The Sacramento Kings are trading Jalen McDaniels and a second round pick to the San Antonio Spurs, according to multiple reports. The Spurs are taking McDaniels into cap space, and intend to waive him. In short, this is just a salary dump trade. Shams Charania was the first to report the news, with Sean Cunningham confirming.
Spurs plan to waive McDaniels, sources said, while Kings open roster flexibility for a potential addition down the line. McDaniels has averaged 6.9 points and 3.3 rebounds over his first five NBA seasons. https://t.co/aAhGazE6kW
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 14, 2024
Sources confirm that the Kings are moving Jalen McDaniels to the San Antonio Spurs, along with a second-round pick.
The move opens up a roster spot and is a move that has been in the works & part one of something to come.— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) October 14, 2024
It’s encouraging to see Sean report that this is a move to set up something else, and it makes sense. McDaniels has not been good in preseason, and was assumed to be an afterthought for the Kings from the moment he was acquired. But McDaniels did have a salary that was useful for trade purposes, so salary dumping him only makes sense if you have something else lined up.
By trading McDaniels rather than simply waiving him, the Kings free up an additional $4.7 million. Prior to this trade, the Kings were just barely beneath the luxury tax line.
Now we wait for the next move.
Hopefully someone to bring some length to this roster. I know pre-season means little at all but perhaps the staff saw something worth addressing now.
See? Anyone can be useful!
So what was Off Night and Off to Europe for Offull is now Off Night and Off to Europe for Off the Roster. How do we do it? Volume, volume volume!
Also the creative financing to S&T DeRozoff
Have a rec, Off Pants.
I wonder if Huerter’s health had anything to do with the timing on this….. We will see!
Come on, Monte…
Jack, I really hope this is for Tari Eason! I doubt it, but I really hope so.
So do I. Wouldn’t that be the kicker. Go Monte. Go Kings.
Also if not Eason a smaller good value would be Toumani Camara.
It’s a salary move to get up to 15 man roster without going in to the tax. They were basically at the threshold with 14, so a 15th would out them into the tax
Does the new CBA change the system so that Vet Mins now count against the cap? Otherwise, that wouldn’t be an issue, as that 15th man is almost assuredly a vet min guy.
Camara is a second-rounder on a low-cost deal, and he’s also pretty damned good. Portland would want a fine return, and I don’t blame them.
The former Flyer has the potential to be very good.
48,000 new puffy vests for Monte!
It’s technically not a trade unless something comes back in return, right?
hopefully we get Cash Considerations back…I’ve missed that guy
“Something else lined up”. The season starts in like a week. We’ll see but I’m not holding my breath.
Probably promote 2 two-way guys to standard roster spots, then exhibit 10 guys to the two-way contracts. Nothing exciting.
The only Exhibit 10 contract that might be worth an upgrade is Boogie Ellis. The only 2-Way deal possibly worth an upgrade to a regular deal is Isaiah Crawford, but honestly, those are reaches and not needle movers. Definitely not worth giving up 3 seconders in the process to make it happen.
I also like Issac Jones.
But is he worth a regular contract? I’d wager no.
Hmmm, I’m not entirely sure what this creates for the Kings in “flexability.” or “more to come.” From what I recall the Kings are hard capped from the DeRozan S&T. So they have now gone from $1M in cap space to $5.7M in tax space. That kind of money is not going to get the Kings any useful free agents (if any are left) other than vet minimum guys, which run just under $3M per year.
Here’s my butt pulled short list of available free agents that “might” sign for the vet minimum and could help the Kings
Markelle Fultz, Jae Crowder, Robert Covington, Doug McDermott….and that’s about it.
As it stands the Kings gave up 2 second rounders in the Sasha/Davion salary dump for McDaniels and now have given up another 2nd rounder in the McDaniels dump. By my math that’s 3 second round picks for an addition $4.7M in space under the tax line
Now…if Monte does have something up his sleeve, say a move of Huerter and change for someone that makes a few million more than Kevin, then maybe there is hope. Huerter makes $16.8M this season, and $17.9 next season. There are some players that make a bit more than Hueter that could definitely fill some need on this Kings roster. My quick list:
Keldon Johnson and Bojan Bogdanovic @ $19M come to mind, but are those guys and the 3 seconders given up, including additional salary, worth Huerter?
Also, the Kings are now very shallow at the wing positions. My hope is they are not going to rely on their 2-way deals or unproven players. Orlando Robinson is also on a short leash with his $500K guaranteed by this Saturday. After that his contract becomes fully guaranteed. If he is cut, that frees up not only additional money but another roster space.
I’m of the opinion the Kings still need depth at the SF/PF spot and another legit center.
Your move, Monte.
IMO I’d take Tari Eason first, Isiah Steward second (15 mil for 3 years and Toumani Camara third. There are others.
I honestly don’t think any of those players are available, Jack. Eason would require a first round pick (and maybe more), Stewart is Detroit’s big man depth on a very good deal, and Camara is PDX’s version of Keon Ellis. None of them will come cheap if available at all.
You might get Stewart for Huerter and a second. He would be great backup for Sabonis and Murray at PF. Detroit has a few centers and Durlen is in front of Steward and the Pistons really need a shooter to spread the floor. Could happen.
The thing is, Jack, that possible trade for Stewart could have happened at any time because Huerter makes more than Isaiah. This trade of McDaniels to the Spurs does not impact that possibility at all. Basically, if it hasn’t happened yet, it’s still unlikely to happen now.
Maybe some team was waiting for Huerter to be cleared for physical contact again? Waiting to see the doctors report from his completion of the rehab?
Maybe it’s nothing but I find it a little weird this happens 2 days after Huerter is cleared for contact and physically ready to take the floor again.
Hey Jack, if you’re still reading this post, I got one for ya.
Santi Aldama. 7’0″ center for the Grizz. 43% from 3 on 4.7 attempts in 21 MPG. Seth Partnow’s stats puts him at pretty much the 21st best rim protector in the league. That’s a summary conclusion but his defensive field goal percentage at the rim is 56.7% for a more concrete figure.
I listened to Dunc’d On’s season outlook for the Grizz and he said in their current GM Zach Kleiman’s era they have never taken a player to restricted free agency. They have either rookie-extended their players or traded them. Aldama will be a RFA at the end of the year.
He would presumably allow the bench to play 5-out on offense without having to sacrifice much from not playing Len with his excellent rim protection.
He makes $3.96M this year and as stated earlier is a RFA at the end of the year.
What do you think? Jack and anyone else.
Yeah, I’ll wait and see what Monte ends up doing, but so far I am not impressed by the process of these moves, nor the results so far.
Still an imbalanced roster, still lacking size and athleticism.
Bingo thanks for doing the hard work of spelling it out Adam. Unless he really does have a specific move lined up, I’m guessing nothing comes of this. If so, it sure seems like we just wasted a bunch of minor assets for nothing.
I’m not sure that Jalen McDaniels departure makes the Kings’ wing depth shallower. Barring injuries to several players, he wasn’t going to get many minutes. It’s like saying that Sacramento’s ability to spread the floor is shallower with the departure of Vezenkov. Practically speaking, McDaniels going away has no impact on the roster.
Shocked, I am shocked I tell you. Jalen McDaniels is off the team? We all were sorta waiting for him to be offloaded back on 28 August, so this just comes a bit late. He could have assumed the role of this season’s Chris Duarte otherwise.
Perhaps a Kevin Huerter and McDaniels money ($4.7M) will add up to a frontcourt player, especially if Orlando Robinson is also off the roster, and then again, what’s the hurry? December 15 is the other trade deadline, and then, of course, is February 6, 2025.
GMs McNair/Welker might have something up their sleeve, or maybe he is just stalling for a deal to become available (he likely doesn’t have something up his sleeve, that’s why he wears vests).
Go point on the vest.
How about a rotation caliber forward? The end of the rotation is looking quite sketchy, and we are very exposed if/when a current rotation player misses time.
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