Kings making Buddy Hield, Richaun Holmes, Harrison Barnes available

In the weeks leading up to the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 10, there aren’t many teams that have emerged as sellers, as a Western Conference executive pointed out last week. 

“I think it will be a run-of-the-mill deadline as far as activity,” the West executive told BasketballNews.com. “On one hand, it’s wide open this year, so more teams might be willing to make a move and really go for it. On the other hand, there are so few sellers and there’s not much of interest on those teams, so there may not be many impact players available.”

However, it’s safe to add one more team to the list of sellers: the Sacramento Kings.

If it wasn’t already obvious that general manager Monte McNair would look to shake things up, the Kings just lost back-to-back home games against the Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons, meaning the team has dropped 7 of their last 9. At 18-29, the Kings currently sit as the West’s 11th seed; they have the NBA's 10th-ranked offense (scoring 107.0 points per 100 possessions) and 27th-ranked defense (allowing 111.1 points per 100 possessions).

Changes are likely coming in Sacramento.

De’Aaron Fox has been popping up in plenty of trade rumors recently, with Ben Simmons and Domantas Sabonis mentioned as possible incoming pieces. However, it sounds like the Kings will hold onto Fox and Tyrese Haliburton and continue to build around them going forward. It’s possible that could change between now and the deadline, but it would take a “wild, over-the-top deal in order to change their current stance,” according to James Ham of The Kings Beat.

While the backcourt duo is safe, it sounds like anyone else on the roster could be moved over the next three weeks.

“Everyone not named De’Aaron Fox or Tyrese Haliburton can be had, for the right price,” Ham writes at The Kings Beat. “Core players like Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes and Richaun Holmes are available, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. The hope is that there are different combinations of players that somehow fit better with Fox and Haliburton.”

Hield is no stranger to trade rumors, as he’s been involved in talks for some time. He was nearly traded last offseason, with the Los Angeles Lakers among the teams showing significant interest. The 29-year-old hasn’t exactly hidden the fact that he’s disgruntled, liking several tweets that indicated he wants out of Sacramento. In his sixth NBA season, Hield is averaging 15.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.5 threes and 2.0 assists on .395/.383/.867 shooting splits. For his career, he’s a 40.3% three-point shooter. Hield is earning $23,073,234 this season and he's under contract for two more years (at $21,177,750 and $19,279,841).

Holmes has developed into an excellent two-way center in recent years. Last offseason, he re-signed with Sacramento on a four-year, $46.5 million deal. Considering his production, his contract is one of the NBA’s best bargains, making him a great trade asset for the Kings. Holmes’ deal does have a 15% trade kicker (so he’ll be earning slightly more if he gets dealt,  as well as a player option in 2024-25. This season, the 28-year-old big man is averaging 12.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks on .698/.500/.788 shooting splits. The Dallas Mavericks, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls and Toronto Raptors were reportedly among the teams that expressed interest in Holmes over the offseason.

Barnes has been linked to a number of teams, with the Los Angeles Lakers reportedly among the squads expressing interest in him. According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, “Sacramento fielded strong offers for Barnes at last season’s deadline, but there’s optimism among rival front offices the Kings will move him this go around.” The 29-year-old is averaging 16.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.0 threes, 0.7 steals and just 1.7 turnovers on .451/.415/.833 shooting splits. He’s currently earning $20,284,091, and he has one more year left on his contract after this season (at $18,352,273). 

It’s also possible that the Kings could look to move some of their other pieces such as Davion Mitchell and Marvin Bagley III among others. Keep an eye on Sacramento in the coming weeks.

Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater & family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. Order online now!