Sacramento Kings: The Pros and Cons of a Kyrie Irving Trade
By Rafe Wong
Should the Sacramento Kings pursue Kyrie Irving this summer? Listed down below are the pros and cons if Irving were to play in Sacramento next season.
Kyrie Irving shocked the NBA world this past week as the news came out that he has requested to be traded away from the Cleveland Cavaliers. Lots of teams have been rumored to pursue the 25-year old talent, including the Sacramento Kings.
According to Sam Amico, the founder of Amico Hoops, the Kings are trying to construct a package deal that would send Irving to Sacramento if both parties agree. The offer would include newly drafted guard De’Aaron Fox.
But there was also the news, according to CSN Bay Area’s James Ham, that those accusations are false pertaining to the Kings.
However, let’s play along for a bit. If Irving were to come to Sacramento, here is what I think the ups and downs would be if the Kings were able to execute the blockbuster deal.
Pros
The obvious good is that the Kings would be attaining a multiple All-Star and NBA champion who is still young. The playoffs chances that the Kings had prior would dramatically increase if Irving were to rock the purple and white next season.
The Kings would have Irving and George Hill at the point guard positions, which could be the best facilitator duo in the league. Irving would also be playing with shooters like Buddy Hield, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Vince Carter which gives him the option to either drive to the basket or kick it out to the perimeter to open shooters. Lastly, Irving can build a connection with athletic big Willie Cauley-Stein, which could make a lethal pick-and-roll pair.
Obviously, Irving is a better player than Fox at the moment, so the Kings would improve greatly if they were to obtain Irving. Although the Kings would benefit for the short term, how would the trade’s aftermath be for the Kings’ future going forth?
Cons
Although Kyrie increases the Kings’ playoff chances dramatically, does it really matter? The Kings are in the Western Conference which now has a ton of powerhouse teams that will be competing for an NBA championship next season. Even if the Kings were to finally make the playoffs lead by Irving, they most likely will have an early exit. I’m certain Sacramento will not be better than the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, or San Antonio Spurs for the next upcoming seasons.
There is also the argument that the price for Irving will be steep for potential suitors. If the Kings were to only give up Fox for Irving, it would be a steal for Sacramento. But I’m certain Cleveland is looking for a lot more in exchange for their All-Star guard. Sacramento would likely have to give up Fox, other assets on their roster, and future picks in order to attain Irving alone. Is the trade really worth it then if the team is just going to make the playoffs (possibly?) and nothing more?
Final Thoughts
Kyrie Irving is a great player that I envision will have a great NBA career, but I don’t foresee it being in Sacramento whether a trade happens or not.
It’s just bad timing for the Kings to go after Irving. The Kings would have to give up a lot of their assets for him, and it would only make the Kings a borderline playoff team and nothing more, in my opinion.
The Kings have a great situation right now. The squad consists of a lot of young talent that should be ready to play up to their potential in the forthcoming years. Let those guys develop right now, and once their skills are polished and they gain chemistry with one another, they will then be ready to compete with the big dogs in the league.
No more shortcuts. Let’s hope the Kings rebuild the right way this time.