Time Seems Right For Sacramento Kings To Make Big Move

Jun 3, 2013; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive during a press conference at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

The first six days of free agency for the Sacramento Kings have been full of posturing, setting things up for a bigger move, a move that hasn’t happened yet. Kings fans are waiting patiently. It seems like the time may be coming for execution.

The brief flirtation with big-time free agent Andre Iguodala was ended when the Kings pulled the plug on their 4-year, $52 million offer. The thought behind it seemed to suggest that the Kings had other immediate ideas for that money and could no longer wait for Iguodala to decide. So Iguodala went to Golden State, and the Kings trek continued.

Tyreke Evans was the next situation that needed attention. Did the Kings pull Iguodala’s money to give it to Tyreke? Nope. Evans walked to New Orleans, as Sacramento chose a solid, affordable Greivis Vasquez instead and maintained cap flexibility for that big move that was again pushed back.

Saturday’s signing of Carl Landry is hopefully not the big move; instead, the addition seemed to add more direction to that coming transaction. With Landry in the fold on a 4-year, $26 million deal, the trade route is suddenly the Kings best and most attractive option. A frontcourt of Landry, DeMarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson, Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes is clearly overloaded. Hayes has little value, but Patterson and/or Thompson seem to be prime candidates for deals.

On top of that, Sacramento’s small forward position, the one that has been in most need of a facelift for years, has yet to be addressed. The Kings could bring back John Salmons and Travis Outlaw, or settle for Sam Young, a free agent rumored to be on their radar. But none of that trio is solving the problem.

Thus, here we are. The Kings have obvious trade chips — in addition to Patterson and Thompson, Sacramento’s drafting of two guards made Jimmer Fredette and Marcus Thornton somewhat expendable should the right deal present itself.  And the Kings have an obvious weakness — small forward.

All roads through free agency’s first week have led to this. The team could sit on their overstocked power forward and guard loads and wait until next summer to break it down. Or it could be time…time to make the move fans have been waiting for.

Stay tuned.