With the 2023 NBA trade deadline rapidly approaching, the Sacramento Kings have been mentioned in trade chatter quite a bit. The chatter has been more about who the Kings are looking to trade rather than players they're interested in bringing in to upgrade the roster. Players like Harrison Barnes and Richaun Holmes have been two of the most talked about players in terms of potentially being traded at the deadline.
It's been quite the surprising season for the Kings. They currently own the NBA's longest streak of consecutive seasons of missing the playoffs and they're hoping this is the season their fortunes improve. Behind new head coach Mike Brown, the Kings have been one of the better teams in the Western Conference and they have the best record in the Pacific Division right now; a division that also includes the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns. They are fourth in the West with a record of 24-18 and only one game back of the No. 3 New Orleans Pelicans.
A playoff push and homecourt advantage in the first round is the goal for the Kings and to do so they will need to look to strengthen the roster at the NBA trade deadline rather than just look to move players out. For starters, they should hold on to Harrison Barnes. He's a dependable veteran and is averaging 15.2 points per game while shooting 48.8 percent from the field and 36.6 percent from three-point range.
So with that said, if the Kings need to keep Barnes in the fold, what is they need to address at the deadline to ensure they keep pace in the West?
Bench depth
The Kings need to look to upgrade their depth if they are able to do so. The main area of concern for them is at backup center. Domantas Sabonis is one of the best centers in the league and is having an All-Star season to the tune of 18.9 points, 12.6 rebounds and 7.1 assists. But they need a reliable backup so that he is able to come out of the game for a breather. Holmes hasn't been able to get the job done and they tried Chemezie Metu but he struggled in that role. They could opt to go with second-year center Neemias Queta, but he's still raw and on a two-way contract meaning he's limited in the number of games he can play.
One intriguing name that has come up is the Detroit Pistons' Nerlens Noel. Noel has been rumored to be available and he'd be a solid pickup for the Kings. He's playing a career-low 11.8 minutes per game this season but in those minutes he's averaging more rebounds (2.8) than points (2.4). He's a defensive-minded, rim-running big man and a veteran who could certainly spell Sabonis for a few possessions.
If not Noel, the Kings could turn their attention to the Orlando Magic's Mo Bamba. Now is his fifth year in the NBA, Bamba has not quite developed as initially expected when he was first drafted. He's primarily been used off the bench for the Magic this season and has been averaging 7.4 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 49.5 percent from the field. With the emergence of Bol Bol this season, Bamba has seen his minutes and role reduced.
Aside from backup center, the Kings should look to upgrade their depth behind Barnes at small forward if possible. The Kings have KZ Okpala and Terence Davis behind him, but neither plays a real meaningful role and neither one instills much confidence heading into the playoffs.
One name the Kings should kick the tires on is Thaddeus Young of the Toronto Raptors. Young is one of the more underappreciated players in the league in that he just goes out there and gets the job done with little fanfare. He's had a 16-year career averaging 12.5 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting 50.2 percent from the field. He's not playing a big role for the Raptors and with their inconsistent play, they could opt to move him and hit the reset button.
Another player the Kings could look at is Josh Richardson of the San Antonio Spurs. Richardson is one of the veterans on a tanking team and the Spurs could look to move him to improve their chances in the draft lottery. Richardson is averaging 11.2 points this season and shooting 35.9 percent from three-point range.
Regardless of who gets shipped out, the Kings should certainly look to upgrade at the NBA trade deadline.
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