Here’s a three-step plan to rebuild the Kings. Step one: Trade some players
Ever since Vivek Ranadivé took over as the chairman of the Sacramento Kings, the team has sought every shortcut to return to the playoffs. The Kings were already seven years removed from the playoffs when Vivek took over, and new ownership wanted to prove that it could bring Sacramento back to glory.
Since then, the Kings have made a habit of missing in the draft and attempting to cover up those mistakes with costly veteran additions in free agency. Vets would require overpayment to even consider signing in Sacramento, then regularly failed to live up to their bloated contracts. Most were traded long before their contracts would have ended.
The reward for the team’s win-now mentality has been between 27 and 39 wins every year for seven years. The coaches change, the names of the overpaid vets change, but the results remain the same. The Kings continue to chase the 8th seed rather than face reality, and they continue to fall short of their lowly goals.
It’s time to operate like a functional franchise. That process began with general manager Vlade Divac stepping down. The team is conducting a true GM search for the first time since 2013. The big question is how the new GM, whoever that may be, will attempt to rebuild the team. Will we see more of the same, endlessly chasing the 8th seed? Or will the new GM look at the roster and determine that a true reset is in order?
If the new GM is chasing the 8th seed, the Kings could get there but success would be short-lived. The Kings feature an aging, expensive roster with few young talents to build around. But if the new GM decides to do a full rebuild, here’s how I imagine it would happen.
Step One: Unload some veterans
The two easiest veterans to move are Richaun Holmes and Nemana Bjelica. Both are productive players on reasonable contracts. If the Kings were chasing the playoffs, they would never consider dumping them, but they are the two players on the roster who could fetch a solid return of draft assets or younger players.
The Kings would also likely explore deals for Harrison Barnes, Cory Joseph or Buddy Hield. Their sizable contracts would make them harder to move. The key would be finding a deal where the Kings wouldn’t be forced to include draft assets to unload the contracts.
Step Two: Play the kids
Marvin Bagley III should be starting games. Not because he’s earned it with his play, but because the clock is ticking and the team needs to know what it has. If the front office is convinced he’s the key to the future, it’s time for Bagley to prove it.
At the same time, the Kings must divest themselves of players who don’t fit the timeline of De’Aaron Fox. Kent Bazemore was an awesome addition, and everyone loves Corey Brewer, but they should be lower priority than minutes for DaQuan Jeffries and Justin James. Jeffries and James may not be better than Bazmore or Brewer, but they need minutes to develop and minutes for the organization to determine if they are long-term pieces of the team.
Step Three: Sink or swim
To win in this league, you need stars. The closest thing the Kings have is Fox, but he can’t do it alone. For a truly great team, the Kings need at least one more player as good as or better than Fox. There are going to be losses along the way. Unloading talented veterans and playing young, raw players is going to inevitably lead to some painful growing moments.
If the Kings truly want to change as a organization, if they truly want to build a winning team, they may need to accept short-term pain for long-term gain, instead of always chasing the short-term solution.