Sacramento Kings: A Look at the Present and the Future
Apr 23, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets shooting guard Andre Iguodala (9) reacts to a call in the second quarter against the Golden State Warriors during game two in the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs at the Pepsi Center. The Warriors won 131-117. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
The Kings will also need to look to add speed, the ability to score and share the ball as well as someone who can rebound and play defense in the small forward position. Their isn’t nearly as many available small forwards that the Kings would be interested in, and the competition to land one of these players will be fierce.
Josh Smith and Andre Igoudala are at the top of the list and they are followed closely by Corey Brewer, Matt Barnes, and Mickeal Pietrus.
Igoudala and Smith will be amongst the most pursued players in this summer’s free agent class. Both players would make an immediate impact on several teams. The Kings are a very good fit for both players. Sacramento has a very talented core of players, and is perhaps only one or two crucial pieces away from being a playoff contender in the Western Conference.
Igoudala and Brewer are both free agents on a Denver Nuggets team that while very talented, have never seemed to be able to make it through the season or the playoffs without dealing with injury. With a roster lacking a big name star or a late game playmaker,the Nuggets will certainly be interested in potential sign and trade deals.
The Kings would be wise to be among the suiters for Igoudala.
The Kings will need to evaluate their current roster while considering their future. Jimmer Fredette has become something of a spectacle during his time in Sacramento. He hasn’t shown any desire to learn the shooting guard position, and remains set on playing point guard. Fredette still has plenty of trade value and would be a very movable player who could potentially free up salary space for a better player.
Both Travis Outlaw and Chuck Hayes have struggled to find consistent playing time and could be valuable players for other teams, making them potentially attractive trade players. Hayes has a decent sized contract and may be a little harder to move, and Outlaw hasn’t been able to regain his place in the league after breaking his shooting hand two years ago in Portland.
With the Kings new owners looking primed and ready to make the changes needed to turn the Kings into a playoff contender, things are finally starting to get interesting again for Kings fans.
Enjoy it Kings fans!