Sacramento Kings ownership was hopeful that the team would be able to make a postseason run this season. They have missed the playoffs for 15 straight years, tying the longest streak in NBA history, which was previously set by the Buffalo Braves/San Diego Clippers/Los Angeles Clippers.
The Kings tried to shake things up earlier in the offseason when they fired head coach Luke Walton. The team was 6-11 at the time and the franchise thought a coaching change would help get them back on track.
At first, it looked like it was working. The team went 5-3 to start the tenure of interim head coach, Alvin Gentry. But, recently, it has looked more of the same as it was when Walton was at the helm, as the Kings have lost three in a row and seven of their last nine games.
It led to a fiery press conference from Gentry, who lambasted his team’s effort and performance against the Memphis Grizzlies in their most recent game. Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time that the Kings have laid an egg, as their last six losses and eight of the last nine have come by at least 14 points.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kings Blasted By Interim Head Coach Alvin Gentry
The team was desperate to make a push for the postseason, but their game plan very well may be changing. They have not looked like a playoff team and would barely qualify as a play-in contender had the Western Conference not been so watered down thus far.
As a result, the Sacramento Kings should seriously consider rebuilding at the deadline. General manager Monte McNair is feeling some pressure to swing a big deal, and making De’Aaron Fox available may be the only way to get that done.
Fox is the team’s best player and signed a contract extension in November of 2020. But, the team used first-round picks in 2020 and 2021 on point guards Tyrese Haliburton and Davion Mitchell, which clouds his future with the organization.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kings Blasted By Interim Head Coach Alvin Gentry
Clearing the log jam in the backcourt and trading Fox may seem like a rebuilding move for the Kings, but it could help them balance out the roster and improve the team’s play. Making Fox available could help the Kings land a player such as Ben Simmons, who would help turn around the team’s defense immediately.
Fox was recently in the league’s health and safety protocols and gave the keys of the offense to Haliburton. He responded with a monster game each night out, looking confident and playing efficiently.
The two have had their best performances when the other was out of the lineup, which causes some issues for their long-term outlook. If they cannot coexist, one of them will need to be traded.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kings Blasted By Interim Head Coach Alvin Gentry
If the Sacramento Kings do go into a full teardown and rebuild, not a retooling, Harrison Barnes is another player to keep an eye on. Plenty of contenders would love to add him to the mix as he has championship experience and can fill several roles on both ends of the floor.
Barnes is in the midst of one of the best seasons of his career and would land Sacramento a nice package in return. It is hard to envision Barnes being traded if the team is still looking to make a playoff run, but if they accept the fact that it isn’t in the cards, once again, this season, Barnes can help them kickstart their newest rebuild.
