Raising the in-house value

Speaking of classrooms, Kingsland is not so different than a grade-school setting these days.

Remember when the teacher would gather the kiddies around and ask – no, beg – for them to be on their best behavior because the principal was coming to observe that day? That's every day for the Kings, with the league at large playing the administrator and Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie the teacher, and the desire to look good clearly stated. The better his students appear, the faster his plan can progress.

Last year's finest class showed as much, as the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics had packaged Al Jefferson, veteran Theo Ratliff, three young talents (Sebastian Telfair, Ryan Gomes and Gerald Green) and two first-round draft picks to Minnesota to acquire the franchise player they lacked in Kevin Garnett. The universal lesson: Enough young talent can get a struggling team almost anything in return. The homegrown youngsters could become something worth watching as a unit in Sacramento as well.

With Petrie having acquired the likes of Spencer Hawes, Jason Thompson, Donté Greene and Bobby Brown as the young core, the necessity now is for all involved to develop as quickly as possible. And regress for one, it's safe to say, is regress for all.

Hawes and Thompson can be dubbed the frontcourt of the future, as long as they look the part. Greene can dare the Kings' faithful to dream about having a versatile small forward, as long as he shows flashes of brilliance. Brown, who was signed as a free agent over the summer and has a two-year contract (with a player option next season), also must produce.

But it's not just the youngsters who need to impress.

The play of veteran center Brad Miller could significantly affect the organization's immediate future. With two seasons and $23.6 million left on his contract, Miller likely is the next player to be traded.

A quality season only increases his value, with more teams sure to express an interest in the skilled big man the better he plays, and the list likely growing longer as the season progresses. As an expiring contract next summer, he could be the means for any team to open up future salary cap space and is thereby even more attractive. Hawes' improvement plays a role here, too, as the transition is only made easier if he can convince Petrie that he is ready to start.

Money talks

Not all the purple eggs – or blocks, rather – are in the 2010 basket. There are no "Destination 2010" campaigns (that's over at Sacramento State) or illusions that LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh or even Joe Johnson are secretly plotting their path to California's capital in their free-agent summer.

But there is in-house optimism because the financial future is bright. As the payroll currently stands, the most likely scenario in the summer of 2010 is that the Kings would have approximately $40 million in guaranteed salaries. The figure could be as low as $29 million if team options for Greene, Hawes, and Thompson are declined and if John Salmons opts out of the final year of his contract (worth $5.8 million). Considering this season's salary cap is $58.68 million, and that projections based on history would put it around $63 million for the 2010-11 campaign, the Kings could have anywhere from $23 million to $34 million with which to work.

As for the 2009-10 season, they are currently set to have anywhere from approximately $56 million to $61 million in committed salaries. The future of veteran forward Mikki Moore is the relevant factor there, as he is owed $2 million if the Kings decide to part ways with him before June 20, 2009, but will earn $6.2 million if he stays thereafter.

Picking the best method

Even the Kings' own history lesson shows that wooing free agents with big money is rarely the answer. Chris Webber was acquired via trade from Washington, and his decision to re-sign in July 2001 reflected the overbearing trend of free agents to stay put if they are wanted. Free-agent signings certainly can pay off, though, as evidenced by the 1999 acquisition of center Vlade Divac.

Yet the proliferation of teams that could have as much, if not more, cap room than the Kings in 2010 begs the age-old question: can small markets attract stars? From Portland to New Jersey and almost everywhere in between, teams will be competing to land their marquee name in 2010.

To some, the Kings' greatest selling point is the team's owners. Although the Maloof family has been in the Las Vegas casino business since 1993, their brand as purveyors of the Sin City experience resonates with young Americans and NBA players alike as never before.

Cable television programs on the E! Channel, MTV and a forthcoming sports comedy show to be aired on ESPN guarantee the Maloofs are among the NBA's most visible owners. They routinely entertain big-name players at their Palms Casino, a recent example coming when Boston's Paul Pierce shared a luxury box with the Maloofs in July for an Ultimate Fighting bout inside their venue. In so many ways, playing for the Kings means more than a chance to buy a mansion in Granite Bay. Whether that edge pays off in the years to come remains to be seen.

The waiting game

Even Petrie doesn't know the whole plan. There's no way he could, what with so many moving parts and elements beyond his control. But, as he said before giving a five-year, $29.8 million extension to Francisco García in September to lock up another young piece, there is a time for "husbanding your resources" in preparing for the future.

Until then, the Kings will hope for progress on all fronts and look to recognize opportunity for positive change when it presents itself. And, of course, be on the lookout for more blocks worth saving. In this game, you never can have enough.

Read the Kings blog at www.sacbee.com/kingsblog.