Kai Sotto Thread

[DAdmiral2]

Kai's also in a disadvantage to secure a short term deal , as he has a guaranteed contract with Hiroshima, NBA teams would be reluctant to just give him a training camp contract and stash him in g- league using their affiliate g- league team with the hope for a call up.. neither is his camp willing to opt for this unguaranteed arrangement

 

[reamily2]

Kai's also in a disadvantage to secure a short term deal , as he has a guaranteed contract with Hiroshima, NBA teams would be reluctant to just give him a training camp contract and stash him in g- league using their affiliate g- league team with the hope for a call up.. neither is his camp willing to opt for this unguaranteed arrangement

Exactly...the reason kai road to nba being difficult as his agnts want him to have a multi million dollar deal before going to nba and judging kai performance he isnt consistent enough to be given that contract.

 

[Linusports2]

Kai's also in a disadvantage to secure a short term deal , as he has a guaranteed contract with Hiroshima, NBA teams would be reluctant to just give him a training camp contract and stash him in g- league using their affiliate g- league team with the hope for a call up.. neither is his camp willing to opt for this unguaranteed arrangement

IN WASSERMAN WE TRUST

We all know so little and we all use this to speculate, but in Wasserman we trust.

 

[DAdmiral2]

IN WASSERMAN WE TRUST

We all know so little and we all use this to speculate, but in Wasserman we trust.

That's beside the point and doesn't change that Kai's situation is a factor that disadvantages his chances .
It's common knowledge that American imports who do not stay in the G League waiting for a call up but take a contract overseas have less chances of getting a call up..

 

[Kaireem2]

IN WASSERMAN WE TRUST

We all know so little and we all use this to speculate, but in Wasserman we trust.

as if ALL of wasserman's clients are in the nba

 

[DAdmiral2]

as if ALL of wasserman's clients are in the nba

And many of them not in NBA played in SL like Kai..

 

[CoJ2]

the agency could only do so much, its up to the player to impress scouts and team management. Your agency will just put you in a great position, but Kai, or any other talents, stull needs to get the job done

 

[NightShift2]

Even if your agent is Rich Paul, if you don't have the talent to make it to the NBA you won't be signed to a contract. Agencies/agents won't suddenly make someone a better basketball player.

 

[magic_chiongson2]

The problem is they need defense, rebounding and post presence. Not exactly Kai's strengths

if kai gets an nba contract the team signing him wouldn't get him for their needs, rather they feel like they can develop kai into something more than what he's currently showing

 

[thatweirdguy2]

if kai gets an nba contract the team signing him wouldn't get him for their needs, rather they feel like they can develop kai into something more than what he's currently showing

Of course. But GS doesn't have the patience to develop bigmen now as Steph and co's window is limited. They need players who can contribute now. Heck they were supposedly looking to trade Kuminga. It would probably be a rebuilding team that takes a gamble on him.

​​​​​​What can the current Kai contribute to an NBA team looking to make the playoffs? I've seen some post on socmed suggesting teams can sign Kai to defend Jokic, Wemby, Embiid, etc. They're asking too much from an undrafted 21 year old who isn't much of a defensive player in the first place..

 

[NightShift2]

if kai gets an nba contract the team signing him wouldn't get him for their needs, rather they feel like they can develop kai into something more than what he's currently showing

I don't think NBA teams sign undrafted players because of their potential. Why would they do that when they already have the G League for that purpose?

 

[DAdmiral2]

I don't think NBA teams sign undrafted players because of their potential. Why would they do that when they already have the G League for that purpose?

That's actually true, the players signed for potential are mostly limited to current draft picks and undrafted in last draft., Kai for all intents and purposes is viewed as a undrafted vet despite his age , as this is already his 3rd year to try to make the NBA ( has already been significantly exposed to many scouts already), if Kai was to signed for potential every team had the opportunity to that in last 12 months as he was already a FA since June of 2022. now if any team signs him it's purely to produce and feel a need ASAP

 

[CoJ2]

Of course. But GS doesn't have the patience to develop bigmen now as Steph and co's window is limited. They need players who can contribute now. Heck they were supposedly looking to trade Kuminga. It would probably be a rebuilding team that takes a gamble on him.

​​​​​​What can the current Kai contribute to an NBA team looking to make the playoffs? I've seen some post on socmed suggesting teams can sign Kai to defend Jokic, Wemby, Embiid, etc. They're asking too much from an undrafted 21 year old who isn't much of a defensive player in the first place..

Kai's probable contribution would be 6 fouls, that's about it. if Kai is having difficulty guarding NBA discards in Japan and those tough players in Australia, what more in the NBA where he will be defending the best player in world right now in Jokic

Plus contending teams would rather sign a veteran that could contribute right away than a project as raw as Kai. Kai has to compete with the Willey Cauley-Stein of the world for a roster spot. Heck even Dwight, Demarcus and Jahlil Okafor ​has a better chance of being recalled to the NBA by contending teams. Not to mention all those Euro bigs, NCAA undrafted bigs and those in the gleague have a higher chance to be signed.

Not saying that Kai has no chance, but the competition will be tough

 

[greenarcher2]

Kai's probable contribution would be 6 fouls, that's about it. if Kai is having difficulty guarding NBA discards in Japan and those tough players in Australia, what more in the NBA where he will be defending the best player in world right now in Jokic

Plus contending teams would rather sign a veteran that could contribute right away than a project as raw as Kai. Kai has to compete with the Willey Cauley-Stein of the world for a roster spot. Heck even Dwight, Demarcus and Jahlil Okafor ​has a better chance of being recalled to the NBA by contending teams. Not to mention all those Euro bigs, NCAA undrafted bigs and those in the gleague have a higher chance to be signed.

Not saying that Kai has no chance, but the competition will be tough

Nonsense. In Wasserman we trust. LOOOOOL

 

[thatweirdguy2]

Kai's probable contribution would be 6 fouls, that's about it. if Kai is having difficulty guarding NBA discards in Japan and those tough players in Australia, what more in the NBA where he will be defending the best player in world right now in Jokic

Plus contending teams would rather sign a veteran that could contribute right away than a project as raw as Kai. Kai has to compete with the Willey Cauley-Stein of the world for a roster spot. Heck even Dwight, Demarcus and Jahlil Okafor ​has a better chance of being recalled to the NBA by contending teams. Not to mention all those Euro bigs, NCAA undrafted bigs and those in the gleague have a higher chance to be signed.

Not saying that Kai has no chance, but the competition will be tough

Those veterans who are already out of the league are already having a tough time trying to make it back.. playoff teams would want to upgrade their roster not fill them with projects. And there are a lot of vets that could be had for the minimum.

 

[Juancho2]

Those veterans who are already out of the league are already having a tough time trying to make it back.. playoff teams would want to upgrade their roster not fill them with projects. And there are a lot of vets that could be had for the minimum.

yeah except guys with 5 years experience have over 2m minimum salary, 10+ years experience minimum is nearly 3m.

Teams really trying to minimize their bill, may it be to save or not hit cap, will also have motivation to consider the new ones with "just" 1m minimum salary.

 

[DAdmiral2]

In today's NBA of a cap of $ 160 M annually, teams are not going to save a valuable guaranteed roster spot by paying a guy $ 1 m ( less than 1 % of the cap) , players of that level are on 2 ways , or on multiple 10 days, there is big gap in pay from guaranteed vets with players signed for potential

 

[Juancho2]

In today's NBA of a cap of $ 160 M annually, teams are not going to save a valuable guaranteed roster spot by paying a guy $ 1 m ( less than 1 % of the cap) , players of that level are on 2 ways , or on multiple 10 days, there is big gap in pay from guaranteed vets with players signed for potential

you forgot the part where a number of teams have committed 100m+, some even 130m+ to 2 or 3 players.

Good luck trying to fit 30m to 15 spots before hitting the luxury tax and the 2nd apron.

Look at GSW with 176m in their payroll already and only 8 players ,now they need to make moves to get below the 181m second apron to field a full team.

 

[DAdmiral2]

this is how a typical roster is constructed ( note the type of player contracts)
https://hoopshype.com/salaries/san_antonio_spurs/
$ 1 m plus are 2 ways like Dominick Barlow​ ( potential) starting of vets ( not draft picks) is Collins level ( $ 7 m), these are NBA industry rates, there no longer are less than $ 1 m on FA (not potential base)

Keldon Johnson	$20,000,000	$19,000,000	$17,500,000	$17,500,000	$0
Doug McDermott	$13,750,000	$0	$0	$0	$0
Devonte Graham	$12,100,000	$12,650,000	$0	$0	$0
Romeo Langford	$7,837,251	$0	$0	$0	$0
Zach Collins	$7,700,000	$0	$0	$0	$0
Khem Birch	$6,985,000	$0	$0	$0	$0
Devin Vassell	$5,887,899	$8,060,534	$0	$0	$0
Jeremy Sochan	$5,316,960	$5,570,040	$7,096,231	$9,615,393	$0
Josh Primo	$4,341,600	$0	$0	$0	$0
Malaki Branham	$3,071,880	$3,217,920	$4,962,033	$7,110,593	$0
Charles Bassey	$2,600,000	$2,500,000	$2,500,000	$0	$0
Blake Wesley	$2,504,640	$2,624,280	$4,726,328	$6,942,976	$0
Dominick Barlow	$1,761,752	$0	$0	$0	$0
Julian Champagnie	$1,761,752

​

 

[Kaireem2]

Lets not also discount that a 2 way deal is good for 50 games only after which the team needs to decide on whether or not to offer full time contract.