Marvin Bagley’s representation wants him out of Sacramento
Drafted second overall in 2018, Marvin Bagley III came out of Duke as an athletic, versatile, low-post threat who was expected to be a really dangerous two-way player at the power forward position in the NBA. Sacramento has not had the best management through the years and they have lacked in regards to player development, but what has happened with Bagley over the years is not necessarily their fault.
The young forward just cannot stay healthy and the most games he has played in a season was 62 games during his rookie year. In fact, Bagley has missed close to 50% of the Kings’ total games played since entering the league.
When he is healthy though, Mavin Bagley can be a difference-maker on the court, as he has averaged 14.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 0.8 blocks, and has shot 50.0% from the floor, 31.4% from three-point range through the first three years of his career. He may not be the best talent on the Kings’ roster, but there is no reason Bagley should not be a key contributor for them in the starting lineup.
At the trade deadline last season, there were talks of Sacramento looking to trade their former No. 2 overall pick and sources have told NBA Analysis Network that the Raptors, Thunder, Mavericks and Heat were four teams that had reached out to the Kings in regards to a potential Marvin Bagley III trade, but the Kings did not like any of the offers they were receiving.
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Again this past offseason, the Kings made Bagley available in trade talks, but no agreements were reached and Sacramento seemed far apart from other teams on the forward’s overall value. Now, entering the start of the 2021-22 season, the Sacramento Kings announced that Marvin Bagley III would not be in their starting lineup, which forced Bagley’s management to step in.
Founder and President of Excel Sports Management, Jeff Schwartz, is one of the most well-known and well-respected agents in the league and he represents Marvin Bagley III. In a statement made on Tuesday afternoon, Schwartz blasted the Kings for their intent to bench his client and it is very clear to see that neither Bagley nor his representation are happy in their current situation.
The Sacramento Kings have missed the playoffs for 15 consecutive years and this is not a fluke. Mismanaging their roster and constantly making mistakes with some of their better players is something the Kings have been known for over the years and this is the main reason why they have been bottom-feeders in the league for close to two decades now.
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De’Aaron Fox is a bright spot on this team and they do have some talented young players, but who is to say that the Kings will not screw up these relationships either? Bagley is just the latest player on the Sacramento Kings to deal with the drama their management instills on this roster and now, with his agent getting involved, this situation could get really messy.
At the extension deadline on October 18, the Kings opted not to offer Marvin Bagley III any kind of contract extension and this was not a surprise, as they had hinted at not doing so for weeks leading up to this date. Throughout the offseason, it was no secret that Bagley was frustrated with his current situation and while he kept an optimistic view of starting the new season strong, he was constantly seen liking social media posts insinuating that he leave Sacramento.
This situation right now does not seem salvageable for the Kings, especially because they are not in a position to win. They have put together three straight seasons with 30-plus wins, but overall, the Sacramento Kings are far from being a competitive playoff team in the Western Conference.
With the NBA expanding their playoff field via the play-in tournament, there is a small chance that this team could break through and fight for a real playoff spot as the 9-seed or 10-seed, but it looks like they will have to do so without Marvin Bagley III.
While he remains on their Opening Night roster and is expected to play early on in the season, Bagley’s future is not in Sacramento and it would not be surprising to see him traded within the first few months of the 2021-22 season.
