The Sacramento Kings are among the best in the West in the young 2023-24 season. They currently sit at No. 4, but every team in front of them is within arm’s reach. That said, no matter how great this Kings team has become in the past two years, they are still not the premium free-agency destination in the NBA.
In an episode of Run It Back with Michelle Beadle, Shams Charania, Chandler Parsons, and Lou Williams, the topic has been brought to the forefront again. Charania was discussing how Sacramento’s success made it a trade destination.
As Charania was talking, Beadle noticed Parson and Williams making faces. This is when Williams explained what’s exactly going on.
“Shams, have you ever been to Sacramento?
Basketball-wise, they’d make a great case. But when it comes to free agency, the city is very much a part of that decision. It won’t be voluntary, I guarantee you.
Now, when they get there, they’ll probably fall in love with the fan base. Sacramento is one of the great places to play, great basketball environment. You’ll probably get stuck there once you’re there, fall in love with the culture and the fans and the people, but nobody’s just going there.”
Lou Williams on the Sacramento Kings
Williams may talk about crazy things, but he has a point. If your biggest free agency signing in two decades is Malik Monk, you’re not a premiere destination.
However, as Charania reiterated, he talked about possible trade destinations and how the Kings have assets and tradeable contracts. Charania was reportedly working as a double agent of sorts for teams, but he is 100 percent spot on in this regard.
The Kings own their first-round picks from 2025 to 2030, assets that should be useful in trade talks. They also have ten second-round picks from 2024 to 2026. Additionally, Sacramento may offer players such as Monk, Davion Mitchell, and Keegan Murray, who are all on team-friendly deals.
Of course, the team should only make these young holdovers available if a superstar is potentially on the table. The point is that the Kings are in a great position to improve through trades because of their assets.
