Kings keep phone lines busy as trade deadline nears
kings-keep-phone-lines-busy-as-trade-deadline-nears
The Sacramento Kings are still searching for deals in the final stretch before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, league sources told Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
After landing forward DeAndre Hunter from the Cleveland Cavaliers, Sacramento has continued to gauge the market for several players, including guard Malik Monk and center Domantas Sabonis. Wing DeMar DeRozan has also surfaced in internal discussions, though any move involving DeRozan or Sabonis is considered unlikely at this stage.
The Toronto Raptors have inquired about Sabonis, multiple reports said, as the club looks for front-court help while starting center Jakob Poeltl deals with ongoing back problems. Toronto previously backed away from pursuing Anthony Davis and now views Sabonis as an easier fit from both a roster and salary-cap standpoint.
Sacramento’s earlier interest in Raptors forward RJ Barrett could have provided a framework for a larger trade package, but that scenario appears to have lost momentum since the Kings acquired Hunter.
Monk’s expiring contract remains a potential facilitator for multiteam transactions, and the Minnesota Timberwolves have made preliminary calls about the sixth-man candidate, according to Siegel.
Regardless of additional moves, one roster change is expected once the deadline passes: the Kings plan to convert two-way center Dylan Cardwell to a standard NBA contract.
Source: Hoops Wire
