A Royal Pain
Fansided

B/R suggests Kings add this future All-Star to take team to the next level

By Logan Struck

TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 14: De'Aaron Fox #5, Domantas Sabonis #10, Malik Monk #0, and Keegan Murray #13 of the Sacramento Kings celebrate against the Toronto Raptors during the second half of their basketball game at the Scotiabank Arena on December 14, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 14: De'Aaron Fox #5, Domantas Sabonis #10, Malik Monk #0, and Keegan Murray #13 of the Sacramento Kings celebrate against the Toronto Raptors during the second half of their basketball game at the Scotiabank Arena on December 14, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Mark Blinch/Getty Images) /
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With a successful 2022-23 Sacramento Kings season behind us, we look toward what improvements the Kings should make to build on the momentum and make next season even better. A “successful” season for this franchise was making the playoffs, so they exceeded “successful” expectations by obtaining the three seed in the West. Now that bar is set, the next step to success is to get out of the first round of the playoffs.

This Bleacher Report article suggests the Kings should target Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges this off-season. Bridges was in his fifth season with the Phoenix Suns when he was shipped off to Brooklyn at the trade deadline as part of the Kevin Durant blockbuster. Bridges shined in Brooklyn, where he averaged 26 points through 27 games as their new number-one option. In the playoffs, he averaged 23.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4 assists per game as the Nets got swept by the 76ers.

The emergence of Bridges is now known league-wide, so the Kings would have to win the bidding war to land him. The Nets, rightfully so, would want many assets in return, so we can look at what the Kings could potentially give up for the rising star.

While some fans are against the idea of giving up Huerter after such a good season, the Nets would value his shooting ability and Mitchell’s potential to be their point guard for the future. Bridges’ two-way presence would be a perfect fit for this Kings team, and I bet the front office in Sacramento would be willing to give up even more to land him. While I do not advise giving away the whole future of the franchise, a deal that involves at least two first-round picks is almost a necessity at this point in the league when trying to trade for all-star caliber players.

Mikal Bridges is what takes this Kings squad to the next level, providing De’Aaron Fox with a second-hand scoring threat on the perimeter and pairing that with the shooting ability of Keegan Murray and the inside-the-arc presence of Domantas Sabonis. Acquiring Bridges automatically puts Sacramento in contention to be atop the Western Conference.

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