Yesterday I had mentioned I was 'ok' with the Patrick O'Sullivan trade because I felt it was a trade they made for future purposes, like maybe a precursor to them going hard after Marian Gaborik as a free agent this summer. Sully had signed a 4 year, $21MM deal last year, and I thought maybe the trade was a salary dump to go after Gaborik. I also mentioned I had done some 'research' and read other people's reactions to the deal, but I obviously didn't dig deep enough.
My understanding now is Sully's contract was heavily front-loaded, meaning he got a good chunk of his money up-front, or this year. That said, it would be almost impossible for it to be a salary dump if they've already paid him. Which brings me to the reason now I think the trade was stupid.
Sully is one of those rare talents. At just 22, he was supposed to be one of the centerpieces for the future of the franchise. As someone else said to me yesterday, you just don't trade a guy like Sully... unless you're getting a guy like Kovalchuk or even Bouwmeester. What they got back was a well-rounded veteran, but an aging player with a history of injuries and the inability to put points on the board.
So the Kings had to have had their reasons for moving Sully. Could it have been his work ethic? Or maybe his attitude? It was no secret he wasn't happy with his playing time or the frequent line changes. So could they had just grown wary of his constant complaining? Or maybe the fact he waited so long to sign his contract? We'll really never know but I do know this: you don't just give away great young talent like that. The kid is 22. You work through those issues. This deal to me was a big risk, and the timing is very questionable.
So, after giving this some thought, I've decided that since this trade tells me the Kings have given up on their season, I'm giving up on them. I'm boycotting the remainder of the season (or at least most of it) until they prove to me and show me otherwise. Don't get me wrong, I like terry Murray, and I love Dean Lombardi for most of the moves he's made to prepare this franchise for the future. I know they have a plan, but to me, they went backwards again with this trade. And I know it's only one trade, but we as Kings fans are tired of the lack of commitment from the organization. We're tired of the teasers. It's time they made a commitment to the city of Los Angeles, and to the fans, and stick to it.
By the way, for some really good analysis and an interesting story on how this deal went down, check out the Daily News' Rich Hammond's Inside the Kings blog. Some really good stuff there!
My understanding now is Sully's contract was heavily front-loaded, meaning he got a good chunk of his money up-front, or this year. That said, it would be almost impossible for it to be a salary dump if they've already paid him. Which brings me to the reason now I think the trade was stupid.
Sully is one of those rare talents. At just 22, he was supposed to be one of the centerpieces for the future of the franchise. As someone else said to me yesterday, you just don't trade a guy like Sully... unless you're getting a guy like Kovalchuk or even Bouwmeester. What they got back was a well-rounded veteran, but an aging player with a history of injuries and the inability to put points on the board.
So the Kings had to have had their reasons for moving Sully. Could it have been his work ethic? Or maybe his attitude? It was no secret he wasn't happy with his playing time or the frequent line changes. So could they had just grown wary of his constant complaining? Or maybe the fact he waited so long to sign his contract? We'll really never know but I do know this: you don't just give away great young talent like that. The kid is 22. You work through those issues. This deal to me was a big risk, and the timing is very questionable.
So, after giving this some thought, I've decided that since this trade tells me the Kings have given up on their season, I'm giving up on them. I'm boycotting the remainder of the season (or at least most of it) until they prove to me and show me otherwise. Don't get me wrong, I like terry Murray, and I love Dean Lombardi for most of the moves he's made to prepare this franchise for the future. I know they have a plan, but to me, they went backwards again with this trade. And I know it's only one trade, but we as Kings fans are tired of the lack of commitment from the organization. We're tired of the teasers. It's time they made a commitment to the city of Los Angeles, and to the fans, and stick to it.
By the way, for some really good analysis and an interesting story on how this deal went down, check out the Daily News' Rich Hammond's Inside the Kings blog. Some really good stuff there!
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