[Rumor] Amick: Kings, Raptors expected to pick back up Sabonis trade discussions this summer (and other talk about the vets)
- Thread starter Tetsujin
- Start date
This is what I figured. Perry’s connection and desire to bring Barrett to the Kings wasn’t done.
It does bring up an interesting issue, assuming RJ would start at SF the Kings would be crowded at that position. Other moves besides Sabonis, being the main trade piece, would need to happen and targeting a lead guard in the draft makes increased sense.
kingsboi
Hall of Famer
moving Sabonis should be top priority other than Derozan. unfortunately the value might not be there considering he just had meniscus surgery but will be interseting to see how the offseason plays out. no one is taking Lavine so Kings will have to eat that contract, unless a team wants a huge expiring which could be enticing for a team
ockingsfan
Starter
Another team that may be interested in Sabonis is Charlotte. They would be someone I would keep an eye out in a potential Sabonis trade.
Also Lavine will have a trade market at next year's trade deadline. A huge expiring contract like Lavine's should be movable to a team trying to get cap space for the 2027 Free Agent crop
Telemachus
Starter
Honestly, I hope the Kings buy out Lavine. They might be able to buy him out for less than $49 million. That would let him go elsewhere while opening up room under the luxury tax.
TaxMan
Starter
as much as I don't want to see Zach again in a kings uniform next year, I'm not sure buying him out makes any sense. We're not using that cap space for anything next year (or at least we shouldn't be) and so other than making you and me happy to not see him, what's the point? Might as well hope he has a hot shooting start to the year and we can move him for a late first and some other junk.
Yeah unless he takes like 20 million a buy out helps nobody but him. Although I saw him quoted as saying he holds all the power where he plays next year. I seriously can't hate this guy much more.
Telemachus
Starter
Two reasons. First, if he is on the team he will take playing time from young players that I want to see play more. Secondly, extra room under the apron, would give the Kings room to move if they wanted to make trades taking back more money (with picks) to get better down the road. With his contract, they are pretty much hamstrung.
Telemachus
Starter
Not true. A buyout would be paid over 3 seasons. As is, he would count for $17 million over the next 3 seasons. That saves them $32 million off this year's cap. If they could get him to take $39 million, it would be $13 million over the next 3 seasons.
That's if they stretch? I guess that's fine but also bad news for our future flexibility if we hit lottery jackpot and want to compete in 27. If it allows us to retain a player or two we otherwise couldn't, then fine. But I'd rather rip the bandaid off and bench him for the year.
I think he would be gone already if a team offered a late first. I think he has negative value at this point with his contract.
The problem is that we are going to be pushing the tax next year as currently constructed so we will probably have to make some sort of salary reduction move(s) to ensure that we don't go over the tax line (because no way is Vivek, who doesn't really want to pay the tax when we're competitive, allow us to go over the tax line when we are rebuilding).
Amongst our options are 1) not picking up DDR's non-guaranteed money, which buys us about $14M I think, and 2) waiving and stretching LaVine, which buys us more like $32M but then applies that $32M over the next two years' cap.
Neither of these are great options, and #1 is the best in terms of money-saving, but #2 is the best in terms of flexibility next year. The absolute best option is Zach opting out of his deal (can't believe he's even giving that lip service but he sounds like he's considering it???) but I don't think that happens.
Obviously we also have the ability to trade big money for smaller money but typically it's hard to save a lot that way unless you're trading directly into somebody's salary cap space. I haven't looked for next year, but these days very few teams have salary cap space.
SacTownKid
Hall of Famer
Yeah, that would suck if the Kings stretched LaVine since it cuts into their one chance in '27. If they did that and couldn't move Monk they've done more harm than good. The buyout should more so be about not holding LaVine hostage or giving Christie anymore options to get in the way, which would clearly happen. If the Kings can save like 10-15 million in real life dollars then even if they stay in the luxury tax then oh well, eat the money.
Well, let's see.
Currently we're about $8M over, given that we will have to sign some min deals (e.g. our second rounders) to fill out the roster. That's before looking at our lottery pick, not sure how much that will cost - looks like it will probably be between $6M and $12M depending on where it falls. So we need to cut between $14M and $20M to get under the tax, and that's without signing any player (e.g. Achiuwa) to something more than a league-min deal.
If, for some inexplicable reason Zach walks away from his option year, we're golden. But I doubt that.
I'm not sure the exact total, but we can get back about $12-13M by cutting DeRozan (after accounting for another league-min signing to replace him). We might need to cut a full $8M more, and that's where a Zach buyout could be really handy. We could also stretch Zach, which would save about $32M on this year's cap (at the cost of pushing it out over the next two years). That would do it, for sure, but it's a question of how Perry sees us spending money in '27-'28 ('28-'29 we're probably OK - unless we're trying to sign a big name to compete). If we trade Sabonis away for expiring money then we're probably fine eating a stretched Zach in '27-'28. If we try to continue the build with Sabonis, then a stretched Zach could be an issue.
BuddyBuckets
Bench
My guess is something like -
Monk/Sabonis for Dick/Poeltl/Barrett/2nds
Saves the Kings money. Raptors get a legit starting center and a 6th man.
I hope we look at Charlotte - Green/Williams/Salaun and if we can get a pick i'd be even happier. But as long as its just expiring contracts so that Cardwell/Maxime can run the center spot next year I'll be happy.
Alternatives would be Clippers/Bulls who have the cap space to absorb Sabonis while only sending out minimal salary.
Monk/Sabonis for Dick/Poeltl/Barrett/2nds
Saves the Kings money. Raptors get a legit starting center and a 6th man.
I hope we look at Charlotte - Green/Williams/Salaun and if we can get a pick i'd be even happier. But as long as its just expiring contracts so that Cardwell/Maxime can run the center spot next year I'll be happy.
Alternatives would be Clippers/Bulls who have the cap space to absorb Sabonis while only sending out minimal salary.
Joshyjosh31
Starter
Charlotte will have zero interest in Sabonis there starting five was top 3 in net rating since January and Diabate’s defense helped that rating
You're a smart poster, so offering up taking on Poeltl WITHOUT getting a single FRP is truly asinine. You don't deal Domas if that's the "haul"
BuddyBuckets
Bench
I don't want to do that. I don't want to touch Poeltl/Barrett no matter what even if it comes with a 1st. I said that's my guess. We just saw Toronto wouldn't give a 1st at the deadline, do we think that has changed?
I think the Toronto now says, we will take more money from you, + Poeltl/Barrett have 1 less year.
We know Perry loves Barrett. We know that Vivek is going to want to save some money based on where we are today. I think they sell it to fans as Perry got his guy in Barrett. Poeltl was a legit center who can be rehabbed while sharing with Maxime, and Dick still has a lot of potential (he doesn't). + We did Sabonis a solid, because he wanted to go compete and he can do that in Toronto.
I said it at the deadline before all the rumors. I have zero interest dealing with Toronto. They are going to be in a worse spot than the Kings. I don't want to touch any of Barrett, Ingram, Poeltl or IQ. All are bad contracts. They overachieved this year and will fall back down next imo. That team is cut from the same cloth as the Kings, they just had Barnes and a weak east holding them together.
