Pacific 2019 NBA Free Agency Primer: Division in greatest flux
Sacramento Kings
Situation Entering Offseason:
It was a Cinderella season for the Kings who came up just short of their bid to make the postseason. And, if you spend anytime on NBA League Pass this squad most certainly was on your guilty pleasures list.
In the end, they were couldn’t sustain their high paced efforts down the stretch and fell short of their bid, but definitive steps were taken.
With a new head coach in Luke Walton, we’ll discover immediately just how much he was undervalued in LA. The big shift this coming season should be recognized on the defensive side of the ball. That and don’t be surprised if De’Aaron Fox returns this season ready to stake a claim on Most Improved Player. I’ve long felt he was a better overall talent than Lonzo Ball and his efforts this past season only proved his star is ascending.
Salary:
Cap Space: $ (20,370,827.00)
Floor Space: $ (42,614,874.00)
Max Space: $ 62,604,235.00
Projected Space: $ 62,604,235.00
*as per Keith Smith of Real GM
Key free agents to re-sign:
The most interesting move made in Sacramento was Harrison Barnes opted out of his final year worth $25.1 million. It’s hard to know if Barnes thinks he can garner much more than that on the open market or if his desire is to land a longer term deal. Regardless, he’s now an unrestricted free agent.
Apparently, the Kings are one of the clubs looking at adding NBA Free Agent and OKC Thunder nemesis Patrick Beverley to their roster as reported by Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee.
Kings Interested In Patrick Beverley https://t.co/vMzVqVKJ6U pic.twitter.com/y3QWNUUcYY
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) June 28, 2019
An interesting development out of Sacramento is Willie Cauley-Stein‘s agent has requested the Kings to not make a qualifying offer so his client can move on. WCS agent states his client feels underutilized in Sacramento, but after a solid season for the big man perhaps there is disenchantment over the rise of Marvin Bagley and concern he’ll get more touches (which he should) moving forward.
Top story: Sacramento Kings: Willie Cauley-Stein says he wants out | The Sacramento Bee https://t.co/EmOb2XV2EC, see more https://t.co/xyNeXEXFNM
— The WESTbase Wiki! (@westbase) June 23, 2019
2019 Roster Depth:
- Marvin Bagley III
- Nemanja Bjelica
- Bogdan Bogdanović
- De’Aaron Fox
- Yogi Ferrell
- Wenyen Gabriel
- Harry Giles
- Buddy Hield
- BJ Johnson
- Frank Mason III
- Caleb Swanigan
Draft Picks:
- Justin James
- Kyle Guy
- Vanja Marinkovic
More from Thunderous Intentions
- Stealing one player from every Southwest Division team for the OKC Thunder
- Should the OKC Thunder chase after a disgruntled hometown hero?
- 3 OKC Thunder players who can step up in Aleksej Pokusevski’s absence
- Aleksej Pokusevski sidelined approximately 6 weeks with ankle injury
- Damian Lillard does not fit with the OKC Thunder
2019 free agents
Kosta Koufos
Willie Cauley-Stein (Restricted)
Troy Williams
Alec Burks
Harrison Barnes (Officially opted out)
Corey Brewer
2020 free agents
Bogdan Bogdanovic (Restricted)
Buddy Hield (Restricted)
Frank Mason III (Restricted)
Yogi Ferrell
Wenyen Gabriel (Restricted)
BJ Johnson (Restricted)
The fallout for this division will be how many (or how few) key free agents leave their current squads to come to the Pacific Division.
Next. NBA Free Agency Atlantic Division Primer. dark
Ultimately, the OKC Thunder will be affected by whatever happens since the Lakers now have at the very least two superstars. And, even without two-fifths of the Hamptons lineup available for the majority of 2019-20 the Warriors still boast a two time MVP and a Defensive Player of the Year.