Grade the trade pitch: Kings acquire Brandon Ingram to pair with Fox & Sabonis
By Matt John
The Kings must decide if Ingram is worth the risk
Ingram may be so cheap because his contract is expiring, but the Kings must also consider whether he's worth trading for, given the flight risk associated with him. Sacramento has never exactly been a free agency destination, and Pascal Siakam refusing to commit to them in a possible trade this season is further proof of that.
Usually, in cases like this, teams trade for an All-Star-caliber player because they are out of options and trying to salvage what's left of their era of basketball. The Kings are nowhere near that desperate yet. However, their goal remains to get back to the playoffs and potentially improve on their unexpected run in 2023.
The Kings have a rare opportunity on their hands to trade their role players as contract fodder for a star. Ingram would likely be among the most attainable stars who could hit the market for a cheaper price than what teams would expect. Sacramento will have to decide if it's worth more to bring in a better player at a potentially higher price or if Ingram is satisfactory enough for a lesser price.
The odds are the Kings will come away with someone, or try to at the very least. If they pluck Ingram away, take it as a sign of their optimism of him being part of their core going forward past 2025.