NBA Draft Rumors: Sacramento Kings still looking to trade No. 8 pick
By Bryan Rose
When the Sacramento Kings were ‘awarded’ the No. 8 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, the expectation among many was that the re-building Kings would attempt to trade the selection.
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Not long after, rumors leaked suggesting that the Kings were indeed attempting to trade the pick. Unfortunately for Sacramento, the two teams directly ahead of them in the draft, the Boston Celtics (owners of the No. 6 pick) and the Los Angeles Lakers (owners of the No. 7 pick) had the same desires, severely limiting the potential return in a trade for the Kings.
News quieted on the Kings desire to move the selection once the market became saturated, but according to the Boston Globe, Sacramento is still attempting to trade their pick.
“The Sacramento Kings are shopping their first-round pick, realizing they don’t need another 19-year-old on their roster if they are planning to win soon. They also have to encourage Rudy Gay not to opt out of the final year of his contract at $19 million and stay a King. While he has been maligned in previous stops in Memphis and Toronto, Gay is a legitimate scorer and gives the Kings a chance to be competitive next season. The organization has grown fatigued with rebuilding plans.”
The Kings aren’t likely to obtain much given the pick’s current value, so they may be best served waiting until draft night and hoping an in-demand player begins to slip.
Sacramento is looking for a veteran talent to place alongside DeMarcus Cousins and what they are hopeful will be a re-signed Isaiah Thomas and Rudy Gay.