Going from being one of the worst teams in the NBA for over a decade to a regular in the playoffs is not an easy thing to do. It is a process, and the Kings have just started it.
They finally returned to the postseason in 2022-23 and are building around the core of De’Aaron Fox, Keegan Murray, and Domantas Sabonis. Once again, the Kings are contending for one of the top seeds in the West with a 16-10 record.
They already beat some of the best teams out there, like the Timberwolves and the Nuggets, but they have also been embarrassed by the Clippers, the Pelicans, and the Celtics. Those losses have exposed the Kings’ weaknesses—wing defense and lack of size—and increased the likelihood of a trade happening.
February 8 marks the 2024 NBA trade deadline. By then, moves have to be finalized, and the Kings are widely expected to be out shopping on the trade market, maybe even into the offseason as well.
So, let’s rank every Kings player on a standard guaranteed contract by trade likelihood, going from least likely to be traded to most likely.