Sacramento Kings Free Agency: How James Johnson Fits on the Kings

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Jul 162012
 

The Sacramento Kings traded a future second-round pick to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for forward James Johnson, Marc Stein of ESPN reported early Monday morning.

The Kings, in desperate need of depth at the small forward position, are receiving one who can score, defend and rebound—he averaged 9.7 points, 1.4 blocks and 4.7 rebounds per game last season. He also started 40 games for the Raptors last season.   

At 6’9″, Johnson gives the Kings added size in their frontcourt, which should be a nice compliment to forwards DeMarcus Cousins, Thomas Robinson, Jason Thompson and Chuck Hayes, and a relief for guard/forward Tyreke Evans, who can get back to playing more minutes at his natural guard position. 

Johnson’s size and rebounding ability also compliment the Kings’ need to get better at defending the paint and limiting opponents’ second-chance opportunities—the Kings ranked 22nd last year in defensive rebounding.  

Johnson isn’t a terribly good long-distance shooter—he shot only 31.7 percent from beyond the arc last year and has a career high of only two made in one game—but he converted 45 percent of his field goals last season and has done so fairly steadily in his three-year career.

Overall, Johnson should add some defensive toughness, additional scoring and small forward depth to the Kings, while providing little risk and no long-term obligation—Johnson is owed $2.8 million for the 2012-2013 season and will be in the final year of his contract, making him a restricted free agent thereafter.

Johnson most likely won’t be the deciding factor in whether or not the Kings can compete for a playoff spot next season, but he should fit well on a team that needed to get older and tougher—something the Kings were not likely to find in a future second-round pick.    

Notes: Johnson was drafted 16th by the Chicago Bulls out of Wake Forest in 2009, the same year Evans was drafted fourth by the Kings. The Bulls traded Johnson to Toronto in his second season.

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Sacramento Kings Make Good Move to Sign Jason Thompson: Fan’s Reaction (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

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Jul 132012
 

The Sacramento Kings made their first move of the 2012 offseason by bringing back one of the top players. The team reached a new five year deal with power forward Jason Thompson. The deal is for around $30 million and will give Sacramento a strong, young foundation in the front court. Fans have liked Thompson since he came into the league and should be pleased that he’ll be returning to Sacramento.

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Sacramento Kings Close to a Deal with Jason Thompson

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Jul 082012
 

The Sacramento Kings and restricted free agent forward Jason Thompson are close to a new deal, according to the Sacramento Bee’s Jason Jones.

#NBAKings are close to an agreement on a new contract with PF Jason Thompson according to a source.

— JasonJones (@mr_jasonjones) July 8, 2012

Details of the deal are not known, but Jones did tweet earlier in the week that sources told him the deal was worth more than six million dollars in its first year.

Thompson started 47 games for the Kings last season, averaging 9.1 points and 6.9 rebounds game while shooting a team high 53.5 percent from the field. He was the 12th overall pick by Kings in 2008.

While Thompson was a restricted free agent and the Kings would have the right to match any contract offered him, General Manager Geoff Petrie still said re-signing Thompson was the team’s top priority in free agency, according to Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee.

Should the deal with Thompson be finalized, it likely takes the Kings out of contention for Orlando Magic forward Ryan Anderson, who met with the Kings last week. If Thompson re-signs, the Kings would have 13 players officially under contract, including forward Thomas Robinson, the No. 5 overall pick in this years’ NBA Draft.

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Sacramento Kings: Which Player Is a Better Fit, Jason Thompson or Ryan Anderson?

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Jul 062012
 

This is the time of year when NBA teams explore the free-agent market. It’s no different for the Sacramento Kings. The Kings have been looking at re-signing restricted free-agent Jason Thompson. Sacramento has also been linked to Orlando Magic restricted free-agent Ryan Anderson.

But given that both Anderson and Thompson are power forwards, it’s unlikely the Kings would sign both players. In that case, who would be a better fit for the Kings? Jason Thompson or Ryan Anderson?

The Kings’ interest in Ryan Anderson, a Sacramento-area native, was first reported by former KHTK radio host, and current CDNET radio host, Carmichael Dave on his Twitter account.

Spotted at lunch downtown today- local boy Ryan Anderson having lunch with Geoff Petrie and Wayne Cooper. More on ‪#CDNET‬ at 7

July 2, 2012. 3:29 p.m.

It was later confirmed by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.

Jones has also been active in reporting about the Kings’ own restricted free-agent Jason Thompson. According to Jones, the Kings have an offer on the table that Thompson and his representatives are mulling over.

Latest word is the Kings’ multi-year offer to Jason Thompson would start with a salary of about $6 million in the … http://sulia.com/c/nba-free-age …

July 4, 2012. 8:16 p.m.

At this point, re-signing Thompson is Sacramento’s priority. But if something can’t be worked out with Thompson, the Kings will explore their options with Anderson.

Both players would bring a lot to the table for the Kings. Thompson is a better rebounder than Anderson, indicated by his 9.6 rebounds per 36 minutes and 14.7 total-rebound percentage, compared to Anderson’s 8.6 rebounds per 36 minutes and 13.8 total-rebound percentage.

But outside of that, Anderson’s a better overall player. He had 8.9 win shares last season, compared to Thompson’s 3.9. Anderson also had a higher win shares per 48 minutes, showing his superiority isn’t solely due to more playing time than Thompson.

Plus, the one thing Anderson brings to the table that Thompson does not is the ability to shoot the ball from three-point range. Anderson made 39.3 percent of his three-pointers last season. Thompson only attempted two three-pointers in 64 games last season.

Considering Sacramento ranked 29th of 30 teams in three-point percentage last season, Anderson’s ability to shoot the ball would help improve a major deficiency.

On playing ability alone, Anderson clearly brings more to the table than Thompson. He’s a better scorer and a better shooter. He’s also a better defender.

The only real edge Thompson’s got is rebounding. But with DeMarcus Cousins manning center and first-round pick Thomas Robinson being a capable rebounder, Thompson’s edge in rebounding isn’t as critical as it might be on other teams.

What it really comes down to is the contract. If Thompson is looking at something in the range of $6 million annually, Anderson surely would command more. After all, Anderson was the NBA’s Most Improved Player last season.

And given what Omer Asik commanded as a restricted free agent, it’s obvious Anderson will get more than his share of money.

If their contracts were fairly comparable, Anderson’s a better fit for Sacramento. However, if Thompson is looking for $6 million per year and Anderson’s looking for $10 million per year, I’d rather have Thompson.

Since the Kings aren’t close to contending for a playoff spot, there’s no sense in spending a ton of money in free agency. Besides, the Kings presumably have their power forward of the future in Thomas Robinson.

By signing Anderson to a big deal, Sacramento is in a position where they have to play him. That means less developmental minutes for Robinson.

So for equal money, the Kings would be better off with Anderson. Since that’s not likely to be the case, the Kings need to stick with Thompson.

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NBA Rumors: 10 Restricted Free Agents Flying Under the Radar

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Jun 082012
 

As the NBA free agency period creeps up, the 2012 class of unrestricted free agents isn’t the strongest one in the world, with very few impact players on the market.

However the same can’t be said about the class of restricted free agents available as there is a very nice crop of young players that have the ability to sign an offer sheet with a new team. That crop of players include: Jeremy Lin, Roy Hibbert, Brook Lopez, JaVale McGee, Nicolas Batum, Ryan Anderson, Eric Gordon, Michael Beasley and O.J. Mayo.

Almost all of the RFA’s available will be in for a nice hike in pay, but their current teams have the right to match any offer, so very few restricted free agents often switch teams.

But if they do, there’s a another entire crop of under-the-radar restricted free agents that could make an impact for a new team if their current team should elect not to match any offer.

Here’s a look at 10 under-the-radar free agents that could make an impact in the NBA in 2013.

 

Aaron Brooks, Phoenix Suns

Brooks missed the 2011-12 NBA season, electing to play in China during the NBA lockout, but he is a guy who’s averaged 12.5 points and 3.6 assists per game throughout his career.

He may not be an NBA starter, but he could be an asset to add a scoring punch off of someone’s bench.

 

George Hill, Indiana Pacers

Hill was impressive at times during the postseason, eventually becoming the Pacers starting point guard. He’s averaged 9.8 points per game throughout his career and looked more comfortable running the Indiana offense as the season progressed.

He’s a guy that the Pacers should look to bring back, but if not he can add valuable backcourt depth to any team.

 

Jerryd Bayless, Toronto Raptors

Any team that needs a quality backup point guard, Bayless can solve that problem.

He’s a decent scorer, averaging 11.8 points per game on the season and takes pretty good care of the ball, which is an asset coming off the bench.


Courtney Lee, Houston Rockets

Lee averaged 11.4 points per game and is a good shooter who can get to the rim. His real asset though is as a very athletic perimeter defender.

He can defend any 2 and some of the smaller 3s in the league and is a player that coaches love.

 

Brandon Rush, Golden State Warriors

Rush had a nice season in Golden State, setting career highs in mostly every category.

He’s a guy that can really shoot the ball, knocking down 45 percent of his attempts from behind the arc and is also a very good defender. He will be a target for teams that need shooting off the bench.

 

Jason Thompson, Sacramento Kings

Thompson averaged a solid 9.1 points and 6.9 rebounds on the year and while he’s not great at any one thing, he’s decent at just about everything.

He’s a guy that doesn’t kill a team at either end of the floor and can play for extended stretches if he has to.

 

Marreese Speights, Memphis Grizzlies

After being acquired by Memphis, Speights had a decent season averaging 8.8 points and 6.2 rebounds and filled in nicely while Zach Randolph was injured.

He’s a decent rebounder and has a solid mid-range game. While you really don’t want him as a starter, he’s a nice option as the first big man coming off the bench.

 

D.J. Augustin, Charlotte Bobcats

Augustin could be a steal for some team as it really doesn’t make much sense for the Bobcats to match an offer. They need to rebuild and turning the offense over to Kemba Walker makes more sense.

The former Texas Longhorn averaged a solid 11.1 points and 6.4 assists on the season and would fit in well on a lot of NBA teams.

He’s not a good defender, but he’s quick and has become a much improved distributor.

 

Landry Fields, New York Knicks

Fields regressed a little during his second season in the Big Apple and had a miserable season shooting the ball. He dropped to 46 percent from the floor (50 percent as a rookie) and 26 percent from behind the arc (39 percent as a rookie).

Yet, he’s a guy that if he regains his touch can do a lot of things well, especially at the defensive end of the floor.

 

Alonzo Gee, Cleveland Cavaliers

Gee had a solid season, averaging 10.8 points and 5.1 rebounds while getting a career-high 29 minutes per game.

He was a 10-day guy early in his career, but has made strides in almost every area of his game. Gee still has a ways to go, but he’s got some talent that may be worth taking a shot on.

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NBA Lottery 2012: Andre Drummond Would Give Kings Lethal Frontcourt Combo

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May 292012
 

The Sacramento Kings need to find a way to get their hands on center Andre Drummond out of the University of Connecticut. 

Drummond is just 18-years-old, and at 6’11″, 275 pounds, he would combine with DeMarcus Cousins to make one of the most formidable front courts in the NBA.

As a freshman at Connecticut, Drummond showed the potential to be dominant with his back to the basket. You seldom come across a prospect with his combination of athleticism and size.

His offensive game, though raw, has the potential to become one of the most impressive sets of skills that the NBA has seen from a center in a long time. He’s a rebounding force in the paint, and uses his length to rebound over defenders who are the same size as him. It’s not just athleticism though, he’s an intelligent rebounder, as he consistently finds himself in the right position to grab a board, even at a distance from the rim.

He doesn’t always do a great job at creating for himself, but it doesn’t take a great guard to make him effective. If the ball is put anywhere near the rim, Drummond can get it in the hoop.

Drummond can block shots with the best of them, and if it wasn’t for Anthony Davis, he would be the best shot blocker in the draft class. He gets down the floor in a hurry, which makes him adept in transition defense. He’s just as much of an opportunistic shot blocker as he is an athletic shot blocker, meaning that he knows how to guard the paint at all times.

The Kings were disappointing this season, but they put up 98.8 points per game, good for sixth in the league. Defense was their most glaring problem, as they allowed opponents to score an average of 104.4 points per game. It’s not that they don’t have the necessary pieces to play defense, it’s that those necessary pieces are not making the commitment to defense.

Cousins has no interest in playing defense, but the addition of Drummond might change that. Maybe he’ll snap out of his selfish mindset and realize that he commits himself on the defensive end, the Kings can be a decent team. He’s 6’11″, 270 pounds just like Drummond, and we could have another version of the Twin Towers (the newest version on the West Coast now that Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol may not be on the same team next year).

Cousins scored 18.1 points and pulled down 10.9 rebounds a night in 2012. The Kings finished the season 10th in rebounding, helped by Jason Thompson pulling down almost 10 a game.

Drummond blocked 2.7 shots per game as a freshman last season. Cousins swatted 1.2 a contest. If Cousins can commit to actively defending the interior, instead of just blocking a shot when someone comes his way, the Kings are going to let up a lot less than 104.4 points in 2013.

Drummond hasn’t perfected his low-post game yet, but that’s a perfect situation for the Kings, as the low block is Cousins’ territory and we’ve seen teams recently have trouble with two post players (New York Knicks with Tyson Chandler and Amar’e Stoudemire and the aforementioned Lakers). Plus, Kings brass wouldn’t want to see Cousins throw a temper tantrum because he’s not getting enough touches.

It seems that Tyreke Evans is not the player we thought he was, and that his Rookie of the Year campaign was more of an exception rather than a rule. It has been reported that the Kings executives will entertain trade offers for the shooting guard this offseason.

That means that the Kings don’t have much of a choice but to become a big man team. Isaiah Thomas is promising at the point guard spot, and he’ll benefit from having the extra interior post presence to go to.

The Kings need to grab Drummond in the draft, not just because the other players available don’t fit their needs as well, but because Drummond could prove to be one of the best talents in this draft when all is said and done.

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NBA Free Agency 2012: 10 Players Sacramento Kings Must Consider for Next Season

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May 252012
 

In the past few years, Sacramento has relied on the draft to add most of their new players. Free agency has, for the most part, slipped by quietly for the Kings organization.

If the Kings are committed to improving this season and actually competing for a playoff spot, this needs to be the season that they aggressively attack free agency. They have the cap space to do it, and plenty of holes in their roster that need to be addressed. 

The major question is obvious—will Sacramento spend the money? In the last three years, the Kings have been at the bottom of league salary. It isn’t exactly the most stable of times in Sacramento right now, but the owners, the Maloof Brothers, continue to insist they are financial sound and will spend as needed.

Will they spend above the league minimum this year? As doubtful as that might be, the Kings need to face the fact that they absolutely must be willing to spend money if they want to improve on the court.

The Kings must resign forward Jason Thompson, and resigning Terrence Williams would also be a good move. But after that? They have plenty of options.

Let’s take a look at ten players Sacramento should seriously look at in this year’s free agency crop.

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NBA Rumors: J.J. Hickson Reportedly Bought out by the Sacramento Kings

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Mar 192012
 

The NBA trade deadline has passed, but that doesn’t mean the March Madness of player movement is over.

The buyout season has just begun, with J.J. Hickson joining the parade of players in search of employment after scoring easy paydays.

According to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, the Sacramento Kings have granted Hickson a buyout, thereby bringing to an end an ill-fated experiment that only just began.

Forward JJ Hickson gets buyout from Kings, source tells Yahoo!

— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) March 19, 2012

 

The Kings acquired Hickson from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Omri Casspi and a lottery-protected first-round pick in the 2012 NBA draft just prior to the lockout last year.

The fourth-year forward out of North Carolina State was expected to bolster Sacramento’s frontcourt alongside the likes of DeMarcus Cousins and Jason Thompson, but never quite found a niche with the team.

Hickson had averaged 4.7 points on 37 percent shooting along with 5.0 rebounds in 18.4 minutes per game this season, after registering 13.8 points and 8.7 rebounds in 28.2 minutes per game with the Cavs in his previous campaign.

The 23-year-old from Atlanta, GA figures to be among the most coveted free agents to hit the market this month, considering his blend of youth, talent and upside. Veteran teams like the Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs will likely be among the suitors lining up to land Hickson’s services despite his reputation as something of a head case.

Follow @J0shMart1n

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