Why The Kings Do This Trade
The Sacramento Kings need to shake up their roster. They have tied the longest playoff drought in NBA history and need to do something to end that streak. With a glut of backcourt players, Buddy Hield is more expendable now than he ever has been.
Sacramento used their first-round pick on another point guard, selecting Davion Mitchell out of Baylor with the ninth overall pick. That makes two straight years of selecting a point guard, as Tyrese Haliburton was selected in the first round in 2020.
Their presence, along with De’Aaron Fox being locked into the starting point guard spot, makes Hield expendable. They will also begin changing the culture of the Kings, who had the worst defensive rating in the history of the NBA during the 2020-21 season.
Mitchell and Josh Hart would provide a defensive toughness this team was lacking. Hart can defend both backcourt spots, the wing and even some big men in certain situations. That kind of defensive versatility is something Luke Walton needs more of in his rotation. Hart is also an elite rebounder for a wing player.
While the Sacramento Kings will lose an excellent 3-point shooter, they will no longer have to miscast Hield as a small forward. The roster is balanced out a little better with Hart in the fold and Satoransky provides the team with a solid backcourt option coming off the bench.
READ MORE: Predictions for NBA Trade Rumors: Simmons, Lillard, Hield, Ingles, Siakam
The second-round picks are always valuable assets. You can find a nice diamond in the rough with those picks or use them as sweeteners in trades down the line to upgrade the roster or maneuver the draft board.
