Sacramento Kings: Another great draft! But there are holes to fill
With the draft in the rearview mirror, we shift our focus to free agency. The Sacramento Kings outlook for next season is promising, but there are holes to fill.
Last year, GM Vlade Divac and company gave us Skal Labissiere, Georgios Papagiannis, Malachi Richardson and the rights to Bogdan Bogdanovic on draft night.
This year the Kings drafted De’Aaron Fox, Justin Jackson, Harry Giles, and Frank Mason III.
Today, we take a look at Sacramento’s holes heading into free agency.
Point Guard
At the one, De’Aaron Fox and Frank Mason III should make the team. We need Darren Collison and Garrett Temple to marinate the two rookies with their experience.
Shooting Guard
Shooting guard is probably the deepest position on the roster with Buddy Hield, potentially Bogdan Bogdanovic (sign your fellow Serb, Vlade!), and Malachi Richardson.
Related Story: 5 Players to Look Forward To Next Season
Ben McLemore and Tyreke Evans are probably not going to be part of the youth revolution and will be looking for new homes this offseason.
Center
The Kings have three centers who all protect the rim in Willie Cauley-Stein, Kosta Koufos, and Harry Giles.
Power Forward, Small Forward
The three and four positions are where the real question marks lie. We look forward to Skal Labissiere having a breakout year, but help is needed.
Below are a few free agents, role players (with age, last year’s salary, and 3 pt. average) that the Kings’ brain trust needs to be targeting.
Ersan Ilyasova (30, $8.4M, .366). A solid veteran player, we know what he can do.
C.J. Miles (30, $4.6M, .361) is a slick veteran three-point marksman.
Serge Ibaka (27,$12.2M, .366) can pull down boards, shoot the short jumper, and hit from three-point territory.
Bojan Bogdanovic (28, $3.6M, .369) would be a great addition. The Wizards are short on cap space with John Wall, Marcin Gortat, Bradley Beal, and Otto Porter (who is looking for Big Bucks). Will the Kings outbid Washington? The Kings have $40 to 45 million to spend.
How about Omri Casspi (29, $3.1M, .368) for a third tour in Sacramento? Omri’s blood, allegedly, runs purple. The Kings know what they are getting in Casspi.
Or Anthony Tolliver (32, $8M, .386) who was the glue for the Kings last year.
The Kings waived Aaron Afflalo (32,$12M, .386) on June 23, so he will not be returning to Sacramento next season.
They also drafted Justin Jackson at pick 15 who will be playing on the wing.
Next: Sacramento Kings 2017 NBA Draft grades
Brilliant and promising youths have arrived. Now for some veterans to get the Kings into the playoffs.