Excel Sports agent Jeff Schwartz, who represents Kings big man Marvin Bagley III, released an explosive reprimand of Sacramento (via Twitter), revealing that the team has decided to hold Bagley out of their rotation completely to start the 2021/22 season. Schwartz called the decision to keep his client out of the club’s lineup “completely baffling.”
“It’s clear they have no plans for him in the future, and yet, passed on potential deals at last year’s deadline and this summer based on ‘value,'” Schwartz said. “Instead they chose to bring him back but not play him, a move completely contradictory to their ‘value’ argument. This is a case study in mismanagement by the Kings organization.”
The relatively new Sacramento front office regime, led by second-year team president Monte McNair, is clearly not too invested in the former No. 2 overall pick out of Duke. The current club is prioritizing more switchable, smaller lineups around its exciting young backcourt, looking to build around maximum-salaried point guard De’Aaron Fox and intriguing recent lottery selections Tyrese Haliburton and Davion Mitchell.
At the power forward slot, Harrison Barnes and and Maurice Harkless are expected to soak up the majority of rotation minutes. At center, the recently-extended Richaun Holmes has emerged as the team’s apparent preference to start, while newly-added vets Tristan Thompson and Alex Len will back him up.
The 6’11” Bagley showed plenty of promise during his 2018/19 rookie season, with his output that year (14.9 PPG and 7.6 RPG in 25.3 MPG, across 62 games) meriting inclusion on the 2019 All-Rookie First Team alongside future All-Stars Luka Doncic and Trae Young. Since then, the 22-year-old’s numbers have stagnated and he has missed significant time with injury issues. Last year, he averaged 14.1 PPG and 7.4 RPG across 25.9 MPG, while missing 29 games.
Where this leaves Bagley is unclear, as the big man and his agent surely are hoping for a trade, but his value to other teams appears to be trending in the wrong direction if he has been deemed unworthy of making the opening night rotation for a probable lottery-bound team. The Kings are scheduled to make their 2021/22 regular season debut Wednesday night against the Trail Blazers.
Bagley is on an expiring contract and is eligible for restricted free agency in 2022. As Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (Twitter link), if Bagley doesn’t meet the NBA’s starter criteria, his potential qualifying offer for next season would be worth $7.3MM instead of $14.8MM.
Someone wants this guy for some value. Not sure why they wouldn’t make a deal.
Maybe now, but at the trade deadline teams were obviously lowballing them because Mr. Glass, err Marvin, was hurt.
Bagley and his agent can cry all they want but last I checked he’s under contract and the team can do whatever they deem is best.
When will you all ever learn. No, the team cannot do whatever it wants. Not without ruining their locker room and season. Ask the Sixers. The players run the league, period. He’ll be traded.
Some players wield power in the league. Others do not. Guess which category Bagley falls into.
Ben’s not been traded so has he really won?
Where would he even fit anymore? The blazers take him for a bench role? Cleveland takes him to add to their collection of only centers and point guards? Orlando takes him because they will take anyone who’s 22 and has showed some flashes in the last 4 years? The nets where his competition for playing time was in the league before he was born?
Joining the ranks of recent failed Duke bigs, jabari Parker and jahlil okafor. Hoping there’s a second chance for you big guy.
Clippers? Mavs?
Bagley’s effort on Defense is lacking, so is anyone surprised?
Someone mentioned Jahlil Okafor above and Bagley’s defense is a shade above his.
Perhaps If he played on a team with a stud Shot Blocker like Mitchell Robinson, then you could hide him.
I could see a team with a strong Rim Protector at Center perhaps taking a chance on trading for Bagley.
The Agent needs to sit down and shut that hole under his nose !! Maybe, Just Maybe if Bagley played more than 12 games in a season, things would be different. He gets Injured just looking in a mirror. He even missed the last Pre-season game due to a minor injury. Plus, as previously noted, He needs to Play Defense, which he refuses to do !! I’m glad the Kings did NOT pick up that option. We have seen all this horse can do, so it’s time to move on from this FAILURE of a Draft Pick.
Play more than 12 games? You mean like he has in all three years if his career? I am not standing up for him. He very maybe a long term bust. But he would not be the first to thrive in a different environment. Who knows only time will tell. All we know is he is better at basketball than anyone on here posting like they know something.
One by one, “anyone on here” have figured out he’s just showy and little more. I had him highly rated in the draft and defended picking him not Doncic. Even then I noted coach K had to waive him into position a lot. But he is too happy with small things and himself.
There is no sign anyone wants him as a starter, or maybe at all. The agent, motivated to name someone to justify his insulting rant, did not name anyone. I really doubt the Cavs who already have tall guys. Lakers just called up Cacock, a better risk, and he was GL last year.
bulls
Cavs
Value drops considerably
I think Bagley definitely still has a place in this league, should go to the Mavs, if not them maybe Hornets, Bulls, TWolves or Thunder.
TWolves could actually be a great fit. There’s a young core he could fit in with like KAT, Dlo, Prince, Ant, Okogie etc. They also have a little hole at PF
You’re right! He’d be an upgrade for the T-Wolves at PF… and the franchise wouldn’t be giving up the farm for him like a “dumb” Simmons trade would. Maybe Beasley for him and making numbers work…
I mean… Charlotte. But he is an RFA after this year, he needs to accept a realistic extension. 4/50M is ceiling idk.
The guy can play, just cant seem to get a good streak of health.
Trade him to the SPURS.
Normally I’d agree but by all accounts he’s not exactly the best teammate, doesn’t play team ball, and his family is a PITA. Don’t think I want him in SA.
Also, he’s just not very good, as every conceivable advanced metric makes crystal clear.
Yes, he doesn’t seem to have that winning and team-first attitude, still the kid can play ……….hence, I’d want him traded to a strong, disciplined organization like the SPURS, which might jumpstart his career.
He’s trash. Everybody in Sac is over him. Doesn’t play defense, never developed his right hand, and can’t stay on the court. His agent and Dad need to shut their mouths Our recent draft picks have been high character guys – we don’t need him ruining team morale. Unfortunately, trade value is at an all time low. It’s sad to see that all the guys drafted around him (1-6) panned out and received extensions (besides Ayton, which will come)
What a dumb move. Now you can’t even trade him to get something. Such a Kings move. Lol
Cannot trade if injured and he’s not helping SAC on and off the court now so what’s the point for McNair to give Bagley a trade value exit …
His grandpa is a baller in 2k. Other than that I don’t care.
The agent is not fair to Monte McNair. There is no sign the Kings received offers for Bagley. Anyway, if they were offered a backup for him, a trade may not be considered good for the Kings, since Bagley offers continuation.
Agent Schwartz is just pissed that Bagley did not turn into the bag of money that Schwartz hoped for.
B_ _ t?
No wonder no one wants to play in SAC… I mean they have 1 good player (Fox) 1 guy who one day may or may not be a good player (Haliburton) 1 guy that will never be more than a role player (Mitchell), then vets like Hield, Barnes, Holmes, TT… I mean they really can do very much with the help of someone like Bagley, if you are gonna be as clueless as SAC is & not use him, fair enough, just let him go somewhere so he can play & show them how good he is & how clueless they are, without asking anything for him, I mean if the guy “can’t make” your rotation, you just don’t have the right to ask anything for him, take whatever trash anyone gives you & be grateful for it… then we can all move on & enjoy his talents somewhere else, right?
Nobody said anyone offered anything of value for him, only that the Kings rejected deals based on (relative) value. That doesn’t mean that the Kings or any other team values him much; only that the Kings believe he had more value (or less negative value) than what was offered.
If the Kings rejected an offer that included players that are starters (or of equivalent value), the agent would have said that. Clearly not a guy who’s doesn’t like negotiating through the media.
Within the first week of BAGS playing the new season …. He will have picked up some annoying injury to further deter teams from wanting him,…
The Kings want him out ….. And he will be gone soon enough …. But BALSA-Wood-Bags is way “too fragile” ….. He can ride the bench … And CRY – his agent and pops never shut up.
Dang Vlade for putting us through this nonsense