Sacramento remains patient with high-priced stars like Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis, prioritizing strategic trade leverage and valuable assets over desperate salary dumps at the upcoming deadline.
Many veterans' time with the Sacramento Kings could end soon, but they aren't desperate to take back unwanted salaries and players in trades.
Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis, Malik Monk and DeAndre Hunter are four of the highest-paid players on the team. LaVine opted into his $49 million player option, Sabonis is owed $94 million and Monk is owed $41.8 million over the next two seasons, and Hunter is earning $21.9 million in the final year of his four-year, $90 million rookie extension he signed with the Atlanta Hawks in 2023.
All four are expected to start the season with Sacramento, but things can change at the 2027 trade deadline. LaVine is the largest domino for the Kings, and if they move on from the 12-year veteran, it's for the assets they want.
“They’re not just going to take back long-term money and second-round assets that they don’t want,” ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel said on Sactown Sports' "The Drive Guys" on Wednesday. “It would be a deal that the Kings would be in the driver’s seat for.”
The Detroit Pistons have been rumored as potential suitors for LaVine, as they need a secondary ball-handler and scorer next to Cade Cunningham. They struck out on Austin Reaves, who re-signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on a four-year, $180 million contract. They're an example of a contender that could become desperate at the trade deadline to bolster their roster.
Siegel shared the same sentiment for Malik Monk. He said he doesn't think teams are pursuing the Kings' sixth man right now, but a contender could at the deadline.
Monk provides instant offense off the bench. His contract could be a factor scaring teams away from negotiating with Perry to trade for his services.
Hunter could stay with Sacramento long-term, as he has yet to play extended time for coach Doug Christie. An eye injury sidelined the 3-and-D wing for the rest of the season, two games after being traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“If the Kings don’t like the value that they’re getting, I think Scott Perry’s going to be more than comfortable holding on to him and possibly extending him on a lower-rate, team-friendly deal,” Siegel said.
Sabonis' future is the elephant in the room. He's been inserted in multiple mock trades -- one that sent him to the Brooklyn Nets and the other to the Charlotte Hornets.
Pistons center Jalen Duren attempted to search for sign-and-trade partners, including the Kings, but as a restricted free agent, Detroit has a say in his fate. The Pistons don't want to lose their 22-year-old All-Star, likely closing the door to the most likely scenario, in which Sabonis would be traded.
Siegel noted a surprise trade isn't off the table for the three-time All-Star.
Perry is taking a cautious, patient approach to rebuilding Sacramento, and he must avoid selling low to receive the best assets in return when trading his veterans.
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