It has felt like forever since the Sacramento Kings were good. With a 23-21 record right now, the Kings are finally a viable NBA team again. They even have the possibility to make the playoffs. Unfortunately for them, the Western Conference is about as tight as it can get, with the third seed and 10th spot, where the Kings sit, being separated by only three games.
This shouldn’t deter Sacramento, however. They are currently on a three-game winning streak, have played .500 ball in their last 10 games, and have monumental determination to put an end to their franchise 12 season playoff drought.
Part of being good again means looking for ways to improve your team around the trade deadline. The Kings, for the first time in a while, are one of the teams looking to be buyers in the trade market. According to Marc Stein, Vlade Divac already has his sights set on one target in particular: Jeremy Lin.
Adding a veteran point guard to their rotation would be great for Sacramento as they push towards the postseason. De’Aaron Fox has been nothing short of spectacular this season, but the depth behind him leaves a little more to be desired.
The signing of Yogi Ferrell in the off season was nice, but the young guard hasn’t delivered as much as Sacramento would hope. In his 14.1 minutes per game he is averaging 5.9 points, 1.8 assists, 0.4 steals, while shooting 36.9 percent from deep and 44.5 percent from the field. Ferrell’s offense is there in terms of shooting, and he is making the most of his 4.8 attempts per game, but he isn’t the facilitator you’d like to have on a second unit featuring big men as the focal point. The undersized guard also is a liability on the defensive side of the ball at times, as well- something that will absolutely get exploited come playoff time.
Frank Mason has been a little of the inverse. Playing 12.6 minutes in the 29 games he has taken court, he is putting up 5 points, 2.7 assists, 1.2 rebounds, 0.5 steals, and is shooting 20 percent from the 3 and 40.5 percent overall. He is a better distributor and pure point than Yogi but is an unreliable perimeter threat. Similarly, though, at just under six foot, he doesn’t offer much defensively.
Jeremy Lin would be the perfect type of guard to add to this Kings roster as they move down the stretch of the season. His ability and experience running the point and playing off ball would give Sacramento added lineup versatility. They could use him solely as a back up point guard with the second unit, or even experiment having him alongside Fox or Hield if they wanted the opportunity to rest either of their starters at all.
So far this season, Lin is putting up 10.8 points, 3.6 assists, 2.4 rebounds, and 0.8 steals in 19.5 minutes of action for the Atlanta Hawks. He may not be a premier defensive player but would at least bring a little more size to the backcourt.
The Atlanta Hawks are reportedly seeking picks in return for any players they are willing to deal. Though the Kings do not own their own first this season, they have options to work with in getting a trade done. If they choose to go with a first round pick, they have all their future picks.
Using a first round pick could also be the key to getting more in return, such as Kent Bazemore. With the Kings showing serious improvement, the picks likely won’t be as valuable as they have in years past and could always be sent out with protection. If they wanted to use second round picks, they have plenty to work with. Between 2019-21, they have eight second round picks at their disposal.
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