All signs are pointing towards the Kings making an aggressive move in the next month
On Tuesday’s episode of The Athletic NBA Show, Sacramento-based reporter Sam Amick dropped some insight on the Sacramento Kings and their mindset heading into the NBA trade deadline next month.
According to Amick, the Kings are very interested in acquiring either Ben Simmons or Domantas Sabonis ahead of the NBA trade deadline next month.
On the Simmons interest, Amick says the Kings are internally considering taking on Tobias Harris’ massive contract along with Simmons in a trade and that Simmons is the team’s number one target. Amick mentioned that the team would focus its efforts on Domantas Sabonis as its second choice, should the Simmons trade conversations fall short.
Amick also noted that the Kings aren’t putting any players, like De’Aaron Fox or Tyrese Haliburton off the table in trade talks for guys like Simmons or Sabonis. This makes sense since it’s nearly impossible to construct a trade where the Kings acquire a player of that caliber without sending something of value back in return.
The overall tone of Amick on the podcast was that there is serious internal pressure from ownership for general manager Monte McNair to make a move of significance this deadline:
“I’d be stunned if they didn’t make a big trade…,” Amick said. “There’s a real expectation for him (McNair) to make a move now. And I think something is gonna happen there.”
This isn’t exactly surprising considering the Kings are on pace to set the NBA record for years missing the playoffs.
It’s a bit concerning that the Kings’ desperation for short-term “success” could alter their long-term future, but we will just have to see what happens over the next few weeks.