2. Harrison Barnes
Harrison Barnes is the favorite punching bag of Kings fans and media. He is not perfect, but he is also in a tough position with the amount of touches and play calls he gets.
Barnes has to make do with spare touches offensively, so we cannot expect him to put up big numbers every night. That does not excuse a lack of defense and rebounding, however.
Even though Barnes is not necessarily playing terribly, the starting three spot is the Kings’ weakest point, and they don’t really have any better option either. If the Kings want to take the next step, they need a defensive-minded forward/wing to pair with Murray or a floor-stretching rim protector who can play with Sabonis.
To get that, Barnes will almost certainly have to be on the move, whether it is at the trade deadline or over the summer.
1. Davion Mitchell
It seems that Davion Mitchell’s time in Sacramento is coming to an end. He is not producing enough offensively and lost his spot in the rotation to a two-way player.
A fresh start with a team that can give him time to figure things out sounds just like the thing he needs right now. If he is just collecting dust on the bench, there is no reason for the Kings to hold on to him.
Mitchell might be on the move even if the Kings can’t find the big deal that will push them to the next level yet. They can still make a smaller move to get a backup ball handler who can actually help them win or some wing depth.