Contrarian Corner: The Final Chapter of Scott Perry’s Offseason and What’s Next

The Sacramento Kings season is almost here, and so is my self-imposed deadline to review Scott Perry’s first offseason impact. We’ve already covered his pedigree, the Schroeder signing, the draft, and the Jonas Valancunias for Dario Saric trade. But perhaps the most important part of Perry’s legacy lies in the moves he hasn’t made, and the ones he still might.

The Roster: A Glut of Guards

Let’s address the obvious: the Kings roster is… unbalanced. We’ve got ALL the shooting guards and not enough depth at forward. Worse, the mix of player types within positions is less than ideal.

The Scorers: Zach LaVine, Malik Monk, and DeMar DeRozan are all cut from the same “score-first, defense-optional” cloth. To be fair to Malik and Zach have demonstrated moments of passable defensive effort and meaningful playmaking.  Zach has shown a renewed focus on defense in the preseason and at times throughout his tenure with the Chicago Bulls. DeMar, however, not so much.
The Scrappers: Keon Ellis (fan favorite, still waiting on an extension), Devin Carter, and newcomer Nique Clifford bring defense and hustle. Nique, though more of a two-guard, will likely have to scale up to play small forward.
The Problem and my pick for odd man out: DeMar has evolved into more of a forward, starting back to his time in Chicago, but lacks the speed, athleticism, and motor to guard most threes. The result? A roster that’s not just unbalanced but also mismatched in terms of roles and skillsets.

But what if Perry is playing chess while the rest of us are stuck on checkers?

The Waiting Game

I’d love to see one of the LaVine-Monk-DeRozan trio move to make room for others, but doing so now would likely mean selling low.

LaVine: Quietly had a great season last year, averaging 23 points, with career best shooting splits, not to mention his most games played since the 22-23 season. With just two years left on his mammoth contract, if he continues performing at the level of play he showcased last year and in this preseason —boasting an astronomical true shooting percentage of 63.9% compared to the positional average of 57.3%—a team in need of scoring and elite efficiency might come a callin’ to take him off our hands.
DeRozan: Didn’t cover himself in glory last season, but his partially guaranteed deal is fair. I’ve been in the trade machine trying to swap him for a 3-and-D wing for sometime, but his value isn’t there, yet.
Monk: Remember all the universal praise Monty McVest got when Monk re-signed to that four-year $78 million dollar contract? There was plenty of speculation that Orlando or Philly might swoop in with a bigger offer, giving him a larger role, maybe even as a lead playmaker. We got a glimpse of that potential after Fox was traded, and, well… it didn’t exactly pan out. That said, his contract is still solid, and Monk remains an excellent combo guard with the right attitude, energy, and fan-favorite appeal.

The key here is patience. As the season unfolds and injuries hit other teams, Perry could gain leverage. For example, if Houston struggles without Fred VanVleet (out for the season with a torn ACL), they might come knocking for Monk or Dennis Schroeder. Could we dream of a return like Tari Eason or Jabari Smith? Probably not, but hey, I’d settle for FVV’s contract, a second-rounder, and my old fav, Jae’Sean Tate.

Alright, now I’m having fun. Let’s try another hypothetical team in need of our guy, Zach LaVine. Who’s more desperate than the Milwaukee Bucks right now? According to outlets like The Ringer, the Bucks only have two top-100 players in the league: Giannis Antetokounmpo and Myles Turner. While they’ve quietly built a lot of depth, especially at guard, none of those guards are solid starters. We’re talking unproven prospects like Ryan Rollins or second-draft guys like Kevin Porter Jr. and Cole Anthony.

Here’s where Zach comes in; the scoring and efficiency machine. It’s easy to imagine a deal centered around LaVine for a package starting with Bobby Portis and Kyle Kuzma (ahem, positions of need for the Kings). Sprinkle in a few smaller contracts, and the math works. The Bucks also have an incoming Utah Jazz second-rounder with light protections. Toss that in, and you’ve got yourself a deal.

The point is, Perry has options. He doesn’t need to rush into a bad trade, especially when the Kings aren’t likely to be great this season anyway.

The Domas Factor

Now, let’s talk about the big one: Domantas Sabonis.

Domas is, without question, the best player on this team. I have been an ignorant contrarian since the Tyrese Haliburton trade in the sense that ‘it’s not that bad’! I’ve made the argument since day one that Domas was more proven, not much older, and filled a massive hole at center when we already had an abundance of guards (Fox and Davion Mitchell were still here).

Since joining the Kings, Domas has averaged 19 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists, lead the league in rebounds, made the All Star team, made all NBA third team, and even expanded his playmaking and three-point shooting (ignore the preseason shot release for now). Regardless of his accomplishments, how you felt, how you feel now, Domas is a top 10 center. Domas is an offensive hub. Domas is awesome! I am Groot! 

There are plenty of teams that would kill for a big man with his skillset. Perry shouldn’t pounce on moving him until the time is right. In the meantime, let’s enjoy having an All-Star while we can because as a lifelong Kings fan, I can assure you, the grass isn’t always greener.

Let’s Close This Thing Out

Perry’s patience could pay off. The Kings are frankly, likely to stink this season, but with movable pieces and a top-tier center, there’s still plenty of time and potential to build for the future. In the meantime, let’s sit back, enjoy the ride, and hope Perry’s chess game is as good as this contrarian thinks.

Smooches, Contrarian Corner