A Royal Pain
Fansided

5 Years In: Grading Vlade Divac’s Free Agency Moves So Far

By Leo Tochterman

LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 08: Vice president of basketball operations and general manager of the Sacramento Kings Vlade Divac watches warmups before the team's preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers at T-Mobile Arena on October 8, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Los Angeles won 75-69. 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. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 08: Vice president of basketball operations and general manager of the Sacramento Kings Vlade Divac watches warmups before the team's preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers at T-Mobile Arena on October 8, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Los Angeles won 75-69. 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. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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Zach Randolph Sacramento Kings (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

2017

George Hill: three-years, $57 million (partial guarantee on the third year)

After a career year with the Utah Jazz, Hill signed what was then the most lucrative free-agent contract in franchise history. Hill played 43 ineffective and unhappy games for the Kings before he was salary dumped to Cleveland for Shumpert, the artist formerly known as Joe Johnson (who was quickly waived) and a second-round pick.

Grade: D-

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Zach Randolph: two-years, $24 million

To complement the run and gun potential of guys like De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, and Willie Cauley-Stein, the Kings, for some reason signed one of the slowest players in the NBA. Randolph only played one year with the team, often causing the offense to bog down into him shooting a mid-range jumper. He didn’t even bother suiting up for the second year of the deal. The Kings paid him the $12 million to sit on the bench so the team could play their young bigs instead, before shipping his salary to Dallas in the Harrison Barnes trade.

Grade: F

Vince Carter: one-year, $8 million

Although he was about a decade past his prime, Carter was a solid veteran and had a couple of fun moments in his lone year in Sacramento including this performance against the Cavaliers. The issue with the Carter deal was that the Kings had to pay him $8 million for his services when he should have probably been closer to the minimum.

Grade: C

2017 overall free agency grade: D-

Another year of free agents that were immediately off the team following their first year with the organization.  Signing to Hill to that large of a contract after the organization had just drafted the point guard of the future in De’Aaron Fox, plus signing a slow, aging big man didn’t make a lot of sense either.

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