After sputtering at the start of the season, largely due to De'Aaron Fox's injury, the Sacramento Kings are once again back to their winning ways. With Fox back and playing like a dark-horse MVP candidate, the Kings have won six of their last seven games. Sacramento looks poised to take the next step after getting the third seed in the Western Conference last season and taking the then-defending champion Golden State Warriors to the brink in the first round of the playoffs. With that said, the Kings could make an upgrade this season and Harrison Barnes is the trade chip they should focus on moving.
Kings season so far
Sacramento's offense so far hasn't looked as sharp as it did last season. The Kings set the best offensive rating in NBA history last year, but they're just at 14th this 2023-24 season so far. Nonetheless, De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis are making a case for the best duo in the NBA, and with the shooters they've surrounded the two All-Stars, the Kings shouldn't have major issues on that end of the floor moving forward.
Fox has been lights out since coming back from an ankle injury that kept him out for five straight games. The All-Star guard had four straight games with at least 28 points, including a 43-point explosion in a win over the San Antonio Spurs. The biggest development about Fox this season is his three-point shooting. Fox is connecting on 37.5 percent of his threes so far on significant volume (9.0 attempts per game). His improvement on his outside shot has opened up his game further and is slowly establishing him as one of the most dangerous three-level scorers in the NBA.
In conjunction with the star point guard's explosion, Domantas Sabonis has also been playing at an All-NBA level. Sabonis has appeared in all of Sacramento's 13 games this season. The All-Star big man is averaging 20.0 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 7.2 assists while shooting 62.7 percent from the field.
Keegan Murray's shot isn't dropping at the efficient clip that it did in his rookie season. He is shooting just 39.0 percent from the field and 28.7 percent from three this season after knocking down 45.3 percent overall and 41.1 percent from three a year ago. But the 23-year-old has shown improvements in other facets of his game, particularly with rebounding.
Why Harrison Barnes should be traded soon
Meanwhile, veteran forward Harrison Barnes finds himself a little bit lost in the shuffle. Sure, Barnes is still starting and playing over 30 minutes a night. But it feels like he is the weakest link in that first unit and the Kings could use an upgrade in his spot.
In 13 games this season, Barnes is averaging just 11.5 points and is taking just 8.3 shots a game. Certainly, the low production has a lot to do with his role as the 4th or 5th scoring option on most nights and he is playing it the way the Kings need him to right now. But for Sacramento to take it to the next level, it seems like it would need just a little bit more from that spot, especially on the defensive end.
As mentioned, the Kings should not have any issues with their offense. But their play on the other side of the floor is where they could use an upgrade.
Barnes has always been a decent defender at best. But at 31 years old, the 6-foot-8 forward has slowed down a bit and isn't particularly the best option to matchup against the elite wings in the Western Conference like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Luka Doncic, and Kawhi Leonard.
With that, the Kings should look to use Barnes in a trade and make an upgrade in his position.
Kings trade target for Harrison Barnes: OG Anunoby
Toronto Raptors forward OG Anunoby is perhaps the player the Sacramento Kings should trade for.
Anunoby has been heavily linked to the Kings this season. At 6-foot-7, 232 pounds, and with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, Anunoby would be a massive defensive upgrade over Barnes. The 26-year-old has established himself as one of the premier perimeter defenders in the NBA. Likewise, he would bring everything they need from Barnes on the offensive end and more.
The concern with Anunoby, however, is whether he is willing to accept a reduced part of the offense while fully embracing his role as one of the Kings' defensive anchors. Barnes has fully accepted his standing as a backend option on offense. However, he just doesn't carry the defensive acumen that Anunoby has.
It's a complex situation because Barnes is still playing his part well within Mike Brown's system. But you just know just how much better the Kings could get if they are able to trade for OG Anunoby.
Another concern is whether Toronto is willing to part ways with its starting small forward. There's no way to figure out where Masai Ujiri's head is at in terms of the direction he intends to steer this Raptors franchise in. Nonetheless, it wouldn't hurt for Kings GM Monte McNair to try and negotiate a deal with the embattled Raptors executive.
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