While the Finals are underway, and Kings fans once again mourn the strong performance of Tyrese Haliburton, we’re left to do nothing but think about what if’s, both past and present.
There’s nothing new GM Scott Perry can do about the past trade that sent away Haliburton, but he will do his best this offseason to get the Kings to the same spot that the former King is currently shining in.
This proposed move may not be the most exciting start to that journey, but it’s just one of many possible paths that Perry and the Kings could take to get back to NBA relevance.
The Boston Celtics are coming off a disappointing postseason run and will be without the services of perennial MVP candidate Jayson Tatum. They’ll also face one of the largest luxury tax bills in the NBA and could be looking at shedding any salary they can. This move could help them on both fronts, while giving the Kings a front-court partner that Domantas Sabonis hasn’t had since he left the Indiana Pacers.
Sacramento Kings Receive: Kristaps Porzingis, BOS #28 2025 Pick
Boston Celtics Receive: DeMar DeRozan
I’ve already written about the idea of sending DeRozan to the Celtics, and how he could be a good stop-gap option for Boston while Tatum recovers from his injury. The first iteration of the trade brought back Jrue Holiday, but that deal included sending out Devin Carter as well.
Assuming that Holiday will be highly coveted around the league, it’s likely the Kings would need something to sweeten the deal, with multiple teams showing interest in Holiday. But I think Kristaps Porzingis is a different story.
Porzingis once again dealt with injuries last season, playing 42 games in the regular season and dealing with minute restrictions throughout the playoffs from an unknown illness that left him gassed.
Looking past the health concerns, when he plays, Porzingis is still a highly effective basketball player. He averaged 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.5 blocks on 48.3% shooting from the field and 41.2% from three last season.
He’s the perfect match to pair with Domantas Sabonis. With elite shot-blocking skills and 6.0 three-point attempts per game, he is the floor spacing big that the Kings haven’t been able to pair with Sabonis since he joined Sacramento.
The move would also allow Keegan Murray to shift back down to the three spot, a move that he has indicated that he would prefer. A front court trio of Murray, Porzingis, and Sabonis would be the Kings biggest front court in recent memory and be a great step in the right direction of getting size that they’ve lacked for years.
While the idea of Porzingis is great, the odds of him returning to his All-Star level of play are slim. But much like recent trade proposals, this move would be more long-term for the Kings than focused on competing for a championship next season.
In this hypothetical, the Kings would also get the #28 pick in this year’s draft. It’s not the most exciting pick, but it’s a chance for the Kings to snag young talent that will be with the team for years, something they are lacking with the current roster.
Once again, is it the ideal move? Definitely not. But with Porzingis expiring after next season, it opens up options and flexibility for the Kings while allowing them to do their best to compete, which feels like the middle-ground we’re heading to for the upcoming season.
