Veteran guard Isaiah Thomas is one of several free agents who are in Sacramento this week to engage in some “competitive workouts” with Kings players, according to Sean Cunningham of FOX 40 Sacramento (Twitter link).
Sources tell Cunningham that center Tony Bradley and wings Juan Toscano-Anderson and Lonnie Walker are among the others who will be involved.
It’s unclear whether Kings management is seriously considering making any roster additions based on those workouts, but it certainly couldn’t hurt for those free agents to perform well in the sessions as they seek new contracts.
Thomas, who began his career in Sacramento in 2011, finished the 2023/24 season with the Suns, but hasn’t been a regular rotation player in the NBA for many years, having dealt with a series of injuries since his last full season in 2016/17. The two-time All-Star has bounced around the league since then, spending time with the Cavaliers, Lakers, Nuggets, Wizards, Pelicans, Lakers, Mavericks, Hornets, and Suns.
Bradley, a former first-round pick, spent last season in the G League, while Toscano-Anderson was in the NBAGL for most of the year, though he did appear in 11 games for the Kings while on a pair of short-term contracts in December and January.
Of the four players mentioned by Cunningham, Walker has the strongest case for a spot on an NBA roster this fall. He has averaged 11.2 points per game in 244 contests over the past four seasons with the Spurs, Lakers, and Nets. In 2023/24, the 25-year-old shooting guard recorded 9.7 PPG on .423/.384/.763 shooting in 58 appearances (17.4 MPG) off the bench for Brooklyn.
Sacramento is currently carrying 12 players on fully guaranteed contracts for 2024/25, with Orlando Robinson on a partially guaranteed deal and Keon Ellis on a non-guaranteed salary. The Kings may open the season with just 14 players on their standard roster due to their close proximity to the luxury tax.
12 players on guaranteed contracts. One of the few teams with the room for a guy or two.
But don’t you figure Orlando Robinson has a good chance to stick because he’s a big, and Keon Ellis is going nowhere?
Its tough watching IT continue to keep hope alive on his NBA career, year after year. When you’re that size its very difficult finding your place in the NBA even at the age of 25 let alone 35.
We all know the guy can get you buckets but he’ll give them right back on the other end and that type of production doesn’t justify the amount of usage it would take for IT to be successful.
I get why Boston has never brought him back as a player but I do hope that when he does decide to call it quits for good that someone high up in the organization finds him a role that he’d be comfortable with, maybe one that interacts with the fans on a daily basis.
Yeah it’s been a yearly ritual for a while now…
Gotta feel for the guy… But he isn’t alone in the field of woulda coulda but the body said no…
I’m honestly surprised that he never just found a role overseas but that was probably his choice though. Not everyone is comfortable going that route.
Lonnie Walker would be good in Sacramento. They should also get a defensive veteran shot blocking PF to start next to Sabonis
Trade Kevin Huerter and Lyles for a veteran PF. Sign Walker
Thomas this is getting a little sad but back in the day we would take care of the veterans and not sign a team full of young and dumb kids jacking up 3s. NBA is so weak today
Plenty good enough for a multi year deal above the minimum yet nowhere.
It’s swung the other way for a multitude of reasons…
Young players are cheaper over multiple year contracts sure…
But the costs of paying an All Star whilst they are injured are getting higher and higher… And it’s still a crap shoot if they return to form after an injury… Even if the odds are better than back in the day…
Teams have become smarter as a collective and the old ways of just filling the team with vets to sell jerseys off of their careers to date has been replaced with selling hope for the future with youth…
Also, sometimes teams just need to see a certain player fill a certain role (usually on a contender) before it dons on them that maybe that guy can do the same thing for them. Bruce Brown & Derrick Jones Jr are two that come to mind, possibly even Tyus Jones in Phoenix this season.
Jones has been the NBA’s best Assist to Turnover ratio guy over the past 5-6 years and is coming off of a season where he averaged career highs in mpg/ppg/apg/rpg/fg%/3fg% and his best contract option was a vet minimum deal with the Suns.
You’d think that Lonnie Walker might have found a larger role on a team after how he played in the Lakers 2023 WCF’s run but apparently not.
Boston currently has an open roster spot and I’d take Walker as an Oshae Brissett replacement in a heartbeat.
There lays the issue. If the Kings were “Serious” about contending, then they wouldn’t worry about going over the cap alittle bit. “IF” you look at all the Playoff Teams NOT one of them are under the Cap. If you are serious about wanting to make the Playoffs, then spend and get the players to get you there. If Not and you are just content w/ making the Play In and Not the Play Offs then stay the Status Quo.
Teams have to be smart and not over extend themselves before they are ready…
Going over the cap is worth it if you think your team just needs vet min signings going forwards…
The Kings need flexibility going forwards… They are one key piece away…
I wonder if the Kings will have to back up the Brinks truck for this one
The Kings Current Roster :
——————————————
Possible New Starting Lineup :
———————————————–
PF 6-8 Murray
SF 6-7 Huerter
C 6-11 Sabonis
SG 6-6 DeRozen
PG 6-3 Fox
—————————–
2nd Unit :
—————
PF 6-9 Lyles
SF 6-9 McDaniels
C 7-0 len
SG 6-5 Monk
PG 6-3 Carter (IL) / 6-0 McGlaughlin
——————————
(Depth Chart)
———————
C 6-11 Sabonis
C 7-0 Len
C 6-10 Roobinson
——————————
PF 6-8 Murray
PF 6-9 Lyles
——————————
SF 6-9 McDaniels
——————————
SG 6-6 DeRozen
SG 6-5 Monk
SG 6-7 Huerter
SG 6-6 C. Jones
SG 6-4 Ellis
SG 6-4 Mason
——————————
PG 6-3 Fox
PG 6-0 McGlauglin
PG 6-3 Carter (IL)
——————————
2 Way :
———–
PF 6-9 I. Jones
SF 6-6 Crawford
——————————
Free Agents :
——————–
C 6-11 McGee
SF 6-7 Slawson
Needs :
———–
SF
King’s could Sign another Center, then Move Sabonis to PF; Move Huerter to SF; Move Murray to SF.
-OR- Trade Huerter and a 1st and 2nd rnd Pick for Miles Turner. Then you would have a Strong Starting 5 :
——————————–
PF 6-11 Sabonis
SF 6-8 Murray
C 6-11 Turner
SG 6-6 DeRozen
PG 6-3 Fox
Turner & Sabonis were a bad on-court fit in Indiana and that probably wouldn’t change in Sacramento.
Different Coach, Different System, Different Situation, Different Players, Just saying !!
I get what you are trying to say but those two players as a 4/5 starting duo was the problem, not everything else that you mentioned.
Sabonis gets traded and he’s soon an AS while the Pacers incrementally got better in the standings once that trade was made.
I doubt Indy would be willing to trade Turner at this point anyways when they just made the ECF. They’re trying to build onto that roster not take away from it.
We loved IT on the Celtics! But he became so big that the team became secondary. And we proved last year that the team is more important than any one star.
They should get Bruno Caboclo again