3 Newly-available trade targets Kings should have on their radar after December 15
By Elaine Blum
With December, we have officially reached the point of the season when teams are considering their trade options to make some final roster tweaks before the trade deadline in February.
According to the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, free agents signed in the offseason cannot be traded for three months or until December 15, whichever is later. December 15 is almost here, and with it trade season.
Across the league, 80 players will be trade-eligible on that date, and some of them could certainly be interesting for the Kings. The Kings need a wing-stopper, maybe even one who could act as a third or fourth star depending on Keegan Murray’s development, but that type of player is not easy to come by.
There are some big names on the list of 80 players who become trade-eligible, like Kyrie Irving, Draymond Green, Russell Westbrook, Khris Middleton, and Robin Lopez. None of them are of particular interest to the Kings, but some role players on the list that could be.
So, let’s look at three newly-available trade targets the Kings should have on their radar after December 15.
3. Torrey Craig
The Chicago Bulls are not in a good place. With a 9-16 record, they are sitting in twelfth place in the East, ahead of only the Hornets, the Wizards, and the Pistons. Their big three are failing, and it seems that it is finally time for them to move on.
Zach LaVine has frequently been linked to the Kings but he is not the missing piece. If the Bulls decide to blow it up, other players would be much more interesting for the Kings.
One of them is Torrey Craig. Craig is not the missing piece either, he won’t push the Kings to the next level, but he could be useful off the bench. The Kings don’t have much depth at the three, especially defensively. Craig can stretch the floor and is a capable defender, two qualities the Kings could certainly use.