[Game] Golden State Warriors (6) @ Sacramento Kings (3) (WCDS Game 7, 3-3) 4/30/2023 12:30pm Pacific 3:30pm Eastern (ABC)

On October 3, 2022, did you, in your wildest dreams, picture the Kings playing in a game 7?


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And I think it's just as likely that the failure of the Gobert trade, and the impending failure of the Durant trade may lead to some level of course correction.
Impending failure of what KD trade? Last I checked they jumped from back in the pack to still in it. No, that shows you why sometimes "running it back" has some serious course alteration in the form of desperation on the horizon. The Suns are extremely fortunate their collapse came in a window where a KD was there to be had. For the teams that find the window closed? It's a long way down but a short ride. And the Gobert trade was laughed at by all sides the moment it went down. Bank on this, Monte wouldn't pull the trigger on a deal like that and NOBODY is advocating for that, but if anyone thinks that coming in with another all star added to this roster without having to sacrifice a Huerter, or a Barnes, or maybe even a Keegan or Davion as being anything other than a huge plus, well, it's a take. Monte set his own rules the day he said rebuilds ain't happening and now he has to keep going. It's worked thusfar. Playing it safe wasn't what got him to this point.
 
I think the HB question is going to be the biggest decision for Monte. HB is super valuable but I don’t think they can afford to give him $20 mill per year AND take a step forward.
Re-signing Barnes becomes something of a culture question even more than it is about Xs/Os and strategy. Everyone in the organization from teammates and coaches up through the front office have been emphatic in praising Barnes for fostering positive locker room culture and being an invaluable veteran mentor.

What kind of message does it send to not only the young roster, but perhaps just as importantly, prospective free agents, to turn around and immediately kick that guy to the curb?
 
Okay, but what I'm trying to get to the bottom of is why are Kings Fans creating this false ultimatum where they're acting like the starting point on a new Barnes contract is $20M/yr? It's like some of y'all have created this imaginary cap-killing salary number, just so that you can argue against it. I think that most reasonable people would agree that it would be a bad idea to re-sign Barnes for that much money, unless it was a 1-2/year deal, with a team option... I just don't know why anyone would assume that he'd ask for that much?
Even at MLE for 4 years, what does that cap space look like when Huerter falls of the books? I think a selling point for Barnes could be something like the deal Harden signed with the Sixers where its wrapped into something that makes the team better with the expectation of he'll make it back in the long run. Barnes seems like that kind of Haslem style player that will help out when it comes to addition. Almost any deal that brings Barnes back straight across at a fair market value eliminates any major FA signing for the forseeable future anyway without trades. Once you have no reasonable space for a period of time because you re-sign players you have no reasonable space.
 

gunks

Hall of Famer
Re-signing Barnes becomes something of a culture question even more than it is about Xs/Os and strategy. Everyone in the organization from teammates and coaches up through the front office have been emphatic in praising Barnes for fostering positive locker room culture and being an invaluable veteran mentor.

What kind of message does it send to not only the young roster, but perhaps just as importantly, prospective free agents, to turn around and immediately kick that guy to the curb?
I'm down to resign Barnes if he's cool coming off the bench, and the contract reflects the reduced role. That role might be better for him, because he has a long history of disappearing when the pressure is on.

Hard to really dislike him because he's such a good guy, but we aren't going far with him as a starter.

Speeches are awesome, but 4/0/0/0/0/0 in a win or go home game with typical lackluster defense ain't it.
 

Mr. S£im Citrus

Doryphore of KingsFans.com
Staff member
6’8 wings who average 15 points a game, are durable, above average from 3 and get to the line at an elite rate do not come cheap. Bogi is a back up 2, the same age as Barnes, injury prone and got 17 mil per for 4 years. I’d think a 3 for $54 deal is the floor of what Barnes can expect from a team.
I agree that that is around his market value, but that wasn't really what I was asking. What I'm asking is, why are people assuming that that's what Barnes would ask for to stay? And my rationale is, Barnes has already gotten a ring, and he's already gotten a bag. If he's at a point where he feels like he still wants another of one or both of those, then he knows that the best way to get either is to leave Sacramento. I believe that if Barnes wants to stay with the Kings, it will be because he believes in what y'all are building, and he wants to be a part of it. And I think that he's smart enough to recognize that he can't do that if he re-signs for market.
 
Re-signing Barnes becomes something of a culture question even more than it is about Xs/Os and strategy. Everyone in the organization from teammates and coaches up through the front office have been emphatic in praising Barnes for fostering positive locker room culture and being an invaluable veteran mentor.

What kind of message does it send to not only the young roster, but perhaps just as importantly, prospective free agents, to turn around and immediately kick that guy to the curb?
Barnes ain't going to be standing at the alter here. Be more worried about the number of teams going after him if Barnes is looking for a payday overall. There aren't a ton of teams with space but the old "not" tampering always seems to rear it's ugly head and players get what they want in the end.
 
There is a player out there somewhere who watched this series and said “I can help them, they would have won if they had me. They play hard and the right way and I want to be a part of it.”

For the first in a very long time, I don’t think we are going to be a doormat for good free agents.
And his name is Demarcus Cousins, haha. Man, would have loved to have him out there just for Draymond and Looney dang it.
 

Mr. S£im Citrus

Doryphore of KingsFans.com
Staff member
Impending failure of what KD trade? Last I checked they jumped from back in the pack to still in it. No, that shows you why sometimes "running it back" has some serious course alteration in the form of desperation on the horizon.
The Suns mortgaged their future on a "win now" move that is not going to result in them winning now. That's as close to failure as makes no odds.
 
There is a player out there somewhere who watched this series and said “I can help them, they would have won if they had me. They play hard and the right way and I want to be a part of it.”

For the first in a very long time, I don’t think we are going to be a doormat for good free agents.
yeah I’m wondering if Jerami Grant is that guy.
 
And his name is Demarcus Cousins, haha. Man, would have loved to have him out there just for Draymond and Looney dang it.
There is no way that Cousins, even on his absolute best behaved days, would have kept his cool at any point in this series. There would have been a fight in game 2 and by fight I mean full out brawl. I defended Cousins for many years and I hate how his career has turned out (injuries, bad rep), but he would not have helped us. What a talent he was though. Such a shame he never really got out of his own way and of course the big injuries.
 
HB didn't do well. But he has more to offer offensively than he was permitted to provide - or will be permitted to provide - in Sac. Time for a parting of ways, I think.
Agreed. He’s not going to get any better. Only worse. The fact he only played 14 minutes with no assists or rebounds says it all LOUD and CLEAR. Like the man but he’s not the player he once was.
 

Capt. Factorial

trifolium contra tempestatem subrigere certum est
Staff member
I wouldn’t sign HB to a $80 mil/4 year contract. That contract would be unmovable. If we are looking to take the next step, we need players that step up in the playoffs and I think it is clear HB is not one of those players.

Get HB for $30 mil/2 years then I would re-sign him. He can be your starter at PF while you look for the long term answer. But, I wouldn’t commit 3 or 4 years of starter money to someone who has topped out as a player. We need someone with potential upside or a stronger 3 and D player.
I'm not sure that Barnes is going to be able to command anywhere near $20M a year. Last offseason only six guys (Beal, LaVine, Harden, Ayton, Brunson and Simons) beat that number. Sexton, Nurkic, Dort, and Mitchell Robinson got between $15-20M. Portis only got $12M, Monk only got $10M. Barnes, at age 31 and coming off a 15.0/4.5/1.6 season feels like he should be coming in a lot closer to that $12-15M range than $20M.
 
The Suns mortgaged their future on a "win now" move that is not going to result in them winning now. That's as close to failure as makes no odds.
What was the alternative? This was the danger of "running it back" and overpaying for someone like CP3 in particular. And heck, they made the conference finals! No first round exits there. C'mon we saw how tough it is 15 years ago or so and I'm gaining more respect for the non lean years Petrie by the day. Talk about a schooling in re-tooling. The great thing about having superstar level talent is that you can usually at some point find someone else to give you back what you gave up in some form. If Booker stays healthy and the Suns are topped out as fodder, some team will give the Suns a ransom back for Booker so I'm sure it'll work out if it's a question of the picks.
 
I brought up HB because so many of you already casting him out. SO quickly forgetting who all these players had voiced about HB's presence in the locker room. The even-keel demeanor. The pre-Playoffs speech he gave at the dinner reminded our younger roster to not take this moment for granted and don't act like we are just happy to be here but go out and perform like we belong here.

This is why I just laughed at the face of someone here earlier who said he "spoke the truth" when he had absolutely no idea outside of his own eye test.
then he can take a hometown discount or get lost only stupid teams over pay for “vet presence” we need production to take the next step
 
I'm not sure that Barnes is going to be able to command anywhere near $20M a year. Last offseason only six guys (Beal, LaVine, Harden, Ayton, Brunson and Simons) beat that number. Sexton, Nurkic, Dort, and Mitchell Robinson got between $15-20M. Portis only got $12M, Monk only got $10M. Barnes, at age 31 and coming off a 15.0/4.5/1.6 season feels like he should be coming in a lot closer to that $12-15M range than $20M.
Agreed, the $20 mil per year was put out by someone else discussing a potential contract for Barnes or his potential replacement. Barnes made $18 mil this year, so I definitely don't see him getting $20 mil from anyone.

Oddly enough, I think HB's poor playoff performance may actually make it more likely he returns to the Kings on a team friendly contract. I can't see any team looking at HB and thinking, we need to sign HB, he's the "missing piece" to our championship puzzle. That being said, he will probably only get contract offers in the $12 mil per year or lower range.

HB's is worth more to the Kings than to any other team looking to add him in the off season. I just don't forsee any team throwing a real hefty contract his way. If the Kings can re-sign HB to a team friendly "starter/bench player" salary type contract, i.e. 2 or 3 years at $12 mil per, I think it could work out for both sides.
 
I agree that that is around his market value, but that wasn't really what I was asking. What I'm asking is, why are people assuming that that's what Barnes would ask for to stay? And my rationale is, Barnes has already gotten a ring, and he's already gotten a bag. If he's at a point where he feels like he still wants another of one or both of those, then he knows that the best way to get either is to leave Sacramento. I believe that if Barnes wants to stay with the Kings, it will be because he believes in what y'all are building, and he wants to be a part of it. And I think that he's smart enough to recognize that he can't do that if he re-signs for market.
I wish that was the case and it’s what I would do if I was an NBA player in Barnes position. Ultimately his agent will get in his ear and remind him of injury risk and that the Kings will trade him the first opportunity they get if it improves the roster. Now you are playing out your 3 year deal with the Washington Wizards. I can guarantee Barnes will sign with a playoff contender whether it’s us or someone else however. He is a competitor.
 
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Barnes has actually had a net positive impact on winning basketball teams, here and elsewhere. He provided invaluable leadership for a team that was in sore need of it and was frequently a steadying force during the regular season, when the moment got too big for the young Kings. Even today, before the game got completely out of hand, he got involved and made positive things happen on the offensive end, and tried to keep the ship afloat when the rest of the team came out flat-footed. That's not an "ancillary piece" in my personal record book. Thompson, by comparison, provided none of those things, but his only real sin was being just a little bit better than all the stiffs they tried to replace him with. They both played forward for the Kings, and that's pretty much where the similarities end. No need to even invoke his name.


No. Absolutely not. No disrespect to Richaun Holmes, but his contributions and Harrison Barnes' contributions to the Kings are not comparable.
+100. And I really like Richaun Holmes.
 

pdxKingsFan

So Ordinary That It's Truly Quite Extraordinary
Staff member
Seeing all this Curry did this nonsense in tweet and other highlights. "You ain't ready for this" mocks the beam, etc.

Like you just beat the Kings in the first round after 16 years out of the playoffs and you are a 4 time champ.

Guy is one of the best ever but a total embarrassment at the same time.
 
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