NBA Pacific Division Off-Season Grades
By Anonymous
Sun, 08/08/2010 - 4:25pm
By Sam Littman
Golden State Warriors
Key additions: David Lee (6 years $80 million), Dorell Wright (3 years $11.5 million), Dan Gadzuric, Charlie Bell, Jeremy Lin (2 years $500K guaranteed), Jannero Pargo (2 years $2.4 million)
Key departures: Corey Maggette (Bucks), Anthony Morrow (Nets), Anthony Randolph (Knicks), Kelena Azubuike (Knicks), CJ Watson (Bulls), Raja Bell (Jazz), Ronny Turiaf (Knicks), Anthony Tolliver Timberwolves), Devean George (FA)
Draft picks: Ekpe Udoh (6)
Reggie Williams
Despite losing their second-leading scorer (Corey Maggette) and two very bright young talents (Anthony Morrow and Anthony Randolph), it's hard to call the Warriors off-season a failure. Their moves might not look very impressive on paper, but one must consider the way this team operates to appreciate the way they utilized their assets. Dorell Wright will not average 20 points per game like Maggette, but he's younger, more versatile, and most importantly, a very good defender, while Maggette doesn't do much of anything besides shoot and get to the line. Randolph is one of the league's most promising young players. Morrow on the other hand didn't appear to be a good long-term fit for Golden State, getting erratic playing time in the shadow of Ellis and Curry and the emergence of Reggie Williams. In fact, while Williams might not be quite the pure shooter of Morrow, he proved to be a more complete player, demonstrating he could create more for himself and others and being a better on the ball defender. Randolph a player with all the potential in the world but was never awarded the opportunity to establish himself as a key rotational player at Golden State. He too was often injured, and never provide consistency and maturity required for the Warriors to be successful. There was a feeling by fans and media outlets alike that his time with the organization was going to be short lived once reports surfaced that he was seen during one of the team’s home games at a nightclub instead of recovering from an ankle injury. While the team is not as nearly as deep as they have been in recent years, this may force Don Nelson (or his predecessor) to provide players with more consistent rotation and roles.
In selecting Baylor power forward Ekpe Udoh with the sixth overall pick, the Warriors decided in focusing on character over talent. An athletic shot-blocker with an improving offensive game, Udoh happens to be eerie similar to Wright who is younger and more athletic. Granted Udoh does provide insurance to Wright propensity of dislocating his shoulder. With the acquisition of David Lee, a 20-10 machine, it may have been more appropriate in acquiring a back up center in Cole Aldrich or going for a scoring forward in Paul George, or Luke Babbitt. The loss of Turiaf and Randolph removed the team’s leading shot blockers therefore Lee and Dan Gadzuric must be able to protect the basket. Acquiring Gadzuric and Charlie Bell from the Bucks allowed them to get rid of Maggette, but unless Bell rediscovers his shot and Gadzuric finds some way to make himself useful, they will just be dead weight until their contracts expire. However, due to their both having one less year left on their contracts than Maggette, the Warriors could potentially package their expiring contracts this summer for a $10 million player, which would subsequently make them look like geniuses.
The biggest move the organization made this off season was getting rid of Chris Cohan who in his 10 plus years provided a team with as many strangled coaches as playoff appearances (1). It would have been great for the fan base had Larry Ellison won the bid, but Cohan whitewashed fans one last time by selling his team to Joe Lacob. Ellison’s ego would have demanded the team to be constant contenders (a la Mark Cuban), but anybody can at least match the performance of the Cohan era. Instead of fans being ecstatic of the new ownership, they are happy but still cautious. They hope the $150 million loan to purchase the team was an investment decision and not an example of how less deep these owners’ pockets are than Elllison's.
They might still have a small but very talented backcourt and may be starting two big men who won't necessarily strike fear into the hearts of their opponents, but they're in a better situation than they were last year. David Lee could prove to be a bust given the length of his contract, but the Warriors are a good fit for his style of play. They finally are able to have a fresh outlook with a top young franchise building block in Stephen Curry, plus young talent (Ellis, Lee, Wright, Williams, and Biedrins) and new owners. The off season may have not provided fans with an ideal result but the team needed and received a fresh start after years of ineptitude.
Team Grade: B
Los Angeles Clippers
Key additions: Randy Foye (2 years $8.5 million), Ryan Gomes (3 years $12 million), Brian Cook
Key departures: Drew Gooden (Bucks), Steve Blake (Lakers), Travis Outlaw (Nets), Brian Skinner, Steve Novak
Draft picks: Al-Farouq Aminu, Eric Bledsoe, Willie Warren
Entering the off-season with over $20 million in cap room, the Clippers, the worst run team in sports, could have easily squandered tens of millions on some journeyman, but they didn't. Rather, they scored two of the most sensible, economical signings of the summer in combo guard Randy Foye (2 years/$8.5 million) and forward Ryan Gomes (3 years/$12 million). Foye will be an excellent fit in the backcourt coming off the bench, a nice foil to the Davis-Gordon tandem, while Gomes helps to shore up the swingman spot. Anyone that chastised the Clippers for not landing a free agent must consider that they are positioning themselves to offer Eric Gordon and Blake Griffin lucrative deals when their rookie contracts expire, and that after LeBron was scooped off the market, there was nobody that could have made spending their nest egg worthwhile. This is a team that has four players capable of averaging 20 points per game and a couple other potential stars, and with the addition of Foye and Gomes, they now have a stronger bench worthy of those talents.
For the third year in a row the Clippers scored in the draft; Aminu, Bledsoe and Warren were all considered to be lottery picks at some point in their college careers, and seeing how none are older than 20, they should still bear the potential that led scouts to regard them so highly. Aminu perfectly fills their only need at small forward, and will be an excellent fit in their system as a versatile, athletic rebounder and defender who won't take shots away from Davis, Gordon, Griffin and Kaman. Though just 19 years of age, he could very well start from day one. Acquiring Bledsoe was a terrific move; he's strong and athletic, can shoot the lights out, has the potential to become a lockdown defender at the point guard position, and could very well be Baron Davis' successor. Willie Warren was viewed as a lottery-level talent from the day he arrived at Oklahoma, and has all the tools to succeed in the pros.
The Clippers' frugality should pay huge dividends in the long run. They will sit comfortably around the salary cap this year with one of the league's lowest payrolls, and will be nearly $10 million under the cap next year with 11 players in tow, which means they will be able to add a significant piece while retaining the flexibility to re-sign their best young stars.
Team Grade: B+
Los Angeles Lakers
Key additions: Steve Blake (4 years $16 million), Matt Barnes (2 years $3.8 million), Theo Ratliff (1 year $1.4 million)
Key departures: Jordan Farmar (Nets), D.J. Mbenga, Adam Morrison, Josh Powell (Hawks)
Draft picks: Devin Ebanks (43), Derrick Caracter (58)
The defending champs sent a message to the rest of the league this off-season, declaring their firm intention disregard the future in order to be in the best position to topple any team (that is to say, the Miami Heat) that threatens to dethrone them. In acquiring Steve Blake, Matt Barnes and Theo Ratliff, the Lakers now only have three players on the entire roster younger than 30 (Andrew Bynum, Shannon Brown and Sasha Vujacic), though they will certainly be of better service in attempting to three-peat. The Lakers played with just one reliable reserve taller than 6-4 in each of their last two trips to the finals, and wisely got to work shoring up their front line. Barnes is the type of player who easily fits into any team dynamic, his defense and toughness proving to be extremely valuable come playoff time. Blake should be effective sharing time with Derrick Fisher, and picking up an experienced center like Ratliff was a wise move for a team whose starting center has averaged 50 games per year over the past three seasons. Then again, Ratliff hasn't played more than 63 games since the 2003-04 season…when he appeared in 85.
Snagging 6-8 small forward Devin Ebanks and 6-9 power forward Derrick Caracter in the second round looked like a victory for the Lakers (who at the time had only one backup forward), though it now appears that only one might make the team. They are also significantly less valuable than they were a month ago, as the addition of Barnes and Ratliff should effectively prevent them from getting any playing time whatsoever. Both impressed in the summer league, have nice potential, and should be found on a court somewhere next year.
Shannon Brown
The Lakers looked to be in a bit of trouble after the signings of Barnes and Ratliff seemingly squeezed out Shannon Brown, but Kupchak somehow managed to reel him back in. Losing out on Brown would have meant Fisher or Blake and Sasha Vujacic would have been the only backup guards, which wouldn't be particularly encouraging with Kobe getting older. Brown won't light up the box score, but his astounding athleticism acts as a much-needed boost for a squad that, for all its strengths, is not particularly athletic. While the Lakers' lineup is doubtlessly as solid as it was last year, they could be in the same position of having to retool their bench once again next off-season, as Barnes, Brown and Ratliff are all locked up for just one year.
Team Grade: A-
Phoenix Suns
Key additions: Hedo Turkoglu, Josh Childress (5 years $34 million), Hakim Warrick ( 4y ears $18 million), Matt Janning
Key departures: Amar'e Stoudemire (Knicks), Leandro Barbosa (Raptors)
Draft picks: Gani Lawal (46), Dwayne Collins (60),
In letting go of Amar'e Stoudemire and trading Leandro Barbosa to the Raptors, the Suns have all but washed their hands of the Mike D'Antoni era, with Nash and Hill the lone remnants of those highly competitive teams. Stoudemire may not have been an elite rebounder or defender, but he is one of the game's greatest talents when he's running on all cylinders. He was built for the Suns' offense, formed with Steve Nash the league's best pick-and-roll tandem since Stockton and Malone, and is capable of putting up First Team All-NBA numbers. They were able to reel in some decent talent, though they might find themselves on the wrong side of the playoff bubble for the second time in three years.
New starting power forward Hakim Warrick will have a great deal of pressure on his shoulders as he attempts to make up for some of Stoudemire's production. Like Stoudemire, Warrick is bouncy, extremely athletic, and a very good fit in Phoenix's offense. Nevertheless, he is an entirely inadequate replacement for the All-Star big man, as he's an even worse rebounder and defensive presence. The Suns success will lie in the hands of Hedo Turkoglu and Josh Childress, small forwards who have the potential to be great but whose recent performance suggests that they might just be mediocre. Childress, despite his great talent and physical gifts, averaged between 10 and 13 points per game in his four NBA seasons, while Turkoglu's scoring plummeted from 16.8 points per game in 2008-09 to 11.3 per game last season. His numbers dipped slightly in the other major categories as well. At least one of them is a starting small forward in the league, and they should be good fits in the Suns' system, but Turkoglu is by no means worth $44 million over the next four years, especially when they're paying Childress the full mid-level exception.
The good news for Phoenix is that their bench will be every bit as strong as it was last season. They re-upped one of the league's best three-point shooters in Channing Frye at a decent rate, while Childress should easily best Barbosa's output (he averaged 9.5 points per game in 2009-10 after averaging no less than 13.1 in the previous four years). Second round pick Gani Lawal also looks to contribute this year after a very strong showing in Las Vegas. If Turkoglu and Childress do not live up to their potential, however, it simply won't matter. As evidenced by their activity in the trade market, they could have acquired a dynamic wing like Childress or Turkoglu while retaining Stoudemire, and thus giving 2-time MVP Steve Nash the shot at a ring that he deserves, but they chose to go in a much different, bleaker direction. By mid-season, Nash might occasionally be caught in the locker room eating ice cream out of the carton and reminiscing over photos such as this.
Grade: C-
Sacramento Kings
Key additions: Antoine Wright, Darnell Jackson, Pooh Jeter, Samuel Dalembert (76ers), Donald Sloan
Key departures: Spencer Hawes (76ers), Andres Nocioni (76ers), Jon Brockman (Bucks), Dominic Maguire (Bobcats), Sean May (Nets), Ime Udoka
Draft picks: DeMarcus Cousins (5), Hassan Whiteside (33)
For a struggling franchise that just had a 20-year old franchise player land in its lap, this summer was all about saving. The Kings wisely conserved their boatload of cap room and even managed to get rid of a disappointing young center and a mediocre veteran in order to acquire a juicy $12.2 million expiring contract in Samuel Dalmbert, who could still get big minutes this year. They will likely wind up with another top 10 pick next year, though come next off-season, they could have all of their elite prospects - Tyreke Evans, DeMarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson, Omri Casspi, Donte Greene and Hassan Whiteside - under contract, not to mention serviceable veterans Beno Udrih and Francisco Garcia still in tow, for just $28 million, meaning they will have around $30 million to spend with just four or five roster spots to fill. This team is going places.
The Kings might have had the most interesting draft of any team in the league. After taking DeMarcus Cousins, who some believed might have been the best overall talentt, they selected Hassan Whiteside, whom NBADraft.net project would be the #1 pick in the 2011 draft earlier this year. Both are freshmen and are both known to be very immature - and they both play the same position. They won't be battling for playoff time - Cousins will immediately become a fundamental part of the offense while Whiteside plays a second round pick's role - but there is definitely a chance that they will clash at some point. Based on talent, however, the Kings came away with the league's most exciting haul. Cousins should be a top 5 center within two or three years (with the potential to become the best), and Whiteside's 5.4 blocks per game in college suggest that he could be a terrific defensive specialist off the bench.
If they are to make waves this year, they will need steady production from streaky wings Casspi, Greene and Garcia. Even if Cousins struggles, Carl Landry, Thompson and Dalembert will be able to pick up the slack. If Casspi, Greene and Garcia don't deliver, they'll be the first to be replaced when the Kings start spending wildly in 2011. With a slew of great young talents and more cap room than they'll know what to do with next year, one could argue that Oklahoma City is the only franchise with greater potential than Sacramento.
Team Grade: A-
RELATED ARTICLES:
NBA Atlantic Division Off-Season Grades
NBA Southwest Division Off-Season Grades
NBA Southeast Division Off-Season Grades
NBA Northwest Division Off-Season Grades
NBA Central Division Off-Season Grades
Golden State Warriors
Key additions: David Lee (6 years $80 million), Dorell Wright (3 years $11.5 million), Dan Gadzuric, Charlie Bell, Jeremy Lin (2 years $500K guaranteed), Jannero Pargo (2 years $2.4 million)
Key departures: Corey Maggette (Bucks), Anthony Morrow (Nets), Anthony Randolph (Knicks), Kelena Azubuike (Knicks), CJ Watson (Bulls), Raja Bell (Jazz), Ronny Turiaf (Knicks), Anthony Tolliver Timberwolves), Devean George (FA)
Draft picks: Ekpe Udoh (6)
Reggie WilliamsDespite losing their second-leading scorer (Corey Maggette) and two very bright young talents (Anthony Morrow and Anthony Randolph), it's hard to call the Warriors off-season a failure. Their moves might not look very impressive on paper, but one must consider the way this team operates to appreciate the way they utilized their assets. Dorell Wright will not average 20 points per game like Maggette, but he's younger, more versatile, and most importantly, a very good defender, while Maggette doesn't do much of anything besides shoot and get to the line. Randolph is one of the league's most promising young players. Morrow on the other hand didn't appear to be a good long-term fit for Golden State, getting erratic playing time in the shadow of Ellis and Curry and the emergence of Reggie Williams. In fact, while Williams might not be quite the pure shooter of Morrow, he proved to be a more complete player, demonstrating he could create more for himself and others and being a better on the ball defender. Randolph a player with all the potential in the world but was never awarded the opportunity to establish himself as a key rotational player at Golden State. He too was often injured, and never provide consistency and maturity required for the Warriors to be successful. There was a feeling by fans and media outlets alike that his time with the organization was going to be short lived once reports surfaced that he was seen during one of the team’s home games at a nightclub instead of recovering from an ankle injury. While the team is not as nearly as deep as they have been in recent years, this may force Don Nelson (or his predecessor) to provide players with more consistent rotation and roles.
In selecting Baylor power forward Ekpe Udoh with the sixth overall pick, the Warriors decided in focusing on character over talent. An athletic shot-blocker with an improving offensive game, Udoh happens to be eerie similar to Wright who is younger and more athletic. Granted Udoh does provide insurance to Wright propensity of dislocating his shoulder. With the acquisition of David Lee, a 20-10 machine, it may have been more appropriate in acquiring a back up center in Cole Aldrich or going for a scoring forward in Paul George, or Luke Babbitt. The loss of Turiaf and Randolph removed the team’s leading shot blockers therefore Lee and Dan Gadzuric must be able to protect the basket. Acquiring Gadzuric and Charlie Bell from the Bucks allowed them to get rid of Maggette, but unless Bell rediscovers his shot and Gadzuric finds some way to make himself useful, they will just be dead weight until their contracts expire. However, due to their both having one less year left on their contracts than Maggette, the Warriors could potentially package their expiring contracts this summer for a $10 million player, which would subsequently make them look like geniuses.
The biggest move the organization made this off season was getting rid of Chris Cohan who in his 10 plus years provided a team with as many strangled coaches as playoff appearances (1). It would have been great for the fan base had Larry Ellison won the bid, but Cohan whitewashed fans one last time by selling his team to Joe Lacob. Ellison’s ego would have demanded the team to be constant contenders (a la Mark Cuban), but anybody can at least match the performance of the Cohan era. Instead of fans being ecstatic of the new ownership, they are happy but still cautious. They hope the $150 million loan to purchase the team was an investment decision and not an example of how less deep these owners’ pockets are than Elllison's.
They might still have a small but very talented backcourt and may be starting two big men who won't necessarily strike fear into the hearts of their opponents, but they're in a better situation than they were last year. David Lee could prove to be a bust given the length of his contract, but the Warriors are a good fit for his style of play. They finally are able to have a fresh outlook with a top young franchise building block in Stephen Curry, plus young talent (Ellis, Lee, Wright, Williams, and Biedrins) and new owners. The off season may have not provided fans with an ideal result but the team needed and received a fresh start after years of ineptitude.
Team Grade: B
Los Angeles Clippers
Key additions: Randy Foye (2 years $8.5 million), Ryan Gomes (3 years $12 million), Brian Cook
Key departures: Drew Gooden (Bucks), Steve Blake (Lakers), Travis Outlaw (Nets), Brian Skinner, Steve Novak
Draft picks: Al-Farouq Aminu, Eric Bledsoe, Willie Warren
Entering the off-season with over $20 million in cap room, the Clippers, the worst run team in sports, could have easily squandered tens of millions on some journeyman, but they didn't. Rather, they scored two of the most sensible, economical signings of the summer in combo guard Randy Foye (2 years/$8.5 million) and forward Ryan Gomes (3 years/$12 million). Foye will be an excellent fit in the backcourt coming off the bench, a nice foil to the Davis-Gordon tandem, while Gomes helps to shore up the swingman spot. Anyone that chastised the Clippers for not landing a free agent must consider that they are positioning themselves to offer Eric Gordon and Blake Griffin lucrative deals when their rookie contracts expire, and that after LeBron was scooped off the market, there was nobody that could have made spending their nest egg worthwhile. This is a team that has four players capable of averaging 20 points per game and a couple other potential stars, and with the addition of Foye and Gomes, they now have a stronger bench worthy of those talents.
For the third year in a row the Clippers scored in the draft; Aminu, Bledsoe and Warren were all considered to be lottery picks at some point in their college careers, and seeing how none are older than 20, they should still bear the potential that led scouts to regard them so highly. Aminu perfectly fills their only need at small forward, and will be an excellent fit in their system as a versatile, athletic rebounder and defender who won't take shots away from Davis, Gordon, Griffin and Kaman. Though just 19 years of age, he could very well start from day one. Acquiring Bledsoe was a terrific move; he's strong and athletic, can shoot the lights out, has the potential to become a lockdown defender at the point guard position, and could very well be Baron Davis' successor. Willie Warren was viewed as a lottery-level talent from the day he arrived at Oklahoma, and has all the tools to succeed in the pros.
The Clippers' frugality should pay huge dividends in the long run. They will sit comfortably around the salary cap this year with one of the league's lowest payrolls, and will be nearly $10 million under the cap next year with 11 players in tow, which means they will be able to add a significant piece while retaining the flexibility to re-sign their best young stars.
Team Grade: B+
Los Angeles Lakers
Key additions: Steve Blake (4 years $16 million), Matt Barnes (2 years $3.8 million), Theo Ratliff (1 year $1.4 million)
Key departures: Jordan Farmar (Nets), D.J. Mbenga, Adam Morrison, Josh Powell (Hawks)
Draft picks: Devin Ebanks (43), Derrick Caracter (58)
The defending champs sent a message to the rest of the league this off-season, declaring their firm intention disregard the future in order to be in the best position to topple any team (that is to say, the Miami Heat) that threatens to dethrone them. In acquiring Steve Blake, Matt Barnes and Theo Ratliff, the Lakers now only have three players on the entire roster younger than 30 (Andrew Bynum, Shannon Brown and Sasha Vujacic), though they will certainly be of better service in attempting to three-peat. The Lakers played with just one reliable reserve taller than 6-4 in each of their last two trips to the finals, and wisely got to work shoring up their front line. Barnes is the type of player who easily fits into any team dynamic, his defense and toughness proving to be extremely valuable come playoff time. Blake should be effective sharing time with Derrick Fisher, and picking up an experienced center like Ratliff was a wise move for a team whose starting center has averaged 50 games per year over the past three seasons. Then again, Ratliff hasn't played more than 63 games since the 2003-04 season…when he appeared in 85.
Snagging 6-8 small forward Devin Ebanks and 6-9 power forward Derrick Caracter in the second round looked like a victory for the Lakers (who at the time had only one backup forward), though it now appears that only one might make the team. They are also significantly less valuable than they were a month ago, as the addition of Barnes and Ratliff should effectively prevent them from getting any playing time whatsoever. Both impressed in the summer league, have nice potential, and should be found on a court somewhere next year.
Shannon BrownThe Lakers looked to be in a bit of trouble after the signings of Barnes and Ratliff seemingly squeezed out Shannon Brown, but Kupchak somehow managed to reel him back in. Losing out on Brown would have meant Fisher or Blake and Sasha Vujacic would have been the only backup guards, which wouldn't be particularly encouraging with Kobe getting older. Brown won't light up the box score, but his astounding athleticism acts as a much-needed boost for a squad that, for all its strengths, is not particularly athletic. While the Lakers' lineup is doubtlessly as solid as it was last year, they could be in the same position of having to retool their bench once again next off-season, as Barnes, Brown and Ratliff are all locked up for just one year.
Team Grade: A-
Phoenix Suns
Key additions: Hedo Turkoglu, Josh Childress (5 years $34 million), Hakim Warrick ( 4y ears $18 million), Matt Janning
Key departures: Amar'e Stoudemire (Knicks), Leandro Barbosa (Raptors)
Draft picks: Gani Lawal (46), Dwayne Collins (60),
In letting go of Amar'e Stoudemire and trading Leandro Barbosa to the Raptors, the Suns have all but washed their hands of the Mike D'Antoni era, with Nash and Hill the lone remnants of those highly competitive teams. Stoudemire may not have been an elite rebounder or defender, but he is one of the game's greatest talents when he's running on all cylinders. He was built for the Suns' offense, formed with Steve Nash the league's best pick-and-roll tandem since Stockton and Malone, and is capable of putting up First Team All-NBA numbers. They were able to reel in some decent talent, though they might find themselves on the wrong side of the playoff bubble for the second time in three years.
New starting power forward Hakim Warrick will have a great deal of pressure on his shoulders as he attempts to make up for some of Stoudemire's production. Like Stoudemire, Warrick is bouncy, extremely athletic, and a very good fit in Phoenix's offense. Nevertheless, he is an entirely inadequate replacement for the All-Star big man, as he's an even worse rebounder and defensive presence. The Suns success will lie in the hands of Hedo Turkoglu and Josh Childress, small forwards who have the potential to be great but whose recent performance suggests that they might just be mediocre. Childress, despite his great talent and physical gifts, averaged between 10 and 13 points per game in his four NBA seasons, while Turkoglu's scoring plummeted from 16.8 points per game in 2008-09 to 11.3 per game last season. His numbers dipped slightly in the other major categories as well. At least one of them is a starting small forward in the league, and they should be good fits in the Suns' system, but Turkoglu is by no means worth $44 million over the next four years, especially when they're paying Childress the full mid-level exception.
The good news for Phoenix is that their bench will be every bit as strong as it was last season. They re-upped one of the league's best three-point shooters in Channing Frye at a decent rate, while Childress should easily best Barbosa's output (he averaged 9.5 points per game in 2009-10 after averaging no less than 13.1 in the previous four years). Second round pick Gani Lawal also looks to contribute this year after a very strong showing in Las Vegas. If Turkoglu and Childress do not live up to their potential, however, it simply won't matter. As evidenced by their activity in the trade market, they could have acquired a dynamic wing like Childress or Turkoglu while retaining Stoudemire, and thus giving 2-time MVP Steve Nash the shot at a ring that he deserves, but they chose to go in a much different, bleaker direction. By mid-season, Nash might occasionally be caught in the locker room eating ice cream out of the carton and reminiscing over photos such as this.
Grade: C-
Sacramento Kings
Key additions: Antoine Wright, Darnell Jackson, Pooh Jeter, Samuel Dalembert (76ers), Donald Sloan
Key departures: Spencer Hawes (76ers), Andres Nocioni (76ers), Jon Brockman (Bucks), Dominic Maguire (Bobcats), Sean May (Nets), Ime Udoka
Draft picks: DeMarcus Cousins (5), Hassan Whiteside (33)
For a struggling franchise that just had a 20-year old franchise player land in its lap, this summer was all about saving. The Kings wisely conserved their boatload of cap room and even managed to get rid of a disappointing young center and a mediocre veteran in order to acquire a juicy $12.2 million expiring contract in Samuel Dalmbert, who could still get big minutes this year. They will likely wind up with another top 10 pick next year, though come next off-season, they could have all of their elite prospects - Tyreke Evans, DeMarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson, Omri Casspi, Donte Greene and Hassan Whiteside - under contract, not to mention serviceable veterans Beno Udrih and Francisco Garcia still in tow, for just $28 million, meaning they will have around $30 million to spend with just four or five roster spots to fill. This team is going places.
The Kings might have had the most interesting draft of any team in the league. After taking DeMarcus Cousins, who some believed might have been the best overall talentt, they selected Hassan Whiteside, whom NBADraft.net project would be the #1 pick in the 2011 draft earlier this year. Both are freshmen and are both known to be very immature - and they both play the same position. They won't be battling for playoff time - Cousins will immediately become a fundamental part of the offense while Whiteside plays a second round pick's role - but there is definitely a chance that they will clash at some point. Based on talent, however, the Kings came away with the league's most exciting haul. Cousins should be a top 5 center within two or three years (with the potential to become the best), and Whiteside's 5.4 blocks per game in college suggest that he could be a terrific defensive specialist off the bench.
If they are to make waves this year, they will need steady production from streaky wings Casspi, Greene and Garcia. Even if Cousins struggles, Carl Landry, Thompson and Dalembert will be able to pick up the slack. If Casspi, Greene and Garcia don't deliver, they'll be the first to be replaced when the Kings start spending wildly in 2011. With a slew of great young talents and more cap room than they'll know what to do with next year, one could argue that Oklahoma City is the only franchise with greater potential than Sacramento.
Team Grade: A-
RELATED ARTICLES:
NBA Atlantic Division Off-Season Grades
NBA Southwest Division Off-Season Grades
NBA Southeast Division Off-Season Grades
NBA Northwest Division Off-Season Grades
NBA Central Division Off-Season Grades
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