4 Big men free agents the Kings need to target

After a successful season playing Domantas Sabonis at Center, the Sacramento Kings have an off-season decision to make. Do they want to go into next season with Sabonis still playing the five? Or do they want to pair Sabonis with a legit Center and let him go back to his natural position of Power Forward?

If the Kings decide to keep Sabonis as their starting Center, then their work is not done. A backup big man is needed as Alex Len is heading into free agency, and that is a position they need to address to improve as a team.

Sabonis had a fantastic season, receiving All-NBA third-team honors and making his third All-Star game of his career. The Kings, as a team, had a great season, finishing 48-34 with the third seed in the West. The franchise now needs to set the bar higher and look to achieve more. Playoff success is the next step, and making these necessary changes is how they get there.

Here are four big men the Sacramento Kings need to target in free agency, in order of importance:

4. Drew Eubanks

Eubanks is the only player on this list that I would prefer playing the backup Center role instead of starting alongside Sabonis. Eubanks is an impressive player on offense who can also get rebounds and block shots at a high rate. This past season for the Portland Trail Blazers, he averaged 6.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game.

Eubanks has a fantastic touch around the rim with impressive footwork. He can also step out and shoot from three-point range, as he made 38.9% from deep this season. His defensive presence is even more impressive, as he always knows where to be so he can go up and block any shot that comes his way.

If the Kings want a cheap backup Center option, Drew Eubanks is the way to go. He is coming off a contract worth under $2 million per year, the type of deal the Kings need to make. Eubanks can get 20 minutes a night off the bench, and I would love to see some minutes with him alongside Sabonis in the frontcourt. Eubanks is cheap, and his minutes are very effective, as he can play on both ends of the court.

3. Brook Lopez

While Brook Lopez might be the most intriguing name on this list, I see him as a slightly worse fit than the two guys ahead of him. Lopez’s ability to protect the paint and shoot threes makes him valuable to any team he is on. Although the Milwaukee Bucks have bird rights on the big man, they are coming off a disappointing round-one loss in the playoffs, and an aging Lopez could be looking for a change in scenery. I would love to see Lopez start at Center for this Kings squad and slide down Sabonis to the four.

Lopez was a big piece of the Bucks 2021 championship team and has continued to impress through his 15th NBA season. This past year he averaged 15.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, and a crazy 2.5 blocks per game. He shot 53.1% from the field and 37.4% from three.

Lopez is coming off his best defensive season, with a career-high in blocks per game and finishing second in Defensive Player of the Year voting, but receiving All-Defensive first-team honors. He also had his best rebounding year since his 2015-16 season with the Brooklyn Nets, along with his best scoring season since 2016-17.

There are a couple of reasons why Lopez is not higher on this list. One, he is 35 years old and would be a short-term player for the Kings, which does not fit their young core development. The counter to that, it would be good to have some veteran presence and championship experience in the locker room. Two, he is more expensive than the Kings may be looking for, and that is if he wants to leave Milwaukee at all. You all might also remember the last time Lopez played against the Kings:

2. Jakob Poeltl

Jakob Poeltl, despite being the only player on this list that can not shoot threes, impresses me a ton. A frontcourt duo of Sabonis and Poeltl would be amazing, and I think it would allow them both to play at their highest level. This season for the Toronto Raptors, Poeltl averaged 13.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, and 1.2 steals.

Poeltl has a great touch around the rim, but his court awareness is the most impressive aspect of his game. Whether it is rebound positioning, knowing where open guys or open space on the floor are, or knowing where to position himself to catch a pass for an easy dunk, Poeltl always knows what is happening on the court.

The defensive presence of Poeltl would help tremendously with this Kings team. The biggest question most Kings fans would have is about his shooting, and although it is the biggest weakness in his game, he has enough to make up for it. Playing next to Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray as the four and three, respectively, Poeltl could take a step back on offense while being a defensive and rebounding anchor on this Kings team.

While the spacing between Sabonis and Poeltl raises a concern, this is where I would like to see Sabonis play similarly to what he did in Indiana and use his mid-range and three-point game more.

Poeltl is a cheaper and younger option than Brook Lopez, as he is only 27 with his current deal worth under $10 million per year.

1. Naz Reid

Right now, Sacramento Kings fans are bigger Naz Reid supporters than Timberwolves fans are. Reid is becoming a Kings fan favorite just by the thought of him playing here. Naz Reid has been limited on the Timberwolves team, playing behind Karl Anthony-Towns and Rudy Gobert. Reid, while only playing 18.4 minutes per game this season, has shown he is one of the most skilled big men in the NBA.

Reid is not only extremely skilled, but he brings energy every night. He is 23 years old with a high motor, making him a perfect fit with this young Kings squad looking to improve. Naz Reid can handle the ball at an elite level for his size, 6’9″ with a 7’3″ wingspan while being able to create off that dribble as well.

Coming off a career-best season, Reid averaged 11.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 0.8 blocks, and 0.6 steals per game, shooting 53.7% from the field and 34.6% from three. Reid is a fantastic cheap, young option for this Kings team that fills some holes we saw this past season.

I have seen some people question whether Reid and Sabonis can start alongside each other, and my quick answer to this question is yes, they absolutely can. I would love to see Reid be an aggressive Center next to Sabonis while being able to stretch the floor on offense and hold down the paint on defense.

Naz Reid is my favorite option, similar to many Kings fans out there, but I would be extremely excited if the Kings signed any four of these guys this off-season.

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