The Kings entered the 2017/18 season looking set to straddle the line between developing young players like De’Aaron Fox, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Buddy Hield, and potentially pushing for the eighth seed in the West led by veterans like George Hill. However, Hill struggled mightily in Sacramento and the team quickly fell out of contention, shifting the focus exclusively to player development by the second half. Barring an unexpected splash in free agency this summer, the focus will likely remain on those young prospects heading into 2018/19.
Here’s where things currently stand for the Kings financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2018:
Guaranteed Salary
- Zach Randolph ($11,692,308)
- Bogdan Bogdanovic ($9,000,000)
- De’Aaron Fox ($5,470,920)
- Willie Cauley-Stein ($4,696,875)
- Buddy Hield ($3,833,760)
- Justin Jackson ($2,807,880)
- Harry Giles ($2,207,040)
- Matt Barnes ($2,133,542) — Waived via stretch provision
- Georgios Papagiannis ($2,000,400) — Waived
- Skal Labissiere ($1,544,951)
- Frank Mason ($1,378,242)
- Caron Butler ($517,219) — Waived via stretch provision
- Total: $47,283,137
Player Options
- Iman Shumpert ($11,011,234)
- Kosta Koufos ($8,739,500)
- Garrett Temple ($8,000,000)
- Total: $27,750,734
Team Options
- None
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Nigel Hayes ($1,378,242)1
- Total: $1,378,242
Restricted Free Agents
- Bruno Caboclo ($3,512,605 qualifying offer / $7,353,675 cap hold): Bird rights
- Total: $7,353,675
Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds
- Vince Carter ($9,600,000): Non-Bird rights
- No. 7 overall pick ($4,403,246)2
- Total: $14,003,246
Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000
Projected Cap Room: $21,562,883
- Our cap projection for the Kings includes their nine guaranteed contracts, the cap hold for their lottery pick, and all three player options. While it’s possible that one or more of Shumpert, Koufos, or Temple opts out to explore free agency, they seem unlikely to top their player-option salaries for 2018/19, making them decent bets to opt in. Taking into account all those salaries and cap holds, and assuming all free agents are renounced, the Kings’ total team salary adds up to $79,437,117.
- If any of those player options are declined, or the Kings make a trade or two, they could create more cap room. However, the club doesn’t look ready to contend, and may exercise restraint in free agency after last year’s big veteran investment (Hill) backfired.
Footnotes:
- Hayes’ exact contract details, including guarantee info, aren’t yet known.
- The Kings are seventh in the draft lottery standings. They could end up picking as high as No. 1 ($8,095,595) or as low as No. 10 ($3,522,533).
Note: Rookie scale cap holds are estimates based on salary cap projections and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.
Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Your backcourt is Fox and Bogdanovic and I guess Hield would be the scorer off the bench. I’d say keep Cayley-Stein and see if he has a breakout season or else I would not re-sign him. They need a small forward really bad, Michael Porter Jr would be the answer at the 3.
Fox-Bogdanovic-Porter Jr-Randolph-Cauley-Stein
Keep Randolph for one more year and let Giles find his way. I’d say if Giles shows he can take over at the 4 next season by February move Zach’s contract at the deadline.
Didn’t they waive joe Johnson at the deadline?
Joe Johnson was waived and picked up by the Rockets. I believe he was on the Jazz.
They did, but he was on an expiring contract, so his cap hit only applies to this season, not 2018/19.
Ok thank you for the clarification
Maybe call up Charlotte who is looking to clear cap space and see if they’ll take Marvin Williams, MKG, or Batum and a draft pick in exchange for Randolph’s expiring contract.
Seems like Walker, Zeller, & Williams would make a nice package for anyone for a $40 mil exchange.