Sam Amick on the Sacramento Kings' interest in Ja Morant

As we move further into the NBA season, drama is beginning to unfold–and we aren’t just talking about the Sacramento Kings, either.

The Athletic‘s Sam Amick joined The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross on Thursday to share his thoughts on the possibility that Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo could request a trade, lay out his report on the Kings’ interest in Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, and much more.

Plus, when will trade talks pick up around the NBA?

Be sure to check out the entire interview with Sam Amick on the Sactown Sports 1140 YouTube page.

YouTube video
Topics Discussed: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Sacramento Kings & more

Are Giannis Antetokounmpo’s days as a Milwaukee Buck numbered?
Which teams could be in the mix for Giannis if he requests a trade?
Could the San Antonio Spurs be lurking as a favorite for Giannis Antetokounmpo if he becomes available?
Sam says the Golden State Warriors could be an intriguing possibility for Giannis.
Thoughts on the current state of the Los Angeles Clippers
Are the Sacramento Kings really monitoring Ja Morant’s situation in Memphis?
Sam thinks the Kings could be waiting out the Morant saga to see if the price drops.
“Memphis isn’t showing any desire to trade [Morant] at this point.”
Is December 15th the date fans should watch for when it comes to trades picking up around the league?

Listen to The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross from 6 – 10 a.m. PST, Monday through Friday, on Sactown Sports 1140.

Many Sacramento Kings fans are calling for the team to tank. NBA teams tank for one reason — it works.

There are, however, caveats. Tanking doesn’t ALWAYS work; it’s hard to keep fans engaged while you’re tanking, and flattened lottery odds make it more difficult than ever to land the best players in the draft.

There’s one other problem with tanking: It can take longer than you expect.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at how long it’s taken four teams, the Sacramento Kings are believed to be patterning their rebuild after, to complete the job; that is, how many losing seasons did each endure before posting a winning record?

Oklahoma City Thunder

The Rebuilding Team Gold Standard!

After reaching the postseason 10 times in 11 years, the Thunder decided to start from scratch. They slipped to 22 wins in ’20-’21, and 24 wins the next year. They posted 40 wins in 2022-’23 and actually qualified for the Play-In tournament.

During this rebuilding period, they drafted Aaron Wiggins, Josh Giddy, Jaylin Williams, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren. Believe it or not, the Thunder rebuild actually began while they were still in Seattle.

Long story short, they received a first-round pick from Phoenix in exchange for assuming Kurt Thomas’s contract.

With the pick, they drafted Serge Ibaka. Ibaka was later traded to Orlando for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis, both of whom were eventually sent to the Pacers for Paul George. When Paul George was sent to the Clippers, OKC received its current centerpiece, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

That’s Sam Presti playing chess, not checkers. 3-D, time-travel chess.

TIME IT TOOK TO GET FROM REBUILDING TO REBUILT: 3 years. Following their 40-win Play-In season, they catapulted to 57 wins, then 68 wins, and the NBA title. Oh, and they currently hold FOUR first-round picks in the 2026 Draft.

Sam Amick on the Sacramento Kings’ interest in Ja Morant

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