Malik Monk, the Sacramento Kings and a complicated few weeks ahead

Just a reminder, Off the Record with the Kings Beat Virtual Happy Hour: “Back to Basics” is scheduled for today, Thursday, June 20 from 5:30-7. Add a premium subscription to receive the invite and Zoom link.

The NBA offseason is about to hit the nitro button. Over the next two weeks, there will be a draft, plenty of trades and the start of free agency. Teams like the Sacramento Kings will attempt to swing for the fences as they search for talent upgrades. 

After a disappointing end to the 2023-24 season, general manager Monte McNair and assistant GM Wes Wilcox have to reassemble a complicated puzzle with the hopes of pushing the Kings back into playoff contention and hopefully more. The job is difficult and requires risks. 

It all starts with the NBA Draft on June 26 and 27. The Kings hold the No. 13 and No. 45 picks, but there is no guarantee that they will use either of these selections. The team is limited slightly by the Stepien Rule, but they still have the option to select a player at No. 13 for another club and trade that player’s rights away after the NBA’s calendar year resets and the moratorium ends on July 6. 

In addition to their picks this season, the Kings potentially have access to their 2027 first round pick, as well as 2028-2031. The team’s 2025 and 2026 first round selections are tied up as part of the Kevin Huerter trade from a couple of years back.

McNair only has four of his own free agents to make decisions on. Veteran centers JaVale McGee and Alex Len are both unrestricted free agents this summer, as is Kessler Edwards. There is no guarantee that any of these three will be back again this season.

The fourth member of the team’s free agent class is Malik Monk and his decision could make or break the Kings’ offseason plans. The salary cap is complicated, but most of what comes next can be told through the lens of whether Monk is back or not.  

Subscribe to Premium to read the rest.