Sacramento Kings general manager Scott Perry told reporters Friday that he does not anticipate negotiating buyouts with any of the team’s veteran players before the season ends.
“I expect the veterans to be here through the end of the season,” Perry said, adding that he wants the veterans to compete when on the floor and mentor younger teammates when on the bench.
Before Thursday’s trade deadline, Sacramento had explored deals involving Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis and Malik Monk, according to multiple reports. All four are signed to multiyear contracts, making buyouts unlikely.
Names Mentioned in Buyout Speculation
While Perry does not foresee any departures, a few Kings still appear on leaguewide buyout watch lists. Former MVP Russell Westbrook, 37, is averaging 15.3 points, 6.7 assists, 5.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 29.6 minutes over 49 games, shooting 43.0% from the field and 34.8% from three-point range. John Hollinger of The Athletic recently placed Westbrook at No. 1 in his “rotation-caliber additions” tier among 54 potential buyout candidates.
Backup center Drew Eubanks landed at No. 27 in Hollinger’s rankings under the “maybe there’s something left in the tank?” category.
Season Outlook
At 12-40, Sacramento owns the NBA’s worst record. Even so, the club is within four games of New Orleans, Indiana, Brooklyn, Washington and Utah in the race for draft lottery odds.
Source: Hoops Rumors
