The Sacramento Kings did well during the trade deadline — adding the likes of Harrison Barnes and Alec Burks. It should help the up-and-coming team continue to vie for a playoff spot as the season progresses.
Interestingly enough, Vlade Divac and Co. had an opportunity to add an even higher-profile player to the mix.
Prior to dealing star forward Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks ahead of the NBA trade deadline, the New York Knicks reached out to California’s capital city about a trade.
According to Marc Stein of the NY Times, New York was seeking either Marvin Bagley or De’Aaron Fox. Said proposals were flatly rejected by the Kings’ brass.
Very interesting piece of information from @TheSteinLine in his most-recent NY Times newsletter. #NewYorkForever #SacramentoProud pic.twitter.com/ReHSrS2pMw
— Sportsnaut (@Sportsnaut) February 13, 2019
In many ways, this makes a ton of sense. Bagley and Fox are the two core pieces for this talented young Kings squad. The No. 2 overall pick in last year’s draft, Bagley is averaging 13.3 points and 7.0 rebounds during what has been a stellar rookie season.
Meanwhile, the 21-year-old Fox has quickly become one of the best point guards in the game. He’s putting up an average of 17.2 points to go with a robust 7.1 assists per game.
Why would the Kings look to move one of these core pieces for an injured Porzinigs who has already been shut down by the Mavericks for the season? It sure looks like Sacramento is finally making the right decisions from a front office perspective.