Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings are reportedly out on Pascal Siakam, in part because the team isn't interested in trading young forward Keegan Murray.

According to Michael Grange of Sportsnet, "the Kings are not going to trade talented second-year forward Murray and the Kings—already on the hook for full max deals for Domantas Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox—aren't interested in paying Siakam a full max contract which means any chances of retaining the pending free agent are nil."

The Raptors have already dealt OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks and are facing Siakam's pending free agency this summer, so hearing them linked to potential trades is hardly surprising. The veteran All-Star is likely to get a max deal, but he doesn't fit the timeline of the team's younger players, namely star-in-the-making Scottie Barnes.

But by most accounts, the Kings are out of the running for his services.

The 23-year-old Murray, Sacramento's No. 4 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, has proven to be a solid contributor for the team, averaging 15.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 45.2 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from three in year two.

While his three-point shooting has regressed from a season ago (41.1 percent), he remains a solid floor-spacer for the 21-13 Kings and is the team's third-leading scorer behind Fox (29.2 PPG) and nightly double-double Sabonis (19.7 PPG).

Siakam is undoubtedly the better player right now. But he'll also be far more expensive to retain, and he's six years older than Murray. The Kings want to contend, undoubtedly, but giving up on an ascending player like Murray right now rather than giving the current core the chance to continue growing together would be a major risk.

One it appears the Kings aren't going to be making. The team currently sits at fourth place in the Western Conference, just four games behind the Denver Nuggets for the top overall seed. There's little incentive to rock the boat—the current group is playing good basketball, and is largely on the same timeline going forward.

Trade talks between the Sacramento Kings and Toronto Raptors regarding All-Star Pascal Siakam have ended, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The Kings were likely attempting to pair the 29-year-old alongside De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, giving the team enough offensive firepower to compete for the Western Conference crown. However, Charania noted that Siakam's upcoming free agency will play a role in Sacramento's interest in acquiring him before the Kings ultimately removed themselves from trade discussions.

He's currently playing out the final season of a four-year contract worth roughly $137 million that he signed in 2019. Any team that trades for Siakam is only eligible to extend him for two years, with the former first-round pick preferring to enter unrestricted free agency (via NBA insider Marc Stein). In other words, there's a chance that a team trading for Siakam eventually loses him in free agency after a few months.

Sitting at 14-20, the Raptors appear to be building their roster around former Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes. On Dec. 30, Toronto sent forward OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks in exchange for 23-year-old wing RJ Barrett and 24-year-old point guard Immanuel Quickley.

Siakam is expected to be dealt by the Raptors ahead of the Feb. 8 trade deadline, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps.

Although the Kings have gotten off to a strong start by winning 20 of their first 33 games, general manager Monte McNair is looking for a third star that fits within the team's fast-paced offensive system. Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports revealed that Sacramento has recently been gauging the value of players such as Harrison Barnes, Kevin Huerter, and Davion Mitchell. However, the Kings aren't considering trading promising forward Keegan Murray.

With Sacramento attempting to acquire marquee talent while Toronto is likely focused on a youth movement, a trade between the two sides made sense. However, it appears that the Kings will shift their focus towards a different star. As for Siakam, the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks remain interested in his services.

The Sacramento Kings have reportedly made Harrison Barnes, Kevin Huerter and Davion Mitchell available for trade, per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, who provided more information.

"The Kings have been calling opposing front offices to gauge the value of packaging Harrison Barnes and Kevin Huerter, league sources told Yahoo Sports. Not exactly the youthful tandem that came back from New York, and Sacramento won't consider moving sophomore sharpshooter Keegan Murray, sources said.

"But Sacramento has third-year guard Davion Mitchell available for trade, and the Kings hold future picks beyond this year's first rounder owed to Atlanta to help facilitate any deal before next month's deadline. Huerter, it should be noted, was recently moved to Mike Brown's bench in exchange for Chris Duarte."

The Kings, who made the playoffs last year for the first time in 17 seasons, are in position for another postseason run thanks to a 20-13 record, good enough for fifth in the Western Conference. Now it appears the team could be looking to make moves in advance of the Feb. 8 trade deadline in hopes of another playoff push.

Barnes is taking a career-low 7.8 field goal attempts per game as he becomes less of a focal point in the Kings' offense. He's still shot well (48.3 percent from the field, 39.9 percent from three) en route to averaging 11.3 points in 30.0 minutes per game.

The 31-year-old is in his sixth season in Sacramento, who re-signed with the team on a three-year, $54 million contract last offseason.

Huerter, a 25-year-old wing in his fifth NBA season, has seen his playing time dip from 29.4 MPG last year to 23.7 this year. It's been a tough year for the former Atlanta Hawk, as he's averaging 9.9 points on just 41.8 percent shooting.

He's been capable of better play (15.2 PPG, 48.5 percent shooting in 2022-23) but has since fallen out of the starting lineup in favor of Chris Duarte. Huerter is on the second year of a four-season, $65 million contract.

Mitchell joined the team as the ninth overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft out of Baylor. Unfortunately, playing time has been hard to come by, and he's seen it steadily decrease over his three seasons.

This year, Mitchell is averaging just 13.2 minutes per game, shooting only 36.7 percent from the field while averaging 3.7 PPG. Like Huerter, the 25-year-old is capable of better play, as he shot 45.4 percent the year before.

It's possible changes of scenery will be better for all three players. In the interim, though, they remain Kings with the trade deadline looming in one month.

Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine would reportedly be "very amenable" to a trade sending him to the Sacramento Kings.

Sam Amick of The Athletic reported LaVine would be open to a backcourt pairing with De'Aaron Fox, with whom he shares an agency (Klutch Sports). The Bulls have been exploring the trade market for LaVine, who is currently out of the lineup with a right foot injury.

The Bulls are a disappointing 10-17 and are more likely to begin a rebuild than attempt to improve their middling, veteran-laden roster. LaVine is in the second season of a five-year, $215 million contract and is making $40.1 million in 2023-24. He was averaging 21.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game before being injured.

The Bulls may have an issue getting star-caliber return for LaVine given his salary and penchant for not being a particularly strong defender. In an era where 47 players are currently averaging 20 points per game, LaVine's scoring prowess becomes less impressive.

Chicago's market will be teams like the Lakers, who have little in terms of tangible assets to offer, and a franchise like the Kings that does not typically attract starry names in free agency. Sacramento is off to a 15-9 start to the regular season and looks like a playoff team for the second straight year, but the team's ceiling appears limited without another star next to Fox and Domantas Sabonis.

Second-year forward Keegan Murray would be an intriguing young name to add to the mix, but it'd be fair if the Kings were cautious in shopping him. The last time they jettisoned a promising young prospect in a win-now move, it was Tyrese Haliburton, who has become one of the NBA's premier point guards.

While Sacramento landed Sabonis as part of that deal, there was a clear winner in terms of value.

LaVine is a volume scorer who turns 29 in March. If he's not the difference between title contention and an early playoff exit, caution might be the smartest move.

While a potential Keegan Murray trade sounds like a possibility, it appears that a move may be unlikely.

James Ham of The Kings Beat reported that despite reports of Murray being available, the Kings are not currently shopping him and look at him as a piece to build the foundation around.

"According to a league source, despite reports, the Kings are not putting Keegan Murray in any trade discussion," Ham wrote. "He is considered part of the franchise's foundation moving forward."

This comes after Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported that Murray could be involved in potential trades with the Chicago Bulls and Toronto Raptors.

The buzz around the Raptors was more significant, as Murray could be a key piece towards getting a trade for Pascal Siakam or O.G. Anunoby.

Murray was the No. 4 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and is averaging 15.5 points, 5.7 assists and 1.8 assists through 20 games in 2023-24. The 23-year-old certainly has plenty of potential and would be a terrific player for Sacramento to build around alongside De'Aaron Fox.

Still, the possibility of adding someone like Siakam or Anunoby is at least worth looking into. Siakam is averaging 20.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and five assists in 25 games for the Raptors this season and Anunoby has contributed 15.5, 4.2 and 2.5 in 21 games.

This production has come despite the Raptors stumbling to a 10-15 start. With both players likely hitting free agency this offseason, it makes sense for Toronto to try to capture some value in a season that could easily fall short of the playoffs.

While moving Murray to acquire the more established players could be tempting, staying put and developing him could be the best move for a Kings team that is currently 15-9 and in fifth place in the Western Conference.

Sacramento Kings star De'Aaron Fox declined a two-year, $105 million extension from the team this past offseason, according to Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes.

Haynes reported on the #thisleague UNCUT podcast (via RealGM) that the decision didn't reflect any desire from Fox to seriously consider options outside of Sacramento. Instead, he's aiming to earn an All-NBA selection, which would allow him to earn even more money with the Kings.

A first career All-NBA honor is an attainable goal for the 25-year-old after he was an All-Star for the first time in 2022-23. That along with his performance in the 2023 playoffs served as a bit of a coming out party on the national stage.

Fox's performance has only improved to open the current campaign. Through 14 games, he's averaging 30.3 points and 6.4 assists while shooting 47.9 percent overall and 35.7 percent from three-point range.

Sacramento, meanwhile, is 11-8 and fifth in the Western Conference. While the Kings aren't maintaining their pace from last year, they're showing their 48 wins were no mirage. They once again figure to be a top-six contender when the regular season wraps up.

Looking at the bigger picture, the franchise also has its core lined up for the foreseeable future. Domantas Sabonis made that possible when he agreed to a four-year, $186 million extension in the summer rather than hit the open market in 2024.

Haynes' report points to the fact ownership will have to pony up in a big way in the no-too-distant future.

Fox is signed for two more seasons, and he's headed toward a significant raise in 2026 regardless of whether he makes an All-NBA team before then. Once that happens, he and Sabonis alone could potentially account for $100 million a season between them.

It's a good problem for the Kings to have, especially given how long they've waited to have a roster foundation this strong. But with the more punitive collective bargaining agreement in place, the front office will eventually have a difficult balancing act in terms of providing Fox and Sabonis with an adequate supporting cast.

A person attending Monday's home game for the Sacramento Kings against the New Orleans Pelicans at Golden 1 Center died following a medical emergency.

"During the first quarter of the Kings vs. Pelicans game, a guest had a medical emergency," the Kings said in a statement, per ESPN. "EMS immediately responded and administered CPR. Tragically, these efforts were unsuccessful and the guest passed away. The organization offers its deepest condolences to the guest's family and loved ones."

ESPN noted the Sacramento Metro Fire Department revealed it was a man in his 30s.

Kings guard Malik Monk was among those who offered sympathy following the game:

The Pelicans won the game 127-117. It was a quarterfinals matchup of the NBA's in-season tournament, and New Orleans advanced to the semifinals in Las Vegas.

Sacramento's next home game is Monday against the Brooklyn Nets.