Analyzing the Latest Kings Rumors

It’s that time of the year again. A week before the season and it seems like the Sacramento Kings are always rumored to make a move, yet about 85 percent of the time, it’s false reporting. You can also call it click bait.

The latest rumors surrounding the Kings broke Tuesday morning and it included Rudy Gay and Darren Collison heading to the Miami Heat in exchange for guard Goran Dragic.

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When I first saw it, I laughed because it’s an awful trade. Secondly, I laughed because according to the reporter who broke it, he claimed his source came from the Eastern Conference.

“Sacramento has to trade Gay,” an Eastern Conference executive told Basketball Insiders. “He’s already informed them he doesn’t like it there. They can’t let him walk for nothing.”

I find it funny how people on the other side of the country believe they know what the Kings are thinking of doing or not doing, and in this case, stating common sense shouldn’t be news.

We all know that Gay has been very outspoken this offseason and has already declared he won’t resign with the Kings. Therefore, making a claim that the Kings would potentially trade away two good players for one good player, who might not even be better than Collison is not a good idea. At least if you use some common sense….

That’s why I laughed when I saw that rumor. But let me tell you why that would be an awful trade in simpler terms.

Dragic is not a good defender. He excelled with the Phoenix Suns because they played a high tempo offense that didn’t put much emphasis on guarding the opponent.

We have clearly seen how that has taken effect in Miami. Dragic hasn’t been the same because they don’t play like the Suns. So what makes you think Dragic would pan out in Sacramento?

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The Kings plan on applying pressure as soon as the opposing point guard touches the ball and that’s something that Dragic wouldn’t be very good at because that’s not what he does.

Collison is a much better fit with what the Kings are trying to do this season. That includes playing a high-post offense and setting the tone on the defensive end.

Fans in general need to get over big names that are overpaid and that don’t fit the needs of this team. Dragic, 30, averaged 14.1 points and 5.8 assists in 72 games last season for the Heat. He’s entering his second season of his five-year, $86 million deal. Even if Dragic is a little bit better than Collison, is it really worth trading away two good players for one? The answer is no.

2ND Rumor

Ricky Rubio seems to always be linked to the Kings and it’s because it makes sense for the Kings as a short-term solution. Rubio, 25, is owed nearly $43 million over the next three years. That’s something the Kings wouldn’t mind taking especially after seeing the ridiculous pay checks most average NBA players received during the offseason.

I’m not in favor of a point guard who has struggled in the shooting department throughout his career, because I believe in having a point guard who can score the ball and shoot from beyond the arc at an efficient rate.

But adding a point guard, who is still young, can defend well enough if he’s in the right situation, pass the ball, and is on a reasonable contract, then I wouldn’t be opposed to it.

With that said, how much would the Kings have to give up? Tom Thibodeau doesn’t want to move Rubio yet because he wants to groom Kris Dunn and not rush him into the starting position. But if the right deal comes, Thibodeau wouldn’t think twice since he plans on taking the Timberwolves to the playoffs this season.

Any deal that would include Collison wouldn’t be very smart because the purpose is to get deeper at the point guard position. You never know what can transpire with Ty Lawson. His history of making bad decisions tends to make you nervous. Also, both Collison and Lawson are free agents next season. Take that into account when thinking of making a trade.

3RD Rumor

The Kings were seriously engaged with Oklahoma City on a Rudy Gay deal that would have included the Thunder’s second-year point guard, Cameron Payne, but those talks stalled after Payne broke his foot in September, league sources told the Vertical.

If there weren’t a first round pick included in this deal, then I wouldn’t do it. What has Payne done to make you believe he is a starting caliber point guard in the NBA? The answer is nothing.

Then why would the Kings ever move a proven veteran who can provide you 20 points on any given night for an unproven player who can potentially be out the league in a couple seasons?

These rumors need to include more details or just shouldn’t be out there at all. Anything you see online should be taken with a grain of salt. Most of the time, the things we don’t hear are the ones that actually happen. The Dragic and Payne deal simply don’t make any sense for the Kings.

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