The Sacramento Kings lose embarrassingly to the then 6-win Detroit Pistons 133-120 at home on February 7, the night before the NBA trade deadline. Did Kings general manager Monte McNair make a single trade after another deflating loss to a below-average team? No. Well technically, he helped the Bucks free up a roster spot by trading for Robin Lopez (who was waived immediately afterward,) and cash considerations. Not exactly the blockbuster move Kings fans were hoping for.
With the decision to keep the same team for the remainder of the season, there doesn’t appear to be much internal improvement within the roster. The goal with this team according to multiple players, coaches, and executives was supposed to be a championship. Halfway through the season now it appears obvious the Kings aren’t contending this year, so making a trade or two at the deadline to attempt to improve the roster was needed. Not making any moves means this is going to end up being a mediocre season for an incredibly talented roster.
Monte McNair during the post-deadline press conference says, “Most teams are trying to win and compete and get better. It may mean some of those traditional straight-buyer, straight-seller trades aren’t there, but we still saw some movement around the league. Different teams felt they needed to do something. I think, for us, we’re always trying to put ourselves in a spot where we’re never pressed into something and we get to do it on our own terms.”
In other words, the trades the Kings wanted to make just weren’t there apparently, and McNair was unable to make a deal with anyone without feeling like he was giving up too many assets. Many Kings fans are upset with the front office for doing nothing which is completely understandable the way the season has gone, but the front office can’t go out and get the team another star player if they can’t find a seller willing to make a trade for the right price.
While McNair was unable to find another star player to pair with the core of Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox, it seems like he could have done a better job in trying to find some defensive role players to bring in for a low cost, since that is something this team needs desperately. Players such as Quentin Grimes, Patrick Beverly, Royce O’Neal, and Daniel Gafford all went for low prices. It felt like the Kings could have intervened if they wanted to improve the team right now.
While it is frustrating for a fan to sit back and hopelessly watch as your team does absolutely nothing at the trade deadline, you have to just try and look at the bigger picture and pray that the front office does what they promised to do, make this team a contender. Now this upcoming offseason becomes even more crucial for a team that has yet to reach their full potential, so hopefully the front office can deliver for one of the best fanbases in the league.
