SportSpyder - The Latest Sacramento Kings News

28 April 2024

• [Last Word on Sports] - 4 Brandon Ingram Trade Destinations
  As the Pelicans are down 0-3 to the Thunder, questions are beginning to swirl around Ingram’s future with the team. Ingram is a 2025 free agent and declined an with the Pelicans before the season. Furthermore, he has not elevated his play without in the playoffs. Ingram is just 16.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg, and 2.3 apg in the playoffs. This could in part be Ingram coming off an injury of his own. The Pelicans also have a plethora of talented young wings highlighted by and making Ingram somewhat replaceable. The Pelicans desperately need a true lead guard and could target that in a possible Ingram deal. Given these factors, an off-season trade feels best for both sides. Let’s dive into some possible destinations for Ingram. 4 Brandon Ingram Trade Destinations Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks can perhaps make the best offer for Ingram. and have been heavily involved in. It's almost certain one of them will be moved in the off-season , it's just a matter of which one it will be. Either guard would be a good fit with the Pelicans. Giving them a much-needed lead guard. A potential deal would be centered around swapping Ingram for Murray/Young but would likely include role players from both sides. Young’s fit as a playmaker next to Zion is very intriguing and the pairing would bring the best out of both young stars. Furthermore , the Pelicans are filled with great defenders who can cover up for Young’s deficiencies. Murray’s all-around excellence makes him an ideal fit in the Pelicans system. He notably 25 ppg and 9.1 apg without Young and could reach similar production with the Pelicans. From the Hawks' side, this allows them to reset and break up an awkward backcourt pairing. Ingram could fit perfectly next to either Young or Murray. It’s currently very hard to get a read on which guard will be dealt . However, Murray and Ingram are slightly closer value-wise making that swap more likely. Furthermore pairing Ingram with a more established scorer in Young is logical. Ultimately the Hawks combination of two All-Star-level tradable guards makes them the best suitor for Ingram. Possible Trades Sacramento Kings The Kings are a talented team but clearly need an off-season to move to truly compete in the West . Over the past year, the Kings have been linked to several wings including , and . Sacramento has five first-round picks at their disposal and could make a big splash. While the Kings don’t have a ton of win-now players or tradable guards this scenario is very intriguing if the Pelicans opt to enter a full rebuild. Alternatively, a third team could get involved to give the Pelicans some more win-now talent. Basketball wise the Kings are an ideal fit for Ingram. He would greatly benefit from playing next to a playmaking big in . Ingram’s fit next to and young wing is also an exciting possibility. What we’ve seen from Ingram over the past few years suggests he’s best suited as an elite third option making Sacramento the perfect situation for him. From the Kings' perspective, this trade significantly moves them up the Western Conference hierarchy. Possible Trades Cleveland Cavaliers The Cavs' off-season plans are very uncertain and heavily depend on how the rest of the playoffs pan out. There are plenty of rumors around and the assumption is he’ll leave as a 2025 . As a result, the Cavs could look to get win-now value out of Mitchell this off-season. This possibility would allow the Cavs to balance out their roster and give them an elite wing. In addition to Ingram, the Pelicans would likely have to part with some draft capital or young talent to match Mitchell’s value. Despite Mitchell’s optimal fit with the team, the Pelicans might be hesitant to pull the trigger on a deal considering he could still leave as a free agent. However, the Cavs could also float in exchange for Ingram. While he is far less talented than Mitchell, at 24 Garland has plenty of upside and he would give the Pelicans a more traditional playmaking guard. The Garland-Zion duo would be a highlight factory and the pairing would elevate both players' games. Similar to the Hawks the Cavs can offer one of the best Ingram packages as they both have two tradable elite guards. Possible Trades Orlando Magic The Magic desperately need more offensive creation and floor spacing. This has been on full display during the playoffs, especially in the first two games where the Magic just 23% from beyond the arc they are shooting 31% from three in the series. Orlando just 22nd in offense and 24th in this season. Ingram’s shot creation and solid floor spacing abilities fit the bill for what the Magic need. Additionally, Ingram fits perfectly with Orlando’s versatility and length. The trio of , , and Ingram would be one of the most lethal wing pairings in the league. This trade would give the Magic a chance to further accelerate their timeline and would make them a top-three team in the East. The Magic can only offer a rebuilding package to the Pelicans. As a result, this...
• [ClutchPoints] - Biggest need Kings must address in 2024 NBA offseason
  When a franchise finally breaks through and becomes relevant again after a seemingly endless stretch of ineptitude, the local response is indescribably special. Patience is rewarded, and the blood pressure levels of an entire fan base are stabilized. The excitement is palpable. But what does one do when the honeymoon phase ends? The Sacramento Kings […] The post appeared first on .
• [NBC Sports Bay Area] - Fox on track to take his game, Kings to new heights next season
  The Kings didn’t make excuses or sugarcoat anything following their disappointing exit to the 2023-24 NBA season. Instead – after completing their first full season with real expectations – they’re soaking in the ebbs and flows of the season, learning from their mistakes and ready to elevate and grow. Leading that campaign is none other than star point guard De’Aaron Fox, who, despite coming off a career year, knows there’s plenty of room for improvement. “Just continue to be more efficient on the court from all aspects,” Fox said Monday at his end-of-season exit interview. “Continue to be a better defender, to be stronger and more athletic so I can continue to get better as a player. Continue to do whatever my team asks me to do to win games. “I wasn’t as good late in games this year as I was last year, but like I said, I think we took a step backward a little bit as a team and we still have things that we can continue to get better at as a group.” Fox entered this season as a 32.1-percent 3-point shooter on 3.8 attempts over the course of his first six seasons in the league. He finished this season averaging 7.8 attempts on a 36.9-percent clip. Before the calendar year flipped, he was shooting 40 percent from beyond the arc on 8.8 attempts. His numbers slightly dropped after the All-Star break, around the same time things began to click defensively for Sacramento. While much of that was thanks to the contributions of two-way-player-turned-NBA-starter Keon Ellis and the resurgence of third-year guard Davion Mitchell, Fox continued to make steady strides defensively throughout the season. Fox led the league in steals (150) and deflections (269), averaging two steals per game this season. While Fox showed glimpses of his defensive potential in his seventh NBA season, Kings coach Mike Brown took note of Fox’s ability on that end of the floor when Fox was in high school – and he believes the young point guard is just scratching the surface of what he’s truly capable of as an NBA defender. Fox briefly has discussed being considered for an NBA All-Defensive Team, but he shared a more direct response Monday to whether the honor is something he’s striving for in his career. “Yeah, definitely,” Fox said. “And I think a lot of that comes with team defense as well. Just continuing to build as a defensive team helps all individuals in that aspect, and if it comes then it comes and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. “But for us, I want to be on a team that’s solid defensively, night in and night out. We want to continue to build defensively. … So we have to be able to be great on both ends of the court if we want to be a championship-contending team.” No one has witnessed the evolution of Fox’s game quite like Harrison Barnes, who has played with the All-Star guard for nearly six of Fox’s seven seasons in the NBA. Barnes, too, believes the sky’s the limit for his teammate. “I don’t think there’s any denying what Fox is capable of,” Barnes said Monday. “I’ve played with some of the best in this league – some of the best ever do it – and he has that potential. So I think the next evolution for him, honestly, is really just continue to do what he does, but continue to make winning the main focus. “I think these last two years have definitely shifted the narrative around him. He’s always had the numbers, but just winning more games and being in that conversation. And I think the only difference between him and some of the other guys in his position in those conversations is the wins, the playoffs experience, all that type of stuff.” Fox will turn 27 two months into the 2024-25 season, his eighth season. He has done what a team and organization can ask of its star player, which is get better every year. And Fox is confident there is another level to his game that he can reach. “Definitely,” Fox said. “I mean I’m 26, been in the league for seven years. I feel like I’ve gotten better every year, so why do I think that my growth just stops now? I still have things that I can work towards. I’ve had stretches where I look really good and stretches where it wasn’t good. You’re going to have a slump here and there. “I work on my game. I work on my game every day. Regardless if it’s just coming in here and getting shots or coming in here and going live. I work. So, I don’t feel like I’m done growing as a player.” Fox is well on his way to NBA superstardom, and he’s primed to bring the Kings with him to that next level.
• [Locked On Kings] - Sacramento Kings GM Monte McNair Has No Regrets After Missing the Playoffs | Locked On Kings
  Matt George shares comments from Sacramento Kings general manager Monte McNair & head coach Mike Brown in their end-of-season press conferences from the King...
• [Fan Nation] - Kings Acquire Bulls' Lonzo Ball in B/R Trade Proposal
  Sacramento adds the former second-overall pick in this mock trade.
• [ClutchPoints] - Kings most to blame for disappointing 2023-24 NBA season
  The Sacramento Kings are once again on the outside looking in this year in the NBA playoffs. The Kings had some strong momentum this season, and appeared to be a contender in the Western Conference. Mistakes down the stretch doomed the team, and the Kings truly only have themselves to blame for the disappointing way […] The post appeared first on .
• [Fansided: A Royal Pain] - 3 Free agents the Kings could sign with the non-taxpayer MLE this summer
  The offseason is almost here and the Kings’ front office has a lot of work to do.
• [THE SPORTSRUSH] - “I Still Believe In Kings”: Kevin Garnett Isn’t Ready To Let Go Of LeBron James And Kevin Durant
  The once white and dark knights of the NBA that ruled the league with an iron fist seemingly are getting overpowered by the new age of warriors and gladiators coming in every year. At least that is what the topic of discussion was between Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce on KG Certified. Having knocked heads… The post appeared first on .
• [Fan Nation] - Kings Gamble on French Project in 2024 Mock Draft
  The Sacramento Kings could land a stud with the 13th pick in the draft.
• [Sactown Sports] - Report: NBA and Amazon Prime Video ‘have framework for an agreement’
  According to The Athletic, the NBA and Amazon Prime Video have the "framework for an agreement" that would begin next season.