Mavs/Kings Trade

[ddh33]

First of all, I know that rivals from the same conference never make deals with each other. Therefore, calling this deal unlikely is being kind. However, I do think the Kings are going to make some changes to their team. Most significantly, I think Webber is going to be very available this summer. It is rumored that the Kings want to cut salary and build around Peja, Bibby, and Miller.

Now we know that there won't be many teams who want to spend all that money on Webber. Even those who might don't have the ability to give back to Sacramento anyone to help them cut salary. Enter the Mavs and Antoine Walker.

Antoine Walker could replace the playmaking ability of Webber and possibly Divac. His salary also makes him appealing.

Webber in Dallas would be interesting to say the least. Chris and Nellie had a go-round once. It didn't end well for either. Since then, both have seemed to gain an appreciation for each other. I think they would like the chance to right things. Just imagine Webber as a Mav. If he's healthy (which is a big if), he could score from the post, draw double teams, and give this team another real creator. Can you imagine Webber posting up while Nash, Dirk, and Finley spot up? Jamison and Howard or Daniels would be cutting the goal getting all those easy baskets that Webber has always gotten Bibby, Christie, and Peja.

Now before you say anything, I know Webber isn't a center. I know that he is yet another PF, and this team has plenty of those. But I honestly think Nellie is bound and determined to make Dirk the center. Besides that, I think this team has made up its mind to think outside the box. This would certainly qualify.

Like I said, this is unlikely to say the least. It might not be a good fit, and would probably never happen. But it's kind of fun to think about, and does make sense on some levels. So I'm just throwing it out here for fun.

[Murphy3]

It's difficult to be a true playmaker if you're as inefficient as Walker is. Team's don't have to respect his ability to put the ball in the hole. That's why countless quick play making PG's have failed miserably in this league (sure, some such as Kidd have survived despite being a horribly inefficient shooter). But, from a power forward, inefficient shooters just aren't coveted. I can't see any self respecting team wanting Walker for anything other than his expiring contract unless he's just going to be a role player. In that case, his 'play making' ability wouldn't be utilized nearly as much.

[cheesestar]

i really have a very hard time trying to think that sac would give up cwebb for walker. i mean walker isnt that much of a post player is he? but from a mav perspective id try it.

[DubOverdose]

Webber isn't in his prime AT ALL and by the looks of him in the 2nd round, he doesn't look very mobile so who knows how much longer he can play. I really don't think the Kings will be able to get that much for him. Walker could be the best they can get.

[Bayliss]

Good Lord. Please don't let us take Webber. I'm not sure which is worse having to suffer through:

Watching Walker think he is a great shooter and all around player or watching Webber truly believe he is number 1 option and take shot after shot after shot.

And here's the bigger question: which one is more clutch?

[bcrav4]

I would do it. The Kings could re-sign Vlade and use him and Miller as starters next year. While Chris Webber could play C in Dallas....sounds very possible.

[kg_veteran]

Webber in Dallas?

No thanks.

[XERXES]

As long as Webber wouldn't have to swear under oath...

[mavsman55]

We could do better than Webber. He looks like he's wearing ankle weights out there. Plus, he's a crybaby. I'd rather Dirk stay at PF, and get a true center. Even with Walker, we could pick up something better than Webber.

[dalmations202]

Not really interested in a broken down SheWebb. I don't think that he would be enough to get them over the hump.

[Dirkenstien]

A big NO to this trade. I want nothing to do with Shewebb (Shewept) ..she is slow, has a very weak lower body, and is one of the biggest cry babies in the league. I truly believe we can do a lot better than trading for her.

[MightyToine]

Originally posted by: Bayliss
Good Lord. Please don't let us take Webber. I'm not sure which is worse having to suffer through:

Watching Walker think he is a great shooter and all around player or watching Webber truly believe he is number 1 option and take shot after shot after shot.

Hey! Walk *is* a good all-around player(albeit an inefficient one but still....). [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

And here's the bigger question: which one is more clutch?

Walk by a MILE. (only because he has made more game-winning baskets than C-Webb has this year....Walker 1, C-Webb 0

[chumdawg]

Here's an Insider story about the Kings. Chad Ford seems to agree that the Mavs would like to have Webber, but he thinks the Kings wouldn't want anything we have to offer.

The end of the Kings?
By Chad Ford
NBA Insider
Send an Email to Chad Ford Wednesday, May 19
Updated: May 20
12:13 PM ET

In and out.

It's the story of Chris Webber's career. He has the pedigree. The smile. The good looks. He says all the right things. His game is pretty. So was the 3-pointer he took as the buzzer sounded on the Sacramento Kings' season Wednesday night.

The ball rattled in and out. The Kings (once again) are dead. The fingers (once again) are pointing C-Webb's direction.

"I definitely thought the last shot was good," Webber told reporters after Minnesota beat Sacramento, 83-80, in Game 7 of their semifinal series. "It did everything but go in."

That, in essence, is the story of the Kings and Webber. They do everything but win Game 7s.

How will Webber and the Kings respond to yet another season of disappointment? Will they circle the wagons and claim a few bad breaks and one bad injury (this year to sixth-man Bobby Jackson) robbed them of their throne?

Or will owners Joe and Gavin Maloof and GM Geoff Petrie decide it's time to lay this version of the Kings to rest and start over?

Either way, the answer starts with Webber. Can Webber overcome the worst season of his professional career to lead the Kings on a revenge tour next year? Or has the injury- and scandal-ridden star worn out his welcome in Sacramento? Here's a look at what to expect, as Insider continues its summer blueprint series.

Kings Summer Blueprint

DRAFT: The downside of being consistently good every season? It leaves the Kings very little wiggle room when it comes to rebuilding. Teams that can find a real sleeper late in the first round (as the Nets did with Nenad Kristic two years ago) come away with an enormous benefit. The Kings haven't even had a first-round draft pick since taking Gerald Wallace in 2001. For a guy who has a reputation as a draft guru, Petrie has been relatively quiet.

This may be the year to awaken the beast. As evidenced by the slim rotation coach Rick Adelman used in the playoffs, the Kings need depth everywhere, but especially in the frontcourt, where the fragile Webber and the aging Vlade Divac command the most attention.

The great news is this draft is filled with big guys who, down the road, could be special. The key for the Kings is finding the right one late in the first round.

Several big (but not big-time) prospects should be hanging around when the Kings pick 26th, including high schooler Robert Swift and international players such as Peter John Ramos, Anderson Varejao, Johan Petro, Uros Slokar and Ha Seung Jin. American players such as David Harrison, Lawrence Roberts and Brandon Bass also could be around.

All of them have the upside not normally found late in the first round, but all also have the usual risks and caveats intrinsically entwined with drafting that late.

FREE AGENCY: The Kings have only one major free agent going into the summer, but he's a doozy. Divac's contract is expiring, and there are big question marks about whether he'll be back next season. Divac, 36, still has some fight in him, but the Kings are ready to hand over the starting center duties to Brad Miller next season.

Divac, who is most effective when he's playing 25 or fewer minutes a night, is probably OK with a reserve role, but it may come down to money.

Vlade Divac
Center
Sacramento Kings
Profile

2003-2004 SEASON STATISTICS
GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
81 9.9 5.7 5.3 .470 .654

The Maloofs have stretched themselves thin by offering big deals to Webber, Peja Stojakovic, Mike Bibby and Doug Christie. Can they afford to keep Divac?

Several other teams looking for a veteran presence in the middle will come calling. The Kings have been good to Divac, and it makes sense for him to stay. Still, if he has a chance to win a title elsewhere, it's not inconceivable he could bolt. Darius Songaila also is a free agent, but it's likely the Kings will re-sign him to a reasonable deal.

Sacramento's payroll will be around $57 million next season, about $12 million over the projected $45 million salary cap. There's no end in sight. The team's payroll isn't expected to dip below the cap until the 2008-09 season, barring trades. The Kings do have their full mid-level exception. Will the Maloofs give Petrie the green light to use it?

This isn't a great free-agent class, and there aren't many players on the market who really would be worth the money for the Kings. A player such as Adonal Foyle or Antonio McDyess could add some toughness. Don't be surprised if the Kings scour the international market for a free agent. Players such as Andres Nocioni (Argentina), Fabrico Oberto (Argentina), Sarunas Jasikevicius (Lithuania) and Arvydas Macijauskas (Lithuania) could provide veteran leadership and toughness.

Nocioni is a tough swingman who dominates international competition. Oberto is a tough, wiley center cut out of Divac's mold. He just turned 30, so it's now or never for him. Macijauskas is another interesting prospect. Described as the best shooter in Europe, he could give the Kings another long-distance option besides Stojakovic.

TRADES: If the Kings are going to have a major shake-up this summer, it's probably going to happen with a trade, and it likely would involve Webber.


Trading Chris Webber (left) will be tough, but the Kings should at least explore the possibility.
Injuries and scandals have tarnished Webber's reputation in Sacramento. The Kings thrived without him and struggled when he returned. No one is second guessing how effective Webber can be when he's healthy, but lately his health and his passion for the game have been legitimate questions. Are the Kings better off trading him?

The answer may be yes, if they can get a talented, and perhaps younger, player in return. That's easier to write than to accomplish. Webber will make $17 million next season. Few teams are going to offer a young, big post player in return for Webber and his contract.

Still, there may be a few options worth exploring. Making a run at Washington's Kwame Brown could make some sense for the Kings. Brown has struggled in Washington, but there's no doubt he has talent. Perhaps a different town and less pressure to be "The Man" would suit him.

Swapping Brown, Larry Hughes and Christian Laettner for Webber would give the Kings significant cap savings, and could give the Wizards the missing piece to be a contender in the East. Webber's relationship with the club was rocky during his first tenure in Washington, but on a more veteran team, he should be OK.

If the Nuggets are willing to give up Nene Hilario and Nikoloz Tskitishvili for Webber, that also would be another good option for the Kings. However, don't expect Denver GM Kiki Vandeweghe to give up the future for the immediate gains Webber would bring.

Oher options aren't as attractive for Sacramento. Teams such as the Mavericks, Magic and Bulls would love to acquire Webber, but it's doubtful they could offer enough in return to make it worthwhile for the Kings.

COACHING: Rick Adelman has done a great job in Sacramento, and his players seem to be fond of him. There's going to be talk that perhaps the system is stale or the Kings need to try something else, but the truth is Adelman is a big part of the Kings' success. When they're playing the right way, they're one of the best teams in the NBA. Dumping Adelman at this point would be a mistake.

FRONT OFFICE: The Kings have been a model NBA franchise for the last few years. Another painful loss is discouraging, but the team is in pretty good shape. A shake-up may be in order, but not an overhaul. Petrie is going to have to be savvy about how he drafts, who he signs and who he's willing to move.

However, history suggests he's up to the task, and even minor modifications could make a big difference next season. Critics will continue to say the Kings' window of opportunity is closing, but with a young core of Bibby, Stojakovic and Miller, and veterans such as Webber, Christie and Divac still capable of playing important roles, I expect the Kings to keep competing for another three or four more years.

[ddh33]

Chad Ford either needs to put me to work or start paying me for stealing all my ideas [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[ddh33]

The above Insider article was titled: "Kings Off-Season Blueprint".

Did I, by some chance, miss a similar article regarding the Mavs or was nothing written regarding the Mavericks offseason?

[EricaLubarsky]

Kings don't want Walker and I would rather be a Laker fan than to see Chris Webber in Dallas. He is a miserable human being and a baby.

[chumdawg]

Originally posted by: ddh33
The above Insider article was titled: "Kings Off-Season Blueprint".

Did I, by some chance, miss a similar article regarding the Mavs or was nothing written regarding the Mavericks offseason?

I think the Dallas one hasn't come up yet. I'll be keeping my eyes open for it.

[DAllA$ MAVS FINLEY#4]

Webber at 10% is better then Walk at 110%. It would be a good trade for the Mavs, as long as Webbers injury does not get worse & worse.

[LRB]

Originally posted by: DAllA$ MAVS FINLEY#4
Webber at 10% is better then Walk at 110%. It would be a good trade for the Mavs, as long as Webbers injury does not get worse & worse.

While this may be true, Walker at 0% and Webber at 0% are better than either one playing for the Mavs as long as Nellie is coach. It would be better for us to cut walker and eat his salary than trade him for Webber unless we could immediately package and trade Webber.

Now I'd do a 3 way with Orlando. Send Orlando Webber, Send Sacramento Walker, and give us Grant Hill and Orlando's #1 pick.