Backup Point Guard Is ‘Biggest Need’ for Kings at NBA Trade Deadline
The trade deadline is looming for the NBA, and the Sacramento Kings have stood out as one of the prime candidates to make a move on the market. The team currently sits at a respectable 26-18 record on the season good for the 5th seed in the West, yet they only stand one game out of falling into the Play-In Tournament.
For Sacramento to reach the status of a true championship contender, this squad could benefit from a trade or two in the coming days. The trade deadline stands less than two weeks away on February 8th, so the clock is ticking for Monte McNair and the rest of this Kings front office.
However, when it comes to finding what exactly this roster could benefit from in a potential deal, the change might not need to be as drastic as it may seem.
Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report noted the biggest need for each team ahead of the approaching deadline, with the Kings' being the need for a backup at the one:
"The more pressing need for Sacramento might be a reserve point guard. For much of this season, the Kings have been forced to play Malik Monk there. While he's done a solid job in that role (he's averaging a career-high 5.5 assists), giving him more opportunities to cook as a catch-and-shoot threat against backups wouldn't hurt."
Aside from Monk, Davion Mitchell arises as one of the lone options when this team needs some depth in the backcourt, and he's been placed in several trade discussions of his own. Once this team needs additional facilitating and creating when De'Aaron Fox is out of the lineup, it becomes a bit slim. Adding another option in the second unit to bring in some assistance effectively makes this roster much more well-rounded.
Adding another option at the point guard spot puts Monk in a more natural role as a scorer and creator for himself rather than running the offense entirely. He's maintained over the past year and a half as one of the best options as a sixth man across the NBA, so maximizing his on-court value is pivotal for the Kings' success.
While many may feel the need for Sacramento to upgrade their frontcourt, and notably Harrison Barnes, Bailey continues to detail how the King's need for a starting lineup adjustment might not be as pressing as advertised:
For much of this season, fans and some in the media seemed to be clamoring for the Sacramento Kings to upgrade at Harrison Barnes' spot...But Sacramento's starting five has been one of the league's most consistent and available lineups since the start of last season. In 2023-24, the Kings are plus-9.5 points per 100 possessions when De'Aaron Fox, Kevin Huerter, Keegan Murray, Harrison Barnes and Domantas Sabonis are all on the floor. Not everyone needs to be a high-volume scorer, and Barnes has quietly turned into one of the game's better gap-fillers.
While having Barnes fill a critical part in the rotation may have its limitations, he does provide a necessary role. Throughout his career, he's been a mostly reliable 3&D threat on the wing, can go off for a 30-point burst once in a while, and has also proven to be a crucial component of the Golden State Warriors' 2015 title win. Sure, it doesn't jump off the page, but not everybody in this starting five needs to be an All-Star.
Instead, the Kings can focus on bringing in additional depth rather than pooling all their chips in for another star. We've seen multiple instances of such a process going south for multiple other franchises around the league, so doing some work around the edges rather than making a much more radical adjustment could be the more logical route to take.
Ten short days sit between now and the looming league cutoff date. Expect conversations surrounding the Kings and their approach to ramp up until the long-awaited day comes.
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