The Kings have finally traded with the Atlanta Hawks, but not for the guy many thought would be headed to Sacramento, John Collins. Instead, they are trading Mo Harkless, Justin Holiday and a future first round pick for Kevin Huerter.
Atlanta is trading Kevin Huerter to Sacramento for Justin Holiday, Mo Harkless and a future first round pick, sources tell EPSN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022
And here are the details on the pick protection:
League source confirms the details of the pick involved in the Kevin Huerter trade. Kings first-rounder is lottery-protected in 2024, top-12 in 2025, top-10 in 2026 and converts into two seconds if it isn’t conveyed in 2026.
— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) July 1, 2022
Huerter was the 19th overall pick in the 2018 draft. Over the last four seasons he has proven to be a reliable outside shooter, shooting 37.9% from three on 5.4 attempts a game over his entire career. He’s also locked up on a four year, $65 million contract that he signed last year and will be just 24 years old heading into the 2022-23 season.
For the Kings, this is a solid value acquisition, acquiring a young starting guard/wing for essentially expiring contracts and a decently protected pick. It also makes the decision to not tender the qualifying offer to Donte DiVincenzo make more sense, as the Kings probably didn’t want to commit too much money to more guards. With Dejounte Murray now in Atlanta, the Hawks likely didn’t feel the need to have so much money invested in Huerter who would likely have moved to the bench.
The Kings have now added two relatively young players in Huerter and Malik Monk who fill a big need as good shooters. The Kings still need to address their defense, however. After the trade, the Kings are at 12 guaranteed contracts, so we’ll see what else Monte has up his sleeves.
Red Velvet is now King Cake!
Big welcome to the Red Velvet!!!
Be sure to clarify commenters on how to correctly spell his last name.
haha!
I already forgot if it’s Donte or Dante lol.
Dahntay?
I like both Huerter and Monk better than Hield.
So nice.
And Hawks message boards don’t like it either. Like Monk, that’s always the sign the Kings did well.
It’s a nice little bonus for us.
Yes! I like this trade.
I like this trade. Coach Brown and his staff have some work to do now on the defensive end.
Ham points out the Stepien Rule:
https://twitter.com/james_hamnba/status/1542924996858691584
So I think this means they can still trade the 2023 pick, but only after the selection has been made?
Well, yeah, because then they aren’t trading the pick. They’re trading the player.
Of course, they could pick up another 1st somewhere along the line.
Yes, you can always do a draft -day trade. Stepien Rule is irrelevant there.
I think it conveys in ’24
Okay, I’m starting to get excited now. Two good (not great), young players added to strengthen the core. They should specifically help to spread the floor for Fox and Domas.
The pick protections can drag on for quite a while and bother future flexibility, but I guess you need to break some eggs for an ommelette.
Let’s eat!
Omelette and Red Velvet?
If the Kings could just go ahead and be a playoff team by ’24 or ’25, then the Hawks can just take it and we’ll be done with the whole mess.
That would be ideal, definitely.
yup, things are getting interesting, in a good way. If I’m not mistaken, Heurter has some playmaking abilities also …
I don’t see the ball getting stuck in one place for very long.
I like these two signings/trades for the Kings. Heck, at the very least we will be fun and interesting!
Also, the NBA is on drugs right now. Bonkers!
Honestly. Wtf is happening.
I think this is what happens after the death of the super team, and the waning of generational talents in LeBron and to a lesser extent Curry and Durant. The league is wide open and teams are going to go for it.
I have to admit I agree. I really like Huerter because he’s not just a shooter but also a solid secondary playmaker and can create a little bit off the bounce. The same goes for Monk. It’s just nice having multiple guys who will be able to attack and create offense. Now, the defense is probably going to be a disaster and that’s where you have to hope that Mike Brown can get these guys to buy in but these two moves have the potential to actually make the team better and they are both pretty young. Getting young dudes who are legitimate starter/contributor level players on good teams is something this team doesn’t usually do.
There’s a new sheriff in town FKC.
Fingers perpetually crossed and hope springs eternal and all that!
I really like this trade. I’ve always liked Huerter and have wanted him on the Kings for years. I kind of see him as a Klay lite and the Kings are hopefully only giving up a non-lottery pick for him. Well done Monte.
I’ve seen him as a Klay lite as well, very similar games.
How lite?
Holmgren + lite.
Now you’re just being mean.
Bad joke. My apologies. I like Huerter. It will be interesting to see if his minutes go up in a larger role.
I didn’t mean that as a complaint.
I know.
In reality Huerter is a good finisher around the rim and takes a fair amount of bodying by defenders, absorbs the physical bumps and scores pretty well.
He is solid. I trust he will continue to be in Brown-coached scheme.
He’s also a very good athlete. I can see Huerter, Fox, Monk and some of the other young guys buying in to Brown’s defensive schemes, and there being significant improvement.
Anticipating the logical follow-up question, defensive schemes are a thing that some coaches use to maximize their team’s chances to hamper opponents. In the Sacramento era, I don’t recall such a thing having ever existed.
Joerger tried, no?
Malone too.
I imagine so, but that was a very different group of players, not just in the literal sense. The 2018-19 group’s best DRtg for players that got real minutes was Willie Cauley-Stein at 108. (Willie also had the best ORtg, oddly enough.)
The team was also older, and less athletic, top to bottom. I doubt there was a buy-in to consistently go hard on defense.
I’m hopeful with younger players, and with the example of DMitchell in particular, that the group will be more malleable and accepting of consistent team defensive effort.
I might be way off on this but weren’t a couple of the glory years teams very good defensively? I know the raw points scored numbers don’t support this but I could swear there were analyses(?) that they were at least above average when adjusted for pace. I am also possibly completely pulling this out of my ass, so salt this comment to taste.
Yeah, I’m pretty sure the golden age had a few teams that were good on D.
Two moves I actually like.
What the hell is going on?!
Vivek letting Monte do his job.
Cats and Dogs living together! MASS HYSTERIA!
Maybe, though I’ve noticed a tendency towards:
Moves I don’t like = Vivek meddling.
Moves I do like = Vivek letting the GM do his job.
Plot twist: Vivek has been the mastermind of this entire offseason. Monte has been pushing for Sharpe at #4 and Oladipo at 4yrs/100mil
Have you noticed that none of these moves happened until Anjali was added to the FO!
There was no Monte McNair, only Anjali World.
This is five-dimensional checkers, right here.
I think that’s just how it’s going to be until this team actually succeeds at something. Vivek has absolutely no benefit of the doubt given that he’s presided over multiple failed front offices. Plus, I think that Monte McNair actually has credibility as an executive whereas someone like Vlade had none. When Vlade was GM, I just expected failure and whether it was Vivek’s fault or Vlade’s, we were screwed either way. I at least have a little more confidence that Monte McNair has some idea that he knows what he’s doing.
Good call. If you’re going to the store and you decide to let the dog drive, of course you’re going to crash. And pinning all of the blame on the dog having no driving skills isn’t an adequate explanation.
If the dog gets you there in quick fashion though, he deserves a contract extension and a belly rub.
I feel like I must’ve just had a stroke because I actually find myself feeling optimistic at this moment!
Guess we will be playing next June
Me yesterday: Damn, not resigning DDV. You better have a plan, Monte!
Me today: Well hot damn, he had a plan!
Stayed flexible and struck when the value was there.
feels like typical Houston/Morey type planning
I noticed this trade happened after the Dejounte trade was finalized yesterday evening. I’m guessing ATL needed that domino to fall first. This Huerter trade may have been in the works for days.
I was just listening to a podcast, it might have been Kevin O’Conner and Marc Stein, where Mark said at anytime teams have sixty or seventy trades in conversation, and only a small percentage gets leaked, usually because someone is trying to get leverage. Its not the first time I have heard that. I can’t imagine the fascinating conversations and scenarios we never get to know about.
Repeating myself from the other thread but I just struggle to think you couldnt have done a little better if you were willing to outlay a first. The protection has a decent chance conveying very close to the range of its protection. I see why they aligned the picks with Sabonis. Post 24, If he leaves you blow it up and are in the protection range, if he re-signs you likely are decent and conveying early on out of the lottery (if you hadnt conveyed in 24). From our end you hope the team is decent after Sabonis’s last year and conveys in the first year. But the chance you kind of split the difference and give up a lottery pick in the following years is conceivable.
Can settle in the Kings circumstance being willing to part with a pick. One that even has a good chance of conveying in the late lottery. But hard to think you couldn’t got a bit more of an immediate boost or assurance in terms of the player return. This has a good chance at being a quality first.
Gotta make a move at some point
I think it’s a value trade considering how many picks and swaps go for star players, giving up one highly protected first and buying low on KH is reasonable.
Thats reasonable. Especially I think if the pick conveys in 24. I personally regardless of where the Kings end up post Sabonis in 24, would like to not have this protection linger with us, limit other deals via the Stepien, him resigning or not.
I think it’s also unfair to both praise Monte for factoring upside, but also be marginally underwhelmed by the initial impact. Questions of KH being an average to plus starter I think are worthy. That said Huerter is an interesting player (one of many in the Kings acquisitions I might quibble business wise, but removed very much enjoy). Maybe I should feel more excited on the fact this will be a very aesthetically enjoyable team with a lot of connectors.
nonstripe, “If” the Kings are still stretching their legs in the Marketplace and checking the value of HB in search of a defensive 4 one possible option is to do exactly what the Hawks just did and look for a future 1st as part of the price for Barnes.
I like Barnes. He can play ISO and get a bucket when it is absolutely needed, good team player, an exemplary role model, but he has a short contract fuse to get a return on his value. Sabonis is the go-to player for ISO buckets now.
I wonder what this trade does in terms of Davis’ playing time and also the Veschenkov (sp?) rights trade and the effort to bring him over this year.
I like this trade all in all.
I keep forgetting about TD. He’s gonna have a hard time getting minutes now ahead of Monk and Huerter.
His contract could be nice filler in a larger trade.
I think you may be on the spot. He is relentless, perhaps too much some times, driving and slashing to the rim. I like that skill, except when I don’t….takes a little pressure off of Fox and Kings perimeter shooters. He has a nice skill set, but he may be a trade piece now.
5th in the guard rotation is about right for him anyway.
He’ll get some run at the 3, I suspect Huerter will too.
I suspect a very brief run with Murray + Fox, Mitchel, Monk and Huerter.
duds run Kuminga at the 5 occasionally
If Hawks wanted HB instead of the future pick I would not have done that.
I think the pick conveys 2025 and is a 15 or so.
We lived through this future protected mode in the past with Vlade- and is uncomfortable. Make the play offs this year, convey and get it over with.
Huerter was picked at 19 in 2018. Bagley draft. Other players above him were L. Walker, DDV, T. Brown, J. Robinson, and K. Knox.
If pick conveys in 2024, 2025 or 2026, Kings will have to finish 6th or 7th for the pick given up being a #19. If the pick conveys 2024, 2026, the kings could actually still finish out of play-offs and the pick conveyed would be better than a #19. But, as noted, 19 is a crap shoot. The pick conveyed will probably be better than 19 but the player picked may not be anywhere as successful as Huerter. Losing Moe and Holiday is not really a huge loss.
Huerter can shoot, Monk can shoot. Holiday inconsistent. Either of those is better.
DDV – eye test- inconsistent and probably wanted more than MLE.
Trade opens roster spot. Hope that Sasha gets convinced to come on over. He does have a limited window.
You also have to understand the fact that for Atlanta to make this trade with Sacramento and not anyone else if they don’t have room for KH anymore, is that Sacramento’s offer has to be the best in Atlanta’s POV, for this trade to go through. KH is not only far and away the best player in this deal, but he’s young, should keep improving and is on a 4 year deal that should only get better in value with how many insane contracts are thrown around in FA every year. If Holiday and Harkless were on the Hawks on their playoff run, just one year after they got close to the finals and had very lofty expectations, would they even have gotten minutes on that team? The Kings got a really solid young player, for two meh players and a pick that only conveys if the kings get close/to the playoffs. I don’t think they were going to get anything better with this same package
I’ll take it. Fox, Mitchell, Monk, Huerter is a pretty interesting guard rotation and the pick protections are reasonable even though they limit future trade flexibility.
Now they just really need some versatile wing defenders and still need a 3-and-D big.
Think they play Huerter at the “3” a decent amount. Something like Fox, Monk, Huerter, Barnes, Sabonis.
Then a bigger version with Fox, Huerter, Barnes, Murray, Sabonis
I’m sure they will. Maybe with Murray instead of Barnes though, since they’ll need more of a presence at the rim. In general though, Huerter is better suited to guarding other guards. He struggles with NBA-SF-sized guys.
Fox, Huerter, Barnes, Murray and Sabonis. That’s your starting 5 right there.
4 proven NBA-level starters and one guy who promises to be. When’s the last time the Kings had that prior to training camp? And with a proven coach, too.
I like TD as a microwave option off the bench. Lyles for hustle. One more 3-and-D hustle type and I could see them winning about the same number of games they are losing with hustle and shooting alone.
Agreed, that’s the bottom line. NBA talent. Now we need to create a reliable rotation and add some D. I’ll be very surprised if another move isn’t coming relating to HB and/or Holmes.
I really like this move. I would have thought that the Hawks might have done better in trade value, but there is a good amount of talent in the league guard wise right now, and I would imagine with the KD trade looming, and that probably needing three teams to execute, as well as Danny Ainge maybe moving off of both Gobert and Mitchell, that there are more than a couple of teams waiting for those to shake out before they make further moves.
I really like the job McNair is doing. Really logical as far as roster fit, and still fungible contracts and skill sets to package in the near future.
He has a decent contract, doesn’t he?
Yeah, really solid. 4/65
No player options either. That’s a bonus right there.
Two deep everywhere now with real NBA players…
Finish out the roster without losing other pieces and let’s roll.
Fox, Davion
Monk, TD
Barnes, Huerter
Murray, Lyles
Sabonis, Holmes
Playoffs baby!
The roster is finally starting to fit and round out.
If Vezenkov comes over, that would be nice too.
Absolutely, great competition with Lyles
He might play some SF as well. Heard reports that IF he plays for the Kings, his ideal position might be at the wing rather than at the 4 where he would be task at guarding bigger players.
Reminds me somewhat of a Joe Ingles type of player. High IQ, shoots the 3 really well, not athletic.
I’d be REALLY surprised if he didn’t get cooked all game if he’s forced to guarding NBA perimeter players.
Oh he’s getting his a** lit up by NBA wings no doubt about that.
Huerter should be the starting SG.
Hopefully Davion can continue looking much like a starter if he comes off the bench for Fox.
Holmes, Lyles, Huerter, Davion…. Won’t be out scoring anyone but I like that hustle off the bench.
I think we start Huerter to start with Mitchell and Monk to lead the bench mob
Awesome trade!
KH is young and fits the timeline with Fox, Monk, Mitchell (older second year player), Murray (older rookie) and Sabonis.
Value contract with four years left.
Brings size to the wing positions.
Not having to give Barnes or Holmes up in the deal is impressive. Perhaps another move occurs with one or two of these assets.
As of now: McGenius > McDoofus
I didn’t watch KH last year, but he impressed me a ton in the 2021 playoffs. Really reminded me of a poor man’s Klay. If he can play like that consistently, he’s a steal.
Not a bad top 8:
Fox
Monk
KH
Barnes
Sabonis
Murray, Mitchell, Holmes
Here’s a writeup of how he’s done since the 2021 playoffs:
https://www.si.com/nba/hawks/news/atlanta-hawks-season-grades-kevin-huerter
Okay, that’s a somewhat sobering reality check.
I’m not sure what you expected. When healthy Bogdan is a good player.
I was euphoric for a moment! It will wear off.
Huerter isn’t close to the defender Klay is, but he’s a better playmaker.
I will say that by adding Huerter, who can play the 3, Monte has made Barnes more expendable. Maybe there is still a Barnes and Holmes package out there somewhere?
Ehhhh, I’m not sure Huerter changes anything with Barnes. They’re kinda SFs in opposite lineups for different situations. Neither of them should really be playing there full-time. Barnes is kind of a PF that CAN play some SF. While Huerter is a SG that can play some SF.
One could argue that the Kings don’t really have anyone on the roster that’s best used as a full-time SF.
I would not be surprised if Keegan Murray develops into more of a SF than a PF. Wait and see.
We traded the only true SF on roster in Holiday.
We’re really going to miss those 1-for-8 3FG nights, LOL
This trade may signal a more diminished role for Barnes, or Monte has another card up his sleeve.
I have a hunch Monte is just getting started. These recent moves are very refreshing for the Kings. I like it. Fast and Furious.
I like that it makes Keegan Murray, not the defacto starter on Opening Day. Instead, and the All-Rookie watchers won’t like this, he gets to have a wonderful mentor in Harrison Barnes, who is a Pro’s Pro, both on and off the court.
It may mean his playing time and thus stats will be “harmed” but how refreshing to have a rookie who is not pushed into the line up but can grow into the line up.
I totally agree.
We just have to be ready to watch a Fox, Monk, Huerter, Barnes, Sabonis lineup really struggle on the defensive end.
I’m still not sold that Barnes is on this roster on opening day. We will see. Hoping for more of a defensive presence at the 4 now that we obtained two different shooters/scorers over the last 24 hours.
More importantly and salient, struggle to win games.
Keegan will have to fight to start on opening night, but I think the most likely outcome is that he will start on opening night.
It’s so interesting to me how the league has evolved. Seems like Barnes was a definite 3 when he started his career, but in today’s NBA he’s more of a 4.
Considering they’re all in on trying to make the playoffs, I’m guessing HB sticks. KH and HB together provide versatility which I’m sure coach will appreciate.
Have to say I appreciate and think it shrewd that Monte’s adds align very nicely with the cores age profile (albeit with the draft possibly an exception). That said we have a generation of players connected, with potential for appreciation. If your scheming to pitch Sabonis on an extension, Its a fine margin of improving in the immediate, but also with the chance to ascend. I might quibble with certain choices but the fingerprints of that being factored and taken into consideration is comforting.
It’s nice to see for the first time in a while that the team has a clear vision for the shape and makeup of the roster, and they’re executing to create that vision. It’s as if we have a real GM for the first time since Petrie…..
Monte: “Let them eat cake.”
Very nice ????????????????????????????????????????
I really hope Huerter and Monk don’t follow in the age-old Kangz tradition of turning into pumpkins immediately once in Sac.
We’ve sucked so hard for so long that its’s very likely the pick conveys as two seconds.
I think that tradition is more our tendency to expect new players to be something they aren’t and take on a bigger role than their tendency to pumpkin.
I feel like Mike Brown will be a much better game planner than previous head coaches, and Sabonis being such a good playmaker is going make some of these pieces fit a bit easier.
Hopefully. I’m just saying we have a tendency to become a bit delusional about incoming players.
I think we have a tendency to become a bit delusional about everything. Stockholm syndrome you know?
We also have a history of calling off-seasons a win. And then the season starts.
And before someone says it, we also have people saing each season; “but this season feels different!”
Having said that, I will ridicule myself and claim that this season is starting to feel different. There seems to be a certain shape and coherence to the roster, with decent athletes with skills, BBIQ and playmaking abilities. Decent contracts and quite youthful. And a coach who can possibly forge it into a team.
Will it be enough relative to the rest of the league? A lot will hinge on Fox, and that still makes me uncomfortable.
But there seems to be rason for careful optimism.
I agree that there seems to be a coherent plan. And in general I like the moves so far. The Kings are still at least one truly impactful, top-40ish player away from me feeling okay about a chance at the playoffs, and I’m not sure how they’re going to get that/those guy(s). But I like the Murray, Monk, and Huerter additions. I think the team is better now than it was before. If I had to put a win number on it, I’d probably say somewhere in the 35-38 win range. Which means .500 is within reach if thing go right.
One truly impactful player- yes 1 or2.
and because that one player is probably not coming from the middle of the draft, this trade makes sense. I have spent too long hoping for that one guy when the Kings had high lottery and that did not materialize, so “losing ” a pick around #15 would not do it. KH is actually proven. All the future #15’s are just guesses.
That guy may not be coming from the middle of the draft (though a good handful of the top players in the league have). but they or the pick may become part of a trade package that does. I think the mistake we often make here is in thinking there’s any one silver bullet that’s going to make the Kings contenders. In reality, even if they tank for a top pick or two, it’s still going to talk a number of smart, non-tanking moves to build a winner. There are only so many LeBron’s in the world, and if they happen out-tank everyone in a season where there is one, they still only have something like a 14% chance of getting the top pick. Detroit, for example, just did a two year tank and still have A LOT of work to do to put a winner on the court.
That’s exactly how I felt when we traded for Sabonis. One of many positive moves that need to happen to get back to the playoffs. One player won’t fix our 16 year drought. But several good moves and a little luck will.
Funny thing is, it kind of is the middle of the 1st round, but we’re betting on players drafted there 4-5 years ago (#11 and #19) so they’re known quantities …. we’re not praying for Justin Jackson to become an NBA starter
Your posts are starting to feel different. I think your off season is a success. Of course, we’ve tended to overvalue you in the past.
LOL.
I agree with this take Rik. I have been utterly pessimistic and convinced that anything the team does is destined to fail, and that we have been saddled with some form of curse (of ineptitude.) I simply refuse to have hope or allow myself to care about all of the rearranging of the deck chairs.
This new coach hiring was like “well, that’s good, but he can’t make this roster win.”
The draft pick was like “well, fine. I don’t pretend to know which guy was better, so this is probably a good addition”
Getting Monk made me say…”oh, that’s pretty interesting.” I wonder how that will work out?
This signing makes me think “You, know, this is a fair string of moves that should improve the team.”
That’s as far as I’m willing to go… but I find myself… curious again. That is a big jump from “This team is dead to me.”
A string of sensible moves….
and Yes! I am wondering.. how are the going to Kangz this up?
Vivek fires Monte and appoints Aneel as new GM.
I know! One of the Kings newest additions doesn’t have Jazz hands and is a bad actor –
we’ll call him …. Felonious Monk!
Yes and No. There’s usually a pretty strong contingent on this website that are not fans of most moves we make. There’s certainly always habitual off season kool-aid drinkers as well (guilty as charged). This may be the 1st time in a LONG time that I’ve jumped into this thread and the vast majority seems to be happy with the moves made in the last 24 hours. Are the Kings finally making moves that make sense? That’s what it feels like today at least. I don’t want to count my Kangz chickens, but I feel pretty excited about how the roster is shaping up.