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Sacramento Kings Offseason Preview, with Jerry Reynolds

A busy offseason begins for the Sacramento Kings.
By and | 57 Comments | May 15, 2025

The Kings Herald Show returns with Jerry Reynolds, Will Griffith, and Tony Xypteras to give the upcoming offseason an early preview, discuss the additions of BJ Armstrong and Mike Woodson, and break down the DeMar DeRozan trade rumors.

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AirmaxPG
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May 15, 2025 7:03 am

For reference, Derozan was acquired last year in a 3 team sign and trade that in effect cost the Kings Harrison Barnes, Chris Duarte, and a 2031 pick swap. Which was probably an overpay.

His value probably hasn’t gone up, so I’d expect the return for DeRozan to look something like a salary match vet with baggage and a 2nd.

I’m thinking something like Rozier and a couple 2nds maybe. Especially since DDR likely wants out. It’s another Fox situation.

Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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May 15, 2025 8:36 am
Reply to  AirmaxPG

If Giannis ends up staying in Milwuakee, and Lillard likely to miss the season, I fear a DDR for Kuzma package where the Kings eat some other minor deal from the Bucks to lower their tax hit and give them a scoring punch.

Want2win
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May 15, 2025 8:46 am
Reply to  Adamsite

I’m with you as to what might happen… at this point I’d be happy with just getting someone like Isaac who I think would be great for this team and helpful. Would prefer Isaac and Da Silva and use the excess money to sign a point guard.

1951
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May 15, 2025 8:59 am
Reply to  Adamsite

I do not like Kuzma at all, but I’d take that at this point! lol

Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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Nostradumbass 14
May 15, 2025 9:08 am
Reply to  1951

It’s just deck chairs at the point. Kuzma is just a taller less efficient scorer than DDR and brings nothing to the team defensively. He’d also just continue to suffocate Keegan’s development and role. So yeah, it’s a likely Kangz scenario.

1951
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May 15, 2025 10:12 am
Reply to  Adamsite

He is a true PF, so even if he is an even swap for DDR re defense and such, it’s a better fit on the roster.

Like I said, I don’t like him. That said, it moves Keegan to the 3 (which he should) and Kuzma takes less shots than DDR (5 less shots per game last season).

Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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Nostradumbass 14
May 15, 2025 12:02 pm
Reply to  1951

True PF? What makes him a true PF and not Keegan. I know I keep circling back to this point, but I keep seeing it. Keegan rebounds and protects the rim better than Kuzma, so why isn’t he a true PF?

1951
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May 15, 2025 1:26 pm
Reply to  Adamsite

Size/girth.

He is at least an inch or two taller than Keegan, but more important he has got at least 20 pounds on Keegan.

Kfan
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May 15, 2025 3:11 pm
Reply to  1951

FWIW the official team pages show Keegan as 6/8 225 and Kuzma as 6-9 221. And Aaron Gordon 6-8 235.

Keegan filled out quite a bit last summer.

Last edited 1 day ago by Kfan
Kfan
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May 15, 2025 3:15 pm
Reply to  Kfan

photo

KeegKuz
Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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May 15, 2025 3:40 pm
Reply to  Kfan

Yup Keegan is the same size or bigger than many of the current PFs in the league. I mean hell, Draymond Green is 6’6″ 230, Tatum is 6’8″ 210, Cam Johnson 6’8′ 210, Scottie Barnes 6’7″ 235, Tobias Harris 6’8″ 225, Kawhi 6’7″ 225. The list goes on and on.

Maybe the problem is folk are too hung up on the “power” part of PF. It’s an outdated term for a back to the basket player when really the league is just about long multi positional wings who can stretch the floor. In looking at the Kings roster, Keegan is the only archetype that fits the modern NBA

SmallBallReject
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May 16, 2025 4:25 am
Reply to  Adamsite

Maybe Keegan at 6’8″ is long enough to pay PF in general, but alongside a 6’10” short-limbed Sabonis another longer player might be a better fit.

Last edited 17 hours ago by SmallBallReject
1951
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May 16, 2025 11:39 am
Reply to  Adamsite

It’s also about balancing the roster on both sides of the court.

Keegan is our best SG/SF defender, with Keon being the best PG/SG defender.

We need a player with size to guard the PFs.

And again, I don’t like Kuzma. That said, replacing DDR with Kuzma helps balance the roster, so as I said, “at this point I would take it.”

“At this point” being the key words. Kings put themselves in a corner with not many options to balance the roster.

SactownLegendz
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May 15, 2025 9:54 pm
Reply to  1951

Gotta pry Jabari from Houston, move DD & some 1sts or whatever’s needed. Get a 3rd or 4th team involved if need be.
Maybe try to trade Carter + whatever else for Pippen, he can be the starting PG.

Hobby916
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May 15, 2025 10:21 am
Reply to  Adamsite

DDR for Isaac, Gary Harris, and da Silva!. Fill out and balance the roster.

Monk for Duncan Robinson and Jacquez!

Then find an Apron team that wants to reduce salary and use $16.8m TPE.

TheGrantNapear
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May 15, 2025 9:31 am
Reply to  1951

When you factor in contracts, Kuz is arguably one of the worst players in the NBA, so expect Vivek to push Perry to trade for him.

1951
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May 15, 2025 10:14 am
Reply to  TheGrantNapear

Kuzma has only 2 years left. $22m next year and $20 the year after that.

And y’all need to stop making me defend Kuzma! I don’t like it! lol

Last edited 1 day ago by 1951
SactownLegendz
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May 15, 2025 9:51 pm
Reply to  1951

I don’t want KK in any scenario, another ball stopper…and brick layer, lol. Doesn’t improve our D, and isn’t very good on 3s either.

TheGrantNapear
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May 15, 2025 9:30 am
Reply to  AirmaxPG

DDR has next to no value. Only MM/Vivek were dumb enough to give up assets for him, especially the 2031 pick swap. And dumb and dumber are so dumb they couldn’t even get the swap back in the Fox deal in which they got absolutely fleeced.
Talk about two incompetent bozos.

rockbottom
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May 15, 2025 8:02 am

Doubt the Kings can get much value back for a DDR trade . Also, any team that takes him will use him as an off the bench spot scorer . The league understands his value .

TheGrantNapear
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May 15, 2025 9:32 am
Reply to  rockbottom

The league understands his value .

I like that indirect shot at Vivek and our FO lol.

SlamsonsRollerskates
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May 15, 2025 9:19 am

Trade DDR (plus whatever second rounders are needed, if they are needed) to move into the first round and draft a PG. Maybe he starts, maybe not because we trade for or sign a vet, but at least we address the biggest need with a first round pick. Plus, we shed salary and balance out the roster.

Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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May 15, 2025 12:07 pm

I did find it interesting that in the podcast they brought up the fact that the Kings had talks with Jeremiah Fears, who is a consensus top 10 pick in this draft and is a PG. I’m not exactly sure how the Kings are supposed to acquire him. Houston does have the #10 pick and it’s doubtful they want to add another rookie prospect and contract. It makes we wonder if Perry is already working angles, but the only way I figure the Kings move into the top 10 is if they are moving one or both of Keegan and Sabonis or leveraging future picks.

TheGrantNapear
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May 15, 2025 12:11 pm
Reply to  Adamsite

It’ll be interesting to see if HOU looks for a big fish (Book, KD, etc.) or looks to add perimeter scoring at a lower level. Monk and DDR are fits imo.
It would be nice to have Fox right now to formulate a trade angled at getting a high pick in this draft. Trading Fox in haste was a dumb decision.

Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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May 15, 2025 12:19 pm
Reply to  TheGrantNapear

I guess I could see a scenario where Giannis stays put, the Suns plan to keep Durant and Houston doesn’t want to sell the farm for Booker or Trae Young. They then may look to second and third tier stars like LaVine and DDR to add some veteran scoring punch.

I feel Houston would be smart to just stay the course and develop what they have. Keep their #10 pick and wait it out until someone gets really desperate and they can pounce on a star.

Kfan
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May 15, 2025 12:30 pm
Reply to  Adamsite

I feel like they need to make a decision about Jalen Green. If they think he can become more consistent and make a leap, then yeah be patient. If not then moving him and some of their forward depth for a wing that can get their own shot would really help them.

I’m not sold on him and think they should try to move him.

SlamsonsRollerskates
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May 15, 2025 12:39 pm
Reply to  Kfan

Van Vleet too. Team option for 44 million. Seems like they are making at least one major change to their backcourt, if not two. I think they end up resigning Van Vleet to a longer contract that isn’t 40+ mil per year. If they move on from Green I wouldn’t be surprised.

Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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May 15, 2025 3:30 pm

They just kicked his contract date down the road to the end of June, I believe. I imagine they are working on things as we speak to see how the draft and trades play out. As an example, should they trade for Trae Young, they likely let Fred walk.

Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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May 15, 2025 12:41 pm
Reply to  Kfan

To be honest, Jalen Green feels like a younger Zach LaVine to me.

Jack
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May 16, 2025 6:29 am
Reply to  Adamsite

Yeah doesn’t play defense.

SlamsonsRollerskates
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May 15, 2025 12:34 pm
Reply to  Adamsite

My feeling (worth nothing) is that they want to keep Keegs and Sabonis. So, if that is the case, they would have to trade future picks (like the ones from the Fox trade) to move up and snag a top 10 or lottery pick. I think DDR and 2nd round picks gets us into the first round. Depending on fit, DDR and 1-2 first round picks could get us into the lottery. Just depends what new GM and HC want.

KANGZZZZZZZZZZZZ
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May 15, 2025 1:19 pm
Reply to  Adamsite

I know nothing about him as a player or person, but just his name alone makes him a perfect fit with this current Kings squad.

TheGrantNapear
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May 15, 2025 9:34 am

I like the idea of using one of our core players to obtain a first round pick in this draft to use on a position of need (PG, athletic 4). As long as we don’t give up any future firsts/swaps in the process.

Hobby916
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May 15, 2025 9:53 am
Reply to  TheGrantNapear

Orlando has Two 1st round picks, and they could use someone like Monk or DDR.

TheGrantNapear
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May 15, 2025 12:09 pm
Reply to  Hobby916

MM would make a ton of sense for them.
Maybe Monk for their 16 and salary filler. Monk is on an excellent contract. The East is kind of wide open next year with Tatum out and the Cavs being beatable in the playoffs. I can see some of these teams like ORL, DET etc. looking to take the next step by adding vets.

Hobby916
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May 15, 2025 9:54 am

When can we expect our next “Asinine Trade” thread?

1951
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May 15, 2025 10:16 am
Reply to  Hobby916

Sabonis and a 2nd for Giannis! Let’s go!

Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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May 15, 2025 12:14 pm
Reply to  Hobby916

It really is all we have to look forward to at this point. Are we even going to have draft prospect articles? I suppose we could take bets on who the Kings are going to sell the #42 pick to this year.

Jack
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May 16, 2025 6:31 am
Reply to  Hobby916

I have one but not until I fix breakfast.

Jack
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May 16, 2025 8:17 am
Reply to  Jack

Bacon,eggs, toast with jelly. Yum. Now here we go! I have thought about and researched it quite a bit.
Sabonis to the Nets for Claxton and Johnson plus a 2025 first(#19) a 2025 first(#26) a 2027 first and a 2030 first.
Monk a first and second for Herb Jones and Alvarado.
DeRozan and 2 seconds to the Lakers for Vincent, Vanderbilt and Knecht.
You have multiple starters with combinations. One would be Alvarado, LaVine, Johnson, Murray and Claxton. Jones, if you want more defense can plug in let’s say for LaVine. Now you have Alvarado, Johnson, Jones, Murray and Claxton. There are more like involving Ellis. You can do other combinations. This is what I was trying to do.
Vincent would be a backup to Alvarado. Kneckt, a up and coming players who can really shoot would backup LaVine and Ellis. LaRavia9 we offer him a 2 year contract, can bach up Johnson or Murray. Carter backs up Alvarado. Vanderbilt, who is an excellent power forward plays next to Claxton to help rebounding and interior defense. You still have Issac Jones who IMO after a summer and preseason will even be better.
I tried to bring in more shooting in Johnson and Knecht along with defense in Herb Jones and Vanderbilt.
GO DOUG! GO KINGS!

Jack
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May 16, 2025 8:31 am
Reply to  Jack

I missed a player. In the Sabonis trade I have Trey Lyles in a sign and trade to balance contracts. Sorry

macdoogs
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May 15, 2025 10:49 am

Anyone catch what Stephen A said? Not as scathing as it needed to be but at least a shot from a big media presence at the organization. We need more big mouths to yap about how dysfunctional we are

Kfan
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May 15, 2025 10:59 am
Reply to  macdoogs

I think he’s full of shit. We are NOT “on a fast track to nowhere”.

We’ve been here, set up camp and we just keep on digging ourselves further in.

Kfan
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May 15, 2025 10:53 am

Here’s your nightmare trade Jerry and I’ve made it worse by getting VladVek involved.

Screenshot-2025-05-15-105247
UpgradedToQuestionable
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May 15, 2025 1:36 pm
Reply to  Kfan

Wow, that is a special kind of awful. Kudos Kfan, that is dark arts magic.

RikSmits
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May 15, 2025 11:00 am

Thanks for answering my tanking question, guys!

Kings-Rebuild
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May 15, 2025 8:48 pm

Agree with Jerry about moving DDR. Denver badly needs depth maybe DDR for Watson and some salary fillers if you can make it work. If the front office does their research and homework there’s some good young talent buried on the bench. We are seeing it some off the bench in the playoffs. Maybe OKC would also make a detail. They have a lot of young talent. Maybe they’ll part with one of those guys along with a second rounder for DDR. Have to find salary fillers (s). Even Kuminga on Warriors. I don’t think the Warriors are going to resign him. He might be a nice free agent pickup looking for an opportunity to get a lot of minutes.

Do your homework and you can find hidden gems.

Jack
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May 16, 2025 8:23 am
Reply to  Kings-Rebuild

I still want LaRavia on this team. With want you say, do a little homework, we can still have LaRavia. If not then Amir Coffee would be a good find.

Kfan
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May 16, 2025 8:18 am

I disagree with Jerry about the playoffs being too long. It’s the best part of the season why shorten it?

I agree with the general consensus that the 82 game season is too long, but don’t see how that’s ever going to change.

Kfan
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May 16, 2025 8:38 am
Reply to  Kfan

Hell, the NFL looks like it will expand to 18 games. That’s just crazy.

TheGrantNapear
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May 16, 2025 10:43 am
Reply to  Kfan

I agree. The regular season is obsolete. I think a lot of fans such as myself only start watching in April and then the playoffs. NBA playoffs are like it’s own season.
Shorten the regular season to 70 games and leave the playoffs as is and dump the IST.

Hobby916
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May 16, 2025 12:03 pm
Reply to  TheGrantNapear

If they shorten the regular season, does that mean that salaries would go down? Same pay for less games? That doesn’t seem right.

Also, I think ticket prices would increase because the owners would want to keep the revenue of an 82 game season.

Kfan
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May 16, 2025 12:16 pm
Reply to  Hobby916

That’s why the number of games will never go down. Fewer games means less TV revenue which means a smaller salary pool for the players. And as you said fewer home games equals less ticket money for the teams.

The owners don’t want that and the players don’t want that either.

Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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May 16, 2025 3:24 pm
Reply to  Kfan

I still love the idea of expanding to 32 teams, vastly shorten the season, but expand the playoffs to all 32 teams. 1 seed plays 16 seed, 2 seed plays 15 seed, etc. Then losers of the first round have a reshuffled 16 team consolation bracket. The winner of that bracket gets the #1 pick, runner up get #2 pick, the semi-final losers play for picks #3 and #4, and so on and so on. No more tanking.

Same method goes for the winner bracket, but divisional and semi final losers play each other for draft picks. Champion and runner up get #30 pick and #29 picks

In the end, every team is guaranteed multiple “playoff” series and all games matter to the end. The “regular season” is just about playoff positioning and home field advantage for an extended “playoff season”

Work the calendar so near every team is playing through May, but maybe reserve the last 3 weeks for just the Conference Finals and NBA Finals

Kfan
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May 16, 2025 3:47 pm
Reply to  Adamsite

Regular season is play every team twice home and away = 62 games. No more “but the east is easier”

Have to try to make up 10 old regular season home games for each team. I think all series need to be 7 games.

So worst case get swept round of 32(2 home games), swept consolation round 1(2 home games), swept positioning round(2 home games. = 12 games(74 total) – 6 home games(37 total).

First round winners get 2-4 home games and then Playoffs.

I like it! Make it so. Have like 8 games a day for the first couple weeks though.

Hobby916
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May 16, 2025 8:57 am

I caught the part of the podcast where it was mentioned that Jeremiah Fears met with the Kings. Probably a top 10 pick this year. What struck me was when I read and watched various scouting reports on him, he did not seem to be a “true PG” nor a good defender. He actually reminded me of Malik Monk a decent amount. Plays somewhat out of control, turnover prone, streaky shooter, good at the PnR, can get to the rim. Sounded like he was more a fast PG that can get to the rim, but not finish very well when he gets there.

He will be 19 in October, so there is room to grow. He would be a developmental guy, maybe looks better playing with more space and good shooters. Kings do need to find some high level talent, and he could be that boom/bust guy that could change the direction of the team (for good or bad).

ForKingsandCountry
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May 16, 2025 9:30 pm

Just listened to a podcast with Sam Amick, Howard Beck and Logan Murdock and they spent some time on the Kings. It’s as bleak as you’d expect. Amick tried to be diplomatic. Said he likes Scott Perry. Said he’s very respected league wide. Also said he’s pretty good at navigating messes lol. But basically just more about how Vivek some how hasn’t learned anything during his entire tenure as owner. Just keeps making the same mistakes over and over again. It’s kind of remarkable at this point.

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