Regardless of firing Mike Brown, the Sacramento Kings haven’t given up on their season simply but. With simply over one month till the 2025 commerce deadline, the Kings are anticipated to be energetic, with Brooklyn Nets ahead Cam Johnson properly inside their sights.
As they scramble to enhance their roster, the Kings have made their curiosity in Johnson “identified” via “intensive talks” with the Nets, per Sam Amick of The Athletic. Johnson isn’t their solely goal however seems to be the one they’ve proven essentially the most curiosity in.
“For now, with the Kings sitting twelfth within the West, workforce sources say they’re specializing in enhancing the present roster whereas shutting down any and all inquiries relating to [De’Aaron] Fox,” Amick wrote. “Particularly, the Kings are identified to have had intensive talks with the Brooklyn Nets about small ahead Cam Johnson. There may be an inner consciousness that the roster must be improved, and the Johnson pursuit is only one of many avenues the Kings are identified to be exploring.”
Johnson is at the moment in simply the second yr of the four-year extension he signed in July 2023. Via 31 video games, he’s at the moment averaging a career-high 19.3 factors per sport. His vital sixth-year leap has made him a scorching identify to observe forward of the deadline, with the 12-21 Nets anticipated to place themselves as sellers.
Kings’ taking pictures woes in 2024-2025
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Buying Johnson would handle the Kings’ painfully apparent lack of taking pictures. They join on simply 11.8 three-pointers per sport, the sixth-fewest within the league. Johnson is at the moment hitting 3.2 threes per sport for the Nets, hovering over Malik Monk’s 2.3 per sport, which at the moment leads Sacramento.
Getting into the yr, the Kings anticipated Kevin Huerter — a profession 37.6 % shooter from deep — to be their greatest menace from behind the arc. However via the primary three months of the season, Huerter is hitting a career-low 30.3 % of his three-point makes an attempt, a droop that has booted him from the beginning lineup.
With no true taking pictures menace, spacing has typically been a problem. All three of the Kings’ main scorers — De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis and Demar DeRozan — have by no means been thought of main threats from deep. Huerter’s struggles have pressured Monk, the workforce’s former sixth man, into the beginning lineup, additional weakening their depth.
Doug McDermott and Keon Ellis have additionally been thought of for taking pictures assist, although neither has been dependable sufficient to make an impression. Whereas each shoot over 40 % from downtown, neither has had the consistency to match. McDermott averages simply 9.1 minutes per sport, whereas Ellis makes an attempt simply 3.3 three-pointers per contest.