Fall from Royalty, Part One: The decline of the Sacramento Kings, 2003-05

Step 2: Leaving Gerald Wallace in the Bobcat expansion draft (summer 2004)

The first real chink in Petrie's armor may not have been his own choice.  Each team could protect only eight players in that draft, meaning that at least one of the King's core would be gone.

However, given what happened only months later (traded Webber, traded Christie), why on earth would the Kings have left Wallace and not left Webber, Christie, even Darius Songalia, for the Bobcats!  Hadn't anyone watched the kid play for the Kings.  He was the most athletic player Sacramento has ever had and though he couldn't get much playing time behind Peja and Hedo, how do you let a 22-year old with that kind of tenacity unprotected.  Boo, Geoff.  Boo. 

Step 3: Draft Kevin Martin (summer 2004)

After leaving their only athletic wing man unprotected, the Kings drafted two in the 2004 draft. However, considering the Kings had the 26th pick, getting the skinny Martin has to be considered extremely successful.  He is clearly the best player taken in that draft after Josh Smith was taken at 17 and Al Jefferson at 15.  He'd be a top-10 pick if the draft was held tomorrow.  Kudos for Petrie, though I would still rather have Wallace.

Step 4: Christie for Cuttino Mobley (Jan 2005)

Petrie showed some skill in sending Christie (and his wife) to Orlando for Steve Francis' best friend, Mobley.  This deal is not a major trade in the history of the franchise, but Mobley proved to be much better than Christie and came off the books at the end of the season to go to the Clippers.  Given Christie's physical (and personal) decline since then, give Petrie a point for ridding Kings fans of that hideous FT ritual for his wife. 

Step 5: Webber for Corliss and Kenny Thomas (Feb 2005)

Well, this is where the Kings really changed their tune.  Up to now Petrie had more or less held it together.  Miller for Vlade, Mobley for Christie, but then WHAM!—he shipped off Webber and Kings fans up and down the valley (and in Stockholm, Sweden) went into mourning.

Was this a bad deal for the Kings?  I would say yes, but it's not really that clear cut.  Without this deal the Kings are paying $20m a year for a guy who's complaining about the soul food in Sacramento, but they would have at least enjoyed Webber's renaissance in 2005-6, when he went for 20 and 10.  They would have also held onto a local Del Campo High kid named Matt Barnes who may or may not have found himself for the Kings like he has for Nellie in Golden State. However, Petrie had watched Webber enough in practice to know that the knee wasn't right and that the returns were going to be iffy. 

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