Carl Landry

[...] However, they might not. And there is logic to support it. As capable of a role player as Thompson is, it is seen above that he is not the perfect fit for Sacramento that he could be for another team. The Kings require an athletic rim-protecting mid-range shooting power forward to compliment the grounded interior play of Cousins - ideally, they require the next Serge Ibaka (or indeed the actual Serge Ibaka). Thompson is not this. Carl Landry is not entirely this player, either, yet he brings the range and athleticism that Thompson does not, making him a better fit. And while Landry is yet to play this season due to injury, he will return one day - until that time, Derrick Williams could use the minutes to audition and develop, while Quincy Acy is a decent role player himself, bringing athleticism, toughness and efficiency from the deeper parts of the bench. Thompson, then, is a very good candidate to be moved

On the most basic level, the Sacramento Kings needed more talent. They now have that. Even after years of mismanagement and the frivolous burning of assets, Sacramento now has, you would think, a core five. Isaiah Thomas, one of the draft steals of the decade and a man who thoroughly outplayed Vasquez thus far this season, is the point guard. Preconceptions that small score-first guards must come of the bench should be disposed of, because Thomas is a legitimate starter. Rookie Ben McLemore has had a slow first month, but has plenty of time on his side to be the two guard of the future while Gay slots in at small forward. Derrick Williams is thriving since his trade from Minnesota, now that he is finally functioning as a full time power forward. DeMarcus Cousins is tied into a maximum contract extension, the certified core piece going forward. Marcus Thornton, Jason Thompson and Carl Landry compliment this lineup from the bench with quality role player production, creating a front eight of players that any team could use.

[...] In comparison, 36 such players have signed within those parameters in 2013. And in contrast to 2008, those names are often established quality role players who aren't quite stars and who rightly aren't being paid like it. At the top end, players like Monta Ellis, Jose Calderon, Brandon Jennings, Jarrett Jack, Jeff Teague and Carl Landry are all getting acceptable prices, perhaps $2 million annually less than they would have done five years ago. At the bottom end, established role players like Marreese Speights, Tony Allen and Chris Kaman are getting paid adequately for their useful role player production. And unlike in 2008, those deals like Kaman's are not too long. See also Greg Stiemsma, Tyler Hansbrough, Mike Dunleavy Jr, Dorell Wright and Randy Foye, none more than three years in length, some as short as one.

[Marcus] Landry joins the team that just traded for his greatly superior brother, Carl. While Carl is a high quality NBA player, long underrated and unfortunately soon to become overrated, Marcus finds himself on the fringes. [...]

Carl Landry gets a shoutout from Barry, who calls him "underrated". Carl Landry is awesome, so no cynicism here. However, he has about 18 months before he goes from being underrated to overrated. It's an unfortunate necessity that this happens to all genuinely underrated players. You can only say it so much, and for Carl Landry, it is said entirely too often.

Sacramento's end of the deal is Carl Landry. Presumably given the option of dumping a bad salary or obtaining a quality player, they chose the quality player, as well they should have done. Landry is roughly Martin's equal and at a position of greater need; the fillers in the deal are relevant only for their expirings.

Landry is under contract for only $3 million next season, a veritable steal for a man of such great production. (It still makes no sense that the only offer sheet he could get was for three years and $9 million. We should have campaigned hard for more.) At the end of that, Landry will be an unrestricted free agent, but if they decline his team option this summer, he can be a restricted free agent will full Bird rights. It seems unlikely that Sacramento goes that route, considering that

a) they may lose him anyway,
b) teams spend their whole lives trying to underpay people, and they shouldn't throw it away once they finally get it, and
c) the new CBA kicks in in 2011, which will inevitably favour the teams.

Nonetheless, declining his option and locking him up for a few years with the benefit of a qualifying offer on their side remains a possibility until it isn't. If they don't take the risk, they'll have to pay up in 18 months time, or else lose him. And while I like Jason Thompson, Carl Landry is better.