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The Sacramento Kings finished the 2020-21 NBA season placed 12th in the Western Conference standings. They missed out on the play-in tournament by two games. They now enter the offseason with plenty of decisions to make and hold the ninth overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
The Sacramento Kings got one of the steals of the 2020 NBA Draft when they selected Tyrese Haliburton out of Iowa State with the 12th overall pick. This year they'll once again have the opportunity to add value as they pick inside the top ten.
The Kings also have a number of free agents they'd like to bring back during the offseason but can't pay them all, though, and tough decisions have to be made. Big man Richaun Holmes is an unrestricted free agent that is going to be coveted on the open market. The Kings had him at a bargain last season and will now have to decide if they want to pay him a lot more for him to stick around.
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24-year-old guard Terence Davis is another player who will put the Sacramento Kings in a tough spot. He is set to hit restricted free agency and another team could drive up his price tag significantly. On that note, here are the three biggest needs that the Kings must address in the 2021 NBA offseason.
#1 Sacramento Kings need to move on from players that don't fit
The Sacramento Kings have a number of players under contract carrying value in the NBA but simply don't fit with the organization moving forward. One of those players is big man Marvin Bagley III, who needs a fresh start away from the organization as much as the organization needs to move on from him.
Another example is Buddy Hield. The sharpshooting guard has long seen his name in trade rumors and now is the time to pull the trigger.
Whether it's for a deal involving Ben Simmons or another move, these players don't fit the direction the Kings need to move in to improve next season. Getting the maximum value out of them now would be the best way forward.
#2 Sacramento Kings need to get value once again in the NBA Draft
Like last year, the Sacramento Kings need to pick an impact player when they are on the clock in the 2021 NBA Draft. Tyrese Haliburton dropped to them in 2020, but they can't count on something similar happening again.
The front office needs to have their list of impact players that fit with De'Aaron Fox ready to go and make sure they get one of their guys. If that requires moving up the draft then so be it. If they can wait until the ninth pick and get one of their targets, that's even better.
In addition to the ninth overall selection, the Sacramento Kings have the 39th pick in the draft. That gives them added flexibility while also allowing them to find value if they don't need to make a trade early in the draft.
The Kings know all too well how bad it can be to miss a swing in the NBA Draft and that's why they need to make it two straight years of draft success to continue strengthening their roster's foundation.
#3 Sacramento Kings must add defense-minded players
The Sacramento Kings' biggest weakness last season was their defense. They had a defensive rating of 116.5, the worst in the entire NBA. Head coach Luke Walton knows that things need to change on that end of the floor.
Veterans such as Harrison Barnes and Delon Wright are solid defenders but they're best suited to be complementary pieces in this regard. They're not good enough to anchor the Kings' defense.
The Kings need to find defensive specialists who can hold the team together defensively on their own. Adding versatile wing defenders to the roster and improving the shot-blocking at the rim will be crucial for the franchise.
The Sacramento Kings already have an electric point guard in De'Aaron Fox who does a great job in making the offense tick, but they need to be able to protect their basket as well. If the Kings can recruit good players for that purpose, they'll have a good chance at being a much better team next season.
Sacramento Kings Nation! You can check out the latest Sacramento Kings Schedule and dive into the Kings Depth Chart for NBA Season 2024-25.
