With the 2017 NBA Draft in the books, it’s time to look into the next chapter of the offseason; the very hectic, yet exciting, Sacramento Kings free agency period.
Vlade said they are looking at FA for players that will help on the floor and guide these young players along.
— Jillian Adge (@JillAdge) June 23, 2017
The Sacramento Kings finally decided to pull the plug on being the most mediocre team in the NBA, and have decided to embrace a full-on youth movement. While doing so, they have an abundance of rookie contracts and a very few amount of veterans. Vlade Divac has since stated he would like to add veterans to the roster in the Kings’ free agency period to help show the young guns the ropes to the league.
With that being said, please enjoy this slideshow that shows five current free agents that would be a good fit for the Kings.
Option #5: Nene Hilario
Nene Hilario has always been a consistent player who can really kill a team in the post if no one is able to guard him. He’s a tough player who is the ultimate role player for an NBA team. He’s currently 34 years of age and might want to go to a contending team, but the Kings should consider him.
Fit w/ Sacramento:
Nene is a veteran who can really help the Kings’ young bigs learn how to defend players in the post a lot better than they already do. He’s also one of the greatest comeback stories in NBA history; diagnosed with cancer at only 25 years old, he fought through it, got back on the court, and was better than ever.
Option #4: Zach Randolph
Zach Randolph has spent the last eight years down in Memphis playing at a very high level, making the ASG twice (2010, 2013). He brought a physical toughness and a new level of professionalism to an organization.
Fit w/ Sacramento:
The Kings now have four young big men, three of which are very thin and need to get stronger. Playing against Randolph day in and day out in practice, their defense against stronger, more experienced, bigs, will improve and help the development of these prospects take a new step forward. Zach has also been in the league for 16 years and still continues to re-invent himself every year, making him continue to be productive on the floor.
Option #3: Jonathon Simmons
Simmons has one of the best “feel-good” stories in the NBA. He paid $150 for a D-League tryout, made the team, and played well enough for San Antonio to give him an NBA contract. His contract is now expired and other teams are probably going to offer a lot more money to him than the Spurs can afford.
Fit w/ Sacramento:
Divac formerly stated he wanted to change the culture in Sacramento and wanted players who are willing to put in hard work and set examples for other players. If that’s not directly pointing towards Jonathon Simmons, I don’t know what does. You can’t go wrong signing a player who Popovich likes.
Option #2: Tony Snell
Tony Snell was having a below average start to his NBA career until the Milwaukee Bucks sent Michael Carter-Williams in exchange for Snell. His offensive rating was +10 compared to his career average, but his defensive rating struggled, although he still played well on that end, excluding the stat.
Per 100 Stats:
| Season | Age | Tm | G | FG% | 3P% | 2P% | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS | ORtg | DRtg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-14 | 22 | CHI | 77 | .384 | .320 | .456 | .756 | 5.4 | 2.9 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 1.9 | 3.6 | 15.0 | 97 | 104 | |
| 2014-15 | 23 | CHI | 72 | .429 | .371 | .494 | .800 | 6.4 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 1.8 | 3.2 | 15 .9 | 108 | 107 | |
| 2015-16 | 24 | CHI | 64 | .372 | .361 | .380 | .909 | 7.7 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 2.0 | 3.9 | 13.0 | 93 | 109 | |
| 2016-17 | 25 | MIL | 80 | .455 | .406 | .548 | .810 | 5.4 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 14.8 | 114 | 113 | |
| Career | 293 | .416 | .373 | .470 | .813 | 6.1 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 3.2 | 14.7 | 104 | 109 |
(via. Basketball Reference)
Fit w/ Sacramento:
The Kings have a glaring hole at the wing slot. Although they did great adding Justin Jackson this year, they could use a 3-and-D guy to help the team. He seems to have a good work ethic with no serious off-the-court troubles.
Option #1: Otto Porter
Kings fans have been pushing for Porter the second they found out he was an upcoming restricted free agent. Porter was selected third overall in 2013 NBA Draft and really struggled in his first three years as a Wizard. But last year something amazing happened. Porter’s three-point shot percentage skyrocketed and was among the highest in the league. He’s a restricted free agent likely to receive multiple max offers and the Kings should press their luck with him.
Per Game Stats:
| Season | Age | Tm | MP | FG% | 3P% | FT% | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-14 | 20 | WAS | 8.6 | .363 | .190 | .667 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 2.1 |
| 2014-15 | 21 | WAS | 19.4 | .450 | .337 | .734 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 6.0 |
| 2015-16 | 22 | WAS | 30.3 | .473 | .367 | .754 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 11.6 |
| 2016-17 | 23 | WAS | 32.6 | .516 | .434 | .832 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 13.4 |
| Career | 24.9 | .481 | .389 | .774 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 9.3 |
(via. Basketball Reference)
Fit w/ Sacramento:
Porter is only 24 years old and has already played at a very high level. He’s on the trajectory to play at an All-Star level down the line. He’s one of the best shooters in the NBA and could potentially create his own shot in a place like Sacramento.
Final Thoughts:
The Sacramento Kings have a lot of holes to fill this offseason and have to find under-the-radar players much like Garrett Temple was for them last season. Veteran leadership is a must for these young players who don’t know how to win just yet. The Kings should also look to acquire young, but proven rising stars to groom for the future.