The Sacramento Kings suffered a crushing 33-point loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, losing the rebound battle 51-25. While it is unhealthy to overreact to one poor loss, the Kings are 0-4 against the Pelicans this season, losing by an average of 21 points. The Pelicans bring out the worst in the Kings as Sacramento's weaknesses become more apparent. Is it an overreaction to say changes need to be made?
The Kings have been involved in many trade rumors, most notably centered around Toronto Raptors star Pascal Siakam. Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the Kings were looking to deal veteran forward Harrison Barnes in exchange for Siakam before backing out of trade talks altogether.
While trade talks with Toronto have not worked out, who else could the Kings get for Barnes? In this trade proposal, the Kings send Barnes to the Utah Jazz in exchange for John Collins.
Sacramento Kings receive: John Collins, Kris Dunn
Utah Jazz receive: Harrison Barnes, Davion Mitchell, 2025 second-round pick (via POR)
The Kings would address their rebounding weakness by bringing on Collins, averaging 8.0 rebounds per game through his seven-year career. The high flyer would bring a spark to the Kings starting lineup, one that Barnes fails to bring on a night-to-night basis.
While Collins might not be the forward upgrade that many Kings fans are calling for, Sacramento should be targeting a stretch four of his caliber. If the Kings are unwilling to give up a haul, Collins is a much cheaper option than Siakam or Portland Trail Blazers' Jerami Grant.
It has been reported that the Kings have put Mitchell on the trade block with Barnes, as the 25-year-old point guard has been primarily ineffective in his limited playing time. A point guard swap of Dunn for Mitchell would benefit both sides, as Utah gets a younger option under contract for two more years while Dunn could walk in free agency this summer.
Despite struggling last season, Collins has found his three-point shot again, nailing 37% of his attempts from deep. Grabbing a guy who can rebound and stretch the floor would be perfect in Sacramento's lineup. Utah would get an effective veteran presence in return with Barnes, as the 31-year-old wing has shown that he can still contribute but likely needs a change of scenery.
The least desirable aspect of acquiring Collins is his contract, as the 26-year-old forward is making $25.3 million this season and $26.6 million the next ahead of a player option for 2025-26. Trading for Collins would be a medium-risk, high-reward move for Sacramento, but taking the chance could be worth it.
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