Sacramento Kings: 5 potential targets in 2019 NBA free agency

3. Thaddeus Young

Thaddeus Young would improve the Kings’ shaky power forward position. An 11-year veteran out of the Georgia Institute of Technology, Young averaged 12.6 points and 6.5 rebounds in 30.7 minutes per game this season. He also shot an impressive 52.7 percent from the field.

While Young does not solve the Kings’ interior defense problem nor shoot 3s very often, he would be a substantial improvement on Nemanja Bjelica and could act as an important veteran presence for the young Kings. He was recently nominated for the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year award.

Young has been a member of a playoff team in eight of his 11 seasons in the NBA. Given that the Kings have not made it to the playoffs since 2006, Young could provide valuable insight to the young Kings on what it takes to make the playoffs.

If the Kings do turn into a contender with their young core, Young could serve as an important piece to winning a championship. He is capable of guarding three positions, with the exceptions being point guards and centers.

Furthermore, Young is similar to other older, athletic forwards who have served important roles on championship teams, such as Shawn Marion on the Dallas Mavericks and Andre Igoudala on the Golden State Warriors. While Young has not reached quite the same heights as those two, maybe he could leave a similar legacy in Sacramento if things go well.