The League Leader

After a disappointing 40-42 season, whether the Kings will continue to buy or sell became the biggest question. The Kings were be stuck in mediocrity due to their mismanaged trades of the past few seasons, turning their exciting playoff birth in the 2022-23 season into a below .500 team.

Sacramento is now aggressively trying to make another move, as sources have told Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal that the Kings are “trying very hard” to trade Malik Monk to clear room for Russell Westbrook. However, this odd move raises eyebrows, as it might not benefit the team and might send the Kings into deeper misery.

Many analysts have considered the Kings as one of the very few teams that are able and willing to sign Russell Westbrook.

The Kings traded for two All-Stars DeMar DeRozan and Zach Lavine last season, in hopes of returning to the playoffs in the near future. The moves the Kings have made recently shows that they are a “buying team.” This move to replace Monk with Westbrook, in contrast, is odd because Monk is arguably the better and more fitting player for the Kings roster.

Whether the current roster can compete for the championship is questionable, and trading for an older player who was not significantly better than Monk last season might set the team back. Malik Monk had a breakout year last season. His 17.2 points per game, 3.8 rebounds per game, and 5.6 assists per game are all career highs.The breakout guard could have an even better season incoming season.

Prior to this possible trade, the Kings have also made other questionable moves in the offseason that could set the team back from their goal. The Kings traded center Jonas Valanciunas to the Nuggets for center Dario Saric. Saric had a significantly worse season and the Kings. The Kings benefit by paying Saric 5 million annually compared to Valanciunas’s 10 million annually. However, this move sets the Kings back because they still have two former All-Stars DeRozan and Lavine on the team. The Kings are not working on a plan to sell the players for rebuilding assets, yet the Valanciunas trade works against them for their goal to compete for the playoffs.

Nonetheless, if the Kings can’t find a suitor for a Malik Monk trade, the team will most likely not be able to sign Westbrook and Monk will remain on the team.