Yahoo!'s Marc J. Spears is reporting that Rudy Gay will be in Sacramento next week to meet with the Kings. He has until June 30 to decide on whether to opt out of his contract.

The city of Sacramento, Vivek Ranadive's NBA 3.0 vision and the new downtown arena - it has all been part of the Kings' recruiting process to keep Rudy Gay in Sacramento.

Now, the Kings and general manager Pete D'Alessandro are throwing something else at Gay in an effort to sway his decision on exercising his contract option next season.

According to Yahoo!'s Marc J. Spears, Gay will be in Sacramento early next week to meet with the Kings front office and a couple of Hall of Famers - the team's Advisor to the Chairman, Chris Mullin and Mitch Richmond - who reportedly plan to pitch the Kings to the small forward.

"Hall of Famers Chris Mullin and Mitch Richmond, a former Kings star, are expected to join Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, general manager Pete D'Alessandro and head coach Michael Malone when they meet with Gay."

"Gay was originally expected to have the meeting in his offseason home of Memphis, but preferred to have it in Sacramento."

The new downtown arena, which is scheduled to open in 2016, also will be part of the pitch.

"During the meetings, the Kings also will have Gay wear a headset with eyewear that will give him a complete virtual digital tour of the inside of the new Kings arena, including the locker room and arena floor."

When the offseason began, D'Alessandro talked about how the initial plan when the Kings traded for Gay last season was to get him in Sacramento and spend the rest of the season "recruiting" him to stay while he was on the team. That process will continue now that the deadline for Gay to make a decision on whether to opt out of a contract that would pay him $19.3 million next season is less than a month away.

His options, of course, are to remain with the Kings next season and collect that $19.3 million or opt out and become a free agent and/or try to get a long-term deal with the Kings (or another team).

Gay is an obvious talent and one of the best small forwards the franchise has ever had. The Kings need to pull out all of the stops to try to lure, land and retain talent and that is what they are doing here.

Gay averaged 20.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists and 1.2 steals with a 48 percent field goal percentage last season in 55 games with the the Kings.

As a comparison, he are the stats from Peja Stojakovic's and Metta World Peace's (Ron Artest) best seasons with the Kings - the team's best small forwards in recent years.

Peja Stojakovic (2003-04) - 24 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and shot 48 percent from the field (he also shot 43 percent from three).

Ron Artest (2007-08) - 20.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and shot 45 percent from the field (he also averaged 2.3 steals per game).

Vivek Ranadive has done a lot to try to increase the Kings' brand recognition in India since he took over ownership of the team. We caught up with Karan Madhok, who writes about the NBA in India for a variety of sites, including NBA.com, to talk about the league's expansion into the country.

Kings point guard Isaiah Thomas is in India this week promoting the game of basketball.

Kings owner Vivek Ranadive has made it a mission of his to help the NBA expand into the India market and Thomas' trip is one of the many examples of what the team has done to help this effort.

I caught up with Karan Madhok, who writes about the NBA in India for his blog Hoopistani, NBA.com/India and SLAM. Madhok became interested in basketball because he attended "a rare high school in India where basketball was more important than Cricket." He started his blog five years ago.

Vivek Ranadive is planning a trip with new NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to India sometime in the near future. How do you see Silver carrying the torch for David Stern in terms of expanding the NBA brand into India?

Stern was clear that spreading the NBA (and the game of basketball) internationally was a priority for him. He saw an opportunity in China, Africa, etc. and did a great job of promoting the NBA in these markets. He came to India late, but showed definite interest in making it the next frontier.

Silver made it clear early that he hopes to emulate some of the lessons from China into India and help make it the NBA's next big step. I'm hoping to see more interaction between the new NBA Commissioner and India (Stern only came once, only a few months before stepping down) and a revitalized energy into the India project. As a first step, I hope that Silver comes through with his suggestions of opening an NBA Academy in India similar to China, and helping grow the game in the grassroots.

Talk a little bit about what David Stern did for the effort to expand the league into India.

The NBA have been sending coaches and promoters in India for seven to eight years now. I appreciated that, initially, instead of coming out with a splash and promoting the NBA brand, these coaches went to the grassroots in India to work with real young basketball talent and pass on their knowledge to Indian basketball coaches. The league's presence then began to grow exponentially online through social media and with a game-changing TV deal with channel Sony SIX, who now shows up to 14 live games a week in the regular season. The NBA has held various kinds of events now, both at the grassroots level as well as events in big cities that combine basketball and entertainment to make the news and raise awareness.

As you know, they finally opened their first office in the country - in Mumbai - in 2011. The NBA has sent a number of players to India in the past few years, and Stern himself made an iconic visit two years ago. The visit reemphasized Stern's focus not just on the basketball side of things, but also on the growing number of NBA Cares charity partnerships in India.

Isaiah Thomas is currently in India for a week. It is being described as a promotional tour to grow the game of basketball and fans of the league in India. How big of a deal is it for kids in India to see players on the biggest stage in the world coming through?

It depends on the kids. The sad truth is that most young basketball fans/players in India couldn't differentiate an Isiah Thomas from an Isaiah Thomas. For them, NBA basketball is mostly about the biggest name superstars, like LeBron, Kobe, Durant, etc. But the good news is that a lot of these young people are eager to learn more and are a huge fanbase potentially in the waiting for the NBA.

For the smaller number of more knowledgeable fans of the game in India, yes, Isaiah's visit is a pretty big deal. We as Indians consider ourselves to be so detached and far from our basketball idols, so to see one of them in the flesh, or to know that they are in our country even if we don't get to see them, is always an exciting prospect.

The Kings have done a lot to promote the culture of India this season, including launching a website in Hindi. Is something like that happening with an NBA team something you would have ever imagined happening when you first started writing about the league on Hoopistani?

When I started my blog some five years ago, I honestly thought that the first major breakthrough - whenever it happens - would be an Indian player in the NBA. But the Ranadive/ownership story has been a pleasant, unexpected surprise. From the time he became a minority stakeholder in the Warriors, it has been interesting to see how he and other Indians/South Asians have been involved with the league, outside of merely playing for the league. It is definitely an exciting time and we are proud to feel that "one of us," so to say, is now an NBA team owner.

The Kings have talked about playing a preseason game in India in the future. One of the problems, obviously, will be building an NBA-capable arena in the country. Have you heard of any progress in that area and what do you think needs to take place for that to happen?

I wrote about this in great length when Ranadive first floated the idea of a potential exhibition game in India. India is still several steps behind an NBA-capable arena. There are other Asian countries (like China, Philippines) with far better arenas than in India that are used for their domestic leagues, and even in these countries, only a small handful of those arenas live up to NBA standards. India has been building new basketball stadiums in recent years, but I believe we are still not anywhere close to handling the infrastructure of an NBA exhibition game.

Another challenge is getting actual basketball courts for kids to play on in India. Since the NBA opened its league office in 2011, do you think there has been progress in that area?

I've said this various times: with our without the NBA in India, Indian kids definitely have the access to basketball. Most half-decent schools and colleges have a basketball court and many kids, at some point in their lives, will have the opportunity (if they wish) to bounce a basketball. What is missing is the motivation, especially once these kids grow a little older and have to focus on "serious" matters like their education.

But the NBA is making progress in one very significant way: they have partnered with the Reliance Foundation (India's largest conglomerate) to launch a massive junior basketball program for Indian schools through which they hope to reach hundreds of coaches and hundreds of thousands of young players. If the vision of the program is successful, we could see basketball become a more popular recreation option for the kids involved.

Rumors about the Basketball Federation of India developing a basketball league in India have been around for a while now. And you wrote a letter in February calling on the Federation to make this happen. What is the latest on the development of such a league?

I feel that the IMG-Reliance, the sponsors of the Basketball Federation of India, had prioritized the start of the Indian Soccer League (ISL), which is finally set to launch sometime later this year. I think the basketball league will follow the model of the ISL and should be launched a year from now.

Are there any Indians at the collegiate level right now that have shown the potential to become an NBA player?

Not yet. India still hasn't produced a player capable of playing at the NCAA Division 1 level. Or, even if those players existed, they weren't given a chance early enough and many of them were too old and their potential was lost. The first step is to see if we can have talents good enough to make it either to D1 or to European Leagues. An exception, of course, is Satnam Singh Bhamara out in Florida: we'll see what happens with him at the collegiate level in a few months from now.

Is having an Indian-born player make it into the NBA the single biggest thing that needs to happen?

It's one of the two big things for me. The other is to see the launch of a working pro league that makes India's best players into professionals and finally makes basketball into a viable career option. If an Indian makes it to the NBA and, domestically, there is a basketball league where players can have the opportunity to hone their skills, I think together it will ultimately help change the mindsets of many Indians towards the sport.

Ranadive has predicted that basketball will be huge, but probably still second to Cricket, in India in 10 years or so. Do you see this as a real possibility?

I agree with Ranadive that basketball is going to be huge in India in 10 years. But I don't think we should compare it to cricket: the real second-place "battle" would be between basketball and football/soccer. Parts of India already have an old and obsessive history with football. I think India is primed to become a major football market, and I will be happy if basketball's popularity is able to get competitive with that of football's - which, if marketed right, I think is a real possibility.

***

Here are some photos from Isaiah Thomas' trip to India.

#India#NBAcarespic.twitter.com/ngumlympp7

— Isaiah Thomas (@Isaiah_Thomas2) June 7, 2014

The basketball clinic at the YMCA Mastan, Nagpada went good, I had a blast with the kids! #Indiapic.twitter.com/Yxn8tK0xzy

— Isaiah Thomas (@Isaiah_Thomas2) June 7, 2014

@Isaiah_Thomas2 holding court today in Mumbai. @NBAIndia@SacramentoKings #3.0 pic.twitter.com/4FgaDV25gC

— Chris Granger (@cgkings) June 7, 2014

The Kings big man plays Kimmel in a game of 1-on-1, but with a twist.

A quick blurb this afternoon in terms of Raptors' news but it looks like Toronto will be playing some pre-season action outside of the confines of the GTA once again next season.

From a press release via the team a few hours ago:

The Toronto Raptors announced Monday they will play host to preseason games in Vancouver and Montreal in October. They will face the Sacramento Kings at Rogers Arena in Vancouver on Sunday, October 5 and the New York Knicks at Bell Centre in Montreal on Friday, October 24.

This continues a theme for Toronto over the years, as the club has played in Vancouver before (back in 2010), and Montreal in 2012.  They've played preseason games in 11 Canadian cities outside of Toronto since 1995 in fact, and in 2007, the club played overseas in Rome, Italy and Madrid, for NBA Europe Live. (I actually attended parts of the latter trip, an amazing experience for all involved.)

As for Toronto's foes in these two preseason matches...some interesting choices no?  Aren't these the last two teams that Masai Ujri has fleeced via trade?  Hmmmmm.

Rudy Gay will be flying into Sacramento tomorrow afternoon to meet with Kings brass and discuss his future in the purple and black. If the 6th Man has their way, he'll be greeted by an army of fans as soon as his plane touches down.

Rudy Gay will be flying into town tomorrow afternoon to meet with Kings brass. Pete D'Alessandro and Vivek Ranadivé are planning to pitch the virtues of Sacramento to Rudy, in hopes that he either opts into the remaining year of his contract or signs a longer term deal for bit less cash per year. They'll reportedly have reinforcements in tow in the form of Hall of Famers, Chris Mullin and Mitch Richmond, and plan to give Rudy a virtual tour of the new arena.

Retaining Rudy's services is at the very top of the King's to-do list this summer, as the small forward's decision will likely have an incredible impact on the complexion of the Kings' off-season and many seasons to come. D'Alessandro has spoken in the past about last season being used to 'recruit' Rudy. One could easily argue that Rudy's time in Sacramento, playing alongside an elite big in DeMarcus Cousins, was his most productive in the NBA. I assume that's exactly the argument Pete and Vivek plan to make.

The fact is however, that the Kings didn't win a ton of games last season. Much of their pitch will likely be centered around the future of Sacramento, and what Ranadivé and D'Alessandro are trying to build here. However, there is a fan-generated plan in the works to put one of Kings' strongest existing assets, the fans, on display.

Slap on a Kings jersey, grab a "Rudy STAY" sign, and get down to Sacramento International Airport's Jet Center (5885 Flightline Circle) at 1pm tomorrow to greet Rudy at the gate!! Remind Rudy what it means to be a Sacramento King and show him the kind of support/love he can expect for the rest of his career in the Purple and black.

Would Nicolas Batum buy a lottery pick? How might the current Portland Trail Blazers roster develop? Check out the Blazer's Edge Mailbag!

Today we look at roster development and trade possibilities. Is a bird in the hand really better than two in the bush? If so, what might that bird look like?

Hey Dave,

Rumor has it the King's are looking to unload their #8 pick for a Vet player. Now I would normally be against breaking up our starting 5 would it be possible to send Batum for the #8 straight up. Lets assume Gay is not going to resign with the Kings, they would have the cap space to take on his contract while filling the void of him leaving for a reasonable price. The Blazer would have the opportunity to select a quality player in a very deep draft as well as free up 11.4M in cap space. That is a nice size offer to some of the bigger names in the FA ie Monroe, Deng, Gortat, Ariza, Bradley, Hawes (I understand that some are RFA) or possibly a combination if they can get players not to ask for MAX deals to pursue a championship... The list goes on for players we could make a run at and sure up some weak spots. So my question is do you think that this would be a good deal? An if so, who would you attempt to bring into Portland? An don't forget about the draft selection as well...

Thanks

Jeffrey

We've talked about this in terms of LaMarcus Aldridge and his $16 million salary. The pick would have to be ultra-high (think Cleveland or Milwaukee) but clearing up that much cap space for another player or two plus adding a premium rookie would make this a deal worth thinking about.

Scaling down to a Batum version of the deal lessens the pain for Portland but also cuts into the reward.

Even in a deep draft there's a world of difference between the 8th pick and the top 3. The famed 1984 draft--considered by most the greatest of all time--produced 7 All-Stars. The 1996 draft produced 10 while 2003 gave us 8. If this really is one of the best draft classes in the history of forever, the #8 pick could give the Blazers a chance at a special player. They'd have to be on target, however. By that point their chances would have been cut in half, at least.

Batum's salary will be $11.5 million next year, give or take. That's far more than the $5 million MLE but the two don't stack. Going that far under the cap would eliminate Portland's use of the mid-level and other cap exceptions. The $11.5 million could be spent in any way the Blazers saw fit whereas the exceptions are partitioned into chunks that can't be exceeded. The Blazers would be able to sign a single player in the $6-11 million range. (The exceptions don't allow for this.) But the total cap-space gain would be only $4-5 million. If the Blazers didn't have a revolutionary player targeted in that $6-11 million range--and as we detailed yesterday those are still compromise players in today's NBA--this kind of move might not be worth it to them.

The case for keeping Batum gets stronger when you consider all the way the Blazers rely on him. He's their Swiss Army Knife, a defender, rebounder, three-point shooter, and offensive facilitator who doesn't need to handle the ball every possession in order to contribute. They'd have a hard time replacing all those things with a single player. You also have to factor in the Aldridge timeline when considering any prominent rookie. Unless he's a bona fide, instant star, nobody with an "R" after his name is going to fit LaMarcus' schedule.

For all these reasons, this type of deal might not make as much sense for Batum as it would for Aldridge with a commensurately higher pick and more cap space freed. You can't reject the possibility out of hand but the Blazers would need to have desirable players targeted for the 8th draft pick and those free agent/trade dollars to make it work.

Hi Dave,

We all know that the Blazers need to bring in players to upgrade the bench, but I'm not sure how successful they would be this offseason. So, I'm hoping the current rosters improve their skill set to upgrade from within.

Lilliad has improved with driving to the basket, Batum with rebounding and Matthews with post-ups last season.

Now my question is that are there any particular skill sets that the Blazers currently don't possess (at least not enough of) but you saw a glimpse of from any of the roasters that could help them significantly?
I do think having another player who can drive to the basket besides Lillard adds another dimension to the Blazers offense. Anything particular that you are hoping to see in next season from the current players?

Thanks.
-hiro

Thomas Robinson gaining confidence, particularly on the offensive end, provides hope. As I was looking over MLE candidates for the Blazers I found at least a couple who might serve, but whom the Blazers would probably pass over because they'd figure Robinson was a younger, less-formed version. If he can control his turnovers and continue to develop his jump shot, he could help this team.

You're right about needing another player who can get his own shot off the dribble. Again the Blazers will hope that Will Barton, C.J. McCollum, or one of the other young wings will fit the bill.

Defense--or at least defensive awareness--needs to improve across the board. Damian Lillard is an obvious culprit/candidate but all of the young guys need schooling in that department.

Meyers Leonard making any strides at all would be welcome news for the team. They need to be able to put him on the floor without collapsing into a fetal position.

This sounds like a great question to throw open to all of you. What developments do you hope for from Portland's current players and which of those  hopes do you deem most (or least) realistic?

Share below and keep those Mailbag questions coming to the address just below!

--Dave blazersub@gmail.com / @DaveDeckard

ESPN.com's Chad Ford reports that the Sacramento Kings are still interested in Atlanta Hawks point guard Dennis Schröder.

ESPN.com's Chad Ford released his latest NBA mock draft on Tuesday and mentioned that the Sacramento Kings are still interested in Atlanta Hawks point guard Dennis Schröder. Ford reports that the Kings showed some interest in Minnesota's Kevin Love but have lowered their sights to guys like Schröder and MIlwaukee's Brandon Knight.

They've shown interest in Minnesota's Kevin Love, but they have also lowered their sights for players like Atlanta's Dennis Schroeder, and I'm told they also like Milwaukee's Brandon Knight.

Ford projects Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart to the Kings at No. 8 and if that plays out then it would most likely solve their need for a guard. We first heard of the Kings' interest in Schröder around the lottery. Sacramento was one of the teams that showed a lot of interest in Schröder prior to the 2013 Draft.

The No. 8 pick would most likely be in play for the Hawks if they were interested in parting with Schröder. If Atlanta targets someone in the Top 10 like an Aaron Gordon or a Dario Saric then this is potential way for them to move up.

The Hawks apparently still value Schröder but with Jeff Teague under contract for three more seasons, Lou Williams still on the roster and Shelvin Mack a restricted free agent he could be deemed expendable.

Of course it is always wise to take rumors at this time of the year with a grain of salt. There will be plenty of stuff flying around between now and the draft but this is something that is worth paying attention to come draft night.

The Kings will have six players in town for a pre-draft workout on Saturday. Duke's Rodney Hood is the one in the bunch expected to go in the first round. Also, rumors about the Hawks being interested in the Kings' 8th pick and Brandon Knight and Larry Sanders speculation.

The Sacramento Kings will bring in six players for a pre-draft workout on Saturday and Duke's Rodney Hood will be the showcase.

Hood is a 6'8'', 215-pound small forward known for his outside shooting (46 percent from the field and 42 percent from three in his 35 games with Duke). He averaged 16.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists last season. His defense is often called into question, however, and he will need to bulk up to compete in the NBA (although at 6'8'' he is able to see over defenders).

Hood is the only player in the workout expected to be taken in the first round - he is going anywhere from 13 to 23 in mock drafts, but typically in the mid teens.

The other players coming in for the workout include forward Kyle Casey (Harvard); forward Jarell Eddie (Virginia Tech); forward C.J. Fair (Syracuse); guard Joe Jackson (Memphis); and local product Xavier Thames, who attended Pleasant Grove High School before playing guard at San Diego State. All of these players are expected to be second-round material/undrafted.

The Kings worked out Marcus Smart and Noah Vonleh on June 2, as well as Tyler Ennis (another player expected to be drafted mid first round.) Coincidentally, Chad Ford mentioned in an ESPN SportsNation chat session that the Atlanta Hawks have contacted the Kings about being interested in the 8th pick. If the Kings were to work out a deal with the Hawks and swapped the 8th pick for the 15th pick, there is a good chance that Hood and/or Ennis would be available. There would obviously need to be other pieces in play for such a trade to happen though. The Kings still continue to be tied to Hawks guard Dennis Schröder as well. So there is that.

In his chat, Ford also mentions the Kings and guard Brandon Knight and center Larry Sanders. Knight is a third-year man who averaged 17.9 points, 4.9 assists and 3.5 rebounds for the Bucks last season. Sanders is the type of defensive presence the Kings are looking for, averaging 1.9 blocks over his four-year career with Milwaukee. However, due to a torn ligament in his thumb suffered in a night club brawl early in the season and a fractured orbital bone later in the season, Sanders only played in 23 games in 2013-14.

Oh, the rumor mill. (A lot of speculation, as Akis notes.)

We'll have more information on Hood following his workout this weekend.

Former Hokie Jarell Eddie Work Outs For Wizards Wednesday, Will Work Out For Kings Saturday

Former Hokie Jarell Eddie took part in a Pre-Draft Workout for the Washington Wizards Wednesday, hoping to impress the Wizards sufficiently into using their second round pick on him in this months amateur draft.

Eddie is also scheduled to work out for the Sacramento Kings this upcoming Saturday, and could possibly take part in other team's workouts as the draft quickly approaches(June 26th is the date). Last year, former Hokie PG Erick Green was selected in the second round of the draft by the Utah Jazz before being shipped to the Denver Nuggets on draft night.

Eddie's work out with Washington on Wednesday also consisted of Bryce Cotton (G, Providence), Roy Devyn Marble (G, Iowa), LaQuinton Ross (F, Ohio State), Okaro White (F, Florida State), and Kendall Williams (G, New Mexico).

Following the workout, Eddie said that he felt he performed well, specifically mentioning that he was able to knock down some shots, and make good plays in the competition drills. He also stressed the leadership experience that he would bring with him to the Wizards, and that he would try to soak in as much as he could from the veteran players on the team.

Looking at the Wizards roster, the wing position seems to be filled with Martell Webster and Otto Porter currently under contract (at way too much $$$) and even Trevor Ariza possibly coming back after testing free agency. Even if the Wizards do not bring back Ariza, they would most likely sign or trade for Ariza's replacement. Therefore, the Wizards seem like a tough fit for Eddie.

The Kings have last year's top pick Ben McLemore under contract and they are currently making a run to try and keep Rudy Gay on the team who has a player option for $19.3MM in his pocket; though he would only be smart to rip that up in the event the Kings offer a multi-year deal with attractive terms. Off of the bench they also have Travis Outlaw, so they seem set on wing players. Again, the chances of Eddie making either of these teams seem very slim because of the small forward depth both teams contain, but if he can put together strong, consistent workouts, he may be able to impress teams enough into giving him a chance.

Eddie averaged 13.3 points and 5.4 boards while playing 32.6 minutes a game as a senior at Tech this past season. Eddie was as streaky as a player can get, scoring in double digits in the first 11 games of the year, but then only reaching the double digit mark in nine of the last 20 games. Eddie's main struggles came against the competition in the ACC, which may worry some scouts, since that competition was the toughest he faced, and he was unable to create his own shot against quicker defenders. Often if Eddie didn't pop open off of the initial high screen, he didn't get open for the remainder of the possession.

He has proved to be an above average three point shooter (from the college distance), and he has the ability to knock down contested long-range shots, though that isn't the type of shot selection NBA scouts are looking for in most instances. He rebounds the ball well for his size and does not commit many turnovers, and he was a very reliable free throw shooter as a Hokie. He will need to be much more consistent (and less streaky) if he wants to crack an NBA roster spot, though his lack of lateral quickness will probably see him signing overseas for next season.

The Kings NBA Summer League schedule is out. Let's take a look.

The Sacramento Kings announced on Thursday their schedule for this year's NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

The Kings will play at least five games, beginning on July 11 when they take on the San Antonio Spurs at the Cox Pavilion on the campus of the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

Below is the full schedule.

All 24 teams participating will compete in three games before being seeded for the tournament that takes place up until July 21 when a champion emerges.

Though the Kings roster won't be released until early July, general manager Pete D'Alessandro has already said that Ben McLemore, Ray McCallum and Derrick Williams will be participating. This means the Kings should have a pretty decent squad, especially if they end up keeping the 8th pick and that player is in the lineup. So whatever NBA Finals, we're ready to raise the Summer League championship banner!

The Golden State Warriors took the title last year.

The Kings have participated in Summer League eight straight times now and have an overall record of 20-21.

Games will be on NBA TV (a schedule of programming isn't available yet) and fans can also watch them live on the Summer League app (a subscription is required).

Tickets are available here.

Isaiah Thomas is taking an interesting approach to free agency. We make blind guesses as to why.

Isaiah Thomas' NBA journey has been anything but typical.  As the 60th pick in the NBA draft, he overcame every obstacle to earn a starter's role in the NBA.  His own team has continually tried to replace him in the starting lineup, yet he's continually overcome every obstacle to find a place in the league.  Despite consistently impressive numbers, there still remain a vast majority of NBA fans and analysts who see him as nothing more than a bench guard.  So it should come as no surprise that Isaiah's foray into restricted free agency has also been anything short of unusual.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future with the Sacramento Kings, Isaiah Thomas continues to be a model member of the franchise.  Isaiah showed his support at city council meetings during the vote to fund the new arena.  Isaiah is just returning from a visit to India, where he's representing the NBA.  But, of course, he's also representing the Kings, who are owned by the first Indian-born NBA owner, Vivek Ranadivé.

Many free agents seem to misunderstand restricted free agency.  They view it as an opportunity to get paid and to choose a new situation.  While those players may get paid, it is rarely with the team they hoped to join.  Roy Hibbert's current contract was signed with the Trail Blazers, but matched by the Pacers.  Eric Gordon famously begged the Pelicans not to match the offer sheet he signed with the Suns.

But while many free agents seek to maximize their value and find a better situation, Isaiah's actions suggest he wants to stay.  It's perfectly reasonable that Isaiah also wants to maximize his value.  IT has been an incredible value to the Kings organization, especially relative to his minuscule contract.  This is his first opportunity to secure a contract in line with his NBA value, his first opportunity to secure his family for the rest of their lives.  Isaiah is going to want the biggest contract possible, and he should.  He's been playing for peanuts, relative to NBA standards.  He's earned a pay day.

But along with that, it almost feels like Isaiah is trying to convince the Kings to match whatever offer he receives.  It's been widely speculated that the Kings won't break the bank to keep Isaiah.  Too big an offer sheet, and Isaiah could become this offseason's Tyreke Evans, signed-and-traded away.  And while fans would be upset to lose Isaiah, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Kings let Isaiah walk.  The difference is that I don't think Isaiah wants to.

This is pure speculation, of course.  Perhaps Isaiah is simply showing potential bidders how great he is.  Maybe he's just being his usual great self with no ulterior motives.  But it's a unique and fascinating situation.  Nobody expects the Kings to match a big offer for Isaiah.  Will Isaiah's surprising story contain yet another twist?

Six potential second-round/undrafted players visited Sacramento Saturday for a pre-draft workout, including Sacramento native Xavier Thames.

The Kings front office continues to openly express interest in obtaining a second-round pick in the upcoming draft, and six potential second-round/undrafted players came through the team's practice facility on Saturday for a pre-draft workout.

Kings assistant general manager Mike Bratz said the workout was great and that all of the players involved were competitive and good athletes. With the 8th pick and currently no second round picks under their belt, however, he admitted it is has been a challenge getting some guys to come to Sacramento at the same time for workouts.

"It's a challenge, I mean, obviously, we have No. 8 and so there is a pool of players that we have had in looking at that spot. We don't have a second round pick as of right now. We're very interested in obtaining one, but right now we don't," Bratz said. "We have to convince their agents that we are serious about these players and we do want to take a look at them, and that's why the guys are here today."

Participating in the workout was forward Kyle Casey (Harvard); forward Jarell Eddie (Virginia Tech); forward C.J. Fair (Syracuse); guard Joe Jackson (Memphis); forward JaKarr Sampson (St. John's); and guard Xavier Thames (San Diego).

Duke standout Rodney Hood was originally slated to be a part of Saturday's workout, but on Friday, the team announced that he had been replaced by JaKarr Sampson. Hood was the only player in the original workout lineup that is expected to go in the first round of the draft.

Though no clear reason was given for the change, Bratz confirmed on Saturday that the team has been in contact with Hood's agent and that the Kings plan on getting him in for a workout sometime before the draft on the 26^th. Bratz said the Kings will hold a couple of more workouts and expects to have a few second looks at players that already came through Sacramento. Of course, that could include Marcus Smart, Noah Vonleh and Tyler Ennis.

As far as Aaron Gordon and his "surprise" visit a few weeks back, Bratz said the visit was last minute and that he wasn't "really too aware of it up until it happened."

"He didn't do much in the workout, he just did some light shooting, but I've watched Aaron play quite a few times this year so I'm real familiar with his game," Bratz said. "He's a terrific athlete, one of the best in the draft and very young so I think he's going to be a great player."

A highlight of Saturday's workout was 23-year-old Sacramento native Xavier Thames, who could go in the second round but has a strong chance of being undrafted. Thames attended Pleasant Grove High School in Elk Grove before having a good run at San Diego State University. The 6'3'', 195-pound Thames averaged 17.6 points, 3.2 assists and 2.9 rebounds last season for the Aztecs.

He is mainly known for his defense (1.6 steals per game last season), his speed and willingness to take big shots.

Though he was only in 5^th-6^th grade when the Kings were challenging for a championship, he still remembers it all very well.

"One game away from going into the Finals, so I remember all of that," Thames said. "Growing up, watching the Kings - Peja [Stojakovic], Chris Webber; all those guys. It's just a blessing to come here and work out with the hometown team."

His favorite King growing up was Mike Bibby. Thames' sister also was a babysitter for Shareef Abdur-Rahim's kids. Abdur-Rahim, of course, is the Kings director of player personnel and general manager for the Reno Bighorns.

Thames also followed the relocation saga and is happy the team stayed in Sacramento.

The former Aztec has had quite the workout schedule. When all is said and done, he will end up having 16 total workouts. The Kings' workout was his 10^th after flying from Indiana Friday. Next, he is off to Houston, Dallas, Minnesota, Brooklyn, Detroit and Orlando.

Because of the amount of traveling, Thames said getting the proper amount of rest is one the main things he's focused on as he bounces from city to city - something he learned from friend Kawhi Leonard, who also if a former Aztec.

"I talked to him before the Finals started and I told him good luck … He just told me to get my rest and go out there and compete and give 110 percent and that's what I've been doing in these workouts," Thames said.

Thames has a decent jump shot, but a knock on him is that he may not fit into either the point guard or shooting guard spot in the NBA.

But Bratz believes he can be a point guard.

"He was a combo in college because he scored and he distributed the ball. In the NBA, I look at him as a one and I think he's got the athleticism and mindset to play one and, you know, he's a tough kid so that's where I see him," Bratz said. "He's a real solid player. Physically strong, he does just about everything pretty well. He's got a nice shot, real tough kid, defender. So I mean, he does a little bit of everything and I think he can be an asset to a team."

With the rumor mill swirling around the Kings, it will be interesting to see if the team ends up with a second round pick via a trade.

Buckle up for an interesting couple of weeks.

The 2014 Las Vegas Summer League kicks off in under a month, with 24 teams all playing at least five exhibition games each. Will Barton, CJ McCollum, Allen Crabbe, Meyers Leonard, Joel Freeland and Thomas Robinson will all represent the Blazers. Which player has the most to prove this summer?

The Blazers announced their 2014 Las Vegas Summer League schedule last week to minimal fanfare. Portland kicks off its midsummer slate of exhibition games on July 12 -- matched up against the New York Knicks' squad -- with several games to follow that week, wrapping up with a 24-team tournament.

In team exit interviews last month, Blazers coach Terry Stotts told reporters he expected guards CJ McCollum, Allen Crabbe and Will Barton to join frontcourt players Joel Freeland, Thomas Robinson and Meyers Leonard on the summer league roster.

Parsing meaningful predictions and projections about players from summer league play is tricky at best, and can be downright unfruitful. The games are often guard-oriented -- thus, big men don't often shine on the offensive end -- and consistent, solid defense can fall by the wayside as undrafted free agents and fringe NBA talents compete with young "project" players and lottery picks for the spotlight and attention of coaches and team executives.

For some players, a good summer league can lead to an NBA training camp invite in the fall or some buzz internationally, where they can continue their professional basketball careers overseas. Players with guaranteed NBA contracts for the next season -- all five presumable starters for the Blazers' team fall in this category -- use summer league to hone their skills against decent competition, get on-court time with teammates, and gain the trust of their coaching staff.

The somewhat-chaotic nature of these July exhibition games makes many proclamations about players' summer league performances ring hollow, but pontificating on such matters is nevertheless interesting and, well ... it's (kind of) NBA basketball smack-dab in the dog days of summer -- when soccer, golf and midseason baseball highlights dominate the sports sections and SportsCenter highlights. With the NBA Draft in the rearview mirror and training camp months away, of course diehard Blazers fans will pore over the summer league roster in the middle of July.

That said, for every Damian Lillard -- who dominated the 2012 Las Vegas Summer League as a rookie, averaging 26.5 points and 5.3 assists in four games -- there are countless players like free-agent guard Josh Selby, who shared Summer League MVP honors with Lillard that year. After averaging over 24 points on 55.7 percent shooting from the floor in five 2012 summer league games, Selby went on to play in 38 games combined for the Memphis Grizzlies over the next two seasons. By 2013, he was already out of the league and has since played in both China and Croatia.

All things considered -- Portland currently has no draft picks this year and a maximum of two open roster spots to fill this summer, as it stands -- which Blazer has the most to prove in offseason play over the next couple months?

McCollum played in five 2013 Las Vegas Summer League games for Portland, averaging 21 points but shooting just 36.6 percent from the floor and 31 percent from deep. After an October foot injury kept him out of the first half of the year, McCollum went on to play in 38 games during the 2013-14 season while improving his field-goal shooting to 41.6 percent and his three-point shooting to 37.5 percent for the year.

With guard Mo Williams likely opting out of his contract and possibly not returning to the Blazers next season, Stotts will be looking for more scoring off his bench. Certainly Portland GM Neil Olshey will look to bring in a player or two to bolster the reserve unit, but right now plenty of backup minutes and shots appear to be up-for-grabs. If McCollum demonstrates some shooting consistency and an ability to penetrate and create for himself and his teammates this summer, he could earn himself a leg-up heading into training camp competing for backup minutes in the backcourt.

Joining McCollum in the competition for minutes this fall will be Crabbe and Barton. With guard Wesley Matthews pulling in almost 34 minutes a game last year and Williams cemented in Stotts' sixth man role, Crabbe was bumped onto the inactive list for much of last season as McCollum and Barton gobbled up most of the scraps left over for the end of the bench. Unless he proves himself as a dynamic and dead-eye three-point threat this summer, Crabbe's projection for 2014-15 could again be as an end-of-rotation player.

Barton, on the other hand, has plenty of opportunities this summer to prove himself worthy of minutes going into training camp. The "People's Champ," as he's come to be known by Blazers fans, dipped in and out of Stotts rotation up until the All-Star break, playing mostly in garbage-time situations up until that point. Toward the end of the season, Barton broke into the lineup, often playing 10-15 minutes a night, spurred by his potential as a dynamic bench scorer.

In the playoffs, Barton played about a minute-and-a-half total in Portland's first round series with the Houston Rockets. Against the San Antonio Spurs in the second round, though, the 6-foot-6 guard from Memphis was unleashed by Stotts, playing in all five contests, culminating in a Game 4 win that saw Barton play 29 minutes and score 17 points off the bench with a 7-for-13 shooting performance. If he continues to show that knack for scoring this summer while still working (at least somewhat) within the flow of the Blazers' offense, Barton will be a standout this July. Stotts already called him out as Portland's most improved player last season, certainly a sign of faith in the third-year guard.

With all the talk of the Blazers guards and wings, let's not forget Freeland, Leonard and Robinson, Portland's frontcourt representatives for the upcoming summer league. Freeland started the 2013-14 season as starting center Robin Lopez' main backup, collecting over a dozen minutes a night and displaying himself as a tenacious rebounder with a decent touch inside and plenty of hustle and effort on the defensive end of the floor. A nasty knee injury in February robbed Freeland of the last third of his second season, and he went on to play sparsely in the playoffs. With a good summer league showing, the 27-year-old British import could make a case for himself regaining some of his former minutes in the frontcourt rotation behind Lopez and power forward LaMarcus Aldridge.

Of course, Freeland has some competition for Portland's backup center role with Leonard, the 7-foot-1, third-year center who played in just 39 games last year. Leonard told reporters in his team exit interview last month that he has "something to prove" at summer league. He has the athleticism, shooting ability and potential to be an offensive force, but often looks out of position defensively and -- considering his size alone -- should be more of a factor rebounding on both sides of the glass.

Every one of the Blazers' young players has something riding on the line for summer league play this year, but the man who can make the biggest splash is Robinson, who's looking for backup minutes spelling Aldridge next season at the power forward spot. The 6-foot-9 big man was taken No. 5 overall out of Kansas by the Sacramento Kings two years ago, but was traded to the Rockets the following February, then flipped just five months later to Portland.

The Blazers have a team option to keep Robinson around through at least the 2015-16 season, so he should be in the team's long-term plans. He found himself playing plenty of minutes down the stretch of the regular season and he played in all 11 playoff games last month, including some extended minutes situationally. As the most established player in Stotts' reserve rotation heading into the offseason, Robinson should take a leadership role in next month's summer league games, playing big minutes and setting the tone on the boards and on both sides of the ball for Portland. He has the athletic ability, he has demonstrated extra effort when rebounding the ball, and he wants to be known as a good defender going forward. Now, Robinson just has to prove he can be consistent from game-to-game heading into next season as Aldridge's main backup, which can start with big, productive minutes this summer in Las Vegas.

Who do you think has the most to prove this July as the Blazers participate in the 2014 Summer League with six players holding guaranteed contracts for next season? Barton and Robinson appear to have the inside track for minutes off the bench, but McCollum, Crabbe, Leonard and Freeland could all make solid cases for themselves this offseason, too.

-- Chris Lucia | bedgecast@gmail.com | Twitter

Joel Embiid, Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Dante Exum, Marcus Smart, Noah Vonleh, Aaron Gordon, Julius Randle, Dario Saric, Doug McDermott, Tyler Ennis, Elfrid Payton, Adreian Payne, Nik Stauskas and Gary Harris are off the board.

NOTE: Someone's trying to mess with the voting again, this time voting K.J. McDaniels a whole bunch on the first day he's on the board. Nobody in the comments picked McDaniels once.  Again, don't do this and if you are caught you will be banned.

When a choice comes up, pick who you'd want the Kings to pick given all the players remaining. Note: THIS IS NOT A MOCK DRAFT. This is draft board, a list with the order of prospects you'd like to see the Kings pick. In other words, if we were the Kings front office, when our pick came up, we'd take the top name left on our board. So pick your choice, not who you think Pete D'Alessandro or anyone else would choose in a slot.

Explain your choice in the comments, and lobby for who should be added to the next pick's choices.

This poll ends at 5 AM tomorrow. The next one will begin shortly after.

The Celtics have a boatload of first-rounders to offer up for Love, including the No. 6 pick in the upcoming draft. Can an offer get that much better for Minnesota?

With the NBA Draft rapidly approaching, the Kevin Love trade rumors will likely start to reach a fever pitch. There will be some pressure on Flip Saunders to move Love by draft night, and while Saunders may not want to trade Love, he knows he can't lose his star power forward for nothing in free agency.

Trading Love prior to the draft will net the highest potential return for the Wolves, and the package being offered by the Boston Celtics may be the best Saunders can expect, according to ESPN's Chad Ford. The Celtics have the No. 6 and No. 17 picks in the upcoming draft, as well as a stable of future first-rounders that could be used in a deal. Boston also has young players such as Jared Sullinger and Kelly Olynyk to dangle as trade bait.

Why this makes sense

If and when the Wolves trade Love, they'll go into rebuilding mode, although it wouldn't be quite a full rebuild due to some of the existing talent already on the roster. Acquiring the No. 6 pick would give Minnesota a chance to select one of the stud power forwards available in this draft to help replace Love, whether that be Noah Vonleh, Aaron Gordon or Julius Randle. The Wolves also wouldn't necessarily have to limit themselves to a power forward, although it would make sense.

In addition to the No. 6 pick, Minnesota would also have picks No. 13 and No. 17 in a deep draft. There will be quality players available at those slots, so adding three young players in the draft is a good way to accelerate a rebuild. Acquiring some of the Celtics' young talent would help as well.

Why this doesn't make sense

Boston does have an appealing trade package, although the upside of the NBA talent that would be included is somewhat limited. There will be multiple teams in on the bidding for Love that have the potential to offer packages close in value, and it could depend on what exactly Minnesota is looking for in a deal.

Ford lists the Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings as suitors for Love, and other teams could be in the mix as well. ESPN Boston's Jackie MacMullan reported two weeks ago the Bulls had put in a better offer than the Celtics, an offer that could include some combination of the expiring contract of Carlos Boozer, Taj Gibson, Jimmy Butler, Nikola Mirotic and two first-rounders in this draft.

The Warriors could offer up an already really good player with major upside like Klay Thompson if they so choose, as well as young players like Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green. Needless to say, the Wolves should have a bevy of options.

Likelihood

A Love trade seems inevitable, so the question is where he ends up. Boston seems like a destination high on his list, and the Celtics do have some quality assets to offer Minnesota. An argument can be made that the Celtics are the favorites to land Love, so it would be no surprise at all if he winds up in Boston.

Pete D'Alessandro may be a Justin Bieber fan. We're hard hitting journalists, so we took a deeper look.

For the most part, the staff and readers here at Sactown Royalty have been pretty big fans of Kings GM Pete D'Alessandro.  He's open, engaging, funny, and has made bold moves to improve the team.  So we were stunned when it suddenly became all too clear that Pete is secretly a huge fan of Justin Bieber.  Don't beliebe me?  Let's review the facts.

A team asked me if I'd rather win rookie of the year or tour/party with @justinbieber for the whole summer LOOOOOOL! #ThingsToThinkAbout

— Nik Stauskas (@NStauskas11) June 19, 2014

That's NBA rookie-to-be Nik Stauskas.  At face value, this is just a funny tweet about the insanity that is the pre-draft process.  But then our own fearless editor connected the dots.

Just saying the Kings met with Stauskas like two days ago.

— Akis Yerocostas (@Aykis16) June 19, 2014

Clearly, this question was asked by none other that Pete D'Alessandro.

Not satisfied?  I thought there may still be a few skeptics out there, so I looked a little closer.  It turns out that R&B artist "Khalil" was arrested with Justin Bieber in Miami earlier this year. Where did Khalil live when he was a kid? Sacramento.  Ok, Antelope, but whatever.

And the evidence doesn't stop there.  In 2010 Justin Bieber performed at Arco Arena.  THE VERY BUILDING WHERE PETE NOW WORKS.

So there you have it.  Case closed.

Oh, and in case you we were wondering, Stauskas let us know what he answered.

... obviously I went with ROY tho! #BallIsLife

— Nik Stauskas (@NStauskas11) June 19, 2014

Seems like a good kid, even if he just ruined his chances of Pete ever drafting him.

If Orlando wants to make a move on Draft night, it certainly has the pieces to do so.

There's no indication that the Orlando Magic necessarily plan to make a trade on June 26th, the night of the 2014 NBA Draft, but they have the assets to complete such a deal if they so desire. Here's a quick look at Orlando's Draft night war chest.

Arron Afflalo

Arguably Orlando's most viable trade chip, Afflalo has value due to his combination of productivity, age, and affordability. Coming off the finest season of his career, one in which he shouldered a great offensive burden with renewed efficiency, the 28-year-old swingman could prove attractive to lottery teams with an eye on a postseason run in the 2014/15 season. Consider: of the 18 players to average at least 18 points, three rebounds, and three assists per game in 2013/14, Afflalo ranked 10th in True Shooting (57.4 percent) and first in three-point accuracy (42.7 percent).

Evaluating Arron Afflalo

Orlando Pinstriped Post takes a closer look at Afflalo's sterling second season with the Magic.

Rumors have already linked the Charlotte Hornets, who own the ninth overall pick in Thursday's Draft, to Afflalo. Other teams in situations similar to Charlotte's include the Sacramento Kings (eighth) and the Phoenix Suns (14th and 18th). A first-round pick, particularly one in the lottery, would make an excellent return for Afflalo.

The Magic can afford to part with Afflalo, despite his high character, great work ethic, and importance to their offense, because of the presence of Victor Oladipo, the second overall pick a year ago. Another factor making Afflalo expendable in the right trade: at 28, he figures to be past his prime years once Orlando returns to playoff contention.

Andrew Nicholson

The Magic's first-rounder in 2012, Nicholson floundered in his second professional season as Orlando attempted to expand his range to the three-point arc. He lost minutes to both Kyle O'Quinn and Tobias Harris as his sophomore season progressed, and it's fair to wonder whether Orlando is the right team to develop his talents, given the investments to those other two prospects at power forward.

But Nicholson, despite his faults, has at least one near-elite skill: back-to-basket scoring. And though there's certainly debate about whether that skill even matters in today's NBA, given the increased emphasis teams place on having power forwards who can both run and space the floor, Nicholson can nonetheless draw a second defender to the ball, a skill always in vogue.

Because of his sophomore slump, the Magic probably can't hope to get a pick in the range where they picked Nicholson in 2012--they took him 19th overall--but perhaps a team picking in the back quarter of the first round would be willing to surrender a pick for the St. Bonaventure product's services. The Magic could also add Nicholson to an Afflalo deal as a sort of sweetener.

Jason Maxiell and Ronnie Price

These two veterans have little on-court value, but their non-guaranteed deals could allow a potential trade partner to free nearly $4 million in salary-cap space. According to ShamSports' salary database, the contracts which Maxiell and Price signed with Orlando will not become fully guaranteed until July 10th, meaning they can be waived before that date for no financial penalty.

Michael Bibby (Mike Bibby Jr.) is still in high school, but he may have the skills to be better than his grandfather, Henry, and his father, Mike.

The NBA Draft is less than a week away and speculation of who the Kings may take with the 8^th pick, or which team they may trade with, is running wild. In a few years, there could be a player on the draft board with a familiar last name for those in Sacramento.

Mike Bibby is a legend around these parts, largely because of the big shots he hit during his tenure as a King, including the Game 5 shot in the 2002 Western Conference Finals, not to mention serving as the floor general for the best teams the Sacramento franchise has seen for six seasons. He also won a NCAA championship with the University of Arizona in 1997. Mike is the son of Henry Bibby, who won three NCAA championships with UCLA and would later win an NBA championship with the New York Knicks in 1973.

Despite the accomplishments of his father and grandfather, some say that Michael Bibby (or Mike Bibby Jr.) might be the best player of the Bibby family.

Earlier this year, Bibby Jr., who is 16, helped Shadow Mountain High School win the Arizona Division II State Championship. He hit seven three pointers on his way to 27 points, eight assists and five rebounds in the championship game. He averaged 19.3 points, 7.7 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 3.2 steals per game last season - his sophomore year. His father, Mike, also led Shadow Mountain to a state championship, but as a senior in 1996.

Mike, who now coaches his son at Shadow Mountain High School, was in Sacramento on Thursday for his Youth Skills Camp at Natomas Middle School. Bibby told Sactown Royalty that he wants his son to be the best Bibby to play basketball.

"I want him to be. He works hard. I've been having him shoot baskets. He's done workouts since he was 6," Bibby said.

And what's his game like?

"He's a hell of a shooter … everybody says he's a clone of the way I play," Bibby said. "His IQ is high, very unselfish. At this age, he can shoot better than I could."

If you check out this video (which is somewhat long), his shot and demeanor certainly does resemble the point guard who used to sport No. 10 for the Sacramento Kings.

It is obviously way too early to assume the youngster is going to be able to fill the shoes of his father and grandfather, or even make it into the NBA for that matter. But Bibby Jr. does currently have scholarship offers from USC, the University of Oregon and the University of Memphis.

Mike Bibby spent the afternoon with the kids at his skills camp on Thursday in Natomas and said he hopes to make the camp a regular thing.

"When I got traded, I didn't come back [to Sacramento] much. The only time I came back was when I played. And then I came back for the draft, and then I came back for this. So hopefully, it will start to be a yearly thing or maybe even more than a one-time thing," Bibby said.

Bibby hasn't played in the NBA since 2012 with the New York Knicks. He was invited to the San Antonio Spurs camp at the start of last season, but plantar fasciitis prevented him from going. Overall though, Bibby seems to be enjoying his new role as a coach and full-time dad (he has three girls too).

"I'm a family man now … All the times I missed out with my kids and stuff, I want to be home with them," Bibby said.

Eddie Completes Workouts With Two More Teams

With next Thursday's NBA Draft quickly approaching, former Hokie Jarell Eddie has continued to display his skill-set in front of NBA teams, trying to leave them with good last impressions before the draft. Eddie has worked out with the Washington Wizards (June 11th), Sacramento Kings (June 14th), and Charlotte Hornets (June 16th) so far.Here is our previous article on Eddie's first Pre-Draft workout, which recaps his workout with the Wizards.

Eddie's workout with the Kings also consisted of Kyle Casey (Forward, Harvard), C.J. Fair (Forward, Syracuse), Joe Jackson (Guard, Memphis),  Xavier Thames (Guard, SDSU), and JaKarr Sampson (Forward, St.John's). As mentioned in the previous article, the chances of Eddie making the Kings roster seems very slim due to the Kings depth at the wing position. Young star Ben McLemore is still under contract, as is seasoned veteran Travis Outlaw. There is also a chance that Rudy Gay will be back with the Kings next season, which would definitely not help Eddie's chances of making this ballclub.

Highlights of the Kings workout that Eddie took part in:

Eddie, who is from Charlotte, worked out for his hometown team along with Jerrelle Benimon (Forward, Towson), De'Mon Brooks (Forward, Davidson), Josh Davis (Forward, SDSU), Jerami Grant (Forward, Syracuse), and Mike Moser (Forward, Oregon). The Hornets may have some openings at the wing position going into this offseason. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will be under contract next year for the Hornets, and he has performed well in the NBA over two seasons (and he's still only 20 years old), but he is definitely still an offensive work in progress. Chris Douglas-Roberts is an unrestricted free agent going into this offseason, and the critically-acclaimed Jeff Taylor may also be back next year for Charlotte, so Eddie would still have plenty of competition in order to make this teams roster, though less than he might see in Washington or Sacramento.

It may be a long shot for Eddie to be selected in next weeks draft, but his stock has been rising as more teams have become interested in his play over the past few weeks.

Backup plan? Or part of a grander plan?

Arron Afflalo has been mentioned ad nauseam as a potential backup plan if the Bulls don't land Carmelo Anthony or Kevin Love, and Chicago is apparently pursuing the Magic shooting guard, according to Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski.

Afflalo is coming off the best season of his career in Orlando, averaging 18.2 points while shooting 45.9 percent overall and 42.7 percent from three. The 28-year-old just missed the All-Star Game, which was probably a product of being on such a poor Magic squad.

Afflalo's defense isn't all that great, but that's of little concern at this point in time. If he were to be acquired, he would be the best 2-guard the Bulls have had in years and would slot in nicely next to Derrick Rose, likely allowing Jimmy Butler to move to his more natural position at the 3. The Bulls need shooting in the worst way, and Afflalo would fill that need.

How would a possible trade look? The Bulls, as it stands, don't have cap space, so they'd have to send salary out. The Magic have a ton of cap space heading into this offseason, so they don't have to worry as much about what they take back. Afflalo is due to make $7.5 million next year and has a player option of $7.5 million for 2015-16.

The Bulls could try pawning off Carlos Boozer and one, or both, of their first-round picks to get Afflalo. I feel like it could take both simply because one of those picks would be for taking Boozer off the Bulls' hands. Another option is moving a lower salaried player like Mike Dunleavy and the non-guaranteed contracts to go along with draft compensation.

Of course, there's also the question of how a possible acquisition of Afflalo would affect any chase of Anthony or Love. The Bulls are said to be hot on the trail of Anthony, and nabbing Afflalo would seemingly eliminate any chance of signing Melo with cap space. A sign-and-trade could still be possible, but if the Bulls gave up Boozer and a pick/picks, hard to see how that would play out without moving Taj Gibson and other parts. Perhaps a three-way deal could be worked out? This is also where not having to use Boozer in an Afflalo trade could be useful. However, the Knicks might not be as willing to play ball in trade talks if the Bulls aren't a threat to sign Anthony outright.

As for Love, the thought did cross my mind about the Bulls acquiring Afflalo and then flipping him to Minnesota for Love. But even if that wasn't the plan, the Bulls could still potentially have a decent trade offer for Love depending on what it took to get Afflalo from Orlando. Gibson would still be on the table, and one would think Jimmy Butler and Nikola Mirotic would be as well. It would be tougher without the 2014 picks, but the Bulls could try and include the Kings pick and maybe other future assets.

At any rate, it's definitely cool to see the Bulls in on all these targets. Now it's just a matter of executing. Let's hear your suggestions!