Does this trade make sense for the Sacramento Kings?
The only move that seems to make sense for the Kings at the trade deadline, besides freeing up cap space, is to pursue Ben Simmons. He is one of the league’s best overall defenders and being a three-time All-Star at just 25-years-old, Simmons still has a lot of growing to do in this league.
Pairing him with De’Aaron Fox (24) for the foreseeable future creates a young, dynamic duo in Sacramento that the Kings’ front-office can begin building around.
They would still have Davion Mitchell on their roster, as well as Richaun Holmes, Marvin Bagley III and Terence Davis, so this trade could give them that extra spark they need to make a push for the play-in tournament.
In the grand scheme of things though, this would be a trade that the Kings make to try and better themselves heading into the offseason and next year. Ben Simmons likely would not play much this season since he is not conditioned and has not played all year long, which is why the Kings would turn their attention to possible moves in free agency.
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By getting out of Hield’s and Barnes’ contracts, the Kings would open up enough room to pursue a third high-level talent. Who that talent could be and who would want to go to Sacramento remains a big question mark, but trading for Ben Simmons gives the Kings more options than they currently have.