BigO wrote:

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i posted (from a Kings rumor posted elsewhere):

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* Plenty of teams are actually trying to get the No. 4 pick from Sacramento. This hurts to write, it pains me personally, but ... there's talk the No. 23 or 31 could also be up for sale. Sale, as in selling to the Rockets, Cavs or Spurs for $3 million, Phoenix style. It seems like the scenario would be that the team has two or three key guys they'd like to get at either pick. If they aren't available, the pick can be had for some cash or salary relief.

* The split Chad Ford reported is real in a sense, but perhaps overstated. Neither side has an interest in trading up for Ricky Rubio -- if he's there at No. 4, that's where the battle lines are drawn. The anti-Rubio segment believes the team can't afford to wait for the kid to develop, and that he further exacerbates the problem of a lack of toughness on the team. There's also a concern he might wilt so far from home, especially on a losing team. The pro-Rubio folks have varying reasons: excitement and charisma for some, incredible passing instincts and unbelievable on-court maturity for others.

* The Flynn interest is real, and there really hasn't been internal debate. In other words, if Rubio goes No. 2 or 3 or the anti-Rubio folks win Petrie's support, and if Evans doesn't dominate the practice facility on Sunday, Flynn will likely be the choice. Flynn doesn't seem to have any internal detractors (which is a bit surprising given that hardly any other team in the top nine is rumored to be interested). He must have been stunning during Pointguardpalooza #1.

* Jrue Holiday has no chance of going No. 4. Brandon Jennings is almost surely a no-go, too (and not because of his press conference). I haven't heard a damn thing from anyone about the interest level around Curry. I imagine he'll need to make a statement Sunday to join the club.

* The Kings are trying to set up a last-minute workout with Hasheem Thabeet. Sam Young comes in Monday (with other wings, one would assume), and Tuesday/Wednesday remain clear according to the team's public announcements.

As always rumors around draft time have to be taken with boulders of salt, but if true most of this would constitute good news. It makes sense to bring in Thabeet, at least for a workout as I'm getting the sense he may actually drop to four if Memphis passes on him or trades their pick. The PG news is what I want to hear (no on Holiday, no on Curry, likely no on Evans, yes on either Rubio or Flynn) though I'm still torn as to whether the Kings will be sorry or vindicated should they pass on Jennings. I'm leaning toward the former.

The Rubio debate makes sense to me. I think the kid will struggle badly his first year. As I posted on another site, I think he'll be Nowitski-esque next year, meaning that he may look like a bust for most of the season with just enough glimpses to keep the faith. Defensively he'll really struggle. Look how much he reaches in and bodies opposing PGs in Europe. He'll rack up fouls in the Summer League as he tries to adjust. And he'll be a turnover machine early. The big concern for me is how he holds up physically. To be clear, I still think that he can be a great player (and I'll root for him even if the Kings don't get him) but I think he'll be hard to watch initially though he should be able to run the pick and roll with some success even early on.

The very first item is one I can only hope is just a rumor. With absolutely no hyberbole I can say that selling picks could be the move that makes me stop being a fan of the Sacramento Kings, at least for next season if not longer. The whole "Phoenix style" comment just agitates me further. The Suns were a contending team with established starters at every position, a large payroll and didn't need a rookie that wouldn't get minutes pushing them towards the luxury tax.

The Kings were the worst team in the league last year, have only 7 players under contract (one of them Kenny Thomas) and could absolutely find a contributor in the late 1st/early 2nd. Because the fact is that they won't even be able to sign free agents for less than what those picks are slotted to make so it isn't even about capspace. It would be about the Maloofs saving some money at the expense of improving the team.

Look, I was okay with a few moves to avoid the luxury tax when the Kings were a playoff team. And I'm okay with them going cheap in terms of hiring a coach. After all, getting an expensive, big-name coach for a team still in desperate need of talent upgrades and rebuilding isn't a smart move, just a flashy one.

But if the Kings sell one or both of those picks that may be it for me. When a team stops trying to win, why should I keep trying to watch?

Ailene Voisin: These prospects come to pass

By Ailene Voisin
avoisin@sacbee.com

Published: Sunday, Jun. 21, 2009 - 12:00 am | Page 1C

The temptation this morning will be to ignore the sermon, pass on the Sunday services and head over to the Kings' practice facility for an informal brunch/scrum with the club's potential draft prospects.

All are point or combo guards.

All offer unique skills.

All are in audition mode/mood.

And all together now - with Jonny Flynn, Stephen Curry, Tyreke Evans, Toney Douglas, Patty Mills and Nick Calathes crowded onto the court - there will be more passes tossed around the premises than at any time since the era of Vlade Divac, Chris Webber, Doug Christie, Hedo Turkoglu. Outlet passes, one-bounce passes, no-look passes, pretty lob passes. And more passes.

The people to impress, of course, are team president Geoff Petrie and incoming coach Paul Westphal, of whom his former boss and current USA Basketball czar Jerry Colangelo said earlier Saturday: "I can tell you, Paul (Westphal) definitely wants to run, and he wants players who can pass."

Before moving forward, a brief word on who will not be present today: Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio. The Barcelona native who visited earlier in the week is not scheduled to participate, though the Kings are continuing to evaluate his European contract and potential buyout complications - either of which could preclude the club from drafting him at No. 4.

Or maybe not. Let's hope not.

Assuming that Rubio's contract issues are resolved, that the 6-foot-5 teenager is still available when the Kings select fourth, and an additional can't-miss prospect (after Blake Griffin) doesn't suddenly emerge from the lottery bunch, let me reiterate my earlier statements. Rubio should be plucked at No. 4, dressed in purple, and given the ball.

There would be worse things than generating a little energy and excitement around Arco Arena while the team toddles toward puberty, Westphal attempts to cure the chronic one-on-one tendencies, and conversations resume regarding a new arena. Imagine, if you will, people in the seats. Fans cheering without being spoon-fed those obnoxious prompts. The Kings, interesting, even entertaining again.

"I like Jonny Flynn and a lot of those point guards," continued Colangelo, who during his ownership with the Phoenix Suns acquired Kevin Johnson and later assembled an Olympic team that featured generous passers Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Jason Kidd.

"But Sacramento has a bigger vision, part of looking at the (economic and arena) circumstances. Public sentiment is important. And what we saw with Rubio last summer (in Beijing), he would be a great fit. He's tough; he's very, very skilled. He'd give the franchise a shot in the arm."

Agreed. Unless Petrie convinces me otherwise, makes the case that Flynn, Curry, etc., are superior talents, I'm sticking with the Spanish kid and the plan at No. 4.

Meantime, here is a quick look at today's invitees:

• Flynn. He is regarded as a forceful, dynamic leader who distributes, gets to the basket and is active in the passing lanes. Questions concern his size, (5-11 in socks) and erratic outside shot. Scouts are split. Some say he's a lifetime backup. Most believe the Kings will trade back if they want him.

• Stephen Curry. Dell Curry's son has tremendous range, is an excellent off-balance shooter who can create his own shot and is probably a more effective facilitator (5.6 assists) than his reputation suggests. But paired in a backcourt with Kevin Martin, whose passing and ball skills are adequate at best? Don't see it.

• Evans. His size (6-6), length and natural scoring ability intrigue most of the lottery teams, including the Kings. But again, if Martin is your two-guard, your lead guard must be an innovative floor leader, handler and distributor.

• Mills. Saint Mary's super quick, if undersized star, talked his way into today's session. He could be considered with one of the Kings' later picks.

• Douglas. Quick and athletic, and at 23, the oldest of the bunch. He's a combo guard who would be looked at with the later picks.

• Calathes. He has size (6-6) and a pass-first mentality reminiscent of his Florida Gators predecessor Jason Williams. But Calathes is committed to the Greek League for a season, so whoever drafts him will have to await his services. The Kings need help now.

...teams are hunkering down in their war rooms and starting to get serious. The real trade offers, and not the nonsense you've heard about over the last month, are being made. Teams with high picks like Sacramento, Minnesota and Memphis are having a last round of workouts and interviews this weekend with the top prospects.

That's where I come in.

I don't do mock drafts. I know you like them. But they're a total waste of your time and mine. Even the best draftniks in basketball and football, the guys who spend all year looking at people, get more than half of their guesses wrong, because a) most teams are lying to them when they say we're taking Player X, and b) trades that haven't even been thought of when the draftniks are making their guesses come up at the last minute. Or something happens that no one expects.

For example, most people think Oklahoma City, picking third, is going to keep its pick and take a shooting guard. That very well may happen. But what if a player no one thought was available -- let's just say, for the sake of argument and not because it is actually happening, Caron Butler -- became available. The Thunder might well jettison the pick. Another example: everyone has Washington trading the fifth pick, which is certainly the Wizards' intention at the moment. But what if there's no offer to their liking? Would they take Curry at five? I think so. And that would ruin many a mock board.

What I can do is give you a "Big Board" of 50 players, the top 10 at each position. Where they go is something none of us is going to know with any certainty until just before the Commish walks up to the podium. (Wait. Strike that. We know Blake Griffin is going first, and unless the Cavs offer LeBron or the Hornets offer Chris Paul, Griffin's going to the Clippers.)

-- David Aldridge
TNT Analyst
(excerpted from his Big Board - link posted on prior post, above)

Ricky Rubio meets with OKC Thunder

Just as the notion of Ricky Rubio in a Kings uniform is seeming less likely by the day, there is this unsurprising news: he is moving on.

A source with knowledge of the situation said Rubio was visited in Los Angeles (Saturday) by the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have the No. 3 pick in the June 25 draft. This matters mostly because Rubio's visit in Sacramento this week came with unspoken terms, an understanding of sorts that a Rubio promise on the Kings' part could have stopped his American tour with just one concert. But that clearly never happened, and certainly not only because Rubio was unable to get on the floor Thursday when he fell ill.

So he continues to interview away, certainly hoping to not fall below the fourth spot if only because that $6.6 million buyout has to be paid for somehow. There has been talk of a second Sacramento visit, but I'm not sure that's plausible now since he is believed to be headed back to Spain on Sunday. - Sam Amick

June 21, 2009

Rubio buyout situation almost resolved

Ricky Rubio's situation is about to get less complicated.

According to a source close to Rubio, the $6.6 million buyout of the Spanish point guard's contract with his current team, DKV Joventut, will likely be reduced today or tomorrow to an amount where "he knows he'll be able to make the payments," the source said. The resolution of that element of the Rubio equation will, in effect, clear a major obstacle for teams that are considering drafting him Thursday but have concerns about when he would join their team. And that, of course, includes the Kings.

Assuming the details of the arrangement are finalized soon as expected, Rubio would plan on joining his team at NBA Summer League in July just like the rest of the draft field. Yet while Rubio's Kings visit in Sacramento last week was the first with any NBA team in America as they continue to look at options for the fourth pick, they are no longer alone in that regard.

Rubio visited with Oklahoma City representatives on Saturday in Los Angeles, where the Thunder (who pick third) was allowed to examine his DKV Joventut contract just as the Kings had before them to gain a better understanding of those particulars. While Memphis (which holds the second pick) had visited with Rubio in Spain before the Kings or Thunder, the Grizzlies - nor any other team - did not see the contract. There could be more visits to come, however, as Rubio's camp will surely explore all options in the days to come.

Rubio's eventual NBA team is only permitted to pay $500,000 of a buyout, meaning the rest of the undetermined amount will be paid by Rubio. Because he made approximately $97,000 last season with DKV Joventut, his representatives had asked an arbitrator to settle the matter while claiming the buyout is disproportionate to his salary. They also claimed Rubio never signed his contract when it was drafted when he was 16, although he reportedly did sign an addendum last season. - Sam Amick

In that same vein, sources say Jim Eyen -- Mike Dunleavy's right-hand man with the Bucks, Lakers and Clippers -- will become Paul Westphal's top aide with the Kings. New York Post

Jim Eyen

Jim Eyen

College - UC-Santa Barbara
A 17-year veteran NBA assistant coach, Jim Eyen enters his sixth season on the Clippers' bench under Dunleavy. With 29 years of coaching experience under his belt, Eyen originally began his career with the Clippers in 1988 when he served as an assistant coach under then head coach Don Casey. The following season, he moved to the Lakers, assisting Pat Riley and was retained when Mike Dunleavy was named Lakers' head coach in 1990. After three seasons with the Lakers, Eyen followed Dunleavy to Milwaukee, where he remained through 1996.

In 1997, Eyen again joined Dunleavy, only this time in Portland, where he worked as an assistant through the 2000-01 season. When Dunleavy was named head coach of the Clippers prior to the 2003-04 season, he again asked Eyen to join him as the team's lead assistant.

Eyen also served as acting head coach on April 12, 2005, guiding the Clippers to a 94-85 victory over the Utah Jazz at STAPLES Center while Dunleavy was away from the team for personal reasons.

Eyen began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Santa Barbara City College in 1979 where he helped lead the Vaqueros to the state tournament three consecutive years. In 1982, Eyen was named head coach of Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta, CA, and led his team to the 1984 CIF playoffs as well as coaching the county all-star team. Prior to joining the Clippers' bench in 1988, Eyen served as an assistant for his alma mater, the University of California at Santa Barbara for four seasons, helping the Gauchos earn their first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Eyen's basketball interests also extend internationally. He has served as a consultant to clubs in the Netherlands, Germany and Japan, where in 1996 he worked with the Japanese National Team.

Eyen received a bachelor's degree in Communications Studies from UCSB in 1979, where he also played basketball. He earned a master's degree in Education from Azusa Pacific University in 1984.

Jim and his wife Britt, have two children - Joey and Lena.