Kings offseason primer: Trade opportunities, Domantas Sabonis extension, Harrison Barnes free agency, more

After 16 long years in the lottery, the Sacramento Kings finally ended their record-breaking playoff drought. Not only did they exceed expectations by placing third in the West but they also managed to steal three games from the defending champions. The Kings finally have a legitimate core led by De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis and they have the means to significantly improve the roster around them.

Here is a preview of the 2023 offseason for the Sacramento Kings.

State of the roster

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Kings are entering the offseason with 10 players on the roster, including the 24th overall selection in the draft. They are roughly $50 million below the projected $162 million luxury tax which is more than enough flexibility to fill up the rest of the roster. Their most significant free agent is Harrison Barnes, who they seem likely to re-sign or extend unless they find a good sign-and-trade opportunity involving him.

The Kings can comfortably re-sign Barnes, utilize both the non-taxpayer mid-level exception (MLE) and bi-annual exception (BAE), and sign their two second-round picks while remaining under the tax. They should even have enough breathing room afterward to make an unbalanced trade where they take on significantly more salary than they’re sending out.

The new CBA won’t be affecting them in the short term since they don’t even project to be a tax team anytime soon. If anything, the new changes help them since it expands trade opportunities for them. Medium spenders like the Kings will be able to take back more salaries in trades than the current CBA allows.

Sacramento’s biggest need this offseason is an improved bench. They specifically could use a 3-and-D player which they could pursue with the MLE. They could also use a reliable center off the bench after going through the season with essentially no backup big man in their rotation. If they can’t sign any such players in free agency, they could try to acquire one in a trade using their MLE or BAE now that they also serve as trade exceptions.

Story continues

Trade possibilities

Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports

The Kings are a team to monitor in the trade market this offseason. They could be one of the more aggressive clubs after finally establishing a winning foundation and getting a taste of the playoffs. They don’t have the strongest trade package for the next available All-Star but they have enticing enough assets to get in the mix.

Sacramento can trade a maximum of three first-round picks this summer: their 2023 pick after the selection is made, 2028, and 2030. They also have two intriguing young players in Keegan Murray and Davion Mitchell who many teams will covet. Ideally, they’d love to keep both players, but moving one or both may be required for the Kings to acquire a starter who could make an immediate and significant impact.

The biggest issue for the Kings in pursuing a potential All-Star is their lack of expendable tradeable salaries. Assuming most of their rotation players are off-limits, that would leave Richaun Holmes as their largest salary ballast. It’ll be tough for them to pursue maximum salaried players unless they get Barnes involved in a sign-and-trade. On the bright side, the new expanded trade rules for teams below the first tax apron allow the Kings to take back more salaries than they’re giving out than the current CBA allows. For example, they could take back up to $19.5 million in salaries in exchange for Holmes as opposed to $17 million.

Extension candidate: Domantas Sabonis

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Domantas Sabonis will be extension-eligible starting on July 7 for up to four years and a base salary of $121.7 million. The new CBA increased the first-year raise amount in extensions from 120 percent of the player’s previous salary to 140 percent. This new rule increases Sabonis’ maximum extension amount by $17.4 million than the current CBA would’ve allowed.

He was unlikely to sign a maximum extension under the current rules, but will this new higher amount be enough to bridge the gap for him? It certainly gets a lot closer but may not be enough since it’s still below the lowest maximum salary tier worth 25 percent of the salary cap, which Bam Adebayo and Deandre Ayton are earning. After making a third All-Star appearance and likely earning All-NBA honors this season, Sabonis could have a strong case to earn more. He could sign a maximum contract for up to five years, projected at $244.8 million in 2025.

Free agent: Harrison Barnes

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Harrison Barnes will be Sacramento’s most important free agent this offseason. He can still avoid free agency since he’s extension-eligible with the Kings through June 30. He remains a strong extension candidate since his maximum amount should more than cover what his offers will look like on the open market. He has been properly paid on his current contract, so a short-term deal that pays him around his current annual salary range would make sense.

2023-24 SALARY SITUATION

Players rostered: 10

Guaranteed salaries: $107.2 million

Non-guaranteed salaries: $4.3 million

Total salary: $111.5 million

Luxury tax space: $50.5 million

First apron space: $56.2 million

Second apron space: $66.7 million

Spending power:

De’Aaron Fox

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

2023-24 salary: $32,600,060

Remaining salary guaranteed: $104,545,020 through 2025-26

Additional notes:

Domantas Sabonis

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

2023-24 salary: $20,700,000

Remaining salary guaranteed: $19,400,000

Additional notes:

Kevin Huerter

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

2023-24 salary: $15,669,643

Remaining salary guaranteed: $50,491,071 through 2025-26

Richaun Holmes

Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports

2023-24 salary: $12,046,020

Remaining salary guaranteed: $24,922,8001 through 2024-25

Additional notes:

Malik Monk

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

2023-24 salary: $9,945,830

Remaining salary guaranteed: $9,945,830

Keegan Murray

Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

2023-24 salary: $8,409,000

Remaining salary guaranteed: $28,362,653 through 2025-26

Davion Mitchell

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

2023-24 salary: $5,063,640

Remaining salary guaranteed: $11,514,717 through 2024-25

PJ Dozier

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

2023-24 salary: $2,413,304

Remaining salary guaranteed: $0

Additional notes:

Kessler Edwards

Alika Jenner/Getty Images

2023-24 salary: $1,927,896 (team option)

Remaining salary guaranteed: $0

Harrison Barnes

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Cap hold: $27,528,410

Type of free agent: Bird (unrestricted)

Additional notes:

Terence Davis

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Cap hold: $7,600,000

Type of free agent: Bird (unrestricted)

Alex Len

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Cap hold: $5,094,180

Type of free agent: Early Bird (unrestricted)

Trey Lyles

Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Cap hold: $3,412,500

Type of free agent: Early Bird (unrestricted)

Matthew Dellavedova

(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

Cap hold: $1,989,698

Type of free agent: Non Bird (unrestricted)

Chimezie Metu

Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Cap hold: $1,989,698

Type of free agent: Bird (unrestricted)

Additional notes:

Keon Ellis

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Cap hold: $1,774,999

Type of free agent: Non Bird (restricted)

Neemias Queta

Cap hold: $1,774,999

Type of free agent: Early Bird (restricted)

2023 Pick No. 24

2023-24 salary: $2,693,150

Remaining salary guaranteed: $13,664,588 through 2026-27

Additional notes: HoopsHype and ForTheWin’s draft expert Bryan Kalbrosky has Kris Murray as the 24th overall selection in his most recent mock draft.

You can follow Yossi Gozlan (@YossiGozlan) on Twitter.

Story originally appeared on HoopsHype