According to longtime friend of the city of Sacramento, The Athletic’s Sam Amick, the Sacramento Kings are officially out on Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma:
Team sources say there have been no talks on the Kuzma front for months, and that the Kings have no interest in losing any of the rotation players who would need to be sent out to match his salary ($25 million this season before declining to over the course of the next three years). Even beyond Kuzma, all signs point to the Kings keeping their current core (and then some) intact while trying to add to it without losing any of their main rotation players.
Such a bold statement from a closely connected Kings source certainly seems to spell doom for any Kuzma-related acquisition wishes, and that also holds true with multiple reports being shared that the Wizards wish to keep their high-scoring forward past the deadline.
In addition to killing the Kuzma vibes, Amick reported that the Kings have been connected to several previously shared names – Dorian Finney-Smith, Royce O’Neale (who was just traded to the Phoenix Suns), and Delon Wright, but he also threw in one other name that has yet to be connected to Sacramento: Caleb Martin:
“While the Kings are known to have interest in a number of players who remain available, from Brooklyn’s Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale, to the Wizards’ Delon Wright (a former King) and Miami’s Caleb Martin, those aren’t the kinds of players to likely inspire them to give up too much of the draft stock they would need for a bigger move down the line. But those kinds of players, team sources tell The Athletic, are still in play.”
Similar to the other players on Amick’s list, Martin is a strong, multi-positional defender who would add a much-needed edge to the Kings on-court presence. The 28-year old wing has both started and come off the bench for the Miami Heat this season, and he’s currently averaging 10.2 points and 4.6 rebounds while shooting 36.4% from deep. As a fearless 3-and-D presence, Martin’s acquisition would make a lot of sense for Sacramento’s front office, although his cost may be as high as anyone else the Kings have been linked to in reports.
Stay tuned for further coverage of the NBA trade deadline, ending at noon Pacific time today.
This is all so uninspiring.
I like Caleb. Not sure he’ll move the needle much, but he will move it somewhat, at the very least.
Agreed Rik. I like Caleb quite a bit. Considering he won’t cost anyone contributing to the season I assume, it would be a solid move.
I’d like Davion for Martin and then bring Ellis into the last roster spot for the rest of the season.
Caleb Martin is just this month’s Chris Duarte, Kessler Edwards, Terrance Davis, Chime Moneke, etc.
Also…NEVER TRADE FOR MIAMI’S ROLE PLAYERS, except for Nikola Jovic. You can trade for him.
I agree. Monty go get Tari Eason. You won’t be disappointed.
If you can’t get Eason how about getting Deni Avdiga(instead of Kuzma) and Tyrus Jones as a package?
The Kings are simply the team that increases Kuzma’s value by showing interest in him every year.
It wouldn’t surprise me one bit that the Kings have been used as leverage in many of today’s trades and are left holding a box of rocks.
At least MM talks with other GM’s.
Hopefully he has another deal in the works.
Is there such a thing?
Huh?
A perfect fit for free. The ultimate back up to Sabonis. DO IT Monty!!!!!
I’ll be happy if this is the only addition the Kings make.
Life comes at you fast.
Must be a sad day for KOC.
I think you absolutely kick the tires on him…dudes averaging 5 assists on a terrible team. Big for a guard, IF, big IF, he can improve efficiency just by being around better players he would become the best backup pg on our roster immediately (we aren’t great at the position obviously).
Definitely should take a flyer on him. He was just the 7th pick in the Haliburton draft. Change of scenery might do him some good.
I’m not sure hoping for help by picking up a player that was cut from the worst team in the league is a good path to follow.
People cut from teams for a variety of reasons…we didn’t try to keep IT, didn’t make him garbage
Kings didn’t cut IT.
nah but they didn’t try to keep him…splitting hairs
Like I said, we don’t know the ins and outs of that dysfunctional org…kicking the tires on a talented player with no know major issues is smart when it’s a position of need
Yeah, McNair was pretty stupid for cuttng Isaiah Thomas.
Continue to build on those troll skills
You started drinking early today.
In a few hours when a few others join you it will make sense.
This makes more sense than just about anything I’ve read in the last week.
It went from the Kings are “right there” for Kuzma to they haven’t talked in months real quick.
EDIT
Cash Considerations Baby!!!
Unbelievable.
Trade deadline was about as disappointing as last nights game
And like last night, is anyone surprised?
Only Charlie Brown and I
Why get a guy who can provide rim protection and hit threes, when you can get a washed up player that you have to sub Sabonis out for rim protection & provides nothing on offense? Great moves, Monte!
“Stay the course. We believe in our roster. Internal improvement.” Yada Yada
Raptors waiving Dinwiddie. Put that fresh cash considerations to work Monte!!!
What a let down. The team needs better players and all they got was some cash.
Someone here recently said the Kings have the 23rd payroll in the NBA and now the Kings take Robin Lopez off the hands of the Bucks for cash so they can make moves. There is a message being sent.
Pacers just took Joseph and cash from the Dubs. Teams do this kind of thing for each other all the time.
I’m not sure any team does it as often as the Kings. They left a roster spot open to deal with other teams trash in exchange for a payoff.
It makes you wonder if the Kings are truly committed to winning or just making a buck.
Won’t know for sure until they commit to paying tax at some point
They haven’t once paid the cap tax in the Vivek era.
We haven’t had a team where you’d want to yet either
That move by the Kings just saved the Bucks around $8M in tax. The cash sent by the Bucks likely covers the remaining owed to Lopez over the next few months and likely a small kicker of $1M or so to thank the Kings.
Well…
That…
Was embarrassing
Sideshow Bob incoming!
Lol I said the same thing to a buddy five minutes ago.
I hope they keep him, just for the fights with Slamson.
Is this move just the Kings doing Milwaukee a solid? What do the Kings get out of that maneuver?
$$$$$
The Kings are a deeply unserious organization and have been since about 2005. I would have thought being rid of the Maloofs and then Vlade would have changed that but nope. The Floor is just higher than it was a few years ago.
I think everyone is being a little too hard on the cash considerations move. School isn’t cheap and Anjali needs a little capital to get her non profit going. Inflation is no joke!
Doing nothing may have been the best move given what was out there, but oh man the rest of this season could get ugly.
Or they could put it together and get hot at the right time.
I hope you’re right. But based on what we’ve seen so far, which outcome do you think is more likely?
Rotation changes need to be made, starting with Lyles in the starting group for Barnes.
I’ll try not to be cynical and hope that the continuity will help in the long run, like in the second half of last season. But I think we could have used some reinforcements for sure.
Still waiver wire and buyout market.
Places where Title hopes go to die. No player there will improve the Kings. They aren’t one old, washed up vet player away from contending.
Dinwiddie would clearly help as our backup pg…but very unlikely we get a player like that, they usually chase to shiny stuff so LA or PHO etc
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