It’s obvious the Kings haven’t been sitting idly by this offseason. However, they did not splurge: no large-scale transfer or flashy signature to report.
Richaun Holmes was sent to Dallas, Sasha Vezenkov and Nerlens Noel arrived, when Harrison Barnes and Domantas Sabonis extended. Small touches therefore, to try to surf on the dynamics of the 2022/2023 season.
“We have probably explored all the options”, says Kings GM Monte McNair for The Athletic. “But bringing back most of our group was an interesting option. Don’t be too sure of us, the Western Conference is tough, but Barnes is our oldest player, at only 31… All the other players are still young or in their prime. So we can still improve. »
“We mainly thought about the next three, four or five years”
For the next campaign obviously, in order to do better than the 48 victories in the regular season and this first round against the Warriors, but also in the future. Harrison Barnes having extended for three seasons and Domantas Sabonis for five seasons, the Kings can count on this duo, plus De’Aaron Fox, at least until 2026.
“I think people are focused on the coming season, but with this summer, we have mainly thought about the next three, four or five years”, says the leader. “If we are good, then it will be fantastic. Otherwise, if we need to improve, we have flexibility. We have a protected draft pick with Atlanta, plus first and second rounds. We have young people and contracts that can be exchanged. If it is necessary to be aggressive in the field of transfers, we can be. »
The main attraction is the arrival of Sasha Vezenkov, from Olympiakos, with his contract of 20 million dollars over three years. The Euroleague MVP arrives in California and the NBA with ambition, but will he be able to express himself fully with the Kings?
“Many hear about a foreign player and don’t know him. And then there are Nikola Mirotics, the Bogdanovics (Bogdan and Bojan) or Nemanja Bjelica”, explains Monte McNair. “We can also go back to Peja Stojakovic or Hedo Turkoglu. People then become enthusiastic. People will be surprised. With our style of play and our attack, the best in the league, plus Fox and Sabonis, it will be incredible for him. He told us that he was comfortable with our game and our group. »
| Shots | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | bp | Int | CT | party | Points |
| De’aaron Fox | 73 | 33.4 | 51.2 | 32.4 | 78.0 | 0.5 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 6.1 | 2.5 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 2.4 | 25.0 |
| Domantas Sabonis | 79 | 34.6 | 61.5 | 37.3 | 74.2 | 3.2 | 9.1 | 12.3 | 7.3 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 3.5 | 19.1 |
| Kevin Hurter | 75 | 29.4 | 48.5 | 40.2 | 72.5 | 0.6 | 2.8 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 2.4 | 15.2 |
| Harrison Barnes | 82 | 32.5 | 47.3 | 37.4 | 84.7 | 1.1 | 3.4 | 4.5 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 1.3 | 15.0 |
| Malik Monk | 77 | 22.3 | 44.8 | 35.9 | 88.9 | 0.4 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 3.9 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 13.5 |
| Keegan Murray | 80 | 29.8 | 45.3 | 41.1 | 76.5 | 1.1 | 3.5 | 4.6 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 12.2 |
| Trey Lyles | 74 | 16.9 | 45.8 | 36.3 | 81.5 | 0.9 | 3.1 | 4.1 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 7.6 |
| Terence Davis | 64 | 13.1 | 42.3 | 36.6 | 79.1 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 6.7 |
| Davion Mitchell | 80 | 18.1 | 45.4 | 32.0 | 80.6 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 5.6 |
| Chimezie Metu | 66 | 10.4 | 58.9 | 23.7 | 74.0 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 4.9 |
| Kessler Edwards | 22 | 13.9 | 43.5 | 34.9 | 76.9 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.7 | 3.9 |
| Richaun Holmes | 42 | 8.3 | 61.8 | 62.5 | 78.9 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 3.1 |
| Neemias Queta | 5 | 5.7 | 66.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 2.4 |
| Alex Len | 26 | 6.2 | 53.3 | 0.0 | 68.8 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 1.7 |
| Keon Ellis | 16 | 4.4 | 43.8 | 50.0 | 57.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 1.5 |
| Matt Dellavedova | 32 | 6.6 | 34.0 | 33.3 | 57.1 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 1.5 |
| Pj Dozier | 16 | 5.0 | 30.3 | 12.5 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 1.4 |
| Kz Okpala | 35 | 7.1 | 42.1 | 33.3 | 87.5 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 1.3 |
| Chima Moneke | 2 | 4.0 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Deonte Burton | 2 | 3.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
