As the Sacramento Kings go into offseason mode, let us look into who from the current roster will become free agents.
The Sacramento Kings have an important summer ahead of them. With the team finishing the season with a 39-43 record, they have the chance to build on that and finally become a playoff team in the near future. But for the purple and white to take that next step in their rebuild, this year’s free agency period will be key for them.
As of now, the Kings have no first-round pick in the upcoming draft, and if they were to execute a trade in order to acquire talent, it most likely will mean they would part with one (or a few) of their young pieces. So this leaves free agency as the best option for Vlade Divac and company.
Obviously, it is critical for the Kings to acquire solid players for their roster in free agency, but what if some of those missing pieces are already within the organization?
According to ESPN, there are a total of five players on the Kings’ roster that can explore free agency this summer. Some of these players played critical roles during the team’s 2018-19 campaign, and some played lesser roles on the team.
So with that being said, let us dive into those five players, and analyze the seasons they had while repping the purple and white.
C: Willie Cauley-Stein (Restricted Free Agent)
The decision whether to keep Willie Cauley-Stein will probably be the biggest one Vlade Divac makes this summer. The team drafted the seven-foot big back in the 2015 draft and have invested in him ever since.
This season, 81 games, Cauley-Stein averaged around 12 points and eight rebounds a game while making around 56% of his shots from the floor. During Cauley-Stein’s career with Sacramento (295 games), he averaged around 10 points and six rebounds a game while making over 53% of his total shots.
Although Cauley-Stein’s tenure with the Kings has not been bad, the decision to keep him will tell whether the franchise is confident in him becoming their starting center going forward.
There have definitely been occasions where Cauley-Stein has played like the ideal big man that the Kings need him to be. But on the other hand, he has also played short of expectations which have caused frustration from the fanbase.
The inconsistent play of Willie has led to this tough decision for the Kings. If they decide to let him walk, then they are ready to look elsewhere for their starting center. But if they opt to keep him, which will probably be a big investment, then they believe he will play a key role in their rebuild.
C: Kosta Koufos (Unrestricted Free Agent)
Another big man for the Kings that will be on the market is Kosta Koufos as his four-year contract worth over $32 million expires this summer.
When the Kings signed Koufos back in 2015, the expectation was for him to be their backup center who brought a defensive presence in the interior. And for the most part, he did exactly that as he bruised opponents when they were in the paint.
But as Kosta’s tenure with the Kings went along, the more his role diminished with the team as this season he saw most of his time in games on the bench. In the 42 games Kosta appeared in this year, he averaged around four points and four rebounds a game. In his total tenure with the Kings, 262 games, he averaged around six points and six rebounds a game.
Based on the direction the Kings are going, Kosta’s days in Sacramento may be over. But hey, maybe his veteran presence and occasional moments on the court may be valuable to the Kings and they do decide to keep him for another year?
But most likely, however, that will not be the case.
G/F: Troy Williams (Unrestricted Free Agent)
Troy Williams is the third player on this list. During his time with the Kings, it was brief as he only played 21 games with the team while averaging around five points and three rebounds a game. Williams was also able to make around 45% of his shots from the floor, 32% of his three-pointers, and 60% of his free-throws.
There were times during this season where the Kings desperately needed players that could play the small forward position, which led to the only times Williams saw the court.
To analyze Williams’ season with Sacramento, he was subpar for the most part. But there were those times where he would create a highlight play that would electrify Kings fans whether they were in the stands or watching from their television sets.
Whether the Kings decide to sign Williams this summer will not be as important as the decisions the team has on their other free agents. If the two parties do end up agreeing to a deal, then his role on the team will very minimal at best.
G/F: Alec Burks (Unrestricted Free Agent)
When the Kings traded for Alec Burks last February, they hoped he would play a big role in improving their second unit. Unfortunately, that was not what happened.
Instead, in the 13 games that Burks played in a Sacramento uniform, he averaged just under 10 minutes a game which had him contributing just around two points, two rebounds, and one assist per contest while making 45% of his shots from the floor, 0% from the three-point line, and 80% from the charity stripe.
At least from the perspective of Kings fans, Burks’ tenure with their team has been a flop so far as he could not get comfortable playing with his new teammates.
It is understandable, however, for Burks to struggle. The guy only had two months to get acquainted with his new team which is a tough challenge for any basketball player.
So for that reason, do the Kings take the chance and try to keep Burks for at least another season? Prior to his stint with the Kings, Burks proved to be a solid asset as he is a guy that can both score and distribute the ball at an efficient rate.
If Burks is able to replicate the type of play he has showcased before being traded to Sacramento, he will definitely be a reliable asset for the Kings’ bench next season. But is the gamble too risky?
Forward: Harrison Barnes (Player Option)
The Kings took a chance and traded for Harrison Barnes in the hopes that he could finally fulfill the starting small forward spot that the team has been searching for in a while.
To begin his tenure in purple and white, Barnes was horrendous as an offensive player as he could not buy a bucket if his life depended on it. But as time went on, he started to get his groove on. Not only that, but Barnes rose into becoming one of Sacramento’s best players on the defensive end as he kept himself in front of his opponents and rebounded well for his position.
In the 28 games that Barnes played for the Kings this season, he averaged around 14 points, six rebounds, and two assists per game while shooting around 46% from the court, 41% from beyond the arc, and 80% from the free-throw line.
Although Barnes’ contract does not end this season, he does still have the option to become a free agent due to there being a player option in the last year of his deal. If he does decline that player option, he will become in play for any NBA team that wants to acquire him.
If that is the case, do the Kings decide to offer Barnes a long-term deal? Did the 28 games that the seven-year veteran played in proved enough that he can be the team’s starting three for the future?