What’s Next for Kings with $35 Million Cap Space?
The Kings went into the offseason projected as an over-the-cap team. Doing so would’ve allowed them to re-sign or sign and trade Harrison Barnes, their most significant free agent with full Bird rights. They’d also be able to sign a player with the $12.4 million non-taxpayer mid-level and another with the $4.5 million bi-annual exception, which would’ve been their safest and most conventional path this summer.
The issue with Sacramento being over the cap is that they weren’t a viable team to make a big trade. That’s because they lack large salaries they could move that aren’t key rotation players or valuable young prospects. Their best option was to trade Holmes’ $12 million salary, but they would only be able to receive up to $19.5 million for him starting in July. They could also sign and trade Barnes, but that path would require cooperation from him and a team interested in him who also has a player the Kings covet.
By offloading Holmes and the 24th overall selection, the Kings now project to have a minimum of $33.5 million in cap space. They could get up to $35.6 million if they waive the non-guaranteed salary of PJ Dozier and decline the team option of Kessler Edwards. Not only do they not need to worry about trading an important player for salary matching purposes, but they could acquire a much more expensive player earning north of $20 million.
The Kings could pursue one of the top free-agent forwards this summer, such as Khris Middleton, Jerami Grant, or Kyle Kuzma. If there is a player they prefer to target in a trade, they can move up to two first-round picks this summer as incentives. For example, OG Anunoby is a player they’ve been linked to this summer (who the Kings could’ve matched in a trade for Holmes alone starting in July). The Kings probably have a better chance at acquiring such a player now since the opposing team wouldn’t have to take back any money.
Acquiring a player like Anunoby, who is on a team-friendly contract, might be the ideal move for the Kings now. That would leave a significant amount of cap space to pursue another player and potentially use toward renegotiating and extending Sabonis. They’d also have the $7.7 million room mid-level exception to pursue another rotation player.
Source: Hoops Hype
