Sacramento Kings Receive: C Steven Adams, G Eric Bledsoe, NOP 2021 1st Round Pick (Pick #10), CLE 2021 2nd Round Pick (Pick #35), NOP 2021 2nd Round Pick (Pick #40)
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: G Buddy Hield, F Marvin Bagley III, SAC 2021 1st Round Pick (Pick #9)
The Sacramento Kings want to try and “win now,” which is why this trade with the Pelicans may not be their best option, but it is definitely an option. Being totally honest, I truly do not believe there is anything the Kings can do this offseason that would push them into the playoff conversation for the 2021-22 season, but the decisions they make will absolutely impact them 2-3 years down the line.
Young players do not win games and championships in their first few years, but they can absolutely help a team grow into a true playoff team down the line. In this trade package, Steven Adams and Eric Bledsoe may not help Sacramento win now, but the three draft picks they would get this year could definitely be beneficial.
They would not only move back one pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, giving the Kings the ability to still draft a highly-talented prospect in the lottery, but they would also have two second-round picks that they could do two things with.
Sacramento could look to draft two more young talents with these new second-round picks, but they could also look to package them together in attempts to gain a late first-round pick. The Nuggets, 76ers, Suns and Jazz own the last four picks in the first-round of the 2021 NBA Draft and they could all be more than willing to trade their pick for the right price.
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Adams and Bledsoe do not present the Kings with a means of making the playoffs during the 2021-22 season, but in the event that they lose Richaun Holmes, the Kings will need a backup plan. Taking on Steven Adams’ contract is a big ask, but he is a big man who can hold his own for the Kings in the paint on both ends of the floor.
By taking on these contracts from the Pelicans, they not only gain more draft assets, but they also have a set plan in place in the event that the worst things happen this offseason in free agency. New Orleans has been a team looking to move up in the 2021 NBA Draft and while they would like to move up inside the Top-5, moving up one spot could be in play for them should a player on their radar fall to the Kings with the No. 9 pick.
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New Orleans may also have to include an extra first-round pick in this deal to make things more exciting for the Kings long-term since they are taking on two big contracts from the Pelicans. On the other side of things, the Pelicans would be getting Buddy Hield, a sharpshooter who they desperately need, and they would be getting another frontcourt presence to pair with Zion in Marvin Bagley III.
There really is no reason why the Pelicans would not want to make this deal, the only question is if the Kings would be getting enough value, especially since they would be doing the Pelicans a favor by taking on the contracts of Steven Adams and Eric Bledsoe.
