmares with Reke’s driving and lights out spot up shooters in Hardway Jr and Snell. Snell becomes our SF of the future with a floor of Dorrel Wright and Ceiling of Kawhi Leonard. The offense can be ran through either Reke or DMC, both would be great options considering they kick the ball out to Snell or Hardaway Jr when double teamed. Please feel free to agree, disagree, or bash this scenario! This is my first fanpost and I’m still trying to learn how to work this so please bear with me! Per Chad Ford Chad Ford @chadfordinsider Kings could really shake-up the draft at 7. Heard they like both Tony Snell & Tim Hardaway Jr. a lot. Both in Sacramento today working out Let’s say we're really interested in both, my Draft Day Dream Scenario would be: Trade #7 pick to Atlanta for picks #17 & #18 Draft Tony Snell w/ Pick 17 and Hardaway Jr w/ 18 New Starting line up PG: Tyreke/IT/Douglas SG: Hardaway JR/Jimmer/Salmons> SF: Snell/Salmons/Outlaw PF: Thompson/PPat/Hayes C: Cousins/JT/Aldrich I’d be ok with trading Thornton for whatever we can and letting Jimmer be our primary back up SG. The shortest player in our starting 5 would be 6’6, possibly causing offensive & defensive nightmares with Reke’s driving and lights out spot up shooters in Hardway Jr and Snell. Snell becomes our SF of the future with a floor of Dorrel Wright and Ceiling of Kawhi Leonard. The offense can be ran through either Reke or DMC, both would be great options considering they kick the ball out to Snell or Hardaway Jr when double teamed. Please feel free to agree, disagree, or bash this scenario!

Kings to Play in 2013 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas

Geoff Petrie has for two decades run the Sacramento Kings basketball operations department. He's been here for the very best years of the Kings, and the very worst. And now he's gone. Regardless of your feeling on Petrie as a decision-maker at this point -- Lord knows I've been harsh on him -- he's always seemed to really respect fans and the people of Sacramento. On Tuesday, he talked to a couple media outlets, and it's pretty clear that the respect for Sacramento is genuine. In an interview with CBS Sacramento's Steve Large, Petrie heaps praise on Kevin Johnson and everyone involved in the effort to keep the Kings in town. "My hat is off to the entire coalition of people that pulled off one of the greatest off-the-court fourth quarter comebacks that I've ever seen." In an interview with The Bee's Jason Jones, Petrie said he hoped the Kings could stay all along, despite loyalty to the Maloofs. "That's where my heart was in the whole thing," Petrie said. "In spite of being grateful to the Maloofs and working for them all those years, I had really strong feelings that the team needed to stay here. My hat's off to those people." He told Large that a Maloof called him the night before news broke about the Seattle sale to give him a heads up, but that there was no real involvement of him from that point on. He insinuated that the repeatedly low payrolls and lack of resources offered up by the Maloofs were necessary for the family's financial survival. Large said Petrie told him he went to the Maloofs early in the season -- before the Seattle news -- and told them it was time to transition the front office. Whether in Petrie's mind that meant giving the keys to his son and assistant GM Mike Petrie or looking elsewhere is unclear. In Jones' piece, Petrie also discusses how odd the front office transition has been in the run-up to the draft, and Michael Malone gushes about the aid offered by Petrie. There's also a bit in Large's interview in which Petrie says the team would have been better if the Maloofs hadn't pushed Rick Adelman out in 2006. (That's like a hybrid of "no duh" and "great point!") After the last few seven years, I feel good for Sacramento Kings basketball that the front office is being refreshed. But I will be sad to see Petrie go. He's been synonymous with the team for two decades. That's a big piece of the Sacramento Kings walking through the exit.

There were no big name prospects featured in yesterday’s pre-draft workout. The players who showcased their skills before the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday are all projected to go in the second round or even undrafted in this year’s NBA Draft.Workouts like yesterday’s may not have the buzz of those that feature the draft’s projected lottery picks. However, they are where talent evaluators like Kings new general manager Pete D’Alessandro prove their worths. Finding the next Tim Duncan or LeBron James is easy. But finding the next Gary Neal or Chris Andersen isn’t.Ohio State’s Deshaun Thomas is currently projected as a mid-second round pick according to Draft Express’ latest mock draft. With a glaring weakness at the wing, Thomas was one of six the Kings gave a look to yesterday.Averaging 19.8 points per game, Thomas led the Buckeyes in scoring in his final season at Columbus. He won’t be getting the kind of touches that merit the same production at the next level. So is the 21-year-old wing ready to take a step back and play a role in the NBA?“I can be a role (player), to come off the bench or whatever and be a knockdown shooter,” Thomas said earnestly yesterday. “Come off the bench to give great energy. I can be that guy – any guy to help my teammates out.”While the Kings have been unsuccessful in recent years, great teams like the San Antonio Spurs have been able to mine for the kind of players that Thomas aspires to be. In order to get their attention, prospects like the former Ohio State standout must carve out niches in order to stick. If successful, a career in this league isn’t out of the question.Take Danny Green for example. Drafted with the 46th pick of the 2009 NBA Draft, the Spurs starting shooting guard bounced around the league to the minors and even had a brief stop overseas in his four-year career. He was cut twice before finally finding his place with the Spurs in the lockout-shortened season.What separates the second-tier players like Green who make it from those who don’t?  Thomas believes that a lot of it has to do with attitude.“That’s a guy who didn’t quit, who kept at it and kept his focus,” Thomas said.Accepting a role when you’ve been the man your entire life can’t be easy. But for the majority of prospects in this year’s draft, it’s the only way they’ll survive in the competitive world of the NBA.

Only one letter today, and it’s from goodnight_punk: "It seems that the general consensus is that we've seen the best of Tyreke. I mean, I know he hasn't put up the gaudy stats that he put up his rookie year (in which, I'll remind you, his second options were some sort of combination of Carl Landry and Beno "Yeti" Udrih), but it seems like everyone has agreed that he's reached his ceiling. Am I just a reckless optimist for still thinking that this 23 year old has untapped potential? Most of my problems with his game (moving off the ball, the occasional ill-advised jumper, tunnel vision, disappearing for stretches) would seem to be correctable with a set system, set rotation and an NBA level coach provided that he buys in (he seems pretty coachable). If Thibodeau can make an imperfect Calipari guard an MVP, don't you think that it's possible Tyreke could make a leap under Malone? Not MVP or even All-Star (I'm still realistic), but am I crazy for thinking that with a good coach that we might see two-way star emerge from this? P.S. - Akis, please bring back "Good/Bad/Ugly" when the season starts. Please and thank you." Second thing first: Aykis16 will definitely be bringing back the GB&U. It’s one of the best things about StR. I don’t know that there is a "general consensus" about Evans. We have at least a couple of members that think that he’s deserving of a max contract, and at the other end at least one member that likens him to Luke Ridnour in NBA stature. As usual, the truth probably exists somewhere in the middle. There is no doubt that the fan base had huge expectations for Evans after his Rookie of the Year performance. And though Evans has improved incrementally, we have not seen the sort of move forward that has been seen in fellow 2009 draft picks James Harden and Steph Curry (or Jrue Holiday or Ty Lawson). On the other hand, he’s a far cry better today than Johnny Flynn or Brandon Jennings or Ricky Rubio. Evans is probably still a top five pick if you re-rack that draft today, so it’s hard to call him a disappointment. However, aspects of his game such as his court vision and his ability to move without the ball certainly fall short of even reasonable expectations. Evans came into the league under Paul Westphal, who basically handed him the keys to the team and built the offense around him. When Westphal was replaced by Smart, Evans’ time as the centerpiece was suddenly over, as Smart hitched his wagon to DeMarcus Cousins. During Smart’s tenure, Evans played three positions and was treated to the same uneven minutes as everyone else on the team. Tyreke’s inability to stay consistently healthy did not help his cause, either. All of this, combined with being a member of the most dysfunctional franchise in the league, has aided in stalling Evans’ growth, but the slow (though steady) improvement in his shot and his shortcomings as it pertains to moving and seeing the floor rest a lot on his shoulders. You have to think that he would have progressed a bit more under the Oklahoma City umbrella, or the past couple of years at Golden State. To his credit, Evans has never really bellyached about the situation in Sacramento, and he didn’t pout through his myriad role and position changes. He’s never had a fellow teammate say anything but good things about him. This team has lost a lot of games over the past four years, but not because of Tyreke Evans. At age 23, and under what appears to be a smart, solid franchise for the first time in his professional life, Evans could indeed be ready to take off to that next level. There is really no reason why Evans could not become the next Andre Igoudala, but he could also become an incredibly overpriced Tony Allen if he does not improve much more. I think that Evans is worth somewhere between $40-$44m over four years, but supply

March 10, 2013; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Indiana Hoosiers guard Victor Oladipo (4) shoots the ball over Michigan Wolverines guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports Last week, NBA Draft Examiner Neal Leitereg broke down this year’s point guard prospects, pointing out which ones might pique the interest of the Sacramento Kings in next week’s draft. Now it’s time to take a look at the shooting guards. In taking a quick glance at the Kings roster, shooting guard doesn’t seem to be a concern. Tyreke Evans manned the spot last year and was backed up by Marcus Thornton. Additionally, Jimmer Fredette seems best suited to play off the ball. However, with new management in the fold, nobody’s spot is safe. Evans will command a hefty raise, and the Kings may balk at paying him market value. Thornton never fully adapted to a bench role and is slated to be the highest paid player on the roster. And Fredette still has to prove he deserves significant minutes at the NBA level. For those reasons, it’s impossible to rule out the selection of a shooter at some point in the draft. Five Questions With NBA Draft Examiner Neal Leitereg — Shooting Guards ARP: Most mocks have Ben McLemore as the top shooting guard off the board with little competition. Is McLemore head and shoulders above the rest of the shooting guard crop? Mar 29, 2013; Arlington, TX, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Ben McLemore (23) shoots against the Michigan Wolverines during the semifinals of the South regional of the 2013 NCAA Tournament at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports Neal: Is he the best shooting guard in the draft? Yes. Is he head and shoulders above the rest? Not quite. McLemore was one of the most-hyped shooting guards in the Class of 2011 and likely would have been a first-round pick in 2012 had he not been ruled ineligible for the 2011-12 season at Kansas. He has the legitimate size, explosiveness and stroke that teams want in a prototypical shooting guard. Consider him the Bradley Beal of the 2013 draft. That being said, the gap between say McLemore and Indiana’s Victor Oladipo or Georgia’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, a pair of potential top-10 guards, is not that large. McLemore certainly has the highest ceiling of the three and is without question the most explosive of the bunch, but he needs the ball in his hands to make an impact. Oladipo, considered the premier wing defender in this year’s draft, excels at playing off the ball, while Caldwell-Pope, an efficient offensive player, is at his best when he is working off of screens. ARP: New Kings coach Michael Malone is a defensive specialist, making Victor Oladipo an intriguing possibility should he fall to No. 7. Does Oladipo show enough potential offensively or will he always be a defensive stopper with minimal contributions on offense? Neal: Oladipo will never be a guy who is going to give you 18 points on a nightly basis. That is just not going to happen. What he will give you is outstanding perimeter defense and an impressive basketball IQ to trot out on a nightly basis, which you can never have too much of in the NBA. The guy is absolutely relentless at both ends of the court, an attribute that should translate into a decent scoring average in the 12-16 PPG range. ARP: After McLemore, Oladipo and C.J. McCollum, are there any shooting guards that you see worthy of being selected by the Kings at No. 7? Neal: Caldwell-Pope has as much scoring potential as anyone in this draft. If the team is looking to bolster the backcourt with more firepower, he would certainly fit the bill. However, Sacramento taking a flier on Oladipo or McCollum would be the far safer bet. ARP: With Marcus Thornton on the roster and Tyreke Evans a restricted free agent, the Kings may not need to place a priority on taking a shooting guard early. What options could be available should the Kings look for a

It’s no secret that the Sacramento Kings have been searching  for what seems like an eternity for a solution at small forward.  Do you remember that epic battle between Omri Casspi and Donté Greene for the starting job coming into the 2010-11 season?  How about the Desmond Mason/Andres Nocioni era that lasted both days and years?It is no secret that this is the biggest position of need for the Kings.  John Salmons started 72 games last season for the team, scoring just 8.8 points per game in 30 minutes of action.  More than the lack of scoring was his abysmal 10.2 player efficiency rating.  He is a ball-dominant player that was forced to play without the ball and the results have been less than stellar.Once a solid defender, father time appears to have caught up with the former University of Miami star.  At 33 years of age, he can no longer guard three positions effectively and on a team lacking a defensive identity, Salmons became part of the problem, not part of the solution.What do you do if you are Pete D’Alessandro and Vivek Ranadivé?  Your options are limited, but they include using the NBA amnesty rule to wipe Salmons and the $7.6 million owed to him this year and another million to buyout next year’s partially-guaranteed contract off the books.  Sure, the ownership group would still be on the hook for Salmons’ deal, but they could open a door of new possibilities with the available cap space.There isn’t a small forward prospect in this draft around the seventh spot that makes sense.  There are some names on the free agent market that are appealing, but at what cost?Under new ownership, the Kings won’t be under the same financial constraints that they felt under the Maloofs, so making a major move could be in order.  With that said, what would you do with the veteran small forward?Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.