Kings GM Discusses Trade Deadline Decisions
Kings general manager Scott Perry emphasized the need for patience in a press conference following the trade deadline last week, Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee writes in a subscriber-only story.
Anderson acknowledges that it’s a difficult message for Kings fans to hear, considering the team is back to rebuilding just three years after winning 48 games and making its only playoff appearance in the past two decades. Sacramento has the worst record in the league at 12-42 and a roster of high-priced veterans, but was mostly quiet at the deadline.
The only significant deal involved sending Keon Ellis and Dennis Schröder to Cleveland in exchange for De’Andre Hunter. The 28-year-old forward was in the midst of a rough season with the Cavs, being removed from the starting lineup while shooting just 42.3% from the field and 30.8% from three-point range, but Perry believes he can be a long-term asset.
“(Hunter) allows us to defend at a high level, I believe,” Perry said. “He’s exhibited that throughout his career. He’s been a very good shooter from the perimeter. I know his numbers were a little down this season coming from Cleveland, but there’s enough historical evaluation that leads me to believe he’ll be helpful for.”
Perry also addressed the decision to part with Schröder, who was one of the team’s main offseason additions, signing a three-year, $44.4MM contract in free agency. Schröder wound up being replaced as the starting point guard by Russell Westbrook, and the Kings reportedly insisted that his contract be included in the trade as a condition for parting with Ellis.
“As the season unfolded, the fit didn’t work,” Perry said of Schröder. “That happens sometimes.”
Perry didn’t offer much explanation for the decision to retain Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis and Malik Monk, who were all involved in trade rumors leading up to the deadline. LaVine holds a $49MM player option this summer, while DeRozan has one more year left on his contract at $25.7MM, so it may be easier to move them in the offseason when they have expiring deals.
There was interest in Monk, but teams were hesitant to take on his contract, which pays him $20.2MM next season with a $21.6MM player option for 2027/28. Sabonis’ deal also limited his market as he’s owed $45.5MM and $48.6MM over the next two seasons. Toronto was working to acquire Sabonis before negotiations “flat-lined,” and Perry didn’t provide any hints about his future with the team.
“Well, he’s here,” Perry said. “His future is with the Kings right now. … He’s a Sacramento King right now.”
Domantas Sabonis Likely To Remain With Kings Through Deadline
1:42 pm: The Kings view their Sabonis talks with Toronto as having “flat-lined,” according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. With the caveat that there’s still 24 hours for the situation to evolve, Amick says it now appears highly likely that the big man will remain in Sacramento through the trade deadline.
10:53 am: Talks between the Raptors and Kings have paused for now, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter video link), who says Toronto has concerns about how much draft capital it would have to give up to move off of Poeltl’s contract.
10:02 am: The Raptors are known to have interest in Kings center Domantas Sabonis, but it’s been hard to get a feel for just how serious the talks between the two teams are, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca, who gets the sense that some of the Sabonis trade chatter has been driven by the three-time All-Star’s representatives, who would like to get their client off a rebuilding roster.
While Grange was still hearing from people close to the Kings on Tuesday that Sacramento would be open to making a trade centered around Sabonis and Raptors forward RJ Barrett, he writes that the connection between Barrett and Kings general manager Scott Perry – who drafted the forward as a member of the Knicks’ front office – has been “overblown.”
There also appear to be at least two obstacles in the way of a trade sending Sabonis to Toronto.
One, Chris Haynes said during an NBA TV appearance (Twitter video link), is a gap between the draft compensation the Kings are seeking as part of the return (a first-round pick) and what the Raptors are willing to offer in their package (second-rounders).
The other complication is that the Raptors would likely want to send out center Jakob Poeltl if they’re going to acquire a starting center who has an even more lucrative long-term contract, but Poeltl’s value is extremely limited due to the $100MM+ left on his deal, as well as his health — he has been dealing with back issues all season long.
The Kings reportedly have zero interest in acquiring Poeltl in a Sabonis deal, so the Raptors would have to find a third team willing to take him on and send that team sweeteners (likely draft assets) separate from what Sacramento would want for Sabonis.
“He’s a really hard guy to trade right now,” one source told Grange. “He’s hurt and he’s locked in for five years.”
According to Grange, the Celtics have been fans of Poeltl in the past, and the Pacers – who are searching for a long-term answer at center – are another team he has heard connected to Poeltl.
However, Boston just made a move for another center, agreeing to send Anfernee Simons to Chicago in a deal for Nikola Vucevic, and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) hears that Indiana hasn’t registered any interest in Poeltl.
The Grizzlies, with their newfound cap flexibility as a result of Tuesday’s Jaren Jackson Jr. trade, are considered one possible landing spot for Poeltl, but they’d likely need to be well compensated to take on his contract, especially given his current health situation.
“There’s nothing structural,” a source said of Poeltl’s back injury, per Grange. “There’s no nerve issue, it’s just a confusing injury.”
Sam Amick of The Athletic suggested earlier this week that it wouldn’t be a surprise if nothing happens with Sabonis this week and the Raptors and Kings renew their conversations in the offseason. Grange also thinks the Sabonis rumors “could all add up to nothing,” writing that Toronto may be better off hoping Poeltl gets healthy and can rebuild his value, either as a trade chip or the Raptors’ center of the future.
Kings Rumors: Kuminga, Ranadive, Christie, Draft
The Kings are among the teams with interest in Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga as the trade deadline nears, according to ESPN’s Anthony Slater. When Kuminga was a restricted free agent over the summer, Sacramento general manager Scott Perry visited him in Miami, and there’s still mutual interest in a partnership, sources tell Slater.
Slater hears from league sources that Golden State’s front office is exploring its options heading into the deadline and has sent out signals in recent days that it’s willing to hold onto Kuminga if an acceptable trade offer doesn’t happen. But Slater states that Kuminga will be available and that Perry contacted Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. last week.
Perry was willing to part with a protected 2030 first-round pick during the offseason to acquire Kuminga, but Slater reports that he has “expressed reservations” about making that same offer now. Slater also says the Warriors won’t take back any long-term deals they perceive as having negative value and have no interest in Malik Monk, who’s owed $20.2MM next season and holds a $21.6MM player option for 2027/28.
Slater notes that a multi-team deal could make it easier for everyone to get what they want, pointing out that Keon Ellis‘ $2.3MM expiring contract is attracting interest around the league. In a separate story, Slater states that Ellis, who will become extension-eligible on February 9, still has many admirers among rival front offices and scouts.
There’s more from Sacramento:
- Kings owner Vivek Ranadive remains extremely involved in personnel decisions, Slater adds. He pushed former general manager Monte McNair and former assistant GM Wes Wilcox to increase their offer to Chicago for DeMar DeRozan in the 2024 offseason so Ranadive could walk DeRozan to their courtside seats during halftime of a Summer League game. That resulted in giving up a 2032 unprotected first-round pick to San Antonio that could be extremely valuable unless the Kings turn around their fortunes over the next six years. Ranadive gave DeRozan a three-year, $74MM contract that limits his value on the trade market. McNair also had apprehensions about last season’s decision to part with De’Aaron Fox in a three-team deal to acquire Zach LaVine, a player that Ranadive badly wanted.
- Lack of player-to-player accountability is seen as an issue in Sacramento, according to Slater. Veteran guard Dennis Schröder, who’s in his first season with the team, said it happens “here and there,” but not consistently. Domantas Sabonis expressed a similar sentiment, according to Slater, and pushed management to sign Russell Westbrook, his former teammate in Oklahoma City.
- Doug Christie only has one more guaranteed season left on his three-year contract, but team sources tell Slater that his job isn’t in jeopardy. Perry remains supportive of his head coach, saying, “He’s got an organization that’s behind him and believes that he will be there to help push us through and turn the corner.”
- Although the Kings have a lot of veterans to offer on the trade market, their high salaries may make them difficult to move, Slater adds. He suggests this summer’s draft pick is probably their most valuable asset, with Perry looking for positional size and defensive versatility and Christie wanting players who fit an up-tempo, physical style.
Scott Perry Hopes To Turn Kings Into ‘Sustainable Winner’
The results haven’t been encouraging in Scott Perry‘s first season as general manager of the Kings, but he remains focused on building “sustainable” long-term success, he said in an interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape.
Perry, who was hired to run the team in April, discusses numerous topics in the lengthy exchange, including his approach to the upcoming trade deadline. Sacramento owns the second-worst record in the Western Conference at 8-25 and has several veteran players who could interest other teams, such as DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Malik Monk, Russell Westbrook and Dennis Schröder. Perry plans to listen to offers over the next five weeks, but he hasn’t determined that certain players will definitely be moved.
“I’m always going to work the phones,” he said. “I’m always going try to figure out how we can improve the team, both short and long term, if possible. But I want to be prudent and opportunistic in doing that. I’m not somebody who does things out of panic. So, it’s got to make sense for us. So, we’ll see.
“But obviously we know we’re far from a finished product, so we’ve got to be open to getting better. And this is one of the vehicles that you have at your disposal in trying to get better. It’s seeing that there’s a trade that makes sense and fits for not only you, but it’s got to fit for the other team or teams that you’re involved with.”
Perry recognized when he took the job that it wouldn’t be easy to transform a franchise that has only made one playoff appearance since 2007. That came in 2023, and the Kings have been trending downward ever since. They’re currently on pace for the worst record in franchise history, but Perry made it clear that he’s not looking for a “quick fix” to salvage this season at the expense of the future.
“I was hired to build a sustainable winner,” he said. “So, I’m sure there’s an anomaly somewhere, but I don’t know of many quote-unquote quick fixes that turn into being sustainable. And my vision, which is shared by top to bottom ownership and everybody in the building, is to build a sustainable winner. I think that takes a little more time than quick fixes. You got to make appropriate decisions in that at least give you the best chance to lay a foundation to grow into something that’s sustainable. And so that’s what we’re at.
“… What is a quick fix? It’s probably for that season or maybe one other season. But hopefully, my goal and vision is to get to the point that once you become a playoff team you can stay there for a while. And that’s when you get your chance to sustain it.”
Perry admits he’s still in the “evaluation stage” with the franchise as he tries to decide which players to keep. Amid the losing, one positive has been the performance of the team’s rookies. Second-round pick Maxime Raynaud has been a pleasant surprise, especially since moving into the starting lineup after center Domantas Sabonis was sidelined with a meniscus injury. First-round selection Nique Clifford is getting regular rotation minutes, and Dylan Cardwell has been a valuable big man off the bench on a two-way contract.
Perry calls all three rookies “very hard workers” with “very good basketball IQs” and indicated that they’re the type of players he wants to build around.
He also discussed the decision to give Keegan Murray a five-year, $140MM rookie-scale extension in October. Murray hasn’t posted outstanding numbers during his first three-plus NBA seasons, but Perry views him as another building block for the future.
“Another tremendously hard worker, high character guy,” Perry said. “In this league, you can’t have too many 6-8, 6-9 versatile players. The guy has shot the three-point ball at a high clip since coming to the league, even though his numbers are down this year. He missed the first month of the season and is taking a little while to get his rhythm back, too. We’re matching him up with everybody on the other end, but that’s a tribute to his defensive versatility. So, here’s a guy that we put on point guards and we put on centers and all positions in between and he doesn’t flinch. He takes on those assignments. That’s invaluable.
“When you talk about build a team, he’s young, he’s 25 years old. So now we’re coming into the window of hopefully what’s going to be the prime of his career. I see him as being a very important part of establishing that sustainable winning. You need high character, versatile two-way players – as many as you can get. He was here and he liked it here and it’s been good to work with him.”
Kings Rumors: Long-Term Plan, DeRozan, Sabonis, Kuminga
Appearing on FanDuel’s Run it Back show on Tuesday (Twitter video link), Sam Amick of The Athletic said that Kings general manager Scott Perry is trying to keep team owner Vivek Ranadive “at bay” and sell him on taking a long-term view toward rebuilding Sacramento’s roster.
“(Perry is trying to) convince him that this might take three, four, or five years to turn around,” Amick said.
In a follow-up tweet, Amick clarifies that Ranadive – who has historically been very involved in the team’s roster decisions – isn’t pushing back on a plan to rebuild the roster. Perry is simply making it clear, Amick says, that the organization’s approach needs to be extremely “patient and prudent.”
According to Amick, the Kings’ roster is very much “in flux,” with only a very small handful of younger players, such as forward Keegan Murray and rookie Nique Clifford, looking like locks to be part of Sacramento’s future.
Here’s more on the Kings:
- Within the same FanDuel appearance, Amick said he views DeMar DeRozan as a more likely in-season trade candidate than either Zach LaVine or Domantas Sabonis, who have larger contracts that would be more difficult to move.
- Sabonis is at his best when he can be the hub of an offense, according to Amick, but most teams wouldn’t be targeting him to be that player, which would be another factor that makes a trade more complicated. “I’ve talked to his camp recently,” Amick said of Sabonis. “It does not sound like they anticipate (him) being moved at the deadline. It’s more a message of patience.”
- The Kings, who seemed to be Jonathan Kuminga‘s top rival suitor when he was a restricted free agent this past offseason, remain interested in the Warriors forward, Marc J. Spears of Andscape said during Monday’s edition of NBA Today on ESPN (YouTube link). However, according to Spears, the Kings may no longer be willing to offer what they did over the summer. “They threw (Malik) Monk at it before, and a first(-round pick),” Spears said. “But I don’t think that first would be available anymore.”
Pacific Notes: Monk, Kuminga, Leonard, LaRavia
Malik Monk knows that the Kings were willing to deal him in order to acquire Jonathan Kuminga from the Warriors. Monk’s contract, which runs through the 2027/28 season and includes a player option, wasn’t one Golden State was willing to take on.
Now that Kuminga has signed a two-year contract with Golden State, that saga has ended and Monk says he looks at Sacramento as his home and “loves” it there, according to Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee.
“For some people, yeah, but for me, what I’ve been through, no,” Monk said of whether he let the trade talk bother him. “And my support system is amazing. My brother, my agent, my mom, they always keep me upbeat, but I came to talk to (new general manager Scott Perry), too, right before everything, and he told me the same thing my agent told me. I like that from Scott. I appreciate him for coming forward and telling me to come talk to him. That’s being professional. A lot of GMs don’t do that, so I thank Scott for that.”
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- Following contentious negotiations, Kuminga chose to sign a contract that would still allow him to be trade-eligible in mid-January. It also includes a team option. That means the speculation about his future won’t die down, Nick Friedell of The Athletic notes. Coach Steve Kerr says he doesn’t blame Kuminga for trying to get the best contract possible as a restricted free agent. “It’s just, this is the business we’re in, you know?” Kerr said. “I never begrudge any player for trying to get the best contract that he can. In fact, having been a player, I always feel like it’s part of my job to help our guys do the best they can come contract-wise and help them become the best players that they can be. Put themselves in the best position to have a great career, to sign a good contract, take care of their families. These are short careers, and so I want all our players to do well, how it gets there sometimes can be messy. I’m not worried about any of that.”
- Kawhi Leonard addressed to a certain extent the allegation that the Clippers tried to circumvent the salary cap by arranging an alleged no-show endorsement deal with the now-defunct company Aspiration. He claims he’s not worried about the league’s on-going investigation, according to Law Murray of The Athletic. “The NBA is going to do their job,” Leonard said. “None of us did no wrongdoing. And yeah, I mean, that’s it. We invite the investigations. It’s not going to be a distraction for me or the rest of the team.” The Clippers have become experts in blocking out all the outside noise, Murray opines in a separate story.
- The Lakers signed Jake LaRavia to a two-year contract during free agency. It was a low-profile move but the Lakers hope the 23-year-old forward can be a big part of their future, Thuc Nhi Nguyen of the Los Angeles Times writes. “To get a young player — a young player in free agency for a team that is trying to win a championship — it’s an incredible opportunity for myself and our player development department to have him continue to grow,” head coach JJ Redick said. “Jake, I’m very high on him. His level of commitment to what we’ve asked of the guys this offseason has been very high.”
Kings Notes: Murray, Coaches, Staff Changes, DeRozan
Kings forward Keegan Murray has two primary goals this season: making at least 40% of his three-point tries and being in the running for the Most Improved Player award, per Matt George of ABC 10 Sacramento (Twitter link).
The 6’8″ pro started all 76 of his games with Sacramento last year, but failed to improve upon his career-best scoring output of 15.2 PPG from 2023/24. In ’24/25, Murray averaged 12.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.9 blocks and 0.8 steals per game, with a shooting line of .444/.343/.833. Murray has connected on over 40% of his threes once, nailing 41.1% of 6.3 attempts per night as a rookie in 2022/23. He’s a career 37.2% shooter from distance.
Murray is eligible for an extension of his rookie-scale contract until October 20. He said on Monday that he isn’t worried about those negotiations and is deferring to his agent.
There’s more out of Sacramento:
- After taking over as the Kings’ interim head coach last season, Doug Christie has now built out his supporting staff with several new faces. According to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link), Christie said on Monday that assistant coach Mike Miller will handle the club’s offense and Bobby Jackson will be entrusted to command Sacramento’s defense.
- The Kings have announced several new basketball operations staff updates in a press statement. As Michael Scotto of HoopsHype observes (via Twitter), Sacramento has added multiple former Knicks staffers who previously worked with Kings general manager Scott Perry in New York. That group includes new director of pro player personnel Fred Cofield, new director of college scouting John Halas, and new vice president of data science and planning Tom Perry.
- Veteran Kings forward DeMar DeRozan acknowledged that the club’s chaotic 2024/25 — which saw a coaching regime transition and trades involving several rotation players, including All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox — was difficult to handle for Sacramento players, per KCRA 3 Northern California (Twitter video link). “Just being honest with you, there was just a lot of s–t that was going on that, you know, internally we tried to fight through as players,” DeRozan said. “So I think this time around you’ll see a much different team.” DeRozan, 36, is embarking on the second season of a three-year, $73.9MM deal. He submitted a fairly steady performance during his inaugural Kings season, averaging 22.2 points, 4.4 assists, and 3.9 rebounds in 77 games on .477/.328/.857 shooting splits.
Latest On Jonathan Kuminga
The Kings have been linked to restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga for weeks but there’s little common ground in sign-and-trade talks with the Warriors.
The Athletic’s Sam Amick said on the Warriors Plus Minus podcast (hat tip to BasketNews) that Golden State isn’t interested in either DeMar DeRozan or Devin Carter as part of a trade package.
“My understanding is the Warriors weren’t interested in Carter or DeRozan. As of a couple of weeks ago, the Kings weren’t willing to pay Kuminga into the $20 million range,” Amick said.
Multiple reports have indicated Kuminga and his agent are seeking a contract in the $30MM range annually.
The Sacramento Bee’s Jason Anderson reports that the Kings have not given up in their pursuit of a sign-and-trade deal for Kuminga and offered Golden State a package of Carter, Dario Saric and draft compensation, which could include a protected first-round pick or multiple second-round picks.
Anderson speculates the Warriors would likely make a deal with Sacramento if the Kings were willing to add Keegan Murray or Keon Ellis to the mix. However, Anderson hears that Murray and Ellis have not been discussed in those negotiations and are considered off limits by the Kings.
ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported last week that the Warriors would like to add a talented young player and a first-rounder for Kuminga. The Suns have been identified as another suitor for Kuminga but don’t possess the draft capital Golden State is seeking.
Slater added in a radio interview relayed by Anderson that the 22-year-old forward came away with a good impression after a recent meeting with Kings representatives, which included general manager Scott Perry, assistant GM B.J. Armstrong and head coach Doug Christie.
“He’s open-minded to the idea of Sacramento. … I think part of that – I know part of that pitch – is you’re talking starting role, you’re talking bigger opportunity than the Warriors are necessarily offering right now. And I think that’s the part that shouldn’t get lost in this situation,” Slater said. “Jonathan Kuminga isn’t just looking for the exact contract he wants in free agency. He’s looking for the opportunity he wants on the court.”
Slater and ESPN’s Shams Charania report that the Warriors are making a stronger push to resolve the Kuminga impasse but he continues to reject their two-year, $45MM contract offer. Kuminga’s decision is due in large part to the Warriors’ insistence on having a team option for the second season and their unwillingness to let him maintain the built-in no-trade clause, the ESPN duo adds.
His agent, Aaron Turner, presented the Warriors several proposals this month, including a three-year deal worth around $82MM that would allow them to stay below the second tax apron.
The Suns have been the most aggressive team pursuing Kuminga, including a proposal of up to four years and approximately $90MM for Kuminga with a player option for the final season, per ESPN’s report.
In recent days, Golden State has begun signaling a plan to cut off sign-and-trade conversations entirely, according to Charania and Slater. The Warriors have the ability to play hard ball with Kuminga, figuring he could either accept their contract offer or sign his qualifying offer of $7.9MM and become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Kings Rumors: Sabonis, PG Targets, Westbrook, Kuminga, LaVine
The Kings are viewed as “open for business” this offseason and appear willing to discuss a wide variety of potential trade scenarios, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic.
However, while that stance suggests Sacramento wouldn’t immediately shut down inquiries on Domantas Sabonis, team and league sources tell Amick that the club has continued to “signal a commitment” to its star center.
As Amick explains, Sabonis was frustrated by how the De’Aaron Fox situation played out, but he hasn’t asked for a trade and has had positive conversations with new head of basketball operations Scott Perry about the Kings’ plans going forward.
Here’s more on the Kings:
- Following up on comments he made during a radio appearance, Amick confirms the Kings had some interest in Jrue Holiday before Boston agreed to send him to Portland, but were concerned about his age and contract. Amick also notes that some of the team’s “power-brokers” were interested in pursuing Hawks guard Trae Young, but the Kings opted against it due to his offense-first style of play and his sizable contract.
- Confirming that the Kings have serious interest in Dennis Schröder and are eyeing Tyus Jones, as has been previously reported, Amick says former MVP Russell Westbrook is among the other free agent point guards the front office is considering. Westbrook is on track for unrestricted free agency after declining his player option with Denver.
- While Amick classifies it as a long shot, he says the Kings will be among the teams with interest in Warriors restricted free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga this summer. Miami and Chicago have previously been mentioned as possible suitors for Kuminga, who is hoping for an increased role whether he remains in Golden State or ends up elsewhere.
- Zach LaVine will become extension-eligible this offseason, but Sacramento has no plans to make a new deal for LaVine a priority, league sources tell Amick. The former Bull has one guaranteed year worth $47.5MM left on his current contract, with a $49MM player option for 2026/27.
Kings Hire B.J. Armstrong As Assistant GM
MAY 7: The Kings have officially announced the hiring of Armstrong as an assistant general manager (Twitter link).
MAY 6: The Kings are in the process of finalizing an agreement with B.J. Armstrong that will make him an assistant general manager under new head of basketball operations Scott Perry, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
An NBA player from 1989-2000, Armstrong was a member of the Bulls during their run of three consecutive championships from 1991-93 and later spent time with the Warriors, Hornets, and Magic as well.
After wrapping up his playing career in 2000, Armstrong spent a few years in the Bulls’ front office as an executive and a scout and had a brief stint as an analyst for ESPN. He has spent the last two decades as a player agent, most notably representing former MVP and Bulls star Derrick Rose.
Armstrong was mentioned as a possible candidate for front office openings in Detroit in 2018 and New York in 2020, but has continued to work as a player representative until now.
Although Perry and Armstrong didn’t overlap in Chicago at all, the new Kings general manager was a frequent guest on The Hoop Genius Podcast that was co-hosted by Armstrong. They likely dealt with one another often on opposite sides of the aisle during Armstrong’s agent days — notably, Perry was in the Knicks’ front office during Rose’s second stint in New York.