Eight remaining NBA free agents Sacramento could consider signing

At their current stage of construction, the Sacramento Kings have fourteen main roster spots filled, all three two-ways, and one training camp deal. Most offseason, whether free agency and/or trades, often occur towards the beginning of the offseason, when the Kings added DeMar DeRozan, Jordan McLaughlin, Jalen McDaniels, and Orlando Robinson. While the pickings may be slim, there are remaining NBA free agents that could fill those final voids.

Head coach Mike Brown often states that the center is essentially the only noninterchangeable position for the Kings. It’s more about making sure you can match up with the opposing squad. So, I broke things down into three positional groups: guards, wings/forwards, and centers.

Guards are players capable of bringing the ball up the floor and guarding the opposing team’s shorter, shifty initiator. Wings/forwards can play anything two through four. Centers are self-explanatory.

Here’s how Sacramento currently stacks up:

Guards: De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk, Keon Ellis, Jordan McLaughlin, Colby Jones, Mason Jones*

Wings/Forwards: DeMar DeRozan, Keegan Murray, Kevin Huerter, Devin Carter, Trey Lyles, Jalen McDaniels, Isaiah Crawford*, Isaac Jones*

Centers: Domantas Sabonis, Alex Len, Orlando Robinson

* = two-way deals

Boogie Ellis has also been given a training camp spot. Sources confirmed with Sactown Sports 1140 that it is an Exhibit 10 deal.

Some players will fit into multiple categories (such as Keon Ellis), but this is simply a guideline for the roster layout. I know it can look crazy, but there were moments last year where Keegan Murray was the second smallest player on the floor and others where Kevin Huerter was the second tallest.

Size is where the lack of parity becomes a bit more obvious. The only non-center players taller than 6’7 are Murray, Lyles, McDaniels, and I. Jones. The latter two are not expected to have notable roles in Sacramento next season. Their smaller roster made them winless in six battles (including the final play-in game) against the lengthy New Orleans Pelicans.

Therefore, we will examine two guard NBA free agents, two centers, and four wings/forwards, including the four players recently reported to be in Sacramento for workouts.

Guards

Isaiah Thomas: 5’9| 35 years old

The original Pizza Guy, drafted to the Kings with the final (60th) pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, has been trying to find a consistent NBA home since his stellar 2016-17 campaign with the Boston Celtics. With hip injuries plaguing his career since then and an already natural height disadvantage, he’s played 40 games in a season one time in the seven years since.

After starting last season on a Phoenix Suns roster desperate for point guard help, he logged just nineteen minutes in six games. It’s hard to know what Thomas could bring to Sacramento at this point, but there’s always unseen value in veteran leadership at the end of the bench.

Dennis Smith Jr: 6’2 | 26 years old

It’s a bit surprising that no team has swiped up Smith Jr. up to this point. He’s dealt with a slew of injuries throughout his career but reinvented himself a bit in Brooklyn last season. In an average of 18.9 minutes through 56 games, he tallied 6.6 points, 3.6 assists, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.2 steals on 43.5 percent from the field and 29.4 percent from three on 1.9 per game.