Longtime Sacramento friend Sam Amick of The Athletic reports that the Sacramento Kings have officially passed on Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma:
According to team insiders, there haven’t been any negotiations over Kuzma for months, and the Kings don’t want to lose any of the rotation players who would have to be traded in order to pay him the same contract, which is $25 million this season and will drop over the following three years. Beyond Kuzma, all indications are that the Kings will attempt to add to their present core while retaining as many of their key rotation players as possible.
A close-knit source close to the Kings made a daring comment that appears to spell the end for any hopes of making a Kuzma trade. This is also consistent with several stories circulating that the Wizards want to maintain their high-scoring player over the deadline.
Amick not only put an end to the Kuzma vibes but also revealed that the Kings have ties to Dorian Finney-Smith, Royce O’Neale (who was recently traded to the Phoenix Suns), Delon Wright, and one other name that hasn’t been linked to Sacramento yet: Caleb Martin
“The Kings are known to be interested in a number of players who are still available, including Royce O’Neale and Dorian Finney-Smith of Brooklyn, Delon Wright of the Wizards (a former King), and Caleb Martin of Miami. However, those players aren’t likely to motivate them to give up a significant amount of draft stock that they would need for a bigger move later on. However, team sources confirm to The Athletic that those guys are still active.
Martin, like the other players on Amick’s list, is a powerful, versatile defender who would give the Kings’ on-court presence a much-needed edge. This season, the 28-year-old wing has started for the Miami Heat as well as coming off the bench. He is currently averaging 10.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 36.4% shooting from outside the arc. The front office in Sacramento would benefit greatly from the acquisition of Martin, a courageous 3-and-D player, even though sources have indicated that his price is comparable to that of other players the Kings have been linked to.
Keep checking back for more coverage of today’s NBA trade deadline, which ends at noon Pacific time.
