The Sacramento Kings are entering the 2023 offseason with three major factors to keep in mind: A solid roster, limited cap space, and limited trade assets. The Kings will look to keep the core team together while also trying to improve going into next year. Trades for the Kings are limited if they do not want to give up Kevin Huerter or Davion Mitchell, their two most realistic trade assets besidesRichaun Holmes.
Even though it is unlikely to see the Sacramento Kings trade for a star this offseason, we can look at the possibilities.
Reports from Shams Charania (via @ShamsCharania on Twitter) suggest Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards will mutually seek a trade for the 29-year-old shooting guard. The three-time All-Star is on the market after spending the first ten years of his career in Washington.
Bradley Beal is the biggest name to officially hit the trade market this offseason, so the initial reaction is that the Wizards will have no trouble finding a new home for him. Then, we look into the details. Bradley Beal has, undoubtedly, the worst contract in the NBA. Beal is one year into his 5-year / $251 million deal.
On top of making $50 million per year, Beal has a no-trade clause, meaning he has total control over where he gets traded. Bradley Beal will want to go to a winning team in a good location. That narrows down his possible destinations to single digits. Now, the big question comes in:
Should the Sacramento Kings target Bradley Beal?
Without focusing on his contract, we can say Bradley Beal is a fantastic player. In his 29-year-old season, Beal averaged 23.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game with 50/36/84 shooting splits on a struggling Wizards squad. While Beal is not putting up the numbers he was from 2019 to 2021, where he had back-to-back 30 ppg seasons, he can certainly still play at a high level.
Bradley Beal would take the Sacramento Kings to the next level, but what would it cost to get him besides $50 million per year? A report from Brian Windhorst (via Bleacher/Report):
"“If Bradley Beal gets traded between now and next Thursday, I think people are going to be very surprised at the price and potentially how low it’s going to be because his contract is not attractive.”"
The Kings would most likely give up Richaun Holmes, Kevin Huerter, and probably a sign-and-trade with Harrison Barnes.
The Sacramento Kings could use a talented guard like Beal, but they must stay as far away from his contract as possible. The Kings should not target Bradley Beal, even if the cost to get him is low.
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