Featured Columnist IVJanuary 8, 2025
Rocky Widner/NBAE through Getty Photographs
Regardless of their latest run of success, the Sacramento Kings reportedly have not been main gamers on the commerce market as of but.
Talking Wednesday on Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective (starting on the 29:22 mark), ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst stated the Kings haven’t been “tremendous lively” by way of in search of trades previous to the Feb. 6 deadline.
Windhorst did notice that the Kings have been “thought to be a doable purchaser” when all is claimed and achieved, particularly now {that a} five-game profitable streak has gotten them to a extra respectable 18-19 mark on the season.
In 2022-23, the Kings went 48-34 and reached the playoffs, ending what was the NBA’s longest lively playoff drought on the time. Previous to that, the Kings had not reached the playoffs in 16 seasons.
That marked the primary full season Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox spent collectively in Sacramento, so it was broadly anticipated that extra success was on the horizon for the Kings.
Sacramento took a step again final season, although, going 46-36 and shedding within the postseason play-in match.
Consequently, the Kings acquired aggressive within the offseason, buying veteran wing DeMar DeRozan in a commerce with the Chicago Bulls to play alongside Sabonis and Fox.
Getting into play Wednesday, the trio of Sabonis, Fox and DeRozan have been all averaging over 20 factors per recreation this season. Sacramento has additionally gotten some notable contributions out of Malik Monk, Keegan Murray, Kevin Huerter, Keon Ellis and Trey Lyles.
It may be argued that the Kings have one of many deepest groups within the NBA, and whereas maintaining that collectively may very well be helpful, it might additionally behoove the Kings to make use of a few of that depth to make a major commerce.
Lyles has the biggest expiring contract on the staff at $8 million, whereas Huerter is below contract for 2 extra years earlier than changing into an unrestricted free agent and Murray has two extra years earlier than restricted free company.
The 24-year-old Murray, who was the No. 4 general decide within the 2022 NBA draft out of Iowa, is having a down 12 months offensively.
Though he’s averaging a career-high 7.4 rebounds per recreation, his 11.7 factors and 1.7 three-pointers made per contest are profession lows, and he’s taking pictures a career-worst 41.4 p.c from the sphere and 30.2 p.c from past the arc.
Murray shot a scorching 41.1 p.c from deep as a rookie and averaged a career-high 15.2 factors per recreation final season, so expectations have been excessive coming into the 2024-25 marketing campaign.
Though buying and selling a participant with the expertise degree of Murray is a transfer that would harm the Kings over the long run, he’s seemingly their largest commerce chip by way of returning an prompt influence participant.
The Kings are 2.5 video games out of a top-six seed within the Western Convention and they’re nonetheless battling for a top-10 seed, but when they’re able to proceed their profitable methods, they appear like a main candidate so as to add by the deadline.
