Speaker 1: What is up?
Speaker 2: Fellasiko's I am Dan Valley coming at you with more.
Jensen of the NBA podcast, fame of Yahoo Sports, fame
of HBO Max fame, and of course where you probably
know him from OnlyFans celebrity. Our trade deadline primer train
keeps rolling on. We're on to the sad Sack Sacramento
Kings More. I don't even know what to say about
this team. This season is an abject disaster and we
probably all could have seen it coming, and it's only
gotten worse when you look at the injuries mounting with
the bonus and Keegan Murray, I don't even know who
wants there, as they have the worst offense in the
league at this point statistically. I just this is gonna
be a rough podcast for us to get into, but
we power through because we are superheroes. And let's get
to Sacramento's trade deadline vitals.
Speaker 1: So they are.
Speaker 2: Three point two million below the Tacks. Excuse me, they
do have all of their own future first, that's a
hashtag win, except san Antonio has swap rights in twenty
and thirty one with them. They do own san Antonio's
twenty twenty seven first round pick it does go to
OKC though if it lands in the bottom fourteen of
the first round, they have Minnesota's twenty thirty one first
round pick, so that is slightly interesting. And they also
have notable trade exceptions for them. They saw that five
million dollars one from the Jonas valen Chunis trade that
doesn't expire until the summer, so I doubt that they
would actually use it. But yeah, they also have more
a bunch of veterans in Zach Lavine, Demonta, Sebonis, DeMar DeRozan,
Dennis Shrewder Russell Westbrook's on this team. They what's up, League, Monk,
I think this is the place to start with them.
What are the Kings need? More comminsence and you get
that well competent players or competent people running the organization.
Speaker 1: Both both as good. Yes, I think both as good. No,
they need. I hate to go this route, but with
the Kings, it's just necessary. They have to hit the
big red reset button, and that is their biggest need.
It is getting out of all these major major contracts
of players that aren't working out starting over. Unfortunately, they
have to fight against history on this one, Dan, because
if you remember the Bulls traded away Saclovine and they
also that was a sign and trade with Damar and everything,
but they didn't get back anything. Really, They got their
own first round draft pick back. That was it. So
there isn't really an expectation or a realistic expectation at
least of the Kings going out and trading those two
guys and getting a pix oriented backage in return. That
is just not out there, and I don't think it's
ever been, and you're kind of wondering at the same time,
the Bonus is that package for him out there as well?
Because so I'm just gonna advertise for some of my
own work here. I did an article over a Yeah
Who Sports where I kind of detailed, you know, good
players who aren't superstars and what they need, and one
of the key things that came into was basically floor spacing.
And Bonus is a very very good player, wonderfully good player.
He's just not a superstar. He's not someone you can
build an entire team around, but you have to build
around him to a certain capacity to optimize, you know,
what he is. Does that hurt his trade value? I
would argue yes, I would argue that teams are fully
aware that if the bonus is going to be one
of your primary players, that comes with a set ceiling,
and that means you can't give up the farm for him.
So my question to you, sir, is, if they are
to rebuild, which they sorely need to do, where do
they go where do they go to get the assets?
Like which player are they sending out to get something
in return that lines them up for the future. Because
I am not sure there is an answer to that question.
Speaker 2: I I do not know. I still think. I mean,
the injury complicates things, and I don't think people are
gonna love the contract. When you look at after this season,
domas a bonus is still owed two years and like
ninety four million dollars right his contract runs through twenty
twenty seven, twenty eight. That's a lot of money for someone,
as you outlined, has all these functional limitations or specifications
if you're going to build around him.
Speaker 1: I still think he's.
Speaker 2: Probably their most valuable veteran because maybe if Keon Ellis
was signed to a long term deal would be him.
But he's going to be a free agent after this season.
It's not DeMar de Rosen. It's certainly not. Zach Lavine
gets a little more valuable if he's open to declining
his player option and signing at a lower average annual rate,
like is it Malik Monk is their most valuable veteran
And even asking that question, I think where the Kings
are really at, and I would agree with you they
need to hit reset. Is It's not about setting themselves
up for the future by getting this massive haul for
any one player. It's setting themselves up for the future
to just be more flexible and not have guys on
the team who might trick management ownership into thinking we
need to continue building upon this to go for it,
and so the sabonus of it all would be tough.
But for virtually everyone else, I'm just shorter contracts, expiring
money if I can get it smaller contracts, even if
it's a case of zach Lavine because his deal's already
so short. I mean, if I'm the Kings, I might
test out how much does zach Lvine really not want
to be in Sacramento. He just declined the player option
anyway if they held on to him. So That's where
I'm at with the Kings, is they need to just
move these guys for whatever they could get. It's really
to me more about getting themselves out of a situation
like getting more flexible shore and moving forward, but getting
themselves out of a situation where they can trick themselves
into thinking that they are better than they actually are.
And I think the danger ironically, the player who might
just be toughest to move because his value is so complicated,
is the one who's sort of the poster board for
that issue. Is demonta Sabonis, fringe All NBA All Star
type of player that if you have him on your team,
you're going to think that you're going to gravitate towards
wanting to win. And so to me, I think if
you want the Kings to actually reset, him more so
than anyone else is the player that needs to be moved.
Speaker 1: I don't disagree. I hadn't thought about like cheering it
like that because I just look at the whole some
of the Kings and go and basically put this label
on sets. Everything has to go. So what can you
get for him? I'm just gonna throw it right back
to you what.
Speaker 2: I don't even know if it's the return, But I
have trouble finding a team. Yeah, so I kind of thought.
I did think about san Antonio a little bit because
he'd be interesting alongside wemb He's just he's making so
much money, so they can't like he'd be semi interesting
in Boston, right for the stuff that they like to
do with their bigs. But you can't get to his
money without trading Jallen Brown, Derek White or Jason Tatum.
What you're not gonna do well, I don't know. So
Simon's and Howser get you passed forty maybe maybe you can,
would you if there were no picks involved and you're
Boston and you can just go out and get dolmasa bonus?
You're not getting out of the tax this year? Are
you thinking about it? So Simon and Houser gets you
to thirty seven thirty eight? Yeah, but even that, you
know what, even that's too hard? Like what are you
getting rid of Peyton Pritchard too?
Speaker 1: That I was about to say, we need to make
sure that because they can't take a dollar back, they're
over the first a print, so we need to make.
Speaker 2: Sure Domas had forty two. So you need to go
I mean, you could it have to be like a
four for one, but you could do it in thereiod. Yeah,
but that's so difficult mid season though, well, I think
some of the contracts they have are so and then
you do have to fill out the rest of the roster.
So but just as a thought exercise, you're not trading
Derek White, Jalen Brown or Jason Tatum and or for
or pick and you can get demanded.
Speaker 1: I mean, that is probably the big man for Boston, honestly,
because they can sort of survive the lack of defense
and lack of three point shooting, and they would finally
have someone who can come in and just say, all right, tonight,
I'm grabbing fifteen goddamn rebounds because we need to. That's
been a problem for them before. I think that is
going to solve something. Playmaking wise. I would trust him
at like the foul line area to get things more ving. Yeah,
I mean, oh, just because now I'm just thinking basketball
terms here, just him getting a defensive rebounding and rebound
and just running down the floor and like setting up
guys in transition for quick threes. I mean, I could
see it. I wouldn't hate that. Yeah, that'd be fun. Yes,
fucking why not Simon's Simon's Houser, No, but like what
we need to find the deal though, like it wouldn't
It would have to be Simon's Houser and Pritchard, right,
that would get you there.
Speaker 2: But I'd be curious if Boston would do that. That's ridiculous.
That sound right, Yeah, because he's at don't don't massa
bonus is at like forty two plus right this year? Uh? Yeah,
that'd you can't. I don't think you could build it
without Pritchard if you want to keep one and then
you're But you could also argue if you're able to
keep some of these other guys that have hit, like
a Luca Garzer and Josh might not Jordan Walsh around,
you do have some built in depth. Let's see. So
if we send Sam Hauser to Sacramento along with Anthony
Simon's how short are we you you need to get
less than five million? That they just don't have another
player other than Peyton Pritchard.
Speaker 1: That that's the thing they do from there, that's Peyton Pritchard,
Iso Gonzadez at less than three mil.
Speaker 2: But two of those, like if you put Hugo and
Baylor in there, like the money then works, and that's true.
Speaker 1: That's four, that's a fourth one then, like you said,
that's difficult.
Speaker 2: Yeah, unless it's so it has to be Peyton Pritchard
or you're looking at well, some of the salaries are
so small, like there would be a team that you
could probably compensate to just take one or even two
of the smaller salary guys.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's true. I mean, okay, so we got we
got out of the Mantasa bonus business. We got him
major expiring contract in infrene assignments. If we're Sacramento here,
we now have Sam Hauser and Peyton Pritchard, both on
good contracts by the way, very very good contracts. And
then we're keeping presumably gon Solace over Shireman right.
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, Gonzales. He's got some nasty to him. If
his his shot, he ever figures that out. He's thrown
some fifty passes on the offensive en edition everything he
does a rebounder.
Speaker 1: I like her. Yeah, he's nasty, so that's not necessarily
a bad return. Like I know, Kings fans right now
are like what we came up sports for one?
Speaker 2: You know what, I bet you they do it. Yeah,
at this point I've even kind of thought, just like,
if Cleveland wants to get more physical, does he make
more sense next to Evan Mobley than a than a
Jared Allen? Hmm, would you prefer him in Toronto over
Yako Peertle?
Speaker 1: I probably would, And I like Purdle like great deal,
but I would like someone who's a little bit more.
I don't know if the words spread productive, but.
Speaker 2: Yeah, honestly, here's the team they've been linked to Trey Young.
If we're just talking about you need to match money,
do you just in Washington? Do you try and rehabilitate
his value? Alex are insulates him defensively, and Sar has
been really good this year and they both shoot threes,
and sorry even kind of has like the floor in
between game.
Speaker 1: So just I'm not not not as a long along
in this trade.
Speaker 2: To no, I would say, is you're the Wizards, would
you rather get Trey Young? You do need a floor general,
but I don't know if Trey Young fits the mold
of someone who will elevate the youngsters around him.
Speaker 1: So I'm just saying they have Milton McCollum and Kisburg's contracts.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm asking you who would you prefer. Oh, you're
saying they could get both. No, don't do that, squeeze,
I beg you, Washington, do not do that.
Speaker 1: Absolutely not, Absolutely, I won't allow it. No. I I
I do think Sabonas would be fun there, but they
need a lead guard so bad. I I would leave
with everyone if you still have bubb Yeah, yeah, you
need a guard. You need a guard. You need someone
to set up sorry, in a different way like, yeah,
Saba can do it in a certain capacity. You need
someone who's on the ball far more, who's got like
a quicker first step. He needs something. You just need
something other players like which team? I don't.
Speaker 2: Milwaukee said they they apparently have interested Zach Lavine, and
I think, given what they've done in the nony honest minutes,
I understand it from a okay Kuzma and I guess
Portois and smaller salary X to get there, I think
Milwaukee's just poking around any single guy that's who wouldn't
cost us a first round pick that might actually be
good for us.
Speaker 1: So I obviously love that idea, because I've been saying
for six years now that Levine obviously is not a
first option. That He's never really been given a chance
to play with someone who is, you know, an elite
playmaker and or or at least draw us enough attention
to turn him to like a real clear cut secondary option.
Him alongside one of Gianni's Jokich Luca, for the example,
is something that I've been just dreaming about because I
think there is just a nasty, nasty second tier scoring
potential in Saclovine, more so an off ball capacity, because
he's statistically off ball in terms of spot up shooting,
in terms of cutting, he's always been highly efficient and
one of the best in the league. So I would
love to see him alongside someone like Giannis, who just
draws that much attention.
Speaker 2: What about I think he would have to be willing
to not He would have to decline his player off
if we want to sign a smaller deal. What do
you think about him? In Detroit?
Speaker 1: That was brought up a lot, Remember when they were
before they got sitting atop the Eastern Conference. Probably well
not then, but but before that that he was one
name that was that was routinely brought up. I do
think there's an interesting layer there, But I think their
reasoning is would we rather pay zach Lavine the forty
seven point five million this year, and then yeah, maybe
we extend him to a smaller number from here on out.
Or would rather go into restricted free agency with Jade
and Ivy and get him for a freaking steal and
see what we have there who's younger and fits the
timeline better. I think that's the way they are going
to approach it. Is that the right way to approach it,
I don't know, because I do think Vin makes them
better immediately. I do think he's better than Jade and
Ivy as currently constructed. So it depends how much money
are you willing to burn for Levin?
Speaker 2: Well, I guess just because it's so short term is
how I was thinking about it.
Speaker 1: But you would have to.
Speaker 2: I think the problem there then becomes they've gotten some
good guard play from Marcus Sasser Dennis Jaking as well,
But if you're talking about a team that could insulate
zach Lvie on the defensive end, if his number is
going to get lower after this year, it's sort of like,
but do you give up Tobias Harris because that's the
easy money to give up. You could get there with that.
You don't even need to give Jay and Ivy. I
think Tobias Harris and Caris Lavert or Duncan Robinson.
Speaker 1: Boom, you're done.
Speaker 2: Yeah, at this point, I think you prefer to give
up Lavert in that scenario, but then you still kind
of have that front court hole. I know you have
run Holland and Asar Thompson and you go due big
with Stuart and Duran and Javonte.
Speaker 1: Oh, actually, Davonte Green has been so good for them.
Maybe you just do this.
Speaker 2: Caris Lavert, Tobias Harris or Zach Lavine done.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I wouldn't hate that. I mean, if that's on
the table for the Pistons and it's that straightforward, yeah,
why not? And if I get sack re signed on,
what would a good deal there be? Because he's not
going to decline a forty nine million dollar player option
for like three years sixty, He'll probably have to be
like three years ninety.
Speaker 2: I'm not sure they would need this incentive, but the
Pistons could do that aid also with Keon Ellis involved,
So Kaslovert, Tobias Harris, maybe you're throwing if you need
to include seconds for Keon Ellis and Zach Lavine.
Speaker 1: You think ke On Ellis comes that cheap like he
might have to.
Speaker 2: Right, he's not getting it for if they get a
first round pay for Keon Ellis. I want to know
what else is involved in that deal.
Speaker 1: Yeah, presumably because he's unrestricted after this. This ceased as well.
That is not exactly helping them.
Speaker 2: It still doesn't solve there. You'd prefer someone to get
in the front court. That's not gonna be Keon Ellis,
but I think Javonte Green you could paper over at
Duncan Robinson's still there, but that would be the for me.
That and also then it's okay now we have Jade
and Ivy and Denis Jenkins and Zach Lavine. But I
I think I would do it if I'm Detroit. Maybe
I'm undervaluing what the front court rotation would would look
like though.
Speaker 1: Can I ask why Keon Ellis isn't playing more in Sacramento?
I just need to know, Uh, search me. That's been
like a storyline the entire season. He's been getting more
minutes of late, right, he's still still hasnutes. What I'm
wondering here or no, what I'm fearing here is that
the rationale from other teams would be well. If he
can't even crack twenty minutes per game in Sacramento, are
are we going to be in a position to look
at him and go, yeah, he's useful for us, or
he's just going to a better team and not playing
at all.
Speaker 2: Oh, that's interesting. I just before the easy. One of
the trays that I've just pentled in is that Keon
Els is going to get moved for two second round
picks if it's not part of a larger deal. I
just think that's gonna happen. I think he's going to
be good for whoever he gets him defendre.
Speaker 1: I just wonder if that is through the prism of
the Kings. Like a lot of people, including myself, like
him a great deal, but it's also because he plays
basketball in a way that's very un Kings like. I
am wondering if you know the worldwide love that US
basketball sickos have for him, if that's replicated within NBA
front offices.
Speaker 2: Maybe I guess if you're worried about what his next
contract looks like, if you go into this thinking he's
not worth a mid level exception, then that might be
the the difference type deal where you don't see this
guy's being worth fourteen to fifteen million dollars a year.
Do you have any good Derosan or Malik Monk or
shrewder destinations?
Speaker 1: I had one and I wrote about it a couple
months ago. That was the ros the Rosan part. I
like it a framework that is Demarto Rosen for Knsavi's
Cold Pope basically where yeah, I think so because then
you but but that was under that was before they
were this bad. My thinking was getting the Rosan out
of there would mean more ball handling opportunities to other players,
whereas Contavious Colobob would just be more of an off ball,
you know, spot up shooter. Now, I just don't think
that matters, just putting lipstick on a pig. Honestly, it
just doesn't really matter a whole lot. But I also
kind of liked it for Memphis because then you had
someone you could go to in like half court situations.
You didn't really know what's going on with job Moranda
all the time, Like at some point you're just gonna
need someone who can get shots and create shots for
himself and others. So I didn't hate that framework. Now,
does it even make sense. I don't know. It's like
the Kings are so far gone at this point. I'm
just I'm ready to set off the ros and for
Magic Beans at this time.
Speaker 2: He'd be interested on a good team, maybe coming off
the bench. But even as I'm going through the list
that he's been, I think probably the King that's toughest
for me to find a destination for. Maybe there's something
around the Terry Rozier contract in Miami. You try that.
Speaker 1: Out Amy again, trying to negate or not. They're trying
to pivot a little bit to the younger side because
finally some of their younger players are breaking out a
little bit.
Speaker 2: Yeah, but if it's costing you Terry Rozier's contract.
Speaker 1: Yeah, maybe that's that's that's fair.
Speaker 2: Another team I thought of and it doesn't. It just
it's more about can we get out from under these
contracts with minimal compensation? But like, is there something to
build around Klay Thompson, Caleb Martin in Dallas or Jayden
Hardy And then you bring in de Rosen and they
do need another ball handler Until I know, Ryan Ambhard
has been good, Brandon Williams has had moments. They have
the D'Angel Russell expire or contract that they could throw
out as well. I thought about them a little bit,
but there that would be he disaligns so much from
the direction in which they should be headed anyway.
Speaker 1: But maybe they don't view it that way.
Speaker 2: Maybe it's you know, then we have Derosen and Kyrie
and Anthony Davis and Cooper Flag for for next season.
Speaker 1: If they have that mindset go nuts. I I personally
would would not be actively trading for DeMar de ros
and the player if I have any type of aspirations
for seems success, but maybe as a mentor. So there's
one thing we do know about DeRos and is he's
very very good at embracing young players. Yes, he's He's
not had the opportunity on the Kings because they don't
have young players. They keep drafting twenty three year olds.
So like for him to go to Dallas, if we
stick with your your example there, just in terms of
like a mentorship perspective for Cooper Flag, that wouldn't be
a bad thing. I wouldn't hate that it didn't work
out with Patrick Williams and might work out with.
Speaker 2: I do wonder what are you because the Caleb Martin
and Klay Thomason contracts aren't great. So what are you
what is Dallas willing to send out?
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, that's yeah outside of crap? You mean yeah,
can you get? And he would?
Speaker 2: I would like bring him off the bench in Man.
Does Minnesota even do this though? But could you get? No,
it's just it's too much money. I was gonna say,
could you get without having to really eat into your
core to Marta Rose into Minnesota? But even if you
went three for one, you're still kind of you're still
kind of stuck there. You'd have to include Devincenzo or
nas Reed, which is just a nonstor he'd be off
to BENJM Minnesota, though tomart Rosen would be interesting.
Speaker 1: Nas read for Demarty Rosen. That would be such a.
Speaker 2: Like I would imagine I have Conley and Dillingham fired
up in the salaries, but that's only about like seventeen
eighteen million dollars, so you need to come up with
another seven.
Speaker 1: I love how you're just relinquishing the two point guards
that are on this ros Well.
Speaker 2: They have Bones high Land, who has been like been
above Rob Dillingham at points in the rotation.
Speaker 1: They have Anthony Edwards that they're just weird. Man. Talk
about Trapee doing the trade value of your own first
round draft pick. What the hell?
Speaker 2: He's just based off the on ball wiggle that he's shown.
I think think he stills a chance to be good.
It's just not going to be in Minnesota pretty clearly.
Speaker 1: Mm hmm. Yeah.
Speaker 2: What about coming off the bench in Orlando?
Speaker 1: What is that deal? Because they lean ISAA.
Speaker 2: Plus, they're also close to the tax. They might want
to duck the tax themselves, but you have Isaac's number.
I don't know how you make up the rest of it.
That's a Tyas Jones. Jonathan Isaac and Tyas Jones probably
get you there.
Speaker 1: They definitely realized that they couldn't lean into the mid
rain shot though. Is it fair to it's I think
I think it's unfair to show pow Up and Caro
his future self, like trading trading for his future self.
I think that's that's Caro turns.
Speaker 2: Into that type of pick and roll player that Demarta
Rosen was, or even ISO player for that matter.
Speaker 1: A fair fair Yeah, but you know what I mean.
Speaker 2: It's a terrible fit with Honestly, it gets easier if
Fronz and door Poaloll were out of the lineup, which
they've been.
Speaker 1: Quite a bit this year.
Speaker 2: But that's not you don't want to make moves under
that guys. Uh, Malik Monk would probably make more sense
for Orlando. We saw Milwaukee link to Malague Monk as
well as a guard who could get downhill. Him and
Shruder kind of fit the same glove, except Malie Monk
is better away from the ball. I just don't there's
like not a team for me that I look at
and say, Okay, like, yeah, malikue Monk, that makes a
ton of sense.
Speaker 1: Just a question in terms of Jonathan Kamenka right like
he does he counts now for the full twenty two
and a half, right, correct? Yeah, the Kings love him
a great deal. Is are we reaching that point with
the Warriors where they're just saying, screw it, let's go
get old stars, let's see where Like, Yeah, probably I
might prefer Monk if i'm that's fair, that's fair. But like,
is there a deal.
Speaker 2: Where they can n ellis for Jonathan Kaminga? I wouldn't
hate that as the basic framework.
Speaker 1: Yeah, look, Kamenka right now is not a long term
investment in terms of the contractual obligation at all team option.
Speaker 2: I mean if any of the Kings probably pick it
up to experiment with him, right right.
Speaker 1: And if they are, if they're the team that actually
gives him the chance to break out. Now we need
to say we don't know if he'll break out or not,
but like, if it happens there and there's the team
that actually gives him the chance to perhaps he'd be
inclined to resign with them in twenty twenty seven.
Speaker 2: Well, that kind of one of the final questions I
had for the Kings was could they talk themselves into
being a quasi buyer like that or I think you
take well hold on the Kaminga one is somewhat logical
because you're getting off longer term money for him. But
if you're the Kings, do you consider if any one
of these distressed players become and it's just money. It
could be Trey Young mostly just money, Trey Young, John Morant,
Jonathan Kaminga. Are you trying to by the way, we
can't rule out the scenario of the King's decide well,
we'll trade a first round pick and go get name X.
Speaker 1: That would be so Kings, right, that would be very Kings. Yeah,
I don't think we can rule it out, but I mean,
given how this ceased has gone, like they've already had
twenty nine losses twenty nine, how like you would have
to be banged up, right, But like, even so, I
just making it into the plane at this stage, Like you,
if you go into the trade deadline and they're there,
are is a little.
Speaker 2: Bit of I think you would take the Indiana type approach,
only it's different. Now you're acquiring someone who's good, but
you're not into like you will shut them down if
you need you to maximize the value of your first
round pick.
Speaker 1: This year, it was more fair enough. Okay, okay, that
makes more sense because like if you if you were
thinking this year, no no no, no no no no.
But but then what who is the player? If I
agree with you that they could be a quasi buyer
in that sense, but like I don't think they would
go out and just go for anyone. Then they would
have to think big. But like is Jonathan cominga thinking
big from their perspective?
Speaker 2: I don't know. You're asking me about the Kings's perspective.
Speaker 1: I don't know right to that question, I mean, what
that was the play I would be I would like
that more than going for a veteran.
Speaker 2: What if it what if it was Ja Moran or
Trey Young.
Speaker 1: I could easily I could probably convince myself sort of
a little bit of Trey Young, because I think he's
the better version of between the two. But hey, I
hate I hate both options here. I don't like it.
Speaker 2: What about Anthony Davis? No, what if they if they were.
Speaker 1: Thinking that would be, that would be more kangs. I mean, look,
that is that that would be so profuse. I'm supporting this.
Speaker 2: I'm just I'm just curious.
Speaker 1: We're just asking questions. Yeah, no, Anthony Davis and sacrament
you know what, screw this needs to happen now, this
needs to happen. So absolutely, the Sacramento Kings, Anthony Davis.
Sacramento Kings should definitely bring Anthony Davis back to California.
They should extend him. They should just go nuts. Absolutely,
that'd be funny. That'd be the funniest thing they could do. Absolutely,
go all in, just alienate the entire fucking fan base.
Welcome to Sacramento, Anthony Davis. We look forward to seeing
you play twenty seven times per season. Oh, that's uncalled for.
He's averaged more than twenty seven times per season. Oh,
I'm sorry, I'm sorry fifty two Jesus Christ. Yeah, the
name's not.
Speaker 2: I just wondered I could see them doing something like that,
and the kind of the final question that I have,
should there be anyone on this team who's actually off limits.
We know how hard it is to move Keegan Murray
because of the poison pilling out. Now he's injured again,
so ideally you're not doing that. But you're looking at
this King's roster. Is there anyone to you that's aside
from Maximine right now? I just want to make that clear.
That's just completely and utterly untouchable or even close to it.
Speaker 1: No, no, and no in that order. It's it's it's no,
not even close. Uh. Everyone should be up for craps.
I am not looking at anyone from on this team going, hey,
let's let's keep this player around because there is something
here that we are willing to explore at all costs.
Speaker 2: Like no, no, Keegan Murray's the closest you come because
of the poison pill. But even just like what if
you were the Kings and didn't want any part of
that contract anymore. You're talking to Brooklyn, who has cap space,
and so you're talking about making the math work. There
get us MPJ. Here's Keegan like, does Brooklyn take af
that would be that would be the ultimate We're clearing
the decks, which might be encouraging.
Speaker 1: I don't know.
Speaker 2: I'm still pretty high on Keegan Murray's I wouldn't do it,
but that I don't. I love Keegan Murray, and he's
just you don't build your entire team around him, and
so there's nobody that should be off limits. And I
also think, by the way, though, the Keegan Murray extension,
giving him as much as they did, leads me to
believe that this team is not going to go the
nuclear route to where it wouldn't shock me if they
moved absolutely no one other than Keon Ellis because the
offers weren't good enough.
Speaker 1: Right. I like Kegan Murray too. If I had a like,
some guarantee that I would come in, you know, a
small package of picks or one lucrative pick, or just
something of significant value. I'm saying this was this was fun.
Speaker 2: So let's just assume Brooklyn gets involved in any three
teams there, What is the team that would move you
to say, yeah, they I could see them making some
type of an offer for Keegan Murray.
Speaker 1: So I actually think there are a lot of teams
that would make a move for Keegan because he's so
much better defensively now than he was two years ago.
The scoring thing is what where I've been disappointed because,
you know, he came in with this reputation of being
someone who could average a lot of points and do
so efficiently, just not just off the dripple, but as
a catch and shoot guy, like he could weave himself
into so many different ways. You know, I saw him
as a bit of a guy who could mimic an
Oh jenn and Obi type of career. So far, we
just haven't seen that. We've seen a lot of inefficiencies.
We've seen him struggle with the ball in his hands.
We are seeing him not generate free FROs at at
to a great extent whatsoever. So, like, I think there
are a lot of teams that are interested now in
the defense, the rebounding, but have been scared away by
the lack of offensive potency that we all thought that he had.
So it seems like San Antonio that we talked about
in the last episode. Who would usually love a guy
of this ILK like a defensive oriented big wing big
or a big wing who can come in and hit
the three ball and playoff of others. Yeah, that'd be interesting.
So what we have to gauge shit before we answer
that question Dan, is where is his true value as
an offensive player? That's what I need to know before
I feel comfortable throwing out names.
Speaker 2: I think you trust in your system or just more
continuity or better stability bringing out a role for him
where the usage won't fluctuate as much. But I mean
five for one forty is not an insubstantial investment. And
just to outline the trade hurdles, he counts as outgoing
money for the Kings as eleven point two million dollars.
His new team has to account for him at twenty
five point two million as inbound money, which is the
average of his contract extension plus the current year. That's
what makes a trade so challenging. And it's oh the
Nets would need to be involved to offload some other salaries.
Speaker 1: Yeah, so this won't be a trade deadline trade if anything,
is probably a summer.
Speaker 2: Deal because the Pelicans would be kind of interesting for him.
If there's some like if you're just looking at get
out of the money, would they include anything to like
Jordan Poole, then you just make it work. He'd be him,
Herb Jones, Trey Murphy, around Zion and Derrek. Queen Fears
is still there, of course, sign me up.
Speaker 1: Sign you up for twenty seven wins.
Speaker 2: I don't know, I trust. I mean Keegan like alongside
a lot of those other guys. I think he'd be good,
all right, Nothing Charlotte would be.
Speaker 1: That'd be a team.
Speaker 2: That'd be a great team, really fun. To your point, though,
that feels more like an offseason decision. I don't think
the Kings are actually gonna make it, though. Let's let's
wrap here with them over under on I'm gonna say
one point five of shrewder Monk, Levigne, Sabonis, DeRozan, Ellis
being moved. I just give you six players. You can
throw Kegan Murray in there if to help you, that's
seven one point five. You have a lot more faith
in the Kings than I do. Well I to have
because I'm a positive guy. Dan, if I go into
this and I'm super skeptical, which my heart tells me
I should be. I would be disappointing myself. I want
to be optimistic for Kings fans, and optimistic in this
sense means moving the fuck on from whatever this is.
Do you have anything else you need to get off
your chest? You're ready to tell our audience where they
can find you in all the great work that you do.
Speaker 1: I think I'm ready to tell my audience. I was
about to say our audience where they can find my work?
At Yahoo Sports. I'm right there. You can find my
work also at the NBA podcast, which you're probably listening
to right now if it's not on the Hardwak Knox podcast,
and if you speak Danish or understand Danish, to listen
to buzzer beaters about the podcast or catch me calling games.
Speaker 2: On HBO Max until next time.
Speaker 1: And as always were to shut up
Speaker 2: The one, the only, the indelible, mister Frank fila Keina