Grade the Trade: Trevor Ariza and youngsters headed to Portland
The Sacramento Kings confirmed Tuesday they have traded Trevor Ariza, Wenyen Gabriel and Caleb Swanigan to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Kent Bazemore, Anthony Tolliver and two second -round picks.
While far from a blockbuster, the deal will still affect both teams for the rest of this season and into the future.
Ariza, who joined the Kings as a free agent just seven months ago, was a big part of Sacramento’s rotation. He played over 24 minutes per game for Sacramento, but managed a surprisingly small effect on the scoreboard. His offensive role was mostly relegated to launching the occasional open 3-pointer, and it appears the Kings are looking for something different.
That could be where Bazemore comes in. The 30-year-old swingman is more skilled at creating his own shot, pulling up from mid-range and getting to the basket on drives. While he is not as bouncy as he was early in his career, Bazemore definitely provides an upgrade in athleticism. Considering that the Kings have increased their pace of play lately, that may be one motivating factor of this deal.
The most obvious benefit comes in the form of draft capital. Sacramento will gain the rights to Portland’s second-round picks in 2024 and 2025. It may feel a little bit like a drop in the bucket for the Kings, who now have 13 second-round selections in the next six years, but assets are assets nonetheless.
The final incoming piece for Sacramento is Tolliver, who fits the chucker archetype discussed with Ariza earlier, but with significantly less defensive upside. Tolliver played for the Kings in 2016-17, and appeared to be popular among fans and teammates. However, that may be the full extent of his effect on the team this season, as his most impactful years on the court appear to be behind him.
The final outgoing pieces are Swanigan and Gabriel, two youngsters who have played very few meaningful minutes in the NBA. Swanigan is a former first-round pick while Gabriel was an undrafted free agent who came up through the G-League system. Neither are expected to make a ton of noise in the league, but some in Sacramento were high on Gabriel’s potential as a floor -spacing big man.
Another young player on the Kings may be affected by this trade too, though not directly. Rookie wing Justin James has impressed in limited minutes and may get a closer look with Ariza out of the picture. The newly opened roster spot could also be used to cycle in fresh legs.
This trade appears to be less about the players involved and more about finances, minor assets and style of play. The Trail Blazers will save $7 million dollars in salary and get help for their injury-depleted forward rotation, while the Kings will add future picks and open up the potential to play a faster style of basketball. Neither side set lofty goals for this trade, but both teams accomplished them.
Grade: B-minus
Richard Ivanowski has written about the Kings for Sactown Royalty for two seasons.