ESPN report: ‘Worst Fit’ Kings Tagged for Bull Trade Zachary LaVine
The two-time All-Star from Chicago is not anticipated to be pursued by the Sacramento Kings this summer.
Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls was rumored to be on the Sacramento Kings’ radar prior to the 2024 NBA trade deadline, but ultimately, no deals materialized. The Bulls may be eager to blow it out after missing the playoffs for the sixth time in the previous seven years, but Sacramento may not be the best place for LaVine to settle down.
Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report ranked the suitability of some of the major stars available for trade, deeming the Kings to be the least suitable for LaVine.
Although LaVine’s outstanding scoring skills would bolster Sacramento’s explosive offense, the Kings may not benefit from having a ball-dominant shooting guard who plays terrible defense. LaVine is expected to be traded this summer.
“Would they add LaVine and bump him atop the offensive pecking order over De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis?” “If that feels like an obvious nope,” that’s because it is,” says Buckley. LaVine is far too costly, too much of a defensive liability, and too ball-dominant to be used next to Sacramento’s talents as a No. 3 or, possibly, No. 4 player, depending on Keegan Murray’s progress.”
Considering that LaVine is guaranteed over $89 million for the next two seasons and has a player option worth roughly $49 million for the third, it would be worthwhile to take the chance on him. LaVine is not even close to being worth that much money, and the Kings would be foolish to take on that contract after he has only played 25 games this season and averaged 19.5 points.
The Orlando Magic are the “best fit” for LaVine, according to Buckley, but aside from a few other teams in need of some scoring punch, it’s unlikely that any other team in the league wants to deal with the former All-Star.
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Two Potential Duke Players Who Would Fit with the Sacramento Kings
Two elite talents from Duke University will be selected in the 2024 NBA draft.
About fifty days remain until the 2024 NBA draft, and the Sacramento Kings will be selected by lottery. The Kings are predicted to pick 13th overall, but there is a very tiny chance they will go inside the top four.
After the Kings attempted to avoid it all season, Sacramento’s season was ended when they were eliminated from the NBA’s play-in tournament. With just 10 games left in the schedule, guard Malik Monk sprained his MCL, which quickly turned the season around.
There was one bright spot, though, and that was keeping a lottery-protected pick that the Kings had originally handed to the Atlanta Hawks in 2022 when they acquired G Kevin Huerter. Huerter didn’t have the ideal season, but if Sacramento wants to contend for the postseason, he might have to play alongside some new players in 2019.
Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski, two intriguing talents who played at Duke University, would both fit well on the Kings’ roster.
McCain, 20, is a native of Sacramento, which will make him an instant fan favorite if general manager Monte McNair chooses to select him. The nimble guard shot an astonishing 41.4% from three-point range in his first year at college, averaging 14.3 points and 5 rebounds per game.
Kyle Filipowski, his teammate, was among the top big men in Division I college basketball. The New York native, 20, finished each game with an average of 16.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and 1.1 steals. Robust on both ends of the court, Filipowksi might be the Kings’ pick to bolster a frontcourt that depended largely on star Domantas Sabonis the previous campaign.
It’s difficult to determine who may fit in better, but it might depend on the players the Kings aim to sign in free agency. Sacramento might select McCain in the draft if Monk decides to depart the team in order to strengthen their backcourt in 2024. Although it’s unknown where the Kings will end up, McCain might have a small advantage over Filipowski because of his ties to Sacramento.
The Kings have a.8% chance of moving up in the draft when they play in the NBA lottery, which airs on ABC on May 12.
