Speaking to the media on Friday, Kings general manager Scott Perry said he’s not anticipating to reach any buyout agreements with the veteran players on the team’s roster, as James Ham of TheKingsBeat.com relays (via Twitter).
“I expect the veterans to be here through the end of the season,” said Perry, who added that he wants to see the vets play hard when they’re in the game and serve as mentors when they’re not.
Sacramento was said to be open to trading veterans like Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis and Malik Monk leading up to the deadline, but all of those players are on multiyear contracts and none are likely to be bought out.
That said, there are a few players on the roster who make some sense as buyout candidates, starting with former NBA MVP Russell Westbrook, who is on a one-year, minimum-salary deal. While Westbrook’s game has long been polarizing, he remains productive at age 37, averaging 15.3 points, 6.7 assists, 5.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals on .430/.348/.703 shooting in 49 games (29.6 minutes per contest).
John Hollinger of The Athletic recently ranked 54 potential buyout candidates, and Westbrook is No. 1 in Hollinger’s top tier, which he titled “rotation-caliber additions.” Backup big man Drew Eubanks is No. 27 on Hollinger’s list, falling under the category of “maybe there’s something left in the tank?”
At 12-40, the Kings currently hold the worst record in the league, though they’re within four games of five other teams (New Orleans, Indiana, Brooklyn, Washington, Utah) in the reverse standings.
Would be silly to buyout any of them. Just figure out deals to blow it up in off season.
All these veteran players they held onto and still have the worst record in the league. It’s like a tank, but even if you add a top prospect, the surrounding players are old and keep you towards the bottom of the standings. I don’t see why they haven’t shifted to a youth movement.
The beginning of the rebuild. Hopefully next year they can shed these old dudes. So shocked that nobody wanted to give anything up for old washed bulls retreads!
Explain how they would have shifted to a youth movement over one summer and a TD with less than 0 assets
In scott Perry we trust lol sad face
Kings should hire Taylor Jenkins to be the next head coach
Who’s that
I still don’t understand why they don’t go with younger players and buy out the vets on low salary and sign some of the G league stars doing well giving them a chance? Might as well play Carter starter minutes to see if he was worth a 1st round pick.
I understand Sabonis, he’s still relatively young, productive and has some trade value but let DeMar go! He could catch on with a playoff team and be a dependable bench scorer. Dude’s 36, let him play some meaningful basketball.
Kings are playing for next year. A top 5 pick is all they should be about now. I’m surprised they didn’t move DeM. He would have been a good pickup for Pistons or Lakers. Much better than Huerter. I guess Pistons want to shed money.
I don’t understand why Carter is not playing more mins. He should be G-league playing 30 mins. Now with Schroder gone he should be playing 20 mins plus. And being mentored by Westbrook. And if Kings do cut Westbrook. He should be starting. He needs to play mins. No reason why he can’t develop into a backup PG. The draft can bring their next starting PG. unless Boozer is there ofc.
“Scott Perry not expecting to have a job much longer.”
There, fixed it.