Kings: A Potential Trade Package For Dewayne Dedmon

There has been no movement since Dewayne Dedmon asked to be traded in late December, but we have an idea for a trade package.

Dewayne Dedmon was supposed to be the “marquee” free agent signing for the Sacramento Kings in the offseason. He was going to shore up the center position and spread the floor using his 38% three-point percentage to stretch the defense. He was supposed to be the perfect fit for the Kings’ run-and-gun offense.

There has been no run-and-gun, and there hasn’t been much of Dewayne Dedmon, either.

He is shooting an abysmal 23% from beyond the arc this season and has a per-36 average of 3.7 turnovers per game. Things have gotten so bad that he has fallen out of the rotation completely, appearing in just two of the Kings’ last 14 games, playing a total of 7 minutes.

This makes Dedmon expendable, and he still has plenty of value assuming he finds his shooting stroke again. One team that could be interested is the Charlotte Hornets.

Why The Hornets?

The Hornets have been relying on Cody Zeller to do most of their floor stretching from the center position, but he has struggled from three-point range with a 29% average. Dedmon would pair well in the frontcourt with PJ Washington, who shoots a solid 42% from deep, good for 13th best in the league. Add in point guard Devonte’ Graham, whom only James Harden has made more threes than, and the Hornets could have one of the best shooting lineups in the East.

So what would Charlotte give the Kings in return for Dedmon?

There is a player on the Hornets who is in a similar situation. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has fallen out of favor in coach James Borrego’s rotations, appearing in just two of Charlotte’s first 24 games. He did see an uptick in minutes during the month of December, but has received DNPs in five of the last seven games.

Who Says No?

The move would make sense for both sides. Charlotte would get their shooting center, while Sacramento would clear what remains of the $40 million owed to Dedmon from their books. In return, they would take on Kidd-Gilchrist and the $13 million he is owed this season before his contract expires in the summer.

On the court, Kidd-Gilchrist would be receiving a half-season audition for Sacramento. His offense is not much to speak off and he certainly won’t be doing any floor stretching himself. But he is known for his defense both on the perimeter and the interior, an area that is always in need of improvement for the Kings.

While he played 95% of his minutes at power forward last season, Kidd-Gilchrist was used primarily as a small forward for the first six years of his career. The Kings would likely use him as a backup to Harrison Barnes and another wing option off of the bench next to Trevor Ariza.

If the on-court production is sub-par, the Kings can cut ties over the summer and have a nice chunk of cash to throw at a free agent, or use it to pay Bogdan Bogdanovic the money he deserves.

A Dedmon for Kidd-Gilchrist trade makes plenty of sense.