Sacramento and Charlotte are a combined 7-24 overall and trending downward. Both look in need of a team overhaul, but LaMelo Ball can help spark the changes with this trade idea.
Thursday’s 41-point beatdown in Memphis lit up a different kind of beam for the Sacramento Kings. All while LaMelo Ball helped send out his own signal.
The famed beam lights and illuminates the Sacramento sky whenever the Kings win at Golden 1 Center. But the 137-96 walloping at the hands of the Grizzlies shined a different kind of high beam for the now 3-13 Kings.
That it’s time to shine a light on a roster makeover – and it starts with siphoning Ball.
The NBA All-Star guard reportedly has become disgruntled with the Charlotte Hornets, with Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports reporting Ball is open to a trade. Ball has since disputed the report by sending a clown emoji to Iko’s report on the social media website X, formerly Twitter.
Regardless, the Ball experiment appears to be heading towards an end. Amid Charlotte’s own struggles this season, the 24-year-old looks like he can use change of scenery.
Returning to his home state of California comes into play.
The Kings already have one player they can ship away in a Ball deal: DeMar DeRozan. Despite having All-Star credentials, DeRozan showed signs of wanting a change of scenery inside the FedEx Forum.
The veteran guard started but played for only 15 minutes and settled for just seven points. Reserves Keegan Murray and Maxime Raynaud scored more than DeRozan with 11 and 12 points, respectively.
Kings’ fans flocked online to demand that DeRozan gets dealt away. A Ball for DeRozan swap looks enticing on the surface.
Except multiple factors must manifest to sweeten this deal.
Removing Ball carries a $37.9 million cap hit for the Hornets, which puts Sacramento in a situation where it must take on his massive salary. DeRozan’s cap hit sits at $24.7 million.
But the Kings need more than guard improvement. Domantas Sabonis is currently out for nearly a month with a partial meniscus tear. Memphis pounded Sacramento inside the paint in his absence – outscoring the Kings 56-40 in the key.
Guard Malik Monk is another subject of trade rumblings too. Monk delivered an even lower scoring output (two points) in the loss to Memphis. Plus he’s carrying a massive $18 million salary.
Moussa Diabate becomes off limits here – as the Hornets’ top rebounder signed an extension in February. But there’s lead scorer Miles Bridges, who’s carrying his own massive salary and has floated as a trade possibility.
Bridges and Ball can head to California’s state capitol, with DeRozan and Monk going to Buzz City in exchange.