Sacramento Kings: Which in-house free agents should the team re-sign?

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CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – JANUARY 17: Willie Cauley-Stein #00 of the Sacramento Kings reacts after a play against the Charlotte Hornets during their game at Spectrum Center on January 17, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

The Sacramento Kings don’t have many major players set to hit the open market, but they will still have a few decisions to make regarding their in-house free agents.

The upcoming 2019 free agency period will be a crucial one for the Sacramento Kings organization. After taking a big step forward this past season, the Kings are looking for a push this offseason to finally get back to the postseason which has alluded them for over a decade now.

But the large majority of their decisions this season will come in the form of external additions.

Sacramento will likely look to add a piece or two in free agency and could even explore the trade market. With an obvious need at center, the Kings will be open to all options that result in them improving at the position.

However, that doesn’t mean that they don’t still have a few decisions to make regarding some in-house free agents.

The Kings have seven players set to hit the open market either as unrestricted free agents or restricted free agents. For the sake of simplicity, we will only refer to players who received substantial enough playing time in 2018-19 so RFA’s Troy Williams and Wenyen Gabriel will not be included.

With that, let’s take a look at the five other Kings free agents and whether or not the team should decide to bring them back for another season.

WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 11: Corey Brewer #33 of the Sacramento Kings walks off the floor during a timeout against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on March 11, 2019 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

5. Corey Brewer

The Kings didn’t acquire the 12-year veteran Corey Brewer until February but he ultimately managed to stick around, albeit in a limited role.

Brewer would initially sign two 10-day contracts with Sacramento before the Kings opted to sign him for the remainder of the season. In 24 games, Brewer averaged 14.7 minutes and put up underwhelming averages of 4.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game.

That said, the 33-year-old veteran was a scrappy defender and notable spark plug coming off the bench in a number of games. His veteran leadership and likable personality endeared him to his teammates and fans alike.

For that reason, it might be worth it to keep Brewer around on a short-term, inexpensive deal. Given his age and declining abilities, it’s unlikely that there’s much of a market for him if any at all.

And given the Kings lack of depth at the small forward position, Brewer wouldn’t make a bad backup and depth piece at the end of the team’s bench.

Veteran guidance and scrappy defense are two things the Kings are desperately in need of, and Brewer could fill both of those needs while serving as a semi-regular bench contributor.

Verdict: Re-sign — close to the veteran’s minimum

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