A Royal Pain
Fansided

5 Players the Sacramento Kings never should have signed

By Elaine Blum

Jan 30, 2020; Los Angeles, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (5) celebrates hitting a jump shot and getting fouled with teammate center Dewayne Dedmon (13) during the fourth quarter against the LA Clippers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 30, 2020; Los Angeles, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (5) celebrates hitting a jump shot and getting fouled with teammate center Dewayne Dedmon (13) during the fourth quarter against the LA Clippers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 15, 2018; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Sacramento Kings guard George Hill (3) drives to the basket in front of Oklahoma City Thunder guard Raymond Felton (2) during the second quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 15, 2018; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Sacramento Kings guard George Hill (3) drives to the basket in front of Oklahoma City Thunder guard Raymond Felton (2) during the second quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

2. George Hill

In 2017, the Kings signed a group of veterans; Zach Randolph, Vince Carter, and George Hill to provide some veteran leadership to their young players. None of these deals were especially great but Carter’s was by far the cheapest, and Randolph still had one good season left in the tank before being traded for Harrison Barnes. Hill, however, was signed a massive 3-year $57 million deal even though he was already thirty-one and the Kings had just drafted D’Aaron Fox as their point guard of the future.

Hill’s production dropped from 16.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists, to 10.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists, marking his worst season since 2013-14. Realizing that Hill did not fit well with their young players and knowing that developing them had to be a priority, the Kings finalized a trade that would send Hill to the Cleveland Cavaliers. That way they managed to get off his massive contract but did not get anything in return besides cap space.

It would have been a much better decision to just spend that money on a player, or maybe even players, who fit next to D’Aaron Fox as the Kings were trying to build a foundation for the future.

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