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While franchises such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and New York Knicks often get thrown out first when trying to find landing spots for stars in trades, a new destination has entered the chat.
Yes, the Sacramento Kings would like your team’s best player as well.
“They are going to be involved in every star player,” Shams Charania told FanDuel TV’s Run it Back. “Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, maybe Zach LaVine. …They’ve done a good job at keeping their assets, they have tradeable contracts. So they’re gonna be a player for stars coming up, for sure. I think eventually, they could add a third piece.”
While it appeared Keegan Murray could become the third star for the Kings, the second-year forward is off to a slow start and would likely be the first player opposing teams would ask for in any potential trade.
Sacramento is actually quite limited in what it can trade picks-wise, as its 2024 first-round pick is owed to the Atlanta Hawks stemming from the Kevin Huerter trade. The pick is lottery-protected in 2024, top-12 protected in 2025 and top-10 protected in 2016. Given these protections, the Kings can’t actually trade a first-rounder until 2028 and could only part with two total (2028 and 2030).
They do own nearly all of their future second-rounders moving forward (save for a 2030 selection owed to the Indiana Pacers) and have an extra second coming from the Portland Trail Blazers in 2025.
While a player like Siakam or Anunoby would look terrific in this starting lineup, the Kings don’t have the draft capital of a team like the Oklahoma City Thunder, New Orleans Pelicans, Knicks or other contenders that have extra first-rounders owed to them.
Buy Sacramento making a run at any stars who become available to pair with De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, but sell that they can outbid some of the other contenders for them.
BS Meter: No BS that the Kings will pursue another star, although Sacramento is limited with its first-round picks due to the Huerter trade.