Sacramento Kings 2036-37 Preseason Presser

[NOLa.]

Good morning everyone and happy Sunday morning! It's time for another edition of the Sacramento Kings Preseason Presser! As always we start with a recap of the prior year, a recap of the offseason, and our expectations going forward.

Last year was just like the season before, a lot of losses and mainly us looking for trades to acquire points or future assets. We were not as active in the trade market as in prior years but we still made some moves here and there. Killian Hayes was showcased as a backup role player but he really struggled. It's going to take some years for this player to really make an impact and we got to see how long the road to development will take. We tried to swing for young talent but with a lackluster roster we were unsuccessful in this attempt. Striking out in the prior season's UFA really hurt us in this regard and the strategy of signing reliable G/G vets to cheap longer term deals proved to not pay off as well as we had hoped, although we were able to send some guys out who were expiring.

We finished the season tied with the worst record with the Atlanta Hawks. I was hoping to get a few more wins there as the team needs points for training, but the record ultimately led to the #2 pick in the draft.

Going into the offseason and with the #2 pick, we were in a very fortunate position of selecting whoever the Thunder did not select in a two-person draft. We didn't have a preference of the player as Wade looked more well rounded and Dorian fit the team build going forward, and our franchise has had a great track record with the #2 picks in the draft so far (McGrady and Duren). Dorian would ultimately become a King and we're very excited to pair him with Hayes. Dorian's scoring potentials and athleticism screams potential scoring league leader and fits firmly next to Hayes as an outside threat for the future.

We had a choice to make with the Atlanta Hawks looking to trade their #4 pick. We decided to sell what we could to grab the pick to select on our board the #3 guy of this draft. Sending out the late 1sts we had, Mitchell, and Mosher, we were able to draft James Addington who looks to be a proficient scorer, defender, and deceptively quick for his size. We think he's decent enough to be the backup already this season.

In RFA we won the rights to Nickolas Lynch and were able to strike a S&T agreement with the Blazers. We liked his unique skill set and he fit our outside focused offense we are trying to build in the future. Luckily he was able to get a nice boost in TC and he is now a legitimate inside/outside threat on offense. He still needs time to develop but he is finally getting there.

In UFA we were able to sign Samuel Adams, Aubrey Bynum, and Daron Hord. We like Adams as a young guy on a reasonable contract that can defend, pass, and when needed, score efficiently at the wing positions, maybe even as a PG if needed. Hord and Bynum we signed to expiring deals to either use as trade assets or to win more games than prior years.

The floor is open to any questions.

[false9]

Will this be a redshirt season for Dorian?

Is Samuel Adams a long term piece or will you be actively shopping him?

[garbageman]

Sham Smith, Bulls.com: Is there anyone else you were looking at with the #4 pick in this draft, or did you trade in specifically for Addison?

[Keepit100]

Nickolas Lynch has been an enigma in PBSL since you drafted him back in 2032. He has always had the potential (and managed to maintain it during TC) to be a capable 2-way but just developed slowly during his rookie contract. You have now paid full price for admission into this house of mirrors so what do you expect to see out of him in 2036 and moving forward?

[NOLa.]

Will this be a redshirt season for Dorian?

Is Samuel Adams a long term piece or will you be actively shopping him?

I don't believe so but he may be like Hayes in the previous season as a backup with limited minutes. Dorian will compete with Hayes at the backup SG spot and Lynch at the backup SF spot for now. His offense seems fine but that defense is not where we want him to be.

Adams I'm open to whatever. I'm comfortable keeping him as I have the flexibility to do so (no pending RFAs) and his $20M contract isn't hurting me in the future. However, my team isn't competing anytime soon. If a team comes around that needs a player like him he's definitely available, and who wouldn't want a SG/SF with size, athleticism, and lockdown defense averaging 5 assists per game [plug inserted].

[NOLa.]

Sham Smith, Bulls.com: Is there anyone else you were looking at with the #4 pick in this draft, or did you trade in specifically for Addison?

It was specifically Addington. The Hawks had 10 minutes to make the pick and Addington was the guy I wanted because he would be a frontcourt piece to have around Hayes and Dorian.

I will say that if the Blazers didn't pick Myke Henry and both were available I would have been stumped at which direction to go. Henry would have been another wing but I think he's going to be a very good player down the road. In the end I like Addington for his size, quickness, and A's in INS and PSD.

[NOLa.]

Nickolas Lynch has been an enigma in PBSL since you drafted him back in 2032. He has always had the potential (and managed to maintain it during TC) to be a capable 2-way but just developed slowly during his rookie contract. You have now paid full price for admission into this house of mirrors so what do you expect to see out of him in 2036 and moving forward?

He was a very raw prospect when I drafted him and he did not have the potentials he has today. I'm hoping with the two straight TC boosts that he sees larger gains in subsequent years. I definitely paid to have his bird rights down the road when UFA comes around.

What I expect to see this year is a solid scorer and a potentially lethal SF down the road. It's crazy to me that a player has near 80 ratings in INS and 3PS and is still yellow current. What this tells me is that he has a lot of room to grow and get even better which is exciting.

[ballsohard]

How many more young assets will you need before you shift gears into trying to win games ?

[greepleairport]

How many wins are you trying to get this season? Does this team get you there or would you have to make some more trades first?

[Xist2Inspire]

Random Reporter: What qualities does Whitley have that make you feel like he's the perfect fit for your squad?

[NOLa.]

How many more young assets will you need before you shift gears into trying to win games ?

I think three is the right and comfortable number for me. You can insure the 3 guys you need, flip one or all for multiple great vets if you decide to go all in one season, or if you finish the season poorly you can use your upcoming pick and one of the 3 guys to package for someone better if you find the right team. Gives you the comfort of insurance coverage and flexibility to make moves.

[NOLa.]

How many wins are you trying to get this season? Does this team get you there or would you have to make some more trades first?

I'd like to win as many games as this team can possibly get. The team is at a point where we need points and player/team achievements bring those in. We have the young players for the future and a mix of vets to not be total pushovers. Hopefully we can hit the 30+ win mark.

[NOLa.]

Random Reporter: What qualities does Whitley have that make you feel like he's the perfect fit for your squad?

4 A's in scoring. Not a lot of players come into the league like this with his size and athleticism to add, so I know down the road this guy is going to be dynamite. With Killian Hayes developing his passing skills to run the point and still be a dangerous 3 point shooter, adding Dorian makes the backcourt that much more dangerous. At a certain point in this game no matter how good a player is at defense I believe an equally as talented offensive player outplays the defender.

[IamQuailman]

Are you interested in Ernest Long?

[NOLa.]

Are you interested in Ernest Long?

No

[drkavarga]

Do you think this team is prepared to win now or do you feel it will a contender in the next 2-3 seasons once the core gels and gets chemistry together on the court?