Kings Trade Candidate to Bolster Defense and Wing Depth
The Sacramento Kings have climbed out of their free-fall, winning seven of nine games under interim head coach Doug Christie, to get back to 20-20 and 10th in the Western Conference. While the recent winning streak is great, there is still plenty of room for improvement ahead of the trade deadline.
Much like every contending NBA team, the Kings should be on the hunt for wing depth. That's easier said than done, but it's a clear weakness for the Kings roster.
While Sacramento has been tied to the big-name wings on the trade market, there's a name that fits the Kings style and scheme almost perfectly, sitting on a struggling team in the Eastern Conference.
Kelly Oubre Jr.
Season Stats:
13.3 PTS | 5.7 REB | 1.6 AST | 1.5 STL | 0.5 BLK | 44.9 FG% | 27.3 3P%
Contract:
- 2024-25: $7,983,000
- 2025-26: $8,382,150 (Player Option)
Kelly Oubre Jr. is quietly putting together an excellent season. While he's having a career-worst three-point shooting season, the 29 year-old wing still finds ways to contribute without relying on the three.
At 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan, Oubre Jr. uses his length and athleticism to disrupt opponents on the defensive end. He's 3rd in the NBA with 4.2 deflections per game, one of the Kings coaching staff favorite metrics to track.
On offense, Oubre Jr. has the potential to thrive in the Kings offense working off ball, as he ranks in the 99.1st percentile for the 'Cut' playtype, according to NBA.com.
Between Domantas Sabonis, De'Aaron Fox, Malik Monk, and DeMar DeRozan, the Kings have multiple players who can set up Oubre when he makes moves towards the basket.
The other great thing about Oubre Jr. is his contract. The Kings don't have big money contracts to go out and bring in big name players. Sacramento could absorb Oubre's $8 million into their mid-level exception and send a player like Colby Jones and picks to appease the Philadelphia 76ers. Unlike players like Cam Johnson or Jerami Grant, the money is easy to work around in the potential deal.
The question mark lies on what the 76ers would want in return or if they would entertain trading their starting wing. At 15-23 and 11th in the standings, it's hard to know the direction they will go at the deadline.
But if they think Oubre Jr. is going to opt out of his contract, they could get some value at the deadline instead of losing him for nothing.
A name like Kelly Oubre Jr. isn't the most exciting name on the trade market, but he's a wing that fits the Kings playing style. With limited options out there, Sacramento isn't going to find the perfect player, but they could do a lot worse than a high energy wing off the bench in Oubre.
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