Small FA acquisitions, Linas and his blanky.

by moproblemz on Jun 30, 2009 12:59 PM PDT Comment 15 comments

Upon looking at our holes as a team there are a couple glaring needs. Firstly we need a SF of the future and we need frontcourt depth, which SF's are a part of. In this specific Fanpost I will be addressing our need for a SF of the future, as I am currently not comforted with Donte Greene as our savior at the position. Our current SF's consist of Cisco, Nocioni, and Donte Greene; Cisco has always been more productive coming off the bench and can play any guard position for us and Nocioni albeit gritty is slow, inconsistent, and getting old (thus not a part of our long term solution). He is also saddled with a long contract, three years plus a team option for a fourth, thus I will target a possible replacement. There are plenty of free agent SFs in this free agent class with many all star caliber players available: Shawn Marion, Ron Artest, Trevor Ariza, Lamar Odom, Grant Hill and many others. The problem with all these players is that they will command too high of a price tag for a rebuilding team like the Kings.

Enter my solution! Linas Kleiza.

I can already hear the naysayers, but mo Linas is a restricted free agent. The Nuggets currently sit at a cool $71 million dollars in salary which does not include Dahntay Jones and Chris Andersen, which should eat up their entire MLE and push them to around $77 million. This being the Nuggets current quandary they have not yet extended a qualifying offer to Linas, coupled with a season where he was given a reduced role mainly due to multiple acquisitions from trades could make him expendable or easily acquired.

Even with his reduced minutes he was still able to produce getting around ten points in 22 mpg. He also has good size being 6'-8" and 245 lbs and can fit into our future plans as he is only 24 years old. He has an extremely developed offensive game where he is comfortable driving the lane or spotting up from three. Its hard to gauge his defensive prowess playing for an up tempo team like the Nuggets, but he did not complain about his reduced role and went from in the future plans of the Nuggets to the bench without a peep.

For those of us who have been StR members for awhile now, this name should be extremely familiar as he was the sticking point in a Ron-Ron to Denver trade that was axed as he was not included. This obviously means that Petrie and the Kings organization are familiar with his skill set coupled with the fact that he can be had for much less than the MLE it would seem like a FA acquisition worth considering. The fact that we can gain a young player with promise for not that much money (well a lot for you and I but you get the point) is quite enticing and why I think a team like the Kings looking to build for the future should give a long hard look towards offering Linas a contract.

(This is a FanPost from a member of the Sactown Royalty community. The views expressed come from the member, and not Sactown Royalty staff.)

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I used to be a fan of Linas Kleiza. I think he needs a change of scenery. He definitely has talent. Here’s the problem with him, though. As a team, we need to increase our toughness. The draft was a great step in that direction. Kleiza is soft as tissue paper. He is not going to mix it and up battle. He drifts around the 3 point line. I want a player with more fight.

by bench_blob on Jun 30, 2009 1:45 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I just don't think Linas is a starter.

And I don’t think Linas is any better than the four guys the Kings currently have that can play the small. Wait and see what K-9 and cap space can yield at the deadline because Kleiza looks like MLE dead weight in my book.

"Or, as Randy Jackson would say: Not feelin’ it, dawg."
-bench-blob- posting virgin.

by jjham15 on Jun 30, 2009 1:50 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Kleiza

I’ve been a vocal supporter of Kleiza for a few years now. Living in Colorado I’ve been able to observe him first-hand many times.

He brings a lot to the table. He can shoot the 3, he has good size, he moves really well for his size, and he can take the ball to the hoop. These are all good qualities.

He does have disadvantages. I’d be hesitant to call him soft, and bench_blob did above, but he doesn’t clog lanes defensively. His defense never stood out to me as being particularly good, but it also never stood out as being particularly bad.

The biggest disadvantage is that he is inconsistent. I was at the game when he had his career-high for points, and he was unstoppable. He scored in every way. He also provided a great spark for the Nuggets against the Lakers in this year’s playoffs. But he has also stepped into games and provided nothing.

Part of me feels like he would be more consistent if his playing time was more consistent (look at his production when he was starting last season when Melo was out). But he’s not worth throwing a lot of money at. I feel like the pricetag would not match the production, and I don’t want to see that happen. I really like Kleiza, and I’d hate for all of us to hate him for his contract.

Never forget: I am a complete idiot

by Exhibit G on Jun 30, 2009 2:26 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

My main point of this fanpost which maybe wasn't conveyed properly is that he wouldn't require

anything close to a MLE signing but more in the Ike Diogu range of 1 year 2.5mil or 2 years 5 million. He seems like a reasonable talent to take a small chance on given how our roster is currently formed.

There now I've met the 75 word count. -pookeyguru

by moproblemz on Jun 30, 2009 2:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

If we're trying to develop our young kids

This would be a step in the wrong direction.

We currently have Greene, Garcia, Casspi and Nocioni who can all play the 3.

If we got him in a sign & trade move, trading either Noc or Garcia, I might be able to buy it, but as a FA signing? Nope.

The draft lottery has reinforced my belief that there are not enough bad words in the English language.

by LeaguePassAddict on Jun 30, 2009 2:47 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Well, we need a backup defensive center

We have too many 3s. Like LPA just said, Casspi is also a 3. No thanks on Kleiza. How about Stromile Swift? He always seemed to tear us up and can block plenty of shots.

If we’re going to get a 3 I’d prefer Trevor Ariza to Kleiza. He’d be more expensive, but he’s the better player. Having a lockdown defender for once would be nice.

WordUpThome: THE HEY-DAY OF RONALD REAGAN-O-NOMICS IS A FINE TIME FOR BIRTH, NUMA NUMA DANCE STAR JOBA CHAMBERLAIN WAS ALSO BORN IN 1985

by Gallagher's Watermelons on Jun 30, 2009 3:35 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm with you and LPA - no thanks!

With a glut of big SFs, why do we need another? I would much rather see playing time go to Greene/Casspi. If we’re going to bring in a middling FA it needs to be a backup C/PF that is 6’10"+.

by cabz on Jun 30, 2009 4:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs