Sam Amick on the Kings’ pursuit of Jonathan Kuminga & nonexistent market for Zach LaVine

Sam Amick on the Kings’ pursuit of Jonathan Kuminga & nonexistent market for Zach LaVine

All right, we’ll get to that next week. Fair enough. Uh, so specifically, uh, cuz we know you are, uh, connected with the ear to the ground. Uh, and and do be specific. Uh, who are the Kings going to acquire and what will be the terms? Uh, not Giannis. I don’t think that’s going to happen. Um, uh, yeah, I don’t know. I mean, you know, the Kaminga thing is is lingering, uh, forcing us to work deep into the dog days of summer. Um, so, you know, I I think that one’s interesting. Obviously, ESPN had a piece yesterday with a good update on it. And the fact that the Warriors I mean, the part that Kings fans often forget is is that the Warriors are are obviously in control here. And even if the Kings are willing to go to a number that that Jonathan is happy with and and it does seem like the role that he could have with them is is a lot a whole lot more enticing than his kind of Warriors frustrating existence. Um there’s still no sign that that the Warriors are all that interested in what the Kings would give back. So, um, a bit of a staring contest and and one that, you know, could still result in him going back to Golden State heading into the season. Sam, on that front, I mean, it’s reported that the Kings and maybe I think the Suns are the other team that might be interested if if there are not others, but do you get a sense of the Kings um, not seriousness in this? But I mean, obviously, I think I think they’re playing it smartly in a way that look, the Warriors and them haven’t agreed yet, so the Kings can kind of have all these other promises out there. Do you think the Kings would be willing to budge more if that’s what’s keeping the Warriors uh from doing anything? Do you think Sacramento is is as how serious do you think they are, I guess I should say, in their pursuit of Kamingo? I mean, I think they’re serious within the context of their measured rebuilding plan. You know what I mean? And rebuilding is probably too loose of a term as you guys know. They’re trying to still compete and they’re not tearing this thing down by any means, but they, you know, and this could change, but they have not uh seen him as a guy who, you know, as far as the salary slot, you know, they they wanted him as a a promising um starter on their team, but a guy who, you know, is going to make, you know, probably not north of 20 million. and it could get above that, but um you know, he’s a guy that has seen himself. I mean, this is where the agent side is tricky because everybody knows that that he’s had it kind of said to him for a long time now that he’s a $30 million a year player potentially. And I know that sounds crazy in today’s NBA when you’ve got guys making 60 and and damn near 70 uh at this point. You know, the numbers are are wacky. But um you know so they’re serious in that neighborhood and they’re and they’re you know serious without giving up somebody like Keegan Murray or things of that nature. Um but you know it has its limits. Got to break in here. Sorry Sam. We’ll go right back to this. Uh that as rumored uh and thank you Chris for this. The San Diego Padres’s are acquiring Mason Miller and JP Sears from the A’s. That’s according to Jeff Passen uh um who uh is obviously going to know what’s up. We do not know what the A’s are getting in return, but that’s obviously that was a trade that’s been rumored uh that broke just now as we were at the baseball trade deadline. I don’t want to get lost in that here. Um Dave, can I add on super fast because I never get to chime in on baseball. I was at the A’s game last night with neighbor John and uh and it was actually fun to see the baseball trade deadline in real time action because I enjoy I’m not, you know, an A’s fan, but I I’ve seen Mason pitch and I was fired up to see him in the ninth uh and watch him throw 103 and 104 or whatever he gets up to and and we were sitting there going, “Wait a minute, why why are the A’s not using their closer? What’s going on here?” Yeah. Safe situation. Yeah. Yeah. Hey, by the way, uh Dave, it is the Azar receiving shortstop, Leah Dallas Devise, I think is how you say it. The number prospect in baseball along with three pitchers from San Diego. That’s great. I was that was that was a rumored name. I don’t know anything about him other than he’s number three. You can get the number three prospect in baseball and another three pitchers, you’re doing well. I mean, unfortunately, I know ace fans would rather hold on to their players. I get it. It sucks. But if you can get a number freaking three prospect in baseball, hey, freaking now. All right, more on that later. We’re talking basketball with Sam. So, your your former uh colleague Anthony Slater mentioned um that he thinks the Kings are in prime position to do a step back rebuild, but uh there’s just no patience for that with um with with with management, with ownership. And Jason and I were talking about this before the show, Sam, what is kind of strange about the Kings is I don’t know if they even if they were trying to rebuild, those contracts are difficult to move. Sabonis, D Rozan, especially Lavine. They’re kind of at a fork in the road because they haven’t really done anything since Scott Perry took over, Sam, to say that they’re not going to rebuild. They haven’t took on long-term money. They haven’t done anything like that, but they also haven’t done anything to show that they are rebuilding. I feel like they could still go either way, but would you agree? Because that’s what I think that I actually think that’s right. VC has never shown uh any sort of a patience for a full rebuild with this team. Well, no. I mean, you’re pot committed. I mean, I don’t know what your pot committed to. Not trying to be funny, but like you you already went down this track with the Fox trade and the way you handled it. Um, you know, Scott Perry obviously had nothing to do with that. Um and you know I mean yeah that’s that’s how VC has has kind of pushed this thing and uh and now you are in a tricky spot where the the unpacking of this roster because of you know D Rozan’s got some market value but he’s obviously on the the late stage age-wise. um you know, Zack uh they have not found much out there for him and and so in in lie of that you you kind of you kind of roll it out with what you have and and you have to remain patient and that’s what Scott’s going to have to do and honestly he deserves patience from the fans because he didn’t make this mess. um you know and that’s where they’re trying to thread this needle and I do think if you know if they could land the the bird with Kaminga you know that’s the kind of thing that gets you down a pretty good road then you got a good young player um you know because if you look at the entire group right now and actually John and I were having this conversation yesterday it’s just like there’s not there’s still an element of excitement around Keegan but it’s not I think you guys would agree what it was two years ago when it was like is he franchise centerpiece material? He’s a nice player, you know, and they got to figure out his extension situation. Um, but there’s just not a lot that you look at right now and say, you know, okay, these three, four guys have got to be part of the future. It’s just a reality. Um, even if you like watching Zack play ball and Demar play ball and even Sabonis to an extent, um, those guys are not, you know, as far as the long term, uh, I mean, even even Domas, he’s still a pretty young guy, but but, um, you know, you’ve got a lot of history with him at this point. It’s just it is a tough roster to unpack and it’s going to take him a while. you know, Sam in the in kind of tying that thought back into Kaminga in their, you know, pursuit of him, he’s he does feel like a thread the needle type of like that’s not taking you in a direction of of going backwards. It’s it’s keeping you kind of in that right range that they’ve been in 6 to 12, I don’t know, in the West, but what do you think he would be on the pecking order of the roster? Assuming they added him, and I’m assuming it would not be for uh Dom or or Lavine or something like that. So where would he kind of be viewed as for this organization the next three to four years as like the piece a piece? How do you think they would they would view Kaminga? Well, it would be it would be a hybrid of like maybe the piece or one of the top two pieces, but he also has to prove that he can be that guy. We know he can score, but the game is not especially the the way the game is trended like you know they need to be a team that guards u because every team needs to guard these days. Defense actually matters again. Um, you know, we we know with the Warriors coaching staff how he has driven them crazy when it comes to all the little things. Um, you know, beyond scoring uh and and he needs to improve on that front. But if he can be a guy who actually gives you 20 plus a night and at the age he’s at and you know that again like to your point Jay, that’s something that that you you can feel like you’re starting to build something. So, I mean it I mean it’s nothing personal obviously, but as far as like the question of pecking order, you know, I mean I don’t see Zach or or Demar as part of this scene’s future. It’s just a matter of time before they uh they get moved on or, you know, if they end up hanging around for a couple years. We’ll see in Zach’s case. But, you know, Domas, we’ve talked about this like he has continued to to kind of just realize that he can’t wave his hand and go to the team of his choice. It’s not going to happen that way in today’s NBA. And so, you know, he’s still a very good player that that is going to be a major priority. And and we’ll see how Dennis Shreder plays. He’s been inconsistent the past couple years. But, I mean, that’s a long answer to your simple question. I mean, Jonathan, you know, if they were able to get him, would would be a major priority. Sam Amit joining us. Um, you said earlier, and I agree with you wholeheartedly on D. Rozen and Lavine. You said the Kings weren’t finding much with Lavine and and I I think I’m just nitpicking your words here, but I’m just curious, are they finding anything? I mean, is it Lavine appears to me as at least right now a literally like untradable contract? like if they went around the league and said, “We will take literally anything in return other than more salary long term, but we will take whatever you want to get give back to to to get rid of Zack Lavine.” No disrespect to him. It’s just his contract. Am I right in thinking there’s just no takers? There’s no room. There’s no money for Zack Lavine. Yeah. No. And I I don’t know all the talks obviously, but I would I would presume that it’s you’re you’re having to attach assets to get off that deal, and they’re not looking to do that. So you know that especially when you are trying to compete and even though you don’t see him as part of the future, you still know he can give you 30 plus on any given night. So in terms of competing um you know they they care about what they would potentially get back. But yeah, I mean the contract is is uh is is I mean I couldn’t agree with you more. It’s not going anywhere. Have you heard Sam anymore lately on uh Westbrook and the Kings? No. Uh admittedly this is one of those we we run into these weeks every once in a while where I I wish I’d chatted with you guys, you know, eight hours from now I have a few conversations lined up that uh that could help on that front. Um but I have been a little when I was on vacation. Um I was a little surprised by the Westbrook chatter that I had noticed just because my understanding now and things change is and Dave you I know have been real close to the story is is that there was a concern about flooding the back court. Um, and you know, when I went on vacation, the interest level was seemingly pretty low. And then, you know, it seemed like, uh, you know, Dave especially kind of felt like this was, uh, was maybe more on their radar and something they wanted to do, but but I don’t have clarity at the moment. Yeah. from what I understand and and the what really triggered it was I just I I didn’t really have a place to put it but um strangely enough out of Westbrook’s camp I know his people close to him have been talking about Sacramento and asking around about the market and about the team and about you know you know the things that sometimes are a precursor to something there’s definitely curiosity there and and there has been interest that’s a player that that Scott Perry uh helped draft has a relationship with and kind of fits the parameters. He’s I I don’t think it’s a matter of necessarily mutual interest. I think to your point, Sam, uh it probably would have already been done. They still have that full MLE left. I think that MLE is sitting there waiting for Russ or plan B. I think there’s still something else coming regardless of what it is. But it’s flooding the back court. I I I it this is a guess and I’m just guessing, but I I I think maybe a big part of if not the entire holdup is uh they thought maybe they were going to be able to um move a Monk or a Carter or somebody and they have not been able to move anybody. So now you bring in Westbrook, yeah, you’ve got two true blue point guards, but that teeter totter without a power forward, a true power forward is now really shifted. So, I don’t know if the Kaminga stuff might end up breaking the dam. I think honestly if uh if the Kaminga thing were to go, especially if somebody in the back court was going in that process, that might speed the thing up, but it just seems there’s a little bit of a log jam right now. But there is interest. Yeah. And I mean, that’s a fascinating one. Um just in terms of, you know, like Russ’s past couple of years, man, like it’s there’s been some good moments, right? like he had some really good moments last year with Denver. Uh but then he there were some bad m I mean that’s the rust experience but it’s like Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets, it would concern me if I was the Kings that that you know all three of them even if when given the chance to bring them back, you know, on minimums u have have declined, you know what I mean? Uh, and that’s the one where who knows what the sweet spot is in terms of his style of veteran leadership and and I mean listen there’s a bunch of vets on this team already. Does does Russ you know click with this group or does I mean there were some really crunchy moments with Denver and he is just such an intense dude who who I I get it but I don’t agree with it. He continues to kind of carry himself you know like he’s still at that MVP level at times. That’s kind of the word you get and it’s, you know, it’s not that graceful kind of Vince Carter transition into the role player life, uh, that, you know, that a guy like Vince had back in the day. Um, it’s, you know, it’s, uh, it’s a lot and it’s something I think the Kings certainly need to consider when it comes to to their culture in their locker room. You know, Sam, that I think the Kings aren’t the only team, but other teams have maybe wanted to move some guys or make some trades. And there were some trades, you know, obviously game seven, the famous trade of Kevin Durant. there are a few trades right around that. But then since free agency started, whether it’s teams being tied on money or concerned with the second apron and so on and so forth. So I think there’s a lot of people saying, well, expect more trades maybe during the season coming closer to the trade deadline. I I don’t know. Will it be any different then? I mean, the still some of the same concerns are out there. I guess the only difference would be teams would be in the season and and have different goals of where they could ultimately land. Do you expect it to be easier to move some of these contracts for the Kings or others uh come trade deadline time? Well, yeah. I mean, it’s always a little Well, I don’t know. I mean, it’s funny. The cycle is it’s like you a lot of times you have you start the talks at the deadline and the chaos of the season makes it, you know, trickier to pull it off then and then it’s supposed to be easier in the summer when when you have that time. So, I mean, I mean, I guess that that compound effect could continue when it comes to certain conversations that they’ve had and um but when it comes to those guys, you know, again, we never know the whole landscape, but we don’t even have, you know, leaders in the clubhouse, so to speak, with a Lavine, with a D Rozan. Um, I mean, Deamar at times a little bit with Miami, but they’ve done a bunch of stuff since then. Um, you know what I mean? like there’s not that narrative that we’ve been tracking like, oh, Zack was pretty close to going to team X and it’s just a matter of them getting it over the finish line. Um, you know, it’s it’s what we hit on earlier, which is, you know, I don’t know if the day comes when they are willing to attach assets to to finally shake up their roster with these these players that are taking up a massive part of their payroll, but but for now, um, they just got to make do with what they have. I don’t want to go down the the hole again, but Jesus, it’s just so funny that we’re sitting here, whether it’s, you know, Bagley Donsic, whether it’s Hallebertton in the finals, and now we’re we’re not even we’re not even a year. I mean, we’re barely six months into the De’Aran Fox trade and and we’re talking about the Kings having probably a top five most immovable contract and not much else as a result of the De’aran Fox trade at at some point, Sam, they got to make like a 30 for30 or something on the absolutely Shakespearean level of aggressive like wy coyote cut out in the side of the mountains. smash grab failures. I mean, we’re sitting here talking about the fact that they have this massive immovable contract and the highest paid player on the team, no disrespect to his game, is somebody that they got back for their biggest rebuild piece. It’s ridiculous. It is. I mean, and we haven’t visited for a while because I I went on vacation, but I’m not going to lie, this is another one of those visits where it’s like the mood I I feel bad for the fans and and I you know, Dave, you and I joke off the air about how like we’re not trying to to be negative Nancy all the time. Um, last night when I went to that A’s game, we had walked from downtown. So, I walked by Golden One and and and I honestly it was kind of reflecting on the King’s situation and it was like there was actually a few unfortunately a couple businesses that that had uh shuttered since I had been there last, right? And we know what the team means to the community and then I see these business and and I don’t know if there’s a direct through line, but when you see that you’re thinking, all right, well, playoff basketball is good for everybody. Um, and and when they got in the playoffs, the place was popping and Doco was was making money. Um, and and as a person who’s lived here a long time, it was like, man, like I said to John, I was like, I don’t know, man. Like, I think they’re they’re probably five years away from from, you know, being good again if they do this thing right, you know, maybe a little less. And that’s where, you know, put yourself in Scott Perry’s shoes where he’s got all this uh familiarity with the group from when he worked here before, but his fingerprints are not on, you know, almost any of these moves, you know, um until this summer, of course. And you you got to be I mean, happy to get the job, but then also looking at the moves that you alluded to, Dave, going, “Damn, like why why did why did you guys do that Fox trade? Why did you you know, set it up in this kind of way?” and and you probably want to look at the owner and ask him too, but that’s a little bit too on the nose because he just hired you. Um, but yeah, it’s uh they’re in another challenging spot, unfortunately. That’s depressing. Oh, sorry, Jason. Go ahead. I said, well, that’s depressing. Sam, how was your vacation? On on that note, I did notice earlier uh you said you went to the A’s game with neighbor John. Was that just He’s drove. I mean, so I had to take the part off. Yeah. Okay. So, he was neighbor John. Okay. Very good. Yes. Sam A of the Athletic joining us. Fresh back from a beautiful vacation it looked like on Facebook with the family. Good to have you back, Sam. We appreciate you each and every week. And uh we will talk to you soon. Thank you guys. Appreciate it. All right. Take care. That’s uh that’s Sam. And uh yeah. Well, look, it it we do often talk off the air. I was like, h God, you know, we have these interviews and it always a lot of times it just ends up and a lot of it’s me like I’ll just get hit with something. I think it was the just the whole no market for living thing. It’s like that’s that’s what that’s what we got. We didn’t get magic beans. We had magic I don’t know the thing that’s not good that aren’t beans. I I can’t think of something. But here we go. All right. We’ll take a break. When we come back, we’ll uh we’ll shower all that off of us. So recap.

The Athletic’s Sam Amick joined The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross to share his insights on where things stand in Jonathan Kuminga’s free agency, give his take on how far away the Sacramento Kings are from being competitive again, and much more.

Plus, are the Kings still eyeing Russell Westbrook in free agency?

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