Sacramento Kings: 4 Players To Consider Trading This Season

Check out these four players that the Sacramento Kings could trade in order for them to receive a first-round pick in next year’s draft.

The Sacramento Kings are a young team as their roster is an average age of just 23-years old. Their future should be relatively bright, but no one expects them to make a playoff run in the upcoming season.

This would land Sacramento back in the lottery with a chance, again, at a top prospect in the draft. But wait, their 2019 first-round draft pick is either going to the Boston Celtics or the Philadelphia 76ers.

If the Kings wanted to get back into the first round of the draft, they have assets on their roster that could entice a potential playoff team to part with their pick.

With that being said, here are four players that the Sacramento Kings should consider trading this season in order to get back into the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft.

Iman Shumpert

Iman Shumpert was hampered by injuries last season after coming to Sacramento in the George Hill trade. Shumpert is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.

The unanswered question with Shumpert is his health. Coming off of injuries that ended his 2017-2018 season, the Kings have yet to see Shumpert’s value on the court. He would be an attractive trade asset for a team that is looking to make a playoff push late in the season. He could add defensive length and veteran leadership to a team that feels they are a piece away from knocking off the Golden State Warriors.

Zach Randolph

The Kings have a logjam at the power forward position as they have Zach Randolph, Marvin Bagley III, Nemanja Bjelica, and Skal Labissiere at the position. The concern will be how Dave Joerger fits all four pieces on the floor.

Randolph led the Kings in points per game last season with 14.5. If Bagley and Giles develop in the way that they are intended, that would make Randolph’s value to the rest of the league more attractive. He could provide toughness and experience to a team that needs that to take the next step forward in a playoff push.

Willie Cauley-Stein

The Willie Cauley-Stein experience may be on its last legs in Sacramento. He has given fans great excitement with glimpses of explosive dunks, but there is also frustration with his lack of consistency on the defensive side of the ball. With that being said, however, he did lead the team in rebounds and player efficiency rating (PER) last season.

Bringing in Bagley and Giles could spell the end for a once-promising young player as Willie’s contract expires at the end of the season. He could be an ideal fit for a team that could maximize his talent and allows him more opportunities to learn from veterans. While Cauley-Stein’s talent has never been in question, his ability to consistently put it together for 48 minutes has, as it has yet to be proven. The Kings will have to decide soon whether or not to break the bank for Willie Cauley-Stein or let him test free agency.

Skal Labissiere

The Kings’ logjam at power forward will continue to claim more talented players. Simply put, the Kings have to decide who of Bagley, Giles, and Labissiere will be worth holding on to for the long term. Labissiere is only 22-years old, so this potential move is not about Labissiere not being a good fit for the Kings.

Though Labissiere’s stats have remained consistent over his two years in Sacramento, the jury is still out about his future as an NBA player. This potential move is about the need to move a young talent in order to get back into the first round. A team that has a need for a young and athletic forward would be a great destination for Labissiere.