Kings Sign Salmons, Will Let Wells Walk

[Amente]

NBA.com - The Sacramento Kings signed free agent guard John Salmons to a multi-year contract, it was announced by Kings’ President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie. The deal is speculated to use the Kings full mid-level exception

“We’re excited to add a versatile player like John to our team,” said Petrie. “He can play three positions. We feel he’s still an emerging player in the NBA. He’ll add to the youth and overall skill level of our backcourt, and I’m really looking forward to watching him play for the Kings.”

Geoff Petrie appeared on KHTK-AM show Sportsline 1140 with Grant Napear and Mike Lamb to announce the deal and also clarify that the team would no longer pursue re-signing Bonzi Wells.

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ar...et_wells_walk/

[BehaviorDisorder]

Originally Posted by Amente

NBA.com - The Sacramento Kings signed free agent guard John Salmons to a multi-year contract, it was announced by Kings’ President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie. The deal is speculated to use the Kings full mid-level exception

“We’re excited to add a versatile player like John to our team,” said Petrie. “He can play three positions. We feel he’s still an emerging player in the NBA. He’ll add to the youth and overall skill level of our backcourt, and I’m really looking forward to watching him play for the Kings.”

Geoff Petrie appeared on KHTK-AM show Sportsline 1140 with Grant Napear and Mike Lamb to announce the deal and also clarify that the team would no longer pursue re-signing Bonzi Wells.

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ar...et_wells_walk/

RC: "look bonzi, what do you say this season you play for the lle, get some payback on sactown for not appreciating what you did for them, then we'll screw you derick anderson style....eerrrrr then we'll take care of you the following year."

[NecioVato]

Originally Posted by BehaviorDisorder

RC: "look bonzi, what do you say this season you play for the lle, get some payback on sactown for not appreciating what you did for them, then we'll screw you derick anderson style....eerrrrr then we'll take care of you the following year."

I could see that happening ONLY if WE were the Lakers. That way he would still be in the same state and division and be able to show them up.

[KAD]

Wow - it's time teams got bold and let the brats sit out al la Sprewell!

[sidaneja12]

I dont think Artest is gonna be too happy with the move. If i am not mistaken, I believe he wanted Bonzi on the team so badly he stated that he would kill Bonzi if he left.

[bo spur]

You make Ron Ron mad

He wanted both Adleman and Bonzi back !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cash IZ Clay]

It'll be interesting to see where Wells ends up, as long as it aint Dallas it shouldnt effect us too much. But a with him and Dirk on the same team that would be two players we have difficulty covering.

[coyotes_geek]

Wells basically has 2 options. Take someone's full MLE long term, or sign a 1 year deal for whatever he can get and be a FA again next year when there will be more teams with cap room than there were this year.

[youngfritzel]

Bonzi is a nutcase, but couldn't he help the Spurs? I recall the Rodman era. We don't have the $, right?

[coyotes_geek]

Originally Posted by JamesR

Wells would be smart to go the Stephen Jackson route right now.

Who even has the whole MLE left?

After perusing the official NBA.com transactions wire, here's who I think still has their full MLE. That page just has official signings so it's possilbe some teams have already committed some or all of their MLE to someone, but haven't made it official yet. I'm sure I've missed something, but point being there's still plenty of teams with an MLE to offer.

Boston
Cleveland
Denver
Golden State
Indiana
Memphis
Miami
Milwaukee
New Jersey
New York
Philly
Portland
Seattle
Utah

[Derek Flint]

More probable locations:

Cleveland
Denver
Miami
Milwaukee
Philly
Utah

[coyotes_geek]

Cleveland is the team that jumped out at me. I know they signed Larry Hughes to a huge contract, but the way Lebron can handle the ball and the way Bonzi can play down low I wouldn't see why those 3 couldn't play at the same time.

[Derek Flint]

Originally Posted by coyotes_geek

Cleveland is the team that jumped out at me. I know they signed Larry Hughes to a huge contract, but the way Lebron can handle the ball and the way Bonzi can play down low I wouldn't see why those 3 couldn't play at the same time.

Originally Posted by JamesR

If the NBA is really making a push toward small ball, having Bonzi and LeBron in your lineup would be a big advantage.

Good points, but if Denver can't get Evans then Bonzi is their next best bet. They really need some shooting and Carmelo plus Bonzi and Smith off the bench would be a potent swingman line-up.

[jackc852]

Originally Posted by To be named later

Unless they signed Salmons to a crazy contract, it was the smart move.

The Kings got younger and more versatile with Salmons, and don't have a potential headcase or cancer.

signed for 5/$25MM

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2529148

The Sacramento Bee reported that the contract Salmons signed is for five years and $25.5 million.

[Brooklyn Dave]

Very telling.

Bonzi looked like a great player during the playoffs but obviously, the Kings saw beyond the superficial and recognized Bonzi's dark side.

[Spaceman Spiff]

I think this has a lot to do with Kevin Martin's development. He's showed some great flashes last season and I think he fits in better with Artest on the wing than Bonzi does. With Garcia in the mix too, Salmons will have to fight for playing time.

[BehaviorDisorder]

spurs NEED him bad.

head case or not you cannot deny his ability to dominate the person defending him.

HE needs the spurs to help clean up his image so that other teams can throw gobs of money at him.

kinda like the relationship between TO and the cowboys.

[Silver&Black22]

There's a difference though the cowboys were a wild card possibility at best without T.O. but know they have a chance to go all the way w/o Bonzi the Spurs already are considered a favorite and he would add depth but it wouldn't until say the playoffs again i.e. Big Shot but he won't sign for Big Shot's contract

[coyotes_geek]

Originally Posted by BehaviorDisorder

spurs NEED him bad.

head case or not you cannot deny his ability to dominate the person defending him.

HE needs the spurs to help clean up his image so that other teams can throw gobs of money at him.

kinda like the relationship between TO and the cowboys.

So how exactly do you propose the Spurs get him? It's doubtful the Kings are interested in S&T because they already "traded" Bonzi for Salmons so they're not being left empty handed. If they agree to S&T they've got to take back salary which puts them over the luxury tax.

That leaves the Spurs sales pitch to Bonzi as "come play for our LLE for 1 year, help us win a title and try free agency again next year". I doubt that gets it done when there's plenty of other teams out there who can say "come play for our MLE for 1 year....".

[alpineballer]

Originally Posted by coyotes_geek

So how exactly do you propose the Spurs get him? It's doubtful the Kings are interested in S&T because they already "traded" Bonzi for Salmons so they're not being left empty handed. If they agree to S&T they've got to take back salary which puts them over the luxury tax.

That leaves the Spurs sales pitch to Bonzi as "come play for our LLE for 1 year, help us win a title and try free agency again next year". I doubt that gets it done when there's plenty of other teams out there who can say "come play for our MLE for 1 year....".

they can't use the SR exception on him?

[SF4L]

I don't think the Kings would just let Wells walk. Too many teams could use his talent. And he's not so much a nut case that would prevent him from landing on another team.

Out of the list that was shown earlier...the Nuggets or Bucks would look to improve the most with Wells on the team.

And if he would be willing to take less or even a S&T...I wouldn't have issues with him on the Spurs.

[alpineballer]

Originally Posted by SF4L

Out of the list that was shown earlier...the Nuggets or Bucks would look to improve the most with Wells on the team.

And if he would be willing to take less or even a S&T...I wouldn't have issues with him on the Spurs.

Bucks would have the more interesting players for Kings to offer.
they want to move Magloire anyhow. they are overloaded at C (Bogut, Gadzuric, Magloire)
Kings would love to get Magloire, especially after the total disappearing of Miller in the PO.
Magloire makes 8 million this season. whatever contract Wells will get, it will likely start at a similar number.

IMO Denver doesn't have players that could attract the Kings.

[coyotes_geek]

Toss in your luxury tax hit and Magloire becomes about a $14 mil player instead of an $8 mil player. The only way I see the Kings being interested in S&T for Bonzi is if someone will take one of their bad contracts with him.

Bonzi for Magloire straight up, not really interested. Bonzi + Kenny Thomas for Magloire + Joe Smith, might be interested.

[evenstar]

i haven't really seen salmons play that much, so it's hard for me to decide if i'm excited about the move or not. i liked bonzi and wanted to see him return, but he was inconsistant this year, and had some injury issues. kevin martin looks like he's ready to slide into the starting position and make an impact on the team, and bonzi would have been in his way.

i just hope ron doesn't go balistic over this ( i know a ron artest blowup is imminent, i'm just hopnig it's later rather then sooner)

[Amente]

Sacramento Bee - William Phillips, agent for Bonzi Wells, told the Sacramento Bee that he will discuss sign-and-trade options with the Kings.

His optimism that a sign-and-trade deal can get done appear futile, as the Kings will likely try to stay below the luxury tax threshold.

The club has $800,000 remaining from their mid-level exception and a separate exception worth $1.75 million.

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ar..._be_discussed/

[BehaviorDisorder]

Originally Posted by coyotes_geek

So how exactly do you propose the Spurs get him?

That leaves the Spurs sales pitch to Bonzi as "come play for our LLE for 1 year, help us win a title and try free agency again next year". I doubt that gets it done when there's plenty of other teams out there who can say "come play for our MLE for 1 year....".

why not?

it will raise his stock dramatically.

[texan in domerland 1]

Originally Posted by BehaviorDisorder

why not?

it will raise his stock dramatically.

Because Bonzi is about getting paid! (for financial and pride issues)

[coyotes_geek]

Originally Posted by BehaviorDisorder

why not?

it will raise his stock dramatically.

If Bonzi's cool with that I'd love to have him here, but me thinks Bonzi wants the cash.

[tmtcsc]

Yeah, but who's got the cash now ? What team can pay him the most ?

[SF4L]

Wells...if you can't get the cash...come and get the ring.

[BehaviorDisorder]

Originally Posted by texan in domerland 1

Because Bonzi is about getting paid! (for financial and pride issues)

this is exactly the reason why he should play for the spurs this year.

he plays like a superstar, acts like a choir boy, wins a ring then he's on every ones wish list the following year.

TRULY A WIN WIN SITUATION.

of course............it will never happen.

[coyotes_geek]

^^^ Agreed it won't happen, but the Spurs should still at least make the phone call.

[baseline bum]

Originally Posted by jackc852

signed for 5/$25MM

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2529148

John Salmons sucks. I don't know how the hell he pulled $25 million. He has no jumpshot, no range, can't handle the ball, can't rebound, and so on. I know Bonzi's a headcase, and giving him a long-term deal is risky, but it's a lot less risky to give a long term deal to a guy who can play as opposed to someone like Salmons who's been in the league 4 years and done absolutely nothing. I don't understand what teams are seeing in this guy. He's going on 27, so it's not like he's some untapped potential either. NBA scrubs should not get 5 year deals, and if I was a Kings fan I'd be mad as hell.