ESPN news: kings set to finalise a blockbuster deal worth $55.3 million with an NBA free agent

The Sacramento Kings are at a bit of a crossroads as they get closer to free agency and trade season as the NBA summer draws near.

What steps can general manager Monte McNair of the Kings do to advance this team?

The hosts of Stiles & Watkins, Allen Stiles and Chris Watkins, dissected players that might be on Sacramento’s wish list for offseason free agents this week.

Let’s examine the following player on Chris’s list of free agents now:

This offseason, the Sacramento Kings have choices to strengthen their roster. The three ways to do so are the draft, trades, and free agency, as general manager Monte McNair frequently mentions. We’ll concentrate on the latter part for the time being. Using the whole non-taxpayers Mid-Level Exception (estimated at 4 years/$55.3 million) plus the Bi-Annual Exception (estimated at 2 years/$9.6 million), this leaves a significant amount of discretion.

They have Malik Monk, Kessler Edwards, JaVale McGee, Alex Len, Jordan Ford, and Jalen Slawson on their roster of pending free agents from the previous campaign. Given Monk’s unpredictable nature, the Kings need to consider a wide range of possible free agent abilities. Although there doesn’t seem to be a need for guards right now, things could change rapidly depending on what the runner-up for Sixth Man of the Year decides to accomplish.

In particular, a versatile guard with strong length who can play disruptive defense and function both on and off the ball offensively could be useful. That describes 6’2 free agent DeAnthony Melton to a tee.

Melton played 38 games with the Philadelphia 76ers last season, averaging 11.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.6 steals while shooting 38.6 percent from the field, 36.0 percent from three on 5.6 attempts a game, and 83.5 percent from the free throw line.

In 2023–24, a back problem restricted his availability; nevertheless, in the two seasons before, DeAnthony Melton participated in over 70 games. When he entered the league as the 46th overall choice in the 2018 NBA Draft, defensive disruption has been his specialty.

Melton’s versatility might improve Sacramento’s depth going forward, and it probably wouldn’t take the entire MLE to get him. Should they use that asset on DeAnthony Melton, or should they consider the opportunity cost of alternative options? We will talk about additional current free agency names for the Kings as we continue this series on Sactown Sports.

When is the next noteworthy Sacramento Kings offseason date?
The Sacramento Kings will be hoping for good fortune in the upcoming NBA Draft Lottery for the first time in the past two years.

On Sunday, May 12, 2024, the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery will take place in Chicago. Sacramento’s chances of winning the #1 choice are 13th best.

The 14 teams who were not selected for the NBA playoffs can participate in the Draft Lottery. Following the regular season, the final odds were established, with tie breaks applied to clubs with identical regular season records.

Schedule during the NBA Offseason

May 12th, Sunday: NBA Draft Lottery
June 26, Wednesday, June 27, and Thursday, June 27, 2024 NBA Draft
The free agent negotiation window opens on Sunday, June 30 at 3 PM PST.
Free agents will be able to formally sign contracts on July 6th.
July 12–22: Summer League in Las Vegas
July 27–August 11 — Olympic Games of 2024
Training camps for the NBA start on Friday, September 27.