Last season was a revelation for the Sacramento Kings, and it resulted in the third seed in the Western Conference and their first trip to the NBA playoffs since 2006.
They led the league with 120.7 points per game, and head coach Mike Brown’s fast-moving offense impressed many people, as did the play of emerging star guard De’Aaron Fox.
So far this season, Sacramento is 20-13 and in fifth place, but something seems to be missing — their scoring is down a bit, and their defense, which was often poor last year, hasn’t improved much.
They could be one significant piece away from becoming a contender, and per insider Shams Charania, they’re a “serious suitor” for star forward Pascal Siakam.
On @TheRally: The Raptors are ramping up trade talks surrounding star forward Pascal Siakam, with a Western Conference playoff contender emerging as a serious suitor. pic.twitter.com/bWiB7Q15h7
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 5, 2024
Siakam’s Toronto Raptors are going nowhere with a 14-20 record, and with Siakam set to become a free agent this summer, it may not make sense for them to give the 29-year-old a big contract.
He’s averaging 22.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists a game this season, and he could give Sacramento a terrific threesome of Fox and center Domantas Sabonis.
Winning in the playoffs often comes down to star power, as defenses really lock down and the intensity raises a few notches, and they could use more of that star power to counter teams such as the defending world champion Denver Nuggets.
Of course, the question is what the Kings would have to give up to get Siakam, who has made the All-Star team twice, including last season when he put up a career-high 24.2 points and 5.8 assists per contest.
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