Sacramento Kings Trade Chip #4: Nemanja Bjelica
Finding a spot on this list for Nemanja Bjelica is not easy.
He is certainly not the most talented of the Sacramento Kings’ potential trade chips. He is a defensive liability, and would have trouble finding a starting spot on any title contender. But Bjelica is an intriguing prospect because both his contract, and his ability to catch fire from beyond the 3-point line.
Bjelica would be a solid bargain for any team looking to add a player with his skill set. He is entering the final season of a three-year contract, and is owed just $7.1 million in 2021. Not only do his low cap hit and expiring deal make him tradable, but the Kings could potentially get some value in return. Dealing Bjelica to a team making a playoff push in exchange for a mid-to-late first-round pick would be beneficial to all parties involved.
He would be sought after for his prowess in shooting the ball from deep. For a solid portion of the 2019-20 season, Bjelica was near the top of the leaderboard in 3-point percentage. He finished the year ranked eighth in the league shooting 41.9 percent on 4.4 attempts per game.
Bjelica is one of the pieces that I believe the Kings should hold on to at first, but shop near the trade deadline. He would provide a familiar veteran presence to begin the season, but his value on the trade market would likely be too much for Sacramento to pass up.