File photo
The Kings finally showed some life Saturday night, walking into Denver and handing the Nuggets just their second home loss of the season.
Impressive, no doubt. But at 4-13 with eight straight double-digit losses before the upset, Sacramento is still firmly in crisis mode.
And that means the phones are on.
According to Jake Fischer of Stein Line, the Kings are very much open for business. It’s early for the trade market to heat up, but league sources tell Fischer that Sacramento is willing to listen on players “up and down” the roster as the front office searches for a reset.
There are exceptions, though.
Fourth-year forward Keegan Murray and rookie guard Nique Clifford are considered off limits, per Fischer.
Both are viewed internally as core long-term pieces and are the only players on the roster with contracts that run past the 2027-28 season.
The trickier name is Domantas Sabonis. Owner Vivek Ranadive is a strong supporter, and Sabonis enjoys Sacramento and isn’t expected to ask out.
But he’s on a max contract and carries a mixed reputation around the league due to his defense, making it difficult for the Kings to find the value they’d want.
“It’s tough to pay a center that much who doesn’t protect the rim and doesn’t shoot threes,” one Western Conference executive told Fischer. “No matter how great an offensive hub he can be.”
For now, the Kings snapped a losing streak and bought themselves a breath. But the roster remains very much under review.
Looking for the latest NBA Insider News & Rumors?
Be sure to follow Hoops Wire on TWITTER and FACEBOOK for breaking NBA News and Rumors for all 30 teams!