When looking at the Kings depth chart, two key areas stand out as opportunities to improve between now and the start of training camp. The biggest is the small forward position, with Harrison Barnes seeming the likely starter at this point and no clear, consistent backup small forwards currently on the roster (Keegan Murray and Kevin Huerter will most likely play some time out of position to cover the minutes). The other big gap is a third point guard.
While third-string point guard may seem to be the most critical position, it does still warrant our attention (especially in the doldrums of the offseason). The Kings primary point guard minutes will be occupied by De’Aaron Fox and Davion Mitchell. What the Kings need for a third stringer is simply a level of support in case a player misses a game or gets into foul trouble.
The Kings have been connected to a couple of names already. During Summer League is was reported that the Kings would work out Matthew Dellavedova, Quinn Cook, and Shabazz Muhammed (Muhammed is a wing, and has since reportedly worked out for other teams as well). Let’s look a little deeper at each option.
Matthew Dellavedova
6’3″, 200 lb, 32 years old (by the start of the season)
Delly would provide a veteran point guard for the Kings. He’d be coming in as much for his locker room presence as his on-court play at this stage of his career. Delly hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2020-21 season, when averaged 2.8 points and 4.5 assists in a little over 17 minutes per game for the Cavaliers. He appeared in just 13 games, and shot abysmally even by his standards (Delly was never known as an elite shooter), connecting on 16% of his threes and 25% of his shots overall. Delly is a steady hand, can distribute the ball, and would be a veteran voice of support. But he would certainly be a break-glass-only-in-case-of-emergency type of depth player.
I wouldn’t be shocked if the Kings added Dellevedova to the roster. He’s not a player who will be looking for heavy minutes, and he has a longstanding relationship with Kings coach Mike Brown. Fellow Australian Andrew Bogut recently said he has a feeling the Kings will sign Delly.
Quinn Cook
6’1″, 180 lbs, 29 years old
Cook is a little younger than Dellavedova, and also has some history with Sacramento, having spent part of last season with the Stockton Kings organization. Cook also played under Mike Brown during his stint with the Golden State Warriors. Cook appeared in just 7 NBA games last season, playing for the Cavs. Cook would provide the Kings with more of a scoring threat, as a career 40.8% three point shooter.
The question around Cook will be what type of opportunity he’s seeking. Cook might be staring down his final chance at consistent NBA minutes, and may want a situation with a clearer path to playing time. Cook is reportedly receiving interest from multiple teams.
The Field
There are a few other options available at this point of the offseason. Notable remaining players include Facundo Campazzo, Elfrid Payton, DJ Augustin, or Sacramento fan-favorite Isaiah Thomas (although rumors indicate he may return to the Hornets). The Atlanta Hawks also just waived Sharife Cooper. Cooper is just 21 years old and would be more of an upside play, but he may not be interested in signing up to be stuck between two young point guards.
There’s about two months until training camps open, so the Kings have time to make their final decision. We will continue to monitor for any news or rumors.
Isaiah.
YES!
https://kingsherald.com/e2847c37-c10a-412c-9048-aa00b0b38b33
Let’s try this again…
haha 🙂
…btw, everytime I log into TKH, it presents a checkbox:
I AM NOT A ROBOT
it always asks…as if it were a robot doing something repetitive without thought.
I know what you mean.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I check that box “I am not a robot” as well. But I have been known to lie.
(check here)
__ I have not broken a little boy’s finger at a chess tournament.
I’m on board with this.
How about Tyreke? Spot minutes at the 1 and the 3. naPG and naSF.
I don’t think it’ll be too tough, or need to be too expensive to fill the spot. If a guy can play the point competently, hit a reasonable number of his shots, and play even adequate defense, he’s the guy. Ideally he’d have some height/length, only because we’re smallish at the point.
Adding Delly would be a favor as much as anything, and IT is simply unreliable due to injuries. The organization has been previously run on sentiment, and I’d prefer to leave that out of personnel decisions. I’d like to see a youngish guy who’s out to prove himself.
Sure that’d be nice but you’re not going to get anyone like that because they’re not going get enough minutes to prove anything about themselves.
I’ve been a Dellavedova truther ever since the 2015 Finals run where he took over for Kyrie. I would not care much one way or the other if the kings signed him tho lol
Hard to believe that was seven years ago. He really did play like a demon possessed that series.
IT as the 3rd string PG
Cuz as the 3rd string Center
Not trolling, I would like this, it would be fun and nostalgic and add some spice to the season. I’m guessing you’d get them on the vet minimum, so not much to lose considering you don’t expect either to play much, if at all.
FRANKIE
F40 *always* gets an upvote.
Nah Frankie goes to Hollywood.
Mac McClung
I like Mac but he already signed with the Warriors on a non-guaranteed one year deal.
I think it might be a bit too early for Jaxon Williams?
It would be fun though!
Why can’t we involve a third string point guard in a trade. A suggestion. I really like Trey Murphy III. You also have Kira Lewis Jr. just sitting there doing nothing. What about a package for the two?
He sure is a handsome devil
In the last podcast, I think Jerry Reynolds suggested the third ball handler might be Kevin Huerter. Maybe the 4th could be Monk?
Boy, I hope not. When the inevitable injury happens to Fox and/or Mitchell, I don’t want Huerter or Monk running the offense. They have Sabonis to help, but I’d still prefer a 3rd string legit PG.
Well, it certainly was ugly when CoJo and Hield tried running an offense when Fox and Bogdan were injured, so I get your worry. I don’t know enough about Huerter to know how he could handle playing back-up pg if needed. But I heard on the podcast that he might be able to.
Eh, the difference in ball-handling/facilitation ability between Monk/Huerter and someone like Dellavedova or Cook isn’t that big. If it exists at all.
I would agree the Kings need no one as their third PG. The Kings already have too many guards, and they need wings. I feel like Durant/Kyrie ruined free agency this off-season. There’s gonna be some shake-ups happening once Durant goes out for personal reasons to force a trade. And Kyrie will just find a new excuse (who knows this time) to not play. Or maybe some team will under-perform enough to make a desperate trade for his stupid ass. Keep some open spots for flexibility. If/when there’s an injury, they can pick someone up basically on par with the main guys mentioned here (if one of them isn’t actually still available)
Of the guys above; Delly, Payton, IT? No. Campazzo, or Augustin? Okay, but probably too expensive to be worthwhile. Cook? OK, but…whatever. Cooper might interest me, if he’s interested in Sac.
How about Cassius Winston?
I REMAIN AVAILABLE.
I’ve always liked DJ Augustin. Smart, scrappy and still has a little left in the tank. He’s played for 11 teams already. Kings could be lucky #12.
D.J. Augustin played for the Bobcats from 2008-09 to 2011-12, the Pacers in 2012-13, the Raptors in 2013-14, the Bulls in 2013-14, the Pistons in 2014-15, the Thunder from 2014-15 to 2015-16, the Nuggets in 2015-16, the Magic from 2016-17 to 2019-20, the Bucks in 2020-21, the Rockets from 2020-21 to 2021-22 and the Lakers in 2021-22.
First of all, this may sound absolutely bananas, but I think it could work.
Utah has a totally full roster and are likely to move Mitchell for even more pieces in the coming weeks. They also have a very crowded backcourt with Mitchell, Conley, Clarkson, Beasley, and Pat Bev. All are deserving of minutes, but there is going to be one that’s left out….Pat Bev. They also don’t have a starting center with Rudy now in Minny.
Offer Holmes for Pat Bev straight up. Kings get to move Holmes and his deal for greener pastures and Utah clears up their guard rotation. Pat Bev becomes an expiring fiery bench combo guard that can run the offense or play the two. Let him teach Davion and Fox a thing or two about a thing or two about defense.
Kings also don’t use up a roster spot on flyer like Delly or Cook. Leave that open for trades down the pike.
TBH, I think this is a win-win for both teams.
I love it. Getting Beverly would change the entire dynamic of the rotations for the starting lineup and bench units. Interesting how one guy with the quality of play on both sides of the ball (who’s not a star player) could change everything sooooo much and in my opinion actually helps the team WIN significantly more games.
Swapping Beverly for Holmes could make things look like this:
1st unit:
Fox
Monk
Huerter
Murray
Sabonis
2nd unit:
Mitchel
Beverly
Barnes
Chima
Len
With a reserve unit of:
Metu, Lyles, Davis, Ellis, Queta
there’s a lot of diversity in that roster for players at multiple positions and would appear to be a pretty deep roster. Two guys in reserve rolls were at a certain point in time a starter for long stretches on the team last season. Plus, TD probably should have been starting over Buddy the entire time but that’s more opinion based.
this excites me.
you could have Beverly start next to fox and have Monk in the second unit. You could have Lyles or Metu playing the small ball 5 in the second unit.
you could have Fox, Huerter, Barnes, Murray, Sabonis as your starting 5 and have a small ball lineup 2nd unit with Mitchel, Beverly, Monk, Chima and Lyles/Metu. Use Len as a matchup big man for certain games with bigger bodies down low.
this is fun.
I like the idea Adam…….but I don’t see Pat Bev thriving in that role. He’s a player who has to play, he’s not a 3rd string PG. I don’t see him being happy doing that at all.
Unless he’s completely washed up and doesn’t have anything left.
I could honestly care less if he’s unhappy with the role. IMO, he’d have a better opportunity in Sac than he would in Utah playing behind Mitchell, Conley, Clarkson, and Beasley. If he wants to bring it here in Sac and compete for a 6th man role over Davion and Monk, then so be it, if it makes the team better. I think he could bring real value to the team and locker room. Plus his expiring deal is a good thing to have at the deadline.
You might not care Adam, but what’s the point of putting an unhappy player out there in a role he thinks is beneath him? Especially since he’s consistently been a starter on playoff teams for much of his career?
Utah isn’t keeping all those guys, not at this point. Its just a matter of what trades they make to change out the roster moving ahead. This might be one of those years where there’s an unusual amount of September trades just because teams have shuffling to do ahead of the regular season and that unofficial deadline spurs them to action.
This is wishful thinking IMO.
Something John Hollinger said makes real sense to me: Why trade for an expiring deal when you can just sign the guy on the waiver market after the deadline comes and goes? Why give up something of tangible value for an expiring deal in 2 months unless you really want that guy?
To me, Beverly is in a similar level to Gary Harris last year where there wasn’t much of a trade market due to his expiring contract. He’s a solid contributor when healthy, but that’s the rub. Maybe Beverly has more value than Harris due to health, but he limits you offensively. That limits his trade market and his expiring contract does little for you unless you have financial constraints that most teams aren’t that worried about solving at the deadline. They can solve those same financial constraints, like luxury tax, over the summer. Or even at the next deadline. Teams do not act nearly as desperately as they seemingly once did.
Plus, you have the fact that most teams have little use for cap space as it really is only a tool to absorb assets……if there are assets to even be absorbed. There often aren’t. Take the Hawks for example. I thought they were going to move John Collins or possibly Clint Capela this summer to give them breathing room under the tax. And to somewhat alleviate their log jam in the front court. Nope, they moved Kevin Huerter instead. Teams just don’t give in as often as fans they think they will, and frankly I think we’re living in a weird Gobert-Murray bubble where the trade market was upset a little by the high returns Gobert and Murray each got.
Patrick Beverly, and I do think he’s valuable in his way, is not Rudy Gobert or Dejounte Murray. And to be fair, I’m not claiming you said that. That is, however, the reality the NBA is currently operating in.
I wouldn’t be upset if the Kings traded for Pat Bev in exchange for Richaun Holmes. But it’s not something that I think makes sense if you’re looking to acquire a 3rd PG either.
Seriously……..
Lmao
The only thing Pat Bev is capable of teaching Davion about defense is the old Turkey Tap. Davion’s defense is built off integrity; beating his man to spots, getting / keeping his hands up and in passing lanes, not losing track of his assignment / helping once the offensive player has committed. Pat Bev is a fake ass tough guy. He’s not nearly as effective for all the energy he expends trying to intimidate people (which he can’t because he’s 6’1″.)
For a 3rd PG, sure. I’ll take Pat. For a mentor, just… no.
Yep.
Mitchell is an actual good defender. He doesn’t need help from another player as a mentor for defense, He needs helps from his teammates because he cannot guard five players by himself.
The thing that frustrates me about this is that the Kings could just HAVE Kennedy Chandler as their 3rd string PG. Who wouldn’t want a young, talented, two-way guard with upside on a 2nd rders contract? Oh well, too late now. I guess just give me Delly….
agree- that 37 give away haunts me
Off the topic, endless summer…
throwback to Arvydas Sabonis matching up with Shaq:
Great Stuff! And Sabonis was past his prime then.
Right? Yeah, and had significant injuries he’d dealt with. Pretty amazing he still matched well versus a young Shaq.
Look at that shot too!
I can only remember he and Yao matching both the physicality and skill of Shaq during that era.
Is this the series where Rasheed Wallace got a tech for looking at the ref? Yeah, Sabonis was amazingly skilled and entertaining to watch.
I am gratified to see Lakers’ “glory years” footage in such terrible condition.
Kings absolutely need to sign Delly. The Zag to Gael ratio needs to be balanced. I am not biased whatsoever.
Just a random thought of another PG I’d target in trade as opposed to using a roster spot…Payton Pritchard.
If the rumored trade for Durant doesn’t go through, the C’s have a ton of PG depth and Pritchard will be the odd man out. Currently ahead of him on the depth chart you find Smart, Brogdon, and White. Pritchard is basically their 4th string PG. Maybe he could be had from someone like Lyles? Works in the trade machine.
Malachi Flynn also seems to be on the outside looking in for the Raptors.
He’s another good one.
I guess I should preface that I prefer filling that 3rd string PG via trade rather than using the last roster spot in free agency. I’d prefer to keep that open in case of some need for it as a 3rd team in a Donovan or KD trade.
Pat Bev is still my ideal target for Holmes because I think he fills a great need and his expiring deal and play could be very valuable at the deadline.
Absolutely Beverly but why would Utah want to take on that contract unless they surprise us and reverse course which doesn’t seem likely.
Currently their starting center is rookie Walker Kessler, and he’s the only center on the roster. There is no other team that could use Holmes more. Holmes’ deal is cheap for a starting center.
I expect Lyles to have real value this season, and I’d just assume sign any number of available lead guards for emergency duty, rather than dump Lyles.
Point Bet, Action Network, and CBS have the projected win totals for the Kings at 31.5 and 32.5 wins. I might place a bet on the over but it’s gives you an indication of what prognosticators think of the off-season moves so far.
Changing but always 20 steps behind the rest of the NBA.
Cook seems the best of these suspects but think Huerter would be better than all after watching him play some backup minutes at point during last two seasons in playoffs .
Of the names mentioned, I’d prefer Elfrid Payton. I don’t think IT would be happy as a 3rd stringer. Maybe back up, but not 3rd.
Position Open: 5th guard in the rotation for the record breaking playoff bereft Sacramento Kings.
Happiness with accepting this assignment required.
All the happiness in this organization wins so much.
We’re at the “not really caring that much about what’s left to be done” stage of the off season, for me.
I think a healthy TD could fill in at point just fine for limited stretches. I’m sure he’d appreciate getting some additional opportunities to contribute, esp. with having Monk and Huerter set to take a bunch of his PT after showing some potential the last 2 yrs.
I also don’t buy this perception we’re short a SF, either, when you have Barnes, Murray, Huerter, and apparently Davis (who’s listed as a SF…lol) I’ve never viewed Barnes as a pure 4 and think that we have a solid forward rotation with capable vets like Metu and Lyles able to contribute when the starters need a rest.
Really, anyone else we bring on is likely not going to be getting much burn, and if they are this team is probably already toast at that point. I think this team, by and large, is pretty much set for next year. I have no idea if that’s a good or bad thing…
I also think the roster is set. I’d like to remind everyone of what happened on draft day. So much hype for so many potential trades and action all revolving around the Kings and the result was…. ZERO MOVES.
Expect more ZERO MOVES.
Maybe, just maybe the Kings get involved in a multiple team trade revolving around a star player like Durant, Kyrie or Mitchel going to another team and the Kings throwing in Holmes and some second round picks.
I seriously doubt that anything else happens but Holmes feels like the only player that could be on the move. At this point I would be shocked if Barnes is traded. I think it’s a mistake that he hasn’t been traded already but I get why Monte would want to keep him on for continuity and a run at the playoffs. I think we’re going to lose Barnes for nothing a year from now which is pretty disappointing. We have that to look forward to.
When Barnes came in the league he, in his own words, was a small forward that could play the two. Now 10 years later he is not a small forward but only a power forward that might be able to play the three?
Question answered.
https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings/status/1553083812678098945
And Delly it is. Welcome to Sactown.
Badge Legend