CLEVELAND – Geoff Petrie was quoting Abraham Lincoln, but not in the type of inspirational way heard so often recently from President Barack Obama.

Having watched his team fall to 10-35 this season with the likelihood of more losses to come as it prepares to face Cleveland tonight and Boston on Wednesday, the Kings' basketball president Monday recalled a sentiment of America's 16th president during the Civil War that fit his current plight.

"If there's a place worse than hell, I'm in it," he quipped.

The road out of hoops Hades is full of obstacles for the Kings, who didn't see such dire times coming and are plotting their way out with an urgency that could make for an intriguing next four weeks.

But while the Feb. 19 trade deadline could bring major changes to the team's roster, the Kings already have taken a significant precautionary measure in regards to their head-coaching situation. The Kings already have secured a team option to sign coach Kenny Natt to a one-year contract for next season worth approximately $2 million.

While Natt, who was the lead assistant under former coach Reggie Theus before he was fired Dec. 15, has already had a salary bump with his new position, the Kings now control the situation going forward. If they want him to return, they must pick up his option by May 1. If not, the team will conduct its third coaching search in the past four summers.

Petrie confirmed that the deal is in place. And despite the team's 4-17 record under Natt, he said he has been generally pleased with Natt's work.

"It's been very good," he said. "The record is what it is, but I think he's very professional in the way he approaches his job. He's very interactive with myself and other people on staff and with the players on an individual basis when he needs to do it.

"Hopefully there will be some additional fruits of his labor here as we go forward. But the person is solid, and he's certainly trying to go about it in the right way."

Natt's status was a timely revelation considering tonight's opponent, as he was an assistant for three seasons with the Cavaliers. After spending nine years under head coach Jerry Sloan in Utah, he joined the staff of then-Cleveland coach Paul Silas before spending his final two seasons under Mike Brown. And while Natt has had more high-profile experiences as an assistant – including an NBA Finals appearance in 2007 – he said he has enjoyed being a head coach and hopes he is around beyond this season.

"You say what you want, you do what you want, but you take all those years of experience as an assistant and apply that over to the head job," Natt said before the Kings faced Toronto on Sunday. "That's who I am. I'm able to do the things I want to do out there on the floor. It's just a matter of continuing to have a chance to do that, and to grow and get better and become better as a coach and better as a team."

But the job of improving the roster falls on Petrie, who remains committed to helping the Kings return to the playoffs but also realizes they are far from getting there. As such, Petrie said there are no limits to what he might do to get them there when it comes to possible trades.

"You have to be open to just about anything at this point," Petrie said. "What form that might take, I don't know yet, but certainly I think you have to have a very, very open mind about what type of things you might consider and what immediate impact it might have – at least in some facet of what you're trying to do."

While many scenarios are being discussed, the Kings are closely watching the current trade talks between Miami and Toronto. If Raptors forward Jermaine O'Neal doesn't go to the Heat for small forward Shawn Marion, the Kings could be the benefactor.

The Heat, numerous league sources said, has had recent talks with the Kings and offered Marion for center Brad Miller and Kenny Thomas. But Miami also wants the Kings to take Marcus Banks, the little-used, sixth-year point guard who has this season and next remaining on his contract for a combined total of $5.1 million.

Miller and swingman John Salmons remain the most likely significant players to be traded. According to a source close to the team, Portland is among the many teams that has expressed interest recently as well.

It is a landscape Petrie is navigating every day, hoping to strike a deal that can lead him out of hoops hell.

"The magnitude of our decline is troubling on a lot of fronts," he said. "And for nobody more than me. We didn't show much in exhibition. We didn't see much in the first 25 games, and I think a big part of the rest of the year is going to be, 'Do (the players) want to persevere and try and play together so the whole team plays better?'

"You have to look for some motivation to play, obviously, other than a playoff spot. So that has to be some individual improvement that fits into a team concept."

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