The NBA offseason hasn't even officially started yet, but we are already hearing tons of rumors about the Sacramento Kings. We recently discussed a potential trade for Jonathan Kuminga of the Golden State Warriors, and there has been plenty of buzz around DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and others leaving the team.
On Tuesday, basketball icon Paul Pierce made some noise when he suggested that the Kings pick up the phone and call the Denver Nuggets. He proposed the Kings send DeRozan to the Nuggets in exchange for Michael Porter Jr., stating that this trade would work well for both teams.
Although all of these ideas might assist the Kings in some ways, they all ignore a very serious, unavoidable reality: no realistic trade is going to make the Kings competitive in the playoffs right away. It is time for Sacramento to hunker down and brace for a rocky road.
Accept it: the Kings are in rebuild mode, and may be for some time
Yes, Jonathan Kuminga could provide a building block for the Kings to craft their future around. And, yes, Michael Porter Jr. might bring some helpful firepower, especially from beyond the three-point line. The Kings may even want to inquire with the Los Angeles Lakers about Austin Reaves, as we have mentioned in the past. But none of these players will instantly convert the Kings into playoff contenders.
At this point, the Kings are one of the many teams attached to multiple rumors. This happens every summer: fans take a look at where their squads went wrong and dream up scenarios that could save them from repeating the same fate next season. And while it is important to fix this roster, Kuminga and Porter aren't going to get things on track, at least not right away.
Kings fans had a small taste of the playoffs a few years ago, and they want more. But the truth is that they aren't the first team to come close, not close enough, and then slip down the standings. The climb almost always takes much longer than the fall.
This will likely be a slow rebuilding process that will be frustrating at times, filled with starts and stops that get hopes up before dashing them. Any trade the Kings pursue this summer might seem attractive but it likely won't be enough to start a bright new chapter in Sacramento.
Of course, the Kings could prove all of the naysayers wrong. Perhaps the front office is cooking up a monster trade that swaps Domantas Sabonis for Trae Young or something along those lines. There are hypothetical changes that could shake things up, but they just aren't likely.
What is more likely is that the Kings will see an attractive trade idea, much like a child sees a bright, shiny object and leaps for it. But will it actually solve anything or keep them stuck in this rut?
The honest truth is that Kings fans should probably prepare for a few more seasons of some promise, some progress, and plenty of disappointment. The Kings enjoyed a quick rise toward the top of the Western Conference standings several years ago and have recently crashed back down to Earth.
Even with Kuminga, Porter, or others, they may stay there for a while.