The Sacramento Kings were supposed to make that leap toward being a contending team this year, but we have yet to see them make that leap from good to great. The shooters have not been doing their job for the most part this year. The Kings continue to struggle against teams with size and length. Keegan Murray has not taken the offensive leap everyone expected. Harrison Barnes continues to disappear on the court in big moments. Something needs to change and sooner than later would be best.
The number one guy who needs to be gone by the trade deadline is Harrison Barnes. Harrison’s productivity has taken a nosedive this year, and he just doesn’t appear to be an NBA starter anymore.
Also, players such as Kevin Huerter, Davion Mitchell, or Chris Duarte could all be thrown into deals as well. I’d say the only untouchable players that should not be traded right now are De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray, and Malik Monk.
Pascal Siakam would be the player to trade for. His length and ability to create for himself are skills that are much needed right now on a team that doesn’t have much size or many shot creators. Siakam is currently averaging 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists on nearly 50% shooting right now for the Toronto Raptors. These numbers could be even better if he is on a team with Fox and Sabonis. Just imagine the open looks and driving lanes he would have. While Siakam doesn’t have the best 3-ball, I believe a team with these three stars and shooters around them should be contenders for the next few years.
Now, if the Kings wanted to make a trade in terms of the best possible fit, the obvious candidate would be OG Anunoby. Anunoby has the perfect combination of elite defense and solid 3-point shooting that the Kings desperately need right now. Anunoby averaged nearly two steals per game last year while also shooting solid offensively, scoring 16 points per game. This would upgrade the King’s defense immensely, but the Raptors asking price is quite large. My only fear would be that the Kings would have to give up too much for a player who won’t make a big enough impact on their title odds.
Zach Lavine has been another star player the Kings have reportedly shown interest in. While Lavine is a solid player, he has a humongous contract and doesn’t bring much size or defense to the table. I think Lavine would be a nice player to have in the playoffs so that Monk and Fox don’t have to do all of the shot-creating. My concern is that Lavine won’t resign with the Kings when his contract expires if the Kings don’t make any progress after trading for him. Still, the King’s offense would be scary if former all-star Zach Lavine is their second or third option.
Now that the Kings appear to be struggling to find a good fit behind De’Aaron Fox for the backup point guard position, I would recommend T.J. McConnell as a potential target. Not only is McConnell a defensive menace, but he is also a solid playmaker and tends to be efficient from the field. The only downside is his streaky 3-point shooting, but with Davion struggling to find an identity on offense, this could be a perfect opportunity to go out and snag a really solid veteran point guard with a team-friendly contract.
My final dream player to land by the deadline would be Lauri Markkanen. This one is a bit of a stretch, but if the Kings could somehow land this 7 footer that would be a dream come true. At 26 years old, his timeline fits perfectly with Sabonis and Fox. Lauri is the perfect combination of size and shooting that the Kings are looking for. He can rebound, he can score at will, and he can run the floor with this offense. Markkanen’s health is the only downside. He has never played 70 games in a season, but the ceiling for this big 3 could be very high, especially if the Kings can keep Keegan Murray and Malik Monk in this deal. I would think it would take multiple first-rounders and multiple solid players to have a chance at landing Markkanen.
The goal with this team should be a championship, and nothing less. The Kings appear to be a player or two away from contending, and with the rumors of Monte Mcnair being aggressive in trade talks, expect one of the players mentioned to be in a Kings jersey very soon.
