Sacramento Kings

The Indiana Pacers traded Domantas Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday in a deal that involved six players and a draft pick, the Pacers announced on Tuesday night. 

Here are the full details of the trade, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN:

• Sacramento receives: Sabonis, Jeremy Lamb, Justin Holiday and a 2023 second-round pick
• Indiana receives: Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson
  

Sabonis, a two-time All-Star, has averaged 18.9 points on 58 percent shooting, 12.1 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game in his sixth NBA season.

He joined the Pacers after Indiana dealt Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder for him and Victor Oladipo in 2017.

Indiana signed him to a four-year, $74,900,000 contract extension in October 2019, per Spotrac, which would have kept Sabonis with the Pacers through 2023-24.

Last season, the 34-38 Pacers failed to make the NBA's postseason and posted just their second losing season in 10 years. The disappointing end to the 2020-21 campaign saw the Washington Wizards crush the Pacers in the play-in tournament to earn the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff seed.

That led to the Pacers parting ways with head coach Nate Bjorkgren after one season. Ex-Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle, who previously led the Pacers from 2003-07, took his place.

However, the coaching change did not lead to greater success, with the struggling team sporting a 19-36 record, good for 13th in the Eastern Conference.

The Pacers clearly feel the time is now for another seismic change as they trade their two-time All-Star and hope for better days.

As for the Kings, they get a proven 20-10 player who can consistently produce points and boards. Lamb is most likely a throw in for financial purposes. The 29-year-old's contract is set to expire at the end of this season. 

Holiday still has another year remaining on his deal at $6.29 million, per Spotrac. He will provide the Kings with solid scoring off the bench. The nine-year veteran is shooting 37.8 percent from three-point range on a career-high 6.9 attempts per game this season. 

The Kings are struggling once again as they stare down the possibility of missing the playoffs for the 16th straight year.

They fired head coach Luke Walton and promoted Alvin Gentry to interim head coach, but the team is still under .500 since; Sacramento sits at 20-35 and 13th in the West.

Sacramento apparently felt it needed to make another drastic change, however, and bringing in a productive low-post player like Sabonis could make a huge difference.

Only one player—De'Aaron Fox—has proved capable of scoring 20 or more points per game on a consistent basis. Adding Sabonis gives Fox a wingman who can do just that as the Kings look to improve a mediocre offense that Basketball Reference ranks 22nd in efficiency.

Sabonis could also be beneficial on the other end to help one of the NBA's worst defenses. He's an above-average defender who currently sports a positive defensive box plus-minus rating, per Basketball Reference. The Kings are 28th in the league in defensive rating.

Ultimately, the Kings needed to make a big move to jumpstart their season in hopes of finally breaking the postseason slump, and adding Sabonis can do just that.

The Pacers were able to clear out the frontcourt logjam they had between Sabonis and Myles Turner with this trade. They also added two backcourt players who can boost Carlisle's offense. 

Indiana ranks 16th in points per game (108.7) and 17th in offensive rating (110.5), per Basketball Reference. 

Haliburton, the No. 12 pick in the 2020 NBA draft, is averaging 14.3 points per game in 51 starts this season. He is a 41.1 percent three-point shooter in his career. 

Hield is a three-point specialist who provides a scoring punch off the bench. The 29-year-old is averaging 14.4 points per game in 55 appearances. 

Haliburton is still playing on a rookie contract that includes a 2023-24 team option for $5.8 million. His club option for next season has already been exercised. Hield's deal runs through 2023-24 and includes decreasing salaries each season. 

The New York Knicks reportedly continue to show interest in a potential blockbuster deal for Sacramento Kings point guard De'Aaron Fox ahead of the 2022 NBA trade deadline on Thursday.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported the news Friday on The Hoop Collective podcast (via RealGM).

"This has been reported elsewhere, but I've heard as well that the Knicks have shown some interest in De'Aaron Fox," Windhorst said. "The player that makes the most sense in that swap is Julius Randle."

Fox, who's been sidelined by an ankle injury since Jan. 19, has emerged as one of the most popular names ahead of the deadline.

The 24-year-old New Orleans native hasn't been quite able to match his breakout numbers from last season, but he's still been highly effective when healthy for the Kings. He's averaged 21.0 points, 5.2 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals across 43 appearances in 2021-22.

Sacramento has a crowded backcourt rotation, which also features Tyrese Haliburton, Davion Mitchell and Buddy Hield, among others. It's raised questions about whether Fox could be available to upgrade another area of the roster.

Randle, who was voted the NBA's Most Improved Player last season, has also taken a step back during the current campaign. He's averaging nearly six points less (24.1 down to 18.5), but he's still putting up 9.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game.

It creates the foundation for a trade that at least has a little traction on the surface.

The financial situation also matches up pretty well as Fox is in the first season of a five-year, $163 million contract, while Randle, 27, will begin a four-year, $117 million extension next season.

Put all the factors together and it's not a major surprise the Fox-for-Randle rumors have created some buzz in recent weeks.

That's especially true with the teams seeking a shake-up, as both the Knicks (24-28) and Kings (19-35) are currently below the play-in tournament cutoff with the All-Star break looming.

Even if it's unable to land Fox, New York will likely make a serious push to land a point guard before the deadline next week.

The Utah Jazz are looking to beef up their roster ahead of the Feb. 10 trade deadline, and it appears the franchise is interested in two players that could help take their game to the next level.

Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant and Sacramento Kings veteran Harrison Barnes are reportedly drawing interest from the Jazz, per The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor. Utah has had trade talks for both players, O'Connor adds, as it is targeting "wings that can defend."

This update should come as no surprise following the news Joe Ingles suffered a torn ACL and will miss the remainder of the 2021-22 campaign and into the 2022-23 season. 

Ingles has been a key piece for the Jazz across eight seasons, averaging 7.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists this season in 25 minutes per game. He's not necessarily thought of as much of a defensive stalwart, but he has been a pretty solid defender overall.

In addition, the Jazz could use some better defensive players as they continue to falter in the postseason, failing to make it past the second round since the 2006-07 campaign. 

That said, Grant is a difference-making defensive player that can help the Jazz's defense alongside big man Rudy Gobert. Grant is a good matchup to most players because of his size, athleticism and willingness to not back down from challenging matchups.

The 27-year-old is also in the midst of one his better offensive seasons, averaging 20 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 41.5 percent from the field and 33.8 percent from deep. 

However, it could be difficult for the Jazz to acquire Grant. NBA insider Marc Stein reported Utah's interest in the veteran late last month but also suggested the team would need to boost its trade package for him. 

According to B/R's Jake Fischer, the Pistons are asking for two first-round picks or one first-round pick plus a high-upside young player in exchange for Grant. 

As for Barnes, the Jazz have reportedly been interested in the veteran since late last month. On The Athletic NBA Show podcast on Jan. 26, Sam Amick reported Barnes had been "tied" to Utah. 

Barnes would present head coach Quin Snyder a better option off the bench than Rudy Gay or Eric Paschall. He's averaging 16.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 45 percent from the floor and 40.8 percent from deep this season.

The 29-year-old is in the third year of his four-year, $85 million contract and is drawing interest from teams because the salary for his final season is only $18.35 million. 

The Jazz have slipped to 28-23, fourth in the Western Conference. If they want to compete with the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors, they'll need some more depth, and Grant and/or Barnes can provide that.  

The Sacramento Kings have an eye on the future in any potential Harrison Barnes trade leading up to the Feb. 10 trade deadline.

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, executives around the NBA believe the Kings are looking for "at least a first-round pick" if they are going to move Barnes. That a struggling team in Sacramento is seeking a valuable future asset with one of its biggest trade chips isn't surprising considering this has seemingly turned into another lost season.

Scotto pointed to the Utah Jazz and New Orleans Pelicans as two teams in the Western Conference that have expressed interest in Barnes, although he was unsure if the Jazz would be willing to part with Bojan Bogdanovic in addition to a draft pick in a trade.

It also remains unclear if the Kings would accept an injured Joe Ingles.

New Orleans is two games behind the Portland Trail Blazers for the final spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament, while Utah is the No. 4 seed and a true contender. Barnes is someone who could join a contender and be an immediate contributor for the rest of this season and the next one since he is under contract through the 2022-23 campaign.

That means he is more than just a pure rental player and figures to command more value in a trade from the Kings' perspective.

Barnes won a championship with the Golden State Warriors as a role player but is more of a primary scorer on the 18-34 Kings.

He is averaging 16.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 44.6 percent from the field and 40.4 percent from deep. His ability to connect from three-point range makes him particularly intriguing for teams with players who command defensive attention elsewhere, such as Donovan Mitchell for the Jazz or Brandon Ingram for the Pelicans.

Other contenders looking for shooting around their star players may also get involved in trade discussions, especially since there will only be so many impact playmakers available at the deadline with the play-in tournament providing more lanes for teams to remain in the postseason race.               

The Sacramento Kings have reportedly "ended pursuit" of a potential blockbuster deal for Philadelphia 76ers point guard Ben Simmons ahead of the 2022 NBA trade deadline Feb. 10.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Friday the Kings, who he described as "once an eager suitor" for Simmons, have turned their focus to other options.

Simmons has yet to make an appearance during the 2021-22 season while awaiting a possible trade.

Wojnarowski reported the three-time All-Star's agent, Rich Paul, and members of the Sixers' front office held a meeting Jan. 12 to discuss solutions that could end the standoff, but the conversation brought the situation "no closer" to a conclusion.

Philly isn't willing to back off its high asking price for the 25-year-old LSU product on the trade market, and Paul said Simmons' "mental health hurdles" continue to prevent him from returning to play for the 76ers, per Woj.

Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic reported Monday current indications are the stalemate will "continue past the deadline" barring a vastly improved offer coming available.

With the Kings dropping out of the race, the chances of that happening reduce further.

Sacramento is struggling this season with an 18-32 record, putting the team in danger of missing the playoffs for the 16th straight year, but the front office is still trying to make a splash to improve the roster around De'Aaron Fox to end that drought in the near future.

Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer reported Thursday the Kings are showing interest in Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant along with Indiana Pacers bigs Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner.

It sounds like they ready to start exploring those type of avenues, and it's always possible they could circle back on Simmons over the summer if the Sixers still haven't found a trade partner.

Meanwhile, the Sixers seem content to accomplish whatever they can without one of their stars this season—they have still managed a 29-19 record to sit fifth in the East—before seeing whether the Simmons trade options are more favorable in the offseason.

Amid a series of injuries to key players, the Utah Jazz are reportedly looking to add reinforcements before the Feb. 10 trade deadline. 

On The Athletic NBA Show podcast (starts at 41:22 mark), Sam Amick said Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes has been "tied" to the Jazz. 

In Monday's 115-109 loss to the Phoenix Suns, the Jazz played without Mike Conley, Bojan Bogdanovic, Donovan Mitchell, Joe Ingles, Rudy Gobert and Royce O'Neale because of injuries. 

Update:

*OUT - Bojan Bogdanovic (Left Finger Avulsion Fracture)

*OUT - Joe Ingles (Right Ankle Sprain)

*OUT - Royce O’Neale (Right Knee Tendonitis)

OUT - Mike Conley (Right Knee Injury Maintenance) https://t.co/hA4hygYwlU

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 25, 2022

None of those players is expected to miss an extended period of time, but the Jazz  (30-18) have relied heavily on that group so far this season. Mitchell, Gobert, O'Neale and Bogdanovic are all averaging more than 30 minutes per game. Conley isn't far behind at 28.5 minutes per contest. 

The possibility of adding Barnes would allow head coach Quin Snyder the chance to ease the burden on his frontcourt, particularly Bogdanovic. He's a better shooter than Rudy Gay and Eric Paschall off the bench. 

Per James Ham of the Kings Beat, Sacramento general manager Monte McNair has made some core players, including Barnes, Buddy Hield and Richaun Holmes, available in trades. 

Barnes is in the third year of his four-year, $85 million contract. His descending deal is likely appealing to interested teams because his 2022-23 salary is only $18.35 million, per Spotrac. 

Now in his 10th NBA season, Barnes is averaging 16.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game in 43 starts. The 6'8", 225-pound forward is shooting 40.6 percent from three-point range on 5.0 attempts per contest. 

The Jazz have fallen to fourth in the Western Conference standings with nine losses in their last 13 games. They are eight games behind the Suns for the top spot.    

De'Aaron Fox isn't allowing trade rumors swirling around his name to impact his mindset. 

“Am I worried about anything? No. Do I know stuff can happen? Yeah. But I’m not worried at all, no," Fox told reporters after Wednesday's 133-131 loss to the Detroit Pistons.

“Am I worried about anything? No. Do I know stuff can happen? Yeah. But I’m not worried at all, no.” -De’Aaron Fox on trade rumors pic.twitter.com/xmD2ac5eII

— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) January 20, 2022

Fox has been persistently mentioned as a trade piece as the Kings look to revamp their roster. He's often been suggested as a potential centerpiece to a trade for disgruntled Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons, but Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Wednesday the team has no plans to move Fox ahead of the Feb. 10 deadline.

Simmons has been a target of the Kings all season, with the Sixers rebuffing every trade package sent their way. Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported the Sixers and Kings had "exploratory" talks regarding a Simmons-Fox trade earlier this month.

The Kings almost certainly aren't adding Simmons without parting with either Fox or Tyrese Haliburton, both of whom are viewed as building-block pieces by the franchise. That stance may change if the Sixers' asking price comes down a little in the coming weeks, in large part because a Fox-Simmons pairing feels like a clunky basketball fit.

Both players are poor three-point shooters—or, in the case of Simmons, a non-shooter—who are best attacking with the ball. The Fox-Haliburton pairing works because of Haliburton's versatility and three-point shooting.

Even if the Kings move forward with the Fox-Haliburton backcourt, a change is likely coming in Sacramento sooner than later. The Kings already fired coach Luke Walton but haven't found much success under interim coach Alvin Gentry and are sitting at 18-29 on the season. 

The Sacramento Kings reportedly do not have interest in Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris as part of a hypothetical deal also involving 76ers point guard Ben Simmons, per Sam Amick of The Athletic:

More from the Sacramento front: Source says the Kings have no interest in taking back forward Tobias Harris in a Ben Simmons deal with Philly. Sac still sees a pathway to Simmons - although the Fox update from @ShamsCharania seemingly makes it even harderhttps://t.co/nv2lUqXIQ8

— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) January 19, 2022

Amick previously reported on The Athletic NBA Show podcast Monday (h/t Adam Hermann of NBC Sports Philadelphia) that the Kings were at least considering the idea: "The Kings, I believe, are actually pondering the idea of doing Simmons and Harris. I don't think that's off the table."

It appears the Simmons-Harris combo is off the table now for Sacramento, which is currently 11th in the Western Conference standings with an 18-28 record as the Feb. 10 trade deadline approaches.

The Kings likely need to do something to shake up the team prior to the deadline, but their top two assets (De'Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton) are the best players on the team and their best chance to finally make the playoffs after a 15-year dry spell. Ultimately, Sacramento is in a tough spot as the Kings look to break out of the bottom half of the Western Conference. 

As for the 76ers, they are 25-18 and have gone 8-2 in their last 10 games despite playing without Simmons, who has sat for the entire year after a preseason trade request led to his ongoing holdout.

He briefly returned to the team in October and took part in multiple practices, but head coach Doc Rivers kicked him out of one after Simmons refused to take part in a drill. He was suspended for one game.

Simmons soon told the team that he was not mentally ready to play and needed to step away from the team, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

He has not been back since, and Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report (h/t Dan Feldman of NBC Sports) said on Nate Duncan's podcast that he spoke with an official from Klutch Sports (Simmons' representation) who said that there's "no chance" Simmons comes back to play for the team even if he isn't traded by the deadline.

Trading Simmons is tricky considering his five-year, $177,243,360 contract, which runs through 2025. He's a three-time All-Star and a defensive menace at his best, but his offensive limitations (namely the lack of a three-point shot) have hurt him.

As for Harris, he's on a five-year, $180 million contract that runs through 2024. After scoring 19.5 points on 51.2 percent shooting last year, Harris is posting 18.1 points on 45.7 percent shooting this season. The 29-year-old is still a potent scoring threat, but he arguably hasn't lived up to his lofty contract, thereby making him a potential addition in a trade package.

Despite the ongoing Simmons drama, All-Star center Joel Embiid, Harris and the 76ers are still faring well of late as they sit just 2.5 games behind the Chicago Bulls for first in the East. We'll soon find out what Philadelphia does (if anything) as it looks to contend this year, with the deadline just three weeks away.

The Sacramento Kings are reportedly not planning to deal De'Aaron Fox ahead of the Feb. 10 trade deadline, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. 

Despite being active in trade conversations, the Kings "want to center the team around" Fox and second-year guard Tyrese Haliburton.

Fox is averaging 20.9 points, 5.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game in his fifth season in the NBA. He is under contract through 2025-26 after signing a five-year, $163 million extension in 2020.

The 24-year-old was at his best last season with averages of 25.2 points and 7.2 assists per game, but he couldn't help the Kings avoid their 15th straight year without a playoff berth. Sacramento is on the way to another losing season, entering Wednesday with an 18-28 record, and is reportedly looking to shake things up at the deadline.

Sam Amick of The Athletic reported Indiana Pacers big man Domantas Sabonis is a "major focal point" for the Kings ahead of the trade deadline, but a deal for Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons is "front and center."

Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported Sacramento has considered a deal involving Buddy Hield, Tyrese Haliburton, Harrison Barnes and two first-round picks in exchange for Simmons, Tobias Harris and Matisse Thybulle. Pompey added the 76ers are not interested in adding Fox, although the Kings seemingly want to hold onto Haliburton as well.

It could create a challenge for Sacramento to add top talent without dealing Fox or Haliburton, who has impressed in his second season with averages of 13.7 points and 7.1 assists per game.   

The Sacramento Kings have reportedly considered a trade package of Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes and two-first-round picks in exchange for the Philadelphia 76ers' Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris and Matisse Thybulle, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. 

Pompey noted that the Sixers weren't interested in the package, however, and added that "sources have repeatedly said the Sixers are not interested in a deal involving De'Aaron Fox unless he's shipped to a third team."

One sticking point in that potential package is Thybulle, with a source telling Pompey the defensive stalwart is "close to being untouchable."

Another source told Pompey the Sixers have yet to receive a formal offer from Sacramento, though the Kings reportedly "have contacted people around the league in order to get background information on Thybulle, Isaiah Joe and Paul Reed."

And then there's the Harris wrinkle. Recent reports have suggested the team is trying to package Harris and the nearly $77 million he'll be owed in the final two years of his contract in any Simmons deal, and while the Sixers have denied it, Pompey reported "multiple teams around the league say that's the case."

And as for trading for both Simmons and Harris, the The Athletic's Sam Amick wrote Wednesday the Kings "appear to be considering the idea more seriously" than other teams around the NBA.

Of course, it's possible that nothing happens with Simmons at all until the summer, with Pompey reporting that "league executives believe the Sixers are content with holding onto Simmons throughout this season and moving him in the offseason."

That would ostensibly be to wait on a superstar like Damian Lillard, or perhaps a sign-and-trade deal with Brooklyn to land James Harden if he decides to move on. 

On one hand, the Sixers can afford to be patient, having started the year 25-18. It would appear that even if Simmons sits all year, this group of Sixers can reach the postseason. 

But without a second star, the Sixers' upside is severely diminished and they aren't a true title contender. That means the team risks wasting a year of Embiid's prime. 

The Kings, on the other hand, probably don't have many reasons for maintaining the status quo after an 18-28 start.

Whether they break up their young backcourt remains to be seen, however, with The Athletic's Shams Charania reporting on Wednesday they "remain active in trade conversations, informing teams in the marketplace that they want to build around Fox and second-year guard Haliburton."

The Kings also reportedly informed Fox's agent Chris Gaston that they don't intend to trade him and want to build around the backcourt of Fox and Haliburton.