A major problem the Sacramento Kings face as a small market team is attracting and retaining big players. General manager Scott Perry is trying to mitigate that issue by building relationships with key talent targets, such as Jonathan Kuminga and Jalen Duren, to encourage them to become Kings.
It's an issue that teams in all of the major sports leagues face, not just the NBA. Being in a smaller market comes with a lot of built-in hurdles to getting free agents to sign on the dotted line. Sacramento is one of such franchise, ranking at 19 out of 30 in NBA market size.
For top stars, being in a smaller market limits the number of off-court revenue options available as well as the amount of media exposure they get. Small market franchises also tend to have lower revenues, meaning facilities are not at the same level as what might be found in bigger markets.
That's why the draft is so important for the Kings. Signing young players, getting them into the system, and developing them is the most likely way to get big talents on the team. Perry has another approach, specifically building relationships with potential free agents and selling the future.
Building bridges to Sacramento with Scott Perry
One of the things Perry seems to really excel at as a general manager is creating relationships with people. He appears to understand that building ties with players is a key step in getting them on the roster. That was the case in New York, where he helped lay the foundations for their recent title win.
Given the potential of players like Kuminga and Duren, not to mention the contracts they're looking for, a market like Sacramento wouldn't usually be on their radar. Yet, the Kings keep coming up in conversations about their respective moves. That's relationship building in action.
Duren, at the very least, will likely be an unrestricted free agent next summer. He's already interested in playing for the Kings because of the conversations he's had with Perry. The same is true of Kuminga, whose agent is still talking about Sacramento even after signing a contract with Minnesota.
There are no guarantees, of course. Another team could offer Duren far more money than Sacramento could, and no one would blame him for taking it. The reason the Kings will even be in the running for his services is because of Perry, which makes you wonder who else he's been talking to.
Add us as a preferred source on Google