Sacramento Kings: Kent Bazemore hopes to remain with the team

Sacramento Kings guard Kent Bazemore recently indicated that he wants to remain with the team.

When the Sacramento Kings originally traded for Kent Bazemore back in January, it was seen as a move almost born out of necessity.

The Kings had been struggling and were in the midst of a losing streak that would extend to six games following a disastrous 127-106 loss on the road against the Detroit Pistons.

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It was clear that something needed to be changed. And the primary impetus behind that change was the insertion of Bogdan Bogdanovic into the starting lineup in favor of the struggling Buddy Hield.

Bogdanovic and Hield would thrive in their new roles, but their success wasn’t the only reason behind that change. Bazemore’s newfound presence in the rotation was a significant cause of the Kings’ turnaround as well.

The former Trail Blazers wing provided an immediate boost to the team’s defense and served as a valuable spark plug coming off the bench. As a result, Bazemore quickly endeared himself to Kings fans.

And it doesn’t seem as though he’s prepared to leave Sacramento anytime soon.

Kent Bazemore clearly wants to remain with the Sacramento Kings past this season.

During a Zoom call with the media on Friday, the veteran had the following to say about his future with the Kings.

"“This is definitely a place that I can see myself play for the next couple of years. With a team with so much promise, I definitely want to be a part of that.”"

This isn’t the first time that Bazemore has expressed his love for the Kings either. He clearly enjoys playing for Sacramento and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the team reward him with a multi-year extension in the offseason.

Bazemore was gifted a massive four-year, $70 million deal back in the 2016 offseason, but it’s unlikely he’ll see anything near that salary this time around — especially given the uncertain nature of next year’s cap situation.

Nonetheless, the Kings will likely do what they can to keep him around.

Bazemore’s ability to guard multiple positions makes him incredibly valuable on defense. He remains an integral part of the rotation providing a jolt of energy every time he steps on the court.

Essentially, he’s everything the Kings wanted Trevor Ariza to be when they signed him.

In 21 games down the stretch with Sacramento, Bazemore averaged 10.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 23.5 minutes per game. Expect him to keep that production up over the final eight games of the regular season as the Kings look to make one final playoff push.

The Kings love Bazemore and Bazemore clearly loves the Kings. There’s no reason why we should see this wonderful pair split up anytime soon.