As always, you are warned not to freak-the-hell-out about these Draft rumors. They happen. Teams call each other and explore ideas and then someone decides to leak that to the media (for reasons I'm not totally clear about). In this case, the rumor is that the Suns would trade the 5th-overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft with the Sacramento Kings who own the 7th pick.

Per the rumor, the Kings are targeting Kansas guard Ben McLemore while the Suns would want Syracuse guard Michael Carter-Williams.

It's hard to know what to make of this, but on the surface I'd not be opposed. I'm not a McLemore fan (talent needs the right leadership between the ears and this kid has a lot of question marks there). If Phoenix can get Jimmer Fredette or some other decent asset and still get the guy they like in MCW, why not? I could see him in a backcourt with Goran Dragic...that works for me.

Of course, a LOT has to happen for this scenario to play out. I would imagine that it would mean Victor Oladipo is off the board already and then New Orleans would have to use the 6th pick on someone else like Bennett or Len.

This Draft is so fluid.

Anyway, here's the rumor source material:

As the Kings look to move up from No. 7, they could find a trade partner in the Suns, who are exploring a move back from No. 5, sources say.

— Ken Berger (@KBergCBS) June 27, 2013

Teams say Sacramento's probable target in a trade up would be Kansas' Ben McLemore.

— Ken Berger (@KBergCBS) June 27, 2013

If the Suns move down in this draft it is likely to draft Michael Carter Williams

— John Gambadoro (@Gambo620) June 27, 2013

I'd expect a LOT of these kinds of rumors to be flying tonight. Fun stuff.

Ben McLemore, widely projected to be selected in the top five of the 2013 NBA draft, fell to the Sacramento Kingswith the seventh pick overall. The Kings happily selected the dynamic shooting guard, who made it known he felt slighted after falling out of the top of the lottery.

During his post-draft press conference, McLemore said he will "definitely" have a chip on his shoulder to start his NBA career, reports Henry Abbott of ESPN's True Hoop:

Ben McLemore scouting report

The shooting guard is seen by many as the top perimeter player picked in the 2013 NBA Draft.

I can definitely say I come in with a chip on my shoulder. I can be an alpha dog and take over games.

Coincidentally, the Kings were interested in trading into the top five in order to draft McLemore. Things lined up perfectly for Sacramento, as they still drafted "their guy", did not have to give up any extra assets and were even given a free "chip" to put on his shoulder.

Now, they have an extra-motivated rookie to add to their roster next season as they enter a new era under different ownership.

More from SB Nation:

• Noel way: Kentucky C traded to 76ers for Holiday

• Ziller: Noel’s stunning fall

• Viva Las Vegas! Cavs take Bennett No. 1

• Ziller: John Wall got some tattoos, let's freak out

• Draft resources:Scouting reports | Team Needs | Big Board

• Could KG, Pierce go to Brooklyn?

The Kings took Detroit point guard Ray McCallum, Jr. with the No. 36 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. McCallum is 22 and stands 6'1, and is known primarily as a scorer.

Check out McCallum's scouting report.

Tony Mitchell, Jamaal Franklin, Mike Muscala and a few other prospects of note remained on the board as the Kings took McCallum. We'll see whether Pete D'Alessandro has anything else cooking before the draft ends.

Ben McLemore fell to No. 7 in the 2013 NBA Draft, and the Sacramento Kings scooped him right up. At No. 36, the Kings picked up a point guard in Ray McCallum, Jr. A guard-heavy team gets more guards! Here's what the Kings' depth chart looks like with free agents in italics.

PG: Isaiah Thomas | Jimmer Fredette | Toney Douglas | Ray McCallum
SG: Tyreke Evans | Marcus Thornton | Ben McLemore
SF: John Salmons | James Johnson | Travis Outlaw
PF: Jason Thompson | Patrick Patterson | Chuck Hayes
C: DeMarcus Cousins | Cole Aldrich

That's 15 players total, which is actually the maximum roster size. But Johnson almost certainly won't be back, so we're down to 14: seven in the frontcourt, seven guards. I would argue that drafting two guards puts Douglas on the outside, so you're down to six guards. That's probably one too many for the roster, and 2-3 too many for the rotation.

The McLemore win certainly brought Evans' restricted free agency into the spotlight. But if Pete D'Alessandro can find a market for Jimmer Fredette and/or Marcus Thornton, you could keep Tyreke while still getting minutes for Isaiah and McLemore.

The journey is just beginning.

Ben McLemore was expected to go top-5 in the 2013 NBA Draft, and maybe even No. 2. He fell to No. 7. The Kings did not let him fall to No. 8. And surprise! The draft graders out there like the pick.

ESPN's Chad Ford, who gives Sacramento an A-:

Kings GM Pete D'Alessandro has been on the job just nine days, but things are already looking up. Having McLemore, one of the two or three top talents in the draft, slide all the way to No. 7 is a godsend.

USA Today (also an A-):

The Kings basically ignored the composition of their team in making these picks, but they wound up with perhaps the best prospect in the draft and an athletic point guard with potential.

Matt Moore at CBS Sports (B):

A good pick for them, but maybe not transcendent. He has the ability to be a game changer or a ghost for the Kings. Nothing in between.

And finally, SBNation.com. The blurb from Jonathan Tjarks:

The Kings are thrilled that McLemore, expected to go as high as No. 2, fell to them at No. 7. With all the talk around McLemore centering around his choice of agents and his lack of aggression at Kansas, it's easy to forget how much talent he has. He's an elite athlete and an elite shooter, someone who could conceivably compete in the Three-Point Shootout and the Dunk Contest.

I gave the pick a B for fit only because the team is heavy on guards. Clearly, I think it was a spectacular pick.

The 2013 NBA Draft included a slew of surprises with Nerlens Noel falling, Anthony Bennett rising and a huge trade between the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets that actually didn't even effect anything on Thursday night (though it will with many drafts going forward).

The real fun starts now, though, as NBA experts from around the world have weighed in with their draft grades less than 12 hours after all 60 picks were chosen. The SB Nation NBA Draft grades were published Friday morning and, although we might be biased, they're probably the best. Around the web, CBS Sports did their grades pick-by-pick, Chad Ford was pretty comprehensive with everything he did and USA Today was nice enough to break their grades down by conference.

Dallas Mavericks: Dallas sounded like it didn't want to be involved in this year's draft at all, but wound up with Miami's Shane Larkin and Ricky Ledo from Providence after trading down a couple of times in the first round and giving up last year's first rounder -- Jared Cunningham -- in the process. For their efforts, the Mavs earned Bs from CBS Sports and USA Today while ESPN was a little bit harsher, giving them a B-. SB Nation gave the Larkin pick an A for fit, B+ for immediate impact and a C+ for upside.

Denver Nuggets: The Nuggets' new front office wasn't able to make the splash they likely wanted as they traded the 27th overall pick for the 46th pick and cash while also dealing last year's starting center (Kosta Koufos) for the Memphis Grizzlies' backup power forward (Darrell Arthur). The Nuggets didn't do too bad in getting Erick Green and Joffrey Lauvergne, but that still gave them a C from ESPN and a C- from USA Today. CBS Sports gave the Green pick an A+, but it was another C for the Lauvergne pick.

Golden State Warriors: The Warriors made a flurry of moves to get back into this year's draft, buying the No. 26 pick and then trading down to 29 and then again to 30 before selecting Nemanja Nedovic while getting Minnesota's Malcolm Lee in the process. Ford believes Nedovic will come over right away, giving the pick a B- and USA Today followed suit. CBS Sports wasn't as kind, however, giving the pick a D. SB Nation gave the pick B in terms of fit, a B- for upside and a lowly C- for immediate impact.

Houston Rockets: The Rockets were without a first round pick and, surprisingly, stayed pretty quiet on Thursday night. No trades, just the selection of Isaiah Canaan with the No. 34 pick. Ford gave the choice a B+, USA Today gave it a B- and CBS Sports gave it a B-.

Los Angeles Clippers: The Clippers made their big move last week when they acquired Doc Rivers from the Boston Celtics and, as such, were relatively quiet on Thursday night. They made a nice move in getting Reggie Bullock with the 25 pick, though, and were rewarded with a B+ from ESPN, a C+ from USA Today and a B- from CBS Sports. SB Nation went with an A for fit, a B+ for immediate impact and a B- for upside.

Los Angeles Lakers: The Lakers didn't have a first round pick, but went with Duke Blue Devils standout Ryan Kelly in the second round. Kelly was a pretty good deal at the 48 pick, too, as ESPN and USA Today gave the choice a B+ whereas CBS Sports was much harsher with their C- grade.

Memphis Grizzlies: The Grizzlies made the trade for Kosta Koufos in exchange for Darrell Arthur and one of their three second round picks. Memphis chose "Tony Allen 2.0"Jamaal Franklin and draft-and-stash prospect Janis Timma with their other two picks, earning a B+ from USA Today, an A from Ford and a B/D grade from CBS Sports on the pair of picks.

Minnesota Timberwolves: The Timberwolves were very active, trading the No. 9 pick to the Utah Jazz for the 14th and 21st picks, selling their 26th pick and then using the 52nd and 59th picks to select a total of four prospects on Thursday night. Shabazz Muhammad, Gorgui Dieng, Lorenzo Brown and Bojan Dubljevic were acquired with the picks, eliciting a B+ from USA Today, a B- from ESPN and grades ranging from an A- to a C- from CBS Sports. SB Nation graded the Muhammad pick a B for immediate impact, a B- for upside and a C for fit while giving Bs across the board to the Dieng pick.

New Orleans Pelicans: The Pelicans made the biggest move of the night when they selected Noel with the sixth pick, but shifted him to the Philadelphia 76ers for Jrue Holiday and the rights to Pierre Jackson -- while giving up next year's first rounder, too. The Pelicans were given an A- for their draft-night efforts by USA Today, a B+ from ESPN and an A from the Pelicans -- though that was before the pick was traded, apparently.

Oklahoma City Thunder: OKC was active on Thursday night, picking Steven Adams with the 12th pick, moving up to grab Andre Roberson with the 26th pick and then grabbing Alex Abrines with the 32 pick in the second round. CBS Sports wasn't impressed, though, giving the Adams pick an F while ESPN gave them a B+ and USA Today met in the middle with a C. The Thunder weren't looking on highly by SB Nation as the Adams pick graded out to a B+ for upside, but Ds for both fit and immediate impact. The Roberson pick was given Cs for upside and immediate impact, but a lowly D for fit.

Phoenix Suns: The Suns were in a tough spot when they ended up being able to choose between the two consensus No. 1 picks at the No. 5 spot. They eventually ended up choosing Alex Len over Noel and then acquiring Archie Goodwin and Alex Oriakhi with later picks. CBS Sports gave the Len pick an F, too, whereas CBS Sports was kinder with grades of B-. SB Nation gave the Suns' pick an A- for upside, C for immediate impact and a C- for fit.

Portland Trail Blazers: The Blazers made a ton of picks on Thursday night, getting C.J. McCollum in the first round and then Allen Crabbe, Jeff Withey, Grant Jerrett and Marko Todorovic in the second round. That elicited a B+ grade from USA Today, a solid A from ESPN and an A+ from CBS Sports for the McCollum pick. SB Nation gave the McCollum pick a B+ for immediate impact, a B- for upside and a simple C for fit.

Sacramento Kings: Sacramento was given a gift when they had the option to choose Ben McLemore with the seventh pick. They took that gift too, before adding Detroit's Ray McCallum in the second round. It was essentially a Best Available Player pick in both rounds, but it worked as ESPN and USA Today gave them an A- while CBS Sports hit Sacramento with a solid B. SB Nation was very high on the McLemore pick, too, giving Sacramento's new player an A for upside, A- for immediate impact and a B for fit.

San Antonio Spurs: The Spurs did a very Spurs thing in drafting Frenchman Livio Jean-Charles with their first round pick before taking Deshaun Thomas with the 58th pick in the second round. That ended up being a good thing for the Spurs as USA Today gave the Spurs an A-, ESPN gave them a C and CBS Sports went with an unfortunate D-. SB Nation liked the Jean-Charles pick for the most part, too, giving it B grades for upside and fit ... but an F in the "immediate impact" category.

Utah Jazz: The Jazz traded their two mid-first round picks to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Trey Burke and then made a move back into the first round for Rudy Gobert at the 27 slot. Free agency isn't going to be quite as tricky with the two new players in tow and, because of that, ESPN gave the Jazz a B+, USA Today gave them an A and CBS Sports was split -- giving an A to the Burke deal and a C for Gobert. The Burke pick elicited As in the fit and immediate impact category from SB Nation, but a lesser B for upside. It was more across the board for Gobert, though, as we graded his upside a B, his fit a C and his chances of making an immediate impact a D.

More from SB Nation:

• Noel way: Kentucky C traded to 76ers for Holiday

• Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Jason Terry traded to Nets

• Ziller: Noel’s stunning fall

• Viva Las Vegas! Cavs take Bennett No. 1

• Draft resources:Scouting reports | Team Needs | Big Board

It's been less than one day since the 2013 NBA Draft on Thursday and teams have quickly picked through what remains in the undrafted free agent barrel. SB Nation's Scott Schroeder discussed the top 15 remaining talents that were not drafted on Thursday, and only five remain without a free agent deal or summer league invite.

Jackie Carmichael, Trevor Mbakwe, B.J. Young, D.J. Cooper and Michael Snaer are the five players without a destination from Schroeder's list.

- Scotty Hopsonwill join the Miami Heat during summer league. Hopson played overseas last year and averaged 19.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Prior to playing in Israel, the swingman played for the Tennessee Volunteers.

- While Minnesota's Mbakwe has not reached an agreement with a team yet, the Philadelphia 76ers could be one of his landing spots. Fellow Gopher Rodney Williams signed with Philadelphia Friday morning.

- Temple's Khalif Wyattwill join the Sixers' summer league team. Wyatt had worked out previously for Philadelphia and will have another opportunity to make an impression on the organization. He averaged 20.5 points per game for the Owls.

- Detroit's Nick Minnerath will join the Sacramento Kingsin summer league. The 6'9 forward averaged 14.6 points and 5.9 rebounds per game and will join former Titan teammate Ray McCallum Jr., who was drafted by the Kings on Thursday.

More from SB Nation:

• NBA Draft 2013 Grades and Results

• Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett get traded as the Celtics finally blow it up

• Victor Oladipo's unconventional journey to the Orlando Magic

• Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce in Brooklyn: Go big and go home

• Sixers divebomb the standings to come out on top

Ben McLemore and Ray McCallum will surely compete for the Kings at the Vegas Summer League, which tips in two weeks. Three more names for the squad came out on Friday. All reports are via HoopsHype.

HoopsHype's Jorge Sierra reports that Nick Minnerath, McCallum's Detroit teammate, will play with Sacramento. Minnerath is a 6'9 big man scorer who can shoot the three.

C.J. Aiken will also join the Kings at Summer League, reports CSNPhilly.com. Also a 6'9 big man, Aiken spent his last two years at St. Joseph's, where he was an excellent shotblocker (2.6 per game) for his size.

Finally, Iowa State wing Will Clyburn will play for the Kings reports CycloneFantatic.com's Chris Williams. Clyburn averaged 15 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists per game for ISU last season.

It'll be interesting to see whether Jimmer Fredette or Isaiah Thomas, both going into their third years, are asked to play in Vegas.

Free Agency really snuck up on me this year. Usually, I will spend the week before the draft putting out a few posts on the Free Agent Market. This year however there has just been so much happening with the new ownership transition and I haven't had as much time to think about Free Agency.

But hey, this year we might actually get to care about Free Agency! We have a new ownership group willing to spend money along with a new GM who wants to shape the team his way. This could be a really exciting summer. The Kings don't have a whole bunch of cap space, but they could get some through trades, the amnesty clause or letting free agents walk. Also, we're not really going to focus too much on need and fit in this post, because we don't know how much this new front office will change the roster. Just because we're a guard-heavy team now doesn't mean we're going to be a guard-heavy team in three months.

This first post is on the guards. Normally I'd do a separate post for each individual position but since Free Agency begins Monday, we're a little crunched for time.

As a source I used ESPN's list of 2013 NBA Free Agentsand for statistics I used Basketball-Reference. This list of Free Agents only includes players that were on a teams roster at the end of last season. Also, please keep in mind that while I will use John Hollinger's PER (Player Efficiency Rating), this is not a be-all, end-all stat. There are several deficiencies, particularly that it is not a reliable measure for a player's defensive acumen, so keep that in mind.

First up, the PGs:

Clicking on a Player's name will direct you to their Basketball-Reference page. Player Age is how old they will be at the start of next season.

(R) = Restricted

Let's get this out of the way right at the beginning: The Kings are not signing Chris Paul. Paul is the best point guard in the NBA and would make every single team better. But he's not coming to Sacramento. First, the Kings do not have the cap space. Second, the Kings cannot offer as much money as the Clippers even if they did have the cap space. Third, the Kings are not close to contending, even with Chris Paul and as such aren't an enticing destination. Fourth, the Kings are not signing Chris Paul.

There are other point guards the Kings could target. Currently the Kings have Isaiah Thomas, Jimmer Fredette and Ray McCallum at the position. Thomas is the only one who has shown he can play the PG role at an above average rate; Fredette has struggled as a playmaker, being more effective off the ball, and McCallum is an unknown at this point. There's not even a guarantee that McCallum sticks on the team (although I think he will).

As Thomas is the best PG the Kings currently have, let's take a look at this list and see which players are available that are or might be better than him, Chris Paul notwithstanding. I see five names:

* Brandon Jennings

* Jeff Teague

* Nate Robinson

* Jarrett Jack

* Darren Collison

The first, Brandon Jennings, probably isn't as good as Thomas is now. He's wildly inefficient, with a career FG% of just 39.4%. He also assists at only a slightly higher rate. Jennings has better size and athleticism than Thomas but Isaiah possesses better leadership qualities and plays better off the ball. There's also the fact that Jennings' restricted status means it will likely take a much bigger offer than a team like the Kings would be willing to give to pry him away from Milwaukee. Reports indicate that the Bucks will match any offer for Jennings.

Nate Robinson is better than Isaiah Thomas is now but Robinson is also 6 years older. They're kind of similar players, but Robinson is more explosive and has actually learned how to create for others at a pretty solid rate in the past few years. Robinson isn't enough of an upgrade that I'd be willing to shell money for. Still, if Isaiah is traded or something, he's a possible cheap replacement.

Jarrett Jack had a bit of a breakout year in Golden State, becoming a serious sixth man of the year candidate. He shot the ball really well and did a good job of balancing creating for himself and creating for others. His size also offers problems on the defensive end and allows him to pair well with smaller guards, as the Warriors sometimes did with him and Curry on the floor at the same time. He's probably seeking a contract above the MLE ($5 mill+) and would offer the Kings a chance to roll with some big lineups. You could pair him up with McLemore or Evans, and there could even be a Jack/McLemore/Evans lineup on occasion. He will be 30 years old next season so I'm not super excited, but I wouldn't be upset if the Kings took a hard look at signing him. There is that Golden State connection.

Darren Collison has had a bit of a rough start to his career. Along with Marcus Thornton, he showed glimpses of greatness in his rookie year when Chris Paul went down with an injury. He hasn't really been able to match that rookie year yet though, but last year was a decent start. Collison turns the ball over more than I'd like but he's a good shooter and great in the Pick and Roll. Defensively he has problems due to his height (he's not much taller than Isaiah). He'd be an interesting option to look at.

Finally we come to the name that is most intriguing to me on this list, Jeff Teague. Teague hasn't been especially remarkable in his first four years, but he's been good enough on a good Atlanta team that I'd be willing to take a chance on him. He showed last year that he can handle an increased playmaking load with aplomb, upping his assist rate from 24.3 to 36.1. He's a good, not great, shooter, and he's also one of the most athletic players in the league. A Teague/McLemore backcourt seems like it would fit right into D'Alessandro's vision of a fast-pace, high scoring and unselfish team. There is the problem of his Restricted Status however. One option to possibly consider given that Atlanta isn't going to be able to get the two superstars they were seeking this summer (since Paul is likely staying a Clipper) is to do a double sign-and-trade of Tyreke Evans for Jeff Teague. It's probably not likely, but he'd be a guy that I'd personally target this summer.

In terms of other PGs that Sacramento might look at, there's Jose Calderon, who is the best passer of the bunch next to Chris Paul. He's also a dead-eye shooter. He's old, but he doesn't play a lick of defense anyway, so it's not like his age or a lack of athleticism is going to take away his two greatest strengths. I would like Calderon on the team as a backup or even maybe temporary starter, but at this point in his career I think he'd want to go help a playoff team, even if it meant taking a little less.

In a similar spot as Calderon is Mo Williams. Williams reportedly doesn't want to re-sign in Utah if it means backing up Trey Burke. I'm not sure why he'd want to back up Isaiah Thomas instead.

A few years ago, I would have been all over D.J. Augustin or Rodrigue Beaubois. Both have seemingly declined. The good thing is that they could probably be had for cheap if you think they can turn their careers around.

I liked what Toney Douglas did last year as well, and if Sacramento is looking for a cheap option to come in and play hard on both ends, I wouldn't mind re-signing him. However, I have a feeling Pete D'Alessandro is going to look to Ray McCallum to perform that role.

Next up, the SGs:

This has to be the least interesting position in Free Agency for Kings fans. Currently, the Kings have Tyreke Evans (if they retain him), Ben McLemore, Marcus Thornton at the shooting guard, along with two players in John Salmons and Jimmer Fredette who also see time at the spot. For the Kings to go after a FA shooting guard would likely mean a big overhaul.

One thing I'm certain of is that the Kings probably aren't trading Ben McLemore anytime soon. Everyone else is fair game. So which of these above guards make sense with McLemore on the roster? Which players would do well coming off the bench, or even starting while McLemore develops?

O.J. Mayo is an interesting case. He got off to an incredible start in Dallas last year but his production petered out as the season progressed. Mayo has a good assist rate for a SG but not for a PG. I don't think you could play McLemore and Mayo together. Mayo would make a lot of sense as a sixth man bench scorer, but I'm pretty sure that's not the role he wants given how he ended things in Memphis.

Defensively, there is no perimeter defender in this bunch better than Tony Allen. Allen isn't a good shooter from outside, but he can take the ball to the basket and scores at an efficient rate inside the arc (career 47.5% from the field). He's only listed at 6'4, but he can easily guard the other team's best wing, be it a SG or a SF. Allen has made the All-Defensive team in each of his last three seasons, gaining a 1st team selection in the last two. He would definitely help this team defensively.

Kings Should Not Sign Monta Ellis

Despite reports the Kings might be interested in Monta Ellis, they shouldn't sign him.

Since the Kings drafted McLemore, I've seen a few comments to the effect of "Thank God, this means we won't sign Ellis". I'm guilty of making such a comment myself while watching the draft with section214. However, this isn't necessarily the case, especially if the team looks at Ellis as a PG. Offensively, a backcourt of Ellis and McLemore would be one of the most offensively potent and explosive (assuming McLemore lives up to his billing) in the league. However, I would not go after Monta Ellis for a bevy of reasons, and I'm hopeful D'Alessandro and his front office see that as well: Ellis is inefficient, a high-volume shooter, and doesn't put much effort on the other end of the court.

J.J. Redick would be a good fit as a sixth man bench scorer, and a good person for McLemore to learn from. Redick has transformed his game from a spot-up shooter to becoming a respectable defender and playmaker. I think a lot of teams would be very happy to have Redick come off their bench or even start.

I have zero interest in signing J.R. Smith, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year. He shoots way too much and takes a lot of shots out of the offense. He'll put up a lot of points, but doesn't offer much else. On a young team with few veterans, he's not a presence I want around.

While I will always hold a special place in my heart for Kevin Martin, he's not what this team needs right now, and he's not going back to a young team with scant playoff hopes after tasting the possibility of real success this season.

Gary Neal is an interesting option because he is a bit of a combo guard, although his primary focus is always scoring. He doesn't seem like the guy that would leave a contender to play for a rebuilding team though, unless the money was much more, which it wouldn't be; Gary Neal isn't that good.

Nick Young is a worse J.R. Smith. People talk about Tyreke Evans like he's a black hole sometimes. Nick Young has been in the league for six seasons and has never had more than 95 assists in a season. He has 421 career assists. Tyreke had 414 assists in his rookie year.

Speaking of Tyreke, just based off this list, he looks to be the most attractive SG on the FA market this year. He's younger than almost anyone, he's got the highest PER other than Manu Ginobili (Elliot Williams and his small sample size don't count), and he's the most versatile. Manu Ginobili is the only player on this list that I would say is clearly better than Tyreke Evans is now and Ginobili is a first-ballot Hall of Famer with exponentially more experience. This is one of the reasons I don't see Sacramento letting Tyreke walk for nothing. At worst, you can get valuable assets back in a sign-and-trade. Also, if you keep him, I think he can play well next to Ben McLemore at either the PG or SF. Keeping Evans also gives Sacramento the option of bringing McLemore along at a much steadier pace off the bench, instead of immediately throwing him into the fire because there is no other option.

Coming Later Today: The Small Forwards

We'll be listing every single Miami Heat player in the 25-year history of the franchise throughout this offseason so buckle in for Part Two of our 66-part trip to the top.

194. Craig Neal

193. Smush Parker

192. Jamal Robinson

191. Charles Smith

190. Eddy Curry

Earlier today we talked about the guards, and I had to add a disclaimer that when looking at the guards I wasn't considering fit or need simply because we don't know how this roster would look in a few months. There's no need for such a disclaimer with the Small Forward position.

The Kings have needed a Small Forward since Ron Artest left in 2008. The position has been so bad for Sacramento that we've seen attempts to put players like Jason Thompson and Carl Landry at the position.

The Kings weren't in a position to take an impact Small Forward in this year's draft, but there are definitely some options available in Free Agency or by trade this year. I don't expect Pete D'Alessandro to take his time fixing Sacramento's weakest position. It also won't take much to do it; few teams, if any, have fielded a worse wing corps than the Sacramento Kings the past few seasons.

As a source I used ESPN's list of 2013 NBA Free Agentsand for statistics I used Basketball-Reference. This list of Free Agents only includes players that were on a teams roster at the end of last season. Also, please keep in mind that while I will use John Hollinger's PER (Player Efficiency Rating), this is not a be-all, end-all stat. There are several deficiencies, particularly that it is not a reliable measure for a player's defensive acumen, so keep that in mind.

Clicking on a Player's name will direct you to their Basketball-Reference page. Player Age is how old they will be at the start of next season.

(R) = Restricted

Let's look at the few big names first: Josh Smith, Andre Iguodala and Andrei Kirilenko. Getting any of them would require Sacramento to free up cap space they currently do not have. An amnesty of John Salmons would do it, as would letting Tyreke Evans walk.

Josh Smith is someone who I used to be a fan of but am not so sure about anymore. He can play both the 3 and the 4, is incredibly athletic, and provides defense and rebounding. I don't like his attitude however, and he's very inefficient offensively. I remember a few years ago there was talk that Smith was becoming more efficient because he stopped shooting threes. The last three years he's shot more threes than ever, and only converted 30.2% of them. Smith isn't worth the money or the expense of getting him, even if he makes the Kings better.

Andre Iguodala on the other hand is someone Kings fans have been clamoring for for years and now he's finally available as a Free Agent. Iguodala is one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, and he gives you some scoring, rebounding and passing as well. One thing Iguodala is not is a good shooter, and one worrisome trend in his shooting stats has been that his Free Throw Percentage has taken a tumble the last two seasons, to the point that he shot just 57.4% from the line last season. I worry that giving Iguodala a big contract as he is on the downswing of his prime could be a big risk. Take a look at Gerald Wallace for example; Just a few seasons ago, Wallace was seen as an asset worth trading a lottery pick for and getting a big money extension. Since then, his production has fallen off a cliff. Iguodala hasn't had near the injury history of Gerald Wallace though so I don't expect him to suffer the same kind of drop-off. I'm not holding out too much hope on the Kings signing Iggy though, there are other teams he'd likely see as a better fit at this time in his career (like say the Spurs, who have cap space). D'Alessandro will be very familiar with Iggy from his time in Denver.

As of this writing, Andrei Kirilenko has yet to choose whether to opt in or out of his $10.2 million option for next season. If he opts in, this is a moot point. But should he opt out, he's a prospect that could definitely help thanks to his defense and all-around game. There were reports that the Kings were very close to signing him last season, but he ended up taking Minnesota's offer instead.

(UPDATE: Kirilenko has indeed opted out of his contract and will become a Free Agent)

There are several cheaper options for Sacramento to look at that would still be upgrades. By far my favorite is Dorell Wright. I've wanted Dorell Wright since it was rumored that the Warriors were looking to trade him. Philadelphia ended up getting him for a second round pick, while Sacramento went with James Johnson. Wright isn't as big as Johnson but he's a much better shooter, rebounder and passer. He's also shown that he can play defense. Wright would be a great fit on this Kings team, and he's still relatively young.

If Sacramento wants a guy who can space the floor, they can grab Kyle Korver, the best shooter in this group of guys and one of the best shooters in the history of the NBA. Korver has a career 3P% of 41.9% over 10 seasons. He's also become a decent defender, although still not great.

Corey Brewer might be a cheap option as a defender, but I'm not a big fan. Still, he's probably better than any SF we have, but he's the kind of guy the old regime would have gone for; someone that seems like a slight upgrade but still won't fix the glaring problem. I wouldn't mind him as a bench guy, just not as a starter.

The Re-Education of Chris Copeland

How a 29 year old rookie made it to the NBA

Almost nobody had heard of Chris Copeland before last season, until the Knicks took a chance on the 29 year old rookie, who had been playing in Belgium for years. He proved to be a great signing. He showed a great shooting touch, making 47.9% of his shots and 42.1% of his threes. Now there wasn't much besides the scoring, but he plays with effort and works hard. His good shooting makes him a good fit with everyone.

Mike Dunleavy probably isn't an option due to his and DeMarcus Cousins' mutual dislike. Dunleavy is past his prime but he's a very sold all-around player, particularly offensively.

I have an irrational dislike for Austin Daye, but I will begrudgingly admit that he might be a good pickup for his upside. He at least can shoot and rebound well. I will not admit the same for Wesley Johnson, who was supposed to do those two things coming out of college but has woefully under-performed since setting foot in the NBA.

Coming tomorrow: the Bigs

The Sacramento Kings drafted two guards in the 2013 NBA Draft. While few Kings fans have any issue with the selection of Ben McLemore, many fans were disappointed with the selection of Ray McCallum. Not because they dislike McCallum, mind you, but because they felt the Kings should have used the pick to select either a wing player, or a big man. Because of this refrain, we might be inclined to expect the Kings to add another big man via free agency. But when I look at the roster, it's clear that the Kings don't need another big man.

The idea that the Kings need another big man seems to stem from a couple different places. Cole Aldrich is a free agent, and while it's certainly possible that he could return, nobody will be surprised if he signs elsewhere. Aldrich looked good in limited minutes late last season. That seems like something that might be worth replacing.

And then there's the idea of pairing DeMarcus Cousins with a shot-blocker. This seems to be a holdover concept from when Cousins was paired with Samuel Dalembert. And sure, Cousins could generally stand to be paired with someone who plays solid defense.

But neither of those factors demonstrate an actual need for another big man.

The Kings have four big men under contract as they enter the free agency period: Cousins, Jason Thompson, Patrick Patterson, and Chuck Hayes. If anything, I'd argue the Kings have one too many bigs in the rotation. Ideally one of those players is swapped out for a project big man who doesn't play a ton of minutes this year. But each of the four Kings bigs are capable of being part of a legitimate three-big rotation.

While Cousins isn't a great defender, his elite defensive skill is drawing charges. He still commits his own fouls at far too high a rate, and I certainly see the benefit of pairing Cousins with a more defensive-oriented big man. But if you want a big man with a defensive orientation, the Kings already have Hayes. Hayes was underutilized last season, but I'm hopeful we'll see a revival of his career with coach Michael Malone's emphasis on defense and defined roles.

Jason Thompson is capable of playing the 4 or the 5, and can defend both positions. He's certainly not an elite defender, but he's a willing defender. That just leaves Patrick Patterson. And while Patterson is the weakest of the four Kings bigs defensively, he brings unique value on offense as a stretch four.

All of this obviously comes with the caveat that we don't know how any of these players will fit into Malone's offensive or defensive system. The Kings might very well need another big man based on the schemes or based on Pete D'Alessandro's vision for the roster.

But barring any inside information on Malone or D'Alessandro's plans, it's premature to think the Kings need to target a big man in free agency.

Now, about that small forward position ...

Even after 60 players landed new employers in Thursday's NBA Draft, dozens of rookies remain available for the taking. With the freedom to choose their first team, a benefit not enjoyed by the top players, we're seeing guys get snapped up quickly by franchises looking to fill summer-league rosters and maybe unearth some legitimate contributors.

With summer play beginning on July 12 from Las Vegas, teams aren't waiting to land the best of the leftovers. Here's a round-up of all the undrafted free agent action on Saturday, with all reports coming from Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld unless noted otherwise:

• Missouri guard Phil Pressey, Iona guard Lamont "Momo" Jones and Jayson Granger of the Spanish ACB League will play for the Boston Celtics' summer league team. Former Indiana guard Eli Holman may also join the squad.
  
• North Carolina State forward C.J. Leslie joins first-round pick Tim Hardaway Jr. on the New York Knicks' summer squad.
• Indiana forward Christian Watford makes a somewhat unprecedented move, agreeing to play for both the Indiana Pacers and Dallas Mavericks in Las Vegas. Watford will be joined on the Pacers by Julian Mavunga of Miami (Ohio).
• Temple's Khalif Wyatt and Marquette's Vander Blue will follow the same route as Watford. Wyatt has signed on to play for Dallas and Philadelphia, while Blue will take the court for Houston and Memphis.
• Leslie's teammate, Wolfpack forward Richard Howell, joins the Denver Nuggets along with Wake Forest's C.J. Harris and La Salle's Ramon Galloway.
  
• Central Florida forward Keith Clanton and Saint Mary's guard Matthew Dellavedova will play with the Orlando Magic.
• Syracuse forward Brandon Triche and VCU guard Troy Daniels join the Charlotte Bobcats.
• Minnesota forward Rodney Williams will play for the Philadelphia 76ers. He'll be joined by big man Michael Eric, who last played in the D-League, Keith Pompey of Philly.com reports.
  
• A trio of Iowa State players found temporary homes, as Will Clyburn joins the Sacramento Kings, Chris Babb joins the Phoenix Suns and Korie Lucious joins the Detroit Pistons.
  
• Former Missouri State guard Kyle Weems, who most recently played in Germany, will play for the Atlanta Hawks. He'll be joined by Memphis Tigers wing Adonis Thomas.
  
• The next Danny Green? Miami shooting guard Durand Scott joins the San Antonio Spurs.
• Tennessee State's Robert Covington, Murray State's Ed Daniel and Arkansas' B.J. Young join the Houston Rockets. Daniel reunites with his college teammate and Rockets second-round selection, point guard Isaiah Canaan.
• Miami's Kenny Kadji joins the Cleveland Cavaliers.
• Carlos Boozer's brother, Charles Boozer, will play for the Chicago Bulls.
• Notre Dame's Jack Cooley and Missouri's Laurence Bowers join the Memphis Grizzlies
• UNLV's Anthony Marshall, Texas guard Myck Kabongo and Memphis high-flyer D.J. Stephens will play for the Miami Heat. Stephens' 46-inch vertical leap at this spring's combine was the highest ever recorded at the pre-draft event, while Kabongo was generally considered a second-round talent.
  
• Creighton big man Gregory Echenique will join the Toronto Raptors.
• Matt Lojeski, a former Hawaii guard who last played in Belgium, will play for the New Orleans Pelicans.
• Illinois guard Brandon Paul will play for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
• BYU forward Brandon Davies will join the Los Angeles Clippers.
• Southern Miss guard Dwayne Davis will play for the Golden State Warriors, according to Patrick McGee of the Sun Herald.
• Duke guard Seth Curry received offers from a number of teams, but he doesn't expect to be healthy enough to play this summer after April shin surgery.
  

More from SB Nation:

• NBA Draft 2013 Grades and Results

• Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett get traded as the Celtics finally blow it up

• Victor Oladipo's unconventional journey to the Orlando Magic

• Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce in Brooklyn: Go big and go home

• Sixers divebomb the standings to come out on top

The MACtion takeover of the NBA is just getting started. Late Saturday night it was announced that former Kent State forward Chris Evans has been added to the Sacramento Kings' Las Vegas Summer League roster.

Congrats to Chris Evans on getting selected to play for the Sacramento Kings in the NBA Summer League! #GoFlashes

— CoachSendy (@CoachSendy) June 30, 2013

Evans is the third former Mid-American Conference player to receive a summer League invite in the past two days joining former Ohio guard D.J. Cooper and former Akron center Zeke Marshall. Cooper and Marshall are both apart of the Philadelphia 76ers' Orlando Summer League roster. Cooper also is a part of the Golden State Warriors' Las Vegas Summer League roster.

Evans--a dynamite dunker--worked out with the Kings in early June, and seems to have impressed them enough for them to extend him an opportunity this summer in Las Vegas from July 12-22.

As a versatile small forward, he had a huge senior season for the Golden Flashes. He earned first-team All-MAC honors and posterized anyone who got in his way, including Marshall, the 2013 MAC Defensive Player of the Year, in arguably his best dunk of the year.

Kent State's Chris Evans dunks over 7-footer Zeke Marshall and the foul #SCTop10#DunkFacehttp://t.co/MgmGI7CrKd

— Jay Fiorello (@jay4lo) March 15, 2013

Sacramento is a bit of a mess right now after undergoing a battle to remain in the Golden State's capital, but had one of the best drafts, snagging guard Ben McLemore at No. 7 and guard Ray McCallum in the second round. They are in the market for an additional small forward though as backup forward James Johnson is likely out the door due to free agency, and the team hasn't gotten much production out of either John Salmons or Travis Outlaw at the position. The 6-foot-5 Evans could provide them some punch off the bench for Sacramento. He is a dynamic scorer, especially inside, and possess plus defensive rebounding skills.

If Evans can impress the Kings' staff this summer during the 10-day Las Vegas Summer League, he could wind up making an NBA roster. More than likely though, Evans is looking at an opportunity to move onto the NBA D-League where he will get a chance to improve his skills while teams continue to scout him.

There seems to be a thought around the league that Sacramento needs to upgrade their Power Forward spot, or pair another big man next to DeMarcus Cousins. As Greg pointed out yesterday, there really isn't as glaring of a need for another big man as some make it out to be. Sacramento currently has DeMarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson, Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes.

Now, that's not to say Sacramento couldn't use another big, particularly one who can block shots or help Sacramento with their defensive rebounding. Despite having DeMarcus Cousins, one of the better rebounders in the NBA, Sacramento was one of the worst defensive rebounding teams in the NBA. Jason Thompson is an average rebounder, Chuck Hayes is slightly above average, and Patrick Patterson is below average (it should be noted that the Kings give up a lot of rebounding from having John Salmons at SF).

As a source I used ESPN's list of 2013 NBA Free Agentsand for statistics I used Basketball-Reference. This list of Free Agents only includes players that were on a teams roster at the end of last season. Also, please keep in mind that while I will use John Hollinger's PER (Player Efficiency Rating), this is not a be-all, end-all stat. There are several deficiencies, particularly that it is not a reliable measure for a player's defensive acumen, so keep that in mind.

Clicking on a Player's name will direct you to their Basketball-Reference page. Player Age is how old they will be at the start of next season.

(R) = Restricted

*Barron had a very small sample size

That's not a very inspiring list if Sacramento is looking for options. There are of course a couple big names: David West and Paul Millsap. West is an excellent player, one of the best shooting big men from mid-range in the NBA. He'd be potentially a good fit for the Kings, but he's also going to be 33 next season and likely looking to get his first NBA title. He got closer than he's ever gotten before this season with Indiana, and that's where I expect him to re-sign.

Paul Millsap is a more intriguing option because he can step outside and hit a jumper, or he can mix it up inside. He's also just entering his prime, and has shown he can be effective with a big man like Cousins after playing with Al Jefferson for several years. His last contract was for 4 years, $32 million and he's probably looking for something a little bit more than that.

In terms of other options, there isn't much that would upgrade Sacramento's bench rotation right now, but there are some.

Elton Brand would be a solid veteran presence as well as a good defender. Given his age and injury history however, he's not a long term solution. Still, I wouldn't mind him coming in as a veteran to mentor our young bigs like Cousins. The question would obviously be whether or not he'd want to do that at this point in his career.

Brandan Wright is probably the most intriguing option on this list. While he hasn't lived up to his lottery pick billing due to some unfortunate injuries at the beginning of his career, he's transformed into one of the better bench bigs in the NBA. He's extremely efficient offensively, able to shoot a jumper and particularly do well in the pick and roll. He's also an excellent shotblocker, with only Chris Andersen being better among these forwards. One thing he is not however is a good rebounder; As such, he'll likely never start for a good club.

Carl Landry is someone Mike Malone and Kings fans will be intimately familiar with. Like Wright, he's not a good enough rebounder to be a starter. He's incredibly good around the basket, which makes it all the more confusing why Paul Westphal had him standing outside shooting jumpers. I don't think Sacramento will be interested however as there's a proven history of him not working well with Cousins; Someone like Patrick Patterson who can stretch the floor better makes more sense.

Marreese Speights doesn't have quite the range as a guy like Patterson, but he can hit the jumper and is a decent rebounder. He's a bit like Jason Thompson. Chris Andersen would be a good rebound and defense guy, but I see no way he comes to Sacramento after winning a title in Miami. I also don't necessarily want him around the team.

Dejuan Blair doesn't have any ACLs and it seems to be catching up to him. Once a dominant rebounder, his rebounding numbers and percentage have declined each year he's been in the NBA. He lost his rotation spot to Tiago Splitter and never really saw much time after that.

Friends don't let friends sign J.J. Hickson or Andray Blatche.

Now, the Centers:

*Andrew Bynum's stats are from 2011-12

Much like my disclaimer about Chris Paul, let me add a disclaimer about Dwight Howard: The Kings are not signing Dwight Howard. Let's move along.

This is not a great bunch of available big men. After Dwight there are three big names: Andrew Bynum, Al Jefferson and Nikola Pekovic. All three will require big contracts to sign.

Pekovic is the most attractive candidate to me but he's also the hardest to sign due to his restricted status. Pekovic is a brute inside, one of the best in the NBA at using his body to get good position. I'm a bit surprised that his rebounding isn't better, but that might be a case of playing next to Kevin Love, who gobbles up all the rebounds. Defensively, Pek isn't a shotblocker but he uses his strength well to keep opposing players from getting good positioning.

Al Jefferson is a bit like a more efficient but slightly smaller DeMarcus Cousins. He has a much more refined post game, can step out and hit the jumper, and even has learned how to pass the ball to the open man in the past few years. However, he's just so similar to Cousins that I don't think the two would be a good fit with each other. He's also got a history of knee injuries and that always scares me with big men.

Speaking of knee injuries, we reach Andrew Bynum. There's no question that when Bynum is healthy he's among the best big men in the NBA. He's good on both ends and is a phenomenal rebounder. But health is a huge issue. At just 26, Bynum has already missed significant time: Out of 640 available games in 8 seasons, he's played just 392. Bynum's potential is so big that there is going to be some team out there that will risk a lot and pay a lot to get him this summer. I don't want to saddle that much money into a shaky foundation.

Tiago Splitter is probably the best of the rest, performing very well in the Pick and Roll and just being a solid all-around big man. He got a big exposed in the NBA Finals against a non-traditional team like the Heat but that was a bit of a special case. He's better than most backup bigs in the NBA.

Still, I'd like Sacramento to retain Cole Aldrich. Aldrich showed last season that he can do exactly what he was brought in the NBA to do: rebound and play tough defense. Aldrich's above stats are brought down a bit from his time in Houston. In Sacramento, he had an insane 30% defensive rebound rate and a 6.3% block rate. He's had a few years waiting on the bench doing nothing for good teams, and he finally got a chance to show that he can play last year. I think he'll be inexpensive and very serviceable for Sacramento. He reminds me of Joel Przybilla, a guy who comes in, knows his role and plays it to perfection. Aldrich is still young, has a good attitude, and would seemingly pair well with any of the Kings current big men (except maybe Chuck Hayes).

***

Free Agency starts tomorrow. It will be very interesting to see what direction this new front office goes in.

Many of us would forgive the Kings' new front office if the 2013 offseason came without massive turnover. It takes time to get systems in place, to get the roster in shape, to get the salary cap sheet adjusted. But Pete D'Alessandro apparently doesn't need much time. From his chat with Ailene Voisin for Sunday's Bee:

"I'm going to be really aggressive," D'Alessandro said. "I feel I owe it to the team and the community to make an aggressive move, and I think because we're new, we're an attractive team. Smart players are going to look at us and realize that we're going to get things done. Whether it comes from the three (small forward) or one (point guard), we need better passing. I've said that from Day One. But small forward definitely, I do think there's a void there."

It seems like Pete D'Alessandro said he's going to get us a new small forward. !!! Later in the piece Voisin tosses out $8-10 million as Tyreke Evans' range. That's quite possibly an informed clue as to what D'Alessandro will offer or match. If the Kings pay Tyreke $10 million in 2013-14 salary and waive John Salmons under amnesty, after accounting for all other players including Ben McLemore but not Ray McCallum, Sacramento would have $12 million to offer up to a free agent. Is that Andre Iguodala range? I don't know. Possibly. Possibly not.

But getting Evans a bit cheaper opens up more money, and unloading any of Jimmer Fredette ($2.4 million), Jason Thompson ($5.6 million), Chuck Hayes ($5.7 million), Travis Outlaw ($3 million, oh man) or Marcus Thornton ($8 million) will expand the options further. (Isaiah Thomas is so cheap that trading him for cap relief is pointless.) It'll be interesting to see if D'Alessandro does amnesty Salmons, the team's only candidate, and makes a move to go after a free agent. It all depends on waiving Salmons and locking up Evans well under the max.

The New Orleans Pelicans will be the first team to meet with Sacramento Kings restricted free agent Tyreke Evans when free agency opens at 12:01 a.m. ET Monday, according to ESPN's Marc Stein.

The Pelicans have already been busy this offseason, having traded No. 6 pick Nerlens Noel and a 2014 first-round pick to the Philadelphia 76ers for point guard Jrue Holiday. Now New Orleans reportedly has set its sights on the talented Evans, who could be on his way out of Sacramento with the Kings selecting Ben McLemore with the No. 7 pick in the draft.

The Pelicans currently have roughly $6 million in cap room if all of their free agents are renounced, so they almost certainly don't have the space to sign Evans outright to an offer sheet at this point in time. However, moves can be made to increase that cap room. There are numerous unguaranteed deals on the payroll, with Robin Lopez's $5.2 million contract being the largest.

There's also the possibility of moving Eric Gordon to free up cap space, although perhaps the Pelicans would like to keep Gordon and play three-guard lineups with Holiday, Gordon and Evans. And if for whatever reason there's not enough cap space cleared to sign Evans outright, a sign-and-trade can always be pursued. It also must be noted that the Kings can match any offer for Evans.

More from SB Nation:

• NBA Draft 2013 Grades and Results

• NBA Draft 2014: The first mock

• The Twitter information gap at the draft

• Dwight Howard schedules free-agent meetings

• Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce in Brooklyn: Go big and go home

Andre Iguodala has been the complicated topic of much debate here at DBB -- you know, a lot of ins, a lot of outs, and what-have-yous. The Pistons are reportedly serious about Iguodala, though, and will be meeting with him at some point on Monday after their lengthy early-morning rendezvous with Josh Smith:

Dumars also will meet with forward Andre Iguodala on Monday in Los Angeles, but it's doubtful the Pistons have the willingness to outbid Denver to sign him. Denver GM Tim Connelly and coach Brian Shaw plan to meet with Iguodala in Los Angeles on Monday and present him with a contract extension, league sources told Y! Sports.

You may have seen this already in Sean's post early this morning when news first broke that the Pistons were about to make a huge offer to Josh Smith. As Sean said, and I think I agree, Iguodala would be the better signing. If for no other reason than the fact it would give Detroit sports a Miggy, Ziggy, Riggy and Iggy. Hey, that's pretty neat, right?

Iguodala is also expected to meet with the Nuggets (who sources say the Pistons will not be able to match), New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors, and Atlanta Hawks, according to Yahoo! Sports.

For this episode of the Sactown Royalty show, Kevin Fippin joined me to discuss why he hates Ben McLemore. Spoiler: Kevin just hates nice things.

We also discussed free agency. Will Tyreke Evans sign with the Pelicans? Will the Kings sign an impact free agent? While you're listening, keep an ear out for my unintentional John Salmons fish pun.

And finally, we wrapped up the show by discussing why Kevin Fippin hates Dwight Howard, why Kevin is a scared little puppy, and why I fired Kevin as GM (I've still never seen Kevin and Pete D'Alessandro in the same room at the same time).

Tune in, and drop your feedback in the comments. Caveat, I know my audio cut out at the very start. No idea why. Don't try this at home, kids. I'm a professional.

The podcast is available on iTunes. Subscribe and you'll never miss an episode. We're also now available on Stitcher, for you Android users.

Note: This episode was recorded Sunday night.

Kicking off free agent week with a question from fccpw: "How do you think Kings will perform in this coming offseason and season. With all the hype on 2014 draft and free agency, will they tank to get a higher pick and shed the whole team salary as much as possible or will they just push on to get better season results?"

This franchise is about momentum right now, and there is no way that they will gut the roster and subject the fan base to another year of directionless basketball. You will see a team playing with a purpose this year, and you will see a franchise that is focused on improving every day, and not hoping to pull a rabbit out of its hat at the June 2014 draft.

The Kings have less than $25m in guaranteed contract for 2014 at this moment. This does not include any dollars for Evans, Cousins, Fredette, Patterson or Thomas. If Evans and Cousins are retained, the team really would have little cap room for marquis free agents. Now, there are ways around this. For example, the Kings could sign Igoudala and re-sign Evans this year, while amnestying John Salmons. I'm painting with a really broad brush here, but if the Kings did something like that they would go into next year with about $50m of guaranteed salary, and the could exceed the cap but stay below tax levels while re-signing Cousins. In other words, the franchise gains little by sitting on their hands this year.

The Kings would certainly want to obtain a little more flexibility by moving inflated contract (Thornton, Outlaw and Hayes, for example), but it would be difficult to achieve this without taking back contract in return. For example, would you trade Thornton's two years at $16.9m total for Gerald Wallace's three years at $33m total? I wouldn't. It also needs to be emphasized that none of these contracts are really hamstringing the Kings right now, and all of these contracts will be gone by the 2015 season.

And 1 - I know that everyone is salivating over Andrew Wiggins right now, and he sure does look at least a little bit like a potential generational talent. But everyone has to remember that Byron Mullens was a consensus #1 when he came out of high school, as was Gerald Wallace and Shabazz Muhammad. A lot can change in a year. Next year's draft has every appearance that it will be a very strong draft, but mortgaging a season before you've even gone to summer league? I'll leave that to Boston and Philly.

***

From betweentheeyes: "This (past) week of the draft has brought another round of hope and reminded us to look towards a now brighter future. The consensus is that no stars are in this draft, however in the first 7 picks it seems reasonable to hope for a player of starter quality. My question is: The NBA elite teams are built on stars but there are exceptions (teams without All-Stars): in these last playoffs - Denver and Milwaukee come to mind. Where do you see this star-less Kings franchise going over the next two seasons? Can the Kings nab an All-Star FA or will they have to nurture one via the current roster, via trade, through the draft or a FA up-and-comer?"

The odds say that your best chances are developing what you have, then through the draft, and then via trade, and finally free agency. The simple truth is that you don't see all stars move often via free agency, and when they do, they are usually headed to big markets (or in the case of Miami, markets developed via player conspiracy). That said, the new CBA could change the landscape. At the end of the day, free agents want to get paid, then they want to win, then they want a big market. Chris Webber was a primary example of this phenomenon. He wanted all three things, but Sacramento was the only place that could offer him the most money and a chance to win. And here he stayed. Yes, LeBron, Wade and Bosh all forfeited a slice or two of bread off the loaf when they all migrated to Miami. But let's remember that they all signed six year deals at nearly $110 million each, so they still managed to get paid quite nicely while achieving their goals of playing for a winner, and in doing so they elevated the Miami market. My blind guess is that the new CBA will either lead to more free agents staying with their current team, or at the very least the list of available alternatives may shrink to the point where the smaller markets become more of an option. But as long as you have owners willing to spend more in luxury tax than some teams have in payroll (Lakers, Nets), shenanigans will continue to occur.

Now, I don't know that we'll see the Kings back in the top 5 of the draft anytime soon, so that door may be closing for a while. The current talent base could still be developed. Cousins, Evans, Fredette, Thomas, Patterson, McLemore and McCallum should all still improve as players. Heck, even Thompson and Thornton are only 26, so they could still climb a rung or two. I don't think that the current collection of players represents a playoff roster, but what you hope for is enough improvement to give you tangible assets, which may in turn lead to a trade that lands you superior talent. Either way, you're hoping for Cousins (for example) to become all-star caliber, as it will benefit the franchise whether he stays or is eventually traded. Of course, if he leaves as a free agent, you're hosed.

I think that the most important thing that the Kings need to obtain over the next year or two is value. They need assets that are in excess of the expense. A team like Indianapolis is a great example. While they have had to pay out to retain Granger and Hibbert, let's not forget that they drafted these guys with their 17^th and 18^th picks, respectively. Great value picks! Paul George at 10. Lance Stephenson at 40. Obtaining George Hill at 14...even though they traded the Kawhi Leonard pick for Hill, Hill at 14 is great value. San Antonio gets their value by scouring the international waters and by signing players that appear unspectacular on the surface but ultimately flourish in their specific roles in the Spurs system.

There is really no one way, and you probably have to assemble your roster via each one of the above-mentioned options in varying degrees.

***

And from rojoking: "How far can/does the analytics road go? Does player health and training come in to play? Are there numbers available to tell us how the next generation player will train, improve aspects of weaknesses in their game? How to train to remain injury free, and recover quicker and more fully from the various physical setbacks that hurt teams and careers? Will we be able to turn guys like James Johnson into lights out shooters, Hassan Whiteside into injury free hard workers, change instincts like ball hoggery into, see the floor, make the ‘right play' instincts?"

I think the main thing that analytics provides is a much more focused statistical analysis as it pertains to how certain players will perform in specific systems and situations. For example, the basic statistic of 3-point field goal percentage is expanded into where these shots are taken on the floor, whether they are pull-ups, catch and shoots, coming off screens, etc. What is the player's conversion rate in the 4^th quarter vs. the other three quarters? What is the conversion rate off the bench vs. as a starter? It is this type of information that can really help you zero in on the exact type of player that you are looking for, perhaps getting the exact guy that you need at a relative value price instead of signing a splashy free agent that really doesn't fit your specific needs.

Injuries are injuries, and I'm not sure how analytics would address that. Analytics aren't likely to make Steph Curry's ankles stronger, for example. And analytics won't really address how to improve a shooting stroke, and nothing is going to help a guy with a 10 cent head.

Advanced analytics is a player in todays (and tomorrow's NBA). But it won't replace coaching or the hard work that a player needs to put in to improve himself. It certainly won't make trainers and team physicians obsolete. But what advanced analytics can provide is a certain amount of value (there's that word again) within your capped payroll, and can create a much better symmetry throughout your roster, which in turn could minimize the impact felt when one of your key players does suffer an injury.

***

Pick & Droll for a Monday: OK, we've all had an opportunity to catch our breath. How do you feel about the draft? I'd have a hard time being happier. Ben McLemore was 4^th on my board and 3^rd on the StR board, so what's not to love? I was fine with the Ray McCallum pick at 36, as he was on my list there. But I sure wouldn't have minded Jeff Withey, Mike Muscala, Erick Green or Nate Wolters. But as I noted in the threads, had you offered me McLemore and McCallum at the beginning of the evening, I would have happily taken it, though then I would have missed Bill Simmons melting down over his Celtics, which was a personal draft highlight. The only "disappointment" for me was us not getting in on all of those late 1^st round draft trades. I sure wouldn't have minded taking a run at Gobert (he went 27^th) or stashing Jean-Charles (he went 28^th...to San Antonio, of course). But now I'm getting greedy.

Oh, and congratulations to esoteric NBA name for winning the draft contest, being one of four members to properly choose McLemore, and then earning the tie breaker by getting the 2^nd and 3^rd overall pick right. No one picked McCallum in the 2^nd round, and no one saw Bennett getting picked 1^st.

-

Send your questions and topic ideas to asksactownroyalty@gmail.com. As always, the ensuing thread is 100% jackable.