Happy July 4th week, Sacramento. While America prepares to celebrate its independence, the Sacramento Kings are doing what they do every offseason: negotiating with other teams' players while their own contracts sit on the table like a cold plate of food nobody ordered. Free agency opened this week and the Kings are, predictably, one trade rumor away from a fever dream. Let's get into it.
THE DAMAGE REPORT
The big story this week isn't what the Kings did. It's what they're trying to do. The name you need to know is Jalen Duren.
Duren is 22 years old, an All-Star center from Detroit who averaged 18 points and 12 rebounds last season and led the Pistons to the second round of the playoffs. He is, in short, the kind of player Sacramento hasn't had in the frontcourt since DeMarcus Cousins, and unlike Cousins, he apparently wants to be here. The Kings met with Duren on the first day of free agency and reportedly pitched a sign-and-trade with Detroit, centered on sending Domantas Sabonis to the Pistons. The proposed package would get Duren in Sacramento and get Sabonis's $45+ million salary off the books simultaneously. It is, on paper, an elegant solution to two problems at once.
Here is the problem: the Pistons don't want to do it. Detroit has offered Duren what they describe as "the most lucrative contract possible," they are not interested in a sign-and-trade, and they will match any offer sheet Duren signs. Which means the Kings are essentially pursuing a man whose employer has said, at full volume, "he is not available." This is not new territory for Sacramento. We once traded for players who didn't want to come here, tried to keep players who wanted to leave, and fired coaches who went on to win titles. Pursuing an unconsummated sign-and-trade with a team that doesn't want to trade is very on-brand.
Also complicating things: the Lakers were also chasing Duren, which would have at least given the Kings leverage. Then the Lakers signed Walker Kessler from Utah for $130 million, took themselves out of the race entirely, and eliminated the bidding war. And the Celtics, who were also rumored to be in the mix, went out and signed Mitchell Robinson instead. So Sacramento went from competing for Duren against two powerhouse franchises to being the only team left at the table. That's either an opportunity or a warning sign, and with the Kings it is historically both.
To be clear: this could still happen. But the most likely outcome as of press time is that Duren stays in Detroit, and the Kings stay at Duren's table long after the restaurant has closed. We know this feeling.
The Kings are pursuing a man whose employer has said, at full volume, 'he is not available.' This is not new territory for Sacramento
THE BETRAYAL DESK (BRIEF EDITION)
Meanwhile, Zach LaVine opted into his $49 million player option. This is not surprising. Nobody was going to pay Zach LaVine $49 million on the open market, least of all the Kings in an imaginary scenario where they freed up cap space. What it does mean is that Sacramento has LaVine, Sabonis, and now their shiny new draft class all on the books simultaneously, which is the roster-construction equivalent of painting your new living room furniture before moving out of your old apartment.
Also this week: the Kings traded Devin Carter to the Atlanta Hawks in a salary dump. Carter, the former No. 13 pick, is gone for a second-round pick and Atlanta's cap relief. It was the right move. It was also quietly a little sad. The Kings drafted Carter to be part of something, shuffled him out before that something started, and now a 22-year-old with potential is somebody else's project. The Sacramento Kings: we develop human capital for other markets.
BEAM OR BUST
🟢 LIT THE BEAM- Precious Achiuwa re-signed. Two years, $11.5 million. Career highs of 10.1 points and 6.7 rebounds last season, and he averaged 15.7 points and 9.2 rebounds over the final 25 games. This is the kind of quiet, competent, well-priced move that good front offices make. The Kings made it. We're still adjusting to that.
🔴 TOTAL BUST- The supporting cast. Jonathan Mogbo (two-way, former Raptor, averaged 4.4 points in limited Toronto minutes) and Adam Flagler (two-way, undrafted Baylor guard, spent all of last year in the G-League) are your new depth additions. They're fine. They're also not going to make anyone forget what this team is missing. Mogbo at least defends. Flagler at least shoots. Neither is going to cause a media conference.
ON THE HORIZON: CALIFORNIA CLASSIC
This weekend at Golden 1 Center is the California Classic, the unofficial start of summer league and the first time Sacramento fans get to see Darius Acuff Jr. in a Kings uniform. The schedule:
Saturday, July 4- vs. Brooklyn Nets, 2:00 PM PT. The marquee matchup. Acuff against Mikel Brown Jr., the guard taken one pick ahead of him. This is the real first look, and if Acuff drops 25 and embarrasses the guy who went sixth, the reaction in Sacramento will be disproportionate and completely warranted.
Sunday, July 5- vs. Golden State Warriors, 2:00 PM PT. The rival. Alex Karaban and Emanuel Sharp also suit up. Keep an eye on Sharp, who is exactly the kind of player who benefits from summer league minutes.
Monday, July 6- vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 7:00 PM PT. The finale. By this point we'll have a read on who's for real and who's just athletic.
Full Las Vegas Summer League begins July 9. Real signings become official July 13. The offseason machine keeps turning.
A quick programming note: this is the part of the offseason where things either get very exciting very fast (Duren trade, major free agency move) or grind to a standstill while Scott Perry stares at a spreadsheet for six weeks. We will report either scenario with equal commitment and disproportionate emotion. That's the deal.
Light the beam. The rookies are about to play basketball. In Sacramento. In purple. It's enough for right now.
See you next week. Duren update pending. Sabonis situation ongoing. The usual.
Forward this to a Kings fan who suffers alongside you.