Sacramento Kings: Will the Kings Trade Derrick Williams?

I was once at a birthday party in South Central Los Angeles the summer forward Derrick Williams was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was supposed to be the compliment to Kevin Love or his replacement as the rumors of Love bolting for the Los Angeles Lakers or anywhere else were starting to heat up.

Williams walked into the party with as much stardom and eye-popping appeal as any 6’8″ NBA rookie would have just selected second overall in the draft a month prior. All of that confidence would quickly turn into embarrassment when the birthday boy snatched a microphone and berated Williams in front of all his guests.

"“I want to thank my boy D Will for coming out tonight, but I’ve just got one thing to say. I hate playing with you on 2k! You suck on NBA 2k!”"

Perhaps the popular video game franchise 2K Games got it right before everyone else could. Four years later, Derrick Williams is an eyesore for anyone who felt the least bit of optimism about his career. He’s now on the sidelines for the Sacramento Kings, but for how long?

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The Kings have a pretty good situation going on at their forward spots. Their depth chart boasts solid young talent, until you get to Williams. He’s kept the NBA checks rolling in because it’s tough to give up on a No. 2 draft pick. Year in and out, he’s been a part of a stockpile of players that have been shelved on NBA rosters for a variety of reasons. Some guys are signed as injury insurance, others are salary cap moves, and others just have no other place to go.

The Kings’ situation with Williams isn’t tough to figure out. With Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins on the verge of being one of the better duos in the league, Sacramento doesn’t have the room to just stockpile talent any longer. Every player needs a purpose on their roster, and at the moment Williams doesn’t fit the bill.

Could the Kings trade Williams? If so, to whom? Are there any available trade partners out there looking to acquire former No. 2 overall picks that reek of inconsistency and low expectations? The NBA is hard pressed to let go of guys who were drafted high for sure, but in a increasingly competitive league it’s tough to justify bringing on dead weight — although it happens often.

In the case of Williams, the old “maybe a different system” idea isn’t good enough anymore. His job with the Kings marks the second rebuilding project he’s been apart of, where systems are built to players strengths. It’s the opposite of teams of championship pedigree that acquire players who can fit their already laid foundation.

Williams has been a ghost on the Kings bench. That’s not to suggest he’s been forgotten or overlooked, it’s to state that his play is barely noticeable. He hardly makes his presence known in any contest.

Williams’ NBA story is close to being written. After being drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves right behind Kyrie Irving, at the time it was a far-fetched idea to think he’d struggle this bad to find his place in the league. He’s averaged an unimpressive 9.6 points and 4.8 rebounds while playing less than 20 minutes only once in his four-year career. Teams have found trade partners for players of lesser talent and stats, however the question isn’t Williams value on the trade market, it’s what he can bring to a team — if anything.

He’s not known as a “locker room” guy, he’s obviously not known as an “on-the-court” guy, so exactly what does a team benefit by trading for Williams? Perhaps the loss of salary when his upcoming restricted contract isn’t matched?

Whatever reason the Kings find for another squad eager to take Williams on, they’ll quickly jump all over it. With Rudy Gay’s free agency coming up and general manager Pete D’Alessandro prime objective to keep him in town, there’s no room for guys who simply take up space.

There’s a good possibility Williams doesn’t finish the season in a Kings uniform. If he does, it will be one of the most disappointing summers he’s had. Perhaps more embarrassing than being called out and ridiculed in the middle of a house party in Los Angeles.

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