The Sacramento Kings are serious players in free agency.
With Harrison Barnes coming off the books and the trade of Richaun Homes to Dallas on Draft night, the Kings have opened up around $35 million in cap space to chase a big-time free agent. Sacramento specifically needs help at the four. That led to a lot of Draymond Green to the Kings speculation, but that appears dead as Green seems likely to re-sign with the Warriors (the Trail Blazers are expected to make a run at Green to pair with Damian Lillard, but that is a long shot).
Enter Kyle Kuzma to Sacramento talk, reports Jake Fischer at Yahoo Sports.
Kuzma just opted out of his $13 million for next season and reportedly is seeking a contract that starts in the neighborhood of $30 million a year, although that may be optimistic.
Kuzma would be a fit as a four next to Domantas Sabonis in Sacramento, and the Kings have been after him for years (they almost traded to get him from the Lakers a couple of years ago in a Buddy Heild deal, only to have the Lakers pivot to Russell Westbrook). Kuzma averaged 21.2 points, shooting 33.3% from 3, plus grabbing 7.2 rebounds and dishing out 3.7 assists a game last season, and he played the best defense of his career (he’s not elite on that end but would be an upgrade for the Kings right now).
There’s a game of musical chairs with solid power forwards in the NBA. Max Strus likely leaves Miami and lands somewhere like Detroit (Fischer says the Pistons want to make a run at Cameron Johnson, but the Suns will match any sane offer). Barnes is likely out of Sacramento but could well be headed to Indiana.
Then there is Kuzma, who is out of rebuilding Washington and may take Barnes’ slot in Sacramento. That seems to be where things are trending.
