Going from the No. 3 seed and a close matchup with a Steph Curry-led Golden State Warriors squad in the Western Conference Playoffs to a spot on the couch and — as the joke goes, Cancun — isn't a transition any NBA team aspires to experience, especially with a young team. Unfortunately for the Sacramento Kings, that's where they sit after just two games of this year's first round.
Interestingly enough, the stark difference from Mike Brown's squad's position doesn't have anything to do with record. Last season, the Kings put together a 48-win season, and this year 46. Not much different, right?
Yet, with a loaded West, it made all the difference.
Record aside, Sacramento is clearly disappointed with the outcome of its otherwise productive season. It has young talent, a coach just one year removed from Coach of the Year honors, and a fanbase loud enough to break phone speakers on highlight reels. But, with the arguably tougher side of the league only set to get more competitive, it seems as if the Kings have some decisions to make.
That being said, here are two trades Sacramento's team must make ahead of next season.
Alex Caruso, Bulls
Dating back to his time with the Texas A&M Aggies, Alex Caruso — known to some as “The Bald Eagle” — has been a top-tier defender.
To go along with his proficient scoring, the guard is a reliable on-ball defender averaging 1.7 steals a game, as well as a solid rim protector — albeit sneakily — averaging one block a game. Caruso is quick and fast and brings to any team a gritty burst of energy across the board.
Sacramento has been linked to Caruso for some time now, but there's a solid reason why. Caruso's specialty — that is, defense — is what makes him intriguing to any team, but specifically for the Kings, he'd be a boon to a team not known for that aspect of its game.
Two seasons ago, Sacramento finished 24th in the league in defensive rating as a whole, which was a big reason for their eventual elimination. This season, that rating went up to 14th — still not great, but much better.
Adding Caruso would only help it further.
It's not a secret that the Kings are well-versed offensively. They have one of — if not the — fastest player in the league in De'Aaron Fox to pair with a triple-double machine in Damontis Sabonis. Add Malik Monk, an electric scorer, to the mix and it makes sense why the Kings have had such a stark turnaround from years past.
Caruso adds solid offense but brings a defensive talent to the table that the Kings are missing, and if he were to make his way to Sacramento, he'd certainly play a large role in them getting back to the playoffs and beyond.
Kyle Kuzma, Wizards
Kyle Kuzma sits in an interesting position.
After being moved to the Washington Wizards as part of their Russell Westbrook trade with the Los Angeles Lakers, the forward has been given the keys to a team that needed intervention. Pairing him with Golden State's Jordan Poole was supposed to make the deal sweeter, except, it evidently did not.
Washington, instead of making noise or showing promise for years ahead, sank to the bottom of the Eastern Conference and only notched 15 wins. Sure, injuries and new pairings take time to work, but with as experienced as Kuzma and Poole are — not to mention the on-paper threat that they'd pose to defenses — it was simply a failed experiment in Year 1.
Enter the Kings.
Sacramento is in need of some fresh legs to help on defense, as mentioned with Caruso and applicable to Kuzma, but more specifically, some role players to pair with its stars. Kuzma would be a fit.
But why?
Well, in his time with the Lakers, Kuzma became a strong option on offense. LeBron James' passing ability likely aided his production, but if anything has been made clear since he's been away from Los Angeles, it's that he thrives more as a non-No.1 option.
Sacramento would give him the chance to return to form — that is, less points but more efficiency and stronger impact — which is why he could certainly be on the docket for the Kings this offseason.
Just maybe.
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