During the NBA trade deadline in 2024, there is one potentially disastrous situation that the Sacramento Kings need to stay out of.
This season, the Sacramento Kings have been a constant force in the Western Conference. The Kings are the best team in the second level even though the top four teams have elevated themselves to the status of elite teams in the conference, and they have the ability to upset any of the four teams in a seven-game series. As the trade deadline draws near, Sacramento’s two main motivators remain continuity and camaraderie.
Harrison Barnes and Kevin Huerter are two of the major names that are frequently mentioned in Kings rumours, but both players had a great January, so it’s possible that they can succeed in their current roles. The Toronto Raptors were reportedly interested in hiring Keegan Murray since the Kings were considering a serious trade for Pascal Siakam, a former Raptor. It appears that Murray is untouchable.
Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox are at the height of their powers. Sacramento is expecting Sabonis and Fox to guide the group to a deep postseason run. The trade deadline, though, will be crucial for them.
What is the worst-case scenario for the Kings in the 2024 NBA trade deadline?
First unit stays the same.
The Kings, with Fox and Sabonis as a formidable one-two combination, proved as much during the postseason of the previous year. However, if the surrounding areas are to contend with the best in the league, they must be upgraded. Murray is still only a sophomore, so reasonable expectations should be set for him. Sacramento needs to hold onto him and keep an eye on his internal development because he is a terrific catch-and-shoot shooter.
The crucial holes are strengthening their wing depth because the three names of the five starting are already known. Though not as good as Devin Booker and Kevin Durant or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, Huerter and Barnes’ duo is still passable. The Kings do own an abundance of draft capital that they could trade for Jerami Grant and Malcolm Brogdon from the Portland Trail Blazers, or for Nic Claxton and Dorian Finney-Smith from the Brooklyn Nets.
Although executing a package trade would be far more difficult for the Kings, those four players have demonstrated their ability to perform at a high level and will play a significant role in the playoffs. This could be a brief phase in an 82-game season, even if Huerter and Barnes are performing admirably as their core’s current wings. As such, Sacramento has the ideal sell-high chance before their value plummets.
Huerter will be the far more alluring asset because he is six years younger than Barnes, even if both have two more years left on their contracts. In addition, the Kings have young players like Chris Duarte and Davion Mitchell that they may use, in addition to having a tonne of draft capital.
Compared to the other organisations, Sacramento has a lot more to offer, thus it will be concerning for their fan base if they stumble and don’t improve by February. Since their own offseason acquisitions of Alex Len, Trey Lyles, and Barnes were already lacklustre, the front office needs to be more aggressive in closing these trades in order to strengthen their roster.
To surpass the top four Western teams, the Sacramento organisation needs to make a trade. Anything can happen in the postseason, but assuming they keep the same lineup from their 2023–24 campaign, it is conceivable that they will once again lose in the first round.
