Why This Trade Would Benefit The Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings are off to a very average 12-12 start to the season. This is slightly better than expected through 24 games but they are still not going to be taken seriously as playoff contenders in the Western Conference.

This is a difficult bunch and the Kings are not quite there yet. It is all about putting the right pieces around De’Aaron Fox moving forward. He has been thriving as of late and it has led to plenty of recent wins, but is the current roster configured best for long-term success?

De’Aaron Fox is averaging 23.4 points and 6.7 assists per game this season. The perennial all-star is the franchise player in Sacramento. This trade is more about dumping players than the assets they are getting back. Moving on from Harrison Barnes’ substantial contract would free up needed cap space to make upgrades.

A first-round pick is always valuable for a team like the Kings but the players are in the same boat. Both Jae Crowder and Dario Saric are on three-year deals that were signed in the offseason. This could be looked at as a short-term commitment for the Kings to get some talent on the roster.

Putting some role players around De’Aaron Fox seems like the best course of action for the Kings. Sacramento is still a few years away from seriously competing in the Western Conference. They will need to make some more moves than this but they will have to start somewhere.