The Sacramento Kings Could Emerge as Unlikely Contenders in Potential Jimmy Butler Deal
The Sacramento Kings are in a tailspin, having lost six consecutive games and going 5-13 in their last 18 matches. They now find themselves 3.5 games behind the 10th-seeded Golden State Warriors for the final spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament. After sacking head coach Mike Brown last Friday, the team's struggles have put star guard De'Aaron Fox in a precarious position, according to Sam Amick and Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Fox's agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, recently held discussions with the Kings' management to gain insights into the team's long-term plans.
Fox, speaking on a recent podcast with Warriors forward Draymond Green and former NBA player Baron Davis, expressed his desire to ensure the Kings are in a position to contend for titles in the future. He wants to know if the team is improving year on year and if they have the necessary talents to compete at a high level. Fox is signed until 2025-26 but is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent during the 2026 offseason. The Kings' desperation to keep Fox could make them a wild card in the ongoing Jimmy Butler trade talks.
Heat team president Pat Riley recently stated that he had no intention of trading Butler. However, as we've seen in the past, team executives often say one thing and do another. ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Butler prefers a trade out of Miami ahead of the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline, with the two sides still at an impasse regarding a contract extension. Butler is reportedly keen on joining the Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, or Phoenix Suns, but various roadblocks might prevent these teams from making a move. This opens a potential door for the Kings to enter the Butler trade discussions, either to land him outright or as a piece in a multi-team deal.
Could Jimmy Buckets Illuminate the Path?
Fox turned down a three-year, $165 million extension from the Kings during the fall. Yet, he publicly and privately expressed his desire to be a significant part of the future in Sacramento, as reported by Charania. Fox's decision to skip the extension was financially driven. He would become eligible for a four-year, $228.6 million max extension if he doesn't make an All-NBA team this season, or a five-year, $345.3 million deal if he does. Delaying his extension by one season could earn him an extra $64 million, possibly more.
However, the Kings may have to demonstrate their commitment to title contention to Fox, particularly after Brown's departure. That's where Butler could come in.
The Kings, hard-capped at the first apron following the acquisition of DeMar DeRozan via sign-and-trade last summer, have around $5.9 million under the threshold as of now. This means they can accept up to 125% of the salary they send out in any trade, along with $250,000. They cannot, however, swing a deal that surpasses the first apron.
Butler's $48.8 million salary for this season would necessitate sending out at least $38.8 million in salary to acquire him. DeRozan (worth $23.4 million) and either Malik Monk ($17.4 million) or Kevin Huerter ($16.8 million) could cover this amount. Yet, the Kings would need to shed a bit more salary to stay under the first apron.
Third-year forward Keegan Murray might be a sticking point in trade negotiations between Miami and Sacramento. The Kings may not want to part with him for a possible six-month rental, while Miami might insist on his inclusion in any deal. The Kings could counter with third-year guard Keon Ellis or Devin Carter, whom they selected with the 13th overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft.
The Kings owe first-round picks to the Atlanta Hawks in 2025 and a first-round pick swap to the San Antonio Spurs in 2031, but they have control over their first-round picks for the next seven years. They could offer up to two first-round picks (2027, 2029) and three pick swaps (2026, 2028, 2030) in a Butler deal. However, he shouldn't come at that price since he's on a potentially expiring contract.
The Kings should only pursue Butler if they are prepared to re-sign him during free agency this offseason. However, they have a collection of salary-matching contracts and assets that could potentially pique Miami's interest if the Heat reconsider their trade decision.
The Third Wheel
Even if the Kings decide against acquiring Butler, they can still maneuver their way into the trade negotiations. Their flexibility under the first apron could help them expand any trade into a multi-team deal, allowing them to reshape their backup players around Fox and Domantas Sabonis.
Basically, if the Warriors sought to trade for Butler, but the Heat weren't keen on accepting Wiggins or Kuminga in return, the Kings could enter the discussion by transferring DeRozan, Huerter, or Monk to Miami, while taking on contracts from the Warriors and/or Heat, as long as they stayed under the first salary cap exception.
If Butler desired a move to Phoenix—a rather unlikely scenario—the Kings could potentially assist in making that happen by taking on Bradley Beal's hefty $50.2 million salary. Nevertheless, the Suns might not have enough resources to persuade the Kings to accept such a burdensome contract, given that they'd need to offload all three of DeRozan, Huerter, and Monk for salary matching purposes. This type of three-team trade could be facilitated due to the Kings' financial flexibility.
According to Amick and Slater, the Kings recognize their squad "needs an upgrade, if not multiple." They've reportedly set their sights on backup centers and wing positions, with Jerami Grant from the Portland Trail Blazers, Kyle Kuzma from the Washington Wizards, and Cam Johnson from the Brooklyn Nets as potential targets.
Amck and Slater further suggested that "the idea of adding a high-profile player" is "considered extremely unlikely," but the Kings' front office is open to exploring "any and all possibilities" that could potentially enhance the team, even if they don't seem plausible at first glance. Could this include exploring the interest of a frustrated 35-year-old whose team asserts it has no plans to move him before the Feb. 6 trade deadline?
Following their loss to the LeBron James-less Lakers on Saturday, Fox seemingly issued a warning to the Kings' management.
The urgent need to revitalize their season and diffuse the potential Fox trade demand could push the Kings to engage in talks with Miami about Butler, despite the Heat's boasts about not trading him.
(Unless otherwise specified, all statistics courtesy of NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information courtesy of Spotrac and salary cap information courtesy of RealGM. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.)
De'Aaron Fox expressed his desire to know the Kings' long-term plans, as their struggles may impact his decision to stay beyond his 2025-26 contract. The Kings' desperation to keep Fox could make them a player in the Jimmy Butler trade discussions, considering him as a piece in a multi-team deal or potentially landing him outright. Mike Brown's departure from the Kings has put even more pressure on the team to demonstrate their commitment to title contention to Fox.
