Sacramento Kings: 2016 Offseason Grades
Bringing Barnes Aboard
Again, another solid contract in terms of length and money down, but what are the Kings going for in 2016-17? Are they trying to make the playoffs with a Darren Collison-Afflalo-Rudy Gay-Boogie-WCS core? They can’t possibly be that naive, right?
A two-year, $12 million deal for Barnes is peanuts under this new salary cap, and Barnes’ $6.4 million player option for the second year makes this a low-risk move no matter what happens in 2016-17.
Matt Barnes told me during NBA Finals he hoped to sign with Clips or Warriors, but likes Dave Joerger and wouldn't mind coming home.
— Ailene Voisin (@ailene_voisin) July 4, 2016
But make no mistake about it: This move to acquire a 36-year-old 3-and-D wing is about trying to make the team competitive, since Barnes’ fiery disposition is hardly the stuff of “locker room leadership.”
This move doesn’t improve their young culture, but it does add an intense competitor who will shoot (and probably miss) a lot of threes like he did last year, when he shot 32.2 percent from distance. The year before, he was at 36.2 percent.
Joerger is a fan of Matt Barnes and someone DeMarcus Cousins has long wanted as a teammate.
— Jason Jones (@mr_jasonjones) July 4, 2016
The signing makes sense on some levels, since Joerger really enjoyed Barnes’ veteran leadership in Memphis and since Barnes is also from the Sacramento area. For a contender looking for wing depth, a move like this would’ve been a steal.
But for a team that can’t either commit to a rebuild centered around youth or quickly build in the here and now around Cousins, this is yet another perplexing signing that provides no indication of what kind of team the Kings want to be in 2016-17.
Grade: C+
Next: Enlisting Lawson