Other than the new worldwide notoriety that comes with being known as "one Kings fan [who] commented on an Internet site," Sam Amick's Thursday notes column provided some reassuring insight for us fanatics:
Geoff Petrie is still smart.
Petrie rejected a proposed deal that would've sent Jason Hart to Detroit in exchange for Flip Murray. Hart is the ineffective player who is under contract with Sacramento this season solely because he exercised a player option in the summer, knowing full well his role would decrease as the Kings brought in two new combo guards over the summer (rookie Quincy Douby and vet John Salmons).
Murray is the ineffective combo guard who essentially does nothing above average. In the past, he was seen as a scorer, but he has averaged only 12.8 points per 40 minutes thus far this season. (For comparison's sake, Ronnie Price is averaging 13.9 points per 40. Ronnie Price is not exactly a "scorer.")
Murray's deal runs until the end of next season. Hart's expires not a moment after midnight July 1. Neither would help the Kings improve the product on the court (unless Mike Bibby gets maimed or traded, and someone cuts off the left hands of John Salmons, Francisco Garcia, Ronnie Price, and Quincy Douby).
Many lesser GMs would've compared the talent levels of Hart (way ugly) and Murray (kinda ugly), and pulled the trigger. But Petrie knows Murray couldn't have been packaged in another deal this season, and Petrie knows that players on the edge of the NBA generally pick up their options. Petrie knows what he is doing, and that is why Flip Murray is a Piston and not a King.
Some GM will take Murray, though - he's just intriguing enough that someone will toss a wrench into their own plans to take him off Detroit's hands. I am so glad Geoff Petrie wasn't that guy.