Sacramento Kings must learn from recent errors in free agency
In 2018 NBA free agency, the Sacramento Kings must focus on signing young players instead of overpaying over-the-hill veterans.
When the Sacramento Kings signed free agents in the summer of 2017, everything was peaches and cream.
General manager Vlade Divac received praise for bringing in Zach Randolph, George Hill and Vince Carter, three veterans who were acquired for (mostly) reasonable prices.
On a roster full of young players, the veterans were supposed to work as mentors.
When the season started, however, things became more complicated. As it turned out, the mentors wanted to be more than mentors. George Hill was confused about his role in particular. Hill’s confidence was “zapped” because he had to share minutes with the younger guys.
On the other hand, Kings fans were frustrated with having to watch a heavy dose of Randolph while the younger players watched from the bench.
Head coach Dave Joerger, who has been known to favor veterans, had a difficult decision to make. Did he throw the young guys out there and let them develop despite their mistakes? Or was it more important to make sure the veterans were not disgruntled?
As the Kings clearly fell out of playoff contention, Joerger said he would need to have a difficult conversation with the veterans. That meant guys like Randolph and Carter would sit out some games to make way for the younger players.
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Meanwhile, Hill was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in February, making way for De’Aaron Fox and Frank Mason III.
Going into the 2018 free agency period, the Kings have to learn from their mistakes and avoid a similar type of dilemma.
This time, the Kings have to avoid signing players who can’t check their ego at the door. The last thing Kings fans want to see is a 37-year-old who still thinks he’s 25. This time, the focus should be on the young players, no matter the outcome.
Communication will be key for the Kings as they negotiate with free agents this summer. Before the player signs the contract, he must understand his role clearly.
If he’s a 30-some-year-old expecting 30 minutes per game, Sacramento is probably not the place for him. If the veteran understands that the young players will be a priority, the deal would be more ideal.
A veteran like Trevor Ariza, who has been linked to the Kings, may not be the best fit for this team. Although he’s only 32, Ariza has logged heavy miles in his NBA career and he might ask for a bigger role than what the Kings should give him. When you add in the rumors about Ariza possibly seeking a hefty paycheck, a veteran like Ariza seems like a recipe for disaster for the Kings.
The Kings shouldn’t even feel obligated to sign a veteran with their considerable cap space (per Spotrac, they could have up to $24.6 million in “practical cap space”). With Randolph coming back and possibly Vince Carter and Garrett Temple too, the team doesn’t have a great need for veterans.
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Sign Mario Hezonja if you want. Sign Doug McDermott or Jabari Parker or Aaron Gordon. Those are all players who still have time to develop. Do not overpay a veteran who needs ample minutes. Do not pay for a veteran to keep the locker room together, only to see him tear it up because he’s not getting enough minutes.