Pass or Pursue: 3 Wings the Kings have been linked to
Kings pass or pursue: Kyle Kuzma
First on the list is a very familiar face to fans of the Sacramento Kings. Not only because of his time spent with the Los Angeles Lakers but also due to the Kings rumored interest in the past. It’s pretty well known that the franchise thinks highly of the skilled forward who continues to develop and improve on the court.
Kuz would seemingly fit very well with the current Kings core for a few reasons. First, he is in the same age bracket as the two all-star candidates currently on the roster, De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. Kuzma is 27 years old, Sabonis is 26 years old and Fox is 25 years old.
Kuzma could add another offensive threat to an already lethal offensive group in Sacramento. While Sabonis and Fox account for almost all of the offensive playmaking right now, Kuzma is a capable scorer that can also have the offense run thru him. He has proven to be a very capable wing creator this season in Washington.
As the Wizards fall further and further out of the eastern conference playoff picture, they could decide to flip some of their more valuable assets sooner rather than later. If they do take that route, Kuzma would certainly be at the top of the list for players they might move.
If the Kings ramped up their pursuit of him, they would do so knowing he is in store for a big payday at the end of the season. With a deal that expires at the end of this season, Kuz is due to get a significant raise in free agency.
That means the Kings would have to know they are willing to pay him big money moving forward. If they confirm he has the desire to remain in Sacramento long-term, would it be wise to move valuable assets in order to acquire his services before the deadline?
Due to the price it would take to add him, the Kings could be hesitant to bring him in during the season. The Wizards would be looking for more assets than just salary-matching players and the Kings are limited in the assets they can use to facilitate a trade.
While Kuzma has developed into a very good player and can play a key role on any contending team in the NBA, it’s hard to envision that role being on the Kings. Sacramento either needs well-fitting role players or the ideal third star to match their current roster. Kuzma Isn’t exactly that.
He also doesn’t bring the defensive skillset the Kings should be prioritizing in any major trade. It’s difficult to see this team taking the next few steps necessary without their roster adding much needed defensive minded players.
Pass or Pursue? Pass