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Sacramento Kings: Grading the Kings’ deadline trades one month later

By Jonathan Roberts

SACRAMENTO, CA - FEBRUARY 8: Bogdan Bogdanovic #8, Harrison Barnes #40 and Alec Burks #13 of the Sacramento Kings face the Miami Heat on February 8, 2019 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA - FEBRUARY 8: Bogdan Bogdanovic #8, Harrison Barnes #40 and Alec Burks #13 of the Sacramento Kings face the Miami Heat on February 8, 2019 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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PORTLAND, OR – NOVEMBER 8: Caleb Swanigan #50 of the Portland Trail Blazers drives to the basket during the game against the LA Clippers on November 8 2018 at the Moda Center Arena in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR – NOVEMBER 8: Caleb Swanigan #50 of the Portland Trail Blazers drives to the basket during the game against the LA Clippers on November 8 2018 at the Moda Center Arena in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Grades:

Sacramento Kings – A

Portland Trailblazers – A

The Kings were certainly one of the most active teams at the trade deadline, but that doesn’t mean every move they made had an immediate — or any — impact. Count this swap with the Portland Trailblazers among those moves that fit in this category.

Skal Labissiere is an amazing story, having survived a devastating earthquake that struck his native-Haiti in 2010 when he was just 13-years-old , becoming one of the best prospects in country and eventually, a NBA player. He’s showed flashes of promise in his first two seasons in Sacramento, and appeared poised for growth in 2018-19. Unfortunately, reality took a different path, and Labissiere failed to break into the Kings rotation, playing in just 13 games (out of 54) and averaged just 8.7 minutes per game in his appearances.

Caleb Swanigan, who was also a late-first round pick, has similarly failed to deliver on his potential — though Swanigan has considerably less NBA experience, and far fewer games under his belt to suggest he will reach that potential when compared to Labissiere.

After news of the trade broke, FanSided’s Rip City Project told A Royal Pain over Twitter that Swanigan is a solid rebounder (career-high of 11 rebounds), but that his athleticism is lacking. Consensus among Blazers fans is that Swanigan is a good rebounder and even better person, whose ceiling might be Ed Davis.

Since coming to Sacramento, Swanigan has yet to suit up for the team, but he has played seven games for the Sacramento Kings’ G-League Affiliate, the Stockton Kings. Swanigan re-joined the Kings on March 1, but before that he compiled averages of 14.3 points, 13.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals per game on  46 percent shooting from the field (14.3 3PT%, 67.9 FT%) in Stockton.

Whether or not Swanigan can make that type of impact as a rebounder with Sacramento remains to be seen — if he does though, this trade quickly goes from ‘meh’ to a big win for GM Vlade Divac and Co.

Related Story. Does Skal Labissiere still have a future with the Sacramento Kings?. light

Still, Swanigan is only 21-years-old and Labissiere just 22-years-old. It’s clear both players involved needed a change of scenery. Giving both of them just that, without sacrificing any draft assets means both teams get an ‘A’ for this trade, even if neither player makes a big impact in the NBA.

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