Kings Interested in Wizards' Kyle Kuzma, Out on Pelicans' Ingram
The Sacramento Kings made one of the biggest moves of the 2024 NBA offseason by signing 6-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan to a three-year contract, but the team might not be done making moves.
New reports suggest that the Kings could still be in the market for Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma, a 28-year-old who still has a few years left on a team-friendly contract. The Wizards reportedly want at least two first-round picks in return for their star player.
The Kings remain interested in trading for Kyle Kuzma after acquiring DeMar DeRozan, per @damienbarling.
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) July 7, 2024
Sacramento can make salaries work including Kevin Huerter alongside future draft capital.
Washington has been holding out for two first-round picks in Kuzma talks. pic.twitter.com/mSlJp91VfX
It's likely that Sacramento would have to give up guard Kevin Huerter in any deal for Kuzma, as their contracts are about equal. This would keep the Kings from going too far over the association's luxury tax and boost the talent level of the team.
Building a deeper rotation is important for general manager Monte McNair after he watched his squad fall out of the playoffs towards the end of a disappointing campaign last season. The Kings suffered too many injuries to recover from, but McNair has already taken the first steps in mitigating this issue.
This off-season could have been a disaster. Most believed Malik Monk was gone.
— KeeganMuse (@KeegMuse) July 7, 2024
Instead:
• Re-signed Malik on a great contract
• Drafted Devin Carter at #13 (proj top 10)
• Acquired DeMar DeRozan
• Still have assets to make another BIG move
Shoutout to @mmcnair 🙌🏼 pic.twitter.com/k4rpvhgNN2
Re-signing sixth-man Malik Monk was his first step, and drafting Devin Carter out of Providence was his second step. DeRozan and Kuzma would be two huge final pieces to the puzzle that could bring championship hopes to California's capital.
While Kuzma is still a possibility, it's probable that the Kings are out of any race for New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram. The 26-year-old would cost too much for Sacramento, despite how much he could help the team.
There’s still interest in Kuzma though the market and Washington’s asking price will dictate what happens next.
— Damien Barling (@damienbarling) July 7, 2024
As far as Ingram, I don’t think so. I think that’s a name we can stop discussing. https://t.co/OsdUkZkdJl
Kuzma's contract still has three seasons left on it, with each year valued at approximately $21 million. In comparison, Ingram's contract only has one year remaining and would cost a hefty $36 million. The differences are stark, so McNair would be inclined to save money despite Kuzma being two years older.
The Kings are building a strong roster before the 2024-25 season, with the potential to make it even better before the end of summer.
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SEAN ACKERMAN