3 players unlikely to return with the Sacramento Kings for the 2021-22 NBA Season
The Sacramento Kings had another mediocre season in the NBA, finishing 12th in the Western Conference standings. They failed to qualify for the NBA playoffs for the 15th consecutive year.
Although there are no superstars on their roster, there are top-drawer talents that can impact the course of a game. However, the Sacramento Kings have found it hard to develop the right synergy between these talents to improve production.
Which Sacramento Kings players will likely part ways with the franchise
Roster change is inevitable, as every franchise is looking to strengthen their squad at every given opportunity. The Sacramento Kings have a few core players to build a squad around, but the challenge might be finding players that will be a "good fit" for the 2021-22 season and beyond.
Several factors play a role in the decision to trade or re-sign a player. While productivity is a mainstay, salary obligations are also largely considered.
That said, let's take a look at three players who are unlikely to return with the Sacramento Kings for the new season.
#3 Harrison Barnes
While Harrison Barnes will be a player the Sacramento Kings will benefit from greatly on the court, he might be one of the players that will be traded to free up cap space. Although he is on a descending contract, his $20 million salary for the 2021-22 season might become a burden.
Sacramento Kings general manager Monte McNair has said the franchise will be aggressive this off-season in draft, trade and free agency. With that statement, it is a clear indication that the Kings are looking to shake things around in a bid to improve the team.
Barnes is perhaps the most valuable player for the Sacramento Kings in the trade market because he provides a good mix of shot creation and defense. He has shown that he fits perfectly with De'Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton, the Kings' dynamic duo, who the franchise will be building a team around.
Meanwhile, the 28-year-old had a sublime season, finishing with an average of 16.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. Barnes also had the best field goal percentage of his career (.497) while shooting 39.1% from the 3-point range.