The Sacramento Kings and Toronto Raptors have been dancing around a trade for months at this point. It seems the Raptors might have a new bargaining chip in RJ Barrett. His contract is expiring and the scuttlebutt is that Ja'Kobe Walter is taking his spot. This is the trade opening the Kings need.
It's safe to say that the Raptors' rapid return to prominence over the past couple of seasons has been both suprising and welcome. Even before bringing Kawhi Leonard back to the 6ix, they have been picking up serious momentum. Frankly, they're a great example for the Kings on doing a rebuild right.
That doesn't mean Toronto still doesn't have roster issues to fix. Naturally, they need a better center than Jakob Poeltl. He's perfectly fine, which is the best thing you can say about him. Still, he's not an elite scorer, defender, or playmaker, which the Raptors need from their top big man at the five.
Sending Barrett to Sacramento makes sense for everyone
But that's not the issue we're taking about. It's Barrett. With the rise of Walter last season combined with the return of Leonard, Barrett's skillset has become superfluous. Then, add in Immanuel Quickley and Scottie Barnes. Suddenly, Barrett is on the bench watching Walter eat his minutes every game.
That's where the Kings come in. No, this isn't another pitch to send Domantas Sabonis north of the border. Any trade with the Raptors for Sabonis will require Poeltl moving to Sacramento, and that's not happening. The Kings have been clear that they don't want to deal with his absurd contract.
This is about the Kings getting Barrett in exchange for Malik Monk, Nique Clifford, and Daeqwon Plowden. It's a move that could benefit both teams greatly, and doesn't cause salary cap issues for either franchise. It also means the Kings finally make a decision on Monk.
How this plays out in Sacramento and Toronto
For the Kings, they clear out the logjam of shooting guards that remains a persistent issue. This frees up more developmental minutes for Emanuel Sharp, who is big part of the rebuild. Barrett could slot right into the Kings' starting lineup as their small forward, with Alex Karaban as his secondary.
Toronto does well in this scenario, too. They get Monk, a reliable bench leader and shooter, as well as two solid developmental players in Clifford and Plowden. Even more important, it makes space for Walter to become a bigger part of the organization, which is the main goal of this move for them.
Scott Perry has been keeping an eye on Barrett since becoming Sacramento's GM. He's a big relationship guy, and drafted Barrett when he was with the Knicks. With an expiring contract and that pre-existing relationship, a move to bring in Barrett would not be a surprise in the least.
