Analysis: Losing Bogdanovic helped Kings gain $40 million in financial flexibility
Kings general manager Monte McNair provided a glimpse into his mindset and maybe some clues to the future during a Zoom session with reporters Monday after making his first moves to retool the team’s roster.
McNair explained his thinking on several big decisions, including the departure of Bogdan Bogdanovic, De’Aaron Fox’s contract extension and the selection of rookie first-round draft pick Tyrese Haliburton. Those decisions garnered the most attention, but McNair also made a series of smaller moves, quietly creating over $40 million in future flexibility and positioning his team to be a big potential player on the trade market.
The decision to let Bogdanovic go was a difficult one for the first-year general manager. McNair thought he had an equitable sign-and-trade agreement with the Milwaukee Bucks, but when that deal unraveled he found himself staring at a four-year, $72 million offer sheet from the Atlanta Hawks. After two days of deliberations, McNair chose not to match the offer, staying steadfast in his resolve to achieve maximum flexibility.
“We really spent a lot of time analyzing it from all angles,” McNair said. “Bogdan is obviously a very good player in this league and was a big part of the success the Kings had, especially towards the end of last season. Ultimately, we came back to the fact that we’re trying to maintain as much flexibility as we can, and we thought going forward the ability to maintain that would allow us to add talent and capitalize as big opportunities came up down the road.”
Salary cap flexibility
The Kings were widely projected to finish near the bottom of the Western Conference even before Bogdanovic bolted for Atlanta. Unless the Kings can break through in the West, they will miss the playoffs for the 15th year in a row, matching the longest postseason drought in NBA history. That would be a dubious distinction, but the Kings might find themselves in an enviable position with a top pick in a loaded draft and more than $53 million in expiring contracts, team options and nonguaranteed money for the 2021-22 season.
Nemanja Bjelica, Jabari Parker, Richaun Holmes, Hassan Whiteside, Frank Kaminsky, Glenn Robinson III and Vince Edwards are on expiring contracts this season. Cory Joseph’s $12.6 million salary for 2021-22 is only guaranteed for $2.4 million, Justin James has a nonguaranteed contract and the Kings have team options on DaQuan Jeffries and Marvin Bagley III.
Unless injury issues persist, the Kings will presumably pick up Bagley’s option for $11.3 million, but McNair could easily clear $42 million off his books. The Kings would still have nearly $83 million allocated to Fox, Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes, Bagley and Haliburton, but they could create about $29 million in cap space. That number would have been far lower and much more cumbersome if McNair had agreed to pay Bogdanovic $18 million per year.
A top draft pick would give the Kings an opportunity to find a young star on an affordable rookie contract to join Fox, Hield, Haliburton, Barnes and Bagley. McNair could also look to trade Hield, Barnes, Joseph, Bjelica and Holmes for more expiring contracts, draft picks or other assets.
Value signings
McNair filled out his roster by signing veteran free agents Hassan Whiteside, Frank Kaminsky, Glenn Robinson III and Chimezie Metu to team-friendly, short-term deals.
Whiteside, who earned $27 million with the Portland Trail Blazers last season, signed a one-year minimum deal for $2.32 million. Kaminsky signed a one-year, nonguaranteed minimum contract for $1.9 million. Robinson agreed to a one-year, minimum contract for $2 million with a partial guarantee. Metu received a three-year deal, but only $50,000 is guaranteed in the first year and the last two years are nonguaranteed.
Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports lauded the Kings for the Robinson signing.
“The Kings getting Glenn Robinson III on a minimum deal, with only a partial guarantee, is the most shocking contract of the offseason,” Smith tweeted. “Yes, even more than Gordon Hayward’s giant deal. What a steal for Sacramento. Kings have quietly done a nice job filling out their bench.”
McNair pointed to the signing of Whiteside, who averaged 15.5 points, 13.5 rebounds and 2.9 blocked shots for the Blazers last season, saying he fills a need for the Kings now and could be a trade asset later.
“One thing we want to continue to do is add talent but also maintain as much flexibility as we can, and I think we were able to do that with how our free agency ended up,” McNair said. “We were patient and I think we ended up with guys like Hassan on good deals for us, so he can both impact us as well as give us that flexibility down the road.”
This story was originally published December 1, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
