4 Underrated free agent forwards the Sacramento Kings should sign
By Logan Struck
The NBA is full of talent. You would be surprised by the number of guys who can be entered into a team’s rotation and make a difference. For most players, it is all about having the right opportunity. The Sacramento Kings can give an underrated free agent a chance, and it could work great for both sides.
The Kings have a solid roster, especially a complete starting lineup centered around the emerging stars De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. Alongside them are the outstanding rookie Keegan Murray and sharpshooter Kevin Huerter. While starting small forward Harrison Barnes is a pending free agent, both sides have shown interest in bringing him back.
Whether or not Barnes returns, the Kings need to look for guys that can come in, whether starting or off the bench and make a difference for this team. This free agency class is not even close to what we have seen in recent years in terms of talent available, so the Kings might need to dig a little deeper to find these hidden gems:
4. T.J. Warren
T.J. “Bubble” Warren has shown he is a certified bucket-getter. He got his nickname while playing in the NBA bubble at Disney World during the COVID-19 lockdown, where he dropped 53 points his first game there and had three more games with 30+. Since then, he has had many injury problems, as he played just four games in the 2020-21 season and missed the whole 2021-22 season. This past year, he was able to increase his load and play 48 games but was at the bottom of the Phoenix Suns rotation.
Despite his injury concerns, Warren has shown he can still create off the dribble and shoot off the catch. He was able to be a closer for the Suns at times in their playoff series against the Denver Nuggets, but in Sacramento, I would want him to be a guy to come off the bench and be able to spark the offense.
In a free agency class lacking wings, a cheap option in T.J. Warren has an upside if he can play like he was from 2017 to 2020. Phoenix was not the best place for him at the end of the season, so his numbers are not great, but he could provide some depth to this Kings team.