Olimpia Milano, Former NBA Talent Catch Kings’ Attention

Christie and Armstrong represent two of the three members of Sacramento’s new brain trust, along with general manager Scott Perry. Christie is technically a holdover from last season, but this will be his first offseason as head coach of the Kings.

So far, the offseason can be looked at as a bit of a letdown for the Kings. The Dennis Schröder deal and moving Jonas Valančiūnas for basically nothing weren’t the fireworks that fans had been hoping for, but there’s still time for some moves around the margins. The Kings have been connected to Russell Westbrook and Jonathan Kuminga, but could Christie and Perry be exploring other options? 

Could the Kings be looking to add international talent?

There has not been confirmation on the nature of Christie and Armstrong’s vacation, but chances are they are looking at some of Milano’s roster. A slew of former NBA players, including Nico Mannion, Armoni Brooks, and Leandro Bolmaro, were among those at training camp when Christie and Armstrong were in attendance.

None of the trio would be a life-changing addition, but one or more could be a better fit than Dario Saric or Terence Davis. The Kings have a full roster as of now, but rumors of adding Westbrook lead one to believe that the team may not be done making moves. 

Nico Mannion is the biggest name on the list as a former five-star recruit and 2nd round draft pick. Mannion was taken 48th by the Warriors in 2020, but only played one season in the NBA before leaving to play in Italy. In high school,

Mannion was No. 9 in ESPN’s rankings and was named Gatorade Player of the Year for Arizona. At the University of Arizona, Mannion averaged 14 points, 5 assists, and over a steal per game as he helped lead the Wildcats to a 5-seed in the NCAA tournament.

Mannion's time in Italy has been up and down so far, but the 6-foot-3 point guard might be worth a look for Sacramento. At only 24, Mannion could still develop into the player that many expected him to be coming out of high school, and may have been stymied by Golden State’s talented roster. 

Armoni Brooks has significant NBA experience with the Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors, and Brooklyn Nets. With the Rockets, Brooks took almost eight threes per game and knocked them down at a 38% rate while averaging 11.2 points per game.

In college, Brooks also shot the ball well in his last year at the University of Houston. After struggling to make an impact with the Nets, Brooks decided to try his luck in Italy. With Olimpia Milano in the LBA last season, Brooks averaged 15.5 points per game and shot close to 49% from deep while playing 23 minutes per game. Brooks might be a bit redundant on Sacramento’s roster, but he can definitely play at the highest level. 

Leandro Bolmaro played for FC Barcelona in Spain before suiting up for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Utah Jazz during his time in the NBA. Bolmaro, like Mannion, is still only 24 years old and has been playing high-level basketball for a while.

Bolmaro played for Barca as a teenager and was even the 23rd overall pick in the NBA draft. Bolmaro never really broke through in the States, but the 6-foot-6 guard was well regarded earlier in his career and might be looking for a return to the NBA. 

It’s a long shot that any of these guys end up on the Kings, but it’s a good sign to see Sacramento representatives checking out international talent. The NBA is the highest level in the world; European basketball is no joke.

Guerschon Yabusele is a great example of a player who had NBA experience and went to refine his game in Europe before signing a big deal. For a team like the Kings that isn’t expected to be competing for a title, swapping out Saric or Davis for a flyer on a guy like Mannion, Brooks, or Bolmaro isn’t the worst idea in the world.