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

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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 11: Willie Cauley-Stein #00 of the Sacramento Kings drives to the basket against Bobby Portis #5 of the Washington Wizards in the first half 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) /

2. Willie Cauley-Stein

From one disappointing big man to another. But in this case, we’re looking at a player who the Kings had much higher hopes for in Willie Cauley-Stein.

Expectations were undoubtedly high when Sacramento selected Cauley-Stein sixth overall in the 2015 NBA Draft. The hope was that his athletic profile would project him as a plus rim-runner at the next level who would provide solid defense as well.

While the Kings did see flashes of that throughout his four-year tenure, the consistency just wasn’t there. And at this point, both sides are frustrated.

Simply put, there’s little to no chance that we see Cauley-Stein back with the Kings next year. The Kings have made it clear that they’re looking to go in a different direction at center and Cauley-Stein has blatantly stated his intentions to move on in the offseason.

Related Story. What assets could the Sacramento Kings get for Willie Cauley-Stein?. light

Sacramento could always just opt to let him walk but its more likely they extend a qualifying offer to the restricted free agent and see if they could get something for him in a trade. In fact, that’s exactly what they’ve gone ahead and done.

If all else fails, they could always rescind their qualifying offer with no incurred penalty.

Either way, Cauley-Stein’s time in Sacramento should soon be over and that’s likely best for both parties involved.

Verdict: It’s time to move on (Part 3)

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