Jason Jones of The Athletic recently hosted a Sacramento Kings mailbag. In that mailbag, Jones was asked about the Kings priorities for this coming offseason. Jones reported the top priority is re-signing restricted free agent Bogdan Bogdanovic.
Jones said that Sacramento intends to match any offers Bogdanovic may sign this summer. Bogdanovic is a restricted free agent, giving the Kings the right to match any offer sheet he signs with another team.
Bogdanovic is coming off his third season in Sacramento after coming to the NBA in 2017. The 6’6’’ wing averaged a career-high 14.5 points in 2019-20. He shot 36.1% on three-pointers on 7.2 attempts per game.
Bogdanovic became a starter for the Kings in late-January, as Luke Walton swapped him and Buddy Hield in the lineup. In 20 games as a starter, Bogdanovic’s play remained steady, while Hield’s play improved off the bench. Hield shot 47.6% from behind the arc as a reserve, while also maintaining his scoring output.
The Kings invested $94 million in a four-year extension for Hield that starts next season. Point guard De’Aaron Fox is extension eligible this year. Fox will command top dollar, as one of the best young point guards in the NBA. Sacramento also re-signed Harrison Barnes to a four-year, $85 million contract this past summer.
While the Kings commitment to retain their own players is admirable, something will eventually have to give. Sacramento’s payroll is getting increasingly expensive with the new deals, as well as signing free agents. The Kings haven’t made the playoffs in 14 years since a first-round exit in 2006. However, investing in the younger players could pay off in sustainable success for the first time since the late-1990s and early-2000s.
