4 Sacramento Kings at risk of being traded this summer

2. Kevin Huerter

Kevin Huerter and his ability to shoot the three were a huge part of the Kings’ playoff run last season. This season, he has been struggling immensely. His shot isn’t falling reliably, and he is not doing what Mike Brown wants to see defensively.

In the recent wins over the Lakers and the Spurs, Coach Brown gave most of Huerter’s minutes to Davion Mitchell and Keon Ellis, who both had immediate impacts on the games on both ends of the floor. Huerter is still a good player—one down season doesn’t erase five seasons as an impactful NBA player—but it seems that he just doesn’t fit the Kings’ system anymore.

Coach Brown wants a group of physical and active defenders on the perimeter because that is the easiest way to get fastbreak chances and to make up for Domantas Sabonis’ shortcomings as a rim protector. 

Huerter does not fit that mood, but he is an expensive player with a skill set most NBA teams are always looking for. That makes him a valuable trade asset and one of the players that would certainly have to go to bring in a starting-level 3-and-D player. 

The starting five that was so good last season has stalled out, and at least one of Huerter and Harrison Barnes has to be upgraded with a better defender.