[The following submission is from the Sacramento Kings, run by students in the mock deadline practicum at the SBC Las Vegas Immersive. Write up via Jordan Silbert.]

Assignment: Sacramento Kings

Team Members: Jordan Silbert, Danny Lubelfeld, Quentin Thorne, Carmelo Torres, Eyob Feisa

The Sacramento Kings haven’t made the postseason since 2005-06, so why did our team members elect to make moves that may appear to be a step backward? We chose to plan for a significant future instead of going all-in for a single superstar surrounded by a roster that lacked young talent, future potential and effective role players.

Our team weighed multiple offers for our core players of De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, Davion Mitchell, and Keegan Murray. An offer featuring Kyrie Irving from the Brooklyn Nets left our members divided. Do we make the “splash” move for an All-NBA caliber player or stock up on draft picks, build team chemistry under new head coach Mike Brown, and focus on developing our young talent?

The answer became apparent with the price, as Irving would have cost Harrison Barnes, Murray and Mitchell. That would have compromised our future, keeping the Kings in the dreaded land of purgatory (the 9-12 race, hoping to win the play-in). Even with Sabonis, Fox and Irving, our confidence in competing with the elite in the Western Conference teams wasn’t strong enough.

Instead, we chose to rebuild properly. And while that may sound crazy, given the franchise has been rebuilding for 17 years, just chasing a low playoff berth to break that streak would be foolhardy.

With that in mind, Domantas Sabonis drew interest from several teams around the league. We pulled the trigger on a deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder centered around their 2023 unprotected first-round draft pick, Aleksej Pokusevski, Ty Jerome and Derrick Favors. The rebuild was on.

Next, we agreed to send recently acquired wing Kevin Huerter to the New Orleans Pelicans for Devonte’ Graham and Garrett Temple, along with multiple draft picks, including the higher 2023 first-rounder from the Los Angeles Lakers and Pelicans and a 2024 Chicago Bulls second-rounder. While Huerter never got the chance to suit up as a King, the return in Graham and picks was more appealing to an earnest rebuild.

Minutes before the deadline, we acquired Mark Williams, Buddy Hield and a 2025 second-rounder from the Charlotte Hornets (who had previously received Hield in a separate transaction). The cost was Barnes (30), who didn’t fit our timeline and was on an expiring contract. The return was essentially two first-round picks, including Williams, who was the No. 14 selection in the 2022 draft.

Ultimately, the Kings kept its young core intact and added a young rim-running defensive center in Williams, potentially movable contracts in Graham and Hield, and multiple draft picks. These offseason moves created a clear-cut vision for our franchise surrounded by young talent, draft capital, and cap space for the upcoming seasons. Flexibility and an exciting young core of players will allow the Sacramento Kings to flourish under Brown and eventually compete as a Western Conference juggernaut.

Trade 1

  • Sacramento received: Derrick Favors, Ty Jerome, Aleksej Pokusevski, 2023 unprotected first, 2026 top 8 protected that can convert to 2027 unprotected first, and the OKC 2028 second. 
  • Oklahoma City received: Domantas Sabonis, Chimezie Metu, and Neemias Queta. 

Trade 2

  • Sacramento received: Devonte’ Graham, Garrett Temple, the 2023 more favorable NOP/LAL pick, and the 2024 Chicago second.
  • New Orleans received: Kevin Huerter.

Trade 3

  • Sacramento received: Mark Williams, Buddy Hield, and the 2025 CHA second. 
  • Charlotte received: Richaun Holmes and Harrison Barnes.

Final Roster

PG: De’Aaron Fox, Devonte’ Graham, Ty Jerome
SG: Davion Mitchell, Malik Monk, Buddy Hield, Terrence Davis
SF: Garrett Temple, Aleksej Pokusevski, Keon Ellis (two-way)
PF: Keegan Murray, Trey Lyles
C: Mark Williams, Alex Len, Derrick Favors, Hassan Whiteside (free agent signing)

–Jordan Silbert