If you like Geoff Petrie and Ron Artest, you'll like this piece of news from Sam Amick. Topic for discussion - If Artest does not opt out, are the Kings looking to (a) trade him before the start of the season (b) trade him by the February deadline, (c) re-sign him should he show increased levels of dependability? If "c" is a consideration, does John Salmons remain on this team? Could Salmons fetch a 1st round pick, and if so, at what level?

Kfan in Korea was good enough to add this link to ESPN's Insider (free preview!!!). Read it and you will come to the conclusion that by the time we pick, Kevin Love will be long gone, Chase Budinger may be considered, and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute might be a guy to look at for the 2nd round.

One other note - if you love great offense versus great defense we could have a tremendous match up tomorrow when Amick's interview with Geoff Petrie is published in The Bee. Sam is a monster when it comes to accessing information on the Kings, while GP  thinks that a player's shoes size is a matter of national security. I always go with defense, especially during the playoffs, but I have a gut feeling on this one and I'm taking the "over."

Sam Amick noted in his blog yesterday that the Kings are going to have Cal's Ryan Anderson in for a workout. Anderson looks to be a late 1st round to early 2nd round pick according to mock draft boards.

The question is why have Anderson in. Could it be a simple matter of geography? Anderson is just down the road in Berkeley. Maybe this is his opportunity to get some feedback before he determines whether or not he's going to remain in the draft (he has not hired an agent yet). I would have to think that if the Kings seriously think that he is going to be available at 42 or 45 then Anderson would go back to school. I can't imagine that the Kings would draft him at #12.

There is another thought. Could the Kings manipulate themselves into the latter stages of the 1st round? They have some pieces (Artest, Miller, Salmons, Moore) that teams contending for a championship might lust for. There are at least six teams with 1st round picks that have to hear their biological championship clock ticking: Boston(30), Detroit(29), San Antonio(26), Houston(25), Denver(20), Cleveland(19) and Phoenix(15 via Atlanta). Dallas would be on this list, but they're 1st round pick now resides in New Jersey, while Phoenix's own pick belongs to Seattle. Also, I place Cleveland here not because of roster age, but because they better get James a "Pippen" fast or he's going to take his act elsewhere.

We all remember that the Kings could be sitting on the #20 pick right now, but GP determined that we also needed Linas Kleiza to part with Ron-Ron. Time will tell on that one. With a potential list of late 1st round players like Anderson, Roy HIbbert, Robin Lopez, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Brandon Rush, maybe even Ty Lawson and others, it sure would be nice to figure out a way to snag another pick.

I'm sure that the conversations amongst GM's will start in earnest after the 14 lottery positions have been determined, and that is now only four days away (Go Margie!!!).

Marty Mac chimes in regarding Ron Artest. MacNeal has Artest at $8.45 million for the coming year (ditto Hoopshype), while nearly everyone else (Amick, shamsport, etc.) has him at $7.4 million.

TZ's playing Dr. Frankenstein again, this time with Robin Lopez.

The state of the Dallas Mavericks (and how it pertains to Josh Howard) from Kevin Sherrington and the Dallas Morning News point of view. And what's a rumor without a poll -

Place this one firmly under the heading of "rumor mill," but Sam Amick files this story on his blog in the Sacramento Bee. Cliff notes version - Rick Carlisle loves Ron-Ron and wouldn't mind coaching him again. The bait might be Josh Howard.

Howard has three years at a total of $34 million remaining on his contract, not to mention a bit of a public relations problem after admitting to imbibing in weed (but hey, only in the off season) and then performing poorly in the playoffs. On the other hand, the 20 pt., 7 reb. Howard would be a considerable upgrade over (say) John Salmons, albeit at better than twice the price.

Another spin (of my own mad creation) would be Artest and one of our 2nd round picks for Jerry Stackhouse (1 yr. @ $7 million) and Brandon Bass (1 yr. @ $800 thousand and a future 1st round pick (Dallas' #21 pick this year belongs to New Jersey via the Jason Kidd trade). Bass has some potential and the contract load of this deal is a non-issue.

Be sure to read Amick's entire article - find out how Ron may become the next Angela Tsai!

Sir Isaac Newton said it, and Bruce Bowen seems to live every waking moment by it - To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

But does that apply to the upcoming NBA draft where the Kings are concerned? That is, will the type of player they draft have an immediate impact on the future of other current Kings players? And by immediate, I mean this year. And for the purpose of this discussion we'll include Beno Udrih, even though he is technically a free agent.

First, a reference piece, flawed though it may be. My initial mock draft from April 27th has its failings, but it does give a little biographic information on each of the potential draftees that I will mention below.

Let's start with the bigs. If we secure a top three pick we would be interested in Michael Beasley but really no one else, as that's too high to draft Anthony Randolph and Brook Lopez is too much like Spencer Hawes. If we pick at 12 we may or may not be too late for Kevin Love and DeAndre Jordan (Chad Ford has us taking Jordan now). Darrell Arthur may be available, as well as Mareesse Speights and JaVale McGee.

So, would the drafting of any of these guys have an immediate impact on the future of our current batch of bigs? Let's start by figuring it has no impact on K9(woof!), since he does not figure to play for us no matter who we draft and he may be the most untradeable human being not named Barry Zito. Let's also dismiss 'Reef from this conversation until such time that he shows that he can play again.

The drafting of Beasley could impact Miller or Moore, though probably not both. The thought here is that if you're drafting a kid like Beasley he's going to get playing time right away. Hawes stands to see increased minutes, so that leaves one more big to get real minutes. Moore is probably easier to move due to his reasonable contract, (two years at roughly $6 million per, with an early buyout option in the 2nd year), but Miller could be a huge contributor for the right team. Watching Orlando, wouldn't Miller be awesome with Howard, Lewis and Hedo? Big, big contract, though. Tough man to trade.

The impact is less if you're drafting from the 12 hole, as you have to figure that all of the youngsters (Love and Jordan are freshman, the others sophomores) would need more time to develop and would probably see the same type of minutes that Hawes saw this year.

In either case I don't see the selection of a big man having much of an impact on Shelden Williams. If he plays out of his mind in camp this fall the Kings extend him, if he doesn't they don't.

On to the point guards. A top three pick could net us Derrick Rose, Jerryd Bayless or perhaps O.J. Mayo. D.J Augustin or Russell Westbrook might be available at 12. I still think that Ty Lawson will fall to the late teens or early 20's, and he may still opt to go back to school.

The drafting of any of these guys might encourage Udrih to look elsewhere, as he is looking to be the point guard of his team. Now, Rose, Mayo and Bayless are all freshman and may need some time to develop. Westbrook and Augustin are sophomores but still unfinished products by NBA standards. Could the Kings draft one of these guys and still convince Udrih to sign here? Would the Kings prefer a veteran (Anthony Johnson, Tyronn Lue, Sam Cassell, Lindsey Hunter, Anthony Carter, Jason Williams, Darrell Armstrong) to put with the rookie?

I balk at placing Quincy Douby into this conversation. Q-Dub says that he is still working hard on his point guard skills, but I just don't know. I like Douby a lot, and it sure seems that a team like the Hawks or anyone that needs a shooter/scorer off the bench would be a better fit for him. The Kings may still extend him, but we need a miracle for the phrase "Quincy Douby, point guard" to be applicable.

OK, on to the dreaded wings. I can't see us taking a 2 or 3 in the top three picks. Eric Gordon will be gone by the time we draft at 12. That potentially leaves Danilo Gallinari, Nicolas Batum and Chase Budinger. For the sake of this conversation let's say that Gallinari is available at 12 and Petrie can't resist. We have now spent our pick on a guy that plays the same position as Salmons, Garcia and (for all intents and puposes) Artest. And you can add Kevin Martin and Quincy Douby to that list if you include the two guard position.

Does the drating of Gallinari then automatically generate the need for a trade involving Salmons or Artest, or even both? Put another way, had we drafted Al Thornton or Julian Wright this past year and not dealt anyone, would either of those rookies received more than Dahntay Jones minutes?

No matter who we draft at the wing, I see it having no impact on Martin or Garcia, unless someone offers some insane package for Garcia that nets us a very good player or draft pick and also takes a bloated contract off our hands. It might cost Douby a chance at an extension, however.

Item last, and it's in regards to our 2nd round picks. I think of guys like Carlos Boozer and Michael Redd and even Lawrence Funderburke and I get a little excited about Petrie having some extra picks. But you have to keep it in perspective. The list of Petrie's 2nd round picks: Ricky Menard, Corsley Edwards, Maurice Jeffers, Jabari Smith, Ryan Robertson, Jerome James, Anthony Johnson, Jason Sasser, Tyus Edney and Dejan Bodiroga.*

*Side note - I researched the 2nd round picks at Hoopshype and discovered that Petrie's worst transaction (which they used to list as the Webber trade to Philly) is now the hiring of E-Muss. Ha!/Ouch!

OK, boys and girls. GM hats on. How do you move this team forward? Remember, there are no wrong answers - just wrong people giving bad answers.

While the TZ's continue their cruise and I continue to lounge around their house in Lady Z's clothes (not that there's anything wrong with that), our gifted (and sorely missed) leader continues to post time released nuggets at AOL Fanhouse. If you have not been following this, he is doing an "NBA Frankenstein"  series on the impending draft class (Beasley, Rose and B.Lopez so far). Good stuff. Hurry back, young man. We want mo', mo', mo.

Also, just in case anyone missed Ronnie Price stuffing the evil empire.

I was filling up the gas tank today and was trying to figure out a way to blame the outrageous price on the Maloof's. Sure, they gave away a crap load of money on Oprah's show, sure they have donated millions in the community, but these guys also have the nerve to actually have a good time with their money from time to time. Yeah, sometimes they spend it on themselves. And sometimes they try to drive a hard bargain as businessmen, just like Intel, Hewlett Packard, SMUD, and the State of California, just to name a few businesses that have been granted local sweetheart deals over the years.

And do they do anything to help the local economy? I mean, aside from employing about 150 full time and roughly 1,000 part time employees? Aside from driving business for many local restaurants, sporting good outlets and more? These guys are a freakin' drain on society.

Now Greg Lukenbill, on the other hand, was an owner that you could relate to. He was just like us - broke! Tickets were affordable, because Lukenbill and the rest of the ownership group knew how to cut back on the luxury items, such as scouting and players with talent.

Now I am very appreciative of everything Lukenbill did to bring a team here. He really accomplished what was thought of as impossible at the time. But if not for the Maloof's the KIngs might not still be here today.

So with that, I ask you -

Well, our grass roots campaign fell just short, as both Paul-106 and I were sent packing this afternoon during the finals of the luckiest fan competition.

I was absolutely convinced that I was going to win this thing, especially when I pulled Spencer Hawes (if you did not see the proceedings, each of the six finalists were associated with a former Kings 1st round draft pick). Alas, it was not to be.

So here is where I launch into my hatchet job and let my pent up bitterness flow. One problem, though. Everyone was so freakin' nice! The people from Maloof's Sports & Entertainment (Phil, Mayne, Wendy, Desiree, Mitch and the others that I am forgetting at the moment) - nice! Jeff, the makeup guy (and believe me his job on me was close to urban renewal) - nice! Jim Kozimor - nice! Ailene Voison - nice! Quincy Douby, Geoff Petrie - nice, nice! Winning fan Margie Parilo (and her family) - extremely...nice!

This was a great experience. The best part was having my daughter sit with me throughout the telecast. Her friends began texting her almost immediately to let her know that they had seen her on TV. Very gratifying.

So to that end I thank each and every one of you one last time. We can now place our focus on the lottery, and throw all of our good karma Margie's way. It is not important who brings the #1 pick home, just that it is brought home.

Best of luck, Margie. Knock 'em dead!

Three gold stars and a smiley face for rbiegler and The Ghost Of Dick Bavetta, both of whom found this story about the arena at Cal Expo on line at the Bee shortly after it broke.

This is encouraging news, in spite of the potential infrastructure issues (ask the folks in Seattle if they would have taken an arrangement like this). I will try to remember that when I am sitting on the Capital City Freeway on a Friday morning afternoon evening.

And thanks to Sam Amick, here is the official press release via his blog (no word yet on Peaches and Reggie's reaction to Sam sharing this information).