NBA Trade Rumors: Why The Boston Celtics Would Have To Be Crazy To Send Paul Pierce To The Brooklyn Nets

NBA Trade Rumors: Why The Boston Celtics Would Have To Be Crazy To Send Paul Pierce To The Brooklyn Nets by Chris Walder

Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

It’s so difficult to be a Sacramento Kings fan. It’s hard work.

So the extremely fresh news of the Kings trading away Thomas Robinson, their first pick in last year’s draft, made my jaw hit the floor. And not in a good way.

As reported by Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski, Sacramento has dealt Robinson, as well as Francisco Garcia, Tyler Honeycutt and a future second-round pick to the Houston Rockets for Cole Aldrich, Patrick Patterson and Toney Douglas.

Sure, Robinson has been disappointing considering he’s averaging just 4.8 PPG and 4.7 RPG in 15 minutes per game, but to trade him just 51 games into his career for spare parts? Huh?

As the guys on NFL Live would say: C’mon Man!

By trading Robinson so early into his career, the Kings essentially gave up on him. They considered him a failure. Well, you know what? This franchise is a failure. No wonder the Kings have been so incredibly mediocre for the past six years, and probably for the next six years, too. It’s moves like this that kill the credibility of a team. As a Kings fan since birth, I just wish this team would move to Seattle already. Sacramento doesn’t deserve this, no matter how underwhelming a city it is.

Granted, Patterson isn’t a bad player. In fact, he’s been playing well this season and has been absolutely balling in February, as the Kentucky product has averaged 15.6 and 5.3 rebounds per game this month on 59% shooting. I think he’d be a nice addition to the Kings. But Aldrich is the 13th man at best and should only be playing if the team is up or down by 25 points in garbage time. He’s a third-string center; there’s a reason he’s bounced around since the New Orleans Hornets drafted him in 2010.

And then we get to Toney Douglas. My question is simple: Why? Why make an already crowded backcourt with Jimmer Fredette, Isaiah Thomas, Tyreke Evans, Marcus Thornton, John Salmons and Aaron Brooks even more populated?

One simply has to look at the contracts to find answers. Douglas and Aldrich own expiring contracts. Patterson has two years left including this season. Aha, Sacramento is loading up on expiring deals to have more cap space next season.

Is it just me, or does it feel like the Kings will either do nothing with that space or overpay for some incredibly average players like Travis Outlaw?

If I had to grade this exchange, Sacramento would be stuck with a D. It would be lower if it weren’t for Patterson. As for the Rockets, I’d give them an A-. They get a cheap, promising young big.

As a Kings fan, I’m ashamed by this trade. But then again, this is what pathetic, losing franchises do. Back to the drawing board and hoping for a high pick in this year’s lottery. And judging by how it’s gone for the Kings in the past, they’ll probably end up with the third or fourth pick.

Typical.

FINAL GRADES: Sacramento Kings (D) // Houston Rockets (A-)



Michael Lingberg is a writer for Sir Charles in Charge. You may follow him on Twitter at @Lingberg2000