If C's Land Demarcus, who's the perfect 4 to pair with

[saltlover]

Bass doesn't get enough credit for what he does.  He's the most consistent and efficient scorer on the team. He's a big part of why we might make the playoffs.  I wonder how much money he will get in free agency. He's a premier mid-range shooter at that position and can add value to a lot of contenders off the bench.

Not very much. the value of the elbow jumper is at an all time low, especially at the PF spot.

The perceived relative value of the elbow jumper is at an all-time low.  It's actual value hasn't changed much if at all.

[CelticGuardian]

I don't know if you know but the Kings owner is trying to win, and trading his best player to a team that wouldn't be able to match that value makes this a pipe dream.

[D.o.s.]

Bass doesn't get enough credit for what he does.  He's the most consistent and efficient scorer on the team. He's a big part of why we might make the playoffs.  I wonder how much money he will get in free agency. He's a premier mid-range shooter at that position and can add value to a lot of contenders off the bench.

Not very much. the value of the elbow jumper is at an all time low, especially at the PF spot.

The perceived relative value of the elbow jumper is at an all-time low.  It's actual value hasn't changed much if at all.

Fair enough.

[saltlover]

I don't know if you know but the Kings owner is trying to win, and trading his best player to a team that wouldn't be able to match that value makes this a pipe dream.

I don't know if you know but the Kings owner also thinks very highly of his own basketball intelligence, which tends to get in the way of actual sound decision-making.  See: firing of Mike Malone, giving Vlade Divac control of the team (limited coaching and no management experience) a month after hiring George Karl (who certainly wants his own strong say in personnel).  Wanting to win and knowing how to do it are two completely unrelated things.  Believing yourself to be smarter than the experts you've hired is a good way to lead to yes-men and groupthink.

Also, you're completely ignoring the ability of star players to force trades.  If Cousins wants out, he'll get his way.  He might not have the cache to completely choose his new team, but he can get out of Sacramento.

[number_n9ne]

I think I'd be trying to trade Sully etc to the Kings so we can move up and draft WCS. If we could somehow finagle WCS and Looney, I'd be ecstatic.

I think Sully and DMC would do well together.

[danglertx]

Bass doesn't get enough credit for what he does.  He's the most consistent and efficient scorer on the team. He's a big part of why we might make the playoffs.  I wonder how much money he will get in free agency. He's a premier mid-range shooter at that position and can add value to a lot of contenders off the bench.

Not very much. the value of the elbow jumper is at an all time low, especially at the PF spot.

The perceived relative value of the elbow jumper is at an all-time low.  It's actual value hasn't changed much if at all.

Fair enough.

Bass' real value with the elbow jumper is that he is able to get it almost at will, hit it at a great percentage, and hit it when the Celtics are in desperate need of a basket to stop momentum.

[CelticGuardian]

I don't know if you know but the Kings owner is trying to win, and trading his best player to a team that wouldn't be able to match that value makes this a pipe dream.

I don't know if you know but the Kings owner also thinks very highly of his own basketball intelligence, which tends to get in the way of actual sound decision-making.  See: firing of Mike Malone, giving Vlade Divac control of the team (limited coaching and no management experience) a month after hiring George Karl (who certainly wants his own strong say in personnel).  Wanting to win and knowing how to do it are two completely unrelated things.  Believing yourself to be smarter than the experts you've hired is a good way to lead to yes-men and groupthink.

Also, you're completely ignoring the ability of star players to force trades.  If Cousins wants out, he'll get his way.  He might not have the cache to completely choose his new team, but he can get out of Sacramento.

Ok, that's cool bro. You're banking on this guy being an idiot, which he is, I won't deny that.

But he has yet to do something as stupid as what we are hoping here.

[D.o.s.]

I don't know if you know but the Kings owner is trying to win, and trading his best player to a team that wouldn't be able to match that value makes this a pipe dream.

I don't know if you know but the Kings owner also thinks very highly of his own basketball intelligence, which tends to get in the way of actual sound decision-making.  See: firing of Mike Malone, giving Vlade Divac control of the team (limited coaching and no management experience) a month after hiring George Karl (who certainly wants his own strong say in personnel).  Wanting to win and knowing how to do it are two completely unrelated things.  Believing yourself to be smarter than the experts you've hired is a good way to lead to yes-men and groupthink.

Also, you're completely ignoring the ability of star players to force trades.  If Cousins wants out, he'll get his way.  He might not have the cache to completely choose his new team, but he can get out of Sacramento.

Ok, that's cool bro. You're banking on this guy being an idiot, which he is, I won't deny that.

But he has yet to do something as stupid as what we are hoping here.

Does this mean we're ignoring his four-on-five defensive principles?

[saltlover]

I don't know if you know but the Kings owner is trying to win, and trading his best player to a team that wouldn't be able to match that value makes this a pipe dream.

I don't know if you know but the Kings owner also thinks very highly of his own basketball intelligence, which tends to get in the way of actual sound decision-making.  See: firing of Mike Malone, giving Vlade Divac control of the team (limited coaching and no management experience) a month after hiring George Karl (who certainly wants his own strong say in personnel).  Wanting to win and knowing how to do it are two completely unrelated things.  Believing yourself to be smarter than the experts you've hired is a good way to lead to yes-men and groupthink.

Also, you're completely ignoring the ability of star players to force trades.  If Cousins wants out, he'll get his way.  He might not have the cache to completely choose his new team, but he can get out of Sacramento.

Ok, that's cool bro. You're banking on this guy being an idiot, which he is, I won't deny that.

But he has yet to do something as stupid as what we are hoping here.

I would argue that firing Mike Malone was very stupid.  And then hiring the favorite coach of your GM, only to undercut this GM a month later by giving lots of control to an ex-player who has never held any real executive authority, isn't far behind.  When there are a lot of egos bumping into each other, it's natural for someone to try to wrest control by making a power play move.  Trading Cousins is just the type of move to test how much authority you have, especially if your internal opponent is against the idea.

Ranadive won't negotiate the Cousins trade.  But at least one of D'Alessandro, Karl, and Divac will field an offer for him, and let him choose whether to accept it or let that management team member walk out the door.  The quartet of Karl, D'Alessandro, Divac, and Cousins will not all be there by next year's trade deadline.  At least one will be gone, and two wouldn't surprise me.  Weird things happen in organizations with shifting power structures.

[Who]

I think I'd be trying to trade Sully etc to the Kings so we can move up and draft WCS. If we could somehow finagle WCS and Looney, I'd be ecstatic.

I think Sully and DMC would do well together.

Yes, I'd love to see Sully and Cousins together as well. Two physical powerful highly skilled big men who can both play high and low. I think the interplay between the two of them would be very good and that they'd bring the best out of another offensively.

[vjcsmoke]

Landing Cousins is likely a pipe dream.   But it would be nice, I won't deny that.

More likely though, we try to dangle some pieces and get their lottery pick in return.  :-)

[PhoSita]

How many of those mid-range jumpers would Bass get off so cleanly if the other team weren't coached to more or less invite their opponents to take those shots, I wonder?

The part of Bass's game I find most impressive is his ability to finish inside despite his lack of size.  I love all the forward-leaning two handed dunks.

[crimson_stallion]

I think I'd be trying to trade Sully etc to the Kings so we can move up and draft WCS. If we could somehow finagle WCS and Looney, I'd be ecstatic.

I think Sully and DMC would do well together.

Yes, I'd love to see Sully and Cousins together as well. Two physical powerful highly skilled big men who can both play high and low. I think the interplay between the two of them would be very good and that they'd bring the best out of another offensively.

They are a good match in terms of talent / skill set.  My concern with those guys though is personality.

Sully is an overweight guy who looks like he's probably the last to enter the gym and the first to leave.  He seems to have temper issues (domestic case, high number of techs and flagrants, etc), he's not a fantastic defender (puts more pressure on DMC), and he can't seem to stay on the court (which again puts more pressure on DMC).

I could imagine Cousins getting frustrated with Sully's attitude and work ethic in much the same way as he has with his various teammates in Sacramento.  Not sure it's as good a match in practice and it looks like on paper.

If Sully could improve his attitude then I agree, that combination could be deadly...but it's been three seasons now and there has been no sign of that happening.  I really think Sully is well and truly travelling down the Eddy Curry / Shawn Kemp / Vin Baker / Big Baby path and I can foresee him being out of the league (or becoming one of those end of bench guys who never plays) by the time he's 28. 

I can just see the Tommy's comments - "Sullinger could have really been a nice player in this league, but all that talent was wasted because his head was never in it". 

[tenn_smoothie]

Cousins has always been an on court hot head, but I don't think there's reason to believe he's a locker room problem.

How about Cousins having problems with every NBA coach he has played for ? He complains publicly about the prospect of playing for George Karl and tries to bully Kings' management regarding their head coach decision ?

I have to laugh at the comparisons on here to Kevin Garnett. Cousins is no Kevin Garnett. KG was all about the team and helping his teammates. Cousins is one of the most self-centered athletes I have ever seen. It is all about him. Total Head Case.